Must Share ….:)

Are you one of those people like me who suffers from "frizzy hair"?  This has been made worse by having highlights and colours - its ok when my hairdresser blows it into a sleek mane but otherwise my attempts to manage my thatch are disappointing.

So I asked her if she could recommend anything which might help.  She suggested this……L'Oreal techniart which at £13 seemed a little steep - but you only need a very small amount the size of a malteser on your palm which you apply on washed wet hair and then blow dry.

I am amazed at the incredible improvement.  End result silkier finish which lasts and removed the "straw effect".  I thought it was so good I returned to buy one for my daughter!!!

Donate your wardrobe!

At this time particularly we are aware of those less fortunate than ourselves. I am sure we all donate in one way or another to our charities but maybe we can do a little extra by taking a leaf out of the Beckham's book this Christmas.  Victoria and David have generously donated many very expensive items from their clothing and accessories to raise money for the disaster in the Philippines.

http://fashion.telegraph.co.uk/videos/TMG10467603/Victoria-and-David-Beckham-donate-clothes-in-aid-of-Philippines-typhoon-victims.html

I have sorted out clothing, shoes and accessories  I no longer need for our local Hospice.

http://www.stlukes-hospice.org/Events/Midnight+Walk/whattowear

 They rely heavily on people giving their goods so they can sell on.  It is worth having a look in the wardrobe and being realistic about those items you haven't worn for a long time!!  Please pass on to an outlet you think would benefit.

Podiatry Problems!!

Does this maintenance ever end!!!

I had to go to the podiatrist today - painful toe with corn……yuk!

Dressing and support putty

I have toes which are roughly the same length and this leads to problems with the end toes squashed into shoes.

 I am reasonable careful with my choice of shoes but inevitably fashion shoes are not designed for my footprint!!

My podiatrist took photos of my feet for his records again  and and…….also one of my Marc Jacobs mice I featured the other day in a previous post  …….because he liked them and found them amusing and sensible !!

The lesson for all - don't leave niggles until they become problems!!! 

A treat for me……..

The one thing I really hate is cleaning the oven!  I do cook a great deal but still try to manage spillage and grime.  No matter how I try it still manages to decline into a disgusting mess.  I have tried several oven cleaners with mixed success - even so the result is never quite reaches a desirable standard.

Then about a couple of years ago I found a company who cleans ovens…they must be masochists!

Within 40/35 minutes the oven is transformed into a gleaming cooking machine which I can now exhibit with pride.

Exhibit A after last week's treatment!!

I know it won't last but you can't blame me for savouring the moment.

My Mice Shoes!

I bought a pair of Marc Jacob's mice shoes about a couple of years ago.  What a find!  They are like slippers and look very fashionable.  I have found that I can no longer wear shoes with a highish heel for long periods of time - particularly if we go out for the evening and then travel home on the tube - so it is great to have a pair of mice which fold up neatly in my medium sized handbag.  To put them on my aching feet is sheer heaven and they now go everywhere with me.

I found another pair in Yoox.com which are reduced from £125 to £89 - so couldn't resist!

They arrived this morning :)

Getting There!!!

My brother and I are both November baby boomers and our present to each other every year is to meet for lunch with our respective families. We discuss the passing years and our valiant efforts to stave off the inevitable!  We did overindulge and let our diets have a rest for the day.  So it was with some trepidation that I weighed myself this morning….and………. I have lost 2 lbs!  Only 5 to go!  It shows you that you can relax occasionally but don't make it the norm!

I bought this dress at the beginning of the month for an event we were attending - it is also going to be my "Christmas dress".  Although it fits very well it is a tad snug and will benefit from my weight loss objective.  This is the trouble when you buy fitted tailored clothing - it is very unforgiving but looks wonderful when you are in reasonable shape. This dress from Outnet.com is by Badgley Mischka £297.49 which is half price and a true classic which will be worn over and over again

Strangers on a Train

http://www.westendtheatre.com/22512/shows/strangers-on-a-train-at-the-gielgud-theatre-starring-laurence-fox/
http://strangersonatrainlondon.com/home/

Last week we went to see "Strangers on a Train" at the Gielgud Theatre - what an absolutely gripping performance which captured the sinister and disturbing elements of the Alfred Hitchcock thriller. This "perfect murder" was played out by the leads, Laurence Fox and Jack Huston. Both were remarkable and kept up the tension and despair throughout. Two actors both from acting dynasties didn't disappoint.
Fox is so well known to many on TV and Huston so memorable to us in his role as a disfigured veteran on "The Broadwalk Empire". Really worth seeing - be prepared to be shocked!!!!

                                       ******************************************


Still working on the Christmas diet will keep you posted!:)

Day of Reckoning!

OK - well after the festivities surrounding my birthday (3 days) I have now a day of reckoning!!!  I have gained 7 pounds!  rich food , bigger portions, champagne….exhausted.  Got to do something about it….new readers start here….. emergency if I don't do something about it it - it will be like compound interest …….

So today the dreaded diet begins…. calorie counting, portion control and lots of exercise!

We all know that as Christmas approaches there is no way we can resist the goodies so we must take stock and plan so that we don't feel like a landed whale at the end of December.

I am not going to tell you exactly how much I weigh as my husband reads this but I will share my progress with my weight loss on a weekly basis….in this way you will become my conscience!

so so annoying!!

Stop the Clock!!!

Its my birthday!!!  63 today……I have had the usual jokes ….its just a number..but ……... a big number :)

As many of us baby boomers will say we don't feel any different and that is the frightening thing about getting older that in your head things are still the same.

What older age does give you is a sense of who you really are and what you value.  Your confidence and ability to say what you want to say and do as you want to do have never been greater!!

Things which used once to be so important in your life and cause stress cease to have such prominence.  They have been replaced by the people who you love and who love you.

Birthdays are a time to count your blessings and to reflect and marvel on what you have achieved so far; to revisit memories, some painful some happy: to pursue  outstanding dreams: to use your time wisely and to plan for a future which you so richly deserve !

It can't be November!!!

We have been tidying up the roses this morning - and I know we are supposed to trim in the spring  but as usual can't wait!!

However what is surprising is that they are still flowering!!!!  OK they are not the best specimens in the world but they should not be around in November!!!

Even the leaves on some of our trees and shrubs are intact!  I am often confused must be the same for the plants??

7 weeks to go…………..

Can you believe there's only 7 weeks until Christmas? It doesn't seem so long since the last one.  You always have this feeling that there is so much to do….and there is but nowhere near as much as we imagine - just human nature I guess which leads us to panic !

The food, the drink , the cleaning, the decorations, the cake, the mincemeat, the visits, and ……..the presents. Why is it that we all feel so much angst as to what to give?  Children and teenagers are easy …toys and money respectively…then there's the adults!  My husband always says I am too generous but I do love to give and see the pleasure - I hope!
I was brought up with the saying better to give than receive

I must confess I started gathering pressies in October!  Men as always are very hard to buy for...

When people give presents to me I value the thought that goes into it - it shows how much someone knows you and how much they care.  I have been touched by the simplest things……like my little grandchildren drawing a picture just for me - awww!

In retirement,  income is limited and finite and so I would imagine that sometime in the future we will have to tighten our belts but not quite yet :)

Christmas does tend to bring out the child in us ….no matter how old you get……..

so on with the prep!!!

Reluctant Exerciser!!

All of us know the importance of exercise but many of us don't want to do it.  What we do like are the results in terms of health and physique and toning.

My husband knows all too well the benefits and but reluctantly accompanies me for 2/3 days a week.  He is sensible however…………….

Couldn't resist taking a snap this morning of him on the treadmill at the gym.  Thankfully the machines have integrated TVs  and as I know this helps to pass the time for my husband as he gets really into his sports programmes!

At 69 I think he is in pretty good shape :)

Energy Practical Solutions!!

I was brought up in a small mining village called Maltby in South Yorkshire , UK.  As a baby boomer in the 1950's we had an enjoyable yet a hardy upbringing.  This aspect wasn't obvious to us growing up - we were just  living through what was commonplace and not at all challenging.  We didn't have central heating or double glazing.  We often huddled around a coal lit fire for warmth in a loving environment. I can remember waking up in at the morning and my head felt so cold,  and having glanced at the icicle patterns on the window would pull the sheets over my head to savour the cosiness and warmth of the under blanket.

So these days with so many modern amenities keeping us warm - are we getting too soft?  I listen to people complaining about the high cost of energy ( which is certainly the case) but often they don't want to take any common-sense advice.  Almost that constant warmth is their right.  

I remember an elderly friend of my mother who had cheaper gas - I think it was called StayWarm and was provided for those who fell into the vulnerable category.  She enjoyed temperatures which would not have been out of place in the south of France.  When she was too warm she would open a window!

One of the chiefs of the energy companies commented that the cheapest unit of energy is the one you don't use.  He was met with a torrent of abuse and criticism - but he is right!  If you examine the number of appliances which are on standby and the rooms you are heating which are not in use you could probably cut the bills.

In discussions with family and friends as to how we we could make some savings and keep warm we collectively came up with these suggestions…..

• Fix tariff with UK energy suppliers before 1st December 2013. Most are increasing charges by up to 10% from this date
• Turn down the temperature of central heating - apparently one degree less and you can save on average £131 per year. 
• Wear more clothes!  This again was ridiculed but something we were always told by our parents.
• Check items on standby….switch them off.
• Exercise for an hour a day.  If you are retired or work from home - going for a brisk walk will get the circulation going and will make you feel so much warmer and you won't need the heat on during this time.  
• Clean the house…using the hoover certainly makes me feel warm!
• keep busy don't fall into the trap of being a "couch potato"
• Use the warmth of the oven!  By cooking nourishing meals in a batch - you have hot food and the incidental heat from the oven to raise the temperature in the kitchen
• Visit friends and have a coffee
• Invest in a couple of clothes racks.  I have found that using a clothes drier is very expensive - get used to hanging out clothes again where practical 
• Switch off unnecessary lights

The elderly are often depicted as some little old dear wrapped in a shawl suffering from the cold. Don't let this stereotype prevent you from taking matters into your own hands and give a more positive spin. Most people are quite resourceful - certainly we baby boomers are! No one says its easy to manage but we can still use our brains despite what some people think!  We also have the advantage of having lived through real austerity which was far worse than anything that we face now!

Do you have any energy tips??