Sporting a new wardrobe, cheaply

Afternoon all. When I was off work I decided to get a few new bits and bobs to cheer me up and try and pull myself out the gloom a little. I bought quite a few things that I wouldn't normally wear in terms of colour and style but was feeling that a change would do me good. I even managed to find two dresses that fit me which I was very surprised about. In addition to the post I wrote recently about my newest acquisitions, this is what else I bought when I was out chazzing;

A long red morino wool cardigan £3 from Cats Protection in Llandudno
A grey V neck short sleeved Monsoon sweater £2.79 from Scope in Llandudno.
A black and white wrapover style dress £4.79 from BHF in Llandudno
A red patterned tea dance style dress £7 from BHF in Caernarfon
A black and red spot see through chiffon blouse from BHF Sutton Coldfield £2.99
A cerise M&S cardigan £4 from BHF Lichfield

I'm sure there's more but I can't think but I have worn these items to work and other places and received many compliments. In fact I feel quite embarrassed as I'm not used to compliments and don't know what to say, of course I say thank you but its different for me as it doesn't usually happen. That makes me think how did I look before ?

I would probably go as far as to say I have never been so well dressed and the funny thing is its all charity shopped. Colleagues have asked if I am going for an interview and some have quipped ' who is he ?' And as for dresses, aside from my wedding dress, I haven't worn a dress for about 25 years. Its amazing how a different piece of clothing can make you feel !
 

Three months on.......

Good evening bloggers and hope you are all very well. Its been three months now since my loss and I'm still feeling low. We had a lovely holiday in August to Wales and we all enjoyed it very much. The week was glorious with lots of sunshine and was very relaxing. Im also back at work although with hindsight I wish I'd had longer. When I got back to work I expected lots of awkward questions from my colleagues as one day I was at work and the next I was gone. Colleagues were fine nothing intrusive at all. Management however not so. I met with my manager to discuss my return to work to be told that I was being referred for first level disciplinary proceedings for my absence. I was informed that I was to meet with management at a later date and I could have representation. To cut a long and upsetting story short, HR got involved and assured me that in my circumstances no action would ever be taken and they were very apologetic about it. I felt very upset , disappointed and let down as you could imagine. Returning to work has been good for me in some respects as socially I haven't felt isolated like I did being at home. Work itself is still the same and very frustrating but Im trying not to think too much about it, hometime comes and I'm out the door. Two couples I know have since made their pregnancies public with both being due the same week as I would have been. New Year will be good to get this last year behind me but that first month will be difficult.
 

Charity shop shopping

As part of my getting out and about, I went into town earlier in the week and had a look around the charity shops. Theres not many to be honest and the prices aren't as cheap as they once were. One of my favourite charity shops is British Heart Foundation and they had quite a few items in my size. I bought a few that a liked and spent about £15. I thought that I'd get a few more tops for work as I always wear the same old stuff and although I thought £15 is a lot to spend at the charity shop, its still less than what you would probably spend on one new item at the high street stores. I bought ;

Spotty scoop neck Next top.
Black and white patterned top with a waterfall neckline.
Black M&S top
Floral Dorothy Perkins top.
Fuschia coloured M&S Autograph top.
Checked scoop neck blouse.

Some of the things are not my usual colours or style but I thought I'd just mix things up a little. The black and white patterned top my husband tells me is a bit zany but it looks ok with my black work skirt. The floral top I have worn and had a few compliments already so it can't be all that bad.

I also had a green patterned see through top from the Scope charity shop, priced £4 which I thought was a little high but I bought it as I liked it once worn. I picked up a green camisole top for underneath from the nearby Bon Marche shop. Again green is not my usual colour but I thought I'd give it a go.

Trolley bargins

Yesterday we went to the supermarket and timed it just as the lady was there marking down the items. When I first started blogging you seemed to get lots of reductions at the shops but now I find they are few and far between. We rarely seem to get anything nowadays so last night was an exception. Heres what we had :

3 packs of pasta reduced from £1.95 each to 39p each.
Lamb chops reduced from £4.83 to 97p.
4 packs of Beef steak mince reduced from £4 each to 80p each.
2 Gammon steaks reduced from £4 to 80p
Salmon fillets reduced from £4.50 to 90p.
Aberdeen angus mince reduced from £3.75 to 75p.
Jaffa cakes reduced from £3 to 45p.
Pasta reduced from £2.15 to 43p
2 packs of sausages reduced from £3.29 per pack to 66p each.
Lamb steak reduced from £4 to 80p
3 crab and cod bakes reduced from £3.60 to 72p each.

This little lot came to £12.15 when full price it should have been £64.61.

I am particularly looking forward to the cod and crab bake. The lamb chops and gammon we are putting towards a BBQ we are hoping to have. The mince will be used for spag bol, chilli and the like.

Trying to get back to normal

After my recent events I have been at home on sick leave. I will be going back to work in a few weeks. Being at home I have been doing lots of thinking about lots of things. One of which was my job. I did contemplate handing my notice in but I think I was feeling a bit rash so have decided not too. Besides I would be foolish as they are always talking about making cuts and if they wanted to get rid of me they would have to pay me off. I have 12 years service so it would be silly to walk away from that. The first two weeks of leave I was just at home, not getting dressed and just mainly staring at the artex patterns on the bedroom ceiling as well as noticing how many cobwebs I had around the place. To be fair , medically, I was in no fit state to be anywhere other than home due to the physical symptoms I experienced. My first sick note was from the hospital. When that expired I had to see my GP. He is a lovely doctor and was very sympathetic and kind and wrote my note with no hesitation. He asked me what I had been doing so I told him truthfully nothing. In fact the day I went to see him was the first day in that fortnight I had been dressed. He told me not to stay home as it would make me worse dwelling on things, it sounds obvious but until he told me that it hadn't occurred to me. So in the week or so since I saw him , I have been getting out a bit more. I went to see some local relatives last week which was nice. This week I have been out by myself just for an hour or so at a time. Monday I treated myself to some 'chazzing' and found a nice top for the grand sum of £2.49. Today I have been to the hairdressers as I hadn't had my hair cut since March and it was getting a bit mop top hair shop again. Its been good to get out and have a walk around in the fresh air and I do feel better for it.  

The 2014 year so far ...life and death

Hello bloggers and Happy New Year. I know its July but its my first blog of the year. My life in some ways has not been my own this year. A relative was diagnosed with cancer at Christmas which was followed by a terminal diagnosis in new year. The first part of the year was spent in various hospitals with docters appointments, tests, biopsies, scans and finally hospital admission. Then they passed away and we had the usual arrangements to make as we were next of kin. A few surprises along the way sorting the finances out as they hadn't been entirely honest with us , so along with bereavement,  a lot of stress trying to sort everything out and dealing with creditors and various people involved in the process. We are hoping now that there are no more surprises , time will tell. Shortly after the bereavement we found out that I was expecting . We were both delighted and I found out at 7 weeks. I am quite old fashioned and don't believe in announcing until the 12 weeks have passed so other than my husband, mother and my work superior , no one else knew. So we were going along happily until just about a week before my 12 week scan when I began to spot. Nothing to much to begin with but over a course of two days it got worse and I miscarried. That was four weeks ago and was very hard to deal with. I am still dealing with it and no doubt always will. So I hope the rest of the year will be calm so that we can get our heads together and go forwards.