Paul Young love :)

I can't think of anything that's as powerful as music, for bringing back memories, or even just the emotions and feelings from the time you first heard a song. Today, during the torture of a Spring clean, I came across a Paul Young CD. I loved this man so much when I was a teenager; I remember the first time I saw him on Top of the Pops, the agony of my friend Sharon Brace going to see him when I couldn't, the lifesize poster on the back of my bedroom door and the crush I had on a boy called Vincent cos he had Paul Young hair...

Today I'm lucky if I can remember what I had for breakfast... But for the past hour I've been singing every song, word for word. Dancing around the kitchen like the 14 year old that loved Paul Young so much so could barely breath when she watched him. Cor, powerful thing music innit?!

Handbags, Gladrags and beaooootiful new flooring ...

Well not really.  No handbags to be found at Gladrags today :(

There's a fab second hand shop in Glasgow (not strictly charity, it gives back to the community instead), and right next door is the Glad Cafe, the place with the best coffee I've ever had, and I don't even really like coffee...

So today was the first official day of my two week Easter holiday.  I've never looked forward to a holiday so much in my entire life.  The past couple of weeks at work have been soooo busy and demanding, the only thing that's kept me motivated has been the thought of locking the door on Friday and hiding my bag, phone and work keys in the office as soon as I got home... (that didn't quite happen, but, by Monday I promise...!)

To celebrate we went to Glasgow today.  First stop was Gladrags, where sadly I didn't find anything, but Robbie got a cracking pair of shoes for just a fiver.  And then we went next door for lunch.  No kids, no clock watching, nothing to rush home for, no schedule, nothing planned for the dinner.  Total grown up freedom.  Blisssss.....

And could it have got better?  It did!  On the way home we took a daft notion to pop into a couple of flooring shops to see if we could get anything for the Hall.  Not that it's urgent or anything, we've only been living with a concrete floor since July...  And half an hour later we're driving home with dog pee proof laminate that was over £200 cheaper than the last quote we had.

Best holiday ever.  Now, time for wine and a night of chilling without any work tomorrow!

Be back soon!

Wendy x

Lady in Beige...

Oh I had the best luck at the charity shops today!  Don't you just love it when you find something you've been looking for for weeks.  Bingo!  A gorgeous pair of suede boots for just £3, and I love them.  On top of that I also got a lovely blouse for £1, a waistcoat for £1.50 and a bag for £1.  Gawd, £6.50 in one go, a big spend for me!

So, now I'm home from work, after a manic morning of dragging everything back under the stage after dragging it all out yesterday... time for housework, folding and making lasagne for tea.

How do you celebrate your dog's 2nd birthday?  Are you supposed to?  Do you throw a party? Can't buy her a bone, she'll only get the runs...  Sod it, I'll just sing to her!

Be back soon!

Wendy x

Monday Monday

The problem with doing nothing all weekend is that you come home from work on Monday to a house that smells of microwave meals, an overflowing laundry basket and a sinkful of dishes!  Note to self; even on Mothers Day do the dishes!

So today was a good day.  I wore my luuuurvely new jacket (£32 down to £18 in TKMaxx), and my blue tunic finally fits me again, woo hoo!  At the Post Office one of my ex-mum's complimented my hair, no idea when that last happened... and a weeks shopping is in the cupboards, having cost me just £58.  All I need now is the housework fairy to wave her wand while I enjoy a cuppa, and life would be perfect!

Must tidy my bedroom before I take my next pic...!

Be back soon!

Wendy x

Mother's Day

The clocks changed today, so it's now almost 7pm and I have done precisely nothing all day.  The two reasons being the clock change and the fact it's Mother's Day.  A lie in, a lazy lunch at Paris Match and then a few hours just chilling on the computer.  I feel so lazy and yet so justified!

So, no plans made for this coming week, no shopping list written for tomorrow, no housework done, no uniform folded or ironed, no bedding changed... the list goes on.  I should care, but I don't!  Life can be so routine and mundane sometimes, so why not have a day that entails nothing but nice lazy memories...

My week will be busy enough!

My lovely flowers from one of my girls.  With baking promised from the other.  I'm a very lucky Mum.

Be back soon

Wendy x

Sunday shopping...

I wonder if it's worth going between three different places for your shopping on a Sunday, when you'd much rather be sat at home watching Eastenders and eating crisps... First stop was B&M for dry goods, juice, soap etc, then Lidl for fruit and veg, then Morrisons for the little extras.  Took me ages, and in total came to about £60.  Oh please let it be worth it.  Let it save me money this week (cos there's not much left to last me til next weekend!)

Quite a busy week coming up so I need to be organised and have a menu:

Monday - Lidl ready meals for 3 cos I'm off out! Reduced to 99p each and decent ingredients too.
Tuesday - Gammon steaks, pineapple, chips and peas.  Needs to be quick as R's off to the camera club and I've got friends coming over.
Wednesday - Pepper and tomato risotto.  E's working so I'll make it after lunch so she can have hers in her break.
Thursday - Pizza for the girls as R and I are off to a wedding.
Friday - Spaghetti, meatballs and tomato sauce, before C goes to her piano lesson.
Saturday - Baked potatoes with egg mayonnaise and salad.
Sunday - Sausage casserole with potatoes and veg.
Back up meal - Sweet and sour stir-fry.

Should work if I stick to it!

So Saturday I spent ironing and Sunday I spent shopping and washing my couches.  I'm a strange woman cos I quite enjoyed it and feel nice and organised for my week ahead!

Be back soon.

Wendy

Poppodoms and Pasties!

I don't understand why I'm not rich and rolling in money...!  Popppodoms for tomorrow night's curry down from £1.79 to 50p, and not a broken one in the packet.  And tonights' tea, pasties and mini steak pies reduced to, wait for it, 30p for 3 steak pies and the pasties were silly money as well (don't remember the exact price!)  Really happy with that considering all I've bought this week are vegetables.  Just need to make sure I get time to cook and don't stray from my menu.

Now for a reminder of one of my bargains from months ago!

My gorgeous 50p scarf that I wear aaaall the time.

It's silky and has butterflies in all different colours so it goes with anything.  Love it.

And now to my reading list, as I dream of watching less tele and becoming an avid reader of all kinds of books... And I will become that woman once X Factor, Strictly, the Bake Off, Masterchef and Wife Swap go off the tele forever!

Since taking these photos I've read Queen of the Big Time.  Best book I've read in years.  I just love Adriana Trigiani.  I first read her when I was holed up in a freezing tent during the Wickerman Festival... Damp, smelly, desperate for the loo and needing a clean toilet, I lay reading Lucia Lucia, set in a beautiful part of Italy, surrounded by gorgeous.  Will never forget it.

Well, off I go for a bath, but will be back soon!

Wendy x