Changes

Who likes changes?  Well I suppose that depends on what those changes are.  Perhaps it's getting married,  starting a family, changing jobs, starting university, opening your own business, becoming a grandparent.  So many changes can happen to us.

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  There is one change that is happening to me that I don't like.  Wait for it........ it's changing shape.  Ha, you were expecting something deep and meaningful, weren't you?  Tricked ya.

I went shopping for a pair of jeans Friday.  I live in the things and the two pairs I have are on the way to seeing better days and just don't cut it for best anymore.  Oh I have more than two pairs of jeans.  I have another two pairs in a size 10 that I'm going to fit into again one day.  I lie not, (yes I do).

So how does one cope with a body that is changing, changing it would seem of it's own accord, with only a teeny weeny bit of help?  I've always been wide on the hips but I just can't hide the extra treats I've put into the saddlebags in the last few years, in a pair of wide leg jeans anymore.

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You know the kind of treats I'm talking about, chocolate cake, chocolate, ice cream, two biscuits instead of one!
  The tummy is looking a bit like those cream sponge cakes I love to eat too.

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It can't be hidden underneath a pair of high waist jeans like the svelte retail assistant assured me it would.

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Heck, I wore high waist jeans in the 70's.  Maybe I should have held on those too.

I went into many different shops in a bid to find a pair of jeans that were acceptable in style and in price.  I tried jeans on in the help yourself type stores and the "What size do you need" shops, none of which were particularly wonderful experiences.  It's those mirrors.  I'm sure they install those fun house mirrors that make you look like this,

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with legs and a behind that look like this.

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Gok Wan encourages me to embrace my womanly body, lumps, bumps and all.   And I would, I truly would if only I could find a pair of jeans that would not remind me how much I've been embracing food.

So as you can see I'm having a bit of a crisis.  A crisis in not being able to find clothes, jeans in particular that will fit my changed body shape.  You see I can get away with wearing something that I'm less than happy with around the house but I have two very special events coming up soon and I don't want to look like a dork, and a lumpy, bumpy one at that.  These special events are the 21st and 18th birthdays of my two gorgeous daughters.  Now before you get all worried, I'm NOT trying to compete with my daughters and I certainly don't want to look like "mutton dressed up as lamb".  URGH!

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However I would like to look like a slightly up-to-date 48 year old mum and not be an embarrassment to my daughters or myself.  Do you know what I mean?   

So I've purchased a pair of dark blue jeans in a style I've not worn before.  All I can see is hips and saddlebags so I'm going to enter the fascinating world of illusionary dressing.

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To draw the eye up, up and away from those hips.

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Here is what I've discovered can help me.  Wear a scarf, dangly earrings and a big smile.  I found a cute little top in a thrift shop in my colours, under which I'll wear a long singlet top to create a layered effect.  I've also discovered that a wide belt on the lower waist gives the illusion that I actually have a waist. Wearing a heel will also give me the illusion of being taller and narrower, not that I'm short as my height is 5' 6".  So this is the outfit for the 18th which will be a party at home with family and friends, good food, fun and dancing.

The 21st is going to be a slightly more formal affair but no less fun.  We are going to a restaurant we love with family and friends to celebrate.  I had a big think about what I had in my wardrobe and keeping in mind my newly discovered illusionary tips, put together an outfit that will be smart, dressy and up-to-date.  The only new thing I bought for this outfit was a wide black elastic belt and it was on SALE.  Yippee. 

Am I the only one learning to cope in a world that seems to only make clothes for the young and svelte?  There is a huge gap in the clothing market in Australia for my age group.  :(

While sitting up in bed this morning enjoying my Mothers Day breakfast, I decided to a little research online and see if I could find some web sites that would point me in the direction of how to dress for my shape.  To my surprise and delight, I found this website http://www.birdsnest.com.au  It has a special section where I can shop according to my shape.  I have no intention of buying from this website but they have very helpfully put outfits together to give you an idea.

I'm quite partial to these few outfits.
 

Above clothing images all from http://www.birdsnest.com.au

What do you think?  I'm going to trawl through my wardrobe and see what I can find that might fall into some of these categories.  I'm going to borrow this book written by Gok from my library 'cos I need professional help.

 What a self indulgent post this has been, but I know you'll forgive me because it's Mothers Day and it's all about taking a little bit of time out for me.

I hope you've had, are having or have a lovely Mothers Day.

Bye for now,

Anne  xx

Op-portunities

Today I had to visit the nurse to get a fresh dressing on my thumb, which fortunately is healing really well.  Hopefully steri strips and bandage will be coming off in a week.  While I was out and about, I had a few other bits and pieces to do, return books to the library, post some letters and return a DVD.  Guess what happens to be right next door to the DVD store?   An op. shop.  :)  Of course I just had to go in and have a peek and look what I came home with for $7.00.

The lamp was $2.00 and although it needs some work, I think it was a steal.  A good vacuum and clean and it will look lovely.  The enamel container will be used as a pot plant holder and the two photo frames will be painted off white.  The photo frame with the funiture pictures is for Miss G. as she is decorating her room in a French theme and I/she thinks this will suit that theme.

 The little silver pieces and cut glass pieces will be put away until I find the perfect place/decorating idea for them.  I might use them to hold candles.  Does anyone have any suggestions?

What was your last bargain?  I love hearing bargain hunting stories.

Anne xx

Spring storm, X-rays and a King parrot

We are having a spring storm here today.  I lunched with my sister at a lovely little cafe down the hill (she's a flat lander :->) and we sat outside in balmy weather.  Black clouds rolled in and the heavens opened.  We had finished lunch by then so it didn't matter.  To escape the rain we went into a lovely craft shop that sells rubber stamps, papers, inks, embellishments and all things to do with card making.  It's a wonderful shop and one where you could spend a lot of money if you chose.  I chose not too but did get some fab. ideas for cards.  Should I mention the op. shop that was in the same street?  Maybe I'll show you tomorrow what I found.  Yes I know, I'm addicted.  Just another little obsession of mine.

I'm at home now after taking both the girls for a mouth x-ray.  The dentist wants to know what's going on with their wisdom teeth.  I want to know why one x-ray company will bulk bill their fees and another won't.  My knee x-ray yesterday cost me $91.00 and I got $36.00 back from Medicare.  Today the girls X-rays at a different company bulk billed so it cost me nothing.  Crazy.

As I'm typing this, a male King parrot like this one

is sitting on the post just outside my back door hoping I'll take pity on him and put out seed.  I've only put out seed once to get some photos but they haven't forgotten their treat.  I would love to feed them but it's better for them not to rely on humans for their food.  He is making all kinds of different noises to try and get my attention.  The dog has barked at him through the window but the cat is ignoring him.  Strange, he normally goes crazy when he sees a bird through the window.

Now it's time to think about making dinner, again.  Sigh.  Not a good sigh.  :-)  I think it will have to be vegetable quiche tonight as we have an abundance of lovely eggs from our chooks and there is no meat defrosted.  What are you having for dinner/supper tonight?

See you tomorrow,

Anne

Large shopping centre (mall) closure turns into op.shopping adventure

Yesterday I was all set to visit the nearest large shopping centre so I could use my book voucher and money,  indulge in a little bit of window shopping and have coffee and cake at my favourite cafe.  The shopping centre is about 20 minutes drive from where I live' as the crow flies' and as I was about to turn into the parking lot, I noticed an electronic sign stating  the centre was closed.  IT'S NEVER CLOSED DURING THE DAY, EVER!!!  

I was annoyed, very annoyed to have made a special trip to the centre only to have it closed. (I since found out there was a burst water main in the area.)  I know I'm a bit of a wuss, but I do find going out an effort and I was cross because I was all dressed up with nowhere to go so to speak.  I'd  wasted petrol money and time.  Grrrrrrrr!  As I was feeling quite let down at the prospect of going home again, I suddenly hit on the idea of visiting an op. shop that wasn't too far out of the way on my drive home.

Op. shops are interesting places because sometimes you find nothing and other times you come home loaded with loot.

My first port of call upon entering  was the bric-a-brac shelves, you just never know what might be there.  The first thing that caught my eye was a lovely pale aqua blue stoneware casserole dish that would suit my kitchen decor beautifully.  I turned it over to view the price, discovered that it was made in England and the price tag was $24.99.  Not really my idea of an op. shop bargain so I put it down again.  I did come across a Pyrex bowl in perfectly good condition for $2.99.  (Not worthy of a photo.)   I snapped that up as you can never have too many bowls in my opinion.  On the odd occasion I decide to cook up a storm, I use so many bowls.

The next bric-a-brac shelf displayed all kinds of interesting bits and pieces, some of it quite nice, nothing I would use though.  And then I spotted a tin.  A tin you ask?  Well it was so cute and it had pictures (not photos) of Yorkshire countryside on it with sheep.   I love sheep, I grew up on a farm.  It had pictures of dry stone walls.  Hubby is making a dry stone wall at the entry of our property.  We had a holiday in Yorkshire as part of our U.K. visit nearly 22 years ago and I have a very soft spot for the countryside there.  Is that enough reasons for buying a cute tin I didn't need?  You bet!!  It was meant to be.  I just know I'll find a fantastic use for it.

So I moved on from bric-a-brac to the clothes section.  Where to start?   After having a good look,  I had draped over my arm two tops, a shirt, a dress, a pair of shorts and a pair of cut offs.  Juggling clothes with  pyrex bowls and cute tins is quite difficult, but I did manage.  Off to the change room I went, banging and clanging and trying not to trip up on the dress which was rather long.

The first problem to negotiate on entering the change room was closing the door.  Why oh why do op. shops insist on having a changing room with gap between the doors of about 2 centimeters, a big gap from above knee height to the floor and open air from just above your head to the ceiling?  I'm not too happy to share flashes of pale freckly flesh, a couple of spare tyres and cellulite legs to the world.  Apparently if you want bargains that is the price you have to pay. :-(

There was sign on the change room door advising customers not to take in more than four items of clothing  at a time.  I had six clothing items, plus bowl, plus tin.  There was only one hook on the wall which was just big enough to hold four hangers comfortably, five a bit of a squeeze and six, well you can guess.  I would have only taken in four items but there was no rack just outside the door to hang the other items on.  There were no slightly bored and unhelpful shop assistants waiting to hand the extra items to me when I was ready. It's an op. shop after all.  And anyway, what if someone came along and decided my bargains on the rack outside would suit them perfectly and ran off with them?  I'd be mighty unhappy.  I'm sorry op. shop people, my six items plus bowl, plus tin came in with me.

Here is a short list of things I learnt while in the change room.  Things I should have already known had I taken the time to think about it.

1.  Shorts and me don't work together anymore.
2. Cut offs with narrow and slightly tight waistbands aren't seemly and the cargo pockets on thighs make any self respecting  saddlebags look huge.
3.  Peruse garments very carefully while they are on the rack so as not to discover later there are holes and bleached patches on rolled up sleeves.
4.  Just because it looks nice on the hanger doesn't mean it will magically turn you into the svelte person you were 20 years ago, the person you'd like to be again without having to exercise and reduce calories.
  5.  Maybe the dress you love was in the height of fashion 10 years ago but it doesn't mean it's in fashion now despite the fact the fabric is really pretty and the colour suits you.  

So now it's time to exit the change room while valiantly trying not to make eye contact with anyone just in case they had the misfortune to see you through the 2 centimeter gap in the door.  The next task is to try and put the items of clothing not required back on the appropriate rack.  Of course I can never remember what came from where and there is still no slightly bored and unhelpful shop assistant offering to put things back.  So I'm sorry op. shop people if you found shorts with dresses, cut offs with tops, tops with jackets etc. I exaggerate of course.

O.k now it's time to part with money.  I usually like to banter with the person at the cash register because I think they must have a really boring job taking money from people.  I have found in my visits to op. shops there are increasing numbers of men helping out.  A year or so ago when I was visiting this very same shop, a very nice looking young  man was serving at the cash register.  In fact this particular young man was very much in the image of Robert Pattinson only better.  (Only if you like his type of course.)  I tried sooooooo hard not to keep staring at him and I don't believe I was very successful.  Unfortunately this was one of the days when browsing turned up nothing useful or interesting.  (Probably because I was distracted.)  AND NO, I DID NOT BUY SOMETHING, ANYTHING JUST SO I COULD GO TO THE CASH REGISTER TO BE SERVED BY PERSON BETTER LOOKING  THAN ROBERT PATTINSON.  I had no such luck yesterday.  Sigh!   The cash register person was male but much older and definitely not film star material.  He was very helpful though, cheerful and happy and Irish.  I do love a nice Irish accent.

So a missed chance at the big shopping centre turned into an op. shop adventure. What could be more fun than tripping over long dresses and looking for a Robert Pattinson look alike?  You decide!  :-)