7 February 2013

Stop Smoking, Drink Wine

My one year anniversary for quitting smoking is coming up in April.  I can’t believe how fast the time has gone, although I’ll admit that some portions dragged a lot longer than others.

I’ve had my ups and my downs, times when I could have cheerfully punched a kitten for a cigarette (I wouldn’t really) and others where my resolve has been so secure that I vowed that I was cured.  The actual state of play is that it is an ongoing affair.  I still love the smell of a burning cigarette and still miss not being able to have one after a meal and a glass of wine. 

Will I ever buy another packet again?  No.  Never.  Will I ever smoke another cigarette?  Impossible question.  The short answer is of course no, but the rest of your life is a long time, and I would be stupid to think that in all that time, I won’t be tempted to have a puff.  Never is a big word.  I prefer “try my damnest”.

I wanted to celebrate my one year in some special way.  I wanted to do something with my friends and my mum, something fun but also special.  I think what I have decided to do is make my smoking pay for me, and also the people I’m celebrating with. 

So my mum and I love to go out to see a movie and have a meal together, so my non smoking will pay for that, and my friends and I love to go out for a nice meal, have some wine and good catch up, so my non smoking will pay for that too.

In the end, spending time with my friends and my mum, acknowledging the people that have helped me on my no smoking journey, having delicious food, watching new movies and drinking nice wine, all paid for by money that used to go up in smoke, what more do you need?

I wouldn’t have gotten through my quitting journey with them, so a little thank you is more than required, along with more than a little fun.
 
 

5 February 2013

Hearts & Flowers


Against my better judgement and ignoring what my purse told me, I couldn’t resist having a little look on the Very website when their recent “70% off” email popped into my inbox.

I have a rule when sale shopping.  Don’t buy whatever you normally go for.  My view on it is that whatever you tend to usually buy when it comes to clothing, anything you may have wanted you have already bought, put on your wish list or bought a different example elsewhere.  

Sales are the times for change, for something new, and being daring.

My form of daring is patterns.  Having only in the past few months moved away from having a wardrobe crammed with black and dull clothing, colour is just about settling in my mind whilst prints are still scaring me somewhat.  

So, with an aim on buying something new, bright and patterned, I ended up with these two lovelies. 












I love the heart print black and white dress as it is something that I can style for work, a Saturday afternoon out somewhere nice or dressed up for an evening with a pair of killer heels.  The dress is still available and can be found here "So Fabulous Ditsy Day Dress" .

The flower print dress is definitely the one that frightened me the most.  Flower print?  Me?  Really?  The jury is out on that one at the moment, especially as I couldn't get a good photo for love nor money.  But in any case, you can buy it here "So Fabulous Tea Dress".

I'm still getting used to taking photographs of myself and need a better camera, but bear with me.

How do you do your sales shopping?