Monthly Clothing Purchases - July

I intended to have a very low spend month on clothing and accessories this month, but unfortunately, it wasn't to be, as you might have guessed. In all honesty, part of the reason was our holiday and the fact that my favourite sandals came apart on the day of LB's graduation ceremony. I ended up having to wear her trainers, that I'd taken for her to change into.

Although I managed to glue the sandals back together, I wasn't confident that they would last the holiday and I ended up buying a new pair. These are the ones I bought, and I am very happy with them:

They lasted well on holiday and we walked up and down many cobbled streets. I'm pretty sure my old ones wouldn't have survived the rigour. They were super comfortable too and went with lots of my dresses and skirts, but I did spend £23 on them, which was quite an outlay for me, as my previous favourites had cost £5 new from the charity shop.

In addition to this major purchase, I did also buy a few things from the ASOS sample sale in July, which were bought with the intention of taking them on holiday, but some things didn't arrive in time and others I chose not to take in the end.

I bought this striped top for £3, which is very cute, but sadly it is a bit too cropped and I didn't realise that it was made from a synthetic fabric, so I ended up not taking it. I will probably donate this.

 

I also bought these cotton espadrilles for £5, but they are a bit snug and I didn't want to risk getting blisters, so I've got them on shoe stretchers at the moment and I'm hoping they will stretch a little and be more wearable. It's always a gamble with these type of shoes. If they are too loose you walk out of them, if too tight they are unwearable and unfortunately these were the latter.

The items that didn't arrive in time were this one shoulder swimming costume 

which cost £2 and this cotton poplin leopard print blouse which cost £3

I also bought a swimming costume for LB for £2, but she didn't like it so I will keep this for myself.

At the beginning of the month, I also visited my favourite charity shop and came away with a few items. The first was an absolute steal for £1.

This linen/cotton dress is from Next and is a very pretty print and style. It is a bit low cut for me though, so I bought a royal blue cotton vest for £2 to wear underneath it. I didn't take them on holiday, but I am hoping to wear them now I'm home.

I also bought this lovely polycotton beach dress, made from an African design fabric, which cost £5. I do have a bikini top that is one shouldered and this dress is so light and airy that I thought it would be ideal to wear around the pool, which it was. It is so colourful too. I love it.

The only other items of clothing I bought this month were this black sleeveless tiered dress, that I bought from work for £10 in the sale. It is 100% cotton and I did intend to take it on holiday, but I took a couple of other favourite dresses instead, neither of which I wore. I have worn it since I got home and I love it as it is long and floaty. Great for days when you just want to wear something loose.

Finally, I bought this pair of viscose shorts on holiday from a small boutique. 

They were useful to wear around the pool, as I don't have many pairs of shorts, so for 8 euros they were quite a good price and will be useful for future holidays.

In total, I spent £61.29, which was more than I intended. I did get some bargains though and hopefully most items will get worn.  If I don't think that they will, for whatever reason, they will be donated, as very few of them cost more than a few pounds.

Next month, I'm hoping to do better, especially with no holiday on the horizon, to lure me into purchases. In addition, with my uncertainty about work, I'm not looking to spend money I don't need to. We'll just have to see what happens.

A Tough Week - W/E 9th August 2025 - Part One

This week, I was back at work on Sunday from 12 noon. It was another busy shift on a payday weekend, but one where a particular member of the team seemed to have an issue with me. I can't say too much at this point, but I came home feeling pretty de-motivated, as a consequence. It made me really reconsider whether I want to continue working there and in retail generally. It can be quite an aggressive workplace in many ways and I'm not altogether sure it aligns with my core values, but we all need to earn money somehow.

There have been so many changes in staff at work recently and the store doesn't have the same atmosphere. I'm sure it will settle down into it's own vibe eventually, but current indications are that it might not be one that I'm going to enjoy working in.  I also found out another member of staff may be leaving soon, to be replaced by someone I've had issues with in the past returning, so that isn't great either. This sounds like I'm difficult, but I'm really not. I keep my head down and just get on and do my job, but if people make a beeline for me, which they sometimes do, for whatever reason, it can be really unsettling. It's a pity, as most of the people I work with, I really like and get on well with.

Anyway, I was working again on Monday from 3pm and it was another super busy shift. A similar scenario ensued. It's starting to feel very personal and targeted, if I'm honest. Maybe I just need to seek them out privately and talk to them, but I'm not very good at confronting situations like this.  I managed to get through the shift without reacting, but the situation did make me feel very anxious and triggered, which is not a nice place to be. I was so grateful to get away and be off work for a couple of days, after a very stressful and long weekend of it.  Maybe I'm just too old for all this aggravation. (Literally!!) Life is way too short. I'm trying hard not to do anything rash though.

On Tuesday, I was so happy to wake up and not need to go to work. I had a bit of a lie in and then got ready and went out to the gym for a workout, after which I felt a lot better. I tried out a new machine in the gym, for assisted pull ups, which I haven't ever used before and it was quite fun. I was also watching one of the instructors teaching a small class of clients, which was interesting.

I have started to tentatively look for another job, but it's not that easy (at nearly 59) to get any job. Not every employer is happy to take on more mature workers. I know this from the last time I was job hunting. It took me 6 months of multiple job applications, before I was offered this job. Alternatively, I may consider trying to get a transfer to a different store closer to home, but it depends on whether they would be prepared to take me on.

Anyway, changing the subject, as I don't want to bore you, I decided to do another batch of jam making in the afternoon. It's the first chance I've had for a while and the freezer is full of berries (gooseberries and blackcurrants) to be processed, and I really needed to free up some space. I managed to make half of what was in there into jam and it made 3 jars, (two of them large) to keep us going. I also didn't burn my eye this time, as I remembered to put my glasses on.

There's still enough left in the freezer to make another batch and I'd also like to go out blackberry picking at some point. I've probably missed the best of them here, as they often ripen early especially after the hot weather we've been having. I see ripe ones on the bushes on the way to work, but I won't be picking them, as they are too exposed to traffic and fumes. I know some spots well away from traffic to pick from though.

Whilst the jam was cooking on the hob, I made time to sit in the garden with a cup of coffee and just enjoy my surroundings. I haven't had much chance to do this lately. I figured that if the worst comes to the worst and I do decide to leave my job, I'll have to get used to living much more frugally and on a much reduced income. I've done it before and know I can do it again. Maybe I've been way too spendthrift lately, on account of earning more money and it would do me good for a while. As a consequence of what's going on at work, I'm making sure to spend as little as possible this month, as my money may need to tide me over for a while in the near future.

I spent the rest of the afternoon catching up on reading everyone's recent blog posts. I was over a week behind. It was lovely to visit with you all and catch up on your news. I also bought an Xmas present for LB on eBay. It was something that she wanted that was vintage and didn't cost a lot. I figure that everything I do buy from now on needs to count and besides, there's no harm in getting Xmas ready early.

The End of Our Holiday and Returning Home - W/E 2nd August 2025

As mentioned in last week's post, the last night of our holiday in Portugal was spent in the capital Lisbon.  We were due to fly home from there on Monday evening, so spent Sunday night here.

After packing, tidying and leaving the villa, we stopped off at a lake en route to Lisbon. It was a scorching hot day, so we just sat under a tree and watched  people happily engaging in water sports. OH took a swim, but LB and I didn't. We then stopped off to see a dam on the lake before driving to Lisbon and finding our apartment, which was situated in the Barrio Alto part of the city centre. This made exploring the city really easy, as it was so central and the street itself was lined with interesting little independent shops and cafes. 

We didn't have a whole lot of time to explore, but we went out walking and exploring in the evening, had cocktails in a nearby rooftop bar and supper in a restaurant. It is a lovely vibrant city, full of young people enjoying themselves and it felt very safe, although there were warnings to beware of pickpockets on crowded trams.

The city's ancient tram system ran past our apartment. It looked such fun, but we didn't actually ride on it. We did ride on an old funicular down the street, which took us down some steep streets to the waterfront area, where we caught a modern electric tram to Belem to take a look at MAAT, which is the Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology. The building is beautiful with facades decorated with white ceramic tiles and it is situated on the river front with beautiful views of the Ponte de 25 Abril bridge which spans the River Tagus and takes you to the eastern side of the city.

We didn't have time to look around the museum, unfortunately, as we had to get back to the apartment and check out, but later we drove over the bridge to see the Christo Rei, which is a huge statue of Jesus Christ. It was well worth a visit and you can climb the monument to get great views, but the queues were long and we needed to get to the airport to fly home, so we didn't really have time. It is situated on the opposite side of the river,  and you get an amazing view of the statue and the city of Lisbon across the river.

It is a lovely spot set in beautifully landscaped gardens. From here we had to take the car back and catch a shuttle bus to the airport. There were some ongoing disputes with baggage handling staff at the airport, so some flights had been cancelled. Ours was a little late setting off, but we got home safe and well eventually, late on Monday evening.

We had a fantastic holiday, the Portuguese people are very hospitable and kind, but we were happy to get home and get back to normal life. I ate way too much amazing food and pastries and gained a few pounds during our stay, but I'm sure it will come off again pretty quickly. I would definitely go back, as there is much more to see and do that we didn't have time for in our short visit.

Waking up in our own home on Tuesday morning was lovely. I decided to skip the gym and just have a leisurely day unpacking, doing laundry and food shopping and just generally enjoying being home. The weather was significantly cooler, but we were glad of that, as temperatures in Portugal were in the mid to high 30's centigrade for most of our stay.

On Wednesday, I had promised LB a trip out to our nearest IKEA, as she wanted to buy a shelving unit as part of her bedroom makeover. I went to the gym early which felt good after a week without exercising, and then came back and showered and got ready to go out. We had lunch at IKEA and all the meals were half price with the Family card, so we had a cheap meal out for £6.60.

Once we'd had lunch we completed our shopping there and then stopped of at Home Bargains and did a few other bits of shopping on the way home. It was a busy day, but LB was very happy to be able to get everything she needed to complete her bedroom makeover.

Thursday, I was due back at work at 2pm. I had a quite leisurely morning, having a lie in, then showered and got ready for work before having lunch. Work started off steady, but soon got very busy, as it was pay day for many people, it being the last day of the month. There were a lot of final reductions, so I did do a bit of shopping in my break to take advantage of good prices. Some items were gifts that I put away for Xmas or my birthday and I bought a dress and a pair of jeans to wear for work, as some of my work pants are feeling a bit snug lately.

On Friday, I got up and ready to go to the gym again. I had a good workout and then came home for lunch. After lunch it was time to get ready for work at 3pm. Work was super busy, due to it being pay day weekend, so I was kept very busy all evening.

Saturday, I got up and had a leisurely morning. There was no free gym class, as it had finished for the summer. I was due at work for 3pm again and it was another super busy day/evening, with queues of people wanting to buy stuff. As a consequence, the shop was a mess at the end of the day and we were late finishing. It was nearly 11pm by the time I got home. Another two people left tonight, one of them a manager that I new was leaving, the other a staff member that I didn't know was leaving.

I was late to bed tonight, as it took a while to wind down from the day. I crawled into bed eventually at the end of what turned out to be a busy week.

Monthly Finances - July 2025

July has been a bit of a spendy month here, mainly on account of us going on holiday. The extra money that I'd earned in June, due to working lots of hours did come in very handy to give me spending money for the  holiday, but I did come back with quite a few euros which I will keep for another holiday.

I did make a few holiday orientated purchases before going away, which included some travel sized toiletries and some items of clothing/accessories, some of which were very solid purchases and others not so much and never actually came away with me. We live and learn though and I definitely fell fowl of a small spending spree before we went away.

Other than the holiday, I did spend some money on LB, buying her a few things for the holiday, as she came home from Uni pretty skint and was kept waiting by her landlord to get her deposit back, which is a whole other story that didn't end too well and completely enraged me, as it involved a cleaning fee of £310 which is completely ridiculous, when we left the flat cleaner than it was handed over to us. A very steep learning curve for her and us, but we were just glad to extract ourselves from that situation as quickly as possible. I don't envy people dealing with landlords these days as they seem to expect tenants to pay for things they should be providing. Another of LB's uni friends is apparently being sued by her landlord.

More was spent on food this month, mainly due to LB being home again, but the budget only went over by £100 or so and we are pretty well stocked up in the pantry cupboard.

In terms of savings, I did put £200 away into the car fund, £100 into an ISA account, won another £100 on the Premium bonds, which got reinvested, put £100 aside for Xmas/birthdays and rounded up balances in other savings accounts, so everything I needed to put aside was done. In addition. I gave LB cash here and there to tide her over until she got her deposit back and starts working and earning some money.

Next month, should be a pretty straightforward month with no holidays on the horizon. I should earn quite a bit more than usual, as I've been working more hours all month, so there should be a bit of excess cash to save here and there. I do need to try to rein in the spending a bit though and focus on looking after what I already own, as opposed to buying more stuff. I really need to give the house a thorough clean and tidy, as it has got somewhat neglected over the past few months whilst I've been really busy, but we'll just have to see if this happens.

I hope you've had a solid month financially.

A Holiday at Last - W/E 26th July 2025

This week started a bit differently. I got hardly any sleep on Saturday night as we needed to be up at 3.30am to head to the airport and catch a flight to Portugal for our annual summer holiday. It had been stressful in the lead up, due to working the three days before and late the night before we headed off. I just had to make sure that I was all packed and ready to go before I went to work on Saturday night. Even then, I didn't get to sleep until 1.30am, so I was shattered when I had to get up at 3.30am.

We got to the airport okay, but both mine and LB's hand luggage got searched and our toiletries put through a machine to check the contents, which took a while. I struggle to travel without my familiar products and despite decanting them, I probably still had too many. We eventually got through and got on the flight which was full. The school summer holidays had started, so the airport was particularly busy. Our flight set off at 6.30am ish, but luckily it wasn't a long flight to Portugal, probably 2 and a half hours, which is bearable. I was glad to get off at the other end though.

It was a bit cloudy when we landed, but the cloud soon dispersed and it started to warm up. It was only in the 20's (centigrade) thankfully. (It can get super hot in Portugal)  We had to get a minibus shuttle to pick up our hire car, but once we'd got it we were off to make our way to our rented villa. We stopped off in a town called Tomar, half an hour from our villa to have lunch and a wander around. It was a lovely historic town with lots of lovely independent shops. We had tapas for lunch and then headed to a supermarket to stock up before arriving at our villa around 4pm.

Our host was there to greet us and offered us a glass of wine and showed us around his villa. It was lovely, with a lovely pool and hot tub. I think we really lucked out this holiday. It was probably the best place we've stayed in yet. It was a lovely large villa in the countryside. Here is a picture of the lovely pool area:

We had a quiet night at the villa on arrival. We unpacked, had a swim in the pool, had a picky tea and then started watching The Bear series on Disney+, which was really good. After two episodes we were all falling asleep on account of our early start and so headed to bed.

On Monday morning, after a great night's sleep, we had a bit of a lie in and then got up and got some breakfast. We spent the day by the pool, only leaving the villa to get a few provisions to put on the BBQ later for supper. We bought these from a great little store that was a 10 minute drive away. It was like a combined hardware/grocery/mom and pop type store. It was great and had virtually anything you could want in it. It was nice to spend money with a small local store instead of a big supermarket. We then headed home and OH sparked up the BBQ for supper.

We had another day around the pool at the villa on Tuesday. It was a bit hotter though, so not as comfortable to sit out. OH and I did walk into a local village to go to the Post Office, but it was closed. It got us moving anyway. He needed to pay some tolls from our journey to the villa. 

I don't usually want to go anywhere when we first get to our holiday villa. I like to relax around the pool and decompress, but by day three we are usually ready to get out and about and this holiday was no different.

On Wednesday, we got up and ready and headed out to a market in the town of Coimbra. It takes place on the 7th and 23rd of each month and reviews online sounded great. It was a super busy market about 3km out of town. There were lots of stores selling local produce, so we stocked up on salad and fruit. There were also homeware stalls and even livestock for sale, which was a bit of a culture shock. We had lunch at the market where you could get a plate of chicken and fries with salad and a drink for a very reasonable price. It was very busy with lots of local families eating there. We had a lovely time.

We then ventured into the town itself ,which had a very historic university at the top of a hill, with a Unesco World Heritage baroque library. We walked up to the university, but didn't go into the library. It was a super hot day, but the town was beautiful and full of cobbled streets, small shops, bars and restaurants. It was tiring, but well worth a visit. We stopped off at a bar and tried an new to us Portugese pastry called a quejada, which was a kind of sweet tart made with cheese and eggs. It was lovely. Later, OH found a Post Office to pay the tolls and we were happy to hear that we didn't owe anything, as the technology wasn't yet switched on and working.

On Thursday, we stayed by the pool again for the day. We had such a lovely pool and villa, that we didn't feel inclined to go out too much. It was nice to just relax and enjoy doing very little.

Friday, we did venture out again and returned to the town of Tomar, where OH visited a historic convent at the top of the hill. LB and I decided not to go and instead walked down into the town to have a wander around the small independent shops. We had a very nice morning, topped up on a few food items and then headed home to chill by the pool in the late afternoon. Unfortunately, I got attacked by many mosquitos and ended up with lots of bites, as a consequence of sitting out a little later. Something I was not happy to repeat.

Saturday, was our last full day at the villa. In the morning, OH and I ventured to a local nature park, which had a lovely pool and beach for swimming. It was situated on the edge of a river where you could swim in the river itself if you wished. It was super busy with local families picnicing for the day. The Portuguese really know how to enjoy a good life, that's all I can say. We stopped to dangle our feet in the river. The water was super cold. Then we had a drink at the bar and headed back to the villa to spend our last afternoon there relaxing by the pool. We had had such a lovely relaxing stay, we were all feeling a bit sad to leave the villa, but Lisbon was calling, as we'd booked an apartment in the city for our final night, before flying back to the UK.

A Few Clothing Alterations

I've been making a few clothing alterations lately. After my last wardrobe sort out, I decided to alter a few garments rather than send them to the charity shop. 

The first item I decided to alter was this pair of plaid trousers from M&S. They are a linen blend and I bought them in a sale quite a few years ago, but have only worn them a handful of times. I just don't reach for them, as they are a little short, a bit too Rupert Bear for my liking and if I'm honest, weren't that flattering, unless I wore them with a long jumper.

Anyway, I decided to see if I could make them into a skirt, as they are well made and made from natural materials. I didn't know if there would be enough fabric to make a skirt, but in the end I was able to make a long pencil skirt from them. It is quite fitted, but I like it and hopefully I'll get more wear from the garment in this form. I managed to match the pattern well at the front, but not so well at the back, but then I don't see the back, so I'm not too worried about this. 

This particular skirt should be quite versatile, as it could be worn in the summer with sandals and being winter white in colour, could also be worn in the winter with tights and boots. Here's the finished skirt, which does need a bit of an iron:

The next item I decided to alter was a denim jacket that I bought 4 or so years ago. I've worn it quite a bit over the last few years, but since buying a new denim style jacket this year, which I prefer the design of, I haven't reached for this one. I'd seen lots of posts on Pinterest of embellished denim jackets, so I decided to embellish the centre back panel using some favourite fabric scraps from my stash. I hand stitched them in place using embroidery thread and I like the finished effect. Hopefully, I will reach for it a bit more now when the weather cools.

Another item I then altered was this charity shopped linen dress that I mentioned in last month's clothing purchase post. 

It has a lovely blue and white rose print, but I really didn't like the bodice, so I decided to cut it down to make a skirt. It already had a kind of waistband that I could thread with elastic, but I did have to remove a side zip and re-stitch the seam where it had been. It didn't take too long to do and I think I will wear it now that it is a skirt. Here's a picture of it in it's new skirt form:

I also decided to alter another dress from my wardrobe. This is another linen blend item, but I don't reach for it as a dress. I have worn it a couple of times, but it doesn't feel flattering.

I decided to cut it down to make a short shirt to throw on over a vest or t-shirt. I made it quite short, as this seems to be the fashion these days. Hopefully, I will wear it more now. Here's a picture of the finished item:

I like the outcome. It makes a nice little short jacket to wear on cooler days. I'm taking this on holiday with me.

I also altered a couple of other items. One was a linen blend top that I re-hemmed to make shorter and a couple of pairs of trousers that I elasticated around the ankles, as I prefer this style to having turnups.

As a consequence of all of these alterations, I feel like I've got a few new items in my wardrobe to wear, so we'll just have to see if I do wear them. I've got a few more alterations in the pipeline over the next few months, so I'll do another post when I've completed them.

A More Balanced Week - W/E 19th July 2025

This week was a lot more balanced and calm. On Sunday, I wasn't working for a change, which was great. It was so nice to have the day to do as I pleased. OH and I were considering heading off to a car boot sale, as I'd been working so many Sundays, I've not had the chance, but then when I thought about it, it seemed like a long way to go and I really didn't want to bring any more stuff into an already stuff filled house, so we decided to go to the tip instead and get rid of lots of things that had been cluttering up the landing upstairs. It felt great to get them out of the house, although I don't like throwing anything away, but sometimes it's just necessary.

On the way back from the tip, we stopped off in a local nearby cafe which was nice and had a drink and shared a cookie. Then before going home, we stopped off at the allotment and harvested potatoes, beetroot, french beans, lettuce (which we've got a glut of) and a few tomatoes. OH then watered whilst I did some weeding and then we headed home for lunch. It was a nice way to spend a couple of hours on sunny Sunday morning.

After lunch, I just chilled and even had a nap. In the evening, we watched a couple of episodes of the Yellowstone prequel series 1923, which is now available on Netflix. It was quite good.

On Monday, I got up and ready to go out and do the weekly shop out of town. LB wanted to come with me, as she'd not accompanied me for a while. Before going I had to contact the Dr.'s surgery about an issue that's been bothering me for a while (nothing serious) and they then wanted me to come in for an appointment mid morning, which spoiled our shopping plans, so we decided to shop locally instead. We'll go out of town one day later in the week.

Later, I made some pickled beetroot from the beetroot I'd harvested from the allotment over the last couple of weeks. It made a large jar, which should keep me going for a while.  I then had to get ready for work, as I was due there at 4pm. Work was super busy tonight, for a Monday anyway, but it did pass very quickly, which was good. I was glad to get home knowing I had a couple of days off.

Tuesday, was the day of LB's graduation ceremony, so we had to be up early to get ready and get into town for 9.30am. It was held at the Royal Festival Hall on the Southbank in London. We had a lovely day. The ceremony was interesting. As it was for art students, it was a lot less stuffy than my own graduation ceremonies. Maybe all graduation ceremonies are less stuffy these days and more enjoyable occasions, I don't know as I haven't been to one for over 25 years.

Anyway, after the ceremony OH, LB and I went to a nearby restaurant for lunch and then she went off to join her friends to continue celebrating, and we headed home to chill for the rest of the day. It's quite tiring travelling into town for anything these days, especially at rush hour. I find the crowds and the noise quite overwhelming.  It was nice to get back to the peace and quiet of our house.

On Wednesday, I didn't need to go anywhere, so I had a lovely lie in before getting up and ready for the day. I had a few chores around the house to do, and a few bills to pay, but once that was done and I'd had some lunch I settled into doing a bit of sewing. I needed to hem a blouse that I'd cut down from a dress that was way to short for me to comfortably wear. I also finished the waist facing on the patchwork skirt and attached it to finally finish it. I'll post a picture in another post at some point.

LB had stayed out all night at her friends' house, so she didn't come home until later in the afternoon.

Thursday morning I headed to the gym first thing for my first workout of the week which I enjoyed. I was intending to go out of town with LB when I got back, but work changed my starting time for my shift later in the evening, which didn't leave enough time to go, so we rearranged it for Friday morning when we can set off earlier.

When I got back from the gym I had a relaxing rest of the day until it was time to go to work.  Work was very busy tonight, so it passed very quickly, which I like. I bought a few items, one being an Xmas present for OH. I'm starting early this year.

On Friday morning, I had to go to the doctor's for a blood test. LB came with me and then we headed straight off to shop out of town. We went to our favourite charity shop, but I didn't find anything I wanted to buy. I bought a couple of small items for LB, but that was it. I did drop off a couple of bags of donations too, so it was good to get those out of the house and get some space back.

I had to get back by 1.30pm to get some lunch and then head to work for 3pm. Work wasn't too bad tonight. It was busy, but I did get a couple of difficult customers that caused me a bit of a headache. I was glad to get home at the end of the night.

I got up early on Saturday morning to go to my last free gym session of this term. It was raining all morning, which I was glad of as the garden and allotment needed it. I just took my umbrella and walked to the gym. It was refreshing to get a break in the hot weather. My gym session was good and then I came home and had some lunch before getting ready to go to work for 2pm. Another busy shift tonight and a later than usual finish at 10.15pm, as there was a lot of tidying up to do after the store closed. Super happy to get home tonight.

Another week comes to an end. They are passing so quickly this summer. Hope you had a good one.