If you asked me who is my favouritest singer of all time, I would struggle to decide between three or four artists, but Cher is up there near the top of the list. I just love her voice, her costumes, her vitality, the whole strutting about the stage thing, she has so much energy. I went to see her in 2004 at Sheffield Arena, and I have picked this clip because it looks very much like the song she opened with. Go on, give it a blast, turn the volume up, dance around the room, what a brilliant way to start the week.
Twas a busy day yesterday, tidying the garden, and going a bike ride. I needed to get some excecise and thought I would combine it with a trip to Tesco to see if there were any reduced prices. Timing is crucial, the shop shuts at 4pm on a Sunday, so I arrived at 3pm. It was a little bit disappointing, not as many bargains as I hoped for. However I did manage to get some wholemeal bread reduced from £1.40 to 14p and a couple of other reduced items, totalling £2.63. My panniers were bulging.
I must tell you a little story about this trip. I had locked my bike to a rail near the trolley park at Tesco's, and was struggling to pack the shopping into the panniers. I had to split the six yogurts into three's, and pack and repack the bread so it didn't get squashed. Then I unlocked the bike, fastened the bag on the carrier, put my yellow vest on, don't want to get knocked off, and tucked my trousers into my socks. I happened to look up at a parked car, a little boy sitting in the front seat was giggling his socks off. It made me smile, for a moment I must have looked like Mr Bean :o)
I am going to write a seperate list of how much I spend on food. I want to know exactly how much it costs to feed me. I think you can soon lose track of how much you spend when you pick up odd items here and there from different shops as I do. I cherry pick the bargains from all shops. On Saturday I went to Pets at Home to get the special offer cat food, and while I was there I picked up a few items from Morrisons. My spend was £8.16, cauliflowers were a good price. To get a true figure of the cost of feeding me I need to keep records over several months, because I will obviously be eating from my food cupboard and freezer as well. Then the cost of replacing these items will be included in future shopping.
I couldn't be bothered to cook last night, so the easiest thing to do was to throw a bit of salad on a plate. Lettuce which was reduced to pence from a week ago. Spinach which was given me, on it's last legs. Two sticks of celery given to me, a bit limp. Cucumber reduced, from Tesco. Half a tub of cottage cheese, reduced to 9p, half a tub of coleslaw reduced to 9p. Two slices of wholemeal bread. Fab dead cheap meal.
My fashions for today are not so frugal, the teeshirt was not cheap, (cough splutter, I hate to admit it, £20) but I had to have it to remind me of the fabulous time I had at Sheffield Arena.
Here is my Commandment for today, I've lost track of which number it is.
Thou shalt not forget how lucky thou are. Next time you feel that life is crap, that nothing is fair, why has this happened to me, and why am I struggling like this, just take a minute to think, it aint that bad.
As I go about my daily chores, housework which I hate, I often think I bet Victoria Beckham doesn't have to wash up, I bet she doesn't whip round with the Dyson, I bet she doesn't have to clean the bog. Oh, how I hate housework. Can you just picture her with her marigolds on scrubbing the floors, no I can't either. But then I can't picture myself tolerating having a camera pushed in my face every time I step outside my front door, so I am very lucky in that respect. At least I own my own life, and can walk around looking like a slob without it being plastered all over the newspapers.
I have been thinking of ways in which I am lucky.
I was lucky to be born in England.
I was lucky that I had a mother who taught me good values.
I am lucky that I can always bounce back.
I am lucky that I have nice friends.
I am lucky to have found this house.
I am lucky that I found the courage to change things that weren't right for me.
I am lucky that I can open my eyes each morning and see.
I am lucky that I am me.
Take a few minutes to think about why you are lucky.
OMG, I've been having so much fun on the youtube, looking for these funny clips, I haven't stopped giggling for days. So, here is my latest choice, my DAILY LARF for this Monday morning. I loved Paul O'Grady as Lily Savage, and was a tad upset when he said he wasn't going to dress up any more. But hey, Paul is just as funny as himself.
I don't know if anyone noticed but I put the wrong day in the title, ha ha. This is Monday DAY 3, as in the countdown from Day 10. Only two more days left, Wednesday is the big day.
Anyway, we have a winner for yesterday, only 11 names went in, always fewer readers at the weekend, people are busy with other things. So, congratulations to Kate G, your name was picked out, you have ticket number 735077. Well done and good luck.
Pleased to hear that Elmo is getting to see the other cats. I hope he gets a new permanent home soon.
ReplyDeleteI love Tesco bargains too, you did well with yours. Good job there weren't any more bargains though as where would you have put them on your bike? You would have had to tie the bread bags together and strung them around your neck then people would have thought you were Mr Bean! Funny that you gave the little boy a larf yesterday.
Housework is something that my Mother didn't get on with very much too, so guess what I don't either. Have to do it though as I have lots of little ones who help make it untidy and dirty. Never mind, there are all those things to be thankful for like you said.
I am thankful for this beautiful world full of calming green fields, colourful flowers and cute cuddly animals, my Husband, my children, my home, my car, my business, money in my purse and the bank, no debts, food and clean water etc. I could go on all day but I won't. Thank you for your thoughts and positive focus on the good things already in our lives.
Great commandment for today, Ilona. Top tip for getting through housework: Look on it as exercise. Set aside a given number of minutes/hours each week to do all your household chores, then time yourself and STOP when you've worked for the alloted time. The sky won't fall in if a few jobs don't get finished, and you can banish housework from your thoughts at all other times. Works for me :-)
ReplyDeleteHe he for once I am not the last to comment:) Another great post:) So pleased to hear about the kitties new home and Elmo's new place of residence♥♥♥ I count my blessings every day:) xx
ReplyDeleteThanks for the funny clip, Ilona. I didn't know about Paul O' Grady until my Mum told me about him and all the animals he has at home....got to love the man for that.
ReplyDeleteJane x
Another uplifting and inspiring post Ilona, thank you.
ReplyDeleteYou are so right about being thankful. I suppose that I, like most people, forget from time to time. Thanks for the reminder.
ReplyDeleteCher is one of my favorites, too. At one time, people would call me Cher as I came into a room. Okay, we had too things in common--I had long dark hair and was skinny. That is where any resemblance began and ended. I was always amused and not at all flattered. Now, I am fat and have longish hair.That is one of my favorite songs of Cher's.
ReplyDeleteI was not keen on Paol O'Grady as Lily, but started to watch him when he did his first series of tea time shows.
ReplyDeleteI admire him so much for the way he dealt with the death of his partner. It must have been very hard for him apppear so cheerful when in fact he was anything but. He went up a great deal in my estimation then.
I think everyone felt for him when he had to have Buster put down, I cannot blame him for lraving the set when they showed a compilation of Buster on the show, he was heartbroken.
He also had a fabulous rapport with children in his early shows. He is not afriad of making a fool of hiself either.
Those cips are wonderful, we were both crying with laughter along with him, it gets me everytime. Thanks for putting up the links they brightened a very dull day.
Its great to hear that in these hard times, there are still people that will rehome pets, good news for the kitties, but I fear as one cat gets a new home, there will be plenty more to fill the place. I too love Paul O'Grady, have you listened to his radio 2 show on a sunday evening? x
ReplyDeleteYes, we sometimes forget just how lucky we are.
ReplyDeleteIt is funny when you're trying to get tooooo much shopping into bike bags. I do it all the time. It's a pity I can't use the bags to put things into whilst going round the shop, then it doesn't come as a nasty surprise.
ReplyDeleteLove your tee shirt - sometimes it's just worth it to get something so nice.
I have been trying to look at your positive statements but somehow when it comes to:
I am lucky because my roof is STILL Leaking after three attempts - I can't quite say yes to that.
Pleased about the kitties.
I had to chuckle about packing your panniers. I used to have my son on a seat at the back and carrier bags on each handle of my bike. We nearly came a cropper a few times. Had a fab weekend at Pickering for the war weekend. Lots of people dressed up in authentic 40's clothes.
ReplyDeleteI too have lots to be thankful for. My family, the dog asleep at my side, many friends and a comfortable home. Sally
Loved the Paul O'Grady clip, he always makes me laugh!
ReplyDeleteI won 83 pounds on the Lotto a couple of weeks ago. I bought the ticket with a one pound coin I found outside the shop. That was lucky.
ReplyDeleteI haven't heard of Paul Grady before, but i was really taken with the way the dog sat so still. In fact for the first few minutes I was trying to work out whether or not it was a puppet! He must be a real animal lover.
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