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Beauty
Covers the physical aspects of pursuing health (e.g., diet, exercise and sleep), aspects that might be considered vanity (e.g., skin, hair care and makeup), as well as wardrobe (clothes, shoes and accessories). Also includes deportment (or suavity) like manners, charm and carriage.
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2025 Summer Wardrobe Plan
It is, of course, bloody freezing as I start thinking about my 2025 summer wardrobe plan, and about all I can think about is fluffy slippers.
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2025 winter wardrobe update
It’s been a busy few months in which I lost or forgot a number of deadlines including the dentist and the 2025 winter wardrobe update. But, as they say, better late than never. Especially with the summer plan coming up.
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Day of overwhelm
It’s been one day of overwhelm after another, with the fond hope the next day will somehow be different.
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2025 Winter Wardrobe Plan
Somewhere along the lines, I’ve managed to slip a year of wardrobe plans. Nonetheless, it’s time to look at my 2025 winter wardrobe plan.
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Deck Declutter
We’ve finally done a deck declutter, setting up a nice space outside to sit and drink coffee or relax and enjoy the quiet.
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The end of the year is nigh…
There are two weeks left until the end of the year. That’s two weeks to close out all those projects you had in mind as you started January. I have to say almost nothing I planned has come to fruition, and I admit to being disappointed by that. Though I wonder what it is that…
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Memories and unpacking
We’ve moved back into the house, and I’ve been unpacking, and each box is full of memories as well as artifacts.
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Minimally Viable Morning
Trades are visiting so early, I’ve been more or less in my pyjamas and bed hair getting them started, so it’s time for a minimally viable morning.
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Sometimes you just have to start afresh
Looking at what remains of my floor, I’m reminded that sometimes in life you have to cut your losses and start afresh.
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Stripping Wallpaper and Life
After what seems like years of preparing and quote procuring and so on, we’ve finally made a start on the renovating the big house. We moved into the cottage the weekend before last, and over the last week, stripped out the kitchen, laundry and flooring. And started repairing the floor, and stripping off the wallpaper.…
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2023 Post-Mastectomy Summer Wardrobe Update
It’s time to examine the full horror of my 2023 post-mastectomy summer wardrobe update. I happily said, all I need is a dog walking dress and a top for $395; just enough to get me through the season.
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Iceberg Dead Ahead
Do you sometimes think about what’s coming. Perhaps with a mixed feeling of excitement and dread, all the time thinking there’s an iceberg dead ahead.
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Planning a Post-Mastectomy (flat chested) Wardrobe
Going by how much difficulty I had with my post-mastectomy Summer Plan, I wanted to write something specifically for post-matectomy women planning to go flat chested. This post will do until I can find the time to update the book with my findings.
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Decluttering and Creativity
We’re in the process of sorting ourselves out for some home renovation. Clearly there’s decluttering involved. And some decluttering creativity as well.
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Health Goals for 2024
You might remember, I believe “wealth” is more than just money. Health goals can help you make sure you’re healthy enough, to spend the time doing all the things you want to do.
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2023 Post-Mastectomy Summer Wardrobe Plan
Five minutes ago summer arrived, so I decided to revamp my summer plan with the mastectomy to produce a 2023 post-mastectomy Summer Wardrobe Plan.
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2023 Transplantiversary
As I write, today is my 2023 Transplantiversary, though you won’t see this post for a few days more. It was 2011 when the call came, and I berated the doctor for ringing and ringing all my numbers continuously until I finally answered. Not that I know anything about my donor, except that he/she/they died…
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The Defeat of Winter
rching something else, and came across the quote by Robert Haddon (see below) I’ve paraphrased in my haiku – the defeat of winter is necessary for the coming of spring. Very appropriate given we’re at the changeable part of the year – one day summer, the next winter.
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To mastectomy or not
While I don’t need to explain or justify my mastectomy decision, it makes a good opportunity to talk about how (and why) I made my choice, as well planning and long-term thinking can be useful.
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2023 Summer Wardrobe Plan
As I sit here writing 2023 Summer Wardrobe Plan, it’s still winter out there, (just like last year), and Summer seems a long way away.
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The Problems of #GirlMaths
I recently heard about #girlmaths, and it doesn’t make me happy. It involves specious calculations to reduce the cost of clothes/shoes/accessories to free…
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2023 Winter Wardrobe Update
As usual, my 2023 winter wardrobe update shows an overspend, though at least I’m not overspent and underdressed, so that’s something at least.
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Making Space
I’m not getting rid of my house, husband or dog. The change I’m looking for is simply making space. I’m sure I’m not the only one who looks back on the good old pre-pandmic days. And in my case back to the gold old pre-stroke days.
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Tidying the Garden
With a spot of sunny weather, and an empty skip replacing the full one, we spent a little time tidying the garden. And I ended with a daffodil on my desk in memory of it.
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Three Types of Beauty
According to my loosey-goosey blog schedule, today’s post is supposed to be about Beauty, but I really have very little idea what to write about. So, I do what I always do in these circumstances – a random internet search to see what comes up. Here, in order of listing, is what comes up in…
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What to do next?
Lately I’ve been finding myself tired. There’s so much stuff going on I have no idea what to do next.
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2023 Winter Wardrobe Plan
Given how blah the weather was through Summer, it feels wrong to be working on my 2023 winter wardrobe plan, but here I am doing it anyway.
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2022 Summer Wardrobe Update
Here in Melbourne, 2022 Summer was more like winter than summer, but none the less, here’s my 2022 Summer Wardrobe Update!
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Alexandria’s Adventure in Leather Soled Shoes
Inspired by a conversion with Toseland (the cobbler) I decided to give leather soled shoes another try. The weather we’ve been having (four seasons in a day) hasn’t been the best time to start.
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More Morning Routine
I’m not sure whether it’s because this is already an unusual year, but I’ve been thinking more about my morning routine. Perhaps because there’s been so little else to pin the days on, and the lazy, langourous, sleepy sense of nothing much happening lasts for about 87 hours per day.
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2022 Transplantiversary
It’s that time again – the 2022 transplantiversary. Eleven years and counting – officially past the nice, neat, predictable transplanted lifetime.
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Is Your Home Your Castle or Prison?
Recently, I’ve been wondering whether my home is my castle or prison – does it keep me, or do Ikeep it?
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Leaving a Legacy
Just recently, the notion of leaving a legacy keeps coming up again and again as I research and write blog posts and stories. For example, during research for a recent story, I discovered a large oak tree near here (which I’m particularly fond of) was planted sometime around 1870. Planted specifically to shade the house…
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Daffodils in Bloom
The other day, I happened to notice the daffodils in bloom. It’s not as exciting as when I lived in the UK – one day nothing, the next masses of them.
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2022 Summer Wardrobe Plan
It’s cold and raining outside right now as I start thinking about my 2022 Summer wardrobe plan. I’m well rugged up with layers and layers trying to keep warm.
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2022 Winter Wardrobe Update
As it turns out, my 2022 Winter Wardrobe Update is a tale of two sides of a coin – had to buy more than expected, but enjoyed in-person shopping.
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Climate Change in the Garden
We’ve seen climate change in the garden recently, because we took the first step toward our extension by cutting down trees and shrubs, most of them weed species that had to be removed anyway.
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Warm Outfit
In the midst of energy price increases, we’ve had a cold snap, and my thoughts are turning to the kind of warm outfit you can wear when working from home on your own. While not turning the heating on.
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Life With Dog
Check any dog owner’s instagram, tiktok, or whatever feed, you’ll see any number of cute life with dog pictures of dogs doing adorable things.
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Who are you?
I had my hair cut today. That neatly generic old lady in the mirror didn’t feel like me. “Who are you?” I asked myself.
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2022 Winter Wardrobe Plan
There’s a lot to consider for the 2022 Winter wardrobe plan; Over the last 6 – 12 months I’ve slimmed down from a LARGE to a Small verging on Extra Small.
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2021 Summer Wardrobe Update
Once again the weather is changeable, even for “Four Seasons in One Day” Melbourne, and it’s time to look at the 2022 Summer wardrobe update.
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Bold and Beautiful
Having been out of action for a few weeks, I’ve had plenty of time to look around me at my home. The one we bought and did up twenty years ago, but haven’t really done much with since. It’s not exactly bold and beautiful.
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Ma’aming Me Elderly
Only weeks after my Woman of a Certain Age post, I’ve reached a new miletstone in the race towards elderly, and I thought I’d share it with you.
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Tidy Desk Tidy Mind
Does a tidy desk really equal a tidy mind? Or is it just that the open, expansive space feels more relaxing? Rife with possibilities.
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The Smell of Fresh Laundry
I LOVE the smell of fresh laundry – hints of lavender, mown lawn, and a little little bit of sunshine. So with the odd warm day we’ve had lately, I’ve been catching up on the washing.
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2021 Transplantiversary
My 2021 transplantiversary marks the TENTH year of my transplant! It feels like a real achievement, and I feel like I should get it a gift to commemorate the day we met.
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A Woman of a Certain Age
Some where along the line, I became a “Woman of a Certain Age.” That is, the age at which it becomes unnecessary, and possibly impolite to query further.
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2021 Summer Wardrobe Plan
It’s time to start looking at my 2021 Summer Wardrobe Plan. As I write, the sun is shining, and I’m putting on and taking off my fleece. The shops are frantically dispatching end of season catalogues, and soon they’ll be replacing them with new styles for warmer weather.
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2021 Winter Wardrobe Update
Winter has been a mixed bag in terms of clothes, weather and the pandemic, but now it’s time for my 2021 Winter Wardrobe Update.
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Some Things to Live By
After another few weeks in lockdown, I’ve been thinking about “things”. Both the physical some things and the mental some things we accumulate as the days go by.
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The Joy of Freshly Mown Lawn
In a rare break of sunshine, we did a little yard work; pruning, weeding, lawn mowing. It’s amazing how much better the garden looks with a freshly mown lawn.
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Do or Die
It feels like we’ve been in forever, but with so much time spent at home (where possible), many people have found this a good time to get healthier. Do or die of a different kind.
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Developments in my Lifetime
I started thinking about the scientific and medical developments I’ve seen in my lifetime. How very fortunate I am, and how grateful I am for that.
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5 Tips for updating our homes without updating them
In April, I mentioned we had started a list of renovations for updating our homes. I had even gone as far as short listing some builders to do the work.
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2021 Winter Wardrobe Plan
I’ve been freezing for what seems like ever. And therefore, thinking about lots of warm layers for my 2021 Signature Wardrobe Winter Plan.
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2020 Summer Wardrobe Update
Before I get into my 2020 Summer Wardrobe Update, let’s recap the Summer Plan. Which was basically to get a bunch of black clothes.
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2020 Signature Wardrobe Summer Plan
Due to unforeseen circumstances, my 2020 Signature Wardrobe Summer Plan is the kind of extreme you get when you have to replace your entire wardrobe.
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2020 Winter Wardrobe Update
Let’s just say I’ve been cold, and skip to the rest of the 2020 Winter Wardrobe Update. My 2020 Winter plan was based on costumes for two characters:
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Beauty Excites Emotion
Okay, so we all know that the last few months have been hard, emotionally draining, and not very beautiful. Especially here in Australia, what with it being winter and all. Some days, I look out the window at the cold grey skies, and wonder where all the beauty went. Though beauty is as beauty does.…
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How to Choose Appropriate Makeup
So. I mentioned last time I’d intended to talk about appropriate makeup. And this is the post I’m going to do it in.
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A Feng Shui Garden
With the change in the seasons, we’ve been working in the garden. And having done a bunch of Feng Shui research for a fiction project, I’ve discovered the possibility of a Feng Shui garden.
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The Life-Changing Magic of Getting a Haircut
Somewhat related to my version of string theory is my hair theory, That getting a haircut can, and does change your life.
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The Pleasure of Getting Things Done
Despite the hope of getting things done, we’re often better at starting than finishing them. Yet by definition, getting things done is all about the finish. Finish: A1. to complete something or come to the end of an activityB1. to eat, drink, or use something completely so that none remains Cambridge Dictionary And there’s the…
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I Still Survive
Sometimes you’re not thriving, sometimes it’s as much as you can do to come to a place where you can say “I still survive!”
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2020 Winter Wardrobe Plan
Thanks to our highly variable Melbourne weather, I’ve been thinking about my 2020 Winter Wardrobe Plan for some time. And staying warm!
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2019 Summer Wardrobe Update
Technically, Summer has just ended, and it’s time for the 2019 Summer Wardrobe Update, but the weather has been cool and wet and I’m already thinking about Winter.
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Pleasure and Pain of Healthy Habits
My last Transplant Clinic appointment was less pleasant than I’d hoped, and now I’m back to contemplating the nature of choice and healthy habits.
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The Weird Joy of Life with Wildlife
Since my post about my garden planning, people have told me how weird they think life with wildlife must be.
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How to Design a Peaceful Garden
I’ve mentioned one of my major goals this year is to create a peaceful garden that’s lush and abundant, provides habitats, weather protection and a mystical threshold.
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2019 Transplantiversary
It’s the 2019 Transplantiversary already – number eight. As I mentioned in the mid-year review, my transplant is deteriorating, and if I’m good, I’ll get at least another five years from it.
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Creating a Happy and Healthy Home
Recently there have been a lot of changes in the Blaelock Household, with the aim of creating a happy and healthy home.
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2019 Summer Wardrobe Plan
After some lovely sunny days, and wonderful winter purchases, I’ve been warm enough to start thinking about a 2019 Summer Wardrobe Plan.
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2019 Winter Wardrobe Update
The garden is full of Spring Bulbs, and we’ve had some slightly warmer days. So it’s time to get the 2019 Winter Wardrobe Update out of the way.
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The Building Blocks of Style
I’m fascinated by Harajuku style. It looks a random collection of stuff, but take a closer look, and you’ll see all the building blocks of style in an ever-changing arrangement.
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Being Alone But Not Lonely With Others
I recently went to a writer’s conference. And that was kind of funny; writers are generally solitary creatures. Even in a crowded room we’re busy being alone.
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Conference Outfit
Conference Season is upon us. On the one hand, you’ll get a few days out of the office and maybe make some new friends and industry contacts. On the other, you have to come up with a Conference Outfit…
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How to Choose What To Do First
It’s been a busy couple of weeks. I have so much to do that I’m not sure what to do first. Or second. Or last for that matter.
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The Joy of New Undergarments
I mentioned in my Winter Wardrobe Plan that I needed new undergarments. But it was a kind of off-hand addition that suggested there was no particular need or rush.
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Funeral Outfit
People die all the time and we barely think about it, but now and again there’s someone we want to pay our respects to, and that means a Funeral Outfit.
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Life is Passing Me By
I can’t believe the year is a quarter gone – it’s passing me by. I had grand plans, but I’ve achieved nothing. Panic has set in.
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2019 Winter Wardrobe Plan
I’m cold, it’s wet outside, and I’m wondering if I have enough warm clothes, so that makes it time to develop my 2019 Winter Wardrobe Plan.
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2018 Summer Wardrobe Update
We’ve had some cooler weather and daylight savings ends in a few short weeks, so it’s time to do my 2018 Summer Wardrobe Update.
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The Benefit of a Good Night’s Sleep
We recently replaced our old worn out mattresses. Not before time, because you can’t beat a good night’s sleep.
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5 Ways to Make a Bad Day Better
Ever had one of those days when something went wrong? What seemed like a reasonable day is in a ditch, and you’re looking for ways to make a bad day better.
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Back in the Swing of my Daily Routine
If you’ve caught up with the Project Worthwhile Life, then you’ll know I’m changing direction. While I’m trying to get back in the swing of my daily routine
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Some Thoughts on Things
I’ve had some thoughts on things: things we buy, things we keep, and things we throw away. That’s a lot of things.
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How to celebrate your 100th birthday
A few days ago, Mary Beard asked; “How do you celebrate your 100th birthday?” Like her, I don’t have a fond hope for reaching 100 years.
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On My Way Back Home
Whenever I come back home, I see a version of this scene. At that point, I feel myself starting to relax. I even feel relaxed just looking at this image!
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K-Drama Heroine Outfit
I’ve already mentioned my new passion for K-Drama, and one of the reasons I love it is the subtext. Particularly the way the K-Drama heroine outfit says so much about her and her mental state.
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How To Care For Your Best Rooms
In days gone by, houses were much smaller. They generally consisted of Best Rooms like the parlour, where you received guests during designated visiting hours, and everywhere else.
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2018 Transplantiversary
Here I am at the 2018 Transplantiversary. Another year post-transplant – seven now. And as far as the transplant goes, it’s all good.
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About the March of Progress
A harbinger of the March of Progress knocked on my door the other day. She’s a Real Estate agent, and apparently, she’s “very good friends” with my neighbours, though she didn’t specify which ones.
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Housekeeping Standard Practices
I’m hard at work on Minimally Viable Housekeeping, and now it’s time for a quick introduction to housekeeping standard practices.
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2018 Summer Wardrobe Plan
Even though Spring is barely here, the shops are ready for Christmas so it’s time for my 2018 Summer Wardrobe Plan.
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2018 Winter Wardrobe Update
Before I start my Summer wardrobe planning, it’s time for the 2018 Winter Wardrobe Update.
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How to Overcome the Wardrobe Diet Dilemma
I was recently reading a book discussing the psychological effects of deprivation. Regardless of whether that’s cigarettes, cars, or a wardrobe diet.
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Housework Survey Says: What You Really Think About It
A while back, I asked if there was such a thing as minimally viable housework? Well, housework survey says maybe.
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Event Outfit
The most common event outfit code today is Cocktail Dress; a semi-formal day/night transitional wear. It came about during the inter-war years when it was common to meet in the evening for a quick drink before dressing (black tie) for dinner.