Let's enjoy Colourful Friday!

Is your Inbox being inundated with Black Friday offers? Mine too! I've just walked home from my local shopping centre where Black Friday notices were on display in most shop windows. Are you tempted by all these amazing bargains? Me too! However I'm trying to resist temptation by asking myself the following questions.

• Do I really need that sparkling jumpsuit? In my case, extremely unlikely!
• Would I be willing to pay full price for it?
• Am I likely to use it or wear it on a regular basis? How many items do you have either hanging up in your wardrobe unworn or shoved to the back of a cupboard?
• Is it an ethical purchase? Remember that even more expensive brands aren't necessarily produced ethically.
• If it's an item of clothing, will it go with several other pieces in my wardrobe or will I need to buy other items to go with it? 

I'm also using the "one in, one out" rule when I go shopping. I take a shopping list with me (always a good idea if you're over 60 and becoming forgetful!)  to remind me what I need and to help me stay on track. When I get home with any new purchase, I ensure that an existing item goes into the recycling. 

Of course if there's something you really need, this is the time to look for good deals. My friend Lesley needs a new washing machine so is delighted at the prospect of saving some money.

I'm in the process of having another wardrobe clear-out so I should be able to spot any gaps in my wardrobe, although being totally honest I think it's highly unlikely! I'm now putting together my winter capsule wardrobe too, so if I do decide to buy any clothes or accessories I will be able to choose wisely. Black isn't a good colour for me (which is why this post is about Colourful Friday), but I still have plenty of options and if I stick to my capsule wardrobe palette I shouldn't go wrong.

Please let me know what you think. Will you be going on a spending spree for Black Friday?

Growing old gracefully - or disgracefully?

 Actress Anita Dobson was criticised for wearing a short dress to last month's British Soap Awards. The critics claimed she was too old to be showing off her legs at the age of 73. Anita's response was that if you feel happy and comfortable, that's it. She happens to be a year younger than me, and I totally agree with her. Of course there are limits, but it's our choice, not the choice of the critics, that really matters.

It's very much an individual decision, however I do find it sad that some women feel they need to change once they are over a certain age, for fear of being branded as "mutton dressed as lamb". Most of us aren't likely to wear revealing tops or short skirts but we don't have to go to the other extreme and dress frumpily.  One of my favourite colours is red as seen in the outfit below. Does it say "look at me"? Is it too bright for a women who is now over 70? Maybe, but I'm still going to wear it even when I'm in my 80s as, for me, it's my happy colour. 

One of my role models is the actress Helen Mirren, who is a couple of years older than me, but definitely doesn't look it. She doesn't try to hide her age, but she always looks amazing, whether she has dyed her hair pink or she's wearing a stunning red dress. The fashion designer Zandra Rhodes, with many famous clients over the years, is another ageless celebrity, renowned for her pink hair and bright clothes, . I'm tempted to have my own hair dyed pink, but I'm not sure whether it will go well with my red dress. Perhaps bright blue would be a better choice for me?

What all these women have in common is a recognisable style and the confidence to stand out in a dull world of classic clothes. Of course they are all celebrities in the public eye, but there's no reason why we can't enjoy our own style too, even if it's slightly more subdued! 

I'll be 75 in September, but that doesn't mean that I'm going to start wearing neutral colours and fading into the background. I do have plenty of neutrals in my wardrobe, but I also have that bright blue jacket, my favourite short red trench-coat and plenty of other colours hanging up in my wardrobe. 

So what about you? Do you plan to grow old disgracefully, just like me? Or is growing old gracefully more your style?

Love is in the air!

Valentine's Day seems to be an appropriate day to start my journey in search of love in 2022. Now, before my regular readers gasp in horror, this doesn't mean joining dating agencies or online websites such as Tinder! I'm talking about loving my life here in Spain, loving my friends and family and in particular - something we all tend to neglect - loving myself. I'm sure many of you can identify with the last point. It's too easy to forget about yourself and concentrate on making others happy or even to become self-critical, so this year let's change things round. Start loving ourselves! I hope that you will decide to join me and start loving yourselves too. Trust me, we are worth it.

It's a long while since I've posted and it's actually the first time this year. My previous post was about Joy and this seems to be a continuation of that theme. What gives you joy? In my case it's spending time with my family and friends, walking with Lisa in the countryside, listening to music, dancing, writing and travel. These are some of the many things that I love doing, so doing more of them will be part of my plan for self-love in 2022.

Writing this post is important for me as, now I've told you all about my plan for 2022, I have to follow it through and promise to give you an update at the end of the year. I enjoy the process of writing, so this is a good start. I often write about my capsule wardrobe, which I'm in the middle of updating and, as part of this, I'm trying to declutter. Not so easy for a hoarder! 

I'm sure that many of you will have heard about Marie Kondo and her method of tidying your home, known as the KonMari Method®. Recently I've been watching a series of workshops given by Hester Van Hien of Tidylicious, which have inspired me to declutter my home and not just my wardrobe. Two key things when deciding whether to keep something are: does it inspire joy?; do I love it? This seems to fit in very well with my 2022 theme. I love the idea of living in a clutter-free home with a tidy wardrobe so this is my first project of the year.

I'm hoping that this year will give me plenty of opportunities to spend time with friends and family. It started very well with a visit from my friend Liz en route to Malaga, where she is staying for a few months. Not only did I enjoy having her here for a week, but so did my dog Lisa! I have many good friends where I live in Jumilla too, of all nationalities, so I meet them for coffee several times a week, with the occasional glass of wine and tapas.

I'm fortunate that the weather here is pretty good, though we occasionally get sub-zero temperatures in the evenings during the winter. I live on the edge of town, so Lisa and I are able to walk in the countryside. I love the connection with nature, spring being one of my favourite seasons as the trees start blossoming.

Music and dancing make me feel happy, so they will fit in very well with practising self-love this year. One of my favourite Zoom classes in The Joy Club is Tracie's Solo Dancing, where I can lose myself in the joy of dancing every week : Lisa seems to enjoy watching me too! I find that if I'm feeling tired, lonely, sorry for myself, stressed out (we all have negative emotions at times) putting on my favourite music immediately revives me. It might be classical music, jazz or rock 'n roll, depending on my mood.

I have a very important birthday coming up in September (75, in case you want to know!) so I'm planning to visit my family in the UK to celebrate, with a possible trip to Paris. As I love Paris, this will definitely be an act of self-love too. I had to cancel a planned journey through France by train in 2019 due to Covid, so I'm hoping that this year I'll be luckier.

I trust that you don't think this is being selfish, as I strongly believe that the more we love and care for ourselves, the more love we have to share with others. Happiness is definitely contagious! Do let me know what plans you have for 2022 and whether you will join me in my journey through a year full of love. Happy Valentine's Day!