Energy ~ Sleep and OOTD

A decent night of restful and restorative slumber is bliss.
It gives one an energetic start to the day...
often times we wake after a fitful night of tossing and turning...
this is more common for me.
When these nights occur I try to be gentle with myself and start the day slowly...
I have not tried sleeping pills and asked the nurse at Hospice if I should try some after Mom passed away and she suggested that I try Gravol.
I purchased a small package and have tried them on several occasions...
they do work, but I wake feeling groggy so I am not planning to use them often.

Coffee helps wake me up 

 a good book

 transports us away 

it helps to gain perspective

put our troubles aside for awhile.

Once I hit the shower I am wide awake...

ready to seize the day.

Dressing for more energy means wearing some of my favourites...

OOTD

Moto leather jacket ~ Danier

Hermes scarf

NYDJ boyfriend jeans

simple white Tee ~ Joe Fresh

my birthday shoes...

Ferragamo from darling daughter.

These shoes make me feel happy!

I wore this outfit to run errands and I had so much energy that I very nearly forgot to stop and eat lunch.

Parrot tulips from the grocery store...

spreading a beautiful energy 

into The Humble Bungalow Kitchen.

Home style meat loaf, mashed potatoes and carrots...

the ultimate comfort food.

Refuelling with tasty food provides me with more energy.

I made a double batch of this meat loaf so that tomorrow evening all I need to do is reheat the spuds and the meat loaf and boil some peas.

The recipe is from Best of Bridge...

here.

I broke the chipped Emma Bridgewater bowl I used for soap

when I was washing it the other week...

it just slipped out of my hands and smashed into a bazillion fragments.

Fortunately it did not damage our farmhouse sink.

Hooray the Hellebores are blooming!

Hope that your week is ticking along nicely.

What have you been doing?

Anything exciting to share?

Please don't be shy!

Hostess

XO

NYDJ

Since many of you have shown interest in my thoughts on a smallish wardrobe

I am continuing on the theme with jeans today...

Many office workers will wear jeans on Casual Fridays 

so I thought today would be a good day to share this post..

Retirement 

changed my focus on dressing 

to a much more relaxed and casual style.

This lifestyle revolves around activities and pursuits that I enjoy

time is spent with family and friends...

nothing too fussy or fancy

for

live theatre

bridge

french lessons

walks

the gym

home keeping

lunches

fundraisers

grocery shopping

cooking

(image from the archives)

Clothes that are well made, fit and flatter are worth their weight in gold...

Jeans are a basic in my wardrobe and I have tried many different brands over the years. In the past I have worn Levis, GAP, French Connection, Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren, g21 from Walmart.
The cost of all of these jeans has been modest, well under $80...some sourced at the thrift shop for under $10.

I really like the brand NYDJ they are made in the USA which makes them "guilt free" fashion.
The jeans wear well and last a long time so I use the CPW (cost per wearing) factor to justify the expense. NYDJ rarely go on sale here in town, and the prices are around $150 - $200 which definitely puts them in the category that I consider  "investment clothes." I save up for these jeans and because my wardrobe is small they play a big role in my casual retirement dressing.

Writing down and tracking every clothing purchase with the brand details has become a habit since I lost 30 pounds and had to rebuild my wardrobe.
The notes in my book have shown me which clothes wear better than others and I am able to avoid costly mistakes in the future.

I wash the jeans on the gentle cycle, turned inside out and then hang them to dry.
The styles are flattering, look smart and are slimming.

NYDJ are also available in Petite lengths which I love, because I feel jeans that have been hemmed never look quite the same as those fresh from the factory.

NYDJ

Boyfriend, straight leg and skinny

The skinny and the straight legged jeans are over 2 years old and the boyfriends were purchased last year on a trip to Vancouver.

Stay tuned for another post on clothing items 

in my basic wardrobe.

Do you wear jeans?

How many pairs do you have in your closet?

At one time I think darling daughter had over 20 pairs...

the most that I have ever had at one time would be  4 or 5 pair.

What brand(s) of jeans do you like and how do you feel about the cost?

Hope you have a lovely weekend 

thank you for stopping by The Humble Bungalow Blog

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Ups and downs in The Humble Bungalow

Downstairs 

in The Humble Bungalow

in the laundry room is

where I spend a lot of my time.

Washing

hanging clothes to air dry

 heavy duty things go into the dryer

folding and ironing

all jobs that I do almost every day.

I run UP and DOWN the stairs many times in a day.

The bathroom downstairs is compact

 it has a shower, toilet and sink.

It is very handy when we work outside in the garden and need to come inside

even more convenient 

when we have house guests.

Did I mention that I run up and down the stairs many times a day?

It feels like I get a lot of exercise actioning the domestic chores but not enough to keep the pesky pounds at bay.

My new fitness regime with kettle bells is also done downstairs

in the laundry room as there is ample room to move about.

The space is bright and the cats like to sit and watch me go through my paces!

Today

I am wearing casual clothes.

OOTD

NYDJ boyfriend style jeans

Town Shoes quilted black leather flats

a simple short Joe Fresh charcoal grey T shirt

Upstairs and downstairs we have shelves for our fluffy white towels.

I am partial to white towels.

Are you?

Storage in The Humble Bungalow is abysmal 

it is minimal as our arts and crafts era home has very little space.

Our closet is tiny and so naturally my wardrobe is small.

That is actually a positive rather than a negative.

I do not like having too much stuff.

I like to see all my clothing choices which makes getting dressed so much easier.

BTW while we are on the topic of clothes...

you responses to the last post were interesting and informative.

I appreciate the time and energy that you put into your comments.

Upstairs 

the kitchen is the hub of our Humble Bungalow.

Besides doing the laundry I cook a lot.

I love to create healthy meals and enjoy experimenting with new recipes.

Simple Omelette

2 farm fresh eggs beaten with 2 tablespoons of milk

salt pepper

Melt a knob of butter in a flat crepe or omelette pan 

when bubbles form pour in the eggs.

Add toppings

herbs or arugula as I have used here.

When the edges are setting up 

run a spatula around the edges and gently coax one end

fold gently over

rolling as you go 

until you have a picture perfect omelette.

One of the "UPS" in this post is that I ate a sensible lunch.

Omelette served with a salad

a low Weight Watcher point count lunch.

A tasty pear sliced thinly and savoured with a cup of tea.

"Guilt free" eating and yet it is filling.

(protein is key to keep me feeling satisfied)

On the DOWNside...

Walking has been hit and miss with the recent inclement weather but we are expecting a warming trend so I will be lacing up my sneakers and pounding the pavement with renewed energy and enthusiasm.

Have you started with a 2017 health and wellness journey ?

Are you writing in your journal?

Are you feeling more energetic and enthusiastic?

Words can be so important when motivating and engaging in change.

The Nike slogan "Just Do It" comes to mind.

Another "DOWNfall"...

There was a small cello bag of chocolate bark coated in candy cane sprinkles 

a gift from Christmas 

hiding in the drawer that I "discovered" last Sunday while watching Victoria 

on PBS Masterpiece Theatre.

Dear reader, I am weak, I am human.

 I ate it.

The UPside of this is that there is no chocolate left in The Humble Bungalow!

So it is your turn...

have you been disciplined with your fitness and food regime?

Have you been tempted by treats ?

OR

were you clever and cleaned out your pantry of those naughty things

and

restocked it with only healthy foods?

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Painting the town red...

I am seeing red everywhere I go...

from the innocent shelf in the pharmacy

to the red cup...

 Essie Jag-U-Are red nails

the red stripe in my Burberry scarf

The red fire engine that was called to our hotel when we had to evacuate

(it was a false alarm)

dinner out at our favourite Indian fusion restaurant

curried lamb popsicles served on a bed of potatoes

beef curry and kale

naan bread

I had an entire day to spend in Vancouver while Mr. HB was on course.

I walked for hours browsing and exploring the shops.

One blue top...on sale.

a pair of NYDJ boyfriend style jeans

(I LOVE THESE)

a wee bit of a splurge

I needed to stop for a break after 4 hours...

lettuce wrap

shrimp, crab, coleslaw and a few crunchy noodles

I bought this Hermes fragrance after discovering it in Paris when I was there...

it is a soft feminine scent that I quite love.

(the bottle is refillable)

I love a getaway where I can browse and shop...

and we came home 

to a date night at the theatre

A Fabulous production

in the meantime...

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

OOTD and some budget friendly ideas

My "new to me" thrifted cognac coloured vintage Due Fratelli bag inspired me to take out my old Burberry jacket which I have not worn for ages.

This jacket was an "investment" piece.

I purchased it when I was working.

It was worn almost every chance I got when it was new 

but of late it has languished in the closet.

I have a weakness when it comes to coats and jackets...

Quite a few are in hanging my wardrobe, a mix of casual and dressy.

Some new and others thrifted.

Walking jackets make up a good portion of these and there are a few cold weather down options in the closet too.

A priority for me "being prepared for all kinds of weather."

~ OOTD ~

Burberry jacket, NYDJ, Jessica Simpson flats, Due Fratelli bag

what you cannot see is the 

thrifted crisp white shirt by Northern Reflections and my baroque pearl necklace.

"Retirement dressing"

Mixing high and low priced pieces help me stay within a budget.

I have a book where I record all the garments that I purchase so I can keep track of my expenditures.

It is surprising how it adds up!

My retirement budget also requires me to mix high and low priced cosmetics and skincare products.

The newest items in my arsenal of products...

Jane Iredale Dream Tint with an SPF of 15

100% natural Brilliant Lip Shimmer by Burts' Bees in Cherry

I love a pop of red in the Fall and Winter.

this is not a sponsored post

 opinions are mine, and are posted for the convenience of my readers

I switched from the powdered Jane Iredale foundation to the tinted moisturizer 

it adds a soft glow and boosts moisture levels

works with my dry skin.

The Brow Drama is like mascara for the eyebrows...

I have found that a spa eyebrow tint lasts only a few weeks 

then the coarse white hairs are visible again...

This product is under $10 and lasts for months.

Spa visits are few and far between...

pedicures in sandal season and possibly one or two facials each year.

While I love the pampering I cannot afford to indulge as often as I would like.

I have fun doing my own facials.

Often I will dedicate a morning to some self care

using products similar to those available at the spa.

This red rose looks so pretty against the soft yellow siding of our neighbours' home.

Thankfully the wild storm that was predicted did not hit us as hard as we expected.

The book that I have been waiting for at the library arrived!

In the spirit of thrift I have been reserving books at the library instead of purchasing every book that I want to read...

Hope you are having a fun weekend.

Are you saving for something special?

Do you try to live within your budget?

Thank you for stopping by my humble blog.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Mother Daughter getaway...new clothes for Spring and summer.

Last weekend our darling daughter accompanied me on a trip to Vancouver.
The focus of the trip was to shop.
And shop we did!

The first day we walked and shopped for 5 hours and the second for 6...a marathon of walking and shopping yielded quite a few bags full.

I love these shoes.

Ferragamo Varina flats...

IF I were to plunk down the cash I would insist on a pair in red.

They are quite pricey at $625 but they are beautifully made and so classic, perhaps iconic.

A gal can dream....

Aritzia is a favourite shop of darling daughter...

we have one here in Victoria

the Robson shop has three storefronts and loads of stock.

We perused the shop both days as it was on the same street as our Hotel.

Milestones restaurant was the perfect casual spot to stop for dinner.

Lots of variety and healthy options for dinner.

OOTD

Calvin Klein ponte knit pants

Style & Co. black top

Clarks boots

Burberry print infinity scarf

(My hair is a mess as we got caught in a torrential downpour!)

H&M navy and white striped top

London Fog navy and white polka dot trench coat.

White NYDJ jeans

Black flats by Pegabo with gold accents on the heels

H&M striped top

We sipped Perrier and munched on popcorn while we watched the award winning movie Brooklyn.

(I highly recommend it)

We also watched the English film Man Up.

(funny and entertaining ~ cute)

There was a gale force windstorm Sunday 

when we left the dock at the ferry terminal the wind was really intense

The crossing across Georgia Strait was lumpy but we made it to the island without incident.

Later that same day there were some ferries that had mishaps...

one bumped into a concrete dock and some sailings were also cancelled.

Are you old enough to remember Lamb Chop and Shari Lewis?

These little lamb chops were for sale in the onboard shop.

Like lamb chop I am embracing a bright paw.

Dior Adventure will do the trick.

Hope that your week is ticking along nicely.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~