Valentines Hearts...

Good morning from The Humble Bungalow.
It is Valentine's Day today so I am sharing a few hearts with you today...
and a message of love.

Chocolate hearts 

Paris

"All you need is love.
But a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt."

~  Charles M. Schulz ~

"The most important thing in the world is family and love."

~ John Wooden ~

"Love is friendship that has caught fire. It is quiet understanding, mutual confidence, sharing and forgiving. It is loyalty through good and bad times. It settles for less than perfection and makes allowances for human weaknesses." 

~Ann Landers ~

I am sniffling today with a head cold so I plan on drinking loads of fluids.

Happy Valentines Day to my husband...

"in sickness and in health"

I remember our pledge on that wedding day back in 1974.

We've come a long way since that day and I love you more now than I did back then.

Happy Valentines Day

"The best thing to hold onto in life is each other."

~ Audrey Hepburn ~

I'll be taking a few days off while I am sick

will be back soon.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

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 ~

White Wednesday ~ a fluffy blanket of Snow.

Welcome to our White Winter Wonderland!

The Christmas lights are illuminating the snow laden climbing rose.

I am so happy that those white lights are still strung on the climbing rose...

they add such a pretty touch to the back porch.

These rustic seats and table are part of the local area known as the common.

The common is a spare lot that will never be developed 

apparently a brick culvert runs beneath the surface...

(too close to the surface and vulnerable)

there was a creek that ran through the property 

the First Nations used to portage along the creek

on their way to the Inner Harbour.

A former resident, who was a gifted woodworker, scavenged the local beach for the materials and built the seats and table.

Neighbours gather here in nicer weather to chat and have picnics or coffee.

Children climb the trees, run around the site and play on the swings.

Our "wee lending library" is situated out front for anyone wanting to borrow a book.

The policy is based on the honour system.

It is suggested that you "take on and leave one."

The turnaround of books is quite amazing...

I took one for Mother yesterday...

The Lake House by Kate Morton.

I plan to read it when she is finished as it has been on my list for quite sometime.

Looking out the back door of The Humble Bungalow at dark.

Thats a lot of snow!

The fluffy white carpet of snow softens sounds

the neighbourhood feels quiet and very hushed.

The trees are laden with snow...

according to the forecast more is on the way.

Chester has found a cozy blanket of his own!

In between their usual cat naps they have been sitting at the windows

watching the snowflakes fall.

Last but not least...

this lovely white heart shaped rock.

This rock has come all the way from Hyeres France,

 a thoughtful gift from a local BC reader.

She spends each Fall season with her husband living on the Cote d'azur

they love Provence

 and 

spend many days exploring the quaint and beautiful villages...

we have met up several times and most recently we had lunch at which time 

 she shared her favourite spots to visit.

Thank you A for your kind and special gift.

XO

Hope you are cozy and warm.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Budget friendly basics...starting with Tops.

Most women I know like to get a bargain,
especially on clothing and
many will only buy at the sales when items are sold at a reduced price.

Thrift and consignment shops are great places to look for items when one is trying to stretch the clothing budget.

Finding decent tops in great condition can be a challenge, particularly in the thrift shops. Tops seem to show wear faster than most pants or sweaters.

I have been on the hunt for some new white Tees,
which I never seem to find second hand,
readers gave me numerous suggestions of their favourite brands
many of which are sold exclusively online.

I am tactile and visual so I prefer to try things on before I buy them.
Returns can be expensive and I am frugal
so I do not like to "pay to try things on."

Last year I had a rather tedious experience when ordering Tees.
The fabric on the Tees was too thin and sheer and the styles were quite shaped which meant that they clung to reveal and focused on my untoned  midsection...

Currently I am working to improve this area at the gym,
but in the meantime, I do not want to advertise my wobbly bits!

Tees and crisp white shirts are two items that I love to have in my wardrobe.
I obviously have high expectations
when currently planning to replace those that are tired and worn out.

Two new white Tees 

by Joe Fresh

which I will be test driving for the next while.

Mr. HB and I drove out to the Western Community on the weekend and we stopped in at Superstore where a line of clothing by the name of Joe Fresh is sold.

It is a low cost line of clothing that Club Monaco founder Joe Mimran sells.

The cotton Tee on the left is lightweight and has some texture to the fabric 

but is not too sheer and was on sale for $7.64

The "performance tee" is made in a heavier weight blend 

 spandex is mixed with the cotton

has body, does not cling 

 sells for $16.00

I really like to try things on as sizing is not standard like men's wear.

Here is an example of the size variations...

Two basic black tank tops which make great layering pieces.

Gap in an XL

Haggar in a Small.

Impressions top in a Large.

Two other tops in blue...

Style and Co. 

Calvin Klein

These 7 basics are my casual every day tops.

I have 2 other active wear tops for working out in at the gym and on my walks.

Keeping a small inventory of clothing is necessary as our closet is really small.

It does make it easier to stay within a budget and it means getting dressed is mush faster as there are not too many choices.

I will share some more aspects of my minimal wardrobe in a future post.

Thank you for your suggestions and comments about the Tees

and I hope you have a lovely week.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Snow Day, Flowers, Candles, the Gym and I could use your help...

Thank you for stopping by The Humble Bungalow.

The past post on women generated numerous comments, emails and there was a wee bit of controversy.

The blog posts here in The Humble Bungalow are varied and focus on 

beauty, joy, cooking, home keeping

are polite 

rest assured

the mood here is peaceful and calm.

This week has been a busy one and I have done a little "fluffing" in our home.

Scented candles and fresh flowers are two of my favourite affordable luxuries.

 Its the little things that make life at home more enjoyable.

Flowers and fragrance

light and warmth.

TEA!

Time for a cup of Tea 

decaf Yorkshire blend is my daily brew.

I enjoy sipping from a pretty mug like this one from Emma Bridgewater.

Snowdrops are dainty, sweet and we have planted then in our garden.

Yes that IS snow...

it was falling most of the day.

The black mondo grass is peeking through the blanket of snow.

You may be surprised to hear

I've taken the plunge and joined a gym.

Dominique, a reader of my blog, 

emailed me and suggested this particular gym

  I am very grateful.

Thank you!

The gym is for the over 55 group and located not too far from The Humble Bungalow.

 A personal trainer is teaching me how to use the equipment and is assessing my levels and recommending how long and at what levels I need to be working.

I have worked out 3 times this week and my muscles are slightly tender.

It feels good to be actively working out to change my shape.

I have come to the gym somewhat reluctantly...

I was hoping not to pay for fitness but I have not had much success recently with my walking.

The weather has kept me indoors more often and I have gained weight.

The weight training should speed up my metabolism and I am hopeful that the scale will reflect all my efforts in due course.

The trainer told me to stay off my scale for the first month...

muscle weighs more than fat and she does not want me to get discouraged.

My goal is to go to the gym 2-3 times a week.

The people are friendly and the staff are knowledgable.

The space is clean and the atmosphere is quiet and relaxed.

After my work out I went to the mall and bought a new bra, two magazines and a new mascara.

My mascara had passed its use by date and I thought I would try a less expensive brand but I still want to use one that is free of nasty ingredients.

Physician's Formula makes this one so I will test it out and see if it delivers on the promise of fuller lashes.

My workout has left me feeling weary tonight and I am happy to relax on the sofa and watch some TV with my husband.

I have a question for you...

It is my hope that you can help me find a perfect 

or close to perfect 

basic white Tee shirt.

I want one that is simple and very plain

no logos or writing or pattern on the front

in a cotton that has some weight to it 

so it does not cling.

I have spent so much time trying to find one in the local shops

 so far I have come up empty handed...

it should be easy to find

 I am not sure why I am having such trouble.

So I figured you might have the answer and be able to steer me in the right direction...

Thank you for dropping by and I hope that you have a wonderful weekend.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~