A whole new year, let’s hope it’s a happy one.
I’m not a fan of New Year’s particularly, but I love entering into a new year filled with adventures and possibilities.
So first things first, happy new year!!
And then I’d like to recap Christmas, well, specifically Christmas outfits.
I love putting a good outfit together, I love that I get compliments on what I wear (shallow? Probably. Bothered by being shallow? Absolutely not!).
We’re here for such a short time. Although I suspect if you enjoy life as much as I do then a hundred years wouldn’t be enough time.
While I’m here I want to look the best I can. I enjoy clothes. And I definitely thought pre op that I would be tethered to baggy sweatshirts and baggy joggers for the rest of my life.
And if that’s what you are happy wearing then yay, you do you.
But for me I like to get all dolled up.
1, because people are less likely to suspect a woman dressed so fancy is the one that smells (should a bag leak occur),
and
2, I like to dress up. It makes me feel good.
So the outfits of Christmas season 2023 are as follows;
Dressed casual, but still smart.
Top from The White Company, Vest from TK Maxx, Jeans from Tesco, Boots from Jimmy Choo
Dressed up, but comfortable.
Top from M&S, Knitted tunic from Jigsaw, leggings from Tesco, Sliders from Ugg, Boots from Hobbs, Bag from Christian Dior
Chris and I started a tradition of going on a day date just before Christmas. He works in construction, so he’s off for the entire Christmas period ~ until the beginning of January, it’s wonderful.
And far from wishing he’d go back to work after a few days, I wish he was home with me forever, but as I have a serious addiction to bags, shoes and holidays, I doubt he’ll ever be able to retire. ;)
We had a great day. First we go to a pub in Cambridgeshire. And then to Anglesey Abbey to see their decorations.
It was so lovely. Even if the decorations had changed at the Abbey, and weren’t the ones I’d expected to see.
If you were ever wondering how spoilt I am, then look no further than this photo…I said to Chris that I’d love a white Christmas…so he surprised me with a snow machine. Hahahaha
I didn’t need to dream of a white Christmas.
Christmas Day outfit…
Dress and Belt from Ralph Lauren, Shoes from Christian Louboutin, Bag from Aspinal of London.
I love this dress! It’s days like this where I think yes!! I look chic and classy and I could conquer the world. :)
Some days, some outfits just feel right. It’s such a great feeling. Probably made all the more special by the fact I really thought days like this would and could never happen again. It really does bring it into sharp focus how my life is completely and utterly different to how I envisaged my post op life would look.
You’ve got this, keep going, you’re going to be absolutely fine.
Obviously I scaped the table, in fact I did it all through Christmas. I have no idea where my interest in table scaping came from. All I can think is, I realised I was good at it, which is the first time I’ve ever been any good at anything, ever! (For real).
Which piqued my interest, and then my hyper fixation kicked in and the rest as they say is history.
I now have 3 sheds and a kitchen full of scapage. I start planning my next Christmas scapes a year in advance, so yes, Christmas tables 2024 are planned and ready to go.
Christmas Day was wonderful, full of fun and laughter and snow and love. What more could anyone ask for?
My eccentricity always rubs off on others, my mum and dad roll their eyes at me like I’m bonkers, but really they secretly love it. ;)
Boxing Day was spent with friends. I got up early and completely changed the table scape.
*It has been brought to my attention that most people find my scapes a bit much, and that people can’t find their cutlery due to all the ‘clutter’….clutter!!?? Clutter!! Philistines!! Hahahaha
Top from Tommy Hilfiger, Skirt from Ralph Lauren, Boots from Holland Cooper, Bag from Christian Dior
Giving off my best Martha Stewart vibes…
Is the scaping out of control? …well, maybe they have a point, but it’s a relatively harmless addiction, so I’m sticking with it! :)
Another day spent with some of the best people I know. We are really very lucky.
Then, as Chris is off for the whole festive period, we decided to head into London on 27th December, to go to the cinema at Selfridges, then a bit of shopping (I bought nothing, if you can believe it. Chris bought himself quite a bit. I felt dizzy with the swapping of roles! Hahahahah).
Dress from Michael Kors, Boots from Ralph Lauren, Bag from Goyard.
Erin had gone back to Liverpool for Christmas with her family, so we had some time with Ben, which was really lovely.
The day was most definitely topped off by curry at Chutney Mary. Where, incidentally, I would spend every day if I ever win the lottery, which I appreciate is unlikely as I don’t actually do the lottery.
Actually if I did win the lottery I’d probably move to India, so perhaps I’ll buy a ticket after all.
We had a really good mix of relaxation and entertaining over the break. I think probably the best balance we’ve ever had over a Christmas.
We invited one of my favourite cousins and her husband for Saturday lunch, but because every day since the 23rd December had felt like a Sunday, I planned a Sunday roast.
Top from Zara, Trousers from Primark, Shoes from YSL, Bag from Aspinal of London
I was giving the quiet luxury trend a go. Although quiet luxury first referred to brands like Kiton, Loro Piana, Brunello, The Row, etc etc, but now the term “quiet luxury” has been hijacked. And people think it just means classy muted cream tones.
But it first referred to very high brands I mentioned, extremely expensive, but with no outward showing labels.
I can’t afford any of those brands, even in their discount stores. I tried and failed in there. So I’m going with classy muteds, and being satisfied with that.
My cousin loves green, but hates clutter, so I took that under consideration and paired back my scapage. We had such a lovely, chilled afternoon with them.
Then New Year’s Eve was spent taking down the Christmas decorations (worst day of the year for me, best day of the year for Chris).
The house looks barren, and Chris loves it!
Decs down we headed to the beach for fish and chips in the car, watching the sea. Heaven, absolute heaven.
Coat from Boss, Scarf from Osprey, Jeans from Ralph Lauren, Shoes from Ugg.
Then we come to New Year’s Day, I really don’t get any pleasure from New Year’s Eve, although I have hosted some wonderful NYE parties.
It’s just so overrated and underwhelming generally. And if we are home alone, I most definitely won’t be staying up to see the new year in.
But I do really love New Year’s Day. It’s a brand new year, full of exciting possibilities and adventures (Which we booked in whilst Chris was off over Christmas. I’m so so happy for the coming year ahead).
Top and skirt from Ralph Lauren, Boots from Hobbs, Bag from Goyard.
We originally booked Chutney Mary for the family lunch, but they wouldn’t take Zak, as they don’t take under 6’s.
So we booked Madhus of Mayfair, another favourite of ours, the food is superb.
We went up to London early to watch the London New Year’s Day Parade, which was fabulous. We watched quite a bit, which was fantastic. Milly’s brother and his girlfriend were actually in the parade, with an equestrian team. So that was nice to wave at them going by.
Then we went to the restaurant.
We sat down and they gave us the afternoon tea menu…
We said “no, when we booked it she asked if we wanted a la carte or afternoon tea and we said most definitely the a la carte menu please and thank you”.
Then the waiter informs us that they were only doing the afternoon tea menu…
I yearn for curry most of the time.
Cheese sandwiches, and salmon sandwiches were not going to cut it!
I went full meltdown, with the right raging hump.
A cheese sandwich?!???!!!
I need curry!!!!!!
Anyway, Chris spoke to the manager, who then rang Madhus Brassiere for us, and made us a booking there.
So we had to get the tube over to Knightsbridge, and have our lunch there.
I was all dolled up for a fancy restaurant. You do not need to be dolled up for the brasserie as it’s in a shop.
It was such a palava, but lunch was fabulous as always. I love Madhus Brassiere.
And the manager there very kindly gave us 20% off for our inconvenience off having to rush across town.
Before we had to uproot and decamp to a department store for lunch…not that that was a huge problem, the food is sensational at both restaurants, but I wouldn’t have dolled myself up for the brassiere.
We had a lovely family day nonetheless. And maybe next year we’ll just book Madhus Brassiere to start with.
Sunday just gone was really lovely. Ben and Erin invited us over for a Sunday roast. Ben said the dress code was “quiet luxury”. So we did, even Chris joined in. Cream trousers, the lot.
We arrived to find Ben had forgotten he’d ever said it. But not a problem as Chris and I looked super cute. :)
Who doesn’t love the added peril of possibly spilling food down cream clothing. Hahaha
Top from TK Maxx, Cardigan from Tommy Hilfiger, Trousers from Primark, Shoes from Dior, Bag from Chloe.
The lunch was exceptional. Erin is a very good cook, and more importantly she enjoys cooking, which does help.
She’s been inspiring me to be a bit more adventurous with my cooking.
Which is handy as I’ve decided I want to eat more whole foods and avoid Ultra Processed Foods as much as possible. It’s been a few weeks now, and I certainly feel better for it, that’s for sure.
We had the minutest flurry of snow today, and I was like a rat up a drainpipe to get washed dressed and out enjoying it.
It didn’t settle, but that didn’t stop me going out in my full Anna Karenina look.
:)
Dress from Sainsbury’s, Boots from Dior.
It’s been a wonderful Christmas, new year and a perfect start to January.
It’s still heartening and reassuring to me that dressing well with a colostomy is perfectly possible. Even 13 years in I’m overjoyed by this.
I hope you avoided all the bugs going round, and if you didn’t get so lucky, I hope you are feeling better. Xx