Hello Dear Reader,

If any of you have ever read ‘Bitchcakes’ blog, then my in the gym bathroom pose will be familiar. I don’t actually have a deformed arse but my pose makes me look as if I do. I’m now 1.5 stone lighter or 21 English pounds lighter. I’ve got a long way to go but I’m getting there. I’ll take my proper camera next time so I can document the difference as time goes by. Apologies for the grainy pictures but my ever so frugal and aging i-phone was all I had with me.

I’ve spent the day dashing in and out of the house with laundry as I dried it outside and have washed quilts and curtains. We also investigated wood chips and found 6 cubic metres for £80 and that includes delivery. We bought weed blocking membrane for 50p a running metre and as usual we found it cheaper than anywhere in Trago. We also popped into the wholesale butchers and found yet more sirloin steak for £1 each (it’s Tesco finest before it’s re-labelled!).

I’ve then got onto the living room. This is the before but don’t be too expectant, it will be painted exactly the same colour again…..Skimming stone. I have one and a half pots in the garage and bought one more. I have all the undercoat, gloss, brushes, white spirit that I could need and the pot of paint is the only cost to the redecoration of the room. Whilst I’ve been working inside, Dearly Beloved has carried on in the garden and is steadily working his way through the borders.

Here’s the other side of the room with the view from our patio doors. All the furniture went to people who wanted it as I gave it away on Freecycle……………that now gives me exactly one week to decorate the entire room. I’m going to use the lounge curtains in my bedroom and the bedroom curtains in the spare room/sewing room and office. Sometimes just moving curtains around can refresh rooms. I shall investigate making new curtains when the suite of furniture is here but it they will probably be neutral and simple.

In between, I’ve been cooking, marking exams and taking five minutes here and there to sit in the sunshine. No more nails? I’ll have no more nails when I’m done with the decorating! I’m off on my hands and knees again to complete sanding the skirting boards and will get one coat of undercoat onto the woodwork and radiator before the day is out!

Over to you Dear Reader, who uses Freecycle? Anyone else in the process of house renovation on the cheap? Is anyone trying to lose weight and get fit on a budget?

See you tomorrow,

Love Froogs xxxxxxxxxxxxxx