So autumn has arrived, it didn’t creep up on us this year, summer didn’t fade away, it was warm, warm, warm, sunny, sunny, sunny…then yesterday I went to the gym in my shorts and T shirt, and then went straight out to the shops after and I nearly froze to death out there!
I had to style it out, and kept having to say to people who mentioned my lack of appropriate clothing that I’d come straight from the gym, and that I was ‘boiling’.
A surprising number of people said it to me too, it’s like everyone else got the memo about the temperature change but me.
I wasn’t boiling at all of course. I was freezing my nips off, completely under dressed for the new climate conditions. But I’ll never show weakness in public 😬🫣😂.
Anyway, with the new season comes a new wardrobe. Although I have cut back this year.
1, because I’ve allocated my pocket money to a little project elsewhere.
And 2, I’m lucky enough to have been alive so long that a lot of my previous purchases are back in fashion.
I’m able to mix a lot of old, with a little bit of new. It’s all working out perfectly.
I saw this skirt in Maje recently, and I thought it was glorious! A real show stopper.
It is bit pricey, and I didn’t trust myself not to get all the strands tangled and matted!
So I left it behind, I then happened to see a skirt on a brand I’d not heard of before called Albaray.
It seemed like a far more practical purchase for me; cost, looks, practicalities of tanglements.
The Maje one is gorgeous. But I have limited places to wear it.
The Albaray one is simply more user friendly.
Shirt from Trucco (I bought this top in Valencia in March. I actually bought it to wear with the Lehenga skirt I bought in India, but I just never got round to it).
Skirt from Albaray £69, which is a lot cheaper than the Maje one. It’s pretty good quality for the price too.
Shoes from Chanel. (Chanel ballet flats are incredibly popular right now. Apparently because the bags are so wildly expensive these days (also see - overpriced) that people are buying the shoes as a gateway into Chanel).
I do love them, but my Dior ballets are more comfortable. So if you are going to treat yourself and splurge, try all the other options too).
Because let’s face it, they work no more or less as a shoe than shoes that cost £5.
We’re only buying a logo. So comfort should play a part (although my feet are so gnarley and generally uncomfortable no matter what I wear, so that ship has sailed for me 🤩😂).
I really love this skirt, and I do feel I will get a good amount of wears per pounds from it. And although I’m terrible with wastefulness, I am aware, and am trying to do better.
I have only bought 4 new things for this season’s wardrobe updates, and will mix old and new together. (I appreciate no one is following me for sound financial advice. I’m more “the world’s a mess, so enjoy yourself babes!” vibes), but occasionally I check myself and show restraint.
I headed into London for the day, it’s amazing where you unexpectedly end up when you’re just pottering around town.
Just to be clear, I was merely playing dress up in Jessica McCormack, I do not have a spare £65k hanging round. But if I did…
I fell in love with this ring in there. It’s so clever. It’s two in one, and the more decorative part is called a “party jacket”. It’s the first time I’ve ever heard of this concept.
It detaches and you can wear the ring as a solitaire, or put the other part on for a big night out.
I love clever design. Doesn’t matter what it is, I love things that can turn into other things.
Now I’m wondering why more rings don’t come with a party jacket, it just makes sense.
I had gone into London to drop some stuff off, and afterwards meeting up with friends in the afternoon, and then we were all meeting Chris in the evening for dinner.
So I had a lovely time playing dress up…it’s like window shopping but a more interactive and tactile version.
And as I will never have a spare 65 thousand pounds available it’s the closest I was going to get to that ring, and any of the other bits I tried on.
It satiated me, and took up some time before I met up with the others.
I had a really lovely relaxing day out, doing not much.
Like I said, these shoes are not comfortable. Or more accurately, they are, for a bit. But my friends like to walk, so rather than get a cab from King’s Road to St James’s we walked.
It’s not that far really, but it did aggravate the toe I broke a few weeks back. By the time I got home, well, not even home, by the time I got to the car that night it was black and swollen again ~ throbbing like a cartoon toe! 🫣🤩😂.
Like I said I don’t like showing weakness, so I didn’t mention it to my friends. Besides, why should they miss out on a nice sunshine walk because of me.
We went to Chutney Mary for dinner, nothing unusual in that, but I did change my order, for the first time in about 12 years.
Friends of ours had the thali a few weeks ago so I thought I’d try that too.
It was delicious. I accidentally ordered it wrong so I ended up having to order my starter after my main, but it wasn’t a problem. My belly isn’t bothered by the order it goes in, even if my eyes are.
It was utterly delicious. Look at me, trying new stuff like a grown up 🤩😂.
Then the weekend before last we headed off to a big family adventure (minus 1).
Sam wanted to go to Disneyland Paris for his 30th birthday. Which I thought was hilarious and adorable.
We all love Disney (Well, not all. Erin is no fan of it so she decided to stay home and have a girly weekend with her mama. And I love that she felt comfortable enough to say so. I’d hate to feel obliged to go somewhere, and therefore I’d hate for anyone else to feel that way too. I adore Erin, and I feel very lucky that she feels comfortable with us to speak her truth).
The rest of us headed off for Sam’s big boy birthday adventure 🏰🎈
Top (very old, but in this season’s colour) from Kate Spade), Jeans (very new) from Maje, Shoes from Hermes
I was struggling to work out how these jeans from Maje fit me so well in the leg, I am a very short hobbit like lady after all.
It was only when I saw them online that I realised that they are designed to be a cropped length on normal women.
But I couldn’t and wouldn’t wear them like that because it gives me the ick. So weirdly, I actually prefer them on me than the model. And that doesn’t happen very often I can assure you. I bet her feet are cosy in those nasty socks though 😬🤩🫶🏼
We had the most incredible time away!
Disneyland is magical, it’s absolutely magical. It feels amazing. It’s an all consuming joy for the soul. I can’t imagine what it’s like to see it through a child’s eyes.
Even for adults it’s literally the happiest place on earth.
It’s not a thrill seeker theme park, it has a few big coasters, but primarily It’s a children centric fantasy world.
(So with that in mind it seems odd there is a Champagne cart on most streets in there. It’s a giant children’s play area.
I don’t think I saw anything like that in Anaheim Disney, so maybe that’s a French thing? 🤷🏼♀️).
We had such a fun time but there are some definite downsides;
The lack of fruit and veg available is brutal. I need fresh produce, okay so I saw one bit of fruit - apples - covered in toffee….but I crave actual fruits and veggies. And the more meals without veg we had the more desperate I became.
The queuing sucks - buying fast passes feels insane after the cost of the trip itself, but actually it’s vital.
I’m too old and too impatient to queue these days.
Chris costed it out for us all to the have the premier access ultimate pass. It would have been just over £700 a day for the 6 of us.
Which is just ridiculous, and as soon as someone doesn’t want to do ALL the rides you’re losing value for money from the pass.
So Chris worked out that if you just wait till you get there, and buy fast passes on the day as your needs require it’s much better value. It was about half the price to do it this way.
Top tip; I found a lovely place for a warm, cozy doze but didn’t get a chance to try it out.
I don’t go on big rides, so I need places to wait while the others do them. Although that wasn’t an issue this trip as I had a little buddy for company. Zak and I did more genteel rides while the others went off to induce acid reflux.
The cosy auditorium in Discovery Land, by the Star Tours ride (when there isn’t a show on) is perfect for a quick rest, honestly it’s needed.
Twenty thousand steps a day, lack of sleep, lack of proper food - rest stops are a life saver.
I didn’t get a chance to this visit, as I only discovered it on the last day, but I will do next time, I was so exhausted.
I’m not a fan, or a regular user of pre cut stoma bags. I tried them when I first had my stoma, but I did find that I leaked and pancaked with the pre cut ones more than the DIY cut bags.
The only conclusion I could come to is that where they are pre cut it lifts the protective cover from the adhesive layer, which dries out the glue, and that’s where the leaks came from.
So I cut my own bags as I use them. But on days out like this I do pre cut some to take with me. There are bag checks at the gate and I have a feeling that scissors, even though they are medical ones, are probably prohibited.
To save hassle at the gate I will just risk a pre cut bag as my back up.
I take plenty of supplies for the day. Even though the chance of a leak is minimal, I can’t face the thought of adding in an additional trip back to the hotel to change it.
T Shirt and Shoes from Hermes, Jumper from Ralph Lauren, Trousers from Theory.
We’ve been to Disneyland Paris many many times. We’ve stayed in all the hotels.
Obviously my favourite was the Disneyland hotel. It’s very special, and the closest to the gates to get in, and more importantly, to get out and go to bed.
Chris and the boys love Hotel Cheyenne, it’s great value. It’s a Wild West cowboy themed hotel. It’s cute and comfortable. But about a 15/20 minute walk to the park, which is fine in the morning, but it’s a lot on top of all the day’s walking.
There is a shuttle bus, but even that doesn’t drop you that close to the gates.
If you want the closest to the park, but reasonably priced I’d book the Marvel one (it used to be called Hotel New York). It’s not a pretty building, but it’s a great location.
…With an unlimited budget I’d book this one!
I still think about the time we stayed here. In the olden days you could buy Disney holiday vouchers with Tesco clubcard points, and that’s what we did.
We saved them up and paid for a 3 night stay for nothing. Just the normal cost of our weekly shop and petrol.
It made that trip all the sweeter.
Sadly you can’t do it with clubcard points anymore, and so it’s way out of our budget.
A girl can dream though…
I’ve had a photo on this spot since the boys were about 4 and 6 years old.
We very fortuitously managed to get a reservation in my favourite restaurant in Disneyland.
It used to be called the Blue Lagoon, but I think it’s called Captain Jack’s now.
It’s a restaurant within the Pirates of the Caribbean ride. It’s so atmospheric and fun.
I did managed to get some veg with this meal so that was very exciting 😂
It is mainly a children’s place, but it’s magical for big kids too! You just have to be young at heart.
We’ve never stayed for the late night shows before. In fact I don’t remember there being any. I think they used to do an evening parade, but not an actual show.
Well let me tell you, I blubbed my eyes out at the shows, I get overwhelmed by stuff like that. They are magnificent, I couldn’t actually believe my eyes.
The one in Adventure World was insane. Lasers, drones, projection show, fountains and fireworks. My head was spinning!
The very handy thing about staying in a Disney hotel as in the Paris one you get early park access (apparently they don’t do that in the USA ones now 🤷🏼♀️).
It feels very special to be there so early. You get to smash out the big rides, so you can relax a little about the rest of the day.
The Frozen land is fairly new. It’s really very beautiful, with all the magic that Disney delivers in spades.
There is a new Frozen ride that’s crazy popular, the wait times can be wild, so I would recommend buying the fast passes for that.
I do warn you, the ride itself is unexpectedly exhilarating. It’s not a rollercoaster or anything, but I am a really feeble baby (what was that I was banging on about not showing fear in public?!?
Well, I tell you I did!! Very very loudly!).
I’m not particularly embarrassed about it either, because it was so unexpected.
The Frozen ride is no Small World!
Believe me, you’ll be fine on it, babies and toddlers were perfectly happy. I screamed my lungs out though.
I don’t like surprises. My face in the photo was hilarious! Like I was on the biggest coaster in the world.
Attempt 1…
For night two in the parks Chris booked us into the viewing area for the other late night show.
It starts at 10pm, which is oddly late, especially after walking 28 thousand steps.
But it was definitely worth it!
Again I blubbed.
This show hasn’t got drones and fountains but it does have the most incredible projection show on the castle walls and amazing fireworks.
Our weather was ludicrously good. Bearing in mind it was October, the sun shone, and it was 25-26 degrees (77 degrees Fahrenheit).
It could not have been more perfect. I was so glad because we were all there together for Sam’s big birthday.
It was fabulous and fortuitous that everything went well.
The morning of day 3 I decided to give the Frozen ride a go again. Now that I was more comfortable and confident with what happens in there.
This brave soul managed to keep all her screams inside her head this time! Such profound progress! 😂
Top from Maje, Jeans from Topshop (about 10 years ago), Shoes from LV.
Attempt 2,
My twenty eight year old baby boy is 6 foot 1, married to the love of his life, and he loves Disneyland.
Okay, so none of our group are fully in the Disney cult camp, with the dressing up as characters, and or covered in Disney tattoos, but we absolutely love it there.
It feels other worldly, there are no problems in Disneyland. It’s bliss.
It’s nice to check out of the real world for a bit, and much needed.
It’s taken me years to get used to the Pirates ride. Honesty I’m such a wuss, but I really love it now.
And that’s the handy thing about Disneyland Paris, there are more rides that I can actually go on than anywhere else.
On the final magic hour morning Sam, Ben and Milly were up for doing a few more big rides.
Chris had come to the end of his rides journey (apparently the older you get the less your body can tolerate the big ones. I wouldn’t know because I have always been intolerant of them 🫣😂).
So Chris, Zak and I spent time together on the more relaxing ones. And not many people rush to those as it turns out, so we had a fabulous time to ourselves!
We could all just enjoy the silliness.
Zak, being 7 now was able to go on way more rides than when he went four years ago. So he had a wonderful time.
What a joy it was for Chris and I to experience it with them all.
It felt very special, and I’m so glad Sam had a fabulous birthday.
I can’t see the point of having children if you don’t plan on spoiling them for life. I feel that way about anything we choose to bring into our family, be it dogs, bunnies, or as it currently stands, budgies (budgie).
I chose them to join us so I want to make life as special as possible for them.
There are many and various ways to get to Disneyland Paris, but we always drive. It’s so ridiculously easy.
We drive our car onto the Chunnel (the Channel Tunnel car train). Then drive on the most dreamily unbumpy roads all the way there.
It takes about 5 hours door to door.
Compare and contrast that with our drive down to Devon in September, which took 7 and a half hours, all of which was in the same country.
I’m thinking of driving next time we go to the city of Paris too. That way we can buy anything we like without worrying about buying extra luggage allowance, like we had to last November.
We had the most perfect time.
I think I have proof enough now that it is flying that causes me to have constipation. Because I had absolutely no problems at all this trip, which was so nice.
I get quite unwell feeling with constipation from all my flight travel. And as I fly so often I feel rough a lot of the time.
So this was a welcome change. So much so, I think I will plan far less flights next year.
I’m travelling by Eurostar train to Amsterdam in January.
I will of course have to fly to Athens and Madrid in March. There are a few other ones too.
But other than that, we might start planning some road trips. I fancy a pootle around France in the car, eating baguettes, with salty butter and Brie or Bon Maman jam ~ now that is living the dream 🫶🏼🥰
We spent some time at the weekend pricing up a holiday to the Caribbean, using some Avios points to pay for it.
My honest feelings on it?
Of course it would be lovely, the islands all look incredible, but, I literally can’t face the chronic constipation or the jet lag I’d have to pay at the end of the holiday.
I’m going to Wales on holiday soon, and that appeals to me more than the thought of a tropical island - with jet lag on return. 😬🫣
I do unfortunately suffer from jet lag hellishly. I am incredibly ill with it.
On the return home from America or Cuba I have been so ill. Like, 9.5 out of 10.
So when I discovered that when I get home from India, or anywhere in that direction I only get it about 3.5 to 4 out of 10, it’s reset my brain to go that way instead.
Even though I might be missing out on something special if I’d only fly west. I just can’t face it.
I heard someone on social media say that jet lag affects you 1 day for each hour time difference.
Which does track, because I was so intrigued by this one I kept a record when we got back from LA.
I was ill for 8 days…And LA is 8 hours behind London.
It’s really off putting, even to me and I love adventures!
How lucky some people are to not ever get jet lag. I’m going to request that in my next life. 🤩
I’ve had a busy few days but it’s been really nice.
I added the blazer to this outfit assuming it would be ideal. But actually I discovered that because I’m so short I need to wear it with anything that elongates my legs. I’ve worn it with a short skirt before and the proportions were fine.
But with these jeans and flat shoes it didn’t work for me at all.
A quick change into a shorter jacket levelled out the leg/body ratio.
On Friday afternoon I went with my neighbour across the road to pick her son up from school.
Bless his heart he was genuinely so happy to see me, which felt nice, but we did get caught in a very sudden storm. It was instantly torrential, we were soaked through, which distressed him greatly. I assumed he’d be scarred for life. But when he got out of school on Monday afternoon the first thing he said to his mum was “where’s Suzanne?”
🥺
Anyway, after I got home from the storm, and changed into the much needed fresh clothes I decided a casserole was called for.
Now, you know I don’t eat crap foods anymore, but an occasional exception to this rule is a packet of chicken noodle soup as the base of my casserole.
Add to that; a chicken, stock cube, onion, leeks, carrots, garlic, curry powder, turmeric, black pepper and dumplings (my dumplings are suet free. They are just flour, butter and water).
It looks a bit unappealing, but it tastes like a hug from the inside.
It’s one of my favourites, but we don’t have it very often.
This weekend was spent recovering from the previous one. So we booked to do nothing.
I couldn’t even be bothered to wash my hair so it got tied back and forgotten about.
Cardigan from Maje, Top from Intimissimi, Jeans from Levi, Shoes from LK Bennett (about a hundred years ago. They are beautiful but a bit blistery, even now!)
They have these gorgeous diamantés in the heal. They look fabulous, but only really for short walks.
Then Sunday we took Ben and Erin out for her upcoming birthday.
I did something a bit different this year.
I gifted her one of my watches. It’s a beautiful piece but I haven’t worn it in years. I had it sent away for a full service and repair. It came back so beautifully done it looked brand new.
Obviously all my stuff will go to Erin and Milly when I’m dead anyway, but I think it’s far more enjoyable to watch someone get pleasure from something while I’m actually alive.
It just makes sense to me.
Top from French Connection, Jeans from Levi, Shoes from Dior.
I have bought a lot of these jeans, and I mean a lot. They are the Levi 724s.
They are absolutely fabulous on, so soft and stretchy. They feel very comfortable.
And if you can get hold of the ones made for outlets they are even better for stoma wearers. So buttery soft it’s like wearing pjs.
It’s now officially sweater weather 🤩🥰🫶🏼
🍂
I’ve been going to the gym since late May, I think progress has been made. I know I look different on the outside, but hopefully it’s making a difference to my overall health and specifically my bone density.
The only problem with it has been I’ve had terrible pain in my left shoulder.
I put up with it for ages, assuming it was just something that happens to gym goers. But I thought to mention it to my PT the other day and she was horrified that I hadn’t said anything.
Anyway, I went to my physio who confirmed what my PT and Chat GPT had said it was.
It’s my AC joint, I’m not really sure what that is or does and quite frankly it’s none of my business, I just need it sorted asap.
She suggested that I buy a sports bra for going to the gym because my bra straps were antagonising the injury.
Another little fun fact about me; I haven’t ever had a sports bra because, well mainly because I’ve never done any sports before. But also I can’t bear the thought of putting a tight bra on over my head.
I knew I’d feel deeply uncomfortable and claustrophobic. I have some sensory overload issues, and the thought of that sort of bra was too much.
Anyway, M&S do a front fastening zip up sports one. And although it feels more than a bit like a straight jacket, it is more comfortable than I thought it would be.
And it’s taken the extra strain off of the AC joint, which is the main thing.
It really seems to have done the trick. Because although my muscles ache from the session, my shoulder is so far behaving itself.
I’m very grateful to my PT, Physio and new bra for doing all the heavy lifting keeping me on track…ironically it’s meant to be me lifting heavy 🤩😂
Since we got home from France I have been sorting out seasonal stuff.
Jumpers, coats, vaccinations…
I treated myself and bought flu and Covid vaccines.
I’ve always bought flu shots, but this year Covid vaccines are available to buy privately so I added that in too, as I’m not eligible for any of the NHS ones.
I felt rough the day after. Sore arm, nausea and general malaise (I actually don’t know what that is, but I saw it on the symptoms list and thought it was as good a word as any to describe how rotten I felt).
But I’d rather set aside one dedicated rotten day of my choosing, than get flu or Covid on its time frame.
I know a few people who have the new variant, Stratus, at the moment. It sounds absolutely dreadful.
It hits fast and hard.
It’s also turned up this year with a lot of stomach problems - sickness, nausea, acid reflux issues, some of which are mimicking heart attack symptoms in women, so that’s a new fresh hell women will have to endure. As we try and fathom whether we have a virus or an actual cardiac event.
Err on the side of caution and get checked. 🫶🏼
If you are suffering right now you have my sympathy, and sending love and get wells. ❤️🩹
Stay safe, avoid germs 🦠 xx
I’m hoping to avoid what I can, I am very excited for more adventures ahead this year, come to that, every year.
I haven’t wasted a second in the last 17 years and I don’t plan to either. Life is so fragile I want to make sure I honour that fact.
🌍 here I come…