Bringing in some light

[Lidlfix]

It's hard for everyone right now, by varying degrees granted, and sometimes it's nice to blether. I'd like a thread that doesn't turn into political debate. A Chat if you like with a Scottish perspective that has a gentler vibe. I admire the posters with strong political views, knowledge, interests and thick skins - qualities I lack. But it's not for everyone.

My fig and blackberry candle is lit and my nice coloured gin bottles have wee LED lights in. I feel refreshed after my two week hols but worried about the term to come. Come share what you're doing to bring in some light, your wee treats, autumn booze concoctions or just blether.

I made Old Fashioneds on Friday. Yummy bourbon orangey delights they were. But I only had tangerines but still amazing

Oh, sound good... !

I’ve been amazed by discovering them as even I was young cocktails were rank sweet things from packets in the like of the coconut grove 😄

So many of my friends have found that they just can't enjoy alcohol the same after the menopause due the impact on sleep terrible hangovers etc. I will be bereft if this happens to me.

My Great Grandmama was still partial to a good whisky, gin & tonics and "fancy" cocktails in her 90s. Apparently the menopause was a blessing as her last child arrived when she was 46 and her sleep/ability to drink improved dramatically afterwards.

My mil is 78 and loves wine. As far as I can tell she doesn't do hangovers.

As a 43 year old who rarely gets to drink atm due to small children, I too will be very unimpressed if the menopause kills my enjoyment of alcohol.

I will use Dinosaur's Great Grandmama as a role model (apart from having a DC at 46 as I am 46) so look forward to imbibing freely and happily. I took a production line approach to pregnancy in my 20s, my 30s were all about DC and retraining for an entirely new career . Enjoying myself in my 40s with adult and almost adult DC .

My DM seems to do ok so hopefully I will take after her.

I'm 59 and have gone through the menopause - and I still enjoy my wine and gin Dh and I have a wee hobby wine business so we need to taste wine on a regular basis

Tonight we had a bottle of Pierre Jourdan Belle Rose Cap Classique (South African pink "champagne") to celebrate being in a warm house for the first time in 6 years and after enjoying a mains pressure equivalent of a power shower. We followed it with a lovely Rickety Bridge (also South African) 2018 Merlot.

Whereabouts in Pollokshields are you? Asking for a friend

West Pollokshields - the posh bit

I always think of PS being posh.

Pollokshields West (the big hooses ) is posh. Pollokshields East (the tenements) is actually quite deprived. Shields Road is apparently the dividing line.

[quote WouldBeGood]@Lidlfix I hope that doesn’t happen to me. I’m fifty and just getting into nice cocktails because if DP who is also into the wanky cocktail chat 😂

An old fashioned is my favourite. In fact, one would be perfect right now![/quote]
Did someone say old fashioned? So good, as is a classic martini, though I’m a latecomer to the classics, having sipped my way through the obligatory Cosmo phase
aka the eyebrow waxing years yuck, sets my teeth on edge now.

@Bytheloch a proper martini is my other favourite!

Proper drink drink for me 😃

And I do have the ingredients for that....

The bourbon will be getting put to good use on a Manhattan this weekend. If I remember to order orange bitters and luxardo cherries .

Ooh, what are luxardo cherries?

I had my first Manhattan in Manhattan last year! The bar was so dark o inadvertently ate a maraschino Cherry from it 🤢

What are we doing to raise our spirits this weekend? I have let DD take the car to work which means I am going for a walk, regardless of the weather and might try to make a gin liqueur. My contribution to our departmental Xmas night in is a lethal festive themed cocktail, that won't be happening but I could still live up to my reputation as the Willy Wonka of bevvy.

Would be - Luxardo cherries are v posh maraschino cherries that have a blackforest gateaux flavour. I drizzle some of the syrup over the cherry and it infuses through the Manhattan .

Not sure that this counts as "raising spirits" but we'll be spending the weekend decorating our living room (now that we have a lovely warm house), so by the end of it might be able to get a sense of achievement.

Ds is going to hate it when (if ) he gets home from Uni at Christmas. It's been the orange red since before he was born and it's going to be teal He doesn't like change

@prettybird that’s an amazing room and will look fantastic in teal.

My DD has a similar colour in her tenement flat and it looks great against the original pine mouldings and door, which look similar to yours.

It DOES however make the modern white radiator stand out , and we have never been brave enough to paint it. I think the the ideal solution for her would be to replace it with a new one in traditional style, in a dark colour like anthracite. But that’s ££££ and would mess up her newly sanded floor.

Can we see photos of your room when it’s done?

We went from burgundy to teal in the our main living areas (open plannish kitchen, dining , living room) and I love it. It's such a great colour. I have high ceiling and cornice envy that room is going to be stunning!

You can

The original plan was for the new radiators to be anthracite grey - and one of them to be a vertical one, but the ones that our heating engineer sourced were ££££££ and also wouldn't have been available in time. I sourced a vertical one myself, which wasn't too expensive, but it means it's not covered by his 10 year guarantee. The size that was in stock was only suitable for the kitchen so we got that to see how effective it is (it's aluminium rather than the normal steel) and then we might change the living room radiators in years to come.

We're painting all the wood work white so the radiators will be part of the overall design. I've already painted around them (and all the other edges, so I'm ready to roller ) and they look good.

This was how it looked just 2 weeks ago

Ah if your woodwork is white then it won’t draw the eye. Dds woodwork is all still the original pine so the radiator is a bit obtrusive.

So get rollering woman, I want to see the finished result.

I’m not much of a drinker so house and garden photos “bring in some light”. I’m just waiting until it’s decent to put some Christmas trees up.

I’ve started in a gentle way with some wooden things that are not Christmassy ( of course not!!!! ) they are just winter decorations. And some foliage from the garden. And some lights. Just a few.

Today I have finally accepted that the weather is getting cold so I can no longer wear my summer clothes. I don’t like to give in too easily to the changing of the seasons 😬

So I am shopping my wardrobe for cold weather outfits and bringing the winter woolies out of storage.

My shape suits winter clothes much better. Decent shaped legs so short skirts/ dresses with (cosy) opaque tights is much better than revealing my veiny, brilliant white limbs in summer. The fashionistas over in Style and Beauty may be shunning skinny jeans and boots but I am not. I do enjoy a nice floaty blouse, jeans ,boots and a coat to balance my huge boobs and fat tum.

That said come the spring I will very excited the first day I can pop my beloved birkies and 7/8 trousers on .

SOOLA I thought foliage and light was hygge so absolutely not about the C word at all

SOOLA I thought foliage and light was hygge so absolutely not about the C word at all grin

You are so right @Lidlfix

Have you tried Primark fleece lined tights ?

Thanks, @Lidlfix. 🍒

I’ve done yoga, and been to to gym with DS.

Liking the decorating plans, I’m currently planning a very dark blue room for a study/chill room.

I think I’ll try to persuade DP to bring me a nice warming cocktail over later.

Progress