A Very Crepey New Year

[Cremolafoam]

Will this do ??

MI, LTB! Nooo, to recovering soft furnishings: we did this, cost £3,000, and lasted about four years. Our current sofa etc., came from Multiyork - they threw in an extra set of covers. The theory is that we use the cream ones in the summer and the terracotta in the winter. Fine in theory, but it takes at least a day to do it all and we're knackered afterwards, so what's on stays on for a couple of years until I get fed up with them. Both the cream and the terracotta go nicely with aqua which is what I use for accents. My opinions on home decorating depends on where I visited last: I swing wildly between minimalism and clutter, but I am happier with not a lot of stuff around. If you visited you would think no one ever picked up a book: in fact there are lots of full bookcases, but all upstairs, out of my sight.

Glad to hear all is well-ish down below, Molly. DSis had an hysterectomy three years ago and has been very pleased with the result, bar taking ages to pee now.

Herbs, I hope the funeral goes well on Friday (and that you cope with all the paying work). Rose, love the tote: DH bought me a Fiorelli cross body bag at Christmas: it's so well designed; I just love it.

BTM, how are you and DS doing?

Had a repeat of sickness yesterday as I mis-timed my mess, but Brian was only in use once, so not bad.

Very envious of holiday talk, but can't drag up any enthusiasm to even talk about it.

NU, sorry you are not feeling too perky.

Palsy, thanks. Should, of course, read mis-timed my meds.

Gah, Lalsy. I shall shut up now....

NU, sorry you are still suffering.
DS appears to have had another successful day (despite a horrible start to the morning with him refusing to get up because he was tired...) away from me

MI, I am loving the sitting room saga. Can I suggest you get the tops of the curtains sorted - more hooks and the strings pulled tighter as someone else suggested. Then move the thin bookcase out and move the sofa up to the wall then put one chair at the other end (at a jaunty angle) if there is space and swap the armchair and the other one round, table next to armchair in window. If there isn't space for both chairs, one goes into the bedroom for clothes-dumping? And then cushions/throws as appropriate? And get a DD to help whilst DH is out. Or invite the sarf Landan Crepey Massive round to sort it while he's out

Pelmets, Rose Is your house a "between the wars" one? We had pelmets in my childhood home and they were mentioned on the Interior Design Challenge thingy (has DH been secretly watching, MI?) which reminded me!

Palsy

Herbs - How very DARE they say that about shiny shoes? I consider them part of my personality, not as a substitute.

My alternative 'shoe-love' came from when I was working in Covent Garden - I popped into Office for a pair of sensible navy work shoes and came out with a pair of leopard skin loafers.

This was early 90s, and they went down a storm; they were so comfortable, and I had them re heeled and soled twice. I also have a pair of bright red (sort of) brothel creepers which are great to wear.

I think, fwiw, MI that there is just too much furniture in the room. Can you give the girls a chair each or move them elsewhere. The sofa colour and the pale green is actually very nice, but it needs to be somewhere else , to pull the room together ( artwork. Objets, candles, cushions)

NU, sorry you are still feeling pukey. Is it to do with the meds you are on? You poor thing. My hysterectomy was the best thing I ever did, but yes there seems to be some rearrangement of innards that can cause loo desperation / long peeing times.

I am properly sick again today and had to cancel trip to Ikea kitchen planning as nearly passed out beside a Dime cake. Most of day in bed. Fail.😐

I'm not a pelmet lover per se, but have 2 room that we have yet to re-curtain and they both have pelmets. Mind you, I live in a draughty old, old house, so can get away with them (for the moment).

I think pelmets are definitely part of the "Remain" camp, whereas nets are "Brexit" for sure.

I like the other end of that room, MI - it reminds me of a kind of Bloomsbury Group thing going on.... an academic and creative vibe...

I think some throws might be your saviour with regard to those chairs, although its difficult to work out how much money to throw at the problem.

Reasons to be cheerful:

1. The sun has shone and shone today.
2. I made marmalade this year which actually worked - even all the rindy bits stayed suspended and didn't sink to the bottom
3. DH is away tonight, so I can slob around to my hearts content, and go to bed wayyyyyy too late.

There, there NU .

Sorry that there are some of you still feeling so awful.

Suggest mega vits (not cheapo supermarket ones but expensive ones that your bodies can actually assimilate) and extra Vitamin D which you can get as a spray in Holland and Barratt. Double their suggested dose (Yes really - I take 20 000 ius of the stuff twice a week).

Poor NU and Crem - it's so rotten feeling ill. The only upside is, as I noted on recovering from nasty virus, I really appreciated feeling better and will try not to moan so much about vague aches and pains.

I'm getting paranoid about what my furniture says about my political affiliations - not that I have any nets or pelmets.

If pelmets are Remainers they need to start making some noise, no-one else is.

Further political pelmet permutations: Structural, 'hard' pelmet = Remain. Fabric pelmet = Brexit. Other Brexit fixtures + fittings = swags, smoked glass tables, plastic on the floor to protect carpets (possibly from foreigners), china ornaments on windowsills.

I see where you're coming from with smoked glass tables but not completely sure I agree as I think clear glass tables are Remainers.

And I think valances must fall into the same Brexit category as pelmets - doubly so if floral.

There is one pelmet and I think it looks nice...

Our tables are wood Plastic on carpets? I don't think I've ever seen this. No windowsills so no china ornaments - I am partial to the odd vase though .

Tilly Its a 1920's house I think. I don't have nets but might have done in other houses in the past....

Those are nice, Rose.

Our telly is on a smoked glass table. Guess who bought it. Men are very odd.

I have NO curtains, nor any window dressing in living room , which is a bit Green Party. And a bit SDLP. Everywhere else has Roman Blinds in a variety of different fabrics, sending out a very much Remain message. Subtle wordplay on Roman /remain obviously 🙄.

Rose - that is a very acceptable pelmet. Nice and plain. It's when tassels or scalloping start getting involved that we need to worry.

Crem you do make me laugh.

Have you told him you DON'T LIKE THEM MI?

I'm conflicted about valances. I would naturally agree that they're terribly Brexit, but my parents used to have them and they're staunch guardian-reading Remain types. They did ditch their divans for antique French beds, valance-free, so maybe that's what stopped the rot.

Don't like which, GGG?

But probably not. Ours is not one of those MN-approved relationships which thrives on Communication and Sitting Down (always sitting down, have you noticed? The seated position is clearly v important) To Talk Frankly. We prefer neurotic suppression, punctuated by giant rows.

Hmmm.
No net curtains.
No curtains at all in living room.
No smoked glass tables - but large clear glass table in living room.
No valances.
No pelmets (but I like yours Rose - v smart).
No bedspreads.
No carpets save on stairs - are floorboards Remain or does it depend on what sort? I think solid wood - Remain. Laminate, possibly Brexit.
Heavily laden mantelpieces.
No indoor plants.
LOTS of bookshelves, everywhere...

Am enjoying this veering off into The World of Interiors as opposed to our usual high minded high fashion discourse...

Well I think you'll have to decide - between the chairs and the curtains - can't you tell him you really don't want one or the other in your living room - which, you know, you have to live in??

Playing Devil's Advocate what was your response / position when he was circulating suggestions for a year? If you ignored him then perhaps you have only yourself to blame?!

I made comments. Probably not strongly enough. I find it quite hard to be assertive about stuff like this.