Old ladies are actually experts at life, and we are fools (continued)

[AiryFairyMum]

Thank you so much for all your brilliant suggestions. I'm aware the last thread is running out, so I've added a new one, just in case we have any more suggestions from a bygone era, or we want to review any new purchases (I have loads on order at the moment!). Thanks to @kojolo for the thread title. Here's the link to the old one: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/mumsnet_classics/3944582-To-realise-I-like-old-lady-things

I keep thinking about that rosewater and pistachio battenberg cake someone mentioned... I don’t need to be thinking about cake.

@SerendipitySunshine - how about these? This company has just donated our village a load of masks, and they are so lovely and soft that I am eyeing up their underwear now as I'm sure they would be very comfy!

www.thebigbloomerscompany.co.uk/collections/all-underwear

John Lewis do lovely big black cotton knickers with a white lace trim, but they're all out of stock online.

@SerendipitySunshine

Does anyone have any knicker recommendations please? Ideally big and black please.

I have some from Tesco lace waistband don't come quite as far up as my naval but so comfy

My Chateau du Savon mystery box arrived today, with scents from mimosa to eucalyptus to pailletes de licorne - my French isn't good enough to translate that as anything more than something something unicorn! 😂

I love them and also bought 5yo DD a lavender soap on a rope in the shape of a cricket as she loves purple things. Apparently it doesn't win the ultimate accolade of "fancy" but it is "special"!

Just a thought but these will make great stocking stuffers......

Johnny, les pailletes de licorne is unicorn glitter .

Have loved this thread and have to confess to making lavender sachets as a end of year teacher's gift.

Huh! It's not remotely glittery. Interesting! Thanks.

Those big knickers sound brilliant, thank you so much.

Fellow old lady here : I'm interested in how you make lavender bags for your drawers please ? Have lots of lavender in front and back garden .

@Allhallowseve

Fellow old lady here : I'm interested in how you make lavender bags for your drawers please ? Have lots of lavender in front and back garden .

I harvest the lavender flowers and leave them to dry in my garage. Once dry I spend an afternoon rubbing the flowers between my hands into a very large bowl. I then make up the little sachet bags with any leftover fabric and ribbons I have and fill them with the dried lavender. Depending on my mood the bags are either sewn closed or I tie ribbon at the top. The lavender smells great for years. This year's sachets were from flowers collected two years ago as DH binned last year's flowers!

Isn't paillete also a word for a giant sequin? They had a 'moment' in fashion and on the high street a little while ago.

Allhallows I've just made 4 this week with dd and her friend who was over while her mum was in hospital. I use scraps of fabric - any size - along with a ribbon (I have a pot of ribbons from Easter eggs/crackers etc, yes and I have one for buttons - this is why I am on this thread more than likely!). You fold the material in half inside out and sew up all edges bar one, turn it the right way around so you have a pocket/pouch. I put fresh in sometimes as it's less faff than drying, although this time I used the ones from the vase in the kitchen and fill it. I do a mix of full heads to keep the moisture and pulled off. Finally you tuck in the top bit over the ribbon and sew across. We made them into handbags for dolls this time around If you have a sewing machine it takes 5mins.

Paillette is French for sequin.

I live in France. Les pailletes is most definitely glitter. Pailletes can be used for sequins too however most French people use sequin (pronounced 'se kun').

Thanks Makiwa; how interesting!

Thanks @Makiwa @JeSuisPoulet I will definitely try this out - love that's it's very green and efficient too perfect !

I have bought so much soap recently. Every time I read this thread I buy yet another bar.

Makiwa - interestingly my mum who is fluent in French translated it as the equivalent of Eng "fairydust" - I liked that!

Not really SnB but I have also started taking a newspaper recently. I use a service called Newsteam and get a daily paper. It is a real luxury!

Also got a proper old lady severe short cut the other day. DH hates it but it is super practical!

Have loved this thread and have to confess to making lavender sachets as a end of year teacher's gift.

@Makiwa
Me too years ago...

Did you embroider yours?

Old lady things I love:
Earl Grey tea
Pears soap
Huge granny pants
Vests
Non wired bras
Electric blanket
Garden centres
Elasticated waist, tencel leisure trousers
Sensible shoes from Clarks and Birkenstocks
Rose hand cream
Biscuits, in general
Morning coffee in the garden
Rosamund Pilcher books

Makiwa - interestingly my mum who is fluent in French translated it as the equivalent of Eng "fairydust" - I liked that!

It's quite hard to translate some things word for word. I hesitated with 'unicorn sparkle' and 'unicorn glitter' so 'dust' could work too although fairy is 'fée'. Fairydust would be poussière de fée. I had a look on the website which sells the soap and they've gone for 'glitter' even reassuring their clients that it's environmentally friendly.

Did you embroider yours?

I, sadly, have never learnt to embroider although I can cross-stitch. I just decorate mine with ribbons (like JeSuisPoulet) kept from gift wrapping etc. I lurk on the poncetastic every year as their biscuit ideas help with my cadeau de Noël pour la maîtresse .

Hi all xx
Audiobooks! My new old lady pleasure. Have joined Audible and I love it.

They have lots of Miss Read, Agatha Raisins and Alan Bennetts. All my granny faves!

I made damson vodka yesterday and it got me thinking about preserving. What do you lovely ladies preserve? I think I'll make tomato chilli chutney with tomatoes this year.

I always make Nigella's Spiced Apple Chutney. It's great with cheese or ham. I have a friend who makes bramble whisky which is delicious and my mil does fab pickled onions. Preserving stuff is definitely something I'd like to do more of!

I bought some 4711 body spray the other day which I love, but am still on the lookout for lily of the valley perfume.

Bramble whisky! Sounds interesting eyes up problem garden area

I need to take a tub on the dog walk today as loads of blackberries out now.