September and empty nesting ...

I'm back!  I took a little break from my blog and stepped back a bit from social media too, I needed to focus my time on supporting my daughter as she prepared to leave home to go to Norland College in Bath to study for an Early Years Degree and the Norland Diploma.  We had a lot of fun in the few weeks leading up to her departing, we visited her student house in Bath, we did a big trip to Ikea to find lots of lovely items to make her room feel comfortable and cosy, a home from home, we had lunch at The Coach in Marlow and we slowed down and enjoyed just being at home.

Mum and daughter lunch at The Coach in Marlow, we always cherish our time together.

​In the few days before she left, there were a lot of tears and in her first week, there were still a lot of tears.  And as I write this we are still a way off from her feeling fully settled.  A heavy cold and a hormonal week, just made the situation even worse, she has felt absolutely exhausted and really very unwell.  But you can't miss welcome week and so she has bravely got on with it.  Thank goodness for FaceTime!

My first day 'home alone' was awful, I was tired, emotional and worried.  But each subsequent day has got slightly better and I am enjoying the opportunity to tackle jobs I have been meaning to do for ages. 

Usually September is my planning month, I prefer the September new year to the January new year, it just seems to make more senses to me, with the schools going back.  And of course, now I have my blog, I write about my goals every September and it is good to look back and see how I got on.

Above: we spent a lovely few hours at IKEA in Reading buying gorgeous things for her student room (she is in a house, not halls) - see centre photo, not bad for student accommodation I think!?

So here are my goals, what are yours?

• I really want to do a bit more with my blog, I need to find time to understand the technology and get better at social media BUT I do shy away from it, I don't want to overwhelm my feed with gifts and ad's as I want to maintain my genuine approach.  So I am still trying to work out that happy medium.  Chatting to other 'real bloggers' i.e. a proper online presence rather than an Instagram Influencer has been really interesting - my bottom line is I want to write for my reader, be useful and helpful about the real issues we face every day, from what to wear, to feeling confident and how to look after ourselves especially during the peri-menopause and post-menopause years.  Basically being inspirational!  I would really love to hear from you though - do email me and introduce yourself and let me know what you'd like to see more of on my blog!

 

• The house this past week feels like it did when I started my maternity leave six weeks before my son was born!  It feels a bit weird, I mean 22 years have passed since then.  But it also feels like may be I might finally get some of the jobs done I have been meaning to do forever!  Being alone at home doesn't worry me, in fact I love it, although I will have to be conscious of not being too isolated.

 

• I've really let my exercise lapse through the summer, mainly because I got so unwell with a throat / chest infection.  Probably the one my daughter had in her first week at uni!  I had to have two weeks off then when I went back I realised I was not over it al all and struggled.  I then needed to free up time to get the uni packing sorted and I have not yet gone back!  Help!  Need to find some enthusiasm from somewhere.  I did however see my wonderful nutritionist and have some good info and advice for incorporating lots of nutritional food into my diet.  See my post here about Nutrition for Menopause.

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• I have been re-organising my wardrobe over the last few months.  I realised I had allowed myself to accumulate way too much stuff and that it was all just dumped in various storage boxes in no real order.  I didn't know what I had.  And a lot of it I didn't like and only kept because I felt guilty for buying it and not wearing it.  Jo from Less is More came to my rescue and we have had a really good sort out - you can read more here.  It has made the swapping over to autumn clothes easier.  My mantra is still Buy Less Choose Well even if I don't always get that right!

 

• And finally I want to decorate our bedroom!  I already have a mood board from a home styling consultation at John Lewis, now I need to get the quotes in for the made to measure items.  It is not a total overhaul but I am hoping that new paint, new blinds, new bedding and some lovely accent colours in cushions and lighting will bring it all up to date!  But I hate the upheaval of decorating!

So nothing complicated, just a few general thoughts on how my autumn might look.  Teaching myself a bit more about blogging, getting back to exercise, catching up on jobs that I have been neglected forever and making sure my wardrobe is organised without buying too much!

Do email me and say hi!  I'd love to hear form you michelle@fiftyandfab.co.uk.  Or leave a comment below.

Love from
Michelle xx

This is Pebbles our elderly Siamese cat who is very put out that Emily is currently absent, she likes to keep her company, she sits on the end of her bed!

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Not Dressed as Lamb
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