Moans of the month!

Hello Lovlies!

Today is my next Moan (or Moans) of the month!

So firstly let me say I had such a good response from my last one that Ive decided to make this a regular posting.  So with out further ado, Here we go!








1.  People who moan about the NHS.  Now I'm not stupid enough to think that everyone gets the best service possible and mistakes do get made.  We are only human after all.  But on the whole the NHS are one of the best medical services in the world.  They have saved my life on many occasions (not least recently, read about it by clicking this link here)

They save the life of millions of people each year.  Not to mention the improvements of life by surgery, medication and physiotherapy.

We are the envy of the world with our health care system.  Lets not lose it.
And if you don't like it?  Go join BUBA!


 2.  People who drop litter!  AAARRRGGGG!!!!! It drives me mad!
Would you do it at home?  Do you have a coffee at home and just throw your cup across the lounge?
(well maybe some do!) 
We have some beautiful countryside here in the UK and it is littered by uncaring people who are just to lazy to find a bin or take their rubbish home!
                                                      BIN IT!!!!

3.  Lastly for this month.  Dog Poo!
We ourselves have three little doggies.  We take them out we have poo bags with us and clean up any little parcels they may leave behind.  Its not hard and is as much a part of caring for your pet as feeding and grooming is!  Its so annoying when you are in your best clothes ready for a event and you tread in doggie doo in your new shoes! (yes Ive experienced this!)  Don't even mention trying to clean it off your said footwear! GAG!!! 
So if you have a doggie, please take it a poo bag with you (You can get 200 or £1 in poundland) Scoop and bag it!  It takes seconds and there are plenty of bins around or simply put it in your bin at home!

So that is my grumpy lady moans for this month! 
If you've made it this far, Well done! I promise that if this is your first visit to our blog I'm not usually this grumpy!!

Well have a great week, and I hope you visit again soon!!
Hales xxx







 

Poundland haul!

To hair or not to hair? That is the question!

Hello my lovlies!

Recently I was watching "This Morning"  (I know I lead the high life right!) .  They had a section on a lady who had not shaved her body hair for five years.  You can find it by clicking the link here Along side this woman was another lady who was most obviously horrified at this ladies choice.  She was recoiling at this lifestyle choice and I thought she was extremely rude.  To be honest is it such a big deal?  I don't think so.  And this is why.

We naturally have body hair.  It is part of the human condition.  Our bodies produce it (or not) as part of our natural function.  We can not choose whether it grows or not, It just does!

The same goes for eyebrows and foofoo's.  Fashion has come and gone and we've gone from barely there to full growth to just a general tidy up. What you do is up to you.  Does it really concern anyone else?

I personally am not offended by body hair on women. I find it neither attractive or unattractive.
Personally I shave my legs and armpits periodically and can often be found with fuzzy legs!  I'm not ashamed of the fact.  I also have PCOS which doesn't help with the hairy problem!  I don't care,  personally I am happy in my own skin and happy with my body.

These are most defiantly not my legs.  Far too shapely!

 I was also quite shocked that the woman on the show asked about hygiene being a problem with hairy armpits on  a woman.  What??? Actually WTF?
As the lady said, "Do we ask the same question of men?"  Are men considered to be unhygienic because of having leg or armpit hair?  No, of course not.  That is just a ridiculous argument.
  

We were born hairy and I bet when we are breathing our last, the last thing on our minds will be "Did I shave yesterday?"

So weather you wax, pluck, shave or don't do any, be proud of your body and yourself.  You deserve it!

Bye for now

Hales xx



 

Drayon metalic liquid lipsticks

Hello lovelies!

I'm feeling better.  Thank you for all the lovely comments and get well messages I received.  My brother is also doing well and had been moved back to our local hospital.  Unfortunately I am unable to see him due to cross contamination but I managed to see him over face time and although he cant speak we managed to communicate.

So while I was in hospital a package came for me.  I had ordered some Metallic liquid lipsticks from Aliexpress.  It seemed like ages since I ordered them but in reality it was probably only about five weeks.  They came from China so that was the reason for the delay.  I only ordered two colours as I was unsure if I would like them and didn't want to waste money if they were unusable.

Firstly the packaging is very pretty, it has a lovely gold coloured lid/wand handle.  There is gold detailing to the tube which make the product appear much more expensive than it was.  In fact these products cost only 83p each with free shipping!  If you don't mind waiting for them to arrive they are great!


I ordered shade 05 which is a gold colour and shade 11 which is a mixture between a rose gold and bronze kind of colour.   The formula is very light and you need to apply a couple of coats to get a good effect.  The product smells lovely,  just like walking into you childhood sweetie shop.  Some people may find this over powering as the smell is quite strong but I found it OK.

Upon wearing I found that the product lasted no more than a hour tops.  Its definitely not a long lasting lipstick but when it is on it is very striking.  The colours are bold and very strong.  I found the lipsticks left my lips a  little dry but not too dry.  I applied lip balm afterwards and everything was OK.  This is a problem I have with lipsticks so I think maybe this was my lips rather than the product. However I did find the formula to be over sticky!

If you are looking for a striking bold statement lipstick I would recommend these.  and at 83p a pop you can afford to apply every hour!  You can find them here

I hope this has been a helpful review and if you'd like to see more of my bargain buy cosmetics please comment below!

I hope to see you here again soon.  Bye for now

Hales xxx

(Photos have been taken from the Aliexpress website)

Naturally radiant! Thats me!

Hello my lovlies!

Now its no secret that I love my lotions and potions!  Ive tried many different creams lotions and oils on my face and have never seemed to find a brand that does it all.  I have combination skin.  I have a oily T zone (which really weirdly goes extremely dry in the winter months) and then the rest of my face is what I would explain as "normal".  If I'm going to get spots I will get them on my nose or chin.  Typical I suppose!

Anyhow I digress!
Last year in Superdrug I picked up a renewing night cream from the Naturally Radiant range.  I was really impressed by it, still am really.  I have repurchased it quite a few times and even given it as a gift to my mother.  It is quite a heavy thick cream so I only use it three times a week and alternate it with other night creams. (unless my skin is extremely dry and then I will use this)

The cleanser comes with a muslin cloth.

Because I was so impressed with the night cream I also bought the Hot Cloth Cleanser.  This is a dupe for the Liz Earle one.  I have tried the Liz Earle one and have to say I prefer the Superdrug one.  All the Naturally Radiant products have the same smell.  It is very hard to explain.  The blurb on the website says " formulated with a unique energising complex and infused with Kiwi Fruit and Mulberry"

Hot cloth cleanser

 Now I don't exactly smell kiwi but I like the smell.  It smells fresh and is quite a strong smell.  The smell is the same across the range.

 Last week I put in a order to Superdrug and the range was on buy one get one free.  You can find it here  So I thought " yes! Its time to try some other products!"  So I bought the Glycolic over night peel, Moisturising Facial oil, 2 in 1 moisturising lotion and of course my night cream. 

Yaahoo!! skin goodness!!!

Ive been having really bad dry skin around my eye brows and top of my nose.  So I tried the 2 in 1 moisturiser and serum.  I have to say I wasn't as impressed by this.  After using it for a week nothing changed with my skin.  So I switched to the Moisturising facial oil last night.  Overnight my skin as become less dry and in fact I felt like I didn't need to moisturise my face this morning. (although you know me I did!)  Ive yet to try the overnight peel and will probably leave it until my skin feels like it needs it to be honest. 

So all in all I like this range of products.  They do what they say on the whole. I'm not a fan of the 2 in 1 but it may work for you.  Every ones skin is different!  As I have said it has a strange smell that I cant explain but its not offencive and in fact smells quite nice when you get used to it. 

So give the range a try I thoroughly recommend it! 

I hope to see you here soon
Hales xxx

I haven't been paid for this review and I purchased all the items myself x

Essence gel nail polish

Hello Lovlies!
I hope today finds you well and you are enjoying the lovely weather we've been having.  I don't know about you but I always feel better when the weather is good.  I feel like there is a spring in my step and I can take on the world!

Today I want to talk to you about the Essence range of gel nail polish from Wilko.
If you don't know, Wilkos is a shop that's a "all in one shop!"  It sells most things you could possibly need.  They do a range of make up called Essence which is drug store prices.  I own quite a few of their cosmetics including their Gel nail polishes.  But today I want to speak to you about the three I bought last week.

The first on above, is a kind of plum colour. Its No 68 Hugs.   The photo doesn't do it justice.  It is a dark rich plum coloured tone.  A rich Burgundy colour.  One thing about these polishes is their long lasting effect.  I applied mine on Thursday and by the following Wednesday it was still ok, no chips or fading and still as vibrant.  They last really well.

The next one is this teal colour.  Again the photo is properly naff but look on the wilko site here to see a better picture.  The shade is Hopping 64. Again its a rich colour that lasts well.  The brush applicator is just perfectly shaped.  It is curved to ensure a good all over nail application.

The last one is a lovely dark black. No 46.  I have been looking for a black nail varnish for a while.  I tried a Maybelline one but found it watery and it didn't cover well.  This one is perfect.  It covers really well and doesn't really need a second cot, although I did give it one.

These varnishes are priced at £1.60 and are a absolute bargain.  I love them!  It is great to find gel nail varnishes that don't need a lamp, at such good quality, at such a great price!

If you like the look of theses varnishes then pop along to you local Wilkos or you can find them on line here.

Well this is completes this post!  I hope to hear from you and please do come back soon!

Hales xx

I was not paid for this review and I bought the varnishes myself. 

Random acts of kindness

Hi Lovelies!

I hope you are well.  The weather has certainly broken and its easy to see that summer is just round the corner.  It makes me think of long summer days sitting on the beach watching the Grandchildren play and having fun.  Of drinking far too many cups of coffee with DIL1 while the kidlets play on the trampoline and in the paddling pool. Watching Mr PB and DS,s working in the garden.  I love the things that come alive in the summer, the plants, the insects, butterflies and bees.  Everything seems so vibrant and bright!  Sorry I seem to have gone off on kind of a tangent there!

Back to what I was originally going to talk about, Random acts of kindness!

So recently Ive been thinking how can I pay it forward?  I am still in awe of the kindness I received while I was ill.  From the hospital staff, nurses and doctors, my family, my friends, my church family.  Kindness and love has been showered over me and I feel grateful for it.

So how do I pay it back?  Well one way is by doing random acts of kindness.
Now Ive heard about this "movement" and researched on line.  It can be as simple as leaving a book you've read on the coffee table in a cafe for someone else to read, Leaving change on a parking meter, paying for the person behind you in the ques coffee, passing on a free gift you've received in a magazine.  Simple things that may bless another persons day.

Little Miss PB and I have decided to print out some cards to leave with our little gifts, in the hope that the person receiving the gift may pay it forward and change the world.  If we all paid it forward this world would be a much kinder, nicer place to live.

If you should choose to do so you can print out little anonymous cards from different sites.

There are some lovely little ones here

And also here

I will update you on things we are doing to pay it forward/RAK and hopefully it will inspire you to do the same.

Bye for now
Hales xxx

Easter half term week one

Hello Lovelies!

So here in the UK it is the Easter half term.  The children have two weeks off school and so its the time when all parent think " what can we do to keep the kidlets occupied?"
Miss PB is eleven years old now so mostly entertains herself but we still like to do things as a family.  We see a lot of the grandchildren and its lovely to have them around but again its keeping them busy that we need to think about.  So we have a very busy time planned!

I'm going to do this as a diary type post and I'm going to document what we have got up to during the holidays. Mostly for us to look back on in years to come.

Monday. 3rd April  Cake baking day!
Miss PB made her first sponge cake on her own.  I just sat in the kitchen and gave limited advice but she did the cake baking on her own.  She also made her dad a egg sandwich.  Again her first experience of using a frying pan!  These are all moments I want to remember.  Shes growing so fast!
Tuesday 4th April - Lion King workshop

Today Miss PB went off with her best friend to a lion king workshop at a young carers group that she is part of.  Its important that she spends time away from us doing fun things.  Often Young carers are over looked and not thought bout but here in the UK things are slowly changing and young carers are being valued more and more.  Miss Pb is of great help to me.  sometimes I am unable to put on my own socks or get myself a drink and she helps me immensely.  Its also good that Mr PB can pop out knowing that she is here and can cope and keep me safe if I should have a seizure.  Shes a special little girl! 

Wednesday 5th April

Today was our church project F.I.S.H (food in the school holidays).  This weeks theme was pizza making.  We went with our son and his family.  It involved making pizza on pitta bread and then grilling them.  The children really enjoyed making their pizzas and choosing and arranging the toppings!

Thursday 6th April 

 Today was weigh in day at slimming world.  I put on 1/2lb.  I'm not too worried as I have only just started eating since being in hospital and I think its my body adjusting to that.  Mr PB lost 6lb!  So annoying!  He loses weight so easily! It just drops off him!

After slimming world we went and spent the afternoon chatting, drinking tea and putting the world to rights with our good friends and their beautiful granddaughter.  Miss PB enjoyed playing with their granddaughter.  She is really good with younger children.  I guess that comes from having younger nieces and nephews!

Friday 7th April

Today Miss PB went to a open day at her young carers group.  There is a bake sale and we went and had a look round the centre.  Miss PB and Daddy made some cookies to sell.  Although some got eaten before they got there!  My brother is having a operation to clear his chest today, its quite a risky operation but we are sure with Gods grace he will recover well.

Sunday 9th April.

Today we went to church.  We then picked up two of the Grandchildren and took them to a little beach a couple of miles from our home.  The weather was glorious!  We had such fun!  It was so warm we needed to use sun cream and the children wore shorts and t-shirts!

We finished off the day with chips by the sea and the children had a quick go on the motorised scooters.  

The children then asked for a sleep over.  We rang the parents and they agreed so we have two overnight guests tonight!

So that's week one of the Easter half term holidays!  What will we get up to next week!

See you soon

Mrs PB 

Nescafe Gold.

We were sent the products for free, but haven't been paid for this post and the opinions are honest and our own

Hi Lovelies!

Recently we were sent some instant hot drinks to try out. They are the new Nescafe gold range.  We received the Cappuccino, the caramel Latte and the double chocolate Mocha.  We also received a glass mug with Nescafe on.  The mug we discovered, is the perfect size for these drinks. 

There are 8 drinks in each box so we have been able to try each one and also share them with friends and family.   For slimming world peeps these are 4 1/2 syns each.  (so I believe but it may be worth checking with your consultant)

 

Nescafe Gold Cappuccino

 First I tried the cappuccino.  This is my favourite.  I normally take one sugar with coffee but tried this without sugar.  It was perfect. 

It maybe too sweet for someone who doesn't take sugar but I found it perfect for me. It had just the right amount of froth on the top and this stayed right till the end of the drink.  To be honest it reminded me of a Costa cappuccino and I will definitely be buying some of these!

Caramel Latte

 Next we have the Caramel Latte.  I did not like this.  It was far too sweet for me and in fact I couldn't even finish the drink because it was just too sweet. 

If you have a sweet tooth its perfect!  Miss Pb loved it!  She would have drank the whole box if Id had let her.  Like I said, perfect for a sweet tooth!

Double Chocolate Mocha

So now we are on to the Double Chocolate Mocha.  Again this was quite sweet.  Not as sweet as the Latte but getting that way.  I enjoyed it but not as much as the cappuccino.  Its very much a hot chocolate drink.  Again the foam on the top was present till the end, often with these type of drinks you drink the foam off first but this was the kind of drink you drink through the foam.  Does that make sense?  I would probably buy this as a treat for Miss PB but for not for myself or the Mr.  It doesn't really appeal to me.


So,  the cappuccino was my favourite.  To be honest I wouldn't recommend it if you don't take sugar as it was sweet enough for me and I take a sugar in my drink.  The Caramel Latte was a absolute no no.  It was just too sickly sweet.  I couldn't finish it.  The double Chocolate Mocha again was sweet but it wasn't as bad as the caramel latte.  But I don't think I will be buying it, only as a special treat. 

I hope this review has been helpful and I definitely recommend the cappuccino!!
Bye for now
Hales xxx


 We were sent the products for free, but haven't been paid for this post and the opinions are honest and our own

The PB Family

Superdrug shower gels

Hi Lovlies!

While browsing the superdrug website recently I noticed that they had their own brand shower gels on special offer for 66p!  So I thought to myself " what a great time to stock up!"  There are only three of us living here (plus the odd visitor) but we seem to go through shower gels at alarming rates! 
So I ordered a few! 

The first one I ordered was Spearmint and sea salt for men.

Spearmint and sea salt

The smell is lovely!  It reminds me of those little chewy mint sweets you used to get in the 1980s.  I cant remember the name of them and have racked my brain trying to but to no avail!  You know the ones, little square individually wrapped sweets in a mint green wrapper?  Well if you remember the name then please comment below!  Anyhow back to the shower gel!  So the consistency of the gels is perfect.  Not to runny that it falls off your shower pouf, but not so thick that it is impossible to get out of the bottle.  (this goes for all the shower gels!)  Obviously this is aimed at men but I would be quite happy to use it as I think the smell is pretty unisex.  Watch out Mr PB!  Nothing is your own in this house!

lemon and tea tree

Next is the Lemon and Tea tree.  Now I'm a fan of tea tree.  Its great for healing and especially for removing and repelling our little friends, the Head louse!  However I don't really get the smell of tea tree from this.  Whether the Lemon over powers it or its meant to be more lemony I'm not sure.  It does however smell lovely.  Ive been using it when showering in the mornings and I find that its a great waker uper! 

Coconut

 The next one is Coconut.  Now Miss PB doesn't like Coconut, the smell, the taste, anything to do with coconut but she smelt this and said she quite liked the gel.  It is strongly scented but doesn't come across as a strong coconut smell.  I cant quite put my finger on the smell but I know it does include the coconut smell!  Out of all of the gels, this is my least favourite.  I will of course use it because being frugal, I bought it so I will use it! But it isn't my favourite!

Shea butter and bamboo

Lastly we have the shea butter and bamboo.  What does bamboo smell like?  Who knows?! But the shea butter really comes through on this.  The smell is very buttery and smells like caramel sauce!  This is Miss PB's favourite and we have no problem getting her into the shower with this!  This leaves a lasting smell on the skin which is very pleasant.  I shall definitely be repurchasing this!

So in summing up,  The shower gels are very good value for money.  On offer currently in superdrug for 66p at the moment.  They are good quality, not tested on animals (always a bonus) and they smell divine.  They leave your skin clean, smelling fresh and soft.  All the things you would want of a shower gel.  Ive recently been using a Bayliss and Harding gel and I have to say they compare to those very well.  Obviously not the same quality and that is reflected in the price, but a good alternative.

So if you are in the market for some new shower gel, try superdrug!

Bye for now


Hales xx