A few days ago, Mary Beard asked; “How do you celebrate your 100th birthday?” Like her, I don’t have a fond hope for reaching 100 years, though in my case it’s because my treatment options are likely to be few when my transplant fails (though hopefully, that’s a while away yet). But would you even…
Signature Wardrobe K-Drama Heroine Outfit
2015 Korea Drama Festival, Photo by hyolee2 [CC BY-SA 3.0 or GFDL], from Wikimedia Commons I’ve already mentioned my new passion for K-Drama, and one of the reasons I love it is the subtext. Particularly the way the K-Drama heroine outfit says so much about her and her mental state. As she’s our heroine, she…
How To Care For Your Best Rooms
In days gone by, houses were much smaller. They generally consisted of Best Rooms like the parlour, where you received guests during designated visiting hours, and everywhere else. Best Rooms Best rooms were very special places, strictly for showing off, all the very special, very expensive things went in there. You can see a more…
2018 Transplantiversary
Here I am at the 2018 Transplantiversary. Another year post-transplant – seven now. And as far as the transplant goes, it’s all good. There has been some deterioration, but no worse than a “normal” person suffers over an average year. At least, that’s what my new, slightly more aggressive nephrologist tells me anyway. The colonoscopy…
Housekeeping Standard Practices
We had a “discussion” recently about the current quality of home care, and as I’m hard at work packaging my new book Minimally Viable Housekeeping, (thus the discussion) so I thought I’d give you a quick introduction to housekeeping standard practices. Standardisation Standardisation is the process of developing and implementing an agreed standard, for example, the…
2018 Signature Wardrobe Summer Plan
Even though Spring is barely here, the shops are ready for Christmas so it’s time for my 2018 Signature Wardrobe Summer Plan. 2018 Summer Plan I’m fairly well stocked for summer thanks to the last couple of years, but I discovered last year, it’s a good idea to plan even if you don’t think you have…
2018 Signature Wardrobe Winter Update
Winter by J Macfarlane published in The illustrated Australian news June 1, 1896, via State Library Victoria Before I start my Summer wardrobe planning, it’s time for the 2018 Signature Winter Wardrobe Update. 2018 Winter Plan The 2018 Winter plan was for a basic 8 outfit wardrobe: 5 interchangeable work/errand/social outfits 1 exercise 1 house cleaning 1 yard work And…
How to Overcome the Wardrobe Dieting Dilemma
I was recently reading Intuitive Eating by Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch, for whom making peace with food is one of the key steps of reaching and maintaining a healthy weight. It discusses the psychological effects of deprivation. And interestingly that applies whether that’s a cigarette, new car, or wardrobe diet. Dieting is the practice of restricting…
Housework Survey Says: What You Really Think About It
A while back, I mentioned I was inspired to write a book about Housekeeping, and I asked if there was such a thing as minimally viable housework? Well, housework survey says maybe. As you read the results, you’ll guess that the survey was mostly completed by women, but interestingly, the mix of age groups was…
Signature Wardrobe Event Outfit
The most common event outfit code today is Cocktail Dress; a semi-formal day/night transitional wear. It came about during the inter-war years when it was common to meet in the evening for a quick drink before dressing (black tie) for dinner. Men can generally get away with a dark, but not black, dress suit, white…
Signature Wardrobe Public Appearance Outfit
Now and again there are times you need to be in public as yourself, only better. When you’re being a public figure, you need a public appearance outfit that makes it clear you’re “someone”. If you’re meeting a public figure, these tips may also bolster your confidence at being in the same actual place as them.…
We Can’t All be Cats With Nine Lives
I recently had a transplant rejection scare. There are no words to describe how dismal waiting is when you’re having health investigations, and you feel like your life is running out of time. We can’t all be cats with nine lives. You’re waiting for appointments, waiting for procedures, waiting for permission to go home, waiting for results. Returning…