If you follow me or some of my fellow blog friends on Twitter you’ll know that we talk about TV programmes quite a bit; we like watching TV. So instead of a post about why you should save money by cancelling cable and ditching the TV, regular advice on frugal/simple/finance blogs, here’s a lighthearted one that says the opposite :-)

Pay for cable is you want to. TV is great. Simple/frugal living to me is about doing what you want to do with your time and your money; there are no hard and fast rules. Now if you have NO money and can’t afford to eat, then yes you should ditch the cable, but if you have money for entertainment purposes, which TV is, then why not, if you want to, use that money for cable.

I’m not saying that you should sit in front of the box every minute of the day, although if you want to why not, people have a right to do whatever they like. I’m just saying that there are many good reasons to have a TV, news, documentaries, sports, The Wire, The West Wing and the man on the left in the picture above^ who is the real reason for this post {I wanted somehow to get a picture of my favourite dream man on my blog and make a confession}

Joshua Jackson, is the real reason you should own a TV. I loved Dawson’s Creek  because of him and now Fringe is unmissable;  the smile, the laugh, what’s a girl to do; you knew I like younger men right?

Your turn, make your confessions; favourite actor/ favourite TV programme, good or bad. You could even list your top ten favourite programmes {which could be a follow up post}

{photo credit: starbright31}

I’m a little late with my Christmas preparations this year and with just over 7 weeks to go I’ve done nothing in the way of present buying.

Last year I had an attempt at going back to basics with Christmas, to make it more about our family than the gifts, which worked to a certain extent, but didn’t go far enough. This year I’m attempting it again. I’ve had conversations with family members , which was easier than I thought, and there will be no more ‘voucher in envelope gifts’ only for us to receive one in return; habits that have built up over time that miss the point. Don’t get me wrong I love to buy and receive gifts, but it needs to be with the right intentions.

Still To Do:

• The Budget
• The Menu
• Food shop
• Decorate Parcel Wrap
• Buy ribbon
• Buy gifts

Things I Want To Do:

• Reduce the amount of cards sent
• Reduce the food waste (to zero)
• Use all recycled paper products
• Buy thoughtful small gifts

What about you, how far along are you with your Christmas preparations?

{photo credit: allerleirau}

I think the first thing that bought it home to me that another child was moving out of the house, for his second year of University, was the lack of shoes on the hall shoe rack. What was as overflowing pile of size 11 trainers, is now a well organised, half empty rack of work shoes and flip flops. I’m a little sad that he’s going, but I’m a great believer in children learning to be independent, and I think it’s what he needs.

This week, apart from helping my son to move into his flat, we’re also moving my daughter into a different flat. So much for the first week of my two week holiday from work! I also have several little jobs that I want to complete around the house, paint the garden fence, put some extra shelves into my pantry cupboard, paint the bathroom ceiling…but I’m not sure if any of these will get done. Never mind, it’s the break from work I really need.

We’re off on holiday Saturday, to Washington and then NY and I’m so excited; but first I have lots of organising to do.

{photo credit: fiveless}

Hi all, Happy Easter.

I’ve taken a couple of days off from the Internet this weekend; we went to a friends wedding reception in a hotel which looks out over Tower Bridge in London. We took the opportunity to spend a few hours exploring the sights, which we haven’t done for a while, and it was lovely. 

I can’t go into too much detail on this blog, but being at the wedding watching people really relax and enjoy themselves, has made me realise that I don’t do that often enough. This needs to change!

Get updates to Move To Portugal here

Sorry no organising post this weekend; I’ll do two next week

{photo credit: wallyg}

photo credit: caro wallis

Despite my best intentions I’ve let the Christmas build up stress me out this week, but at least now everything is done and all I need to do is the food shopping. Normal blogging service will resume tomorrow!

On my wedding anniversary I thought it might be a good time to reflect on the reasons I love my husband. This is a very personal post so if you want to go, go now

I first met my husband when he was an arrogant 19 year old University student who thought he knew it all. We happened to work occasionally at the same place, him part time while studying, me as a full time worker. I was in a relationship, lots older and paid no attention to him whatsoever.
A couple of years later he had finished his degree and decided to stay on at our work place and got himself promoted into a senior position. He was now on very good terms with my then boss and so I started to see a little more of him, although he was still very arrogant and very annoying! As my position in the company gained strength, I found myself in line for a promotion and he and my boss did everything they could to help me get the job, and it worked.

My partner at the time couldn’t handle my new promotion, so he ended our relationship. I had a lot on my plate and my dh did everything he could to help me in the next 6 months, still annoying and very young, buy very kind. We talked on the phone constantly and eventually we became more than friends.

When I knew I loved him? When my eldest daughter became very sick in 2005 and we didn’t know what was wrong with her, I spent the first 6 days at the hospital never leaving her side. He looked after the other 2 children, visited the hospital, did the school runs and covered for me at work. When the trauma of her illness and symptoms, total memory loss and violent outbreaks, got too much for me, he would pick me up off the floor and tell me everything was going to be alright. He was an absolute rock for those six weeks and grew up overnight. He proposed not long after. It sometimes takes something like this to make you realise what’s important in life and it’s definitely not age difference.

Happy Anniversary sweetie, you’re not annoying anymore!

Well perhaps occasionally…lol

It’s coming up to my wedding anniversary and my lovely husband has booked a trip. To where, I have no idea, all I know is I need a passport. I’m trying not to speculate, but not knowing something drives me mad!