A Christmas Tail

Yesterday I received a Christmas blessing that is so rich I felt I must share it with you.

Last Friday evening we noticed an odd-looking white cat outside our gate. I very quickly realised it looked odd because it had no ears. That’s right – no ears. It was not pristine and quite rough looking and I feared it had been a victim of some kind of cruelty.

Over the years I have given both time and money to animal charities but still remain very sensitive to this, as many others are. To the point that one day I found holes cut out of the newspaper – my dear husband had censored some upsetting stories for me!

Back to White Cat though, she came meowing out from under a car as we walked past. We came back a few hours later and she was still there, calling out loudly. She was very friendly and allowed me to pat her. I brought some meat out and fed her on the grass verge.

The next day we didn’t see her and I thought she might have gone home. She was back on Sunday and over the next few days I fed her some more. I realised what a fabulous man my husband was when he suggested we take her in when that was what I was thinking too.

On a night of torrential rain we brought her inside (we had already been giving her breakfast and dinner) and she stayed the night. She hissed and growled at Jessica a lot but I thought they would get used to each other. She stayed the next night too.


I thought after Christmas I would take her to the vet for a check-up and see if she was micro chipped to try and track down an owner if there was one, but we feared she may have been dumped.

She didn’t look young and when you picked her up she was light as a feather. Quite a difference from Miss Jessica who looks dainty but when you lift her it’s like a bag of sand in your arms!

Her ears told me another story though. They didn’t look hacked off, but surgically removed, and I realised she may have had skin cancer being a white cat, which would have necessitated ear removal. She looked a little ferrety with no ears I have to say. And I was patting her yesterday morning and my ring got caught on her ear-hole. It didn’t hurt her but I felt terrible.

I thought she must be a lost, loved cat if someone had taken the time and expense to have her ears operated on. Plus she was very tame and operated our cat-door no problem at all. She was not a wild cat Miss White Cat.

At work yesterday I decided to see if I could find White Cat’s owners. First I placed a pet lost and found ad on Trade Me (like eBay here). I rung two vets in the area and asked if any of the cats on their records were white cats with no ears. Then I did an internet search. One of the New Zealand pet websites with a lost and found section allowed you to search by keywords and areas.

Up came a white cat lost in our area but it had ears. I clicked on the photo anyway and what do you know, the description of the photo said ‘this was taken before she had her ears reduced due to skin cancer’. And she was lost in a big park right near us. I couldn’t ring the number quick enough.

I phoned her ‘Dad’ and he couldn’t believe we had his girl. She is 12 years old and had been with him since she was six months old. She had hopped into a friend’s car, unbeknownst to him of course and the friend drove off. When he got to where he was going (right by our street) she jumped out frightened and ran off and that was the last they saw of her at the end of November. She had been living rough for more than three weeks.

Her Dad came around last night to pick her up. He was such a lovely man, a retired police detective. He said he had tears in his eyes after I rung him to say we had his puss.

I still can’t believe it’s worked out so well and Dolly has been reunited with her family (her Dad is a country music fan and named her after Dolly Parton 'because she is blonde'). And only a few days before Christmas. I couldn’t think of a better Christmas present myself.

And full credit to Jessica for being such an accommodating hostess to White Cat. She did not hiss or growl once, despite a strange cat staying with her. And the nice lady at the cat shelter said she liked her own company and didn’t want to be around other cats. Jessica’s my true Christmas angel.

I was so happy last night thinking of them cuddled up together. I asked him if she slept on the bed with him and he said ‘tonight I might let her’, and he was planning on locking her in the house with him.

Merry Christmas to Dolly and her Dad!

Lessons from Madame Chic

I loved everything about this book, in which the author recounts her time spent with an aristocratic Parisian family and details the fabulous lessons learned from them, and others she came into contact with during her time spent in France.

Jennifer has a friendly conversational tone of writing that makes you feel instantly pulled into her circle of girlfriends. Often I felt I was having a cup of tea and a chat with her.

I, along with many others followed Jennifer’s blog series The Top 20 Things I Learned in Paris. This book carries on with these lessons and goes more in depth. There are also many new stories about her time in Paris..

From her writing, both in this book and on her blog, The Daily Connoisseur, I sense that Jennifer is an elegant and gentle person. It was a pleasure to get to know her better through her first book Lessons from Madame Chic. I really hope there are others.

I certainly picked up many tips to elevate my day-to-day life to that of art. We may not all be French aristocracy, but that doesn’t mean we don’t want to live beautifully, every single day of our life.

Thank you Jennifer for writing this fun and well-designed book. It will keep Paris alive in my head and rightly deserves a prime spot on my French Chic bookshelf.

Disclosure: Jennifer kindly emailed and asked me if I would like a copy of Lessons from Madame Chic sent to me to review. Yes please! And thank you!

Additional note: Our rescue-cat Jessica published this review post when it was only half finished so I apologise on her behalf if you received it incomplete.

A serene season

I have decided this year I am not buying into the craziness. I know some enjoy the frenetic buying energy of Christmas, but I’m not one of them. I just get stressed and unhappy. And this year ‘by rights’ I could be more stressed as we are hosting two family gatherings. Other years because we lived in such a tiny place we were always the guests, so why exactly was I feeling so put upon then?

So whether things are stressful or not, I will be calm. I will be happy and 'up' and little things will not bother me. Sometimes it is as simple as making a decision to be that way.

I had planned to keep up my walks and yoga as far along December as possible, but it has been too busy in the shop. That’s okay though, I am still calm. Making sure I eat enough protein has been a key factor in this I think. I have been keeping away from junky foods for the most part and planning in a good dollop of protein with each meal. It keeps me full for longer and I haven’t been craving sugar.

And not eating sugary gross foods means I feel happier and more in balance. Despite there sometimes being an instant connection to eating a bag of lollies and then me feeling jittery, hot and irritable, I still didn’t click and change what I did next time. A friend of my Mum’s who is a cancer survivor and is now much more aware of her health stays away from sugar entirely. It’s really not good stuff even though it comes along in bright colours and says ‘look at me I’m fun, you’ll have a good time with me’. And it’s marketed at children!

I’ve also been listening to my good friend Dr Norman Vincent Peale on his audiobook The Power of Positive Thinking. He is a religious man and likes to quote the bible every now and then. I am not particularly religious (I think of myself to be more spiritual) but what he says makes so much sense and it is very calming to listen to him. He really makes me see reason and the world seems a more manageable place after I’ve had a dose.

Dr Peale says none of us are born as worriers and that it is a habit we acquire over time. We go into it bit by bit and so we have to turn things around in a slow and steady manner. I still have a long way to go but I am willing to keep doing the work to be a happy and serene person who lets minor annoyances wash over them.

Another way I have been cultivating calmness is to do things ahead of time. Some family members and I swapped wishlists which I have to say I’m a real fan of now. It takes the stress out of gift giving, and isn’t a ‘surprise’ gift a waste of time and money if it is not used? In my ideal world we would all swap good wishes rather than buy stuff, but who doesn’t like to open a brightly wrapped Christmas present on the day.

My relaxed and calm Christmas feeling was severely tested this morning. The first post on this subject I had been writing over the past few weeks went ‘pop’ just as I hit publish and completely disappeared. Even though I had been saving and autosaving all along, every single word was gone. After checking and rechecking that I couldn’t find it, I decided it wasn’t worth getting upset about and started writing another one.

And now here I am with a second post. And I’m calm. Today I am at home for the whole day, oh joy, and I can really get stuck in and whip our chateau into shape.

Be serene this Christmas everyone!

Living as our grandparents did

I’ve never really thought of myself as ‘green’, more ‘old-fashioned’. But the more I research, the more I’m convinced they are almost the same thing. I was reading this article in a great new magazine I have out from the library:

Living Lightly and Saving Money

The article compiles many ways our ancestors went about life and were thrifty in the process. In the eighties we went away from this in favour of conspicuous consumption. Thank goodness thrift is back in vogue again.

Aside from the saving money aspect, I feel disrespectful if I waste food or throw away something that could have been used by someone else. In fact I just can’t do it. When we were moving I drove my husband nuts, sifting through everything we were decluttering, figuring out where it could be donated to.

As much as I love those decluttering programmes on tv, it really upsets me to have the solution be a big skip outside, where everything is thrown in. If an item is in good, usable, clean, unbroken condition there is always someone who could use it that otherwise might not have the chance. I think it is our duty as a caring human being to try and find that person, via thrift shops, to charities that assist others or simply directly, by asking around.

Other ways I am like our grandparents?

I scrubbed our kitchen floor and entrance-way with hot water and sugar soap not long after we moved in (it was pretty filthy). Strongly-scented floor cleaners aren't for me. Normally I use hot water, white vinegar and a squirt of lemon dishwash. A few drops of essential oil are added if I'm in the mood. And I hang washing outside. And cook many of our meals from scratch.

Even when eating, the question could be asked ‘would my Grandparents recognise this food?’ when choosing what to eat. The world’s population would be a much healthier place if we ate according to this.

Many of the things listed in the article I do, and they were originally done in the name of thrift or making do. This is what I do! And now it’s green! I do these things to make the most of my resources, and also because I feel disrespectful to the Universe if I waste things.

I simply cannot throw something in the rubbish if it can be used by someone else (so I donate it) and I feel terribly guilty if I throw out food. If it’s vegetation I throw out I feel bad that the Universe grew it for me and I wasted it. Even more guilt is felt if it’s meat or eggs I throw out. An animal died (or laid) for me and I can’t even be bothered to appreciate it?

As a result I throw out practically nothing. I honestly can’t remember the last time I threw out food. If I don’t eat something as leftovers for lunch the next day (like our creamy chicken and mushroom pasta from tonight, which I’ll have with salad for lunch tomorrow), I will tuck it in the freezer to have another day. If it’s something like a small piece of blue cheese or half a chopped onion, I will freeze to include in a casserole or soup.

Another aspect of living like our grandparents did is mending something if it’s broken. There is much satisfaction to be gained from utilising our grey matter and working out how we can fix a problem. My sister was telling me today how she hemmed a pair of jeans shorter, and in the process used the excess denim to almost invisibly patch a hole in the knee. Result: one ‘new’ pair of jeans which are currently receiving a lot of wear.

I understand not everyone sews, but really, in the olden days it was just something you did. If one is really interested in living a thrifty life, at least knowing how to sew on buttons, hand-stitch a hem or sew up a small hole is mandatory.

Reading instead of tv watching, going for a stroll after dinner, eating real food, being a good steward of our finances, appreciating nature, growing herbs or even vegetables, making things with our hands: these are all ways we can enjoy life by living as our grandparents did.

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New House - Our Bedroom

As with the living room, Miss Jessica enjoys the sun streaming into the master bedroom. Most days after work we find her in our bedroom upstairs. In fact I don't think there has been one day she has been downstairs when we've arrived home.




How fortuitous that these lovely ropes were already holding the curtains back when we moved in. They're just my style.


One of the things I liked about this place before we bought it (OK, the main thing) was the triple width wardrobe in our bedroom.


We're going to get fancy built-in wardrobe people to come around and quote for us as there's a lot of space in there and I think we can get rid of our drawers and just have a spacious hotel-like bedroom with a bed and a wardrobe.


My makeup area. The larger of the two mirrors I found on the side of the road. I love it.



The ensuite off our bedroom. This is one end.


And this is the other.

New House - The Living Room

First up in my mini house-tour is the living room. Our main living area is open plan living/dining/kitchen, in the classic L shape.

Jessica loves how the sun coats her fur through the French doors.


As tempting as it is to update the whole house straight away (after all we plan to be here for quite some time), it's a more exciting prospect to pay the mortgage off quicker whilst making do, and doing things over time and within our everyday budget. That actually thrills me more.


Creativity will be called in, and the style will evolve. Things that I would have considered non-negotiable when we moved here (less than a month ago), I now can live without.

It helps to have a father-in-law who lives just down the road and is very handy and has kept every piece of timber or curtain rail he has ever come across. We even have a rimu bannister coming from one of his friends.


We have joined the 21st century with wireless internet. I made the tablecloth from a $10 curtain remnant.


I feel so content and at peace that we own our own home. It is such a fantastic feeling and I am so grateful.


The gorgeous handmade bookshelf from my Dad a few years ago. Both my father and father-in-law are retired engineers. We are doubly blessed.

Valarie

It was my Nana’s birthday yesterday. She would have been 88. Nana died a year and a half ago and I miss her so much. I can still hear her voice and it’s horrible that I can’t pick up the phone and call her. You just think people will always be around, but they won’t.

Thinking back, there were many ways Nana was a chic mentor to me, although I might not have realised it at the time.

She was a tiny thing, less than five feet tall in her later years. Nana was always a ‘normal’ weight, but in the last 5-10 years she became concerned with her weight and eked her Christmas and birthday chocolates out so she didn’t get fat. 'I’m getting a little pot you know’ she would say to me as she patted her flat stomach.

For breakfast Nana would often have a piece of toast, and a coffee with cream. I remember her lunches would be a slice of ham and some fresh salad vegetables on a small oval plate.

She lived near to town in her tidy and stylish flat, and mostly walked to buy a few groceries or to meet my Mum and Aunty for lunch. She kept her home immaculate and maintained her clutter-free status by asking for ‘consumable’ gifts if we gave her anything. Her home style was very classic and elegant, and I now proudly have her sofas in our living room.

I also have her Belle Fiore dinner-set which she started collecting as a young woman, adding on pieces as the years went by. It wasn’t cheap, and she used to buy it from a beautiful shop in town which was a jeweller but also sold fine china. I have always loved this dinner-set. It is English but looks Italian (hence the name which means ‘beautiful flowers’). She didn’t keep it for best either - it was her only set, so she used it every day.

Even though she was 86 when she died and a great-grandmother, she always seemed youthful. When I was in my late teens or early 20s I remembered buying a pair of shoes and finding out she had the same ones. How often would that happen to a young girl? I probably had mature taste for my age, or maybe we both liked the classics.

I borrowed some of her tops and skirts then too. I remember she would offer for us to have a wear or two of one of her new skirts before I shortened them for her. Since there was over half a foot difference in our height, a nice mid-calf length on her would be knee length on me. This was the late 80s/early 90s when mid-calf was THE length.

The elegant scent that always surrounded Nana my sister christened ‘Eau de Val’. Her home smelt lovely and so did she. She favoured spicy florals, and after she had gone and we were sharing out her tops and scarves, her fragrance lingered.

Nana’s hair was mostly in a silky silver bob which she would comb back and then pat up at the back and towards the crown of her head. If she came somewhere with us she would always dash into her light and airy bedroom to powder her nose and put some lipstick and perfume on. And she would always self-tan her legs in the summer so they would look nice with skirts and cropped pants.

Nana remained youthful I think by not really acknowledging her age. She always dressed appropriately and not too young, but she didn’t really identify with her peers. She just always seemed younger than the other women her age who had their hair set and wore floral frocks with a cardigan and comfortable shoes.

She would often pick up groceries for her elderly neighbours and run errands for them. When the local post office closed down she wasn’t concerned for herself, but said ‘what about the old folk, what will they do?’ We found this so cute that she didn’t think of herself as one of the old folk even though she was well into retirement age.

She was a registered nurse and until she was about 70 worked part-time at a rest home. Because she was often older than the residents, visitors would often confuse her for one of them rather than a staff member.

If you called around to Nana’s after work on a Friday, you were offered a brandy and dry ginger-ale. I could only have the one if I was driving home as she did a good pour. When I was first going out with my beloved, we went to a house party where everyone took what they were drinking. He had some beers in a cooler bag. I felt like a brandy so I took my bottle along, with a bottle of dry ginger-ale. The hostess, quite a hard-case beer-drinking girl herself screeched ‘Brandy! That’s an old lady’s drink!’ To me it was a normal tipple choice.

Nana was just plain good fun. There aren’t many grandmothers you would look forward to going and staying the night with, or call around for an after-work drink as a young adult. One day it was my sister and I and she, with a brandy each flipping through Hello magazines. ‘Bloody Rome!’ she exclaimed, as we pored over beautiful photos of the Italian city.

Happy Birthday dear Nana. We miss you.

PS. I chose this image of a Daphne flower, as Nana would often have a sprig of Daphne in a dainty vase on her dining table in the winter, casting its divine perfume. Now that we have our own house, the first thing I am going to plant is a Daphne bush.

Living a Small Life

The more time I spend on this earth, the more I realise I can please myself and be myself. I don’t need to pretend to want great things and I don’t need to fret that I’ve never had or probably never will have a high-powered career.

I’ve come to realise that’s not what I’m about. I enjoy a quiet and simple life. Ever since I left school I’ve always worked at ‘normal’ office jobs. I didn’t attend University because I didn’t really know what I wanted to study, and I didn’t want to go just for the sake of it. So I started my first full-time job at 18 (although I had already been working part-time after school and in school holidays since I was 14) and have been working ever since.

My husband and I now own a small retail business which we started almost seven years ago. We have decided for now we are content with one shop and a simple online presence. We’ve talked about it and agreed that opening a second or subsequent shops wouldn’t necessarily make us any happier.

It’s all about balance. By running one shop between us we have the flexibility during the day to do things such as run errands, go to the gym or yoga, take a walk, or just disappear for a while if we want to.

In terms of a social life, I’ve had my times of going out a lot especially when single. But even then I loved nothing more than to be at home with the fire lit, knitting or reading. I knew I had to go out to meet someone though for they don’t come knocking at your door, so I did what I had to (and actually met the perfect man for me, now my husband, in a bar).

It’s not just about what I do for a job, or socialising though, it’s everything in my life. I happily share one very ordinary car and enjoy creative and frugal pursuits at home. Expensive hobbies scare me.

Even though I enjoy the dream of living in or travelling to Paris or New York City, I love living in New Zealand and can’t see myself living anywhere else. And for travel, I know it will come, I’m happy to forego it now, in this phase of my life where we are running a business.

If it sounds like I’m putting off happiness, I’m not. Every day I feel grateful and satisfied and thankful that I am where I am. I enjoy small luxuries frequently and make my own happiness. I collect simple pleasures such as going to bed early.

My Mum always said ‘bored people are boring’ when we complained of having nothing to do. I guess I took that to heart as now there aren’t enough hours in the day for all the things I love to do – reading, writing, sewing, knitting, cooking, pottering, movie-watching – as well as living my everyday life in a thoughtful and stylish manner.

I no longer feel I have to apologise for not being a faster and more driven person. I am content to live my own life, at my own pace.

That's the greatest luxury of all I think: living a life custom-designed for me.

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Bonjour

Bonjour chic friends! I’ve so enjoyed my month ‘almost’ away from technology and would heartily recommend it to anyone wishing to regain some equilibrium. I did check email and bank accounts daily, and had the occasional blog read, but just knowing I didn’t have any commitments was wonderful and so calming.

Of course I wasn’t sitting on a poolside lounger with a trashy novel and a drink with an umbrella in it, but I did get in some relaxation time in between moving house, unpacking, running a busy shop (in school holidays no less which is at times insanely busy) and trying not to have takeaway dinners too often.

It only took a handful of nights for us to get sick of eaten-out dinners and craving home-cooked real food and lots of veges. And we only had one fast-food breakfast– it was quite a novelty because we very rarely do it, but I somehow don’t think my ideal Paris girl would be caught dead eating a sausage and egg muffin with deep-fried hash brown at 8am (or anytime!). At least I was sitting down at a chair and table, that was probably the only French-inspired detail.

The funniest breakfast was at our old place when mostly everything was packed and I found my husband eating Weetbix made with hot water (rather than his usual hot milk) ladling it into his mouth with a large-size black plastic serving spoon out of a cooking pot. He was very happy though and said it was like an adventure. I think he was quite proud of himself for improvising.

Even though I still haven’t unpacked two of our three bedrooms (the guest room and office/sewing room), the rest of our house is pretty much set up, albeit in a slightly haphazard manner which I am tidying as I go. Just being in our own house makes me so happy and content, even though there are many little maintenance and decor things that need addressing.

I actually enjoyed cleaning our twenty-year old oven last week because it’s our oven, and I have to say it sparkles. We will update the kitchen eventually, but for the moment I am more than happy cooking in and keeping clean and organised my outdated kitchen because, yes, it’s our kitchen.

The area we live in now I am very pleased with too. It’s where my husband grew up, so he feels instantly secure and happy here. It has a really nice family feeling, with people walking their dogs and out with their children after work. There are even ducks which waddle around in pairs, and I saw a Mother duck and her ducklings. There are some ponds nearby which explains exactly why you sometimes have to wait for the ducks to cross before you can turn into your driveway.

I haven’t picked up Jessica cat yet, I go in a few days time. But at the top of this post is a photo of her which the cat shelter kindly sent me. I remembered her as being quite homely but perhaps she was having an off day as she is quite the pretty girl here. I felt mean looking at the most beautiful cats thinking which one I should choose, so I asked the shelter person ‘which one needs a home the most’ and came away sponsoring Jessica until we could pick her up.

Another thing I love about our neighbourhood is, while we are out in the suburbs, it is on a direct and nearby bus route into the city, and there is a big supermarket, shops, and restaurants within walking distance. It took me eight minutes to walk to the supermarket the other day to pick up a few items for dinner. I am glad we can continue to live well with one car. I never mind taking public transport either, it always makes me feel like I live in a big city. I just have to remember to tuck a book into my bag.

So that’s all to report in with now. I will share some photos with you when the house is looking a little more presentable. I've taken many photos and I'll entertain you with some befores and afters one day, but I'm afraid at the moment they are all 'befores'!

Final Day in a Chic September

Well, my chic friends, may I share with you what I learned during the 30 days of a chic September? At the beginning of the month I planned to:

‘Document daily steps I have taken towards a chic, elegant and healthy life. My goal is to keep uppermost in my mind the kind of life I want to live. I will be focusing on all the small things I do each day that lead me towards my goal, rather than away from it.’

The first thing I learnt is that I take my beret off to those of you who blog daily. Keeping it up for a week or a month is one thing, but all the time is quite another. Thanks to those of you who asked, but I just couldn’t carry on through October, or until the end of the year. I'm almost wrecked now!

I learned that there are opportunities to live a chic life at every turn, even in the mundane. I found that by planning ahead, I was more successful and improved my odds in being chic. Getting up earlier, doing my jobs quickly, organising meals ahead of time, these all gave me time to do something extra with my appearance or tidy up around the house, or do a few more chores at work.

And I learnt many, many new ways to incorporate little things into my life to make it more chic, from you. Thank you for ideas you left in the comments section, I’ve really enjoyed and been inspired by them.

Kate at Une Vie Chic posted on her blog ‘a chic life is not a lazy life’. I couldn’t agree more. On days when I thought ‘I’m tired, I’m going to have a rest, I’m not doing anything’, well, those were the days when I felt the least positive and consequently less chic. I’ve always believed ‘x begets x’ as in being busier makes you more productive, over-eating more makes you want to eat more, consuming less makes you want to consume less, action begets action and laziness begets laziness.

I went for a walk today and had lunch out, just me. It seems to be my thing lately, I go for an exercise walk to a nearby area, have lunch by myself and a browse and walk back to work. I was in a bookstore and it was so relaxing. Do you find bookstores calm you? If there’s classical music playing in the background so much the better.

Flicking through a magazine I came across an article on turning off technology. It noted we are more tied to our gadgets than ever, at the same time as ‘retro’ domestic arts are enjoying a resurgence – knitting, baking, sewing, etc. Like they ever went away! The article had examples of people who shut their technology off for a period of time and saw how they coped.

I don’t twitter or facebook, but I blog, email and browse. Many’s the time when I’ve felt so drained from incessant browsing, yet I can’t seem to tear myself away. That’s where the oven timer comes in handy, but I only have one at home. I have to be a bit disciplined at work.

In October I will be packing and organising for our move, and then moving, and then unpacking and organising. So there won’t be much time at all for internetting. So in a way I will be having my own technology detox and perhaps it is quite timely.

There are things I have to do, such as internet banking – I check and balance our accounts both work and home every day, and email but I will limit myself to certain, reasonable times. Then there are blogs and newspapers. My inspiration and entertainment. I’m thinking I might not click on, for the whole month, just to see if I can.

I’m actually quite excited about the prospect. More time for things such as cooking, reading, putting my feet up, making our new house a stylish nest, planning, planting herbs, finding a summer knitting project – the scarf on the cover of Debbie Bliss’s book The Knitter’s Year looks pretty and I already have some knitting cotton, watching movies, pottering and writing.

So, I will see you in November. I look forward to catching up with your blogs then.

Image from http://makingmagique.com

29th Day in a Chic September

For the month of September I plan to document daily steps I have taken towards a chic, elegant and healthy life. My goal is to keep uppermost in my mind the kind of life I want to live. I will be focusing on all the small things I do each day that lead me towards my goal, rather than away from it.

Here are today’s mini-chic accomplishments:

Had a fabulous lunch. Usually my daily salad is pretty perfunctory, just plain and refreshing. At its bare minimum it is lettuce, carrot, celery, washed, no dressing. That is as an accompaniment to my actual lunch.

Today though, today, was something else. I had rocket, carrot, celery and diced avocado mixed in with a small can of Thai sweet chilli flavoured salmon. Still very simple, but a great last minute lunch since I had the can of salmon in the cupboard at work and all veges other than rocket in the fridge (which I picked up walking back to work from yoga). And even though I didn't have any bread with lunch, I wasn't hungry until after work (6.30ish).

I had planned to have leftover chicken and coconut rice from last night with aforementioned perfunctory salad. But since I left it in the fridge at home I had to change my plans.

So, tomorrow’s lunch, let me think, perhaps chicken and coconut rice with perfunctory salad? If I remember to bring it to work that is. I might have to utilise the keys in the fridge trick.

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And my hair behaved itself today. Hoorah for the day after a professional blow-wave.

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Listed four items to sell online. Two I have labelled as ‘charity auctions’ and will be donating the money to Jessica’s cat rescue centre. Sent yet another carload to the Salvation Army.

The more I let go from my life the happier and freer I feel. These are items I did not use and were just storing. Items that when I looked at them I felt stuck. Goodbye to those things and may someone else get good use from them!

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If you feel like you want to make September a chic month for you as well, please join me. You are welcome to share your mini-chic accomplishments for the day (or the previous day if you read in the morning) in the comments section. It would be lovely to have you along for the ride!

Image: Nineteenth Century Engraving of Notre Dame

28th Day in a Chic September

For the month of September I plan to document daily steps I have taken towards a chic, elegant and healthy life. My goal is to keep uppermost in my mind the kind of life I want to live. I will be focusing on all the small things I do each day that lead me towards my goal, rather than away from it.

Here are today’s mini-chic accomplishments:

Am part-way through reading Mrs Miniver. The book was published in 1939, but started out as a series of newspaper columns in The Times from 1937 on. The library copy I am reading has date-stamps in the back from 1957!

Mrs Miniver gives her account of everyday life in London, just before the war started. It is very readable and enjoyable, written very simply about domestic details.

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Awoke in an altogether more positive and motivated frame of mind today. It’s amazing the restorative powers of sleep. Yesterday I felt physically very tired and the thought of all the things I have to do at work along with packing up and moving house, well, I was feeling a little sorry for myself.

Plus, I had a hair appointment this afternoon. And if your hair’s on its last legs like mine was yesterday, that’s enough to get anyone down! Now I am revived, trimmed, highlighted, blow-waved.

Today is another day, and I am ready to give it a good go.

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Watered my orchids with weak coffee a la Janet at The Gardeners Cottage. Apparently they love it. I left a little bit of coffee in my espresso maker this morning and filled it up with water. It was like a very chic watering can. If only doing this would also make my house look like Janet’s. A girl can dream.

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Cooked dinner when I really wasn’t in the mood. I did though, something else from the pantry was used up so we don’t have to move it, and it was cheaper and better for me than a bought dinner.

I made chicken breasts pan-fried in sesame oil and finished off with soy sauce and thai sweet chilli, basmati coconut rice with mushrooms and yellow capsicum, and steamed broccoli, green beans and cauliflower.

Since I’d had the whole day off work and been to the hairdressers, it was the least I could do for my husband. He’s a very appreciative eater and the plate was almost licked clean.

The item used up was a mini can of coconut milk and it was my Mum’s idea to make coconut rice. It was delicious, and a bit of a treat considering how rich coconut milk is.

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Did all my housework today in record time, even though I wasn’t rushing things. I treated it like it was my job and ticked off the list. So I wouldn’t be distracted I even unplugged the laptop and put it away. A silly thing I know but it made all the difference.

A clean and tidy house makes me feel more in control of things too.

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If you feel like you want to make September a chic month for you as well, please join me. You are welcome to share your mini-chic accomplishments for the day (or the previous day if you read in the morning) in the comments section. It would be lovely to have you along for the ride!

Image by Wolf Suschitzky: Charing Cross Road #4, London, 1937

27th Day in a Chic September

For the month of September I plan to document daily steps I have taken towards a chic, elegant and healthy life. My goal is to keep uppermost in my mind the kind of life I want to live. I will be focusing on all the small things I do each day that lead me towards my goal, rather than away from it.

Here are today’s mini-chic accomplishments:

Have been dabbing lavender essential oil on my wrists before bed. I don’t know if it helps me fall to sleep any easier, but I love the smell.

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Wore navy and black today. I love this combo and feel très Ines in it.

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Listened to a bit more Mireille Guiliano in the car.

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Had my soup and salad combo again for lunch today.

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Walked to yoga, had a fabulously strenuous yet relaxing class, then walked back to work.

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I think my chic month has almost come full circle as I'm repeating myself (surely you've noticed). You will be glad when September is over.

I'm a bit worn out today, I keep thinking of a chaise lounge and imagining how nice it would be to curl up into one.

The sensible thing would be to go home, have early dinner and early bed. I will be doing all those things, but I will also be living it up a little. There's a bottle of bubbles chilling in the fridge for a glass or two.

We have to make our own small luxuries sometimes.

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If you feel like you want to make September a chic month for you as well, please join me. You are welcome to share your mini-chic accomplishments for the day (or the previous day if you read in the morning) in the comments section. It would be lovely to have you along for the ride!

26th Day in a Chic September

For the month of September I plan to document daily steps I have taken towards a chic, elegant and healthy life. My goal is to keep uppermost in my mind the kind of life I want to live. I will be focusing on all the small things I do each day that lead me towards my goal, rather than away from it.

Here are today’s mini-chic accomplishments:

Had homemade soup and salad for lunch. I had already made both, the soup last week and the salad yesterday, so they were faster than fast food and faster even than walking to the cafe around the corner. And cheaper. And healthier.

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Was self-protectively aloof today when a few customers were being annoying, saying unthoughtful things. Usually to show them I am friendly and non-threatening, I answer a rude remark with a joke or reinforcing what they are saying.

Today I decided to rise above it and ignore them, in a pleasant way of course. I decided I didn't need to dignify their remark with a response, as the saying goes.

I also plan to use this strategy elsewhere. I don't need to respond to something if it bothers me, just to keep the peace. I can choose to be silent and just smile. I don't sulk though, sulking is horrid.

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Am going to bed in the next ten minutes and having a beautiful early night. Daylight saving started yesterday. I always get the ways mixed up and went to bed late only to have to get up an hour earlier. I was fine at work, but my wheels fell off quickly when I arrived home.

Bonne nuit!

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If you feel like you want to make September a chic month for you as well, please join me. You are welcome to share your mini-chic accomplishments for the day (or the previous day if you read in the morning) in the comments section. It would be lovely to have you along for the ride!

25th Day in a Chic September

For the month of September I plan to document daily steps I have taken towards a chic, elegant and healthy life. My goal is to keep uppermost in my mind the kind of life I want to live. I will be focusing on all the small things I do each day that lead me towards my goal, rather than away from it.

Here are today’s mini-chic accomplishments:

Made pizza dough from scratch for a lazy Sunday evening meal. We had salami, mushrooms, fresh tomato, capsicum, onion, garlic and mozzarella for toppings with dried oregano and basil. I divided the pizza dough up to make four really thin pizzas and made different combos with the ingredients.

I also thought it might be a fun idea to have a carpet picnic. We pushed the coffee table aside and laid down a blanket. Sitting on this, leaning against the sofa, pizza on a big chopping board and a glass of wine each whilst watching Love and Other Drugs = bliss.

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Exfoliated my face and hands, and wore a five minute mud mask before my shower this morning. Applied my thick and creamy olive oil body lotion afterwards. It was like a day spa in thirty minutes.

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Washed my hair and let it dry naturally. This is a rare and luxurious occurrence.

I have discovered an ‘enzyme repair treatment’ product I have been using is meant to be washed out as it exfoliates the hair and you brush the flakes out then rewash. I only discovered this by Googling the product this morning, because I didn’t quite understand the instructions.

I’ve had it for months and obviously walked around shedding everywhere. I would put it on damp hair, dry and style and then go out. Oops.

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Tidied and picked up the house and thoroughly vacuumed. Tweaked little areas around the place so they looked neater and more stylish. The corners you notice and that irk you the most are the ones that need your attention!

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Did a bit more work on my Style Statement ‘studies’. This is the second time I have borrowed this book from the library. The first time I didn’t realise the work involved, read it, did a few of the exercises and then returned it. I am ready to put in the effort this time as I can see it will be worthwhile.

Already the questions posed and answers I have given are quite illuminating. And freeing too, because no-one else sees the answers so I don’t have to self-censor. I can even shred the notes afterwards if I want.

Not that I'm paranoid or anything.

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If you feel like you want to make September a chic month for you as well, please join me. You are welcome to share your mini-chic accomplishments for the day (or the previous day if you read in the morning) in the comments section. It would be lovely to have you along for the ride!

24th Day in a Chic September

For the month of September I plan to document daily steps I have taken towards a chic, elegant and healthy life. My goal is to keep uppermost in my mind the kind of life I want to live. I will be focusing on all the small things I do each day that lead me towards my goal, rather than away from it.

Here are today’s mini-chic accomplishments:

Tonight’s post comes to you live via Eden Park in Auckland, where New Zealand rugby team the All Blacks are pummelling the French team (at least at the 56 minute point). Sorry, Vivienne, but the 2007 rugby world cup hosted by France, when Adrienne was there with her handsome husband is a very fresh memory.

If you aren’t so much into rugby, please know that France knocked New Zealand out of the 2007 Rugby World Cup and at the time, I was seriously worried that my boyfriend of four years (now my husband) was slumping into a deep depression. He is only just now reviving, and Lord help me if we don’t win this thing.

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But before the game even started I was focused on a different goal. I’ve borrowed Style Statement from the library and sat down tonight with lined sheets of paper to answer the questions. They are quite random and interesting questions, and at the end of the exercise I will have a better idea of my personal style (which encompasses all areas of one’s life, not just clothing).

I feel like I already have a quite clear idea of what I like and don’t like, but find the whole thing quite intriguing. And people who have already worked out their two word ‘Style Statement’ are quite effusive with praise for this book. Now it’s my turn!

I was charmed in the early pages with the list ‘Manifesto of Style’. Some of my favourites:

'Communicate who you are in all you do. Consistency is power. When the various parts of your life reflect your essence, your life moves in the direction you want it to.

Authenticity is energising, economical, and efficient. The better you know yourself, the clearer your choices. Self-awareness leads to true style.

Cheap is expensive in the long run. Why buy twice when you can buy once? Commit to quality and it will commit to you.

Use your best every day. Life is too short to wait for a special occasion to bring our your finery, your treasures, your brilliance, and the best of your love.

Choose from your heart, and your life will fill up with things you love. What works is what feels right.

Beauty transforms. Its capacity to generate pleasure, healing, and connection is divinely powerful. Beauty affects its maker and beholder every time.

Make more choices – moment to moment, day to day. You are the designer of your life. Be selective, creative, and intentional in every possible way.'

I especially like 'use your best every day' and 'choose from your heart'. What good is it saving your best for some day that may not come? Use everything you own now and if something is ripped, broken or used up quickly, so be it. Just what are we saving things for?

And as for 'Choose from your heart', that's how I decorate my house and dress my body. If you really love everything you choose, it will all go together and create your own personal and unique style.

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But before even that, once we got home from work I touched up my makeup. I almost never do this. I usually put my makeup on in the morning, and touch up during the day, but once I get home I feel free to forget about it.

Tonight though I lightly dusted my nose with powder, combed my brows, applied a touch more blush and a clear lipstick. It cost nothing and took a few minutes, yet I felt polished and pretty, and all for myself and my husband.

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Decided not to look further into selling my Cartier watch. I will own my purchasing decision and wear it happily. Plus, my husband banned me from doing it when I mentioned to him my thoughts! He wants me to wear it and love it. And I do. I am very happy.

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If you feel like you want to make September a chic month for you as well, please join me. You are welcome to share your mini-chic accomplishments for the day (or the previous day if you read in the morning) in the comments section. It would be lovely to have you along for the ride!

Image 'St Lazare' by Claude Monet

23rd Day in a Chic September

For the month of September I plan to document daily steps I have taken towards a chic, elegant and healthy life. My goal is to keep uppermost in my mind the kind of life I want to live. I will be focusing on all the small things I do each day that lead me towards my goal, rather than away from it.

Here are today’s mini-chic accomplishments:

Bought three pairs of sexy undies (from a normal shop though!). I chose black and cream so I can wear them with my current bras. There were some gorgeous jewel tones available but I’m trying to be a good French girl and wear matching underwear. I did push the boat out with one pair, they are black and leopard print (in tones of pinkish red) but I can still wear them with a black bra.

I try and ‘get’ the underwear thing and now I think I do. It used to bother me when I bought the bra and two sets of matching knickers, because I'd think 'what if the knickers die first? what if I require a different pair of knickers but want to wear that bra?' (low-cut jeans versus dress pants etc). Now I have decided the colour and general style matches and that's enough for me. It's much less stressful.

Anne Barone calls sexy undergarments part of the French girl’s arsenal in staying slim, but that’s not why I bought them, I just felt like it. I’ve had a craving for leopard print which is bizarre, because I’ve never owned a leopard print item in my life. It is everywhere at the moment though, so eventually it has to seep into my consciousness. And I think it’s more mainstream and fashionable these days, not so Peggy Bundy.

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Had a nice, long exercise and errand walk on a sunny but cool Spring day. There were so many French people in berets everywhere because France play our team the All Blacks tomorrow night. I wanted to ask one group of men of a certain age if they wore berets all the time or if they were just flying the French flag, but I was afraid they would take offence if it came out wrong.

Many cafes had ‘Bienvenue’ on their blackboards too. It almost felt like I was strolling the Champs Elysees. And two French women visiting our shop were noted to be wearing black ballet flats. They are even tres chic as tourists!

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Dressed up again today and wore my 'better' clothes. Yesterday my husband asked where I was going and who I was meeting, in a suspicious manner, and today my friend Mary came into the shop, did a double-take and said 'whoa, where are you off to?' Am I so poorly dressed that an ironed shirt with French cuffs and cufflinks will impress those close to me so much?

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Researched a new lipstick colour at Bobbi Brown. I was upfront with the sales girl and told her I wasn't buying today but wanted to find a colour for my next purchase (as a sales girl myself I just loooove hearing that, not). She was utterly charming though and helped me choose a shade and put it on me, topped with a little gloss.

All I wanted was the holy grail of lipstick, that which mimics the natural colour of your lips but glowier. She had similar colouring to me so I asked what she was wearing. When she showed me the shade it looked so brown in the tube I almost disregarded it.

But we decided I'd give it a try and then dabbed a little gloss in the centre. I had her write them down because the effect was really lovely. She had put quite a lot on as makeup girls are wont to do, but I can imagine applying a sheerer layer and looking natural yet polished with a little panache.

If you are a neutral blonde with grey eyes (or a Soft Summer in Colour Me Beautiful-land) you may find these colours lovely too:

Creamy lipstick 'Burnt Sugar'
Lipgloss 'Naked Plum'

I really wish now I had bought them today, but I wanted to see how the colour looked when I got back to work. And it's nice to have something to look forward to.

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If you feel like you want to make September a chic month for you as well, please join me. You are welcome to share your mini-chic accomplishments for the day (or the previous day if you read in the morning) in the comments section. It would be lovely to have you along for the ride!

Image 'Champs Elysées' by Antoine Blanchard

22nd Day in a Chic September

For the month of September I plan to document daily steps I have taken towards a chic, elegant and healthy life. My goal is to keep uppermost in my mind the kind of life I want to live. I will be focusing on all the small things I do each day that lead me towards my goal, rather than away from it.

Here are today’s mini-chic accomplishments:

Dressed up today. I wore a bib/tuxedo front white shirt that I normally reserve for dressier occasions, with a pair of charcoal wool herringbone pants, mini-fishnets and beige heels. It was just a normal day at work but it’s good to shake it up sometimes.

I also did something with my hair. It was more out of desperation really, now that I think about it. I washed and blow-dried my hair, and because I don’t like to straighten too often because it’s fine enough as it is, I looped it up, but then twirled around the bottom piece and pinned, until I could sort of imagine I belonged in Paris, if you squinted.

It even lasted through yoga class at lunch-time, including handstands. Please note I had changed out of my tuxedo-front shirt and wool pants to do this.

Speaking of handstands, oh my goodness they are so fun. It took me a good 9-10 months of kicking practice to even get up, but now that I can fling myself upside down against a wall there’s no stopping me. I really am like the teachers pet hoping she’ll get us to do handstands.

Sometimes, like both classes this week I get up every time and it’s really easy, other times it’s not so simple. Isn’t that just life though?

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Went to an appointment where I thought I might have to wait awhile, so took with me a small tote bag with two magazines, a book, bottle of water and a notebook and pen (for chic sightings, not much chance of that in the public health system). Naturally because I was so well prepared I was called in before I even sat down to fill out my form (literally before, my bottom hadn't even touched the vinyl seat).

I should tell you, I had a little dot cut off my leg a month or so ago. It’s bothered me forever, years I say, but I had my usual doctor tell me 12 months ago it was nothing to worry about, and then a plastic surgeon tell me just before he cut it out ‘it won’t be anything’. People, it was a melanoma. Now I am getting everything else checked out and a few more removed just in case.

What I want to tell you is to trust your instincts, even if you worry others will think you’re silly or a hypochondriac. It cost me quite a few hundred dollars to go private because public health doesn’t cover vague thoughts of ‘maybe’. But now it is proven to have been cancerous, I’m in, and covered.

I feel really lucky that I pushed for a specialist appointment, even if it was at my cost, and can’t help thinking, what about those people who don’t have $500 to get a hunch checked out?

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I'm still enamoured with my 'C'est normale' idea. Every time I start obsessing about food or diet I ask myself 'is it normal?' and everything is alright again. It's just magic.

I checked out from the library French Women Don't Get Fat on audiobook (can you tell I am obsessed with audiobooks at the moment? I can't believe I haven't discovered them earlier. Simply drive around and listen.). Mireille Guiliano herself reads the book and it's a pleasure to listen to her French/American accent.

I've read her two books, and they reside on my bookshelf, but today's listening reiterated the 'normal food in normal portions' message. I've heard it before but the saying is certainly true - 'when the student is ready the teacher will come'. It is only when we are ready to hear it that the message appears.

C'est normale. My chic mantra.

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If you feel like you want to make September a chic month for you as well, please join me. You are welcome to share your mini-chic accomplishments for the day (or the previous day if you read in the morning) in the comments section. It would be lovely to have you along for the ride!

Image 'Parisienne' by Ron di Scenza

21st Day in a Chic September

For the month of September I plan to document daily steps I have taken towards a chic, elegant and healthy life. My goal is to keep uppermost in my mind the kind of life I want to live. I will be focusing on all the small things I do each day that lead me towards my goal, rather than away from it.

Here are today’s mini-chic accomplishments:

Made a batch of my best soup ever. It was Mexican-influenced today, with Mexican seasonings and chilli beans added to the basic recipe. This batch made today’s bowl and five portions for lunches at work. I added a salad for lunch today and it was perfect. Real food! Can’t beat it!

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Did a home facial (the bare basics – exfoliation and mask) before bed. I like to do this once a week on a night before I am going to wash my hair the next morning, then I can really paint the mask right into my hair line.

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Read through from day one the chic September posts and comments. I was reminded of some things I want to continue with and also ideas from readers I want to implement.

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Had a day at home that was the perfect ratio of relaxing and chores. I did my jobs, and a little work from home, and pottered. Just perfect.

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Stoked up the slowcooker with lamb shanks for dinner (my Mum unkindly calls them dog bones). I love meals where everything is done ahead of time so I don’t have to start hauling out pots and pans at 7pm.

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Read this quote:

One of the main reasons we gossip or complain is to make ourselves look better by comparison... When I point out your faults, then I’m implying that I have no such faults so I’m better than you are. Complaining is bragging. And nobody likes a braggart. Here’s another bit of sobering news: You wouldn’t notice the faults in the other person if they were not also in you’.
- Will Bowen, a Complaint Free World

I’ve been aware of being more positive and complaining less, but of course it’s an ongoing thing. Often I will moan or judge without even being aware of it. It’s worth the effort though.

Something else I read the other day said ‘holding a grudge is like drinking poison yourself and expecting it to kill the other person’ (or something like that). And I’m sure it’s true. The main person that negative thinking affects is us! So that is my focus right now.

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Organised myself for tomorrow. Stacked up library books to return, put items to take with me in my bag. Whenever I don’t do this I run around like a mad thing in the morning after the time we’re supposed to have left by and getting snippy with my husband because I wasn’t organised. Not chic.

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If you feel like you want to make September a chic month for you as well, please join me. You are welcome to share your mini-chic accomplishments for the day (or the previous day if you read in the morning) in the comments section. It would be lovely to have you along for the ride!

20th Day in a Chic September

For the month of September I plan to document daily steps I have taken towards a chic, elegant and healthy life. My goal is to keep uppermost in my mind the kind of life I want to live. I will be focusing on all the small things I do each day that lead me towards my goal, rather than away from it.

Here are today’s mini-chic accomplishments:

I had a little breakthrough today. After beating myself up for indulging in too many unchic and high calorie foods over the weekend, and not wanting the hemmed in feeling of tracking Weight Watchers points, I thought to myself ‘what if I’m just normal’.

What if I eat normal foods in normal portions at normal times. I can be normal! For some reason (that I would love to know), I can happily spend months at a time following Weight Watchers to the letter (or point), and then I get to a stage where I want to run in the opposite direction. I’m off the diet, so I eat everything I’ve limited myself of, and enjoy indulging with wild abandon.

But today’s thought was something else altogether. I am normal. I know how to eat normally, I’ve done it for many years before I decided I wanted to lose weight and got into the dieting thing.

Normal isn’t lollies and excessive chocolate and fatty takeaways or snacks. Normal is real food in reasonable quantities. And it’s never normal food that we want to excess. It’s the other stuff, the refined carbohydrates that never fill you up, at least with nutrition anyway.

So today, whenever I felt like eating something tacky, or worried that I wasn’t writing my points down, I just calmed myself with ‘I am normal, I am eating normal food’. And the thoughts of revolting low-nutrition foods melted away.

There’s only one mini-chic accomplishment today, but for me it’s a good one.

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If you feel like you want to make September a chic month for you as well, please join me. You are welcome to share your mini-chic accomplishments for the day (or the previous day if you read in the morning) in the comments section. It would be lovely to have you along for the ride!

19th Day in a Chic September

For the month of September I plan to document daily steps I have taken towards a chic, elegant and healthy life. My goal is to keep uppermost in my mind the kind of life I want to live. I will be focusing on all the small things I do each day that lead me towards my goal, rather than away from it.

Here are today’s mini-chic accomplishments:

I decided last night as I climbed into bed that Monday would be a fresh start for me. I ate rather too much unchic food over the weekend - too many treat foods although meals were healthy. That is often my downfall.

So I decided on Monday I would be at my chicest at all times, and pretend I was being filmed or had people around me to see my actions, even if I was alone. If I couldn’t imagine Audrey Hepburn doing something, would I do it? Non!

After a day of this I have to say I feel less inclined towards tacky food and more in balance. One day down!

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Tried the olive oil/body lotion idea as mentioned on Anne Barone’s reader letters page (Renee, third letter down). It took a day or two for the lotion and oil to mix, and I shook it whenever I thought of it. The first couple of pumps were a bit separated but after that it was perfect. The texture of the lotion has changed, of course, but is not oily like it would be if you used straight oil. I used pure olive oil rather than extra virgin because that's what I had.

It will take a bit more time to sink in than a normal lotion, but I can already tell this idea is a keeper. I have breakfast in my robe between shower and dressing so it’s fine for me. If you get dressed immediately after a shower you might want to save it for weekends or times when you can take a bit more time, or reduce the ratio of oil/lotion down to 1/4 or 1/5.

At the end of the day my skin feels lovely and soft, and more moisturised than a normal lotion. It gives a pretty sheen to the skin too.

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I got my husband to drop off a big bag of hotel mini-toiletries and other new personal care items to a Womens Refuge coordinator. Even though he grumbled a bit at having to do my errand on his day off, I could tell when he rung me that he felt quite chuffed at her happy response. 'That's my good deed for the day' he said.

The coordinator told him they were having a pamper night for the women soon so it was a very timely donation. I’m going to have another look around to see if there is anything else I can donate.

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Have been reading Jenny Craig’s Simple Pleasures book which I bought from the op shop for a few dollars recently. I’m not really into Jenny with all the packet mixes and all, but I love that this book has a section at the front entirely devoted to holistic ways to gain balance in your life.

I don’t really care for the recipes which make up the rest of the book but the first two-dozen pages are worth the price and why I bought the book!

Here's a snippet:

`Mindfulness takes simple pleasures to the next level.

A simple way to begin being mindful is to attend to your breathing habits. Think of your breath as your centre, and breathing as a way to quiet your mind, especially in times of stress. Take a moment and try this quick version of mindful breathing. Afterwards, notice how relaxed yet alert you feel!

Next time you take a walk, focus on your breath. Then add your posture or stride to your focus. Notice the difference awareness makes in your experience.'

and

'5 self-care essentials -

- Mindful breathing
- Rejuvenating rest
- Cleansing water
- Conscious eating
- Invigorating movement'

Jenny is years ahead of me - this book was published in 1998 and she is talking about minimising possessions, decluttering, simplifying and paring down the wardrobe to stress-free neutrals.

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If you feel like you want to make September a chic month for you as well, please join me. You are welcome to share your mini-chic accomplishments for the day (or the previous day if you read in the morning) in the comments section. It would be lovely to have you along for the ride!

18th Day in a Chic September

For the month of September I plan to document daily steps I have taken towards a chic, elegant and healthy life. My goal is to keep uppermost in my mind the kind of life I want to live. I will be focusing on all the small things I do each day that lead me towards my goal, rather than away from it.

Here are today’s mini-chic accomplishments:

Upon waking to a wildly stormy morning complete with torrential rain and hail, it seemed the perfect day to hunker down. Even though it wasn't that chilly (apparently hail means it's cold up high, not near ground) it was a nice time to snuggle inside.

I put the slowcooker on and made a beef casserole and apart from having a shower and putting a load of washing out, that's pretty much all the work I did. Sunday is a day of rest after all, and I have had a blissfully relaxing day.

I am enjoying browsing through Romantic Prairie Style which I'm so glad our library had. I've read Parisienne Farmgirl's blog for quite a while and her home is featured. I feel like I know her gorgeous family through her blog so it was exciting to see more of her incredible style.

I think Romantic Prairie Style is a serious contender for my home library. But not until we've moved. I am banning myself from adding anything to our home inventory for now.

I can enjoy my libary copy for a month though, and be inspired to make a bit more of an effort in my decorating. Also not be afraid to change up or paint a cheap and chic piece of second-hand furniture. Watch out new house, I'll be raring to go!

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If you feel like you want to make September a chic month for you as well, please join me. You are welcome to share your mini-chic accomplishments for the day (or the previous day if you read in the morning) in the comments section. It would be lovely to have you along for the ride!

Image from superstock.co.uk

17th Day in a Chic September

For the month of September I plan to document daily steps I have taken towards a chic, elegant and healthy life. My goal is to keep uppermost in my mind the kind of life I want to live. I will be focusing on all the small things I do each day that lead me towards my goal, rather than away from it.

Here are today’s mini-chic accomplishments:

Had fresh fruit for breakfast. So refreshing.

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Listened to relaxing spa music while I got ready for the day. It really lowers the blood pressure.

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Got up at the same time as during the week (6am) even though we leave for work later. I had plenty of time to do all my morning preparations as well as read at breakfast and take time doing my hair.

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Ironed a shirt to wear to work. That's twice in one week!

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Thought how incredibly lucky I am to have the life I do. Yes, I’m very happy to be moving into our own place and that's part of why I'm excited at the moment, but driving through some pretty hard-case areas on Thursday doing my charity drop-offs really affected me.

From the dog I saw lying patiently in a front yard with a two metre long chain hanging from its collar to the very humble homes in the street where I visited the cat shelter. Well, I felt out of sorts all day and the next too (even now).

The area where we live isn’t flash by any means but it was a million miles away from the suburbs I had driven through. The woman who runs the cat shelter works unpaid looking after 80-100 homeless cats all week and works nights as a caregiver to pay her mortgage. She’s a true angel.

I keep thinking to myself how can I do more with the time and resources I have available.

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If you feel like you want to make September a chic month for you as well, please join me. You are welcome to share your mini-chic accomplishments for the day (or the previous day if you read in the morning) in the comments section. It would be lovely to have you along for the ride!

16th Day in a Chic September

For the month of September I plan to document daily steps I have taken towards a chic, elegant and healthy life. My goal is to keep uppermost in my mind the kind of life I want to live. I will be focusing on all the small things I do each day that lead me towards my goal, rather than away from it.

Here are today’s mini-chic accomplishments:

Went for an errand walk combined with an exercise walk. I wore my normal outfit and put on a pair of comfortable walking shoes. I was gone for at least three hours, and while maybe 20 minutes was spent sitting down having lunch, the rest of the time I was on my feet. It was a very pleasant and relaxing way to burn calories.

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Managed to steer myself away from the unchic sweet snacks I had been planning on buying. After lunch I look for something sweet to finish my meal off. This was making me think of bars of chocolate and bags of lollies. Sometimes no matter how much you don’t want to eat these things, you find yourself buying and eating them anyway (or at least I do).

If I knew the answer to killing cravings I would be a rich woman. But before I got around to buying unchic sweet snacks I passed McDonalds and bought a soft-serve cone with a small Flake chocolate bar in it. They are $1 and kid-sized. It was delicious and et voila, I no longer wanted to go shopping for junque.

There are not many times I advocate visiting McDonalds in search of chicness, but it worked a treat for me today.

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Back at work I washed and sliced an apple and a nectarine. They were both delicious (the nectarine was from the USA! Talk about food miles) and of course I felt a million times better after eating them than I would have from eating sugar, sugar, sugar.

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Have been more affected lately when people swear, and when I swear. It’s horrible! I am going to try and quit altogether. It’s just not becoming for a lady, or even a gentleman for that matter.

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Have been in a good mood today (and I really think the walk helped, exercise makes your body happy) so I have been nice to everyone. Gosh it makes a difference. Nice really does make the world go around.

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If you feel like you want to make September a chic month for you as well, please join me. You are welcome to share your mini-chic accomplishments for the day (or the previous day if you read in the morning) in the comments section. It would be lovely to have you along for the ride!