Fighting fit for Fifty... My journey this year.

Hiya Dabster - Phew, it's taken me 4 days to catch up with everyone but I'm finally here! Sorry it's taken me so long. So here's my round up . . .

FANTASTIC news about Andy and so good that he's getting out and about again so soon after the transplant. Have they decided what to do next yet?

FANTASIC wieght loss for you over the last 2 weeks. 6½ lbs is bleddy brilliant. My only comment would be just watch the amount of bananas you are eating! Looks like you're having 2 a day and that could cause a problem. They are full of potasium which isn't good for you if you have any blood pressure problems or diabetes. Doctors recommend a max of 1 a day! Plus they are very "watery" which can actually lead to you retaining water and bloating.

I've looked at both yours and Andys websites.

Andy's magic! I watched the TV clip and it's fantastic. He's a great magician. My FIL used to make tricks for a friend who was a trick inventor and member of the Magic Circle. Some of them were fascinating.

Your soaps etc looked beautiful. If you ever want an outlet in Spain . . .
Plus I like the hosting company you are using - I need to check them out fully as I might move my websites to them. I have about 6 that cost me a fortune in hosting! So thanks for pointing me at them.

Have a nice day . . . and weekend. Are you up to anything nice?
 
Pommette said:
Hiya Dabster - Phew, it's taken me 4 days to catch up with everyone but I'm finally here! Sorry it's taken me so long. So here's my round up . . .

FANTASTIC news about Andy and so good that he's getting out and about again so soon after the transplant. Have they decided what to do next yet?

He's on a Trial and the next step is to decide whether to give him maintenance Lenalidamide (a myeloma controlling drug) or no maintenance until relapse.

FANTASIC wieght loss for you over the last 2 weeks. 6½ lbs is bleddy brilliant. My only comment would be just watch the amount of bananas you are eating! Looks like you're having 2 a day and that could cause a problem. They are full of potasium which isn't good for you if you have any blood pressure problems or diabetes. Doctors recommend a max of 1 a day! Plus they are very "watery" which can actually lead to you retaining water and bloating.

Thank you for the advice, I had noticed I was starting to make funny Monkey noises also :D Best I cut down on them :)

I've looked at both yours and Andys websites.

Andy's magic! I watched the TV clip and it's fantastic. He's a great magician. My FIL used to make tricks for a friend who was a trick inventor and member of the Magic Circle. Some of them were fascinating.

Yes, he's a very good magician, well respected in the business.

Your soaps etc looked beautiful. If you ever want an outlet in Spain . . .

Thank you, kind of you to say so.

Plus I like the hosting company you are using - I need to check them out fully as I might move my websites to them. I have about 6 that cost me a fortune in hosting! So thanks for pointing me at them.

Weebly is a brilliant self-build website builder. It is very easy to use and is free. You do have the opportunity to upgrade to professional and pay a fee which gives you extra back up etc.


Have a nice day . . . and weekend. Are you up to anything nice?
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Off to see my Mum for Mothering Sunday.

Hope you have a lovely weekend too.... xx
 
Pomooky125 said:
Hi Dawn

Saw your website too! The soaps look lovely, I can smell them from here!

Po xxx
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Don't they just :drool: and the candles, and the salve and the..... I am in heaven :bliss: I used to save and buy homemade soap from the USA as nobody over here makes real soap its usually filled with all sorts, this is my idea of heaven fab fab fab and a lovely friend makes them too :bliss: I am such a happy bunny


Good morning Dawnie, I hope its a fab one my lovely for both you and Andy x
 
Thank you for your lovely comments, it is my little 'labour of love' business.... :):)

I started making soaps years ago when my daughter was a teenager. She used to help out a friend who had a horse and her hands used to get so sore and cracked as she washed them a lot. I bought some vegetable based soap and it helped a bit so I looked further into the ingredients in commercial soap and had a go at making my own... That was then... Now... Leanne is 30 in January and is Head of Section at Colchester Zoo and I am running a little soap business !! I studied it for about 3 years whilst I was still working for the local authority. I gave that job up to run my business full time. This was also a good move as being my own boss enabled me to take as much time off as I needed to help Andy! It turned out to be the best part of two years! The work is very hard, lifting boxes, cleaning, carting tables and stands to craft fairs but I love it and wouldn't want any other job now.

All being well today Andy might join me in the garden to tackle some overgrown brambles on the pond. It's only a little pond for the wildlife but it's become entangled and out of hand so it's time to sort it out. There is so much work that needs doing here at Kettler's Cottage, I don't know where to start lol.... it's been so neglected over the last couple of years. :sigh:
 
dabhand said:
. . . I bought some vegetable based soap and it helped a bit so I looked further into the ingredients in commercial soap and had a go at making my own...
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The contents of commercial soap is horrifying. Hubby's a chemist and he explained what all the nasty ingredients did to my skin. I have not used soap now for 35 years on my face (just stick to rose water for cleansing) and try to use hand-made soap when I can get it on the rest of my body.

dabhand said:
All being well today Andy might join me in the garden to tackle some overgrown brambles on the pond. It's only a little pond for the wildlife but it's become entangled and out of hand so it's time to sort it out. There is so much work that needs doing here at Kettler's Cottage, I don't know where to start lol.... it's been so neglected over the last couple of years. :sigh:
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Just like SW take baby steps - just do a bit at a time otherwise it all gets overwhelming.

When we bought our house in Staffs it had a big garden - well big for us as we were used to the postage stamp sized ones of suburbia. We left about 1/8th of it behind the garage to go wild - well you couldn't see it from any windows could you? It was fantastic in some respects as we got all sorts of rare birds and lizards living in there for about 3 years. Our cat loved it too and you could see the thistles swishing as she played around in it.

But when we finally had time to tackle it I almost gave up before we started. It looked so daunting. But we just cleared a 3ft * 20ft strip each weekend and it only took us about 6 weekends to clear the lot. I told you it was a big garden.
 
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I too have looked at your website and all the lovely things you make.............think your business maybe having a little boost soon :):)

You really will have to let me know if you are this way at all over the summer :)

Have a great weekend :) xx
 
Pommette said:
The contents of commercial soap is horrifying. Hubby's a chemist and he explained what all the nasty ingredients did to my skin. I have not used soap now for 35 years on my face (just stick to rose water for cleansing) and try to use hand-made soap when I can get it on the rest of my body.


Just like SW take baby steps - just do a bit at a time otherwise it all gets overwhelming.

When we bought our house in Staffs it had a big garden - well big for us as we were used to the postage stamp sized ones of suburbia. We left about 1/8th of it behind the garage to go wild - well you couldn't see it from any windows could you? It was fantastic in some respects as we got all sorts of rare birds and lizards living in there for about 3 years. Our cat loved it too and you could see the thistles swishing as she played around in it.

But when we finally had time to tackle it I almost gave up before we started. It looked so daunting. But we just cleared a 3ft * 20ft strip each weekend and it only took us about 6 weekends to clear the lot. I told you it was a big garden.
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Thanks Bev, we will take it easy, we plan to clear the greenouse today also if we can. Ours is a good sized garden here which is lovely for the chickens to roam around in as we are surrounded by farmland so they love the hedgerows for scratching around in.

We have just acquired a large poly-tunnel which will be great for toms etc. Just have to wait for a friend to help me set it up.

Hmm yes... commercial soap ingredients! Cow fat and chemicals! I have to say though that in my experience over the years I have found that some of the continental so called 'Olive Oil' soap has turned out to be commercial soap with an appealing label. There's nothing to beat a good quality Marseilles soap or a true Castille soap (ie 100% olive oil soap). The only problem with true 100% olive oil soap is that it has very little lather and goes very soggy and gelly when left in water too long. Most people are used to a good lather so the majority of my formulas are a blend of mainly olive oil but also lather producing oils such as coconut and Palm (GreenPalm Sustainable of course!) and cocoa butters, shea butters etc. I only use essential oils for scenting and never use laboratory soap fragrances. That's why I don't make a Rose soap or a lily of the valley for example as the essential oils for these are either too highly priced or are simply not available as an essential oil..

Oh dear Yawn... I'm on my soap box again... this wasn't intended to be a long post...sorry !
 
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Dawnejoy said:
I too have looked at your website and all the lovely things you make.............think your business maybe having a little boost soon :):)

You really will have to let me know if you are this way at all over the summer :)

Have a great weekend :) xx
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Thank you Dawn.. I will be in Horncastle at the Summer Craft Fair on the Market place all being well.. It would be lovely to meet you..x
 
dabhand said:
Oh dear Yawn... I'm on my soap box again... this wasn't intended to be a long post...sorry !
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:8855: at soap box - very appropriate!

But I agree with you. Yes Rose essential oil is extortioniate - but a fews drop added to witch hazel makes a great cleanser and as I say I've used it for years. And people always tell me I have good skin.

And yes - I use pue olive oil soap now I'm here in Spain as it's not as expensive here as in the UK and easily available. I just ignore the no lather!
 
Pommette said:
:8855: at soap box - very appropriate!

But I agree with you. Yes Rose essential oil is extortioniate - but a fews drop added to witch hazel makes a great cleanser and as I say I've used it for years. And people always tell me I have good skin.

And yes - I use pue olive oil soap now I'm here in Spain as it's not as expensive here as in the UK and easily available. I just ignore the no lather!
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Rose Oil is sensational, I have a small supply for my own use. The Bulgarian Rose oil is divine... It's just not affordable in soaps:(

If you use a scrunchy in the shower and rub the soap on that first it boosts the lather into a really rich cream. Nb... I said Scrunchy and not Crunchy that is definitely not allowed lol...
 
dabhand said:
If you use a scrunchy in the shower and rub the soap on that first it boosts the lather into a really rich cream. Nb... I said Scrunchy and not Crunchy that is definitely not allowed lol...
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And even if allowed, it would be a waste, cos it would melt far too fast, and you wouldn't get enough of it in your mouth.
 
The chocolate would melt but the orangey bits would make a good scrub for knees and elbows etc. I think you may have hit on a good idea here Dawn and look forward to seeing Kettler's Cottage Crunchy bum scrub.

Po xxx
 
dabhand said:
Thank you Dawn.. I will be in Horncastle at the Summer Craft Fair on the Market place all being well.. It would be lovely to meet you..x
Click to expand...

When I find out the date I will be there :) looking forward to it already :)
 
Pomooky125 said:
The chocolate would melt but the orangey bits would make a good scrub for knees and elbows etc. I think you may have hit on a good idea here Dawn and look forward to seeing Kettler's Cottage Crunchy bum scrub.

Po xxx
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Kettler's Cottage Crunchy Bum Scrub TM

:D:D I like it.. Here's how production goes... Sarah, licks all the chocolate off before it melts... Hands the orangey part to Po who smashes it to bits before Dawn adds it to the pot.

Who's first in line to be a guinea pig ???
 
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