And a Happy New Year

 We returned to the UK in time for New Year, with a short chance to reflect before another set of celebrations. One of my reflections is that I'm really not very good at packing. It doesn't seem to matter much whether it's for a long holiday, a short break, or just an overnight at a friends place, I always seem to get it wrong. I will often stay over night at a friend's place to allow me to have a drink, it has become a standing joke that I always leave something behind, a toothbrush, a sock, or a sweater there always seems to be something.

Valletta Christmas Tree
Maltese Parliament building on the right
Burger King on the left 

Last year when we spent Christmas in Malta I took all the wrong clothes, I was expecting it to be much warmer so didn't have enough sweaters or a warm jacket with me, so I spent much of the week either too cold or too warm (in my UK overcoat!). This year I thought I would do better packing lots of sweaters, warm skirts and tights. Of course that meant that this year Malta enjoyed an unseasonable warm Christmas! I could really have done with some shorts and a light weight jacket. But this last trip I managed worse than just not anticipating the weather.

After unpacking I realised that instead of the two pairs of jeans I thought I had packed I had actually brought one pair of jeans and a pair of jeggings, hardly the end of the world, until I put on the jeggings and the zip broke, then when I put the jeans on instead, a small split opened up so neither were wearable. This ended up meaning that at least one of our expeditions to Valletta was spent looking for a new pair of jeans ~ yes Valletta does have a Marks & Spencer and yes I did buy a pair of their jeans. Even this was not the end of my inadequacy though. I also managed to forget to take a pair of proper shoes for Christmas day.

I had packed a nice pair of court shoes, then unpacked them so I could wear them the day before we flew off, but forgot to repack them afterwards ~ so I was faced with either wearing trainers for Christmas lunch or having to buy some more shoes. Once again I opted for the expensive option and bought some new shoes, they are lovely, but being new did manage to run up a small blister on my toe. I find it hard to believe that at the age of 64 I might ever learn to get any better at packing, but maybe that should be my new year's resolution ~ to learn to pack!

Advent Calendar ~ 24

FINAL DAY!!!!!!

If you haven't done it yet, then it's too late, relax and enjoy.

Advent Calendar ~ 16

Welcome to December the 16th. there was a time when a greeting like that would have been followed with only ** shopping days till Christmas but I can't help noticing that every day is now a shopping day.   Indeed I understand that the Oxford Street Traders Association say that Sunday is now their busiest day.    So for the UK at least that means only 9 shopping days till Christmas.

I hope I've already made my position on Christmas shopping this year clear, I'm not doing any.   It has been a difficult year and my budget for Christmas presents is very close to zero, so as I said here most of the gifts I give will be gifts I have made.

And if any of you are wondering about buying me gifts check out this post from last week.

Enough!

There are a lot of us around, often we like to hide our weakness, people make jokes about us, we are figures of derision and contempt.   Society is ashamed of us and tells us that we must conform, but we find it so hard.   Now we are in the 21st Century with the wonders of he internet we can get in touch with others like us, know that we are not alone, some like Joey and me even write blogs admitting to our weakness.   Yes I will admit it, I don't like going to the dentist!  

If I have the opportunity I will always put off visits, and try to resist going at all.   Having missed a couple of regular check ups I sort of just fell off the system and hadn't been to the dentist for several years   All was fine until a couple of weeks ago one of my teeth started to get a little loose, it became uncomfortable and even painful last weekend so I had to bow to the inevitable and make the dreaded visit. Yesterday was the earliest appointment I could get, so I duly traipsed into Croydon to reacquaint myself with one of the most understanding and gentle dentists you could hope to find.   As I suspected the tooth had to be removed, and off course it was all a lot less painful than I anticipated, indeed the worst bits were the x-ray, the injection, and paying at the end.

More pain was to follow as there was another extraction on the menu, I met my daughter straight from the dentist to go shoe shopping, it was her birthday the other day and I had agreed to buy her some Ugg Boots, I think these are truly horrible but she loves them, I see all the other gorgeous shoes on display, and think of how many pairs of lovely pumps I could buy for the same price as these ugly things, but I had agreed and had to go through with it.   As I paid I realised that this was actually the most I have ever paid for a single pair of footwear, ever! I normally enjoy shoe shopping, but to buy the most expensive pair yet, and not even like them stretched the enjoyment, I just hope that she continues to enjoy them as long as Spinelli.

Having started the day out with an electrolysis session that was more than enough pain for one day.

Excuses, excuses

Pardon my absence, after the extreme blogging of April May seems to have been a bit thin on the ground.   Just for a change I have got myself more than a little over committed.   One day I will have to learn how to say "no"

I have had at least one commitment every night for the last ten days, and the same for the next four.   Some of these commitments are for Paula, and some for Paul, guess which I'm looking forward to more.

One of last week's commitment was to play on the bandstand at Eastbourne.    Before playing I met up with three of my (female) friends and we travelled down to Eastbourne by train, nice and early so that we could hit the charity shops, then have a leisurely fish and chips lunch.   It was great fun trawling some different charity shops, I helped my good friend "S" make a couple of purchases, including a lovely floral skirt, which I would have bought if she hadn't.   I also managed a couple of purchases for myself.   All four of us happen to have the same size feet, I have my eyes open for a pair of sandals but I just can't help but notice any shoes that are in my size, so on this occasion it meant any shoes in our size!

In teasing the others I suggested a couple of pairs of extreme heels I found, when one pointed out that they were my size as well, I felt obliged to try them on, and they were surprisingly comfortable, so dear reader I bought them!   This did demand an explanation, so once again I found myself coming out to some more friends who totally failed to realise that this was a big thing.   I am constantly surprised by just how accepting and understanding people are.

Coffee and Cake

I have been weary all day (I should say that I am writing this last thing on Tuesday night ready for posting early on Wednesday morning, hopefully before I am even out of bed), it is not so much that yesterday was particularly tiring or indeed that today has been particularly hard.   No it is more the accumulated lack of sleep over the last few days that has now caught up with me.

It all started Saturday night with the concert I played down in Fleet in Hampshire, by the time I got home from there it was already about one O'clock in the morning, with the loss of an hour that was actually two O'clock, then I had a rehearsal, concert and another rehearsal on Sunday, a full day's work on Monday followed by another rehearsal, Tuesday evening I hosted my home group and then today I was up early for a prayer meeting I like to attend.    Unfortunately this evening it all caught up with me.

My plan for the evening had been to have a quick bath and shave, get dressed and go and do some shopping before having my dinner and doing a bit of tuba practise.   So much for planing.   When I finished work I got home made a pot of tea sat down on the sofa and promptly feel asleep.   Waking up I was reluctant to abandon all my plans so a quick bath on with the slap and ready to eat and then do my shopping.   I knew exactly what I wanted to wear, a nice lightweight black and white tunic/mini-dress that exactly suited my mood.   But when I opened my wardrobe it wasn't there!   I looked in all the drawers, on the shelves at the top and all through the hangers (there are quite a lot), I couldn't see it anywhere, I looked again, then I looked in the airing cupboard, the drawers in my bed, the bottom of the clothes basket, everywhere.   Eventually I went back to my wardrobe and went through the hangers again and there it was, just where it should be.

At this point I gave up got dressed and ate my dinner, the only shopping I managed was to pop next door to Tesco's Express to get some milk and a cream bun, which I am now enjoying with a cup of coffee.   It is already too late for an early night but once I have finished my coffee I shall be turning in.   The shopping will have to wait until tomorrow.

One odd thing that did happen during the day, I popped into my bank to pay in some cheques and enquire about opening another account, it appears that I need to have a meeting with someone at one of their larger branches, the first available appointment isn't until the 28th of April, as I want this account in my Paula name I shall be going to this meeting appropriately dressed.

I'm, Back

I'm slowly catching up after my weekend away, it's amazing just how much Facebook, Google+ and Blog stuff goes on over a weekend, and that's without all the cartoons I have to follow each and every day.

I do enjoy all the blogs I follow and miss them when I am away.

One of the things about going away is that we see different shops, I am used to my local Tesco, as I am sure most of us are, over the weekend I had occasion too visit two other branches of this self same store.   One thing that all three branches have in common, and therefore I suspect all the others do as well, is an aisle of "Seasonal" produce.   Curious to see what Tesco might think is seasonal in late January/early February I checked, and yes they have - Easter eggs.

How the blazes are Easter eggs seasonal in February? it's not even Lent yet.   But then what can we expect from a society that supplies us with Hot Cross Buns all year around?

"Thank you"

At the end of a ridiculously busy week it is nice to sit down and relax.   Even today (Saturday) I had an all day Worship seminar / conference / thingy that I was committed to being at.   It was very good, and although I'm not too sure that I learnt anything new I was certainly reminded of a few things I had more or less forgotten.    Every night this week I have had some sort of commitment that has required "him" to be out, so I have not had an opportunity to be me since last Sunday.

Tonight after getting home I decided to get changed, and to glam it up a bit in order to cheer myself up, while relaxing.   I already had on a rather nice black satiny blouse so I decided to keep that and team it with a pair of black culottes and formal black jacket, along with some sparklies it makes a nice party type outfit.   It was after getting changed that realised I would need some fresh bread for the morning, and could really do with some wine for the evening.   They have more or less got used to me next door in the Tesco's Express so I wasn't worried about popping in.  

I was showing quite a bit of leg and was way over dressed for shopping, but then that is quite normal as lots of people pop in on their way to parties, indeed while I was there a very pretty quite tall girl came in wearing very nice, very high heels and a very nice very short dress. we exchanged a few words other the wine fridge as we made our selections.

I collected the rest of my shopping and went to the tills to pay, my favourite (female) cashier wasn't on duty, so I had to go to the sole male cashier.   They are in the habit of getting a bag out for each customer, but I am in the habit of taking my own cotton bag, so the following conversation ensued;

"It's OK I don't need a bag"
" Oh you're turning down my bag are you?"
"Well it's nothing personal"
shopping rung through money exchanged, then;-
"You know I like you"
me totally flummoxed can't think of anything to say other than to smile and say
"Thank you"

Under the wing of the Eagle

I was very pleased to have reason (and support) to go to the Spread Eagle last night, I have often walked past and thought that it looked like a decent place, but it also seemed to have almost exclusively male customers.   In many, many ways I am pleased that women now have equal rights and status here, but somehow going into a pub alone as a woman is quite hard.   I know I will attract attention, and I always fear that some of it may be unwelcome.   Most people are friendly, accepting and just too concerned with their own problems to want to be a problem for anyone else, but there are sufficient exceptions to want to make sure that I avoid them.

It is difficult to tell the character of a pub without going in, and of course by the time you are in it could be too late, still, know that CAGS were meeting there it was never going to be too bad.   I had a very nice evening, as I said yesterday it was a good interesting meeting, but on a lower level the staff were all very friendly, and the ladies loo is exceptionally nice!   Although the bolt was broken on one door of one of the stalls, it was very clean, smelt nice and had a bunch of fresh flowers.   I find that all very encouraging and I think I may well go back.

When I got home I found I was out of bread so popped next door to Tesco's to get some, the cashier recognised me and we had quite a nice little chat.   It quite made my evening, and I hope that a friendly exchange made her shift drag a little less.   The more I go out the friendlier and more accepting I find people to be, maybe this is a factor of my fear level lowering, or maybe people really are nice.

Tomorrow (Wednesday) morning I have meeting with a local Council when I shall have to put on a suit and tie, I am considering wearing my new trouser suit.

The jacket is a little longer than is usual, but I think with a collar and ties and the right shoes I may just "get away with it"

It's been a while

I can't help but notice that it is a few days since I last posted.   As I have so often pointed out recently I have been busy.   There is just so much stuff that needs doing, as well as work and all the supporting paperwork there is also all the housework, laundry and my own garden to look after, and of course the highlight of any week, grocery shopping!

I am doing pretty well, I am keeping up to date with all the chores, washing up, laundry, cleaning the house etc.   but I do seem to find it difficult to do the shopping at a sensible time.   I can go to the supermarket late at night (our local Tesco's is open 24 hour) but it is a profoundly unsatisfying experience.   Everyone there is miserable, whether they are working or shopping, the aisles are full of stock cages waiting to be put out on the shelves, and the shelves are empty while they wait for the stock.   I suppose I cud go early in the morning but that would mean A/ getting up early and B/ there wouldn't be much on the reduced counter; and those two problems tell you as much about me as I want to reveal at the moment.

Dress Size Lottery



Dorothy Perkins size 18

On Monday morning I had my hair done, just a trim wash and dry, I think I may have it permed again next time, as long as I am still working at my current levels this is a small luxury I think I can allow myself.   I rather like the feeling of being pampered and I always think I look good when it’s done, and that helps to make me feel good, yesterday was no exception.

Country Casuals size 14 (with new Jones shoes)

After this I had a few things to do so popped into West Wickham were I visited Boots and the Bank, once the essentials had been done I did a trawl through the charity shops.   There was nothing I needed but I did want to see if I could find a small white should bag, and maybe some more androgynous tops.   I am aware that sizes can vary so was prepare do try on anything I was thinking of buying.   I actually bought

·        Brand new (with labels) Essentials all wool trouser suit size 16 for £17.50

·        Country Casuals dress and jacket suit size 14 for £10

·        A white leather shoulder bag for £1.99

·        White top size 16 for £1.00

·        Cream top size 16 for £1.99

·        A pair of brand new (with labels) Jones the Bootmakers brown shoes for £4.99

After all that I was in need of a coffee, I was wearing a favourite Dorothy Perkins dress size 18.   I tried on both suits and they both fit fine, the bit I am most surprised about are the suit trousers, I would normally be a size 12 or 14 for trousers but both the jacket and trousers fit ~ maybe that’s why they ended up in a charity shop.    It does seem ridiculous that on the same morning I can be three different sizes from three different manufacturers.   I find myself increasingly sympathetic for the amount for clothes that my daughter has to return as she won't try them n in the shop.   Anyway, depending on your point of view I either wasted or saved a lot of money.

I did make one mistake, I bought what I thought were a couple of packs of three tights, it was only when I got home and unpacked everything that I realised they were stockings, not tights.   Oh well in the greater scheme of things a good morning in the shops.

Shopping

I know that recently I have not been quite as dedicated to getting my daily blog posts up as has been my habit.  Over the last week I have found my time to be in short supply, well of course I have had exactly the same amount of time that I and everybody else has every week, it’s just that here have been a lot of calls on that time.

My friend B has been working with me all week but since his car is currently off the road awaiting some critical but minor repairs I have been picking him up and then dropping him home each day, this actually adds about two hours on to the working day, then of course I still have all the domestic duties to perform.   I can assure you I am no domestic goddess, but I have been trying to keep the house straight and even make a few improvements each week.   Well this week I have struggled to even keep up with the washing up.

Looking back it is hard to put my finger on any one thing that has been achieved that took quite so much time, it is just all the stuff that is involved with keeping a business running.   With as many as four people working at a few different sites I have done as much driving around and looking after the others as working myself, still it is good to have a weekend.   Typically yesterday (Saturday) morning my first job was to take a load of waste for composting, before picking up my daughter to do a little shopping.

A little shopping! I should have known better.   Staring sixth form on Tuesday apparently she needed a new bag and some shoes, this turned into a couple of skirts, some blouses, shoes and a bag.   I went clothes shopping spent over £150 and bought nothing for me!

I do want a dressing gown, I have a think towelling one but wanted something lighter weight, since I have now changed my habitual nightwear I would like something extra to put on when I get up but what I have is a bit to think and warm.   I also thought it would be a good way of bringing up the subject of my clothing choices by making it clear that I intended buying in the women’s department.   Of course nowhere we went had anything other than thick winter dressing gowns anyway so the whole idea went by the board.   It would have been nice to spend the whole day with my daughter but she had a party in the evening but by the time I had dropped her and some rather impressive balloons off so she could help her friend get ready the day was pretty much over anyway.

It is strange, my daughter and I seem to be enjoying our time together much more now that it is limited, maybe this way we value what we like about each other without having the time to annoy each other.   Certainly the times we spend to together have become the highlights of my week.

Burger without Ketchup?

I think it was Stana on Femulate who first said a bad day En Femme is better than a good day in drab.

About once a month I have quite a long, boring data entry type job, which basically involves sitting at the computer for several hours doing some really boring stuff.   In order to make life a bit more entertaining over the last few months I have been getting dressed and then taking my lap top out to a hotel or coffee shop, this month as our domestic arrangements have changed I stayed home, and spent most of the morning putting in the data.   Certainly getting dressed and made up makes me feel so much better that the really boring job becomes just that much more bearable.

When it came to lunch time I had got a burger to cook myself, one big problem I was out of ketchup!   This should not be a problem since we have a Tesco's Local right next door.   As it is so convenient I use this shop quite a lot, enough that the staff recognise me, so I was a little reluctant to go in there dressed.

I was faced with the problem which would be worse, a Burger without Ketchup or going into my local shop en femme.   It probably says something about me that I decided the idea of a burger with ketchup was the worse option.   Of course when I went in nothing happened, there was no one shopping there who knew me, and nobody pointed and started laughing!

Purge

I think most of us who are transgendered, transsexual, cross-dresser, transvestite or whatever else we might choice to call ourselves have experienced the purge.   In my experience this consists of a moment of rejection of what we do, brought on by consideration for others, pressures of society, or a moment of self awareness, whatever the cause the result is the same.

We go through all our "stuff" and throw away all our clothes, wigs, jewellery etc. etc. everything that is connected to our cross-dressing.   We are relieved, we have broken the cycle we  will just live a normal male life from now on (I assume that it is the same for female t male as well).   We will initially feel liberated, then we will manage, then we will struggle, then eventually we will give in to the inevitable and buy those cute shoes, or that pair of lacy panties.   Those of us of a "certain age" will recognise that this in itself is part of the cycle we go through.   I know I have been through it many time, too many times, before accepting that this is something I am and not something I do, That the clothes are an essential expression of who I am not the end in themselves.

Through these purges I have lost many garments and items that I now regret, of course it also means that I got rid of some unfortunate purchases that I was never going to wear in public.   Because of the sense of loss attached to a purge in my latest clear out I decided not to dispose of the rejects.   All my "boy" underwear has now been packed up in a suitcase along with my bike leathers and now reside in the attack.

Moving Paula in meant everything in the same place and properly organised, this led to the revelation of exactly how much underwear I have.   Because of the restrictions on doing laundry I think I often bought new when in normal circumstances I would simply have washed, I now find I have far, far too many pairs of panties, bras and tights.   At least it does mean I won't need to buy any for quite some time now, I shall now limit myself to replacing worn out items ~ unless of course they are really cute .

Don't forget that I still need your help and advise as to which dress to wear next Sunday.

THE Dress

To continue the saga....Yesterday I wrote about our television and a dress I had tried on but was unsure of buying, well today I went back, first I bought a TV, nothing fancy just a simple little tele that is big enough to see, small enough to fit and that will work.   The dress was another matter.

Part of my problem was that I didn't have the right shoes on when I first tried this dress.   I was wearing a pair of ballet pumps and this is a dress that requires killer heels.   Also it is totally backless and my bra was showing which made the whole thing look a bit odd.   As I was planning to pop in and buy the dress if it was still there my first thought that it would be too complicated to get dressed, I would just go in my normal drab working clothes and if it were still there I would buy it.   As a last minute decision I popped a pair of very sheer black tights and some killer heels it my bag before going out.   Arriving in the shop I checked out the rails and it was still there, so I claimed it.   One lady observed my choice and commented on what a nice dress it was, if she had seen it first she might have bought it.   As the only changing room was in use we got into a bit of a conversation, and I told her I had tried it the other day, but wasn't sure as I didn't have my heels with me, and I wasn't sure about the back.

As the changing room became free I slipped inside removed my drab outer garments . put  my tights, heels and the dress, in the small changing room it looked fine, but with a turn of devilry I went outside into the shop to find my new friend and asked her what she thought.   Having been reassured that it was "stunning" and that he back looked "really good on you" I just had to buy it didn't I?

It was a great buy and it was great to find a civilian who was happy to join in my fun, now I just need a suitable occasion to show off my new dress, how about a coming out party?

TV?

I mentioned yesterday that I was looking for a cheap replacement TV (Television not transvestite, I am quite happy with the one I am). The other evening I was out when I got a text message from my wife, who is still sleeping at our house, asking what was wrong with the telly? Well it had been fine when I turned it off, but now it just had a white screen, the sound was OK but no picture.   A quick search on the old interweb indicated what the problem might be and a possible fix, but that didn't work so I will be resorting to replacement.

However bearing in mind our current uncertain domestic arrangements I am loath to spend any money, hence the looking in charity shops.   On Thursday I visited Wallington where there is a BHF Furniture and Electrical store, they had a TV I quite liked but it didn't have a remote so I decided to leave it, wandering further down the High Street, I tried on a spectacular black evening dress, I wanted to buy it but wasn't sure that I could carry off the backless look.   I have now decided that today (Monday) I will go back and will buy both the TV and the Dress if they are still in stock.   If they have been sold then I will try to convince myself that it is a sign that I was right and shouldn't have bought them.

In the mean time we do have a little 14 inch portable TV that I have set up, it's not quite the same but at least I can watch the cricket.

The Weekend Starts Here

Here in the UK we have a Bank Holiday on Monday (for Mayday) so this should mean a long relaxing weekend, good weather a little pottering in the garden and maybe even a barbecue if the weather holds.   Instead I will be working today (Saturday) bandstand concert (in drab) on Sunday and then only on Monday will I get a bit of a break, and by then I shall probably be shattered.

This has been a pretty heavy week already as I have been catching up on work that had been put off during the bad weather, along with all the seasonal work I would expect anyway.   That and no dressing opportunities, indeed with my regular rehearsal cancelled no real social outings at all, a bit of a flat week.   On the positive side I am working! and next week I have an appointment with both my hairdresser and my osteopath and then on Saturday a meeting of the Croydon Trans Group so that gives me at least three things to look forward to.

I find I need things to look forward to, to anticipate and plan for.   My Father always used to say that the anticipation was better than the event, I don't know about that but I can see what he was getting at, sometimes late at night I will poor myself a large Scotch, and spend a minute or so just looking at it, anticipating the sensation of enjoying that first sip the caramel or peaty taste as the whisky is rolled around in the mouth leading to the burn of the alcohol, then the warmth as it is swallowed, then and only then do I actually take a sip.   I wonder if shopping is a bit like that, the looking at all the different items, trying them on, imagining the situation in which they would be worn.   Maybe that is why I have so many dresses.

The video is nothing to do with anything other than I just found it, and the guitarist is a (virtual) friend of mine - you really do rock Anita!

The best laid plans...............

I did not do very well on my hopes for the weekend.   I packed a couple of outfits I wanted to take some photos of, I also remembered to pick up my camera and tripod, on Saturday night after Mum had retired for the night I got changed, set up my tripod and camera, got all set for the first picture, when I found that I had left the memory card at home!   I had already managed to forget to take a belt or a pair of socks with me, so overall I did not feel as though I was doing very well.   As I get up at silly O'clock in the morning I tend to get my stuff ready the night before, leave it all down stairs and when I get up come down get dressed, grab my bag and go.   On Saturday morning I did put on some nail polish before getting dressed but realised when I put on my skinny jeans that I hadn't brought a belt down, rather than risk disturbing my wife I left anyway, it was only when I got to Cardiff that I realised that I had forgotten my slippers as well.   This is only slightly inconvenient but it did mean I had to be a little careful not to show off my deep red toe nails.

Whilst doing Mums shopping I did have a look at the clothes in Tesco's they have a red suit (Jacket, Dress and Skirt) that I really like, but bearing in mind my current financial circumstances I resisted temptation.   I would like the dress in particular but I will admit to wanting the jacket and skirt as well.   The skirt is probably a little on the short side for a lady of my age, but I like a length that is either short or long, I feel at my height anything in the middle is a bit, well, nothing.

So as I was feeling so good about myself for resisting temptation I thought I really deserved a little treat, so I bought myself a nice satin bra and pantie set.   I think they look better on the model here than they do on me, but then nobody except me will see them so that's OK.

And that is indeed one of the problems of pretty underwear for somebody like me, I just don't get to share the fun with anyone else, well anyone else except you of course.

 

A Good day part 3

Well, after the concert there was a choice of go home on my own, or pop over the road to the pub with the rest of the band, and some of the audience, what my American friends would probably call a "no brainer".

Whilst I was gobsmacked at the prices in the bar I did stay for a few, and enjoyed the company of the band.   Although many were there with partners and most seemed to be old friends, while I was the new girl I was not left on my own at all, and had several enjoyable conversations with several interesting people (including a very nice man from Boston).   I could not let myself go too much though as I had taken the option to drive, while it was a bit of a pain to not be able to drink, it was nice to be able to just drive home and not worry about public transport at all.

The final icing on the cake was that as it was pretty late by the time I got home and the rest of the family were asleep in bed, so I could get indoors and then get changed just the once before going to bed.   It is one of the frustrations of my situation that I have to clean off my makeup and nail polish, and get changed into drab before coming home, often only to get changed again and go pretty much straight to bed. It was so nice to be able to sit down for a moment with a cup of decaff before cleaning off my nails and face.   Sometimes it is the simple pleasures that can mean the most.

In the mean time life has been carrying on, as it has a tendency to, so far I have been able to work every day this week, and have a full diary for next week, something of a relieve after the recent weather.   I have also picked up an old bass guitar for renovation, I soon got it working and it looks like all it needed was a good clean, renewing a few connections and some new strings.   As soon as I have picked up a set of strings and restrung it I shall be auctioning it off on e-bay.   I always keep my eyes open for instruments that I think I can do something with, and hopefully make a small profit, but this will be the first time I will have done it with something that's not brass!  

I realise that I have only just finished writing about last Saturday and we are nearly at the next one, this coming weekend will be one of my Cardiff weekends, which means that yet again I will be missing the Croydon Trans Group meeting, this is a real shame, not just because I miss the girls and want to be part of the support network, but also because this week Helen has arranged a special late night shopping opportunity for us with one of the local charity shops.   This will be a great opportunity for some of the less self confident girls to shop without fear of embarrassment, and try on their choices before buying.   I will be sending a supportive message by e-mail, but it's not the same as being there.

Warning ~ Don't get caught

There are a lot of pop up ads on the Internet at the moment for "Beauty Products" like Dead Sea Beauty Kits where free samples are being offered on trial, or even more insidious "Testers wanted".   Don't be tempted, after you go through the process you will be asked for credit or debit card details so that you can be charged for post and Packaging.   At first you will be charged an item of around £3:99 or some other small and apparently reasonable amount, then a month or so later you will start getting larger amounts up to £90 debited to your account, and it is apparently very difficult to get them stopped.

I understand that it is possible to get the payments stopped, but it is a lot of hastle and getting refunds is even harder, so be warned, don't be fooled.   It is a shame that this sort of scam always preys on those who are most vulnerable and often can least afford the loss, the temptation to get something for nothing is even stronger when you ave very little.   Remember if it seems too good to be true, it probably is.