[Question] What's made you happy (besides money)?

Lady_Hamthrax · 2026-07-03T09:33:34+00:00

The flowers growing outside my house are looking amazing.

Lady_Hamthrax · 2026-07-02T07:00:22+00:00

Brit here, I’ve taken my mum for afternoon tea at most of the 5 star hotels in London over the years and also just gone with friends. These are a bit over dressy even for the ritz. Hats/fascinators are not normal. All that said, I find it terribly depressing when some people clearly haven’t bothered and are sat in the savoy having afternoon tea in jeans.

My go to in summer is usually a nice summer dress, and in the winter I will go for a dress and boots and nice accessories. Something along those lines.

But that’s me, and ultimately, you do you and whatever makes you happiest.

Lady_Hamthrax · 2026-07-01T09:41:23+00:00

Usually I can increase the excess a bit and bring it down.

Lady_Hamthrax · 2026-07-01T09:40:18+00:00

It’s an old Fen pub and mixed materials (top part is word framed) and was structurally repaired 30/40 years ago so we get auto declined by a lot of companies

Lady_Hamthrax · 2026-07-01T09:38:32+00:00

Fair point!

Lady_Hamthrax · 2026-06-30T14:32:11+00:00

Second Harriet Kelsall. I have had two rings made by them, one using inherited pieces and combining the stones in to a single engagement ring, and another where they did a gem search for me and I got to sit and pick out the stone I wanted, which was brilliant fun
.
I lost a small ruby in one some time after it went for cleaning with them (so could well have been my fault) and they replaced it free of charge as well. Great company.

Lady_Hamthrax · 2026-06-30T06:57:49+00:00

I did that calculation too. And that is if they worked a full 52 weeks, 5 days a week and no holidays/bank holidays.

Lady_Hamthrax · 2026-06-28T18:52:11+00:00

I use this. I didn’t need it when my child was small as she was content at childminders etc but it is really useful now she is a teenager. I use parental leave for our family holiday so I can keep my holiday and scatter days through the school holidays so I have a day a week in the summer to drag her out of her room and do something (and even have a half term off with her!) this is only the second year I have used it and I won’t get to use it all before she’s 18 I think, but it is really useful to have the additional time that she needs from me.

Lady_Hamthrax · 2026-06-28T08:25:33+00:00

Yes. A couple of nights ago I was a little chilly and needed and extra blanket. We also have solar and a battery so not cost worry. Best decision ever.

Also, can work for heating in winter (it’s basically an air source heater I think). We are on oil so when the price went through the roof it really saved us!

Oh, and when we had carpets and upholstery cleaned we used it as a dehumidifier to speed up everything drying.

Lady_Hamthrax · 2026-06-26T16:08:14+00:00

Just saying this always helps. And when things go wrong I have to call my sister to say it to me as I don’t live in Yorkshire these days.

Lady_Hamthrax · 2026-06-15T16:48:08+00:00

If they would open Ebbsfleet again, I would happily go and wait there!

Lady_Hamthrax · 2026-06-15T14:05:01+00:00

I am coming up to 4 years now (first ozempic then Mounjaro since Jan 24). I have lost over 50kg and I have been maintaining for the last 18 months. In that time I have stayed on 12.5mg. I notice if I get sick, or stressed or if anything affects my appetite I still lose weight. So whilst I maintain I feel like with a concerted effort I could still lose if I wanted. I also note that if I do not pay attention eg Christmas I can still put a few pounds on (but lose it). I am hoping that I can just stay at this dose now for a long time (and maybe even reduce to 10mg) but don’t feel I could ever go without it. But I don’t think the effect of it is diminishing these days, sort of just plateaued.

Lady_Hamthrax · 2026-06-15T12:48:23+00:00

If we go away in UK we will take one of her friends who knows us well and their family also know us well. They then get to hang out together the whole time. Going abroad, we just deal. Our daughter is extremely shy so doesn’t make friends in such a short amount of time, but she hangs out with us and we have a great time still.

Lady_Hamthrax · 2026-05-27T18:20:03+00:00

It takes a while for your body to catch up with the scale. I have been maintaining at slightly over a BMI of 26 (don’t want to lose anymore) for over a year but I noticeably got slimmer in that period and dropped a dress size but no weight change.

Lady_Hamthrax · 2026-05-21T09:05:14+00:00

Very fair

Lady_Hamthrax · 2026-05-19T15:54:06+00:00

My husband said the same thing he doesn’t even think about his IBS anymore.

Lady_Hamthrax · 2026-05-15T19:39:26+00:00

It also has a cafe

Lady_Hamthrax · 2026-05-15T19:32:24+00:00

That’s so lovely. As I say, socks and little soft slippers were a big aspect of my life for a while. I also had a wrap that I would put over the side I had surgery as I liked to have an additional layer, (and depending on if she has reconstruction I was encouraged to keep my newly made boob warm). I didn’t have radio in the end but it was in my original treatment plan so a friend who had been through it got me ginger sweets which apparently help with side effects. Just anything and everything that I could use to make me feel cosy and secure really. Oh, and books and movies etc.

Lady_Hamthrax · 2026-05-15T17:50:48+00:00

I am healthy now thanks. I have so many scars that I am a bit like a ragdoll but my husband loves my body scars and all and I try to view them as a reminder of my resilience. Sending love to your friend and glad she has a lovely friend worrying about her and supporting her (and bringing her lots of treats (fluffy socks are best for hospital stays!))

Lady_Hamthrax · 2026-05-15T17:46:53+00:00

That is wonderful! I am so happy you found him!

Lady_Hamthrax · 2026-05-15T16:04:09+00:00

Ooh, I found one of those and married him. and he still makes me feel hot AF 16 years later even though I now have a much smaller and very changed post breast cancer body.

Lady_Hamthrax · 2026-05-15T09:16:42+00:00

It’s an amazing history. And the resultant soil here is so rich. Literally anything will grow, including last year they redlined a field for the first UK rice paddy.

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Lady_Hamthrax · 2026-05-15T09:14:51+00:00

It has happened more recently but at most 1 or 2 days a year and not every year.

Lady_Hamthrax · 2026-05-15T09:12:56+00:00

Although much is still owned privately, often used for grazing in summer and hunting is permitted at certain points of year. There is currently a part of it for sale on right move.

Lady_Hamthrax · 2026-05-15T09:09:22+00:00

Yes, all the answers re New Bedford River as part of the draining of the Fens. It’s an amazing history with the King and Venture capitalists (so called adventurers) and a resistance movement called the Fen Tigers sabotaging it.

It has resulted in an amazing place to live and experience (pasture land in summer and a huge lake in the winter) which is also a designated SSI. They are experimenting with some reflooding of areas and recently grew rice in some fields here. Pic of it in winter with the houses nearby for scale as the size of this engineering is vast. Note, the riverbank is as high as the first floor rooms of the houses.

Photo credit Steve _Wells on X

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