Posted on

Staying sane

So happy I decided to ditch the dye last year and grow my hair so that I could have some beautiful viking inspired braids! I love my hair like never before.
If you are waiting for the salons to reopen and wondering whether you should embrace your sparkles, take it from me you will not regret it for 1 minute.

Ginger and Bird are helping me stay sane through this period of lockdown. We have previously always had a large garden, but when we returned to the UK last year we moved into our little cottage by the sea which only has a small terrace. Having 2 hunting dogs (who normally get about 5 hours off lead exercise per day) and no garden sent me into a complete panic and mini meltdown when the lockdown started, but between the 3 of us we are providing them with all the exercise they need. We set off early in the morning and take very steep trails around the area which means we rarely see anyone else.
The sun has been shining every day since this all started. It has made confinement a little easier being able to hang out washing, scrub paintwork (seagulls like to decorate it for us!) clean windows (this is a new concept for me) and sit outside to eat my breakfast and enjoy the first coffee of the day.

Financially this business pause will be rough for us, as for everyone else. I feel so sorry for the seasonal businesses who worked all through the winter preparing for spring opening. So sad to see the beach cafes closed when the sun is shining and the sky is blue.

My lockdown meltdown lasted 24 hours, after which I accepted this is a challenge we can all get through. I am not a parent waving my husband and son off to war. Being shut in the house with my favourite people and two gorgeous ginger girls is the best confinement I could ask for.
#lockdown #meltdown #hikingiflife #vizsla #silverhair #grayhair #grayhair #goinggray #silversister #silversisters #over50 #50plus #over50influencer #influencer #50plusstyle #matureskin #silverbraids #vikings #vikinghair #ilovemydog #maturemakeup

Posted on

Hit by the virus

Wow its been a long 2 weeks! Thank you to everyone who sent me a message following my story post about my husband. It’s day 13 today and he’s finally out of bed and eating again. Day one started with a dry cough and fatigue. Day 2 – 7 a fever, no appetite and complete fatigue. He was asleep for a total of 10 days. His skin was the colour of wax. I walked into the bedroom day 6 and actually thought he was dead he was such a strange colour and lifeless. Day 11 the colour returned to his cheeks and he started eating a little. I had to shout at him to get him to drink the whole time he was ill, he was so sleepy and disinterested in food or drink.

I’ve been posting on my stories with snippets of my early morning walk. Nobody panic that I am out and about and potentially contagious. I rarely see anyone on my walk and if I do I climb up into the woods to completely avoid all contact. Walking Ginger & Bird kept me sane and I am very lucky that Seb is back home helping me with the dogs and chores. Also, I believe I had the virus 4 weeks ago when I was in bed for 10 days. No testing unless hospitalised so I will possibly never know.
I haven’t worn makeup for almost 2 weeks and I’ve been living in my workout gear to help me run up and down the stairs all day. So today I thought I’d put on something pretty, blow dry and braid my hair and slap on some makeup to make me feel feminine again. It’s amazing what a difference a bit of lippy and eyeshadow can make to my mood. I feel so much happier and positive.
We’ve had some sunshine this week so my whites are starting to sparkle again. Loving my braids!

I hope you all stay safe and well xxx

#grombre#silversister#silverhair#grayhair#greyhair#goinggray#midlife#over50#50plus#over50influencer#over40#goinggrey#silverbraids#whitehair#maturewoman#over50_style#matureskin#matureskinmakeup

Posted on

Stay positive

There isn’t an inch of my home which hasn’t been painted in the past few days. We are trying to stay busy, keeping ourselves occupied whilst we stay indoors. Business is quiet as most companies are not recruiting at this time. We hope that our outstanding invoices are paid so that we can survive financially for the next few months.

Everyone is suffering.
We must remain positive and enjoy the freedom we have to remain at home.
In other countries, people are forced from their homes and businesses, escaping with only the clothes on their back. I met a Syrian refugee several years ago and his story was heartbreaking. Sat at his desk in the bank, he received a call from his father, telling him to leave work immediately and to run as far away as possible to find safety.

He came from a very close family, everyone living on the same street. Everyone eating together and providing financial and emotional support, their lives completely intertwined.
He eventually settled on the streets in Turkey, one sister in Germany, the other in Canada. They didn’t want to be apart or living in someone else’s country, they just wanted to go home, but home didn’t exist any more. He had a good job in Syria, but made money in Turkey cleaning shoes. Life changed so quickly for him.

I often think about him and his family, torn apart by war.

I feel very blessed that I can remain at home, in contact with my friends and family. Even though some food is in short supply, I still have access to fresh produce.

Instead of feeling sorry for myself at this time of confinement, I am very grateful that I have the opportunity to remain in my own home with fresh water and clean clothes.

#quarantinestories #stayhome #over50 #refugeestory #silversister #grayhair #greyhair #silverhair #over50influencer #shortstory #over40 #staysafe #quarantine #positivity #behappy #gratitude

Posted on

Quarantine Queen

Happy Mother’s Day! This photo is for my mother. She wont be seeing any of us (brother and sister) today. She’s 130 miles away from me in self imposed isolation. It’s also for all the mothers, sisters, aunts, nieces and friends spending today away from their loved ones. I decided to put on my favourite pink dress + lippy and best smile to post a #quarantinequeen selfie. Big kiss for Seb who is also many miles away from me today. Gotta keep smiling!
#mothersday#keepsmiling#smile#silverhair#silversisters#greyhair#grayhair#over50#50plus#over40#matureskin#matureskinmakeup#over50influencer#pinkdress#pelogris#positivity#behappy#quarantine#queen#ageing#midlifewomen

Posted on

Stop! Everything is cancelled

So much change in the past 7 days. My husband and son were at the airport ready to fly to Austria last week for a snowboarding trip when they received the news that the resort was closing due to the virus. They had to head the 100 or so miles back home, disappointed that their long awaited boy’s trip was cancelled.

Earlier in the week my son had been contacted by the cruise company he works for asking him if he could return to work immediately. As he had several trips booked, he was unable to help. 2 days later, the company announced they were suspending all cruises for 60 days. This obviously leaves some doubt whether he will have a job to return to.

Yesterday Seb & Katie were informed their trip to Africa planned for this week had also been cancelled.
Katie finishes her job as an Occupational Therapist on Thursday. She saved money over the past year and planned to take a few months off. The plan was to visit Africa and then join Seb on his cruise ship for a month in New Zealand, then do volunteer work for a couple of months. Her job has been filled, so she has no job and no ability to travel.

Do you want to know what she did after all this crappy news? She hand wrote letters to her elderly neighbours letting them know she was able to help them if they couldn’t get out for food or medicines.
I didn’t really feel like posting today. My parents have decided to isolate themselves for 4 months, so no visitors or day trips for them. I have a house filled with disappointed people and a lot of uncertainty.
But, I shall continue to post and keep you updated with the situation where I live. It’s interesting to see how everyone is coping all over the world.

Stay healthy and be happy. We are still smiling!

#behappy#shortstory#over50#silversister#change#over50influencer#grayhair#over50style#50plus#over40#corona#staypositive#vizsla#matureskin#maturebeauty#maturemakeup#maturestyle#ot#kindness#ilovemydog#coronaoutbreak