Monday, June 11, 2012

A Good Start to the Week

I had a wonderful Monday and I'm looking forward to the rest of the week. I hope you had a great start to your week also.

It started off as a beautiful sunny day. I got up early and proceeded down the street for

a little pampering...


before I continued to the shops to try out sofas.

After 30 faithful years of service, I am retiring my sofa. It is less expensive to buy a new one rather than reupholster the old one.  I am a frugal person so I do intend to keep my armchair for awhile longer until I find one I am happy with.  The chair is in slightly better shape that the sofa and can still have new life with a slipcover.

Next, I went on to a lovely lunch....

Fungus soup and green tea

Lightly battered cod fish with sauce
and finished with some refreshing strawberry bubble tea....

Fresh strawberries with ice and tapioca pearls
Later, I did some knitting....and reading.


Now I am having tea and hope to relax and read more. Shopping research continues tomorrow when the rain is also expected to return.

Dear reader, if you have a moment, I'm curious as to how long you keep your sofas? I like things that last a lifetime but so many people do like to change their furniture often.

29 comments:

Terra said...

That sounds like a lovely day, starting with your pedicure and winding up with the meal and relaxation. I have not tried bubble tea and not had a pedicure, can you believe it? We kept our sofa about 30 years too, and bought a new one a couple years ago.

Susan said...

Sounds like you had a delightful day! Right now, the sofa we have is very attractive but horrendously uncomfortable. Oh, I wish I could redo THAT purchase. It was bought second hand a few years ago so I have no idea how old it is. I really, REALLY need a comfy sofa but, unfortunately, it's at the bottom of my priority list right now. Good luck finding yours and make SURE it's comfy. Susan

Joyful said...

Hi, if you get a chance to try bubble tea or have a pedicure, do so. Sometimes it is good to get a few ladies together and give one another pedicures and make a nice night of it. I'm so glad to hear you kept your sofa for 30 years as I think that sounds like a good life span of a sofa that is properly made. I think sofa's made more than 30 years ago lasted even longer.

Joyful said...

Yes, Susan it was a delightful day. I remember when I bought my sofa set. I fell in love with the pattern and I still like it but it is very impractical and have to cover it most of the time to make sure it blends with the changes I make here and there in decor. It was a comfy sofa though so I kept it. I am going to make sure that my new sofa is comfortable because this one I have now has given out and though it doesn't sag, it isn't supportive any longer.

Kay L. Davies said...

We all need someone or something supportive in our lives, even if it's only furniture.
I have a recliner with a remote-controlled feature that lifts me out of the chair when I'm past getting out of it myself. Love, love, love it. I got a cover for it, because the dog was jumping up onto it, but she doesn't jump up onto the cover. LOL
Looking forward to seeing photos.
K

Joyful said...

Kay, I have purchased two of these types of recliners for my mother in the past. In fact she still has one where she lives but it isn't in her room. They want me to bring it home. Perhaps I should. I'm glad your dog doesn't jump on the cover of your new chair!

_ said...

Cute toes! :) I would type more, but it's way past my bed time! I just couldn't resist typing about your toes before I nodded off to sleep! :) & the Cod looks delicious!

Joyful said...

Aw, you're too sweet! Thank you so much as I hesitated about putting my toes on display, lol. God knows. And, that cod was so delicious.

OneStonedCrow said...

Good news - hope today is even better Penny ... :)

Jan said...

WOw! Bubble Tea. I have never heard of such a thing but am stuck by the name and photograph and now wish to try it! Not sure we have it over here, will have to google! ;)
As for sofas. I will have a sofa until it wears out lol, as our eight year old one is doing lately. I am not such a handy person and don't really have the time to fix things up, so have been used to(in the past)replacing things that have worn out. That makes me sound really extravagent however I'm not really with big things like sofas for example.Household things have always been the last thing on my priority list and I managed for years with second hand. I tended to spend more money on books, clothes, activities, gifts and charities, trips and holidays - these days we are having to be more frugal and perhaps I wish we had been more so in the past! Ah life's lessons eh?

Jackie McGuinness said...

Thanks for dropping by and visiting me.

I tend to get tired of my furniture easily so I don't spend a lot and our latest is 11 years old so thinking it's time for a change!!

Covnitkepr1 said...

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Beth Zimmerman said...

I've been married 32 years and have never had a new sofa. :( That said ... we do NOT still have the original used one!

Denise said...

Glad you enjoyed your day, love you.

Joyful said...

Trust me, the new sofas are not all they are cracked up to be. Especially those that are a reasonable price. I would far rather have a sturdy used one with good reupholstery but that costs more than a new one in many cases.

Joyful said...

Thank you, Graham. I hope you have a wonderful week ahead.

Joyful said...

Jan, I hope you get a chance to try the bubble tea. It is really like a big slushie with fresh fruit to which they add coloured tapioca or coconut meat. Thank you so much for letting me know about your sofa. I am like you. I don't like to spend on furniture and many things for the house. I'd rather take a holiday and have funds for outings, charity, travel.

Joyful said...

Thanks Jackie for letting me know about your sofa's lifespan. It is so helpful to know how long other keep their sofas. It seems mine has lasted really well at 30 years, lol.

Joyful said...

Thank you, Denise. I love you too and I hope your eye appointment went well. I've been praying for you. xx

Joyful said...

Thanks for your visit. I'm now following you. I hope you will drop by and enjoy some of my pics now and then. God bless. x

Lonicera said...

When I got divorced I took the sitting room suite with me (my ex had had it for several years before he met me so by then it was about 10 years old), and I kept it for another 20 (along with the TV!) and finally bought a new suite about 8 years ago. I like the 'new' one, but with hindsight I should have chosen one with lower arms, so that I could lie down on the sofa and be able to rest my head (or sling a leg over the side). I'm glad I chose ones with separate covers, because I've got alternate ones - plain pale yellow and plain terracotta - which I rotate. What I need to do now is have another set of fitted covers made, because the yellow ones get dirty so quickly. Another hindsight: looser covers, because every time I've had them specially washed in cool water, they shrink...
Caroline

Joyful said...

Your first sofa lasted a good long time (like mine). The sofa I will likely be selecting has lower arms than the one I currently own. It also has shorter arms which is great for when you are lying down as you can really stretch out though the sofa itself is even longer than my current one. It will be leather. My first time getting a leather sofa. It won't have slipcovers as they will slide around. I'm interested in your current sofa. When you bought it did it come with two different covers? That is awesome. I wish sofas here came with slipcovers but they don't and to buy or have them made it really too expensive for my taste. I did contemplate just getting new cushions and a well made slip cover but to be honest I really dislike washing the covers and having to put them back on the sofa and chair. I find it such a big job.

Diane said...

I recovered our settee and two chairs last time they needed doing. It was nothing like as difficult as I thought it was going to be. Diane

Joyful said...

That's wonderful Diane. I think my sofa and chairs would be easy enough to recover and I could get cushions cut also in the density I prefer. I've thought about it but am more inclined to get a new one.

Pat said...

We just got a new couch and love seat, both with 2 recliners. Our couches last anywhere from 20 to 25 years. I'm not interested in reupholstering or putting covers on them. Either the hide-a-bed sags so much it is totally uncomfortable or the fabric wears out or the recliner mechanism breaks. My husband loves recliners, but he has a habit of shaking his foot back and forth on the footrest, which gradually loosens screws, nuts and bolts. He doesn't even realize when he is doing that. Over the years, when cleaning, I find a washer here, a screw there, etc. until the recliner mechanism is totally wrecked. He is trying to be really careful now about not shaking his foot when he's using the footrest. I remind him.

I hope you find the perfect couch!

Joyful said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Joyful said...

Oh good for you! I've thought about getting reclining sofa and chair but decided against it in favour of a sofa only whenever I do get one. I'm not yet sure about the chair as I may just keep the one I've got.

Brenda Green said...

Beautiful nails,
good looking food, and fun with knitting,
you can't go wrong with these. love ya me

Heidrun Khokhar, KleinsteMotte said...

You had a very lovely treat. Love your knitting!

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