John and I used to have a favourite conversation which went something along the lines of "What shall we do with the money when we win the lottery?" I'm sure you've had similar conversations yourself. We don't actually buy lottery tickets, we never have, but we enjoy those conversations. They entertain us. (I would buy a flint farm house in West Sussex with an AGA and a walled garden, then open up a shop in a pretty town selling books, homewares, cake, yarn, all sorts of lovely things. It wouldn't matter if it made no profit as I'd have all that lottery money.)
Now we have a different conversation. It goes: "What shall we buy when John has a job?" The answers vary depending on which one of us you ask. John wishes for an Xbox One and a new TV, even though our current TV seems to be perfectly fine and quite big enough as far as I can tell. (We have a battle in this house where John is constantly campaigning for a larger TV and me a smaller one.) Anyway, my wish list is more practical these days. I'd like a new tumble dryer. I don't care what make so long as it dries our clothes. Actually, some new clothes would be nice. I've been coveting that chevron jumper (6) for some time and I desperately need to buy some essentials like underwear, vests and t-shirts. We need new bedding. Our five year old white duvet covers from The White Company have actual holes in them and we could really do with replacing them. I'd like a change from plain white and this bright and happy Rhododendron patterned set by Orla Kiely would be just perfect. (1).
We would like to book a holiday for next year - nowhere fancy, just a week somewhere in the UK - and would love a Sonos sound system (3). But the thing we constantly talk about at the moment is an armchair for the living room. We have a lovely sofa, it's very comfortable and roomy enough for the four of us, but it's not very sociable for when people come over and you want to chat. We currently have two armchairs in the room, both of which were budget purchases bought some years ago because we just really needed a chair but didn't have any money, and neither of which are at all comfortable. Useful, yes, comfortable no; they don't say snuggle up in me with your crochet and linger. Which is shame as they are right by the radiator and the window which makes a good spot for lingering and crocheting. It's cold. I want a chair that is wide enough so that I can tuck my feet up under me and take a few cushions too, and a blanket for good measure. I want to be cosy. But it must look nice. I am in genuinely in love with this Habitat armchair (5). I kind of forgot about Habitat for a while when the Leeds branch closed but now our local Homebase stocks their products they are back on my radar. They have arm chairs, reclining chairs should you wish to recline, cuddle chairs (best name ever!) swivel chairs should you wish to swivel (the kids would never be off that...) And since it's a wish list, I'll add in some fripperies: I can't honestly say that we need more cushions but if we did I rather like this one by Donna Wilson (4) and this dala horse print (2) would look very jolly and cheerful on the walls this winter.
I am thankful that we have enough money to eat, heat our house and buy essentials, but sometimes I just really want a bit of retail therapy, you know? Some pretty things. Go ahead, judge me. Tell me, do you have a wish list? What's on it?
This post is in collaboration with Homebase. But we really do need a new chair and this really is my wishlist.
I have a similar, not incredibly realistic wishlist of what I'd buy for my imaginary house, that chair would actually be a great fit! That jumper is also gorgeous, ust been to look at the Boden site and think I like the blue style even more so I'll be keeping an eye on it come january
ReplyDeletehttp://ahandfulofhope.blogspot.co.uk/
I would like a new duvet and some nice socks. not budget ones.
ReplyDeleteThe only thing I really want is a new kitchen table set. Ours is second-hand and getting really battered and is just so eighties-fake-country-style. I would like something more modern and streamlined, in dark wood. I would want a square table with fold-down sides to expand it. Four chairs with very simple, straight backs. I have very specific ideas because I think about this all the time.
ReplyDeleteI love your wish list and can so relate to it .... I hope that you end up getting at least one thing off your wish list ! I have so many wishes ... one of them being to live outside the city ... our very small town house in Den Haag can be quite frustrating sometimes with 4 children and a giant breed dog ... but ... to keep things real, I would love to have a few simple things .. 1. Perfume ( A really nice one, I am thinking Channel Crystal ... pricey for us at the moment, but I have forgotten what it is like to smell of expensive perfume . 2. New Dining room chairs, at the moment we have white ( fake leather ) ones, that were bought on a budget and are so NOT my style. I would love to have wooden ones, all different styles ... .. you have me thinking now ... I am sure that I can think of more ....
ReplyDeleteGreat post - what is it with men & tv's??? My hubby wants a bigger one too - cant see why - this one is big enough and good enough (oops typed this it'll probably blow up now!!!) We've spent out lottery win hundreds of times over - Ian a new big Volvo which he lusts after every time he sees one - me a small holding with chickens and an alpaca - not quite sure why the alpaca but... lol. I'm afraid I know this seems shallow but I would like designer things too instead of primark (which are very good for vests lol)
ReplyDeleteDoes that chair have a sad face?
ReplyDeleteI thought that too!
DeleteOk, yes, maybe a little now you point it out...
DeleteI really want a new sofa, but I need a new laptop, mine is literally falling apart, I'm hoping for a January sale bargain. I hope that John gets a new job soon and that you are able to get one of the things on your list. We have the winning the lottery conversation, I have a dream of building a house - I have the whole thing planned - in my head!! Love the sound of your fantasy shop. xx
ReplyDeleteMr H and I have the same conversation too, and again our wants a miles apart except for our shared love of travel. His list always involves cars and technologies and my list is the same as yours xo
ReplyDeleteMy John and I have a very similar circular discussion about televisions! We're in a similar position money-wise and I'd love to be able to buy some non-essentials. And winter boots for the kids -they could really do with some. And if we won the lottery?.....ooooo, definitely a house in the country with some land. I hope you have a few 'fripperies' at some point this winter. Juliex
ReplyDeleteLoved this post! I've been putting something something similar as a means of pointing my family at the things I want for Christmas :D I do hope Santa can find you a few treats this Christmas :D
ReplyDeleteI know just what you mean - we have had a few lean years - so why do the boys want a bigger TV?! I'd love some money to be spent on the house - a bit of decorating etc. But the last few months have been a little easier for us - so I've bought some new towels (the old ones were embarrassingly thin) some new bedding - not expensive, just from Dunelm, but it's brightened things up, and will tide us over for a year or two.
ReplyDeleteI must confess I have also been a bit naughty and treated my self to some new jeans, top and a dress - all in the same month. Goodness it felt good so have splurge after so long. Hoping it's your turn soon.
Back to being careful again now in the run up to Christmas.
Have a great weekend. x
More yarn i can't get enough, and a new snuggly jumper. I hope you get your wishes and John gets a new job soon x
ReplyDeleteWe'd love to have a new tv. Ours is old and not that great but we can't afford it right now. A bigger, better car would be nice too. I'd also like a work lamp and some new bed linens--I'm waiting for the post Christmas sales to get these hopefully.
ReplyDeleteI do hope you get at least one of the lovely things in your wish list. I'm sure you will!
Marion x
I would like some really warm sheepskin boots to wear around the house, they are definitely on the luxury list though. Oh and some kind of sound system, it's feeling a little quiet around here! My son wants the x-box one as well, even though the present one is working fine! dream on, Heather x
ReplyDeleteI'd love all the things on your list too! We play a similar game sometimes and also frequently say 'when we have some money'. As soon as any comes in out it goes again! Helen
ReplyDeleteI do hope John finds employment soon. Financial stress is difficult. Sometimes I satisfy my retail therapy itches at the thrift store. I guess on my wish list right now is bedroom furniture for all my boys -- their rooms are quite atrocious at the moment, and I'm afraid they are going to be grown and moved out before I can get anything decent in there.
ReplyDeletelove the chair
ReplyDeleteOoh, a list - as you know I love a list, and yours is a good one. I'd put that a chair on mine too, but I'm after a vintage wooden rocker. Definitely don't have space for it, but want one nonetheless!
ReplyDeleteI hope John gets a new job soon and you can tick something off. Oh and yes, what is it about boys and their telly? Have a lovely weekend, hugs xx
So many things I could wish for. I think I would start with the living room - new sofas and a blanket box / chest type thing. And a wall of shelves and cupboards for some of the stuff. Oh, and a woodburner. Yes, I think I'll start with that. But a job is also needed in this house, so I try not to dream too much. I hope that John finds something soon, I know how hard it is. Hope you have a good Sunday Gillian.
ReplyDeleteI could knit you that jumper! I love those colours. We go camping for family holidays, it is good value for money and we all love it. Our current favourite two campsites are Solway View (near Kirkudbright) in Dumfries and Galloway and Treloan (near Portscatho) in Cornwall.
ReplyDeleteMy wishlist is modest this year: a quilting ruler, some rolls of washi tape and a few craft books, and maybe some fabric. Secretly I fancy a bird by Barbara Franc (http://barbarafranc.co.uk/#/british-birds/) but I would not dare asking for one.
I have those same yearnings so I am not judging you at all. It is nice to think out loud sometimes. I would like some new DM's that are not 10 years old and a phone that holds its charge for more than 4 hours with more features than phone and text! But there you are. Chin up lovely, your time will come. Jo x
ReplyDeleteHaha.. Paul and I have this conversation all the time. We usually fantasize about going on a long long holiday to the Greek Islands with the girls..!!! My wish list this year is short. Good food, good company and a good bottle of wine. Xx
ReplyDeleteI usually visit the Charity Shop when the urge for retail therapy hits. Can always find something, which I convince myself I really needed. Dreaming keeps you going through the lean times. Jacqui xx
ReplyDeleteLovely things. So hoping 2014 brings a job for John. I had a lean time for a few years and I am very, very lucky that is not the case now but is has left me with knowing how lucky I am. Xx
ReplyDeleteThe problem with sonos is its addictive - you get one and suddenly you realise you NEED one for every room. A mini one for the kitchen is on my christmas wish list but santa is broke this year so its unlikely to materialise.
ReplyDeleteA pretty coloured stethescope with soft ends that doesn't hurt my ears like the hard, boring black ones at work.
A gorgeous wish list and I am now off to look at Habitat that I too thought had gone!
Fingers crossed for good job news soon xx
I hope all your wishes come true very soon.
ReplyDeleteIt's lovely to have a little wish sometimes, isn't it? I always enjoy daydreaming. We've had the lottery win conversation a lot! Mostly I dream about having more space in the kitchen, having more time to knit and crochet, just being able to buy something once in a while that you really want! But I think most of us seem to be in the same boat with things being a bit tight and perhaps why we are all more keen to look at the simple joys. Take heart that reckless spending all year round wouldn't make any of us feel good. (That's how I like to think of it). Saving up and finally getting your hands on something you've coveted is wonderful and special. Hope Santa brings you something nice this year xxx
ReplyDeleteWishes, piecrusts and all that! Hope John finds a wonderful job and maybe a wonderful chair :) xx
ReplyDeleteI really want a white slipcovered sofa with a few new pillows, and a new kitchen table… at some point, maybe next year. My husband and I do not exchange Christmas gifts, we just buy for Charlotte. I am hoping 2014 brings a really wonderful job for John!!
ReplyDeleteWhen we bought our first house many years ago the solicitor told us that it didn't matter if we sat on orange boxes and eat bread and water, as long as we paid the mortgage our life would be perfect.
ReplyDeleteThat's always stuck in my memory and although we've moved on from orange boxes, eat better and have wine rather than water, our four walls are our comfort. That's not to say we haven't got quite a wish list of "to buys" and "to do's" and I think your list is perfect!
I often have the lottery daydream while on my daily commute and it usually revolves around practical stuff like paying off the mortgage and doing lots of work on the house - new kitchen, bathroom, bedroom units etc etc. I'd love to travel more, particularly to America, and I also have a longing for a Balenciaga lariat bag and a Bernina sewing machine! Funnily enough, I'm more likely to buy an extra chair too as we never have enough seats for visitors. x
ReplyDeleteI love this post, it just rings so true! We have times when our wish lists are full of outrageous items, and times when simply some new hand towels would make me very happy (like right now!). I love your wish list, and I hope you will get at least one of those items soon! The chair and the bed linen - tell your hubby he can't have a new telly til he has a nice new chair to sit on to watch it! ;-) Chrissie x
ReplyDeleteI hope things sort themselves out soon :) I have a constantly evolving wish list I must admit… mainly revolving around house things at the moment… windows are top of the list (and have been ordered) and closely followed by a kitchen :) other than that a million technically unnecessary but very pretty things… jewellery, clothes, shoes, cushions… all sorts! x
ReplyDeleteThe chair looks like it has 2 eyes, a nose and a frumpy sad face.
ReplyDeleteWe have these conversations too. They're fun. Most of us in the world have everything we need to survive but nothing wrong with having a wish list and although i get pretty much everything from the second hand stores I'd love to just splash out and buy some brand new items. I love everything on your list, especially 1. and 6. Lately, my wish list has involved "can I just have a door that you can open without the door handle falling off!" but I also have a mental list of things I'd love to buy if we won the lotto or had some spare money - luxurious towels, new bedlinen for all, some Hunters, a deck so we can actually enjoy the view, if it was a big win I'd pay off the mortgages of our nearest and dearests and then buy a sailboat :-) It's nice to dream…..as for the job situation, I really hope something comes up for John soon and you can treat yourself to some things on your list…..Mel x
ReplyDeleteWe have the TV size conversation in our house!
ReplyDeleteI do like the chair but as soon as I saw it I could see a sad face in it, is that a bit weird?!
I think buying pretty much all of the Boden catalogue would be a must and decking the kitchen cupboards out in Emma Bridgewater for everyday use is a definite.
Fingers crossed on the job front for John.
Lisa x
Some lovely things on your wishlist. I was planning on doing one as well this year, but have sadly ran out of time. Love the print and have also eyeballed that jumper. Would pretty much give all my hind teeth for that chair, oh my! xoxo
ReplyDeleteHope things pick up for you soon and something comes up for John. A member of our family has the same problem at the moment. Tough times x
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean about a little bit of retail therapy, Gillian. It does a lot of good sometimes, doesn't it? I hope John finds a job very very soon!! Pati x
ReplyDeleteWhen Marc and I have the lottery conversation, we end up falling out because he thinks I'll give it all away. He's careful and I'm profligate. It's bloody horrid when the coffers are empty Gillian, so I feel your pain. There is nothing wrong with a wish list, or a bit of wishful thinking. We need to look forward to things I think. And it would seem that you've had a tough time of it lately. I really hope that things are on the up, and that your lovely family get back on track with the job thing, and all that goes with it.
ReplyDeleteAt some point in the next week, there should be a little parcel wending it's merry way to you and yours. By all means save it for the big day. But if you want to open it before, go right ahead and rip into it with my blessing (I have already assembled my Christmas present from Marc!)
Take care of yourself, lovely girl.
Leanne xx