2021 Resolution: Shopping my own bag and SLG collection. Any one else?

[Sparkletastic]

NOVEMBER ACTIVITIES

1. Bags by Brand Showcase!

Each week, share photos of your bags from the specified brands. Choose a posed “beauty” shot or get your bags out and about in action shots!

We highlight 3 brands per week: 2 premier and 1 contemporary in alphabetical order as listed on tPF. Any brands not listed are showcased in our last week. Brands change to the next set each Sunday.

Our first brand week starts now - Sunday, Oct 31. Please share photos of bags from these brands:

• Bottega Venetta
• Burberry
• Alexander Wang

Tip: Grab your photos from last year in the 2020 resolution thread. Search your user name and the brand to find your photos.

2. Special Stories
Thanks @Claudia Herzog for the suggestion

Wear a bag that has a backstory involving a person, place, or opportunity for which you feel grateful.

 

[Katinahat]

@whateve and @880 on the topic of meal planning, ugh, it’s a weekly chore that is done out of necessity not joy. I was able to convince my DSs (ages 13 and 10) to do the meal planning from August - December last year, I appreciated it so much. Our family does weekly meal planning, I find it helpful to have a menu plan to prepare the grocery shopping list and it takes away the daily stress of “what’s for dinner?”

Some recent and upcoming meals include,

• Chicken Fricasee, egg noodles, steamed carrots
• Cioppino and crusty bread (halibut, mussels and clams in tomato and wine sauce)
• Pork Ragu with Rigatoni and Caesar Salad
• Alcatra (Portuguese Style Beef Stew) and garlic bread
• Poached Shrimp with Spicy Mayo and Garlic Breadcrumbs, Spicy Sausage and Crudites
• Breadcrumb Crusted Pork Tenderloin Burgers, Air Fryer Homefries and coleslaw
• Chicken Chimichanga with green salad
• Shepherd’s Pie, Sauteed Peas with Shallot and Mint
• Chicken and Dumplings
• One Pot Pasta with Sausage, Mushrooms and Peas

Food is something we look forward to and enjoy. It’s an anchor for our family with no dining out and no socializing permitted right now. I waver back and forth between being happy to be able to feed and sustain the family and being tired of cooking every day. I think @doni raised that point in last year’s thread. We choose most of our recipes from cooking magazines like Fine Cooking, Cook’s Illustrated and America’s Test Kitchen. I do like learning about and using techniques to add or improve flavour. My husband often helps with dinner prep, he likes to chop vegetables. We treat it as a time to connect and do something together during the day. I like it when the family eats and enjoys what we make (my younger DS used to be a pickier eater when he was younger.) We spend a lot more time talking at the dinner table because we’re not rushing off to kids’ sports activities. Overall, I know meal planning and preparing food at home is time well spent, it just takes time and effort.

This thread has been moving very fast and since being back at work in the middle of this week it’s been hard to have the time or energy to keep up so I’ve been just reading the last few pages. Sorry if I’ve missed anyone!

I see we are discussing food so I’m with you @More bags. I do weekly meal planning and then shop online. DH has got really into cooking since working at home but I’m in charge of all the ordering. DD1 is ultra fussy. Not sure how this came about as she was initially great as a baby but now will only eat broccoli (cooked but allowed to go nearly cold), lettuce and pickled beetroot as her veggies. She will eat a tomato sauce on pizza or pasta but only if it doesn’t have “red lumps”. DD2 is great and eats basically everything but announced mid week she wants to try being a vegetarian. Came from nowhere as she loves meat. Life is so busy/stressful at the moment I’m not sure how a change like that works suddenly. I was at work 8am-6pm on Wednesday and then still being bombarded by emails and texts from my boss until 10.30pm. I’m not planning for two meals each night. DH often uses the slow cooker and he’s not sure either. We’ve asked DD2 to think more about what she wants to eat and give us some examples.

On a plus point, where I work, learning has gone well for most this week. My own DDs are working at home with DH supervising and are coping well with their mix of live classes and set activities. We are doing a good thing which makes all the efforts worth it.

 

[Katinahat]

It has a red interior and it is a backpack. They will no longer be making it so I grabbed a new one while I still could. The photo is from before I took all the paper off everything.

View attachment 4951920

It’s a very attractive bag. I love the lining. I could see myself using it for days when I wanted to be practical and hands free but still stylish!

 

[dcooney4]

I actually carried a bag today! First time in ages, other than carrying a bag along in the car while we went on a drive. This time I actually had to get out of the car. I had to go to the doctor and then the pharmacy. First time in another building other than my home since last March. I was hoping I would make it until we got vaccinated but my eye got infected.

This is the bag I carried. I got it in October.

Pretty bag! Hope your eye heals quickly.

 

[BowieFan1971]

@whateve and @880 on the topic of meal planning, ugh, it’s a weekly chore that is done out of necessity not joy. I was able to convince my DSs (ages 13 and 10) to do the meal planning from August - December last year, I appreciated it so much. Our family does weekly meal planning, I find it helpful to have a menu plan to prepare the grocery shopping list and it takes away the daily stress of “what’s for dinner?”

Some recent and upcoming meals include,

• Chicken Fricasee, egg noodles, steamed carrots
• Cioppino and crusty bread (halibut, mussels and clams in tomato and wine sauce)
• Pork Ragu with Rigatoni and Caesar Salad
• Alcatra (Portuguese Style Beef Stew) and garlic bread
• Poached Shrimp with Spicy Mayo and Garlic Breadcrumbs, Spicy Sausage and Crudites
• Breadcrumb Crusted Pork Tenderloin Burgers, Air Fryer Homefries and coleslaw
• Chicken Chimichanga with green salad
• Shepherd’s Pie, Sauteed Peas with Shallot and Mint
• Chicken and Dumplings
• One Pot Pasta with Sausage, Mushrooms and Peas

Food is something we look forward to and enjoy. It’s an anchor for our family with no dining out and no socializing permitted right now. I waver back and forth between being happy to be able to feed and sustain the family and being tired of cooking every day. I think @doni raised that point in last year’s thread. We choose most of our recipes from cooking magazines like Fine Cooking, Cook’s Illustrated and America’s Test Kitchen. I do like learning about and using techniques to add or improve flavour. My husband often helps with dinner prep, he likes to chop vegetables. We treat it as a time to connect and do something together during the day. I like it when the family eats and enjoys what we make (my younger DS used to be a pickier eater when he was younger.) We spend a lot more time talking at the dinner table because we’re not rushing off to kids’ sports activities. Overall, I know meal planning and preparing food at home is time well spent, it just takes time and effort.

Sounds like the menu at a restaurant! Wow! Want 2 more for dinner if we clean up?

 

[papertiger]

Time for a joke... I do have critics at home and one of them* hates my favourite meal from only 4 "ingrediences" -well, 4 bags... needless to say cooking isn´t my favourite pastime...

View attachment 4951710
* DH hates it, my boy and the pet mouse love it!

If I can't find a supermarket with food on the shelves (pesto, tinned tomatoes, passata, fresh tomatoes, any hard cheese etc etc) I will be reduced to 'Cold War spaghetti' soon (pasta + ketchup - very popular in Eastern Europe before 1989, when the chance of buying authentic Italian ingredients was '0'). That will make your favourite dish look cordon bleu level and authentic Italian by comparison

 

[papertiger]

@whateve and @880 on the topic of meal planning, ugh, it’s a weekly chore that is done out of necessity not joy. I was able to convince my DSs (ages 13 and 10) to do the meal planning from August - December last year, I appreciated it so much. Our family does weekly meal planning, I find it helpful to have a menu plan to prepare the grocery shopping list and it takes away the daily stress of “what’s for dinner?”

Some recent and upcoming meals include,

• Chicken Fricasee, egg noodles, steamed carrots
• Cioppino and crusty bread (halibut, mussels and clams in tomato and wine sauce)
• Pork Ragu with Rigatoni and Caesar Salad
• Alcatra (Portuguese Style Beef Stew) and garlic bread
• Poached Shrimp with Spicy Mayo and Garlic Breadcrumbs, Spicy Sausage and Crudites
• Breadcrumb Crusted Pork Tenderloin Burgers, Air Fryer Homefries and coleslaw
• Chicken Chimichanga with green salad
• Shepherd’s Pie, Sauteed Peas with Shallot and Mint
• Chicken and Dumplings
• One Pot Pasta with Sausage, Mushrooms and Peas

Food is something we look forward to and enjoy. It’s an anchor for our family with no dining out and no socializing permitted right now. I waver back and forth between being happy to be able to feed and sustain the family and being tired of cooking every day. I think @doni raised that point in last year’s thread. We choose most of our recipes from cooking magazines like Fine Cooking, Cook’s Illustrated and America’s Test Kitchen. I do like learning about and using techniques to add or improve flavour. My husband often helps with dinner prep, he likes to chop vegetables. We treat it as a time to connect and do something together during the day. I like it when the family eats and enjoys what we make (my younger DS used to be a pickier eater when he was younger.) We spend a lot more time talking at the dinner table because we’re not rushing off to kids’ sports activities. Overall, I know meal planning and preparing food at home is time well spent, it just takes time and effort.

I'm coming over - a chance to carry a large bag. Oh wait, I would, if I could. Now I remember we're all living in a horror movie .

Explain 'Alcatra' and 'Chimichanga' please

 

[papertiger]

I actually carried a bag today! First time in ages, other than carrying a bag along in the car while we went on a drive. This time I actually had to get out of the car. I had to go to the doctor and then the pharmacy. First time in another building other than my home since last March. I was hoping I would make it until we got vaccinated but my eye got infected.

This is the bag I carried. I got it in October.

I'm sorry to hear about your eye, wishing you better very quickly. That's a very special bag though.

I should really go to the dentist (chipped tooth) but I found myself seriously weighing up the risks and the bother (I wouldn't be able to go to my regular dentist since they are 75 minutes away) and decided I just can't for a while.

 

[BowieFan1971]

i love this bag! It’s gorgeous! Hope your eye is okay.

i would like to come over for dinner. As my contribution, I would wash all the dishes. Everything sounds amazing and I remember some of those cooks illustrated recipes. I’m lazy re rhe shrimp and do the cooks illustrated slow cooker one. It’s so nice for me to imagine you and your DH helping with the veggies and then all of you sitting down and relaxingnover a leisurely meal. Like @whateve, I cook alone, but since the last time my DH cut a red pepper we went to the hospital, that’s for the best.

The roast chicken with wild rice stuffing and the homemade noodles afterwards sound delicious and a big production. For some reason when I make stuffing, I dirty a lot of dishes as everything (vegetable garniture, pancetta or sausage or meat, assorted add ins, are all cooked separately Bf combining. ITA on steak and noodles. I love cheap egg noodles with lots of butter and ramen (not the authentic kind, but rather the 5 for a dollar packages that one ate as a penniless college student).
i panicked when covid started and bought a lot of dry goods like ramen and organic instant potato flakes (i was prepared to make my own potato rolls, but then my doctor put me on a low carb diet). Not sure what I was thinking.

@whateve , @SouthernPurseGal, I find that if I try to limit to one expensive thing rather than a bunch of cheaper things, it cuts down on the piles of stuff I have to give away later. @More bags, I know that I will have to someday clean out all of my moms stuff. She has mountains of it.

I do most of the cooking in our house because I am much better at it, though the DH had no problem putting a meal together. When he cooks, he tries....but he always overcooks meat, doesn’t understand how to use spices and doesn’t know how to coordinate sides with main courses very well. He could eat teriyaki marinated grilled chicken and salad for days on end...probably will while I am out of town next week.
I am not a recipe person, I am a “let’s see what’s on sale and put something together” person. The things I make well and have made for a long time are things that I can tell you what I put in them, but can’t tell you quantity of anything. My DH and DS have asked me how to make my marinara, chili or some pasta dishes and I have tried making them while measuring out quantities of things to make a “recipe” and it doesn’t turn out right. Even when I do it, sometimes it is better or worse than others.
The big rule in our house is whoever cooks does not wash the dishes, but does dry and put away, so we do the dishes together. I try to clean as I cook and there are only two of us, so it usually doesn’t take long if I cook. Most of the time so enjoy cooking, but not all the time. Before Covid, we went out for dinner every Friday night...date night...but...and I used to work every Sunday so he would cook since he was off. We eat fairly healthy at dinner, can’t say I do for breakfast and lunch.

 

[Katinahat]

I’ve just found the 2021 thread and love that you are all here already! There are already 12 pages of chat and too much for me to respond to everyone directly although I’ll try a few! Well done for all your goals and aspirations!

My goals for 2021, very much less bag related than prepandemic!

1. Try to keep healthy both physically and mentally. I’ve still got some lurking health issues I’m hoping are sorted early in the year. Plus I need to be kind to myself and avoid burn out with the stress levels that can go along with my job, especially now. Making time for my family and pets is important too.

2. Keep up my running and maintain my weight loss. I’d like to run further than in 2020. This new hobby has turned out to be good for body, mind and soul.

3. Keep in touch with friends - hard at a time when we are back in complete lockdown.

4. Try not to buy any more bags - unless they represent something missing or make my heart sing.

5. Find new creative ways to use my bags during this strange no socialising time and keep up my bag stats.

6.Try to limit small purchases to save up resources for some more artworks (original paintings etc) for my house. Should be easier this year if I don’t need to buy so many new clothes as my weight loss has now stabilised.

7. Read more books!

I’m not really into editing my bag collection. Unlike most of you I don’t buy or sell to the preloved market. I do gift occasionally or put in the charity collection. I do love reading about your edits though!

End of first week in January and I’m checking how I doing with my own goals.

1. Try to keep healthy both physically and mentally. - I’m aware of my own stress levels so that’s a start and I’ve got a hospital appointment next week to check out some other stuff.

2. Keep up my running and maintain my weight loss. - I’ve maintained despite Christmas. My walking and running was great over the holidays. I’ve only run once this week as defeated by time and bad ice. It’s cold here! Hopefully this weekend it will thaw a bit!

3. Keep in touch with friends - saw three friends for walks over holiday period.

4. Try not to buy any more bags - successfully bought nothing despite some sales temptation.

5. Find new creative ways to use my bags during this strange no socialising time and keep up my bag stats. Have carried 3 bags and updated my stats/chart for 2021.
Mulberry Lily
Mulberry Bays Tote
Kate Spade Daily Satchel

6.Try to limit small purchases - ordered the new Apple watch so not so well with this one. And that’s not even a small purchase.

7. Read more books! - only read work stuff and TPF so failing on this one

 

[Katinahat]

@papertiger sounds like you are having a hard time with the full lockdown.

Essential travel is allowed in all of UK so you can go to dentist 75mins away even crossing one of the borders between the nations. My experience of the dentist was fine - lots of measures in place to keep you safe. Air Purification etc. Having said that I loath going to the dentist at the best of times! Are you in pain or can you really wait?

Shops where I am are ok now the lorries are moving again. There is the odd thing we can’t get but it’s ok. I use online mostly and have managed to get slots. I’m sorry to hear it’s bad for you. Hopefully it will improve soon.

 

[papertiger]

This thread has been moving very fast and since being back at work in the middle of this week it’s been hard to have the time or energy to keep up so I’ve been just reading the last few pages. Sorry if I’ve missed anyone!

I see we are discussing food so I’m with you @More bags. I do weekly meal planning and then shop online. DH has got really into cooking since working at home but I’m in charge of all the ordering. DD1 is ultra fussy. Not sure how this came about as she was initially great as a baby but now will only eat broccoli (cooked but allowed to go nearly cold), lettuce and pickled beetroot as her veggies. She will eat a tomato sauce on pizza or pasta but only if it doesn’t have “red lumps”. DD2 is great and eats basically everything but announced mid week she wants to try being a vegetarian. Came from nowhere as she loves meat. Life is so busy/stressful at the moment I’m not sure how a change like that works suddenly. I was at work 8am-6pm on Wednesday and then still being bombarded by emails and texts from my boss until 10.30pm. I’m not planning for two meals each night. DH often uses the slow cooker and he’s not sure either. We’ve asked DD2 to think more about what she wants to eat and give us some examples.

On a plus point, where I work, learning has gone well for most this week. My own DDs are working at home with DH supervising and are coping well with their mix of live classes and set activities. We are doing a good thing which makes all the efforts worth it.

There are lots of vegetarian (and vegan) meals that the whole family can enjoy but I think I would a) bat it back to DD2 if she's old enough (I guess over 12) and ask her to research into vegetarianism, including rules combining foods to make complete proteins and how will she make sure she will get her vit B12, iron and iodine? b) don't feel as though you have to cook 2 (or 3) meals every mealtime, you're not a hotel. I became vegetarian at 11 and my mother told me fine, but that if I wanted something different than was on the table I'd have to cook my own (which I did, and from 14 bought my own ingredients too). I'm not actually a vegetarian anymore, I don't hold with labels as I think they push that 'holier than thou' agenda, I just don't happen to eat meat/fish 90% of the time. The 10% - I try to buy from the most verifiable, ethical sources unless dining out. I wear leather and fur and I don't intend to give those up. For me plastic (in its many forms including nylon, PVC, micro-fibre and so on) is far more harmful to the planet - and that includes all other animals, but I don't want to have the 'conversation' every time with vegetarians/vegans/fruitarians or hardcore carnivores. So, I'm not giving you a rundown about me, but DD2 could perhaps not only tell you that she's a 'vegetarian' but inform you what that means, her reasoning behind such a big decision, what she can/can't eat/wear/do and that she is responsible for educating (not reforming) her family about her new way of life.

 

[Katinahat]

There are lots of vegetarian (and vegan) meals that the whole family can enjoy but I think I would a) bat it back to DD2 if she's old enough (I guess over 12) and ask her to research into vegetarianism, including rules combining foods to make complete proteins and how will she make sure she will get her vit B12, iron and iodine? b) don't feel as though you have to cook 2 (or 3) meals every mealtime, you're not a hotel. I became vegetarian at 11 and my mother told me fine, but that if I wanted something different than was on the table I'd have to cook my own (which I did, and from 14 bought my own ingredients too). I'm not actually a vegetarian anymore, I don't hold with labels as I think they push that 'holier than thou' agenda, I just don't happen to eat meat/fish 90% of the time. The 10% - I try to buy from the most verifiable, ethical sources unless dining out. I wear leather and fur and I don't intend to give those up. For me plastic (in its many forms including nylon, PVC, micro-fibre and so on) is far more harmful to the planet - and that includes all other animals, but I don't want to have the 'conversation' every time with vegetarians/vegans/fruitarians or hardcore carnivores. So, I'm not giving you a rundown about me, but DD2 could perhaps not only tell you that she's a 'vegetarian' but inform you what that means, her reasoning behind such a big decision, what she can/can't eat/wear/do and that she is responsible for educating (not reforming) her family about her new way of life.

This is all excellent advice thank you. I said some of this to her already but it gives me much more information. Her reasoning is I think it’s just something she wants to try out from a eating point but I am not sure it will stick. She’s already said she’s still wearing leather shoes. Who knows how it will turn out but your advice will be a great conversation starter!

 

[papertiger]

@papertiger sounds like you are having a hard time with the full lockdown.

Essential travel is allowed in all of UK so you can go to dentist 75mins away even crossing one of the borders between the nations. My experience of the dentist was fine - lots of measures in place to keep you safe. Air Purification etc. Having said that I loath going to the dentist at the best of times! Are you in pain or can you really wait?

Shops where I am are ok now the lorries are moving again. There is the odd thing we can’t get but it’s ok. I use online mostly and have managed to get slots. I’m sorry to hear it’s bad for you. Hopefully it will improve soon.

I'm not in pain, but I'm aware that a chipped tooth can lead to more chips and the rough surface can hold onto (bad) bacteria more easily.

For my journey, I would have to get on a train (reduced service atm) and the London Tube. Last time I was on the train in Dec, there were people clearly ill not wearing masks and the tube was busy (as in too busy for social distancing). I even had to give one of these unmasked men spluttering and sneezing, less than an arm away, a paper tissue. Others obviously find actually putting the mask over both their nose/mouth just too much trouble. I felt like I was in a Zombie apocalypse. How are there such stupid people in the World?

Anyway, the other option is to go to a more local dentist. I don't know how I feel about that.

 

[Katinahat]

I'm not in pain, but I'm aware that a chipped tooth can lead to more chips and the rough surface can hold onto (bad) bacteria more easily.

For my journey, I would have to get on a train (reduced service atm) and the London Tube. Last time I was on the train in Dec, there were people clearly ill not wearing masks and the tube was busy (as in too busy for social distancing). I even had to give one of these unmasked men spluttering and sneezing, less than an arm away, a paper tissue. Others obviously find actually putting the mask over both their nose/mouth just too much trouble. I felt like I was in a Zombie apocalypse. How are there such stupid people in the World?

Anyway, the other option is to go to a more local dentist. I don't know how I feel about that.

That is awful. Some people are so ignorant and it’s so hard for everyone else. My DD was upset at school when she had to sit next to a girl who refused to wear a mask because it made her feel bad. DD wanted to know if she could refuse to sit next to the girl because it made her feel bad - a good point.

I’m sorry your journey was so rough. Hopefully someone local can help if you decide it is needed.

 

[dcooney4]

There are lots of vegetarian (and vegan) meals that the whole family can enjoy but I think I would a) bat it back to DD2 if she's old enough (I guess over 12) and ask her to research into vegetarianism, including rules combining foods to make complete proteins and how will she make sure she will get her vit B12, iron and iodine? b) don't feel as though you have to cook 2 (or 3) meals every mealtime, you're not a hotel. I became vegetarian at 11 and my mother told me fine, but that if I wanted something different than was on the table I'd have to cook my own (which I did, and from 14 bought my own ingredients too). I'm not actually a vegetarian anymore, I don't hold with labels as I think they push that 'holier than thou' agenda, I just don't happen to eat meat/fish 90% of the time. The 10% - I try to buy from the most verifiable, ethical sources unless dining out. I wear leather and fur and I don't intend to give those up. For me plastic (in its many forms including nylon, PVC, micro-fibre and so on) is far more harmful to the planet - and that includes all other animals, but I don't want to have the 'conversation' every time with vegetarians/vegans/fruitarians or hardcore carnivores. So, I'm not giving you a rundown about me, but DD2 could perhaps not only tell you that she's a 'vegetarian' but inform you what that means, her reasoning behind such a big decision, what she can/can't eat/wear/do and that she is responsible for educating (not reforming) her family about her new way of life.

My son told me he was becoming a vegetarian at age 8. I said fine thinking it would last a week. He is now an adult and is still a vegetarian. If we made burgers we would just make him a veggie burger. We do use a different pan or pot for his stuff.