Come and tell me your dull and unexciting news 8: Calmly through the day

[MissConductUS]

I've started a new one. Please join us and share the boring and mundane things happening in your world. It will be calming for all.

@Spudlet, aaah I love the sound of that nativity!!

Also, my DH never really saw the point in stockings so I usually did my own. One year I got really f*d off with him being a t*t about it and bought myself LOADS of new makeup for my stocking. Loads. Kept opening it pointedly all day going 'Ooh, this is lovely. And this! What a surprise! How nice to find this in my stocking on Christmas morning.' He increased his effort somewhat after that.

Today fosterbubba has spent an hour on the floor rolling from his back to his front and back again. He has never enjoyed being on the floor but today he has. He flips about like one of those mood fish you get in a Christmas cracker and at one point his feet were over his head when he was on his tummy but he seems to be enjoying his freedom. He is 8 months tomorrow and unable to sit so this is real progress for him.

@HollyandIvyandallthingsYule apologies for the nativity mix up
I clearly needed the nap!

@Spudlet yet again your DS sounds adorable

@bloodywhitecat I'm so glad to hear of this great progress

My boring news is that I haven't got out of bed yet - I'm still on antibiotics for the uti though so maybe that's why

No worries at all - I just didn’t want to take credit for the nativity cuteness. 🙂🙂

The shop is done and I was in and out before things got busy. I bought Yukon Gold potatoes (from Alaska), sour cream and cream cheese for the holiday mashed potatoes, along with the usual shop. I also stopped at a second store on the way home to get DS the organic orange juice he likes.

I've persuaded DH to make instant pot Mongolian chicken tomorrow, so that will be a treat. DD is at work, DS slept late and then had some chocolate chip pancakes upon arising. DH makes them in huge batches and freezes them.

In my endless research on covid I found this nifty flow chart for parents and schools on how to handle suspected and confirmed cases of covid. It's meant for kids but works for adults too.

www.colorboxindustries.com/covid-flow-chart

I ran across it in this article by Emily Oster, a brilliant academic and mum.

emilyoster.substack.com/p/christmas-trifle

I have brownies in the oven to take to the dentist Monday when I am finally supposed to get my new crown put in.

Much better today bad night but finally got some sleep, will be getting a cheap Motorola ☎️ to use as my kindle, 😊

Finally got the stars up. They are from DMil, my attempts at making stars were ..... interesting and are not on display.

@bloodywhitecat Bless him, he’s making progress! I love the image of a mood fish baby too 😊

DH remains well, is currently walking laps around the back garden. He apparently is aiming to do 3 miles. Our garden isn’t massive (although it’s a fair size) so this is going to be a lot of laps. DS, ddog and I all went out for a good while, but we’re back indoors now with the fire lit while DH has a bit of peace and quiet outside. He’s a bit like an animal at the zoo pacing around 🙈

I got the gundog dummies out for ddog earlier to see what he remembered and was pleasantly surprised that he can still do a good retrieve to hand and take direction - even though he ran in a few times (meaning he went for the retrieve before I sent him - tut tut). It’s been years since we did any training like this though, so I can forgive him a bit of keenness! Every time he brought one back, DS gave him a big cheer and shouted ‘DDog is the winner!’ ❤️😂 I must make the effort to do that more often as ddog loved it.

Now on tenterhooks to see whether dfil is still going to be able to go to BiL for Christmas - if not, not sure what we’ll do as DH is still self-isolating until Boxing Day. He could come here as we’re bubbled (symptoms permitting - if DH gets them then we’re buggered) but that relies on me going to get him (he’s not up to driving too far at the moment) and I can’t do that and simultaneously cook a roast dinner. So could be interesting Hey ho, bloody 2020...!

Well, balls. 😑

Love the decorations, @Prokupatuscrakedatus. They’re so pretty!

@spudlet I am sure DDog loved this
My DGP bred and trained GSD to be help and guard dogs. And they maintained that a dog needs a purpose or they get depressed, like people.

@Spudlet
I thank you - I put them up every year. They are the start of me feeling festive.

@Spudlet - If your DH is trying out for the Olympic walking team at this point since exposure my clinical judgment tells me he's unlikely to be infected. Could he make the roast dinner while you pick up collect dfil?

@Prokupatuscrakedatus - The stars are lovely. Did your MIL make them?

I'm having some chicken tortilla soup and a piece of French bread for lunch.

@MissConductUS You mean... I’d have to... relinquish control?!? [twitches madly]

I reckon DH is most likely fine, so all things being equal we have a plan (I bloody love a plan) - I go to collect dfil, DH does all the vegetables and prep. We get back and I do the actual roasting of the stuff. Dfil stays overnight in our room, we have the air bed in the living room. DH then drives dfil home on Boxing Day.

DH has also pointed out that DFiL can form a festive bubble with his brother (DH’s uncle) or a friend, so he shouldn’t end up alone even if DH does start feeling peaky. So I feel a bit better about it all just based on that.

I think I will have a large G&T this evening.

@MissConductUS - She made some of them (there were 4 sisters).

DH has moved some papers from one desk to join other papers on the dinner table, so that we can put the tree up.

I've cracked and opened the Christmas chocs.

I regret nothing.

@Spudlet, your DSs Nativity sounds adorable.

DH took the DC to soft play earlier and suggested that I stay home to study. Unsurprisingly I bit his arm off. I did actually do some studying and have made a start on the assignment that's due on the 7th of January.

B&Q couldn't spare any offcuts, and have reduced their trees to £2 across the board. I was tempted to buy a tree, cut off a couple of branches and then give it back to them to resell. Instead I went up the road to the local farm shop where they sell bunches of branches for £2 (I only found this out today). I have now made my wreath. It's a bit wild looking this year, but I like it.

Hmmm. Going to have to move that dangly bit in the morning. I can see a gap at the top that it can go into.

Eggnog You reminded me to go and put the star on our outside door and perhaps I'll buy a bunch of branches and try my own decoration. The door opposite is to a flatshare of students, they won't mind my art.

@Prokupatuscrakedatus, those straw decorations are beautiful.

@MissConductUS,ive just remembered something else that DH says which, to me, makes him sound very English - when things go wrong, he says “it’s a bit poor” - it’s the way he says it too - I admit that his Englishisms make me giggle.

Also, things are sometimes described as being “poor form”. For example when someone is not being fair or kind.

Those decorations are lovely.

Got the paint for DD's room - the rose pink is £40 for 2.5 litres, the white £9 for 5 litres but it is a lovely pink, plus gorilla glue for skirting board, roller and brushes, then got DS Xmas presents and printer ink.

DH and I went out to get house transfer deeds witnessed by DH's friend for house sale then we posted them through solicitors door.

Came back to find DS asleep on the sofa under a blanket with his rabbit gazing at him as if he loved him very much. Then saw the chickens, the brown one was chatting with me, the white one was all snuggly and half asleep. Then cleaned the floors and bathroom and had a bath. Just eaten hot dogs and read about Tier 4. We are Tier 2.

We are also tier 2. DM is also tier 2. She is furious about Christmas being ruined, proper spitting feathers furious.

She was staying at home for Christmas anyway

Thank you for the welcome :)
In other news, I delivered my first Christmas present, and to my surprise and delight, there was one for me as well. I did not expect that at all. And no, I’m not opening it yet, although I’m tempted 😂.
Right, I’m taking bets for work secret Santa, I won’t be picking it till Tuesday. The price range was 5-6 quid 😂😂😂.
Socks would go down well. Smellies not so much, although I do like proper soap. What do you think I’ll get?

Welcome @BuddhaAtSea. Socks would go down well with me too.
I got a pink sparkly thong as a work Christmas gift once many years ago. Mind you, so did everyone in my team as one of our part timers also worked at M&S.

@SilkiesnowchicksandXmastreecat, I'm not surprised the rabbit was staring at your DS adoringly, it sounds as like your DS loves him very much.

Also Tier 2 here. My brother rang me tonight to tell me that he has had a positive Covid test. By all accounts he feels like stir fried shit.