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.

The village itself is quite low lying and has a stream that goes through the middle, under the market square. You wouldn’t normally know it was there but we had a month’s worth of rain last night and the ground was already pretty sodden so there was just nowhere for it to go. It’s happened before, in 1997 and again the the sixties. It’s pretty bad down in the middle, a lot of homes flooded, and the shop, coffee shop and one of the pubs as well. Lots of people are out helping though (DH is fretting that he isn’t allowed to go out) and I’m cooking a big pot of chilli to take down at lunchtime. It’s just such awful timing for them.

I’m failing at Christmas this year. There are two parcels at home that I’ve failed to post, and I’ve brought my box of unwritten cards to work with me in the hope that they might magically write themselves.

Oh well. I’m going to get a coffee.

Eggnogg and Silkie
Thank you! Yes, the 24th is the Christmas day and is traditionally very very quiet. The country more or less closes down even without the plague.

DD and I decorated the tree - red baubles! The crafted stuff turned out to be too fragile and old to go up, so I made a window display. We'll have a simple meal and a quiet evening, now that we are more or less four adults.

DS2 is playing fetch with Sodding in the hall, Pringle-lid frisbee variant. Sodding is so into the game, its fun to watch. He’s trotting around with DS2 like a little dog, watching him attentively and then pelting down the hall or up the stairs to fetch the Pringles lid.

DS1 is about to make the dough for our homemade pizza lunch.

There is flooding near to us too. I’m glad the rain has let up today, but we are expecting more later in the week after the cold, dry snap forecast for the next couple of days.

Sounds idyllic prokrapatus

I've had two hours sleep after my final night shift and am now showered and dressed. While not quite raring to go, I am in good spirits.

Operation Christmas Dinner has not yet begun, and DS is cheerfully drumming away while I fret quietly in the corner

My pains are keeping me company, sigh but the shopping arrived no smoked salmon, might pop to the co o- it’s a gorgeous sunny, day so a walk will be good for me.

Finishing work soon and then home to make soup.

@Holothane I hope your pain has at least become less than before and you have the right amount of painkillers at hand.

I will now tidy up the kitchen and sweep the floor. DH's present is only a piece of paper bc. he has to try it on when it is again possible to do so. So I'll try and make this prettier.

24 hours in the fridge did nothing to defrost my roasting chicken so I put it in a 20-quart steamer pot and covered it with warm water. It was fully defrosted in about 2 hours. My really nice Calphalon roasting pan has gone missing, but I''ve located another one that will do the job.

We have flood warnings here too as they are predicting 3-4 inches of rain overnight into Christmas morning. Chez Conduct is about 200 feet about sea level so we're fine, but some of the surrounding roads may flood.

I'm off to the drugstore chemist to pick up two prescriptions. Fortunately, they also carry the really posh Ghiradelli chocolate bards so I'll get a few of those for stocking stuffers for everyone.

Bit of a rush on today as working this afternoon/evening. Watched sleeping beauty (The Ballet) then White Christmas , then coloured my hair (looks lovely and shiny now, lovely dark golden brown, then laundry, then off to work,

Means I will look ravishing in Reception tomorrow, along with my sparkly nail polish - red, my Charlotte Tilbury green eyeshadow palette and red lipstick. Well, this is the plan anyway!!!!

Deathray Congratulations on your new and shiny hair!

We just noticed that we run extremely low on christmas cookies - so tomorrow we will be baking again. And because it will be christmas in about 23 minutes : a tree - sadly without a cat lurking to destroy the lights

Glad tidings!!! Operation Christmas Dinner is underway and DS has done a sterling job, though it's the first time I've experienced Christmas prep with a musical accompaniment of Metallica

We're back to watching The Crown with cheese and biscuits and perhaps a small glass of Baileys. Merry Christmas one and all

I am off work now for 10 days!
Going to finish wrapping in a minute, and then have a bath.
Happy Christmas!

Stocking hung up, Santa snack supplied, and DS has been delivered to bed. We have now eaten the mince pie (leaving an appropriate quantity of crumbs), DH has drunk the sloe gin, and has also cut the end of the carrot and nibbled it a bit to create reindeer-esque toothmarks. It’s going to be a weird one tomorrow... but DS is really excited about it all and I don’t think really understands how different it all is from normal. So that’s one thing.

Merry Christmas, each and everyone of you lovely people. You’ve helped keep me going these past few months.

It was such a bright sunny morning that we put the hood down on the car, donned our Santa hats and went for a drive round. Got a few waves and smiles and generally had a good time.

We have just watched Arthur Christmas on Netflix - it’s a brilliant Xmas film!

Merry (but suitably dull and unexciting) Christmas everyone!

It's still late afternoon here, so I've just finished some more Christmas cookies, the kind cut into festive shapes then decorated with icing. DS and DH are organizing pizza ingredients for dinner.

I really came to echo what @Spudlet has already said. Merry Christmas to one and all (even you lurkers, we know you're there ). This thread has been a refuge of normality, fellowship, and fun during a very difficult and stressful year. Thank you, one and all for contributing.

As the angels said, Peace on earth, goodwill towards all.

Sodding had a happy half hour chasing an escaped sprout around the kitchen while we peeled the veggies. We’re all done now and ready to go tomorrow.

I opened some Greek red wine, only to find its a dessert wine. I’ve never seen dessert wine in a full sized bottle before. 🤷 It’ll be fine with cheese but it was unexpected.

Ah yes, merry Christmas all! I hope you all have a good day, even if its not the one you had planned.

DS had a panic because he didn't manage to get his girlfriend a present. He did go and look round the shops but couldn't find anything that she would like. DH and I had a whip around the house to see what we could give him to re-gift and came up with a very delicate bracelet in silver with tiny amethysts which DH gave to me but I have never worn because I'm allergic to silver. She opened it when she came over today and DS said she was so happy with it that she nearly cried. I told DS that he owes me BIG TIME.

Saw there has also been flooding in the village here but its nothing serious just a few blocked roads.

Watched videos of someone's Xmas lights in the village and the start of the Church's 30 mins Xmas broadcast but it was pretty hard going so stopped that. Then DH went to Sainsburys, Screwfix and Homebase and got DDs paint and rose gold coat rack, tap and all the Xmas food.

CAHMS called in response to complaint and apologised and reinstated DS in their system and said they'll also be sending a support pack by Tuesday. Doctors messaged to say to call them if we needed help for DS. Senco replied and said she will help us appeal LA and take them to Tribunal to get DS an EHCP.

Just had a steak sandwich and now having some of the panna cotta with raspberry and prosecco compote I got from Sainsburys. DH had banned me until tomorrow but gave in at 11pm.

Merry nearly Christmas everyone.

Well done on getting your son’s support back in place Silkie.

I let my boys stay up late to watch a film. They’ve not long gone to bed. Sodding is in his element, having had the full choice of laps all evening. He’s time-shifted as he normally works his way round us in bedtime order. He’s only just settled on DH, who is gutted as he’s about to go to bed himself.

@Champagneforeveryone

Glad tidings!!! Operation Christmas Dinner is underway and DS has done a sterling job, though it's the first time I've experienced Christmas prep with a musical accompaniment of Metallica

We're back to watching The Crown with cheese and biscuits and perhaps a small glass of Baileys. Merry Christmas one and all

Metallica is an excellent accompaniment. I too had a smallish glass of Bailey's this evening. As I was vegan for two years until February of this year, it's been about three years since I had one. I was feeling a bit squiffy half a glass in so when I finished it, I switched to tea. Tonight DH and I watched Christmas Bake Off and a film called Like a Boss.

Well done @BlackAmericanoNoSugar for saving the day. That bracelet sounds very pretty.

@SilkiesnowchicksandXmastreecat, that is fantastic news. Definitely pays to ruffle some feathers.

Gifts are under the tree and in stockings. The carrot has had the end roughly chopped off and has been hidden back amongst the others. Mince pie back in the box sans foils tray, which is still on the platter and DH is enjoying the Heineken that we traditionally leave out. Do you think Santa's sleigh runs on alcohol fumes after a couple of countries?

I want to echo @MissConductUS and @Spudlet in wishing you wonderful ladies a Merry Christmas and thanking you for this welcoming place of calm and support. I feel amongst friends here.

I’ve nearly finished a 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle and some of the pieces are missing!

A very happy Christmas to you all. Thank you for the soothing balm that is this thread.

I'm so glad I found you all- I look forward to reading about your "dull
and unexciting" news each day and the familiarity it is now starting to bring.
So stay safe and be happy on Christmas Day ( and Eve @Prokupatuscrakedatus!)