Daily Project Round 4

[SpiritOfEdna]

Here’s the last thread: https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/_chat/4722070-daily-project-round-3?page=40&reply=129305044
@peridot1
@ThunderclapCloud
@petalpower
@autumnangel

@RunningKatie
@LateSummerLobelia
@Aria999
@Mumtobabyhavoc

and anyone else who would like to join us, whatever your daily tasks are.

I joined after procrastinating putting up some curtain tie backs and now I am flying through a massive decluttering exercise. (I need to tackle the loft next, but I may need to sit down (a lot) before I do that 😄).

Hope the tagging works, SoE.

Morning all.

Hope your dad and step mother can make it today @petalpower . Ir is a long drive especially if they are frail. I hope the family Christmas is wonderful.

I keep thinking about you @Mumtobabyhavoc and the date coming closer! How very exciting. Hope you are feeling better as well and no covid.

Hi to everyone!

Today DH and I are doing the Christmas food shop. Then we will finally put up our tree. Then I need to finish the wrapping.

Christmas seems to be so expensive this year. I am in lucky enough to be involved in 2 circles of friends (book club friends and general women friends of years standing) but somehow we seem to have become embroiled in giving each other gifts as well. It first started last year with a couple of us giving gifts and then as the non-givers (including me) thought 'Oh are we doing this now?' it;s been an endless gift exchange. It's stressing me a bit and has meant I have spent £150 on gifts I had not really budgeted for. So I need to think about that for next year - how to manage it. All the gifts are small, nice handcreams and candles and notebooks etc- but they add up! I might start a gift cupboard and buy things in the sales to keep for situations like this.

But other than this our Christmas will be simple. Just us at home. Perhaps to a friend's for drinks on Christmas eve.

Hope everyone has a wonderful day.

Wise move @Mumtobabyhavoc Make it easy on yourself!

@petalpower just big hugs for you! I'm sure you will make it lovely for everyone whatever doesn't quite get finished.

@RunningKatie I hope you made it out of bed! That worrying about having the right presents takes me back!

I got up early but was waylaid by getting stuck into reading 16 pages of one thread. I must get my act together!

Not much left to do Christmas-wise, as it's kept very simple around here. I'm not really a grinch but my preferred part of the holiday season is the week between Christmas and new year when most of the family are off and we will just potter about, and hopefully my mum will have calmed down a bit. Bless her she has lists everywhere despite only being responsible for a few decorations and one side dish. But it's a habit that's hard to break for her. Think I'll take her out today to take her mind off all the worrying.

Hope your dad and stepmother make it to your safely today @petalpower. You sound incredibly busy!

@WinterLobelia - when I was in a book club some years ago we used to do a gift swap game. We all bought one gift to a certain value and played a dice game at the table. You had to throw two sixes to be able to pull a present from the pile. The fun bit was that if you really liked a gift someone else had received and you threw your two sixes you could take their gift. It was great fun. I can’t remember the exact rules of the game but I think it is a common one. Another group we used to do similar but the gift was a Christmas bauble. Some were lovely and some were not so lovely! But again it was great fun and about the fun rather than the gift.

Now realised I’ve typed quite a bit and if I go back to previous page of thread will lose it all so won’t name tag anyone else!

My lists aren’t getting too many ticks this week as I have been feeling rubbish with this cold and cough. But I need to get back to it today. Slept a bit better last night which will help.

Today:

• dog to vet for monthly jab
• quick nip into the small shop next to vet to get a box of wine gums for DH
• shopping trip to a centre with a book shop and then to M&S to change a shirt for DH
• M&S food hall shop
• finish Christmas cards
• marzipan the cake
• laundry
• put laundry away
• Make breadcrumbs for stuffing
• change my bed
• wash bedding

Have a great day all.

Feel your pain with the extra gifts @WinterLobelia We have finally settled down to close family only. It can be quite difficult to do though. Reading the other threads there seems to be so much more pressure than there used to be. All this 'magical' stuff. When I was a child the tree and it's lights were the magic. Carol concert and school nativity play too. I mean presents of course, but we had the traditional 1970s pillowcase of bits and bobs, then family presents ( we just gave to each other) under the tree. Did similar with our 90s children, as knew no different without social media. Happy times then, and so much more pressure now. It's a funny old world!

Hope you all have a lovely day 💕

Hello @Peridot1 👋 Good luck with your day. My cold rose to a peak on Wednesday and then sort of just disappeared. Hope it is same for you! It looks like quite a big list you have there!

I like the sound of that game @Peridot1 ! Fun and not as impactful as buying 21 liz Earle’s hand creams. (Which are gorgeous though)

dh and I have done the food shopping. We forgot chicken stock and gluten-free bread for the bread sauce. I’ll drop down into town later and also deliver last Christmas cards. I went through the fridge to see what needed using or chucking before the coming festivities and have made a curried coconut carro smug soup.

tree decorations next.

I hope everyone has a wonderful few days. Xx

I’ve been to the dentists which was a bit of a disaster - I was having a wire fitted behind my bottom teeth (long term orthodontic stuff) but it kept pinging off and this was the second attempt to fit it so I’ve got to go back again in January for a night time retainer instead. The dentists is a half hour each way journey and I didn’t really have the time today. Anyway I managed to buy some more paint on the way home and have now come back into town for a cut and colour. Dad and stepmother are on their way and might even have arrived by now. Just cried all over the poor girl washing my hair when she asked if I was ready for Christmas - I’ve now had a word with myself and eaten a flapjack. All will be well with a sugar boost! Need to buy some bits for DD on the way back to the car and go to the bank to sort out something on care home auntie’s account - I’ve got LPA and should be able to do it on the app but it’s turned out not to be that simple. Hopefully when I get home the carpenter will have finished fitting the skirting and other bits and DH will be further in with the oak floor. Fingers crossed!

Oh @petalpower . Big hugs. You have had such a difficult and emotional runup to Christmas, no surprise you're feeling like this! And likewise everyone else - I love that there are so many of us now, but trickier to keep track and tag everyone at the right time 🙃

I doubt I'll manage to be here much until some time next week. PILs arrived yesterday afternoon, so the morning was a mad scramble to get the house ready. Parents fly in v late tomorrow night - they're staying at the hotel nearby, but coming to ours for breakfast every morning, so it will be a full house!

Big grocery order arrives tomorrow evening - hopefully they will message me earlier in the day about any missing things so we have time to fetch them.

Started wrapping presents last night which actually helped me feel a lot less stressed about things.

Lots of work stuff not quite finished, due at the start of Jan - trying to power through it in bits and pieces so that it doesn't end up as a mad rush like everything else at the moment!

Happy Christmas all if I don't come here again before Monday 🎄

Oh @petalpower sending you lots of hugs, I've been known to burst into tears in Ikea when someone was lovely to me. I then had a big nap on a comfy chair and started to feel better.
Our house is full of fractious, tired children and tired, hassled parents. I wish we had one extra day to sort ourselves, but we will manage. I'm cleaning windows whilst dh wraps presents and the dc make cards. It sounds harmonious, it feels less so!

Thank you for your kind words @SingleThreadJoiner and @RunningKatie . I feel a bit of a fool really as so many people have so much to deal with that is much much worse than me. Dad and stepmother have arrived safely. The floor is almost down in the dining room although DH says this is the hardest bit and there might be lots of swearing. I have been to the greengrocers to pick up all the Christmas fruit and veg (now being stored in the boot of my car which is a makeshift store at this time of year) and the mammoth Sainsbury’s order has been delivered. I’m having a restorative cup of tea before attempting fridge jenga. I was up until past midnight helping clean up all the builders detritus and hoovering the new floor so that it could be sealed so I’m starting to flag now as it was an early start too.
Hope everyone is having a good day and all travelling relatives have arrived safely. 🎄

Hello all

hugs @petalpower. I had a moment like that once at the hairdresser which almost became a panic attack and she ended up sending one of the girls out to get me some Bach Rescue Remedy. You have had so much in your plate with your dad being in hospital and travelling there and all the building work etc. Hopefully everything will get done as you want it and you know what? It doesn’t matter if it doesn’t.

I am now at the I officially don’t care any more stage of Christmas prep. We have everything I think. And if we don’t I don’t care!

Hope you all have a lovely Christmas and remember to breathe and take time for yourselves.

@Mumtobabyhavoc - hope you are doing ok and getting some rest.

Huge big hug for you @petalpower 💕

Hello to all of you 👋

I hope the fractious and the tired and the less than totally mellow are feeling calmer 💐

We're underway in that my son and his wife are here. My other children live locally with their spouses and so it's very relaxed and nothing like having guests MN style. 'Kids' are all off the the pub tonight and himself and I are taking it easy after making sure the fridge, drinks cupboard and medication cabinet are stocked.

My dear mum has finanally stood down regarding Christmas preparations. We had a chat, several times over the same cuppa 😔 about how hard it is to let go of the reins when you've done things your way for 60+ years. She has been a doer of great magnificence all her life, and is really struggling with maintaining the facade that she can still cope. I helped her wrap presents today and I'm hoping I've convinced her that she can relax, and we won't exclude her even though she's no longer head chef. I suggested she can be the consultant, so got a giggle at that. Poor little soul 💔

Tomorrow (because cba tonight) I intend to set to on making what has been DH's office back into a dining room while he does veg prep for our Christmas meal. And run around making the place toddler friendly for tomorrow evening! We're having the young uns round for a casual get together here tomorrow then a sit down dinner at mum's on Christmas Day with me, DH, mum and siblings. Kids all off to inlaws and friends. Simples....she says hopefully!

I think i have a few presents to wrap. DS has put some under the tree and so it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas 🎶

Best wishes all round!

I'm sorry i prattle on and very little tagging. Mainly because i don't want to leave anyone out. But i have really enjoyed reading all your posts xx

Morning all.

i know what you mean about tagging everyone @FrostyFogg - don’t worry though - it’s hard to tag everyone all the time. Especially as we all talk so much!

Hope everyone is doing ok and getting everything they need done and bought and cooked etc.

I have just put a wash on. DH did the dishwasher. I’m going to ice the cake and make the stuffing and red cabbage. DH is on ham and lasagna duty. Lasagna being our traditional Christmas Eve dinner. He is also making pigs in blankets and a meat stuffing. Then I need to finish wrapping presents. And deliver cards to the village. Might ask DS to drive me! DH and I both still have the lurgy so energy levels are low.

Hope you all have a wonderful Christmas.

@Peridot1 good to see you are sharing the load! Hope you feel better today!

Merry Christmas everyone!!

Merry Christmas!!!!

Happy Christmas all!

Santa failed to provide batteries for the electric cars in DC stockings this morning 🤦‍♀️ but otherwise good!

Oh dear @Aria999! Memories! We all do it at least once.

Merry Christmas to you all you lovely lot. 🎄🎄🎄

My sister is finally well enough to have her phone and was moved out of ICU during the week. She called last night and it was lovely to speak to her. She’s an emotional mess at the moment and still very ill but she’s getting there. The nurses bought her a Christmas present this morning which made her cry - she said they are all lovely.

Hope you all have a wonderful day.

That's promising news @Peridot1 glad she is on the mend! That must have been very scary!

@Aria999 - it really was. Apparently they have said she only had about 48 hours left. And it was a bit of a call as to whether she would survive the surgery. She now also has kidney issues, covid and a hospital acquired infection! But the surgeon came this morning and said the liver was practically perfect for her and her over numbers are really good. Best he’s seen at this stage apparently. 🙏🙏🙏

Liver numbers not “over” numbers!

@Peridot1 - that is such good news, so pleased to hear she's doing well.

Merry Christmas to all, it's a relaxed day here, our guests have been and gone. I need to go and clear the kitchen up as dh cooked.

Happy Christmas to all.🎄
The dining room was finished enough to use and everyone is having a lovely day.
Great news about your sister @Peridot1 .

Merry Christmas one and all! We've had a nice day, and peaceful since 2.30 after the washing up was done. Lunch was a team effort and mum was left rosy cheeked and smiley after a sherry bless her.

Thrilled that your sister is showing good signs of recovery @Peridot1

And I'm glad that your house was usable @petalpower (not that we ever doubted you!)

Just me n Mr FrostyFogg here.
Christmas ✅

Love to all xx

Peridot, sorry your sister has covid & an infection. Her immunity must be quite low having had major surgery, but it's also not uncommon (here anyway) to contract some other illness while in hospital. Great news transplant is looking good!

I'm still suffering some sort of cold; the cough has gotten quite bad at night. Still covid negative though and hoping things turn around before Thursday. 🤞

Managed some cleaning and sorting on Saturday night: vacuumed and steamed mattresses; washed sheets and mattress covers; did three loads of clothes/towels; vacuumed and steam mopped floors and area rungs; then steam mopped kitchen ceiling and bathroom shower tiles.

Christmas Even is usually dinner and look at Christmas lights on the way to mass. Just stayed in sue to not feeling well, though, and made dinner and dessert. Was happy how it turned out.

Hope everyone is having a good Cheistmas. 🩷