Good Morning All! What are you all up to today?

[lucysmam]

I'm just drinking my first cuppa of the day, in my kitchen spot. Dd2's sat opposite me waiting for the toaster & the cats have been fed. There's no tinkling or rustling from the Christmas tree, and no noise from upstairs, so I think they've gone back to bed.

We don't have very much planned for today. There's the usual washing to do, a few pots from last night and a quick tidy round. Dd1's at work at 5; she worked a long shift at Southwell yesterday so probably won't be up for hours yet. Dd2 needs to sort her bedroom out again, and wants to try and get the bulk of her homework done.

I'm going to marzipan 3 small Christmas cakes, possibly bake a birthday cake to freeze, and try to disappear somewhere to wrap stocking fillers - we have no upstairs lights til Monday <sigh> so I can't do them tonight.

Other than that, I may start a single peg doll & either crochet or read depending which takes my fancy.

I have no idea what's for tea yet, I'll see who fancies what later - it'll definitely be something beige. Then tidy the kitchen, shower, and read for an hour or two before bed 💤.

What about all of you? 🙂

Oh @DilemmaDelilah I hope you are soon feeling better.

Delilah ,💐 I hope you feel better soon

Snuggling 2 day old DD2 on the sofa and watching a movie, sent DH back to bed for a few hours as he’s been amazing and let me sleep. Forgotten how beautiful the newborn bubble is and how gorgeous and tiny they are.

Morning all. Its my weekend off at last and I feel rubbish, very achy and bleugh. Dh is full of flu and I've caught something off him. The joys!!!!

Amen to that!!!

Morning all, I'm waiting for my in laws to arrive (due at 12) for a festive lunch. I've got everything prepared - beef stew and dumplings in oven, mash, sprouts, broccoli and peas ready to go. Trifle in the fridge. Spent the whole morning tidying the house and getting ready for their visit. Will go on a long walk after lunch, it's sunny here so should be nice and much needed as the kids are super excited and need some fresh air and exercise. Then probably play cards until the in laws have to leave. Once kids are in bed, I will be watching Stranger Things, we've re-watched from the start and are on series 4, I'm excited for series 5. Enjoy your day everyone and feel better soon if you're poorly X X

Good morning @lucysmam and everyone.

Hugs and healing vibes to everyone feeling unwell and dealing with unwell people. Lots of vitamin C and immune boosting stuff needed.

Congratulations @ILoveSleeping. How lovely.

I was supposed to go into town and post off some returns but didn’t. Suspect it will be bedlam now so might leave until Monday. Just planning a day of tidying and sorting the house and changing beds. Well one bed a day till they are done. Also want to vacuum and wash kitchen floor.

Neighbour has just dropped in with some squashes from his garden so might chop and freeze them.

DH wants to plant bulbs in the garden and wants me to help but I really don’t want to! It’s too cold!

Quiet night in. Chicken for dinner. Might try and find a movie to watch.

Today is the first day of my Christmas break (no children).

Had a lovely lie-in this morning, sorted the animals, showered and I've spent the morning on the sofa drinking coffee and watching Lord of the Rings. I don't plan on moving for the rest of the day except to get snacks

I was woken by some screaming child outside, at 11.30.
So got out of bed.
Nothing to do so will binge online all day.

I had a lie in which is unheard off as we are up and out at the crack of dawn every weekend for kids sports it was amazing to drink coffee in bed and saunter down at 10am.
I’ve done some ironing need to do a bit of painting in family room. Then I’m off out with two friends for Xmas drinks this afternoon. I’ve had Covid followed by a rubbish cold so am feeling pretty crap and run down hoping a coupe of glasses and a catch up will help!!

First of EIGHTEEN days off.

Was annoyed when I was woken by a stupid exhaust roaring, until I realised it was 8am, then I was very pleased with my lie in!

Had a leisurely breakfast and a coffee or three. Took the dog for a lovely peaceful walk. Tidied up my work storeroom, which I am very happy with now.

Will laze around with my book and my phone now for the afternoon. Burgers for tea.

And this is pretty much going to be my pace for the next two weeks 🙌🏼

Afternoon all.

Sat in my front room, tree lights on, Fairytale of New York playing, sausage dog sleeping curled round my knee.
I'm taking 20mins.

Dog walked, 3 loads of washing done, hoovering, dusting, clothes away.
Dd due back this evening from a night out with friends in the next city. Dh gone to talk cars with a local fellow mini enthusiast.
Making the most of the peace.

Have a good day everyone.

Nearly all of my Christmas events were last weekend. Today I have had a bath and washed my hair and taken DD to work. And unloaded the dishwasher. how exciting!
Also sent DH off with a list for last minute bits and so he could get me some stuff from him.
I might write the Christams cards for the neighbours later. Or I might hoover. Or read my book.
DS has just made me a very nice cup of tea

Day 6 of whatever illness this is. Not quite the flu but certainly worse than a normal cough / cold.

I've got a food shop due soon and older two have been banished to grandparents house for a sleepover. Myself and little one will watch a film after the shopping arrives. She had the illness too but got off much more easily than I have. DP got a full day at work but should hopefully be done for Xmas after today.

Something from the freezer for dinner, it's well stocked at least. I am still off my grub for the most part but quite fancy a little plate of chilli and rice later (I probably won't eat much though). Will have a nice soak later and then an early night.

Glad I hadn't made any grand plans but I need to be well for work on Monday (and beyond)

Morning all

Slow morning then panto day “oh yes it is” hope it’s not going to be a superspreader flu event! As it’s just the right time for us all to be waylaid for Christmas Day, knowing our luck.

Hoping everyone looking after themselves or being looked after

@Simonjt congratulations on the permanent residency enjoy the banking

I have spent the entire morning driving 45 minutes taking 2 teens into play Xmas cricket for a 3 hour session, then driving 45 mins home. Having some quick late lunch then going into bedroom away from teens to open up lots of Amazon parcels that have been arriving and sorting gifts into piles for DH, me, 2 foster son teens, and my 2 ds's and one of their gf's. Then I'm hoping DH will sit up there and start to wrap for an hour. DH and I have to go to take teens to buy their Xmas gifts about 4.30pm. I want to get them both new trainers but they will have to try them on. I've still got a few more Xmas gifts to get yet too. I'm doing big food shop for turkey fag it's thing Monday morning. I think tomorrow will be dedicated to wrapping up gifts and cooking.

I had a slow morning and didn't get up until 11. Since then I've dusted upstairs (including digging out the feather duster), cleaned the bathroom tiles, wiped down the kitchen cupboard fronts (that water was filthy!), dusted downstairs, wrapped a few presents and finished a homemade gift ready to wrap. Dh has done a wash load and chucked it on the line, fitted a new toilet seat and looked up light bulbs. Now off to aldi to look at the cheese and screwfix to get said bulbs for the cooker hood.

I bought the Outsmarted game to play at Christmas and have just spent almost two hours setting it up so that I won't have to faff with it on Christmas Day.
It's not complicated but the issue was trying to get my tablet or phone to connect to the TV.
I'll probably crochet and listen to an audio book for a couple of hours then cook dinner.

Penultimate step in my 'honningkager' (a Scandinavian gingerbread type item) recipe. This must be the most involved Christmas recipe ever. 3 months ago I made a honey dough, which had to be kept cool until now. 1 month ago I made a syrup dough that had to rest for a month. Today I made a spice mix, a mix of egg yolk and 'hjortetaksalt' and a further mix of potash and water. These 5 things have then been combined into a final dough which must rest for a further 24 hours before rolling, cutting and baking tomorrow. What a palaver! The mixes were incredibly hard to combine and have the consistency now of gluey putty. They'd better be worth the effort after all this!!!

Gorgeous, baby snuggles are the best. Good for your DH too, he's a good un.

@AuthorisedCat that sounds interesting! Do report back & let us know what it's like.

Hot tub followed by going to neighbours’ for mince pies and sausage rolls this morning, trip to Tesco for some final Xmas food, then lunch out, home to clean bathrooms & walk round block with 6yo seeing Xmas lights. Now on sofa.

Mega dog walk over the fields, I needed to chill and clear my head. Then took myself out to a favourite cafe for lunch and to get the last Christmas things. Just had a nap. Could do with wrapping some presents but it may wait until tomorrow. Chicken tray bake for tea.

Today is my first day off for a while, so I made the most of having a lie-in! I had a quiet morning with the animals, reading, knitting, and online shopping, while steeling myself to go into town this afternoon. I put away the pre-Christmas big shop last night, but had a few missing items that I wanted for some recipes.

I waited until late afternoon (I would've gone out in the late evening, but wanted some things from the pet shop, which closes earlier). The pet shop was gloriously quiet. B&M has an awkward car park, so that was like Tetris with the other cars trying to park, but at least they have discounts on large bars of chocolate to make up for it. The supermarket... it was awful. I hate busy places, and I am not going shopping, or into town, again until Christmas is over. It's bad when you're driving through the car park and reminding yourself to take deep breaths, it's OK, and that you're safe... and that's before you've been in the shop. I didn't manage to buy all that I needed, but I did say to someone working there that I took my hat off to anyone working in Customer Services at this time of year! My hands were shaking so badly with anxiety that I was struggling to get anything of use out of my purse.

Needless to say, I was glad to come home, and that I live in the countryside where it's calm and quiet. Period has arrived just to spoil the mood (thank goodness for Ibuprofen and chocolate). I have since been reminded that I should stick a neon sign to the door saying, "This is not X house. X is next door" for the delivery person who ALWAYS delivers it to my back door... and suggest that my neighbour puts clearer delivery instructions on their account.

I'm back in work early tomorrow morning. I'm hoping that it will be a peaceful Christmas on the farm, especially after the recent theft of some sheep, and that all goes well in 2026!

Evening all! Phew that was a very busy day! DH brought me a cuppa in bed & I got up quite early to potter before DD17 & I set off for a farmers market. I haven’t been able to go for ages as it always clashed with work so felt really happy, especially as it was the Christmas one. The car started making a noise which we initially thought was the exhaust or possibly a sandwich toaster bound for the charity shop rattling in the boot but it got louder & louder. Eventually it sounded like an aircraft! I pulled over to look at the exhaust but all ok. When we parked at the garden centre, I noticed one of the back tyres was completely flat! We went around the stalls then asked Santa (parking steward!) if there was anyone who could help. I’m a member of the AA but it’s one of the busiest weekends of the year. Two of the garden centre workers came over & we were good to go. DD suggested getting them a cake each to say thank you & the stall holder kindly let us add them to what we’d already got so that we could benefit from the offer price. The lemon meringue blondies are to die for! I also bought a broccoli & Stilton quiche, garlic & black pepper salami, streaky bacon, runny honey & mistletoe. Haven’t seen real mistletoe for years. Back at home I did a few bits & pieces, including tidying all the crap in the Dartington glass bowl on the kitchen table & loading the dishwasher. DD came downstairs to watch a Taylor Swift documentary. Nice to have her around as some days we barely see her. DH & I did our big Christmas food shop at Asda with a few missing bits from Tescos. Just the veg to get on Tuesday am. It actually wasn’t too busy & we got straight to the till at both shops. DH has found a lovely Air BNB with parking in Cardiff for when we see Take That next year. Woo Hoo! He only booked the tickets last night. So excited as we weren’t able to go to the circus tour last time. Just watching Strictly. Cheesy pies, mash & peas for tea later. Hope everyone’s having a good Saturday 🙂