Countdown to 2016 - A whole extra day to wait...thread 2!

[MrsDilligaf]

Well hello avid countdowners....

A shiny new thread for us

Link to the last thread here

It's been very wet and miserable here today. I had my first Christmas dinner of the season at lunch-time yesterday - in John Lewis. Very nice it was too, even if they had run out of parsnips.

Have also had 2 different kinds of Christmas sandwiches from Pret this week, the veggie Christmas sandwich and (new for this year) the vegan baguette which was parsnip, carrots and chutney. Yummy. Might try the meat one next week.

Had a mooch around John Lewis Christmas department and bought the DCs Buster from the advert (I know, I know). Think it will go in the stocking.

DD has asked for a kind of advent calendar this year which is not possible to buy, so I am faced with the option of having to make her one. The bloody elves bring the advent calendar in our house (yes, am really glad I started that all those years ago!). Am pretty sure she's stopped believing but still, she seems to think the sodding elves can make anything.

I've done an Argos shop to be collected later in the week which I think might mean I'm finished. I found a rather worrying lump this week and I'm waiting to be seen at the hospital. Glad that I'll have the shopping and prep mostly done in case it's bad news.

Tomorrow I'm going to make my red cabbage. I'm going to make my stuffing and pre boil my potatoes and parsnips this week and freeze. I'm going to make and freeze the yorkshires this week too. Got to try and make some soya milk ones for the kids.

Oh , mummy , hopefully they won't keep you waiting for an appointment.

I'll be seen within two weeks so not too long. I'm hoping it won't be this coming week as dh is abroad. I'm hoping for a whirlwind and then some lovely reassurance and we can move on. Next year has to be a better year.

Thank yoU

Mummy - hopefully it will all get sorted soon and then you can relax and enjoy your Christmas.

I hope everything turns out well for you, mummy. It must be stressful having the wait, especially with your DH being away as well.

Mummy - best of luck. Speedy turnarounds are a bit of a whirlwind but hopefully you will have answers soon. We're here for a handhold if you need us

Horace I've dug out the pattern I used and it's the right size . I need to put some ribbon through so I'll have a rummage in my stash and finish everything off. I'll post a photo when I'm finished if you want.

41

DD and I ventured up to Larndan , it was heaving

She got jeans, shoes, make-up, PJs for Christmas (when I say "she got" I mean "I bought" )
I bought PJs for DS, had a look at lights in John Lewis.

Planning a Sunday De-Clutter and get some Charity Shop stuff together.

Six weeks now, it'll be here .............................

Woolly, that's fantastic, thank you! DD will love them!

It doesn't seem right that it's only 6 weeks' away!

Once the doll is here tomorrow I'm going to work out what I have for each child and which gifts are from Santa and which are from us. Then I can get wrapping. 🎄🎄🎄

for you Mummy and totally agrees with what everyone else has said.

((Hug))

mummy hope you get good news back swiftly.

I cannot believe how close it is, I bought all my wrapping bits from TheRange yesterday it was totaly manic in there!

I bought my storm lantern to grow my nacissus in and the roasting trays for the Christmas veg yesterday. IKEA was heaving, but I still got a baby space and managed alone with two small boys in there. I was most proud.

Thanks for all the hugs, stress at such a lovely time of year is not welcome. I'm hoping the Christmas spirit will bounce me through

mummy wishing you good news.

Final present bought for DH - a warm winter coat. He needs on anyway so got him a Fred Perry one so its more of a present rather than a 'need' as he'd never spend that much on a coat. It was £60 off too, so something of a bargain!

I must start wrapping.

mummy do parboiled and frozen potatoes come out ok? I'm quite tempted.

Also does anyone know if you can freeze and reheat potch, and if so, how to go about it?

What's potch??

Yes, I cook mine all the way through and then dry them on a cake rack. They then go in hot oil or I open freeze then and then pop them into a bag. I'll get them out first thing and onto a cake rack to make sure they are dry and then into hot oil. It's the same process some places do for triple cooked chips I think, they chill them down between two of the steps.

mummy potch is mashed swede and parsnips - in this house anyway! Google doesn't seem to know what it is either, but it's what my mum always called it when growing up so I just assumed that's what it was called

Might give the frozen roasties a bash.

Got the good housekeeping christmas mag yesterday. Don't usually buy it but always enjoyed the Christmas edition. It's a bit meh this year, seems to be mainly adverts.

One of the 'tips' was to insist your guests take a nap after lunch if they want a drink with lunch and to get rid of them, tell them you're setting the burglar alarm so they had to go to bed if they're stopping over. Doesn't seem very festive to me.

I can't imagine insisting that guests have a nap! Hell, even my toddlers won't nap if they don't want to, let alone an adult guest. 😂

Is it the bah humbug version of GH this year?!

I have the GH mag too Clash and was very when I read about guests napping. My only guest is my DM and chances are she will be having a nap but she would tan my hide if I tucked her up as a deliberate tactic.

I've just spent a lovely ten minutes or so watching YouTube videos on folding napkins. I really do have too much time on my hands . I'm going to practice with some paper napkins I have left over from last year. It will make a nice change from what I was doing last night. Thanks to MN I know that bicarbonate of soda takes the smell of vomit out of carpet. Thanks DS for allowing me to test that tip.

I read that bit too, we are at home on our own Christmas Day and certainly (angel) Gabriel will be having a nap. Ds1 will not entertain a nap. Shame.

Clash I was very excited to see you refer to potch. Here is means mashed swede and carrots (and I add a potato). Had some today and it was lovely.** Where are you based? I am s wales.

Mummy - keeping fingers crossed for good news for you

I haven't read the GH Christmas mag yet but am not surprised at guests taking a nap. In my house it's all we can do to stay awake in the afternoon - last year me and my dad both had a sofa snooze while DH,
dsis and DM drank lots chatted

I am still looking for a cheap but nice table runner - DH moans about spending money on anything that only gets used once a year but I would really like one - we have a deep red table cloth and think a gold runner would be lovely. No luck yet though

Handbag is this runner any good? From Tesco direct.

Or this one from Dunelm?

Enjoying a good Google while DH is engrossed in the Belgium match. We are not Belgian

My runner gets used twice a year - Christmas and New Year. I make a point of clearing the table and washing the gravy drops off the table cloth so it looks different.

I had some delicious puréed swede and carrots with dinner this evening. At least I thought it was delicious and posh until I read the "cooking veg for 45 minutes" thread

Where I grew up in Liverpool it was called "mashed carrots and turnip". We like to state the bleeding obvious

40 How did we get there!
Almost down to one month, still so much to do!

I just call it mashed swede and carrots, from the midlands

I'd call it that too, Hairspray (originally East Miss).

And 40 seems so close!

I spend over £40 quid in the range buying "extras" to wrap my presents with,
and haven't even broken the back of my main xmas shopping.

Need to crack on but i keep getting distracted!

Might do late night shopping this week and next week I really want to be done and wrapped before December!

I'm hoping to do my gift inventory tonight once the kids are in bed. Maybe I'll start wrapping then too.

Because I live away during the week it really cuts into my 'doing' time at home as it essentially wipes 4 nights out (I'm too knackered the night I come home to do anything).

We've all had cold bugs this weekend too and felt like crap, so I really need to be productive at least tonight to catch up with myself!