Round up your broom stick, black cat and cauldron and get ready for Halloween, it's the Countdown to Christmas, thread 7!

[NoWordForFluffy]

Here we go again. I think the last thread was the quickest ever, so this one probably won't even get to Halloween, but we shall see!

71

Morning! Awake far too early again. 😴😴😴😴

Eugh Monday. Half term next week though so no work (apart from the toy shop two days) and and once thats done Christmas will seem really close!

Slightly worried there's not going to be snow when we go to Lapland as it's the end of November...

Morning!
Midwife at 11.45 then opticians at 1, hopefully find out what’s going on with my stupid eye today

Thank you pixie it certainly was a lovely day! I’m glad you’re feeling a lot more festive

Seafood - yep it’s the flamingo fling cosatto pram, it’s so different I love it! I’ve uploaded a pic of the one I want thank you I love her name so much

Fluffy - that cross stitch looks awesome, grand job you’ve done! Hope you managed to catch up on some sleep.

Philomena - bless you being up so early!

Wreck - Christmas seems to be rapidly coming round now it’s october! Lapland sounds awesome, I really hope it snows for you!

Breakfast time, have a grand day everyone!

Once we get to October Christmas really does rattle round doesn't it?

I'm off for half term too, thank god!

Then once we can say it's 'next month' it's REALLY exciting. I need to do a gift audit now everything is delivered, make sure the number of presents is even for the DC. I may have already got DS' birthday presents actually. 😂😂

Wreck, I think you'll be OK in late November. Reykjavik went from wet and mild in early Nov to ridiculous snow a week or so later a couple of years ago. And the weather in early Nov was unusually mild too.

Morning. DS has a birthday in early January and I have to be mostly prepared for it before Christmas otherwise I panic on New Years Eve. When he was very small i could just siphon off some of his Christmas presents but now I actually have to plan.

I always take my mum's birthday present when we go down in Oct / Nov as the weather is too unpredictable to know if we will make it down again before mid-late Jan (her birthday is 23 Jan!).

We're travelling on Sat this week, so I've made sure I'm done present-buying for them all. I'll need to write my Christmas cards too so they can distribute them with theirs! Then I can sit back and relax knowing it's all done and delivered.

And the NZ gifts get sent by the last surface mail date (late Sept). They do keep getting put on a plane though, so we just look ridiculously organised.

Ah thanks fluffy we're going to karesuvanto so further north. Fingers crossed!

Oh and re birthdays it's ds' and my brothers and nephews end of November, dh a week before Christmas and my mum, sister and best friend in jan 😭

Fab cross stitch fluffy! Plan for today is to crack on with more present buying, in laws and friends are almost done and I have started on my family :)

Also need to finish my cross stitch decorations, am on the penultimate one.

Morning all
Wow everyone is so so busy
Acey am loving the Flamingos!
Fluffy the x stitch is just beautiful well done!
PSB that was a savage time to get up this morning
Just heard Harry & Meghan are expecting a baby , Congratulations to them !
Up the parents this morning then home to recuperate /collapse lol
Have a great day everyone

I suspected it when she wore that coat to the wedding!

I am also back on top of the grand plan :)

Morning all. Am sitting in a coffee shop trying to replace lost fluids (had both flu jab and blood tests this morning!). Dh and I managed to get some housework done yesterday - last cut of the lawn, clean downstairs windows inside and out, fix DDs mast, empty suitcases, clear up a few of the clutter spots...and I managed to sort the fridge (lots needed cleaning out and using up - there’s a veg filled shepherds pie for dinner!, and some was salvageable but needed freezing).

This week, I need to write a speech (for DF’s 70th this weekend - eek!), wrap presents (hopefully to send back with DSis to avoid later postage costs), and get organized to travel the next 2 weekends. Including rearranging my hairdressers appointment next week as that now clashes with an evening course I start tonight for the whole winter.

Welcome home Acey I hope the opticians sorts you, love the pram, and hope you settle back well.

I love that so many are doing the grand plan - I’m way behind as usual but every extra job counts.

And well done to all the x stitchers! I love seeing the prigrsss of your tree Fluffy, and would love to see your collection Red/Green when they’re done.

Wreck enjoy Lapland- sure there is normally snow that early or they wouldn’t open the bookings!

Love the travel system Acey! Hope your eye gets sorted.

No more birthdays here now until April! 😆 DD wants me to buy her some bits for her Halloween costume though, so Christmas shopping will have to wait until I've done that.

Morning!

I really need to start making my mincemeat and things, can't think when I usually make the puddings.

I want to make a trad christmas cake but not too boozy so the children can eat it, I have no idea how or when to do that! I was wondering if I could feed it with sugar syrup or something. Must google!

www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/850633/asyoulikeit-christmas-cake Ooh! tea fed, my kids love tea (usually decaf) so I think this might be my cake. I think I will put some cranberries and dates in as well as sultanas and currants.

Oh, I couldn't have that, tea makes me queasy.

Anyway, the DC want this:
select.sainsburys.co.uk/product/7934051/cfto-js-chocolate-salted-caramel-cake

Just had a bacon baguette and a banana. 😋🍌

I might buy one of those too!

I don't like fruit cake, but the kids do and so does DH, and will palm it off on anyone that comes!

I heard that I didn't get the job today. Boo!

I've never had such a run of bad luck re not getting jobs after interviews!

Oh, what a shame Fluffy!

Ah their loss fluffy!!