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!

I'm so sorry chips

Morning! I'm currently back in bed to warm up after a shower. It's freezing here today!

I'm so sorry to hear your news Chips. A very good friend of mine is going through the same although she's a few months ahead of you. It's hard but hopefully things will work out exactly as they're meant to in the end 

So sorry chips my "D"H lived with us still for a while after we split and I know how it can feel. I flitted between thinking I desperately wanted him to stay and keep the family to "when can he get the fuck out of my house". He left around 6 months ago and the home is such a more pleasant one now and we have such a better coparenting relationship. If you need a place to sound off please do PM me.

Shame about the job fluffy but that sounds positive!!

Its very cold on a morning now and I feel like I'm arriving and leaving home in the dark now! Cant wait for the Xmas lights to go on I never go to Leeds switch on but like it when they are lit up!

Have a lovely day all!!

Oh Chips I am sorry to hear your news.

Fluffy hope you hear positive things about this job. Very exciting.

I am brewing a cold which is brilliant timing as DH is away, DD2 comes home tomorrow for half term and we have a house full of visitors coming next week. I've just dropped DS at the station and I'm going home to crochet and watch back to back films. I need to do a load of laundry but I don't plan to do very much else.

I filtered my redcurrant gin last night. It looks amazing but still tastes a bit raw. I've added some more sugar and I'll taste check it a couple of times before Christmas.

Morning everyone
Just off up the parents early because Mum has the hairdressers this morning .
I hope everyone is coping and that everyone feels stronger , come here to vent anytime . God knows l do
Very huge hugs galore to everyone
Have a great day

Morning! Sorry, I got up and might have got involved in the Playmobil Royal Wedding thread. I'm having smoked salmon and scrambled eggs and a banana today. DD's still off. Doctor's on Saturday if she's not better.

DS2 has Adventure today. 😆

Heavy I hope Arthur is much better today.

Fur Thanks for sharing the link, I've ordered the oreo tin.

Fluffy I agree, very dark and gloomy this morning.

Wooly oh no! I hope it's a short lived cold. I only seem to get really ill when DH is on a work event! your gin sounds lovely :)

Mrsmad I hope it goes well at the hairdressers :)

Acey I hope you're doing well

Philomena What adventure is he off on? I'm sorry to hear your DD is still not feeling well.

Seafood Adventure is the XX Adventure Project, they're a charity who run after school and holiday childcare and also drop in. Both my DC are drop in. They have a community kitchen and a children's kitchen, a "Crafting Room" a la Minecraft, a games room which also has a Switch and an X Box, a big TV and a garden. They also share the school's football pitch. I'll see if I can explain the layout. Across the road from the school at the back is a park, Adventure is in that. The road's a cul de sac, and the football pitch is at the end of it. Both the school and Adventure have gates into the football pitch. It's actually not all that adventurous! They also run trips in the holidays.

Thank you Seafood how lovely of you!. He’s doing okay, he’s still got a temperature so off today again but seems to be well enough to go back tomorrow.

I’m just sorting the house out and then packing some things for the move. We’ve decided on either Frank, Alan or Albert for the LO. Im 21 weeks today!

Hope you’re all doing well, will catch up with you all when I get the chance, just so busy at the minute.

Morning all.

Chips I'm so sorry to see your latest update, but it sounds like while its' hard having STBXH still there, it is useful at the same time, long may that continue. And I hope you find at least moments of peace even if not quite joy at the moment.

And the same good wishes to you too PixieMiss

Woolly I hope the cold doesn't settle and you can throw it off quickly. Perhaps a shot of the redcurrant gin might help, with a little sugar syrup, to boost your Vit C levels?! (Or just to cope with DCs while DH is away).

Mrs you are always so busy doing all your caring and walking. I hope your DM enjoys her outing!

Heavy that sounds so fast with the move!! Good luck with it all.

And I hope things are settling down nicely Acey as your move has completed, and that you;ve unpacked everything from DBs cars.

Sorry to anyone I've missed. Yesterday got slightly better (not a lot) but I did end up eating a whole M&S sharing bag of crisps at my desk in the afternoon.... but I limited myself to a half glass of wine at home later. DM is annoying me trying to organize what the DSiblings are doing - phoning in the middle of a meeting I was in at work, and trying to undo half of what we've already organized.

Work is manic. Home is manic. I need more sleep. I need to remind DMIL that I can't stay after the anniversary mass on Saturday night as I am (part)hosting the other party - which was in the diary 6 months ago (and the anniversary relevant to the mass is another 2 weeks away yet, and we will be down next weekend!), so I am ready for the PA comments and the guilt trip. And trying to ignore DM's PA comments and interfering. It will be a weekend where I don't emerge from the bedroom until my full face of armour (makeup) is on as my shield....its' twee but it can help sometimes.

Philomena That sounds really good, I bet the kids love it!

Heavy I'm glad to hear he's on the mend, I bet he'll be very glad to go to school tomorrow. I like all your name choices but I love Albert :) I'm 24 weeks on Sunday so our due dates are quite close! Morning sickness has decided to randomly return since yesterday, I'm hoping it goes away soon!

Biddy Just tune out the PA comments from MIL and DM, you're doing too much as usual, they're both adults and should respect the plans of other people. *my DM is the queen of guilt tripping and does a pretty good silent treatment but really you can't give in or they'll take over.

Biddy that sounds like a nightmare.

Work is so boring. I have nothing in my diary today and tomorrow but a jam packed November. 😴

I think they do, although DD gets bored when it's raining, as she spends most of her time outside when she's there.

She's just had a Pukka pie for lunch. 😋 I might have eaten rather a lot of mini gingerbread men.

Got horribly delayed doing "jobs" on lunch, (visited bank, bought cheese and chocs for DF party (2 separate shops), birthday present for 1 DSis (only 1 more to do! oops, and DM...!), and a few bits of fruit for my desk drawer). I also picked up a pack of mince pies in M&S beside the fruit.....

But I may actually have another trip to make before Halloween, which would mean flying from DMIL's and getting a night of peace and quiet!! So if I can make it work out, I think I will go and cover the meeting. And get huge brownie points with others for it too...(I also happened to buy Christmas cards yesterday, so that would be me occupied on the plane!!).

Evening all!

Haven’t been able to get on until today. Had bloods taken with the new midwife on Monday and the results have come back as I have a Thalassaemia trait. Got an appointment at the hospital on Monday as it could be harmful to my wee princess. Worried to say the least but at least they’ve picked it up. The bloods at my booking appointment in the UK never came back, so thankfully my midwife here took them again and fast tracked the results.

I’m going to have a bath then catch up on what I’ve missed.

Have a lovely evening everyone.

Acey my friends ds has thalassemia, gets it from his dads side. He's fine btw :)

Evening all
Acey please do not worry too much , easier said than done l know my dear
Biddy you did great today such a lot accomplished! well done! You try to help so many ppl l think you deserved a pkt of crisps and half a glass of wine!!
PSB l hope your DD is better soon , I think the Adventure sounds wonderful!!
Wreck can't you do a bit of ahem ....personal stuff to fill in the time ... Admin
Seafood l hope the sickness has receded now and you feel fine. I love the name Albert too, (Albie or Bertie for short of course love it!)
Heavy seems you have 2 in the Albert camp here m'dear
Hope Arthur is ok now and the packing is going well.
Woolly I hope your cold is better today and you are feeling ok
We went to take Mum to the Hairdressers only to find that 'a man' had rung the doorbell at 8 am and mum had answered it from the stair lift only for them to do a deal for 200 pounds to clear the gutters and clear the conservatory roof. I went nuts . They are so vulnerable at their age . Mum had left the front door open when we came there , anything could have happened to them. Anyway we had the most awful row , they don't think they need us looking after them or being concerned , to quote Mum 'no one will con me out of money l have all my faculties'. I explained that these ppl have no morals they just want money and will do anything to get it. Mum was fuming with me but she had to have it both barrels l am afraid . They are just getting really difficult to manage because they will not listen. They know best! Anyway the men came and thank God they were fine , they had agreed to do the whole of the house roof, the conservatory roof and the car port and porch and all the gutters. They had all the equipment and paperwork to prove who they were but my point is that this was just pure luck that they were not crooks!! Anyway Mum decided she was too upset to go to the Hairdressers and cancelled it !! I was fuming with them both . It isn't even the money , it is about keeping them safe .
Anyway we went to Bryn Bach park for a lovely walk and fed the Birds , they have loads of wildfowl there we had a great walk then went shopping in Merthyr Tydfil, lovely Christmas stuff around , TKmax seems great for small games for the menfolk. Lots of Magnetic dart boards, trivial pursuit stuff , HP cards and bits & bobs. I didn't buy any but l came home and priced them up and wished l had lol . Will go again soon and hopefully will be more there
I don't know l am pondering over this row now and l am thinking perhaps l am in the wrong and try to manage their affairs too much but l am only trying to do what is best for them , can't win , damned if l do damned if l don't !
Anyway hope everyone is enjoying their evening and get a good nights sleep

68

Morning! It's mine and Wreck's Friday and we both have next week off, so double wooooo!

I've a load of work to do first though. Obviously!

I hope everyone is OK.

Hairspray, the council will come round and inspect for you. They can force the landlord to do improvement works. And if your tenancy is post-Oct 15 retaliatory eviction is illegal.

Mrs, irs obvious that you've said what you did because you care. There's none so blind as those who won't see. How utterly frustrating for you.

Yay fluffy!

Mrs what a tricky situation. I can see both points of view but I definitely would feel the same as you. It must be hard growing old and they should think themselves lucky to have such a caring daughter

Joining the "its my friday" club as I only work Mon-Thurs

Mrs so glad the men turned out to be genuine but youre so right - the next door knockers probably won't be. You can see how they want to retain their indepedence with this kind of thing but there are far too many unsavoury characters out there.

Good luck with the appointment Acey

Morning everyone
I am so grateful for the voice of reason here from you all, l feel frustrated with them , you are right. I am so cross with Mum for answering the door at that time of the morning in her nightie, straight off the stair lift . This is so not like her. I don't know ...l am getting a bit of a picture of what it is like to be old and l do not want to be like this with my DDS . Mum is getting so many charity letters too and l try to get rid of them as much as l can, not because l am mean or want to stop her sending but because she cannot keep up with sending money to them all it is ridiculous how many she gets. Looking after them both is so much harder than working ....l never thought l would say THAT!! Off up there in a while l await the next installment
Anyways have a wonderful day everyone take care , it looks like another beautiful Autumn day , l will go out for a walk today no matter what because l can feel the stress lifting as l walk and hear the birds sing

Morning all,
I think we might have lost a day? It's only 67 until Christmas, (which possibly means 66 until Christmas Eve, which was always 70s milestone to count towards).

Slept ok last night. Drove to work this morning to clear out under the desk. Made progress on some lists, and will continue that this morning.

Hope everyone else is doing ok.

It's 68 sleeps. I've just counted on my calendar!