On your marks, get set, go...it's the countdown to Christmas 2020. Thread 1!

[ThatsMySantaHisBeardIsSoFluffy]

366

Afternoon.

Here we go again! It feels slightly bonkers setting off again before today is over, but it's tradition, so who am I to argue?!

He would start and never finish!

Yep. I reckon my DH would be a start and never finish builder too! Bloody builders / ex-roofers, eh?!

I hurt. I'm currently languishing in the bath after 5 or so hours at the allotment. I did a fair bit more digging, but it's bloody hard going on this new plot. I also managed to burn all my old raspberry canes, so that's another job done. My neighbour was there and she borrowed a bin from another plot so we could do it. We both got loads cleared! I've never had to start a fire before (not without fire lighters, anyway), so I'm quite proud of my efforts!

I ache so much though. Cracking exercise!

Dh isn't an ex Roofer yet

Looks like you've had sunshine Fluffy!! It's peeped through a little here, just about to walk the dog before work.

We've had all weather today! It was lovely when it was sunny, slightly cool when the clouds were there!

I'm still in the bath. Tricky to get out!

I'm in pain too fluffy. I did a low impact cardio work out with weights followed by yoga. Even my bum hurts

Oh god! That reminds me of the time I did a gung ho run through of an entire Davina DVD when I was at law school. I could barely sit down or do stairs the next day. Handy as I lived on the second floor with no lift and also had to be in law school all day! 🙈🙈 Never did it again!

Afternoon everyone
They won't let anyone buy their council house in Wales anymore. I know of a few ppl where my Mum lives who have missed the boat. l know some ppl don't like the buying of council houses but these ppl have paid rent for decades to the council and surely they deserve the right to own their own homes after all this time. I mean it's not just economics it's the fact that their families have been bought up there and they are their beloved homes and they don't want to have to move ever if they can stay there. My Brother & sister have been going on about a few ppl who live by my Mum , who are living in a 3 bed council house alone. I know it isn't fair to those who want a house to have a family but these ppl have rights too. It just doesn't seem fair which ever way you look at it l don't know what the answer is really .
We have been to Cwmbran and bought a few bits and pieces. I bought birthday presents and a Baby Boy birth present for Mum to send to my cuz's grandchild. I suppose the grandchild is my Mum's Great nephew
Very quiet in Cwmbran , we popped to the Crem to put new year flowers on my friends memorial and the wreaths, Christmas trees, bouquets , pot plants and cards and memorobilia there was immense. The gardeners will have a massive job on to clean it all up when they do. There will be a lot of waste though , it saddened us to see the beautiful small trees in pots , buckets that will be thrown out . Some of the tributes were absolutely beautiful, in lovely wooden boxes with writing on . Soft toys , cards and balloons . The lot will be thrown out because they only allow real flowers there and the gardeners remove these when they decide they are finished . Anyway it is what it is . We were just struck how much waste there was being created but everyone wants to remember their beloveds especially at Christmas

You did very well Fluffy , hope you feel less stiff and achy after your bath m'dear, you too Wreck

17 years paying rent for us Mrsm, I feel old ha ha.

Mum puts something on Nan's headstone every Christmas, we do miss her as she was certainly a character.

Time for work, have a good evening everyone.

Character is one way to describe nan, PJ! 😂😂😂 She was never knowingly beaten at Monopoly (because she cheated!).

You'd hope they'd have some way of recycling / donating all of that kind of thing, wouldn't you, Mrs? Seems such a waste.

Have a good shift PJ
I hope BJ doesn't stop council houses being sold, l don't trust him one iota! They have already about turned on the living wage
Fluffy , l know and there l was adding to the problem but at least they were real flowers and they can be composted
It's an awful waste really , think l will be burnt and my ashes scattered to the winds when l shuffle off this mortal coil

I want my remains to be turned into a diamond and the rest chucked away. I've not really been to my Nana's grave, because she's not there iyswim. I just chatter to her as I'm doing things.

Fluffy the allotment is going okay. We got it in May, couldn't do much June to September as I was really ill from pregnancy/mmc, and by then we'd missed the boat for peak growing season/getting a winter crop started.

We're getting a handle on it now that the weeds aren't growing quite so prolifically. I've got spring bulbs in, and we've planted some fruit trees. I have sorted the greenhouse ready to start again next month.

January is always a bit of a write off anyway, in terms of anything apart from my am dram group, as we do three rehearsals a week, including all day Sundays, then shows the last two weekends and 3 week nights in between... 😴

It's mostly just grass at the moment. 1/4 of it has 'beds' but I haven't taken a picture of them recently.

1/4 of it is going to be fruit trees/wildflowers. This is DS in one of the holes for the trees. He does enjoy a good mud hole 😁

The other picture is the trench I dug for the spring bulbs, just to the right of DS's hole 😁

Will hopefully hear tomorrow fluffy!

Our decs came down today and I managed to get some gardening done too so feeling very productive :)

Can't believe it's back to work tomorrow

Eugh. I really don't want to go back to work tomorrow either! Six weeks until half term...

Neros how are you feeling?

PJ I don't know why anyone would judge. I know a few people who bought their council houses. Sensible imo - here they seem to be decent sizes, good gardens and reasonable price with the discount.

Fluffy rest up!
DH wouldn't be able to build a house (although he would be a great build / project manager).
Our dream would be to self build as my dad is a tradesman who can turn his hand to anything and he'd love to help. Will never be able to afford to though -

Firefly you've had a tough year

Thoroughly enjoyed my last bit of Christmas today. Turkey roast was lovely and dm had even bought everyone a little present

Home now to relax before work (and diet) starts all over again tomorrow 🙄

Crazy, I'm glad you enjoyed your dinner and present!

Firefly, I'm not surprised you didn't get going last year. I'm sorry you had a shit time of it. I'm sure you'll get going this year!

I've got a flower / fruit tree but at the back of plot 1. It attracts weeds like nothing else, but the actual growing area is my priority to weed! We need flowers and birds at allotments (I put a load of bird seed out today, with fat balls and peanuts too).

I'm glad I've already had 4 days back at work. It would be hell tomorrow otherwise!

Nan used to always get me with 52 card pick up

Thank you for not judging, it's more on here I see it, not in real life, so that's how we could be mortgage free in 10 years

Ds2's team won!! good start to the new year for them.

Work was ok, Tuesday is the start of 7 days a week until Feb half term, but it doesn't bother me

FireFly your allotment looks massive and Ds looks like he's happy in hos hole

I'm also lucky i have still had my NHS still so it's not so much as a shock going back

Oh and I've put a holiday form in for Christmas Day

Firefly you have have a rubbish 2019 here's to a much brighter 2020 for us all
The allotment looks brilliant , l love your plans for fruit trees/wildflowers & Spring bulbs . The Am Dram group sounds brilliant !
Crazy , glad you had a good day today and yes back to the diet tomorrow for a few of us, me included

Don't know the story FireFly but here's to a better year for you

Love that flouncy
We also played Ludo with Nan, and yes Fluffy she was a very bad loser, but what a lovely woman she was, and she held grudges massively

Funny that your auntie was called Alice, flouncy, as our nan was too!

Oh yeah, we played Ludo too!

I'm a grudge-holder. I think it runs on the T side of the family!