Countdown to Christmas 2020 (thread 7): To buy or not to buy a Balsam Hill Christmas tree (AKA: Christmas in July)?!

[NoWordForFluffy]

I just noticed we only have 20 posts left and I'm off to the allotment! So here is thread 7!

Thanks fluffy enjoy the allotment :)

Checking in so I don't lose the new thread.

Thanks fluffy.

Dd and I are baking an apple and cinnamon cake. Should be tasty.

Ooh lost you momentarily!

My rex London order arrived today

Ooh, enjoy Wreck. I made Nigella's Christmas morning muffins yesterday... Mmm.

Today I'm getting more boiler quotes and investigating cars. I also got very excited when I woke up and it was sunny outside, I love the smell of line dried bedding, so I've stripped the bed and washed everything, but the sun has gone in now and there's not really a breeze, so it'll probably end up in the tumble drier tonight. Oh well...

I love line dried bedding to so planning on doing mine tomorrow Firefly

I'm just queueing to get into Matalan. I need to return 2 tops and if I don't do it today I know I won't get around to it but I'm annoyed about the queue.

We went to the big Sainsbury's today (it was a treat for me as DH dragged me to Go Outdoors with him so he could return a rucksack he ordered online and buy a different one).
We bought bedding (MrsMad you would be proud. It has hares on and as soon as DH said he liked it I kind of launched it into the trolley 😂 Aldi it was less than £20 for t he king size set). Also picked up quite a few tops / cardigans and a dress for £32 in the sale.

Not sure of the plan for the rest of day. Need to rest my ankle as it is swelling up from the walking / standing around....

Bargains, Crazy!

I just went to Dobbies after the allotment and they were totally out of stock of what I wanted. Helpful.

The allotment had gone crazy in the rain. My potatoes (and the weeds amongst them!) have gone insane. We'd better have a shit load of spuds under the ground!

I survived Costco yayyy

DS was fairly well behaved , complained how slow I was wandering along ( I am 54 ! ) while he pushed the trolley ( Costco trolleys are brilliant even fully laden they don't waver about )

I bought him a mega pack of Cadburys Dairy Milk and some food from the cafe to scoff on the way home .

He was whittering on about Millies Cookies so I'll dig out my Matha Stewart recipe ( but much less salt this time)

My DS is as skinny as a whippet , I have no idea where he puts all this unsuitable food .

Crazy I have an oilcloth on my dining room table that is beige with hares pattern on
(DH was all why d'you want rabbits , you don't like rabbits ?
They are Hares not Rabbits , huge difference

Afternoon

Love the new thread title Fluffy how many threads do you usually go through in a year?

It totally sums me up right now I'm so undecided whether to buy one. Its ready to checkout 😁
Has anyone got a Balsam Hill tree? and are they really as good as everyone says?

Firefly the same happened here lovely blue sky, hung the washing out and it went cloudy, typical

Firefly, DS loves those muffins. I make them regularly all year!

I've no idea on BH trees, KV. I don't think I could justify one! I got one from www.werchristmas.co.uk and it's just fine!

I also bought one from Next which wasn't needed but was a bargain!

Costco had some pre-lit trees - not Christmas trees though . (White , gold, green with soft white lights , more outdoor decoration )

Of course I never got near then, DS would've thought "Oh the Old Bat's off on a Christmas hunt" and rolled his eyes right out of his head

I don't think I could justify it either I think that's why I haven't gone to checkout yet. There's so many extras I could get for Christmas with it.

I bought 3 little 3ft silver trees last yeah I don't think I need anymore,

My ds loves looking at Christmas stuff to buy , I've got him well trained he loves Christmas just as much as I do😁

Our fish and chips are on the way, delivery wait time was longer than usual.

Bet you will have loads of potatoes fluffy :)

So glad you survived Costco 70!

I have had a lovely day. Went 15 miles away for our walk this morning! Then this afternoon I have been harvesting veg, baking banana cake and making a frittata.

Also starting to think about spring bulbs for next year as they need to be in the ground by the end of September. Want to work out where I want them and then carefully plan so I get a lovely mix from Feb right through to the end of May.

Evening all.

I didn't buy the BH tree. Dh thought £250 was still too dear for it. And BH keep sending emails that the tree is in my basket and haven't checked out yet but no discount code.

I'm watching a documentary on the history of Wales. It fascinating. One of my undergrad degrees is in history but my Welsh history is pitiful.

Is that a pic of your spuds Fluffy?

70 I've only ever been to Costco once. I think my bank card melted 😂 so I haven't gone again.
Also, hares and rabbits are different, how could he get this muddled?

KV I don't have one but my friend does. It's one that looks like it's been sprinkled in snow and it's beautiful.
I want one but we bought ours a few years ago and there's nothing wrong with it to it seems a bit wasteful to replace it for the sake of it especially now I'm working on the real tree plan

most that does sound like a nice day.
Where did you go?

Neros I know very little about welsh history. I don't know why, I'm generally quite interested in history but it didn't really make an appearance in my education and I've never taken the time to learn.

We're just waiting for food too. DH is having pizza and I'm having chip shop as they're next door to each other). I'm looking forward to it, I'm carbing away my pmt and crampy stomach

I saw a hare once when I was driving. It was massive.

I'm taking dd out shopping tomorrow and for lunch. Feels a bit odd to be going out but will be nice to have a day together I think.

There's a breed of rabbit called "Polish" ( Polish as in shiney not as in from Poland)
American Polish are teeny fluffy sweet bunnies used in magic tricks and the like
English Polish Rabbits would take your magicians hat and shove it right uo there
They are tiny , and resemble hares in build , but weigh 1000g or less . (One of my smaller guinea-pigs was 1066g)
They are rare , not very cuddly , not a novice rabbit keeper choice .
Probably never turn up in Rescue unless they have form for raiding your knife drawer .

They are my dream rabbit . But I will never own any .
I like proper standy up eared rabbits , not lops or any of these fancy breeds like angora or lionheads (I suppose Polish are very fancy breed though)

If I didn't have the cats , my garden would've loaned itself to some .

Hares , otoh are stunning , magnificent beasts .

I don't think we'll ever have rabbits, 70 or guinea pigs I understand they are much more high maintenance than cats, and the cats barely get sufficient attention (but then, do they ever??)

I have mostly line dried bedding - one of the duvet covers (DH is a cover-hog, so we have separate duvets) strayed too close to the raspberry canes, so had to be re-washed. We currently have one odd cover on. Who am I kidding - DH has an odd cover on

Sounds like a lovely day, Wreck. I'm a bit jealous.

It's our anniversary on Tuesday, and DH is still too worried about going out in public (mostly me) for us to do much. We didn't celebrate last year because it was when they confirmed the miscarriage, this year is probably going to be a ramble somewhere deserted and a takeaway...

70 a friend had 2 cats (male) and 2 rabbits (male) the rabbits would happily bonk the cats AND THE CATS ALLOWED IT!

MIL lives in the middle of large flat farmland where there are lots of hares. We've seen a few on walks there and they're fascinating but bloody huge!

Firefly a relaxed walk and a takeaway is a lovely celebration.
How many years have you been married?

I am stuffed. I'm trying to cross stitch but I'm so sleepy I may have to give up on it

puss it's a good job the cats didn't bonk the rabbits - cats have spiney willlies !
I have never looked at Dexter's undercarriage . I am happy to trust that the CPL castrated him

Happy Anniversary Firefly , have a lovely walk, time together and a delicious meal.

@KVlovesWinter Balsam Hill trees are totally worth the cost , especially in the sale . We already have a 7’ pre lit Fraser and have just bought a small Alpine prelit for our front room in the July sale . Compared to what you see in shops / garden centres they are excellent .

Evening everyone, thanks for the new sparkly thread Fluffy.

I must try some soup making Crazy, yours sound yum and I also want to start batch cooking as never done it before.

OMG Most that would be me about the peas, a total pea scoffer and I love risotto too.

Went to MIL today and sat in the garden and ate fish and chips yum.

Love Dire Straits 70 (especially Romeo and Juliet), wicked guitar playing.

Crazy we have a lovely walk that has wild rabbits running all over the place. It is lovely.

Happy anniversary fire!

Looked at Balsam Hill and their garlands and wreaths are so lovely!

Marshmallow I often make soup, my dc love it. I do it with cheese toasties for dinner some nights. It's a cheap and comforting meal and you can get loads of veg into it.

It's a lovely morning here I'm sitting outside having a coffee.

Tbh fire I feel a bit of a hypocrite going out especially as we refused yet another one of dh's family bbq's yesterday due to there being too many people there.

I just had a massive twig drop on me from the birds who build nests in our room. Made me jump!

I have no idea of the days as it's on the old thread so will leave the countdown today for someone who knows!