Countdown to Christmas 2020 (thread 9): Vibrating beds and tiny choppers!

[NoWordForFluffy]

Here we go. We're still a chatty bunch. We're going to knock any previous thread count into a cocked hat!

Go, go, go...

coming out of lurking to join you all. Have made some good progress on Christmas prep, and determined to be ahead this year.
@FireflyGirl is it Magna you were planning on going to? If so sorry to tell you it is going to be closed from tomorrow until Oct half term.

DH goes back to work tomorrow, Dc have a morning in school on Thurs, then all back from Monday properly and I have 4 days anual leave to blitz everything! Can't wait

It was, moss. Thanks for the heads up! Would have been difficult to explain to DS once we got there!!

Guess my evening is going to be spent looking for alternatives!!

@FireflyGirl, how about Eureka?

I forgot to say: Morrison's has mince pies in stock! I didn't buy any as I make my own.

Evening everyone.
Hope you are all having a lovely Bank Holiday Monday.
We went to a large park not too far from us and had a lovely walk. Wanted to have something to eat in the cafe but it was closed. Settled for a Starbucks Peanut butter Frappucino on the way back yum. Having fajitas tonight so showing DD how to make it going to uni soon and trying to pack as many life skills in as I can before she goes.

Just looked at Flylady Christmas and it gives you a good plan, 15 mins in each room to start, sounds quite doable thanks for the tip Biddy

My DS's standard phrase at the moment Boots is OMG are you joking??? It always makes me smirk.

Hope you enjoyed the cinema Constantly we went a couple of days ago with the DC to see Tenet, film alright but plot a bit confusing, but popcorn and Minstrels were nice!

Love having a clear out and doing a car boot, a couple of hundred is a great result Crazy could put it towards your Christmas stuff.

Woolly can't do hoovering with my shoulders, have to let DH give a hand and can't change beds either Clearance sale on here any good?
www.guitarguitar.co.uk/clearance/

Hope you find your C/S Fluffy love any Christmas magazines.

Back to work tomorrow, two inset days with lots of courses YAYY.

Fluffy socks are now in Primark, must stock up for stockings.

Thanks Fluffy. DS likes Eureka, but we were heading Sheffield way to combine a morning out with visiting DSMIL as we haven't seen her since January.

DH and I are going to have a look at alternatives after DS is in bed.

I am so lost on the grated fairies

Had an amazing day in Tintern, just so so beautiful. Then went to the allotment and got the last runner beans and all the remaining potatoes. My muscles are aching now but in a good way :)

Bags are all packed for tomorrow, it's going to be a bit of a shock to the system!

www.simt.co.uk/kelham-island-museum?

(I'm very invested in this now!)

Thanks Fluffy, that would have been perfect, but it's not open on Fridays!!

Options seem to be Yorkshire Wildlife Park, Clifton Park in Rotherham, or else we rethink the entire plan and go to Eureka.

Evening.

We had a bit of a palaver today as our electric went off. Ended up going to the beach in Donegal. There was a wind but it was dry and nice.

I've never been to Morrison's because there none in NI but I did hear good things about their mince pies. If I don't make them myself I like the ones from Sainsbury's bakery. A nice flaky pastry and good ratio. I hate places that have all pastry and one fermented raisin.
I've just had an idea of soaking the fruit in mulled wine.

Forgot to mention we popped into Chepstow Garden Centre to get a bulb planter and saw mince pies for sale.

Did you pick some up most?

This is my Mary Berry book I found.

The Sainsbury's bakery ones are the only ones I'm happy to buy, Neros. #mincepiesnob

Fluffy title of new thread?

Neros what about killing 2 birds with one stone and making Christmas pudding flavoured alcohol and alcohol infused mince pies? Soak your dried fruit in brandy for ages and then once you've infused it for long enough you can strain and bottle the booze and use the fruit to make mincemeat for your mince pies. Maybe with a cinnamon stick and some lemon and orange peel for a bit of extra oomph.

I'm going to visit the local PYO to see if they still have red currants. I made red currant infused gin a couple of years ago and it was amazing if I say so myself.

I'll have a look at that site MM thank you.

Sorted PJs for DD1 today - I'm going to slow down a bit now otherwise I'll have nothing to get later in the year. I'm going to concentrate on my homemade stuff for the next couple of months. I have finished clearing out the kitchen cupboards so I know what I have for baking. I need to defrost the garage freezer still though.

I'm ok for attic week too Boots DH has been adamant about not shoving any old junk in the loft since we moved so the only thing in there is a small roll of Lino left over when the bathroom floors were laid.

I was thinking: the one with the very important participants! 🙈😂

Woolly that sounds amazing. I need to try that.

Ah fluffy I forgot VIP.

I didn't get any as still have homemade ones in the freezer

I've taken my own advice and added the rest of the ingredients for Christmas cakes and mincemeat to my weekend click and collect. DS starts school next week so I'll do a bit of prep once the house is a bit less full.

I'm gradually building up baking supplies. I really need a stocktake, but haven't found time yet. I'll end up buying blind and ending up with loads of nuts I don't need!

ooh mince pies , I have to agree Sainsbury Bakery ones , the shortcrust not the flakey pastry .

Many years I made mince meat , it was a one off , I have never been inspired to try again. Nothing wrong with it , but I didn't get the "Oooh " factor of Jar v Home cooked .

I bought a bag of Cadbury chocolate sweets ( Favourites or something ) there were regular CDM, Caramel and WholeNut ,
Quite nice big chunky chocolate pieces individual wrapped and they actually tasted like proper Cadburys chocolate .
Often it has a weird coconut taste .

One for the Christmas Cupboard

I've got some Lemon Sheberts and some sweets like Campinoes ( white/red raspeberry) liaying idle and DS has a bottle of vodka untouched . I could make some flavoured vodka ......

What have you got to get Fluffy? I tend not to put whole nuts in my Christmas baking (SIL with allergies) so apart from brandy I usually have everything else in.

I'll stock up on eggs (nearer the time), flour, as well as loads of butter! I need to see how much chocolate I have, as no doubt I'll need more. I've already bought the cocoa powder and golden syrup stocks. And cinnamon etc.

I use Brazil nuts and pecans quite a bit, and I need to check what else I have / need.

I generally have stocks, but I like to have loads of extra for impromptu things the kids ask for!