Countdown to Christmas 2020 (Thread 10): the one with the Very Important Participants!

[NoWordForFluffy]

Here we go!

I've got a busy day tomorrow, so I'm starting this now, ready for when it's needed.

Good haul Fluffy! And love the parsnips (they're one of my favourite veg)

70 I heard the same about conkers and spiders. Still think DH would worry about me if I did it though!
We do the same as fluffy - leave the spindly ones in the high corners and hope they keep the big ones away.

Please post a pic of your countdown soldier Neros

Good luck with the freezer lucky dip Firefly
If I clean up after, can I come for pie please?

Welcome klj

I'm finally home. We went to FILs to drop off some gifts for BIL, went to my parents for dinner, walked the dog (and picked blackberries on the way) and now putting my feet up.

I've been thinking about Christmas and I really need to stop myself buying any decorations or anything unnecessary this year (including magazines)! We're looking at houses and if we manage to buy, money is going to be tight for the next year or so. I have everything we need - I may make myself a few things here and there but need to not spend money. Please stop me if I post about buying things here!

Yes welcome to the thread klj I also need to rein it in this year. I say it every year and the dc end up with so much in their stockings it's ridiculous.

Back to school tomorrow. Ds is nervous but happy to be seeing his friends.

Welcome klj

DS is back tomorrow and is a cross between excited about seeing his friends and apprehensive about being in a big group after all this time. Uniform is all sorted, bag packed and alarm set. I even bought him a 'last one of the summer' Costa cooler and did the dishes even though it was his turn.

Crazy is the Readly app free? If so you'll be able to read Christmas magazines online for free (past issues). That should scratch that itch anyway.

I am losing it 🤣
It's voting for the winner of the pictures for a couple of days now Woolly 😂 not doing my job 😋😂

AHH Crazy you can window shop and imagine where you can put things in your new house instead 🤗

Crazy I couldn't remember the name of it when I was posting but it's a nutcracker not a soldier .

We can stop each other on the buying. I am absolutely lethal when it comes to buying stuff for Christmas. I need someone to take my phone and purse away from me.

Crazy I use an app called rbdigital on my Kindle, which you just need your library card details for, and I can read magazines on there.

There's a choice of over 50 publications, from Women's Weekly to National Geographic to Sea Angler (??), but there's also Country Homes, Good Housekeeping, Good Food and another BBC foody one called EasyCook. You can get back issues as well, so I can easily spend an afternoon reading Christmas mags, for free.

I'm not buying decorations this year, I'm saving my money to redo downstairs after I get my extension. Would thinking like that help? No point buying for this house when you'll have a spanking new one to decorate next year?

DS isn't back to school until Tuesday, so I'm going to try and make tomorrow as fun as possible for our last day together. I'm pretty certain by the time half term rolls around he will no longer be an only child...

Firefly l have that too it's excellent , l can't believe how we can have all those mags for free

109

Morning!

I need to get up and get going. It's hard work!

DD was having nightmares last night about a film they watched yesterday (can't recall the name; an animated one about a boy lost on a space mission). She's very sensitive about such things. Wonder Park had a similar effect.

I don't need to buy anything really other than the cushion / duvet! so we need to be a non-spend support group! 😂

Back to work (at my bedroom desk!) today. Boooo!

Ds is so nervous about school today. We've had a chat about it and I've read him the back to school email. Now he can't stop talking at 100 miles an hour. Dd got in the shower right when I usually go luckily I'm WFH today so I'm just going to slob as no meetings thankfully.

DS is up, has had his breakfast and has gone to get dressed. I have warned him that there will be a photo taken.

DH is doing the school run. He's the world's most laid back person so I'm already anxious that they'll be late. Traffic is an unknown factor.

I need to have a cup of tea and chill the fuck out or I will wind myself up into a panic about trivial stuff.

Good luck to all the children heading back today. Mine were nervous, but got over it once they were there!

And they've gone... 🎉

I've got the house totally to myself today, as the kids are at school and DH at work. Bliss! (Other than having to make my own drinks!)

I've arranged a swimming lesson on Weds afternoon for the kids too, as the teacher had a cancellation. They're quite excited at actually being able to swim lengths (the pool they were in must've been a width long, then less than half a width wide).

Fantastic news about the swimming but boo about making your own drinks. Have you got a flask? Then you'd only have to do it once or maybe twice.

I think that there will only be DH and I from 8-11. I'm hoping he's got a call or he will want to talk to me and then I can't pretend that I'm in the house on my own.

Fluffy I've got the house to myself too I'm so excited! Dd is already having a meltdown because she can't find her (new) water bottle. Ffs. Oh and her shoes are uncomfortable apparently. Great time to tell me.

Hi everyone, I am on annual leave till 16th now thankfully but had to get up early because my son's car is going in for a service (well overdue with covid) and it is not in our town so mum taxi. The birthday cake tasted amazing and the pizza went down a storm.

I make two drinks at a time, Woolly: a pint of squash and a pint of hot water. It saves going downstairs too often.

Maybe just hide from your DH? If he can't find you he can't talk to you! 😂

Yay for also having the house to yourself, Wreck! Isn't it exciting?! DS says things hurt when he's nervous / stressed. Is it that, or do they really hurt? And sounds about right re the missing item too!

Why, yay for annual leave! Enjoy. 😁 Did you use Meerkat for the pizza?

Do you have to go to C, or further afield to N, for the car service? Or maybe all roads lead to W for you and Woolly's family today?!

Good luck to all those going back today. DS starts Reception tomorrow!!!

Yes thanks we did use Meerkats which meant there was enough pizza to fill the boy up. We are off to N so won't cross paths with Woolly today unfortunately.

Morning.

Fluffy my dc can't watch monsters inc. They start to have nightmares about monsters.

We're currently watching wreck it Ralph and I hope that doesn't give them the same reaction.

Everyone who has the house to themselves enjoy. I make an insulated cup of tea every couple of hours so I'm constantly sipping away.

Morning all,
I ended up getting a call just as I was finishing my post-lunch cup of tea and glancing towards the latest Good Housekeeping (I'd seen it in supermarket after no mags for months) on Saturday, that DH and dd were already back on the road (event was run efficiently so already finished, and dd had injured her shoulder again so didn't wait for prizes). So my plans for a cheeky slow cooked lamb shanks dinner for 1 evaporated, and tarragon chicken for sunday was brought forward (DH and I will have the lamb tomorrow). And I made a shepherds pie for last night (thanks MrsMad for the inspiration) which was demolished!

DH and I both relaxed last night, which was lovely, but that was after a morning of busy-ness in the kitchen for me and a day of hockey for dd (and DH). I learned how to work google play (and DHs PayPal linked to it 😂) while he took dd to her afternoon hockey (he was doing COVID officer duty) so watched a crummy movie (Wing Commander) and lots of cooking programmes while 'itting in the evening.

Another busy week ahead, new team are already pulling me in (I don't change until the end of the week) so I suspect that I won't have a chance to come up for air again until Christmas now...it will be interesting but, OMG I am taking the whole summer off next year (dd has exams, and it's the last year I can use parental leave, I have about 9 weeks I think that I can use, unpaid, but I think both she and I will need it).

(My plans for a cheeky dinner for 1 were in the basis that they would eat en route and not expected home until about 9pm - not just abandoning them)

I'm definitely up for a no spend support group. Chances are we are going to buy a house that is smaller than the one we're in now (it's only a 2 bed but it's an old one with huge rooms) and I have enough decs for this house - i def don't need more!

Looking forward to seeing the nutcracker Neros or countdown soldier as he will now he known

I've checked the Readly app and I think you can get a free trial then you have to pay so I've popped it in my calendar to sign up in November. Thanks woolly

I don't have a library card but I'll get one Firefly

Hope all the dc going back to school today have a good day.

Are you doing anything exciting with your annual leave why?

Biddy do you have any leave booked in before Christmas? You have so much on, you must need a break before next summer!

I have the house to myself until 6 today which I'm happy about as I'm desperately trying to head off a migraine which is brewing. I feel awful. I worked 7:30 - 10 and am now going back to bed for an hour after taking tablets and hoping that sorts it out (I'll work the extra time tomorrow) 🤕🤢

I'm trying to spend a lot less (not quite no spend but..) for this Christmas, so that's what my crafting has been working towards. So if that qualifies me, I'm happy to join!!

No leave booked, but I will take some - I still have 17.5 days to take before April, some will be a decent Christmas break, and probably some at Oct mid-term (DD hockey matches), but I have some to just take a day or half day here and there too.

Quick time out here, after 2 meetings concurrently, need to grab a coffee and get back to it. (Although I have now proved to myself that you can ignore 1 boss talking rubbish but seeming to listen on phone teleconference, while actually doing a videoconference that does matter at the same time!! You just have to get quick on the mute/unmute buttons for both!! )