Countdown to Christmas 2021 (thread 2): the end of winter can't come soon enough!

[NoWordForFluffy]

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We stayed up watching Sherlock and now I'm wide awake. I'm unimpressed! 😂

At least we finally made it to thread 2...I doubt we will do as many this year!

I've cleared the fallen viburnum branches (rotten base, high winds!) into the green bin as well as the brambles which were everywhere. I had to wait for our green bin to be emptied on Monday. It feels better to have done it and I'll mow the lawn later too.

It's banana-conversion day as I've made banana choc chip muffins for the kids, plus Nigella's Christmas muffins, but with sultanas, which only DS eats.

I'm going to clean the kitchen once DH has washed up post-baking. Then I have physio at 4.

I think the headache is a tiredness one as my eye is twitching too.

Sounds rough Fluffy. Any chance of a relaxing evening ahead?

I need to not sit up late for no apparent reason really! But I never learn. 🙄

I've now mowed the lawn and cleaned the kitchen etc. Time to shower and don some clothes soon before I go to physio.

Afternoon everyone. Dry but cold only a whisper of the sun every now and again. Had a nice long walk just now, puffing and panting like a good 'un.

My DS is the same 70, he wants to learn to drive in the summer but sure he'll spend all his petrol and money on drive through!

I usually get eye twitching when I'm tired too.

I took codeine before I went to the physio, which has helped a bit with the headache. I'm definitely tired though!

And less achey now I've been crunched. 😁😂

www.qvcuk.com/Artscapes-Reindeer-Round-Neck-34-Sleeve-Top.product.105141.html?sc=SRCH

As I know you fellow Christmas Enthusiants won't say to me "It's March " and go judgey ........I want to share my purchase .
I have eyeballed this top for the past goodness knows how many months . It goes in/out stock .
But - it's £13 +p&p reduced from £19ish

I've nought this brand before , cotton, sequins . What's not to love ?
I bought the black one

Love a bit of sparkle

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Morning!

I still have my bloody headache, despite the early night. Maybe it was a mix of tiredness and hormonal and the hormone bit is ongoing? Bloody annoying though.

It's allotment day today: potato trench time. My spuds are chitting nicely so will go in the ground soon.

I've promised to make gingerbread biscuits with DS before I go, so that will keep him happy. Once we're up!

Morning. I've got housework and washing to do today. I did the kitchen yesterday so that's good. I've told the dc I'll make them pancakes later. Dh worked yesterday and is working today too. There's a lovely house that's come up to rent (anyone who doesn't know we're housing association so can 'bid' on houses) but it's £900 a week and I don't think we can realistically afford it. Or we could if we didn't have any debts and even then it would be tight. I was looking at the part rent part buy for the future maybe but once you include the mortgage and rent payment it works out about £1400 a month. Still at least we'd have something at the end of it, it's just whether our wages have increased enough to be able to afford it.

£900 a week?! That's dear!

The kids have just got up. I suppose we should follow. It's our bedding washing day, so it needs to go on really!

a month!

Phew!

Oh, I'm definitely deciding hormonal as AF seems to be starting. I say 'seems' as sometimes they don't amount to much, when they bother to turn up. It's all very hit and miss as to when / how long / flow these days!

@WreckTangled

a month!

Thank goodness. I was panicking for you!

I've got to do a whole load of housework today. I think our washer will be in all day 🙄

Would one of you lovely people pop round and cook me a roast dinner please? I'm fancying roast chicken (you'll obviously need to go shopping as well!) 😆

Gingerbread done.

Time to go to the allotment now!

@lachy, if you came here you could share our roast!

@lachy I am doing roast pork with roast potatoes if you want to share.

I hope you're feeling better Fluffy. Twitchy eye for me is usually an early warning that a migraine is coming.
Your gingerbread looks good. I am again envious of everyone's baking skills!

No judgment here 70 - I love the jumper . I may have a little look on eBay for a Christmas dress now you've posted that....

Wreck I was 😱 when you said £900 a week!
Is £900 a month a big jump in price for you? I know it's expensive where you are.
DH & I looked at the part own / part rent but it always worked out loads more expensive than doing just one or the other.

lachy I can ask FIL to drop one to you? He's cooking for us and delivering dinner for us and SIL today.

My dad is supposed to be doing the last of the work in the kitchen today - but we've just discovered we've been sent the wrong drawer fronts - they sent us 60cm drawers and 45cm fronts 🙄 so everything except that will be done.
After that the afternoon will be spent cleaning up the mess from the work I think.

Yes it is we currently pay £520 which I know is really cheap and we're lucky. It's just so stupid that rent is more than a mortgage (private rent that is or part rent part buy). I know it's the same across the country for that though. The whole thing is stupid but in 30/40 years time there's going to be a whole generation of people who are retiring and still having to pay rent which is going to be a massive issue.

Is the £900 one the difference between a 2 and a 3 bed where you are, or are you in a 3 bed?

The problem is that the more you pay in rent the less able you are you save for a deposit. So it's a vicious circle. It's why we stay in our house, so we can hopefully afford to buy in 5 years. It's not the best, but could be worse, and it's 3 bed, so big enough (even though I'd like more space for an office and playroom!).

If we had the deposit we could get a 50% share in a new build for about £90k and the rent was bugger all, so it would be cheaper than now. But new builds aren't very big. I prefer older, character, homes. But we will see what's about when buying is in reach!

We're in a two bed. The new build three beds are £900-£1200 a month but the older ones are about £600 it's just a case of one coming up that's in a place I'd be happy to live. I agree wrt to being able to save for a deposit if your rent is cheaper it's just whether we would ever be able to afford to buy even in the cheaper rent house for five years. The new builds are £115k for 25% three bed one bath it's tricky. I know we're fortunate to have low rent and a secured tendency though.

We're have a pot roast today. Can't wait.

Wreck I used to work in the sector both private and social. I wouldn't advice shared ownership. That maybe is easy for me to say because I'm on th property ladder and I live somewhere that's relatively cheap. A lot of places are doing 95% mortgages again. Not ideal but an option.

We don't earn enough to borrow more than about £200k which isn't enough to get a 3 bed house anywhere close enough for our jobs. I think the cheapest is £270k for a three bed flat at the moment. I know lots of people say 'just move somewhere cheaper' but we still need to be able to get to work.