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!

Morning. It was grey when I got up at 6:30 but it's brightening up now.

I tried to bake this morning (banana and blueberry mini loaves out of a low cal cookbook). They've come out cooked perfectly on top but not quite cooked at the bottom. I'm a bloody useless baker - they're back in the oven now so 🤞🏼 they come out ok.

I'm trying to work but ddog is snoring and I can see DH in the conservatory. He's online shopping for garden furniture and a BBQ so he keeps wandering in to show me things 🙄

You could always cover them with some foil whilst they finish off in the oven crazy.

It's lovely and sunny here I've already been for a walk, folded some washing and hoovered the house. Just about to join a meeting 🥱

How did the weather go from scraping ice off the car this morning to cracking the flagstones this afternoon?

@NoWordForFluffy I think I was just lucky - browsing at the right time. There was an offer on Rituals, so I had a bonus gift (always handy as an emergency present or a "difficult to buy for person")

I do keep a very close eye on things I know my family and friends like. But without fail, I buy online through Quidco, and also check whether there is a Blue Light discount. 😊

That's good thinking lachy - I'll pick up things I know people will like if I see them cheap / on sale but I don't keep an eye on them.

The baking came out ok in the end, and DH made another batch using chocolate chips as we were out of blueberries.

I finished work early and went to the garden centre with DH. Bought some lovely plant pots and our starter plants (we're rubbish so we're cheating slightly by not buying seeds). We have lavender for front and back garden, mint, thyme, sage and rosemary.
No luck with a lemon tree as we ran out of time to look so we're going to a different garden centre on the weekend - I want a big rectangle pot for wildflowers, a lemon tree and soil because we couldn't fit any in the car with the pots 😂

Also, a lesson for me - I ordered some solar lights for the garden. I was aiming for the ones that are round, warm white and quite large. They arrived today and while they are nice, they're tiny, like berry Christmas lights

Just settling down with my cross stitch now.

Just painted my Easter Tree ( yeah twigs in putty covered in paint )

Of course the cats are ver' ver' interested and noseying at it . They'll be tickled pink when the decorations go on it !

Last year DH painted DD room and despite trying to lock them out , Female Cat still managed to get a Pepe Le Pew stripe down her side luckily only emulsion and she didn't wash it off herself .

@CrazyBaubles I keep all my Christmas Shopping lists so I don't duplicate year on year (head like a seive)

Generally I buy things from January onwards, and so I've already got most of DD's stocking presents. Growing up they tended to be very similar in content every year so I started it as a tradition when M was 2.

I always buy the same chocolates for various people (again, stems from when I first started buying presents - my DF always gets a massive box of wine gums, Uncle Ferrero Rocher, etc and they usually are on offer at the beginning of November.

I wish DH hadn't put the wrapping paper in the loft, I'd be tempted to start wrapping up the stuff I've already got (might do it next time he's on nights 😅)

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Morning all

Morning 🥱 Rubbish nights sleep here so I'm still not fully awake.

I'm a bit in awe of your organisation lachy! If I started shopping now I'd lose track and presents fairly quickly I think. I'll have to stick to scribbling ideas on my list when people mention things they want throughout the year then buying presents from September onwards

70 one of my friends has recently taken on 2 kittens (via cats protection). She's had them 4 days and while she's in love with them, I think she's had a bit a of a shock at how much of a handful they are - I've had pics of things they've knocked over, one likes to lie across her laptop when she's working and one has taken to stalking her DHs feet and attacking them when he's walking around 😂

Morning!

It's lovely here. I've just been to open the greenhouse up and water the plants inside it. I need to get washing on the line too.

We have a loud bird which sings outside our window from the early hours. Lovely. But not at 5am!

My foot was attacked this morning. I was just sitting minding my own business. First my ankle got licked and then his claws got stuck in my sock

Our two don't often attack feet now, I'm more likely to poke their paws. But if I shuffle my feet when they walk past they leap out of their skin.😁

We've finished the kitchen (except for putting the blinds back up) and DH has finished painting the fencing. Mowing the lawns today I think. I might have talked DH into repainting the hall next...

Friendly blackbird sings to me every morning. I think it's payment for all of the sultanas and meal worms he gets.

We by-passed the Kitten Stage deliberately and went for lardy sedate young adults . They'll be 3yo in May (we got them as one year olds)

FemaleCat hides under the sofa or lards on the Cat Tower and the Mittens of Doom (as DD calls them) swipe out with the ole' claws
Male Cat kept leaping at my innocent danglng hand when I was on the sofa.

I've notices he pads silently on a hard floor , she clicks so her claws must be slightly extended .

I am planning our Easter Menu like a Christmas Meal.
We have a big roast (Quorn Roast for us , maybe sage&onion stuffing) chicken for DS
And the table cover and nicely set with the special crockery /glasses

I'm going to make Banana Bread, Lemon Drizzle and Chocolate Crispie Cakes .
I have a fruitcake from Christmas
And we'eve been sampling Hot Cross Buns .
Only traditional fruit , no new fangled Chocolate or Salted Caramel or any other weird bun combination.

Evening everyone. Warm and dry here, have been for many walks this week with my DD and it has been lovely. Back to work tomorrow, will seem a little strange how will I get up sooo early but looking forward to seeing everyone, it has been too long. We are having an Easter egg hunt tomorrow which I am looking forward too.

We've been sampling hot cross buns too 70 salted caramel, chocolate and traditional. Will have to buy some more for Easter. We have roast lamb for Easter Sunday and probably apple crumble and custard for pudding. Of course fish and chips for Good Friday, and possibly lasagne for Saturday. by public demand

Well impressed at your being so ahead for Christmas already lachy wish I could say the same.

Hope you are feeling better Wreck my hands and arms are covered by bites and scratches by DDoggie, he's teething and we all are targets.

After extensive research 🐷 I have concluded that the Tesco Finest St. Clement hot cross buns are the ones I like the best. I also like salted caramel and chocolate ones but don't tell 70

Woolly have you tried Tesco finest apple and cinnamon ones?

I don't like hot cross buns

I went to B&Q after work - bought one big planter thing for wildflowers, strawberries and soil. Also had a look at stones for the patio, then came home and potted everything (except the wildflowers as we need more soil and I have more seeds coming from work).
The plants look tiny in the pots but hopefully they'll be ok 🤞🏼🤞🏼

Have now cooked and eaten meatballs with pasta for tea and received an invite to dm's for Easter dinner (apparently she's doing Turkey and actually said "it'll be like Christmas" which can mean anything from a dinner with all the trimmings to her putting up lights and putting crackers on the table )

Hope everyone is ok!

The chilli and cheese hot cross buns are the dogs!

Your secret is safe with me Woolly

Saw them in M&S Fluffy but was not brave enough.

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Morning 🥱

Morning!

I struggled to get out of bed today...but at least I have 10 days off after this! Yay.

I struggled too Fluffy - maybe there's something in the air because I slept until 8 but could have easily slept until 10.

I have a work 'virtual party' this afternoon so I'm hoping that'll be an early finish then 4 days off 🥳 (not as good as your 10 days though)! And DH is going for a hike this evening so I'll be all by myself for a few hours - is it normal to be so excited to cwtch up with the dog, a murder programme (probably the last Unforgotten) and a cross stitch?

Four days off here

Work was busy this week , looking forward to some quiet , nice lie-ins (not tomorrow though, I need to go shopping for food)

I really struggled to get out of bed today too, at least I have 2 weeks off now YAYY.

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I've had 5 hours' sleep. Marvellous. 🙄🙄

But, I'm up and I'll be allotmenting soon. The excitement.

It's cold but lovely and sunny. ☀️☀️☀️

I'm still in bed, dh is bringing me a coffee.

Click and collect later and we're going to get a five guys as one has just opened. The dc can have McDonald's.