Countdown to Christmas 2021 (Thread 3): Jesus, Mary and Joseph and the wee donkey, isn't it Christmas yet?!

[WeeDonkey]

Here we go. The LoD season finale tribute thread!

I lust after those gorgeous Instagram living rooms with loads of plants in, but I only have them in the downstairs loo/utility room.

I have an orchid that likes the humidity from the tumble drier, and (untraditionally) a passion flower, after I saw something on Pinterest.

Hi everyone, hope you are all well, seems like an age since I've been on here, but trying to get the house and garden in order (massive job).

Love the names Why

Love your DDs names 70 Oh Mr Hemsworth yes please.

My garden isn't going to plan either Crazy, the beans aren't climbing and the Sunflowers are all droopy.

Firefly I bet thats true, my son wants to be a barrister too, hoping to go to uni next year, but spending all his time trying to get work experience atm, he has sent at least 30 emails off so fingers crossed.

Well, after 3 hours and a little bit of swearing the plumber got the bastarding shower working.
He's coming back later in the week to repair the 2nd shower - it needs the same part.

Fluffy I'm surprised your mum wants to part with Spike after so long. 🌵

I bought a minature rose and kept it in the conservatory for 2 days, then I noticed some of the leaves had been nibbled...We caught one of the cats red-pawed, chomping on a tiny leaf. 😹
This is why I have no indoor plants and never have flowers either, they're savages!

Apart from Clive (who was a present), I'd never had a houseplant before moving here. Now I'm not sure why but I'm starting to love them

I'm attempting wildflowers purely for bees too Fluffy. The only decorative things I'm trying to grow just because I like them are lavender and sunflowers. Anything else attempted will be to eat (herbs mainly at the mo).

We're still out in the garden. Alternating tidying up / doing odd jobs (like putting the colour changing solar lights around the edges of the lawn), chatting to the lovely neighbours and sitting under the parasol moaning about how hot it is

I'm a bit worried we're going OTT as it's a decent sized garden but not huge - will have to judge when it's actually finished then see if I need to maybe remove some lights or something...

Crazy we've stake lights around the patios and the path and hanging lantern type lights on the hanging basket brackets.
One neighbour has artistically draped a string of red and a string of blue lights along the fence in sort of swags. I think they're Villa fans It looks fab.
Another neighbour has something near their pond that lights up with red eyes at night. 😂

I have made my dh move things round in the bedroom and I now have a cupboard soley for storing presents in for birthdays/Xmas. My ds is a pain for searching for things but the handle is too high for him to reach haha.
We have stake lights down our path, we'll We did until our dog worked out he could pull them out and now he just runs off with them.

puss we have 2 of the tall lantern type lights (pic). These are at 2 corners of the patio where it meets the lawn, colour changing stakes lights along the front of the lawn then along both sides of the path and we have 2 sets of these string lights (pic) which I bought thinking they were the size of proper lightbulbs - they aren't, they're like large marbles 😂.
When the fence and walls are painted we'll hang them up somewhere....

Charlie our dog has so far run into 2 of the lights (he's practically blind) but he's being more careful now!

We're inside now - drinking one of the lemon ciders 😋
I'm going to start crocheting the second pair of gloves soon I think (green dinosaur ones for youngest nephew).

I am terrible at remembering to add my pics lately, sorry

Crazy I take it you haven't sneaked some tinsel or holly in the lanterns yet? 🤫

Sounds lovely, Crazy. I wish I had a nice garden to relax in - ours is overgrown and full of DS's toys.

I had no motivation to do anything to it last year, and I've had no time this year.

Building was due to start on my house extension last week, but my builder (also my uncle) got caught up on another job. He's called this morning and said that he's having trouble getting the materials, and when they are in stock they are double to triple the normal price due to supply issues. As a result, it's going to cost 15-20% more , and he can't guarantee there won't be a huge delay if he can't get the materials he needs.

We could just about stretch to the higher amount, but it would be all our savings, which just isn't sensible when I'm on maternity and don't know what the position is about going back. I'm more concerned about it being left half built particularly the fire risk as we won't be able to use the front door.

DH and I are pretty much decided we'll wait until next summer in the hope that the supply issues settle down a bit, and I'll hopefully be back at work so we'll at least have two wages to deal with any increased costs.

But I really wanted it now {foot stamp emoticon}! Means we're going to have to get inventive about DH's work space vs DD moving into her bedroom.

It is a blow Firefly but you don't want to end up like Petrocelli ( 1974 TV series . He lives in a trailer while his house is being build.....but we never see it finished )

Our garden is slowly taking shape , I don't want to overload it like I've ram-raided the garden centre but my plants are ticking along nicely .

I have a couple more in mind when I can get hold of them.

I was looking at some Hallowe'en decorations on eBay ( it's only 4 and a bit months to go ) didnt do anything the last couple of years so fingers crossed for this year .

Our female cat threw up a single long grass stalk and some frothy spit last night . So five minutes ago she was out again chewing grass
Yes worry Puny Hooman. You know when us cats eat grass you run to Google to look up :Help My Cat's Eatng Grass What Do I Do? Cats will put the Fear of God in you (cackle /world domination by the Furry OverLords etc)

Not just yet puss. I have noticed that I walk passed a Holly Bush when I take the dog out though so I may take some clippings nearer Christmas and use those....

Thanks Firefly - the garden has been slow going for similar reasons. We couldn't get patio stones or sand for a while.

My dad has lost a few jobs due to either having to delay because of supply issues or the prices of materials.

Similar pet behaviour here 70. Ddog has been doddering around and he isn't eating much. He's ill so I've been very worried about him.
20 mins ago he went out, ran and rolled around on the grass, came in and ate loads 🙄

@Charliebradbury ooh I aspire to having a special cupboard for storing Christmas presents! (At the moment they live in Amazon boxes in the study.) One day….

195
Morning.
Been up for an hour, DH is snoring in bed. This is the best part of the day!
Cloudy here, but no wind. I'll need to water the spuds morning and night today.
Firefly There are issues in supply of loads of building materials. One of the merchants TP put their prices up a couple of weeks ago. Part Covid lack of shipping containers, they're all stacked up empty , part Brexit extra paperwork and temporarily part due to some knob who can't steer a big boat in a straight line. 🤦🏻‍♀️
I suspect some of the increases are set to stay.
70 just for you a Halloween countdown 🎃 140 🎃

It looks like we weren't the only ones to enjoy LoD...

I'm at the allotment. Getting the decent water pressure before it gets busy. Then home by lunch!

That's funny about HMtQ! Good taste, your Maj!

Morning. Been very productive so far - up at 6:30, watered plants, put a wash on, emptied bins (quietly), emptied dishwasher and walked the dog while it's still cool.

Am now sitting with a glass of squash before attempting to remove a curry stain from a dress 🙄 then shower.
Trying to do as much as I can early because it's going to get to 25 here and I won't be arsed to do much in the heat plus we're going to FILs for a BBQ at 1.

puss I love the idea of the Queen sitting watching LoD, gasping at the plot twists and calling her family to gossip about who they thought H was 😂

Crazy, what colour is the dress? I'd rub liquid / powder paste on, depending on what you use, leave for half an hour then wash on 40° with either Napisan (whites / lights) or stain remover. Then dry in direct sun.

It's a green and white patterned dress and typically I've managed to get the mark on both the green and white 🙄

Greta minds must think alike - I don't usually use detergent (I use a laundry egg) but I've made a paste of white vinegar, bio powder and some warm water, left it soaking for an hour and put in on a 40 wash. Am just about to get it out to hang on the line so we'll see....

It's really clammy here. I'm glad I want to the allotment first thing as I'd be dying a sweaty death if I was there now, as it's also heating up!

I did some extreme hoeing, as loads of weeds had popped up around / between my runner and dwarf bean. Half killed me, but does look better!

The rabbit has been eating my onions. I'm not sure they are exactly ideal bunny food. Hopefully they won't come back!

fluffy He'll be easy to track down...one sniff of his breath and you'd pick him out in a line up! 🐰🧅

I'm just back from having my 2nd jab. I've retreated to the bedroom with the fan on. I've got a cold drink and my crochet and I've left my DH and DS watching the football downstairs.

Im sure rabbit and onions go very well together in a casserole Fluffy but I'm not sure they're supposed to eat bulbs. That said we used to have a pet rabbit that was partial to tulips.

Maybe that's why it hasn't come back?! 🤔 ☠️ 🐰

I've just cleaned the kitchen (etc!). Its way too hot for such activities, but I says I'd do it if DH took the kids to the park!

Said.