Countdown to Christmas 2022: The January sales edition (AKA, 'Where the bloody hell have I put that?' come next Christmas!) Thread 1

[ThatsMySantaHisBeardIsSoFluffy]

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Here we go, roll up, roll up!

I can barely move; I'm full of cheese and Bailey's. 🐷

Here's our new thread for the new countdown! 🎄🎅🏻🎄🎅🏻

I did, Crazy, but the damn thing then broke on me! 😡 I'm waiting for the company who sold it to me to decide if they can offer me any refund, if not, they'll send me another one. Which I don't really want, bearing in mind this one broke after not much use at all.

I'd be furious about nursery as well. That's not really very inclusive, is it?

I agree Wreck. Nephew has a thing about his coat. I think it's a comfort thing so he won't undo it or take it off unless he's very comfortable, and if it's off and he's upset he puts it over his face and pushed it down on to his skin.
When he starts getting agitated in school now a few of the kids have started handing him his coat. He doesn't like them touching it but it's a very nice gesture considering they're all so little.
They also don't seem to notice when they're running around and he's slow behind with his frame, and if they're throwing things they wait for him to kneel so he can join in. It's all very sweet - it's truly like they just accept the difference like it's nothing - shows the prejudice comes with age I think!

And Fluffy the comments are from various people dsis knows (including other parents at nursery) but not from the nursery itself.
The actual staff are really good with him, they make him comfortable most of the time and are great at finding ways to approach things with him in ways he can learn.
Some of the other parents though 🤬 One of them actually had a (standard buffet, music and dancing) party for their dc at the village hall and invited every kid in the class except nephew and a child who is deaf and said to dsis that it's not like nephew would understand or enjoy it 😡
He has a physical disability and some delays but FFS, he loves music, happily dances just on his knees rather than his feet and would give you his favourite car in return for some cake.

Dsis doesn't get angry often but that set her off and she put a very 'direct' response in the class what'sapp group and a lot of other parents stuck up for her and the other child. Shouldn't have been needed though.

I am vegging out and feeling sorry for myself. Headache and sneezing all over the place here.

Such a shame people are like that Crazy. My son rarely got invited to parties, and I hated finding out everyone except him had been invited.

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Got our council tax bill today. It's actually only gone up by 3.1% which is good. £180 a month.

Yaaaaay, I'm in! First time I've got on the thread all day. Silly Mumsnet.

Good news on the CT, Wreck. Our bill should come any day now. It was this week last year.

I've ordered a new cross trainer today. The eBay seller of the one which tried to kill me refunded me 55%, which is better than a kick in the teeth, so I decided to get one which is more expensive than that one was. Hopefully one which is slightly more expensive will be far better! My overtime this month will be enough to pay it off, together with the refund.

Which one did you go for Fluffy?

Still waiting for our council tax letter here Wreck
On the face of it yours doesn't seem to bad but I hate the way they put them up every year with no real explanation as to why and no marked increase in services.

I was home alone last night. In bed by 10, asleep by 10:30 and didn't wake at all until 7. I was so so tired.
Good thing though as work was bloody insane but I got a big project off my to do list 🥳🥳

Considering spending an hour this evening either starting one of my cross stitch Christmas cards or attempting to teach myself to knit....

I've started my little Highland cow cross stitch. I've kind of lost my mojo, however, so it's not going very fast!

I got this cross trainer Crazy. It seems to have really good reviews and has a two year warranty.

10 would be a late night for me crazy

It's a late night for the dc today as there's a youth club on which they both like to go to but it's 7-8:30 ok for dd but ds is asleep by 7:30 usually so not so great for him.

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Morning!

Another exciting day ahead, no doubt. Or not! I really don't feel like I'm getting anywhere with trying to catch up. It just doesn't happen. Sigh! I think it's just that I'm carrying slightly too much work to keep on top of.

Fluffy is it the Bothy Threads highland cow that you're doing?

Work is a PITA isn't it? I'm lucky in that mine tends to be manically busy then calms down for a bit (on repeat) but the quieter times are so needed!

Wreck I need to push my body clock to be more like yours. I struggle to nod off but wake up around 6:30-7 no matter what.

Last night I opened to attempt knitting. Took several attempts before I managed anything that looked like stitches (although they're wonky).
Tonight I'm going to try some more just to get used to the needles etc and maybe attempt purl stitch.
It's vert frustrating! Knitters, how do you hold your wool so it's not too loose or too tight while also keeping hold of your needles? 🤯

Ah, typing fast so typos everywhere, sorry!

Crazy, it's this one.

I've done the Highland Coo Bothy one though!

Oh no fair Fluffy - that's adorable and makes me want to buy more kits when I've promised that I wouldn't!

I've done the Bothy one too. I hated working on it but love it now it's done.

Crazy I wish I could help you with the wool thing but I tend to err on the too tight scenario 90% of the time.

I've had a strop and refuses to cook dinner. Between dd moaning that I never cook anything she likes and ds asking very two minutes when dinner will be ready I've had enough. I said everyone can just have toast. Feel a bit bad for dh though as he didn't really do anything to deserve no dinner. I'm sure I can think of something he's done to annoy me though

One cat was 🤮💩last night...much carpet shampoo (and a 6hr daytime nap) later everything is back to ? normal (for him) 😻🤦‍♀️ poor boy.

DH has watched much 🏇 and filled a form in for his pension I'm still waiting for a Dyson filter it's not going to arrive without a good prod so I'll have to phone them...

why use half a size smaller - so if you're knitting with DK wool, using 8s (4mm) use 7s (4.5mm) that should sort out your tension or 10s to 9s for rib

crazy not sure where you're going wrong, my nan taught me to knit before I could hold a pen
Purl always feels like I'm aiming at my left tit just wait until you do something cabled or with a lacy stitch (it can be slow-going, but you'll get there in the end) or, have to undo a row DH loves chanting "Knit one, slip one, drop one" to me when I'm doing something complicated. I can't crochet more than a chain, so you're still winning!!!🤣

BIGGER half a size bigger 🤦‍♀️ olde worlde needles, higher the number - thinner they are. new modern needles, add .5mm on to loosen you tension

or, why you could ask Woolly

Puss, my knitting is nowhere near so advanced I know things about needle sizes etc. I can only knit squares and scarves 🤣

Unfortunately I haven't got two pairs of hands so can't take photos and knit at the same time but this is pretty much how I hold my wool when I knit - lightly pinched between my thumb and my index finger.

Apparently I'm a "thrower" when it comes to knitting. YouTube videos are pretty good but there are many types of knitting and lots of the videos seems to showcase "continental" style

Crazy I cannot recommend the Ladybird book of knitting enough. It's really helpful.

Woolly my mum always confused me, she had the wool wound around the fingers on her left hand...🤷‍♀️🤯 I just end up with knotted fingers if I do that. I might need the Ladybird book.

Wreck having toast won't kill them - and if they were really hungry your DH could have thrown something together 🤷‍♀️

DH will resort to soup and I'll have cheese on toast if we can't be arsed to cook.

Lol, thanks puss. My Nan used to knit while watching tv - I swear she didn't look at her needles, they just used to be there, clicking away.
She tried to teach me and I managed a little bit but that was years ago and I haven't tried since.

why my goal is to make a scarf and hopefully one day many many years from now make myself an old fashioned cable knit cardigan or jumper.

There is a thread on the art and crafts board that I follow for knit and crochet projects. A poster there made a gorgeous fair isle knit Christmas jumper. I was in awe tbh.

Woolly I think I'm a thrower too. It feels more natural to me.

I'll have a look at the ladybird book. I had this one for Christmas which is good but I think the ladybird one is only £5 and I like to have something I can go back to when I'm learning how to do something so it can't hurt.

I'm back to it tonight. Practice makes perfect and all that....

Things about knitting is like a forrin language ro me !
Plain/purl/needle sizes
I did try knitting as a child but I'm happy to leave it (and divng) to Tom Daley .

We had the Sahara Rain here today , everything covered in a fine layer of sandy dust ,

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Morning!

I used to be able to knit (very basic knitting) as a child. I'm not sure if it's like riding a bike?!

I'm annoyed with myself. I somehow started my cross stitch with the longest side being stitched on the shortest side of the material. So it won't fit. I've ditched it for now.

I still need to finish the irritating back stitch on the Christmas train, so I'll do that. I'm just too tired to do much cross stitch these days. Work is taking its toll on me. Sigh.

There's lots of '16°' in the weather forecast from tomorrow and loads of sunshine from today 😎

Dh did huff that he'd just make pizza but he knew full well dd had pizza for lunch ffs. I'm going to have to start planning lunches and meals better (healthier) and I've got a bit slack mainly because I'm just so busy and tired I can't be bothered most of the time.

We aren't that warm here. The nights are also still quite cold!

It's hard getting motivation for cooking after a day at work. Pizza twice a day wouldn't hurt as a one off though!