Countdown to Christmas 2022: it's s bit warm to be considering Christmas, but I'm doing it anyway! (Thread 3.)

[NoWordForFluffy]

Evening!

Here we go...unless we talk more, this will do us til the big day! 🎅🏻 🎄

It's such a trek for you to get to the office Fluffy it is hardly worth it.

I ordered a gingerbread house kit for me and my daughter to do. She is coming round on 23rd December and we are going to see how much of our creative talent it takes this year.

The lady at SSE said happy Christmas to me at the end of the phone call yesterday. She also said I can’t stay with them as they’re not allowed to take on any new contracts as they’re being taken over by OVO so that’s annoying.

I hope you're in the office now Fluffy. What a palavar your commute is!

We're buying for 6 children. I've finished 3 of them and have the majority for the other 3 so I'm pleased with the progress.

A gingerbread house always sounds like fun why. You'll have to post a pic when it's all done

Wreck I think we're at the point in the year where the people who don't think/plan all year around suddenly realise Christmas is coming.
I've had a few invites etc from various people in the last week trying to arrange a pre-Christmas drink / meal / catch up...

Big day today. Lots of work then I have an important meeting about possible promotion later

Thankfully, I've only been to the office 3 times in 2 years, Crazy. I got there just before 11 after Why kindly picked me up from the station. She then picked me up to take me back!

You're doing well with the present-buying. It makes me feel sad that some kids won't get anything.

Weather was dry here today which made the extra long walk to and from stations easier.
My Christmas prep has stalled following my holiday and I need to get out my planner. This is just that time when 'ages away' suddenly becomes 'almost here'!

I'm doing The List Of What Needs Done ( bit like The Ghost of Christmas Future ) all the boring stuff that if I don't do , I;ll look back and think "I should've done that in November "

We've bought anothe freezer <disclaimer> we have the house fridge/freezer and did have a big chest freezer in the garage ( dated pre-1999 because I know we had ot was DS was a baby)
So when it gave up we got a small chest freezer which is full of DS food . Needed a second one so got another same size . When DS leaves home I'll sell one cut price let him have one .

So Plan is to decamp the house freezer contents , defrost the F/F and buy lots of Aldi Vegan FishSteaks ( they are nicer than they sound ) and ice-cream for DD /DS

44

Morning!

I'm struggling with typing this as the words take ages to appear (and delete!).

I am stupidly tired today after yesterday; could do with a duvet day!

I could too fluffy I didn’t sleep well and woke with a headache. Plus we have so much to do! Will be surviving on propanolol and coffee today (perfect mix 😂).

Morning! I'm not surprised you're tired Fluffy!

We do the charity presents instead of buying for FIL, SMIL and both SILs and BILs. They do the same so between us all we should buy for 24 children, plus I think FIL does extra.

It's really sad to think some kids get nothing, and also hard to find things for them as my kids go-to presents are crafts, games & books but that's dependent on having someone to help and play with which these kids may not.
I always buy warm pjs, fluffy socks and selection boxes too. That way they can at least be toasty and have chocolate for breakfast on Christmas morning.

70 I think that makes you the freezer winner of the thread

Are you working or packing (or both) today Wreck?

I have a meeting light day but need to complete some boring, take all your concentration type work.
My plan is to use short burst of online shopping / Christmas organising to break up the day so I don't end up with a headache and frown lines 😂

I’m working. I’ve got a meeting, a visit and two follow ups to do… dh is working too. Nightmare.

Crazy, how did your potential-promotion chat go? How exciting!

Wreck, are you ready for tomorrow now? Is somebody having the kids to keep them out of the way?

I worked from 8.20-6.20 with no break today. Exhausted!

No they won’t get in the way, they’re pretty good. Not ready at all but I’m too exhausted to move right now 😅

43

Almost bedtime.

Busy day later, with haircuts and allotment shed demolition going on! (The rats are intent on destroying it, so it's going!)

We got a load of washing dry overnight last night due to the wind, so we're trying again tonight! Can't beat a coastal breeze!

Morning. I’ve been awake for half an hour, I’ve got a headache. We need to leave just after seven to go and collect the van. It’s going to be a long day… got the internet sorted though, it’s not openreach like our pack said it’s OFNL and all I had to do was go to their website. I’ve already been sent our landline number and it says once I receive the box I just plug in and go. The activation fee was £50 which wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be.

Good luck today wreck!

DS had woken with a fever. We haven’t had a single week illness free in this house since early September.

Morning. Big day for you Wreck, I hope things go as smoothly as possible 🤞🏼

dreaming I hope DS feels better soon.

Fluffy promotion talk went well. A new job has been created and I meet 99% of the criteria so my manager is practically making me apply. Pay increase isn't much but it would come with bonuses (plus the work is more technical) and it's halfway between what I'm doing now and the job I'm aiming for in a couple of years.
Im going to start working on the application this weekend.

No big plans here really. House needs a good deep clean so we'll divide jobs for that. DH is going food shopping today, I'm going into town tomorrow to pick up the last Christmas presents and I think we're also fitting in seeing both sets of parents.

that sounds great crazy, hope the application process isn’t too intense.

dreaming sorry ds is unwell again it’s definitely worse now there’s so measures in place as they’ve missed two years of germs.

Fingers crossed for the promotion crazy!

Hope whatever DS has is short lived as we have a nice day planned tomorrow for my birthday. Can always rearrange however. I think you must be right wreck and it is catch up from all the missed bugs.

My DD has a cold which is going on forever and she never normally gets anything. So I think the germ exposure (or lack thereof) theory has legs.

Dreaming, I hope your DS perks up soon enough.

Crazy, good luck with the job application. I've decided against applying to get a new title (which allegedly comes with a pay rise, but they've not confirmed that to me), as a) the process they've told me about is already above and beyond and more than other firms do for the same title; and b) they've said they don't know what the full process is yet, but they'll tell me as I'm going along! Ummmm, hard no to starting something with an unknown ending / process. 🙄 I do still want a pay rise though.

Well done on sorting the internet, Wreck. How did you find out it was a fibre property, not Openreach? Good luck with the move.

I met one of the neighbours yesterday and she told me, thankfully. She said there’s a number to ring on the box but there wasn’t on mine, obviously I just googled it which was fine but I wouldn’t have even known what the box was otherwise 🙄

Good luck with the move Wreck. Glad the interwebz is sorted.

Not doing much today other than visiting the parents.

Still not well and I am finding doing things really difficult. The Dr thinks I have developed Post Covid arthritis which I can't decide whether to be impressed I have gone so big with this illness, or despair with how limited I am.

Thank you. Application doesn't look too bad but the interview includes a presentation which I bloody hate.

Fluffy why would you apply and enter into an unknown process for a job with an alleged pay rise? Do your bosses really think that's something people will go for?
Reminds me of when I worked in a call centre and they would push for people to apply to become team leaders and didn't understand why people weren't interested.
Team leaders earned £1500 more per year but didn't earn any incentives or bonuses whereas I earned anywhere between £300-700 per month incentive meaning a 'promotion' came with a big loss of pay

why that sounds rubbish, especially as you're job etc is usually so full on!
FIL has developed long Covid and it's really knocked him as he has always been fit (he runs half marathons etc).
Hopefully with rest and a good treatment plan you'll get things under control soon.

I'm just sitting down after scrubbing the bathroom and kitchen. Gearing up to face the conservatory next 😩

I usually hurtle about everywhere Crazy and it has knocked me for six that I can't currently. I miss work as well (probably my colleagues more than the job really) but trying to get used to this current normal.

I would be useless at a presentation hopefully it isn't a long one.

Currently in that London. Slightly tiddly at the the rugby.

I know, Crazy. Bonkers, isn't it? My manager went back to them and asked what on Earth they're playing at! I'm literally the only person in the place who meets the criteria to apply as well, so I didn't expect them to try to put me off!

We've spent the afternoon removing a shed (and hopefully the rat problem) from the allotment. I put a new bird feeder up with a plastic baffle (dome) to stop the rats getting up the pole. Hopefully! Without shelter on my plot, I'd hope they stay away.