Countdown to Christmas 2023: get past the post-Christmas slump by thinking about the next one! (Thread 1.)

[NoWordForFluffy]

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Morning (just)!

I failed at eating yesterday which meant I got blotto far too early and wasn't well. Oops! 🙈

But we had a great time anyway and I avoided having to tidy up!

Countdown to next year is go go go! 🎄🎅🏻🎄🎅🏻🎄🎅🏻

I picked it up in a sale forever ago @crazybaubles can't even remember where I got it now!

I called my boss today to set a return to work day today 😭 literally so sad I don't want to go back at all!

I’ve just poured a glass of Prosecco and lit the remainder of the Christmas candle 😂

I’m having the vodka that was spare after making limoncello. Didn’t have bottles so had the use vodka bottle. Had to make room for the syrup.

Wreck we're at a stumbling block on migraines tbh. I've had a neurology referral & scans etc to rule out scary underlying causes and have tried various meds. Most seem to work for a while then stop.
Main things that help is me doing the basics (fresh air, staying hydrated and getting the right amount of sleep etc) but sometimes they get me anyway.
At the moment I'm trying out treatments rather than preventatives but not much helps.

I forgot I'd invited my parents down for tea and was just back to feeling human when they arrived. They took pity on me and ordered Chinese which was nice but I'm now worn out and tucked up in bed.

Fingers crossed for a good day tomorrow. I want to join my local library, have a little wander around town for any possibly Christmas bargains then home to take the decs down.

Evening!

Stupidly busy day at work again today. So much bloody drafting to do!

I'm glad the migraine is clearing now, Crazy. Hopefully they'll get to the bottom of them soon.

I like your style, @AdoraBell!

Thank you NoWordForFluffu thank you <takes a bow >

@TrTribeD , thank you so much for the list!
Good call on the elf. I've been doing elf on the shelf for years with Ds1 and 2. Ds1 no longer believes, and this coming christmas will probably be ds2s last christmas believing. I might take a note from your book and tell DD (when she's old enough to understand santa and Elves) that she gets a box of goodies from the elves rather than them doing crazy stuff around the house!

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Morning.

Annoyingly awake early despite a late night. My body is stupid!

Today I'm going into town to return stuff to Next from the sale, pick up some vests for DS I ordered and go to Sainsbury's for a top up shop. I also need to feed the allotment birds and maybe get a few other bits done there.

Then I need to make a cheesecake for tomorrow as we're having our delayed Christmas dinner finally! I'm doing lamb and duck, so it's been worth waiting for. 😋 I will have 3 pudding options. 🐷🤣

@NoWordForFluffy it sounds like you've had a really busy week back at work - that should be banned for the first week back in Jan!

M&S have added some further reductions so I'm hoping there are some bargains when I go to collect DS' Christmas pjs for next year.

Morning. I’ve got a click and collect this morning and this afternoon dh is taking ds to see hot wheels monster trucks live and I’ll take dd to Westfield whilst they watch that. Luckily we have a car for the day, still nothing on ours.

Weather is wet and miserable!

Crazy are they hormonal? I can’t remember if you already said.

What a lovely dinner you are having tomorrow Fluffy. If I lived closer I would be there.

I have slept longer than I have for ages today. My husband said I am calling out in pain in my sleep as well as the day. Marvellous. Consultant appointment next Friday and hope he has some suggestions to sort this joint stuff out a bit.

You'd be more than welcome to come, Why. We've loads of food! 🐷🎄🐷🎄

Not good re pain. I can relate though, due to my shoulder.

If I had the energy to drive Fluffy I would definitely be there. Lamb and duck are my favourites and only I like them, so don't have them often.

Your poor shoulder it has been through alot.

We're going to do the same again at Easter. We should make plans! Xx

Thrilled the saving has started yes yes yes means I’ll have fabulous Christmas friends can be spoilt with love and I can’t wait to give them their presents as they are things luxury versions of their favourite things. So happy I’ve started.

Ooh I love a duck dinner Fluffy

I hope you get the joint pain under control why, that sounds really hard.

Wreck I have various triggers, most of which I can control (not getting dehydrated, keeping bp under control and not having too much or too little sleep mainly) but some of them are definitely hormonal. They're the worst too because they seem to be more severe and less likely to respond to any medication 😩

Luckily I seem to have slept it off and just have the migraine 'hangover' today so stayed in bed until late updating my Christmas diary (plain red notebook that I use to write how Christmas went) and my new 2023 planner.

No bargains at all in town and the library is closed due to staff illness so I'll have to try again in the week.
Annoying that I can't join online and I mostly want to browse the audio books to see if it's worth me cancelling my audible subscription.

I'm now home and de-Christmassing my house. It's a bit depressing but I'm leaving up a set of lights in the conservatory to keep it cosy.

@CrazyBaubles I also thought it was a bit depressing so piled some christmas lights into a big glass vase and am switching on every night.

Definitely Fluffy sounds like a plan there.

I'm in the middle of a slightly torturous shopping trip with the girls & their dad. Almost didn't come out but wanted a couple of things from the make up shop at the outlet so I did (they're shopping for my birthday).

Dd2 has face on, for reasons unknown, and their dad is attempting to march round allllllllllll the shops in 30 seconds 🙄. Unfortunately, I've been off it all week with what I suspect is a kidney infection, so I'm slower than usual so he keeps having to turn round & wait for me to catch up 🤣 I gave up trying to see a gp on Weds & am finally starting to feel brighter now.

I did kick off this year's Christmas shopping though, with a Harry Potter Entry Exams book from The Works, for dd2. And I'm off in Primarni for school tights for her, so may see if I can find any reduced stocking worthy bits and bobs. Although, they do tend to get mainly the same things every year, and they went down better than usual this year.

Best put my phone away, the bus is almost in town already.

Gentle hugs @why awful pain like this isn’t it? Sometimes you just want chop the sore part off it can be agony some days.

I'm so tired. I walked into town and back this morning, which is about 5 miles return trip. I've just been to the allotment and filled / wheeled about 6 barrows of wood chippings to tidy up around my new shed. I still need to do more, but gave up as I'm exhausted. I've done about 15.5k steps though, so I'm banking calories for tomorrow's dinner! 🤣

We're a bit waterlogged there...stepped onto the front part of the plot and sank up to the top of my boot. Not ideal!

Hope you're having a good day, Wreck.

Lucysmam, sounds rather challenging for you!

@Always4Brenner I would only have my head left if I cut off all the painful parts 😂

Thanks for the hug though.

Know that feeling with joints. 😂

I'd just be a pair of feet whydoes

I'm away for a few days so we've had an early Sunday Dinner (DS would have this every day if he had his way) abandoning my DC and DH (but I've done shopping and the laundry so they won;t suffer )
So I now have some extra roast potatoes to freeze for my soup and the cats are patiently waiting for their share of DS chicken breast .
I;ve used up a couple of things from the freezer too <smug>

Is the cheesecake done Fluffy ?

I went into Dunelm today it was busier than I think I've ever seen it !

Checking in and sending hugs to all those of you who are suffering - feet up and relax as much as you can x

Been to Dobbies today, and got a couple of bargains. Bought a couple of beautiful make up bags for my friends girls - they were £3.00 reduced from £12.99 (am sorely tempted to keep one) and also picked up cards for DParents and Dsis and BIL.

They had TONS of decorations left, at 50% off, but nothing that especially jumped out at me but if you want a wreath, or garland, it might be worth a visit as they had lots in the one I went to.

DD has been talking about being christened for a while now, and is adamant that it's what she wants to do. We've not pushed it, but she's asked about it again today, she's even chosen her own godparents. So tomorrow, she's decided we're going to church!