Countdown to Christmas 2023: launching into summer with more Christmas planning (thread 2)

[NoWordForFluffy]

Here's our new thread. Almost missed that it was needed!

Can somebody add the countdown again please, as I've no clue! 🤣🤣

Thank you for the good wishes. It went well and I am now unwinding with wine!

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In two weeks we'll be teetering on the edge of the hundreds

It seems so Autumnal here now , I thought I'd have to start putting a jacket on in the mornings , But apparantly next week will be warm (when the schools srart back , always happens )

Thanks for the welcome back all :) I am well thank you, have learnt to drive and started a new job yesterday so have made unbelievable progress since finishing my EMDR treatment. I feel like a new person with a new shiny life!

Glad your first day went well @ConstantlyCooking!

Things sound great for you Hoping!

I'm still jealous of those of you who get to have Booths food for Christmas - there's nothing even slightly similar around here.

Does anyone else have a room in their house that is never fully clean, tidy and organised?
It's the conservatory in my house and it's really annoying me. Think it's going to be my project for tomorrow (as I'm out today).

I have a house without a single room that is ever fully clean, tidy and organised, if that makes you feel better Crazy 😁

I sort them, and then as soon as I move onto the next one a horde of 100 Paw Patrol obsessed rabid raccoons descends...

Nice to see you again Hoping. Lovely that things are going so well! How was your first day at the new job?

We've had a sudden resurgence of summer, so water fights today and the beach tomorrow, ready for back to normal next week!

Ha mine was the conservatory until last week when I finally sorted it @CrazyBaubles :) Feels good to have it tidy.

First day was good thanks @FireflyGirl, everyone was very friendly.

Can’t believe how nice the weather is this week just as the kids go back! We are off to Chester Zoo today as a last holiday treat. Am going to enjoy this last bit of summer but won’t lie am looking forward to when the proper autumnal weather arrives.

Am thinking of doing some simple autumn decorating this year, does anyone else do this? If so any inspiration?

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I can’t feel festive when it’s 28°! So typical to have a shit summer then as soon as we go back to school it’s hot. Ds goes back tomorrow and dd Tuesday. I saw some Christmas chocolates in sainburys and Tesco. Home bargains have aisles of it already. The range we’re putting some bits out last week.

My house is rarely clean and tidy. The kitchen usually always is but that’s it. We still don’t have a wardrobe either so my clothes are just all over my bedroom floor gathering dust…

I haven’t had any sparks offers for four days. Nothing at all, not impressed.

Morning!

Chore day today. Also I'm trying to head off a migraine. I've taken paracetamol, codeine and Naproxen, so here's hoping! 🤞

Hope your migraine doesn't materialise Fluffy.
Great to have you back Hoping and to hear things I going well.
I have one room of doom plus a corner in the bedroom that is always full of stuff.

My room of rubbish is the spare bedroom. It's mostly clothes that DS has grown out of

Is anyone else using TOMM? I'm not in the UK but ordered the Christmas food from British corner shop, ordered a turkey, and booket ballet tickets.

I've not looked at TOMM but I am a List Writer and love ticking off Things Done .

I defrosted the fridge/freezer on Thursday , it;ll need sone before Chriistmas possibly ? When we do the freezer clear out to eat what's there then restock for Christmas I;ll see if it does .

I've got a nice stock of frozen roast potatoes thar gets used in soup

I biught an M&S Spencer Bear mug for DD Dec 1st Box . I'm making a start !

I'm more a. HGP (Holiday Grand Plan) than TOMM person, but I also like a list to tick off. Living Room and Questions week this week for any following it.

Didn't get a lot of Christmas done this weekend - I was managing kayak races at the annual Sea Scout regatta on Saturday (and getting burnt to a crisp instead of the usual drowned rat look). And visited my DB and family yesterday to drop off birthday presents. But I did pick some blackberries on Saturday evening which will be for the freezer.

I actually got relatively far ahead on seasonal household jobs over the past few weeks. But I need to tackle the paper mountains in my office space to get the spare room functional again for guests.

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Forgot to add the countdown!

I am also doing the HGP @BiddyPop although am a week behind as away last week. Will need to do entrance way, lists and sitting room this week.

Found a new website for ordering meat. It's Sherwood foods, have ordered some BBQ stuff for this week, it should be arriving Wednesday so will see how it is. Reasonable prices but I want to check the quality because they have a Christmas box and I'm intrigued.

@Hopingforno2in2023 I fall behind frequently, but know I have 2 weeks that are not bad (attic and guest room), so I allow myself those as catch-ups, and our dining room is an open plan kitchen/diner/2nd living space, so I get a lot of dining and playroom done in kitchen week. And I also look on it as trying to get extra things done but I'll never get the whole list done any single year. But extras I do now mean less stress and panic in December and more time for fun (or, more realistically, more headspace for the work and family chaos combined without worrying about cleaning and Christmas prep 🤣)

I'm glad most people have a room that's pretty much always disorganised - makes me feel much better

Hoping my friend decorates for each season. From memory I think she adds throws (rust coloured and dark green) to the backs of her sofas, changes her welcome mat to one with autumn leaves on it, autumn wreath on the front door and adds lots of candles. Pretty sure she has a variety of garlands for her fireplace so she must have an autumnal one too.
Then in October she puts up lots of ornamental pumpkins etc for Halloween.
It's more effort than I would make but I love going there.

Fluffy sounds like we had similar days yesterday - I managed to get some chores done but was fighting a migraine all day. Meant I didn't do the conservatory (way too bright and hot) and I was in bed by 9.
Did you manage to stave your migraine off or did it get you? Hope you're feeling better either way!

I always want to follow HGP but I've never actually done it. May take a look at that later today because none of my house feels done IYSWIM and if I can turn it into a plan with lists that will make it more manageable to me - I love ticking things off a list

@Hopingforno2in2023 congrats on passing your driving test - i am still relegated to the peasant wagon as my brother calls it - what are your tips i have been putting it off for 100 years

I decorate for every season too @CrazyBaubles drives my husband crazy!

I will do some candle decorations for Hallowe;en but not outside this year as we're off out for the evening and I don't want DS having to keep an eye out .

We have a replaceable sofa cover so plan to take the beige one off and wrestle the green one on for winter.then add cushions and the throws that have been brought out every year since the DC were little .

Crazy, I managed to stave it off, but felt weird all day until I basically stuffed my face with food. Not sure if they were related, but I felt better afterwards! 🐷 How are you feeling today?

I used to do a vague version of HGP, but it went by the by last year. I'll see how it goes this year! I did do a massive clean the other week though (under the beds etc), and tidied the kids' rooms, so we're not in a bad way at present anyway.

Hairspray, peasant wagon? You mean you're a bus wanker?! 🤣🤣

111 Morning. It's already boiling here today. Makes it very hard to get in a Christmas mindset.

I made a start on my HGP lists yesterday - I'm going to pick the bits that apply to me then try and fit it into the calendar in a way that suits me.

Fluffy I'm glad you managed to fight off the worst of the migraine. I did the same but have had a vague headache since (think it's the weather, my sinuses are stuffy).

Morning. Nicely symmetrical number today 🤣 Hot in Dublin too, and I decided to finally try and cycle to work so I am in a muck sweat now. But alive!!

111? That's crazy talk!

I'm currently on a train to go to physio / a consultant appointment. It's waaaaaay too 🥵🥵🥵 on here.

Crazy, my sinuses are also stuffy. Definitely the weather.