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! 🤣🤣

197

We sat in the garden yesterday , just loafing (and hung washing out and watered the plants , so not complete lounge lizards )

Afternoon!

I cleaned the bathroom and went to the allotment this morning. I'm not really well enough to have gone to the allotment, but I need to get stuff done before my op.

I have a summer cold which I could do without. Took me a while to decide whether it was hideous hayfever or a cold. I've gone with a cold due to the sweat! 🤮🥵🤣

I have loads more to do really, but I'm struggling to find the motivation. 😭😭 Two beers in the sunshine haven't helped this one!

Is DDog larding about in the cool shade (like my sensible guinea-pigs used to ?) Or sprawled out in the full sun (like my daft , black furred cats are on a black sunlounger?)
Obviously they skived Kat Skule on the day they discussed dark colours absorb heat

Bit of both, 70! Sun for a bit, realises too hot, so goes in shade. Then wants the sun again. And rinse and repeat! 🤣🤣

196

That pussycat has posted on Chat about planes on Flight Radar (well one particular plane) meant to be going from London-Dubai but actually ending up in Glasgow .
I'm visualising people in their gardens looking skyward like the time the International Space Shuttle orbited the UK on Christmas Eve and parents told their DC it was Santas Sleigh,
Mine were older , we went outside , it was pretty amazing, silent and fast with all the lights.
NDN little boy was out but I didn't know if he was a Santa Tracker or a Space Watcher . NDN said Oh looking for Santa so we did too (mine were old enough to go along with it )

Morning.
Lovely weather last night ⚡ I wasn't frightened, oh no, not me...until there was one enormous BANG and flash of lightning just over the field in front of us. Then I might have been a little bit concerned
The FR thread was fun. I didn't know there were quite so many (similar-minded) nerds around.

195

Morning!

It's still a bit clammy out there today. 🥵🥵 The dog had fun on his walk though. We're trialling a round-the-waist dog lead so I can still walk him with one arm. First time was ok, but need to get a bit better!

We love FR in our house, Puss. ✈️

Morning. We had an absolute belting storm yesterday afternoon which (lucky me) I got caught in and was absolutely soaked in a very short space of time. The thunder was so loud.

I am on a training course today, we have one monthly and they are so boring 😴

I love flightradar and my mum enjoys it when we can look up planes we hear when I am round the house.

We didn’t have any rain. It’s already 21° here going to be a hot one!

We had much rain! And a corker of a storm; at one point it was smack bang overhead, causing the kids to run into the kitchen to see if we'd seen the massive flashes of lightning! ⛈️

I’m jealous, we love a good storm! Plus everything is so dry and crispy, no rain forecast for at least another week…

We had grey sky and a bit of thunder but not a single drop of rain
And it's bloody boiling here again today. Plus side of that is that im clearing the wash basket (only 2 loads). Down side is that the conservatory is like an oven and I have to keep moving ddog who is apparently determined to cook himself today 🙄

I've never heard of flight radar so no opinion on that here!

Boring day today, long work day then tea. Main focus is to get hay fever under control (I'm trying a new med today - Allevia) and not melt (current home office set up has one fan on my desk and an oscillating one on the floor being shared by ddog and my feet) 🥵

Crazy your DDog must be related to my cats...they want to fry in a fur coat. 🤷‍♀️ I keep shifting them, but they stilllll want a window. 🤦‍♀️
I've given up fighting hay fever, nothing works, so I use eye drops, tissues vaseline on my poor red nose and cold water splashed everywhere, I'm clumsy on near my face.

DH has been out with his mate for breakfast - he had to stop to let a goose take her goslings across the road 😱 he thinks they made it across the road ok.

Wreck at one point I wished I'd got tena pants on. I'm pretty brave, but it was not a nice storm.

193 We missed 194!

Still hot here. We need more rain really. I think next week is meant to oblige, potentially!

It still feels like a sauna here. Not enjoying it at all. Hoping for cooler weather soon.

Our house is boiling. Had to shut the windows to go to the allotment and it's roasting now.

192

I can hear birds' song throuh the door (DH is at his computer WFH ) very peaceful .
25c forecast today and Sunday rain all day

Argghhh. IT systems are down at work. Logged on early to try to get shit done. But computer says no. 🤬😭

We have rain forecast, but rarely over a 50% chance, so I'll believe it when I see it!

It is so warm here, it's making me miserable!

We were at a family funeral all day and night yesterday. I'm not usually a crier but there were tears all over the shop from me and DHs family

Today I'm tired but gearing up for a busy weekend as I'm out tonight with a friend and staying at her house, then home tomorrow, out with a different friend for an hour, then looking after my mum for a few hours before trying to spend some time with DH.

Sunday we're trying to fit in time with both my dad and FIL and at the rate I'm going I'll be logging on and doing a few hours work at some point too 😴

191

It seems cooler here today so far. We also had a brief spell of (not-forecast) rain.

I went to Liverpool for my pre-op swabs first thing. I witnessed so much shoddy driving while I was out! 😱 My arm really hurts after the drive now though, but it was quicker than using the train.

Hair cuts later. Rock'n'roll round these parts.

I also need to pot my chillies on. The heat in the greenhouse has made them shoot up, and I have a couple of baby chillies on the way already.

DD and I went for a jaunt to Bluewater , the roundabout that takes you back onto the M25 is a 'mare . There are traffic lights but they are more a hinderance than a help , and a bloody huge yellow box junction . I was cut up by a car yesterday so had to stop with my back wheels in the YBJ .(If I get a ticket I'm contesting it) . It's a shambles with cars cutting in every way , lorries , constant blaring horns .

I'm going to go back to bi-annual visits to L'EauBleu , like I used to ( Easter and Christmas ) , I cannot be arsed with that bloody roundabout . (Its backlog from the Dartford Tunnel )

It's only because John Lewis is there (for me) and Urban Outfitters (for DD) but they have them at Stratford (which we'd go on the train to) or Oxford Street .

Good Luck with your arm appointments Fluffy

190

For those of us who are celebrating , Happy Fathers Day .

My own Dad died two years ago and as my DC are adults they can do Fathers Day for DH ( I might make them cook dinner) I have a loaf in the breadmaker for breakfast .
When I was out with DD she chose a card and I got one for DS to give to DH .

I really don't understand the threads on MN where someone refuses to buy a card for someone as "she's not my Mother , why should I buy a card for MIL/ he's not my Dad why should I get a Fathers Day card for my DS to give " threads .

I buy a Mothers Day card for Mum and I'll buy one for MIL at the same time . It's no big deal .
<Rant Over>

I don't understand those either 70. I buy 2 Father's Day cards and 3 Mother's Day ones (DH likes to give to his step mum too). They're all nice people, why wouldn't I? 🤷‍♀️

For Father's Day me and dsis are taking dad out for a curry later - pretty much all celebrations in our family involve a meal out and this was his choice.

I'm having a pretty bad run when it comes to sleep - I can't switch my brain off so I'm exhausted. Hopefully between doing some work today and going out I'll be able to just nod off tonight 🤞🏼

I've been without my dad for longer than he was in my life. It's a joy to see DH being spoiled by our children. I'm cooking dinner and he's spent the day pottering in the garden and watching sport.

On the Christmas prep side I am currently knitting socks with Christmas yarn. Much better to make in this weather than sweating under the blankets I've recently finished.

I made my dad a fruitcake and the look of delight on his face was wonderful to see.

Another epic storm here with sheets of rain and hailstones. The air feels a little clearer now thankfully.