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! 🤣🤣

189

Morning!

Vodafone outage yesterday so I couldn't get online as no mobiles or home internet, other than a couple of brief moments where I could send messages, but not get online. It was rather disconcerting.

I sent dad some Butler's cheese, which mum said he liked. They're both difficult to buy for.

I don't buy cards etc for my in-laws, but would if DH wanted me to. But he's quite good at doing it himself, so I leave him to it!

The only prep I've done is made mincemeat and started my rhubarb vodka.

I have pre-ordered the new Minecraft Lego for DS which is released on 1 August, but not bought presents other than that.

I will be able to rely on at least one of my children to give me plenty of ideas for Christmas. The others ... not so much! It was much easier when they were little.

@DownTheRabbitHoIe DS is 14 and gives no clues what he would like for Christmas (or birthday). He is getting so hard to buy for.
His birthday this year is a driving experience.

188

@GrannyWeatherwaxsBroomstick my DS is a little bit older but we haven't tried the driving experience yet. I might sound him out to see if that's something he would like.

Evening!

Stupidly busy at work right now. Trying to get prepared for being off. It's no fun at all! 😩😩

187

Morning!

I'm back at the hospital for my pre-op swabs to be re-done as they were rejected last time. Could have done without an extra trip here due to work, but there you go!

Another lovely day after more rain yesterday. ☀️

I hope you had more luck with the swabs this time Fluffy

We had a drop of rain this morning but it was nice enough to dry today's load of laundry this afternoon. I must get round to the ironing pile on Friday or Saturday. DD is off on a school trip next week and she will no doubt need something doing. I have massively cut down what I iron but I definitely do T-shirts in the summer and school shirts. I think there's a couple of my linen dresses in there too <grumpy face>

Tomorrow's laundry will include my LAST EVER school uniform wash - I've had a child in uniform for the past 25 years!!

Evening. Fluffy I hope this set of swabs are ok!

Rabbit I avoid ironing at all costs so im quite annoyed today. I washed a black linen-type dress and deliberately hung it up to dry so it didn't need ironing - then found DH had folded it and put it at the bottom of the pile of clean clothes 😡

I have a very rare evening at home on my own so am going to pick up the crochet baby blanket I abandoned weeks ago. It's a repetitive pattern so not much concentration required.

Hello all, had a lovely week down in Dorset with the DC and my aunt, obviously all my work IT buggered up on my return so really only just working again.

DS is three in August - Where has that time gone! Don't know what to get him really we already have a gazillion toys and that time of year the zoos and farms will be packed. Last year all he asked for was balloons and a cake so that's all we did! My amazingly sensible mother has said she will pay for his next pair of fitted shoes, but has also got him a rainbow umbrella to open. Wish I had thought of that!

186

Morning!

Hairspray, we paid for annual passes to places at that age so we could do lots of days out for 'free'. Token gift to open and then the pass.

Another lovely day here. ☀️☀️

Penultimate day of work before my op. Eek!

@NoWordForFluffy good luck with your op. Hope it all goes well.

I did a load of laundry on an overnight EcoWash . DH was meant to hang it out , I asked him to fold my long black dress over the hanger so ir wouldn't get caught on the shrubs .
{ut the machine on a spin this morning ,,,,,he forgot to hang it out
The patio slabs are in danger of being levered up I think

Fluffy get all your work sorted tomorrow then put Out of Office on your emails and forget them. Good Luck !

185

Morning
Doing laundry , weeding, tidying up and planning to bake a banana bread ,,,yes I really do multi-task (and go on MN , obvs)

70 I feel our DHs need side by side patio slots (or to live together in creased clothes while we live happily in an organised house with a nice garden)

I'm on an extended work break to take my mum to a hospital appointment - right now I'm sat in my car waiting for her and watching a lot of people who appear unable to park their cars 🙄

184

Morning!

Super-clammy here today. 🥵 The school fair was cancelled yesterday as the forecast was shocking. We had no rain at all, so it could have gone ahead. It's happening on Monday now, which means I can't go as I'll be in hospital!

It was DD's 10th birthday yesterday which she seemed to enjoy. We're having a couple of her friends over today. They're going roller skating and then will come back here to do whatever 10 year old girls do!

70, are you ready for your DD's birthday tomorrow?

Happy Birthday FluffyDD

Very quiet one here Fluffy at DDs choosing . I asked her if she wanted to go to a Spa or to London, she just wants to chill .
Got her some presents so I need to wrap them . She wanted Banana Bread so I made three yesterday (one has been taste tested ) and I'll make some small iced cakes . Otherwise a big cake won't get eaten.

She has insisted we watch Mama Mia tomorrow !! I've managed to avoid it so far but hey .

And tomorrow is Rudolph Day too .

183

Happy 21st to my beautiful clever DD

This time 21 years ago she'd have been less than an hour old <aaah>

Happy birthday to your DD, 70! 🎉 🎂

I'm frantically trying to get all of my two-handed stuff done today. It's chaos!

Happy birthday 70's DD.

It's like a furnace here today. Work was too hot and now I am slumped on the sofa. Hopefully it will cool down tomorrow so I can function (as much as I do these days).

Happy birthday to your DD, 70

And Happy Rudolph Day to everyone else!

After hitting 29 degrees here today 🥵 we've just had an amazing thunderstorm and torrential rain. I'm hoping that'll clear the air a bit before work tomorrow. My office building is very state of the art, by which I mean they put lots of windows in it, including in the roof, and it's like working in a greenhouse!

How long are you likely to be out of action after your op, Fluffy?

I got soaked at the allotment, Firefly. No thunder though.

The surgeon said 2-6 weeks in a sling, with my arm being immovable for that time. Can't lift anything heavier than a cup of tea for 3 months' post-op (once out of sling). Can't drive for 3 months. Can't dig for 6. A while!

Wow! That's a looong time!

Is your DH taking over all the digging at the allotment then? And chauffeuring you around?

Essentially, yes! Though I can do most with a hand fork, left handed, in reality.

182

Morning!

I'm just mooching round waiting to leave for my operation. Not sure the wait is amazingly useful! 🤷‍♀️

We're forecast a dry day today, but rain forecast tomorrow. I won't be going very far then, so it won't bother me! 🤣

Good Luck Fluffy .
Hopefully there won't be too much hanging about when you get there .
Time in hospitals is in a different dimension, it either flies or drags .