Countdown to Christmas 2024: And So We Begin (Thread 1)

[NoWordForFluffy]

366

It's a leap year next year, so an extra day to wait!

I've ordered 120 baubles today, as WeRChristmas sent me a 50% code for today only. Annoyingly I could get our new tree way cheaper today! 😭

I'm exhausted now I've finally had time to sit and relax. Tomorrow is a chill day.

Wreck, I've been avoiding doing a shop too - to avoid shifting enough money about. There's food in the house so we're just eating some slightly odd combos but no complaints yet.

We're just about to go food shopping. We've done a freezer and store cupboard inventory and made a meal plan based on that so the list is small.

We were up and out for a walk by 9, went for a sauna and cold dip and walked back. I haven't fully warmed back up yet though so I've been doing housework to keep moving.

Planning to have a quiet day today as we're out for a birthday meal tomorrow. Going to get the house straight, tidy the garden then relax.

I moved money about and went. It’s fine, we have a bill account and as dh gets paid weekly he puts in for the weekly spends like food and fuel but I didn’t do his invoice until this morning. I’ll move it back when he gets paid. Shopping was extra expensive this week though I noticed…

I hope you enjoyed breakfast fluffy!

Today, I moved 3 loads of things from my office (as I was on foot), went to the city centre for electricals (kettle, toaster, vacuum), and did a small food shop. Ans did a couple of hours cleaning and sorting.

Tomorrow, I will move what I brought with me from home this time and what I bought in ikea yesterday from the hotel - maybe 2 walks. And clean some more. And maybe try out the washing machine.

I leave the hotel formally on Monday morning (I brought an airbed from home for 2 nights), and my truck of most of my things and furniture arrives on Wednesday. And of course, I had work last week and have work Mon, Tues and Friday next week.

346

Oh busy time @BiddyPop - are you in Brussels ? (I'm probably completely wrong but I'm sure I remember Brussels from a previous thread )

I'm just looking a weather forecasts for next week (going to see my DMum) looks like snow . I don't mind as I won't be driving in it

Another one loves Sainsbury's here, could lose myself in the homewares section for ages.

Have you noticed though that Sainsbury own brand homeware (like bedding ) has been replaced by Habitat ?

My DS had a lovely Sainsbury duvet/pillowcase set for years . Blue /white stripes . Great quality and in the sale .
Most of the Habitat patterns would give me a migrane -It's not the same as the 1980s/2000 Habitat I coveted .

Hello!

Busy day here. I've been sorting the garage and under stairs, which are both thankless tasks! I sent DH off to the tip with a load of stuff earlier, to just get stuff cleared out of the way.

Once we've replaced the integrated fridge freezer with our one, and I've arranged another bulky items collection, as well as picked up another of the storage boxes we use for Christmas stuff, I can have another go at doing some clearing. Until I've made more space, I can't attempt it though.

I also ordered some more kitchen cupboards, as we don't quite have enough space to put everything away comfortably. They're coming w/c 29 Jan, so the weekend after that will have a final kitchen sort day!

I'm sitting cross stitching for the first time in a long time this evening. So things must be coming together!

The weather turns chilly this week. I think we have a snow warning, but I doubt we will get any. We rarely do.

Biddy how is the apartment? So glad you've managed to find one!

70 I've noticed that with the bedding. 4 of my 5 sets are Sainsburys but I'm not a fan of the Habitat ones at all (they did have some nice Christmas bedding but we don't have any as per DHs request for 1 Christmas free room).

You've been productive Fluffy

I have cleared the wash basket (🥳) and split housework with DH today so the house is in pretty decent shape.
We've been out for a meal with my sister and dad. I'm now filling in my diary/journal thing (something I'm trying to help with my MH) and watching crime stuff on tv.

Feeling tired now though - roll on bedtime 🥱

Meeces, I did the bulk of what would normally be our weekend housework during my lunch breaks this week.

I only got 30 mins' lunch in my old job, but I'm back to an hour now. On Thursday I cleaned the kitchen and on Friday I cleaned the bathrooms / toilet, plus all of the doors and frames in the house. It's nice to fit it into the working day, as I don't feel like it cuts into my free time then, if that makes sense?

What type of food did you have earlier?

Fluffy that's part of why I enjoy WFH. I don't mind using a work break to clean the kitchen or sort out the washing - it means a lot of my evenings are free and clear and the big clean on a weekend isn't so bad.

We had Thai food. It was really tasty so I'm glad we went.

Struggling to switch my brain off tonight though 🙄

345

Morning! Chilly one today! 🥶🥶 Luckily the dog kept me moving at pace, so I didn't have the chance to feel it much. 🐕 🏃🏻‍♀️

Ooh, I do like Thai. Not always easy to find a good one though.

My favourite Thai restaurant is closing next month so the group of us that go out regularly are planning a trip there after payday. We are gutted it is closing.

70 yes I noticed that. I have some lovely things from Habitat but some bedding and towels, which I'm unsure if they're Habitat or Sainsbury's, haven't been of particularly good quality. The bedding is starting to become threadbare after only a year. The towels left lint on me for a few months of use and after that stopped they looked a bit tatty.

Oh, I've been told that Sainsbury's towels are really good. Sounds like they may be Habitat then. That's a shame, as I was looking forward to decent quality / priced towels from there.

We had to go to Cardiff for the Thai food as there's nothing as interesting as that where I live. A sit down Chinese or Indian is about as good as it gets here 🙄

I started work early so I can finish at 4 today. I'm looking after my niece for an hour then hopefully getting my hair cut.
That's about as exciting as my day will get though.

Fluffy we got most of our towels from Shaws. They're old but in great condition.

DH bought some from Dunelm when we moved house and they're in pretty good shape still 3 years down the line.

Our bedding is def Sainsburys and only one set is starting to get a bit ratty, but that's because it's satin-like material on the top and I've scagged it quite a few times.
I like M&S bedding too, although it can be a bit pricey.

I got our towels online, can't recall where from. The kids' towels are from Dunelm.

I think satin-type material is a bugger for keeping nice. It's not a fan of contact!

Our hand towels and bath towels are Costco own brand. In a towel bale hotel quality or something. They get washed with a bio powder astonish powder and some soda crystals on a hot wash. Still lovely and white.
I did buy a couple of bath sheets from Amazon but they’re just for me.
I did notice how shabby the Christmas towels were this year the short end are all bunching up . But they’ll do a few more years till I find some more nice ones

Well, I'd had a lovely, non-taxing day - work this morning, a bit of cleaning & clearing out & then dd1 asked for help with her Lit homework. I've just spent an hour writing notes on Ch2 of Frankenstein with her because she was struggling with the language of it. Thought my English Lit days were wellll behind me but I have two pages of notes to show for my efforts & hopefully she understands a bit better now 🤞

More cleaning & clearing on the cards for tomorrow. Need to go steady though or I'll fill the bin & it's only just been emptied 🙈

My day didn't go to plan. I ended up dealing with something in work so was stuck in a meeting when niece was dropped off. I had to set her up with a colouring book in the spare room/office with me.

Ran too late to get my hair cut and while I was trying to sort that out I managed to cremate burn tea

Giving up on the day and going to bed with a cuppa now!

344

cold here, no snow (yet) but it looks like it’s on the way

I.m off to find breakfast then visit my Mum

-4° here was colder further inland when I dropped dd at school. So pleased to be in our nice modern house now.

Busy busy at work. We’re not forecast any snow which is disappointing it’s been years since we had decent snow.

We have / had snow. I think it's raining now though (hard to tell under a roof window!). My manager told us not to travel into the office today though, so that's good.

3° hers, feels like -2°. Tomorrow is bloody cold after a wet day today. Might be like an ice rink! 😬

Wreck, I'm glad we have a modern house too. Costs way less than the old house to heat and is just cosy, not draughty!

Enjoy visiting your mum, 70.

It's apparently 4° today. Feels like it in sunny spots but it's bloody cold out there!
I'm hoping it stays clear so I can stretch my legs with a lunchtime walk.

Wreck me and DH were saying similar about our house yesterday. It's not as modern as yours or Fluffys (1950s I think) but so much warmer than the old one with draughty doors, stone walls and high ceilings 🥶