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

[NoWordForFluffy]

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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.

The candles @NoCheesesForUsMeeces and @lucysmam were from our local garden centre. Where we got the trees. 10 for about £15 as I recall. Yes, battery operated. And they come with a little “wand” that you press to turn them all off or on. Turning them on with a flourish of the wand each morning gave me a disproportionate amount of delight! The only downside was replacing the batteries in them all just before Christmas Day.

I am sorry @lucysmam that you are encountering a lack of empathy and common sense from people at an already difficult time. I hope you get good news. And get it conveniently.

@lucysmam I hope you get good news, and without too much juggling. The person sounds very rude.

I wish I was brave enough to call people out when rude. In Boots last year a member of staff really embarrassed me when I collected a parcel. She looked to other customers around, who laughed too. I really wish I’d put her on the spot and queried her rudeness. It still bothers me now.

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The calling people out & forcing things to suit me is a recent thing @JenniferGreenHat . Previously, I'd just roll with it. But the NHS (not all of it obvs, but it feels that way) seem to think everyone's sat at home, scrolling their phones, waiting to accept the most inconvenient appointments or be told they're going to X place that isn't practical on public transport, or whatever else, & just go along with being inconvenienced & it was doing my head in. So now I tell them if they're rude, or unhelpful, or their apps don't suit & common sense is not being used.

We're off birthday shopping for dd1 shortly, I'm just drinking my cuppa & watching the wood pigeons in the sycamore first. Then home to paint, I think, before tea.

Almost forgot @LadyMacbethWasMisunderstood what batteries do the candles take? And how long did they last?

I’ve just got back from Sainsbury’s. Another week of price increases… ds woke me up at 4:30 with a sore throat and I couldn’t get back to sleep so I’ll definitely be napping later!

That is annoying Lucy’s I’m NHS but children’s community and have just moved over to self booking for standard appts. Those who require home visits get a phone call to book or a text they can reply to if it’s not convenient. If all else fails we can offer virtual appointments.

Eugh I need to put the shopping away, I hate it as much as I hate folding washing…

Wreck I'll come & do it! I love organising it all away 😊 dd1 laughs at me laying it all out on the table in departments first 🙈

Will you also fold my washing?!

Only if it goes straight away & doesn't perform manuvers (sp?) from one end of your bedroom to the other, many many times, in order to avoid putting it away, as dd1 does 🙄

Ahh the teenage floordrobe Lucysmam. DS has been surprising me lately by putting his dirty laundry in the basket before I've even asked him. He does like to keep me on my toes 😂

They don't get much better in their 20's for having a floordrobe either.

First day of annual leave which I expect will fly by.

Dd is awful for that too but I know she often doesn’t feel well so tend to let her off. I’m such a pushover 😅 crept into her room this morning to gather up the pants that had been worn and discarded on the floor…

Afternoon!

The wind is picking up here ahead of the storm. It's just so windy at the moment!

We've been for hair cuts this morning, then to Pets at Home to buy a couple of toys for the dog (he has the whole range of doughnuts they do now!) and I treated the kids to Maccy D's as they were moaning about being hungry. I'm not convinced it's a treat, but they think so 🤷‍♀️

I need to vacuum and unpack boxes today. Life's a rollercoaster! 🤣

They took one triple A each @lucysmam and all but 2 of them needed replacing a couple of days before Christmas having been on for about 16 hours per day from 2nd December. I think they were the Noma Magic ones. There are better ones around but these were an impulse buy. Really like them though. Might buy some more.

Thanks @LadyMacbethWasMisunderstood I shall keep my eyes open!

I've bought another stocking or advent filler today - random shake & spray sweets dated 2025 so they'll be fine. Dd1 commented on the random sweet inclusions last year so need to up my game this year & they should do it 🤣

Birthday shopping's done. Just need to bake her cake & wait impatiently for a couple of parcels to be delivered.

I found a box of LED taper candles in my wardrobe , I'd bought for Hallowe'en a few years back , to go in a poncey candleabra in the porch .
This will definately go on my Christmas List Book to find these for the table

I bought some earrings for DD , she likes gold (expensive tastes my offspring ) , I prefer silver . She loved the earrings in her Christmas Stocking (three pairs of tiny gold studs , with CZ in two and Moissanite in one )

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Into the three hundred and thirties now !

Thursday is the first Rudolph Day of 2024 and Burns Night - I'm not planning on serving haggis there would be looks of horror (even if I got a vegetarian haggis for DD,DH and me) ,

Back to work tomorrow

Afternoon!

It's really rather breezy right now. How is everyone else faring so far? Peak wind is overnight here (obviously, who needs sleep anyway?!). They've forecast heavy rain, but we've barely had any so far. We've stuck the washing out as it's bedding, so won't need long to be nigh-on dry.

I have a chesty cough and don't feel great. But we have stuff to do with the house still, so I'm plodding along trying to get bits done. I've cleared some boxes which were hanging round today, plus I've helped DH in removing the shite integrated fridge freezer to put our own one in the gap. It's much better having that one back again as it doesn't freeze stuff to the back of it, and it's quite a bit bigger too.

I've done a little more garage tidying too. Where our FF was now has the stack of 4x84 litre Christmas Really Useful boxes, with one of the trees on top. One day my aim is to be able to get the car in the garage. One day! 🤣

It is quite windy and I also had the sheets on the line Fluffy.

My fibro has decided to reach to new heights and I feel like I have been dug up. Never mind though still plodding along.

Evening. Pretty windy here now too but we're ignoring it by closing the curtains.

Sorry you're feeling rubbish why. I know 2 people with fibro and it's such a shitty illness. I hope you feel better soon 💐

I closed the curtains at about 3 o'clock, Meeces!

Why, has it reached new heights or plumbed new depths? Hope it improves soon, either way.

Thanks Meeces.

Keeping the curtains drawn is a good plan.

Hmm Fluffy could be new depths actually.

Sorry you’re suffering why 💐

Our cooker has broken, too much wrong with it to fix so that’s an expense we could do without.

@JenniferGreenHat I've had a couple of A4 sized Christmas Boxes over the years from Card Warehouse or Card Factory. Probably the wrong time of year them now, but definitely worth a look into for storing your magazines.

The ones I've got a very sturdy, great for keeping cards and tags tidy.

I asked the girls' dad repeatedly to nip out and move the garden table/parasol so it didn't get blown about like last time. He didn't & has just been out in the wind and rain to move them 🙄 Christmas tree is still waiting to go up in the loft too - I haven't the upper body strength or height to get it in the loft on the ladders.

It was just starting to pick up a little while myself and dd1 were walking back from Lidl - wasn't too bad. Definitely wouldn't want to be out in it now though!

Made several Vinted sales today (including one just now), and sent 5 parcels off on their way. Dd1 will be chuffed to know her Taylor Swift hoodie is almost paid for if they still have them when we get to the front of the merch queue at our concert. Nearly down to just 3 instead of 4 bags to go on & things are selling nicely 😊