Spring has sprung...let's Countdown to Christmas 2024 (Thread 2)

[NoWordForFluffy]

235

For the forgetful of thinking AKA me tomorrow, repeating the countdown!

We ended up with quite a decent day. Plenty of cloud but some lovely sunny spells. The laundry is dry anyway.

The football is on but I'm thinking of decamping upstairs to watch any old shite in the bedroom with my knitting. I like football but I don't do tension.

DH did some gardening
Laundry is done just need to take DD bedding upstairs for her
Washed the car

Bought a Christmas Dec 1st present for DD ( some Nails Inc - she loves nail polish and there's always things that need replaced )
This year I will keep A List of What I Buy .

163 Thankfully football doesn't feature in this house but I've had a meeting this morning and the initial chit chat while waiting for people to join was all about it.

We finally had a full dry, warm, breezy day yesterday so I managed to clear the wash basket 🥳
We also did a tip run and I weeded the pots/planters, fed everything and just generally tidied up outside while DH did the lawns and organised the shed.

Reading the cone of shame stories made me laugh.
MILs dogs used to work together so if one had the cone on, the others would help remove it by basically jumping on it/chewing it until it became loose 😂

No Christmas related planning or anything going on here for a few weeks now as we're gearing up for our busy birthday month - 2 this month then 8 in August 😳

There were loads of flying ants today , kept hitting my windscreen on the way home (and I washed the bloody car yesterday )

I don't know if its Official Flying Ant Day, we've had some years where it's like a horror film. Thankfully none in the house (but that might change )

I was debating whether I should buy a denim skirt , don't like the midi length , don't think I'd get away with a mini ....but M&S had a maxi length . I had it sitting in my basket for a few days until I got a 20% off .
Result .
If it fits me then it'll be nice for A/W with boots and tights.Madness to be thinking about A/W clothes but if I don't buy it now then it won't be there .

162

I will dedicate some time this weekend to QVC Christmas offerings (not on the 25th which is a shame ) When my DC were little /school aged I made sure I was on A/L - I usually had the first week of holiday with them- so the telly was mine....mine I tell you <mwah ha ha>
That;s when it was good , QVC CiJ not so interesting now , I can browse online and see most of it .

Evening!

I have the summer lurgy. 🤢 🤒 I feel quite unwell. Hopefully it passes soon though.

We've had DD's Y6 leavers' concert tonight. It was very touching. Didn't cry though (miracle!).

I'm sure I read on here somewhere about there being lots of flying ants yesterday 70

We don't get many but I saw a few on my walk at lunchtime.

A nice denim dress continues to evade me so fingers crossed your skirt is what you're after!

Impressed you didn't cry Fluffy and sorry you're feeling rough. Is anyone else in the house coming down with it?

I've been busy today, worked late, sent and collected parcels on lunch, cleaned bathroom, did last garden jobs and cooked tea then mended 2 of DHs T-shirts and a dress for dniece and have spent the last half hour ordering birthday presents online.

Finally settling down to my cross stitch now. Bloody thing is simple but quite big so it's taking me ages.

Hope you feel better @NoWordForFluffy

We had the King and Queen Camilla visit here yesterday. It was made a bank holiday. One DC got to watch their helicopter land and stood within a metre of him, welcoming them in. Really nice experience for DC.

Our cat is back at the vets later - hopefully his stitches will come out and he’ll be allowed out again - fingers crossed!!!

@NoCheesesForUsMeeces You were so productive yesterday! Nice when it all comes together like that. Doesn’t happen often in this house.

160

Morning! Hope you're feeling better Fluffy.

How lovely for you Jennifer. I really love the Royal family.

I'm up north visiting family. I'm 52 and my mum still wont let me lift a finger, its great!!!

It's going to be nice today so we're taking their dog for a looooonnnnnngggg walk.

Morning!

I feel like death. It's unpleasant, potentially Covid, apparently (going round Liverpool / our office), which I'd dodged for 4 years. Most unfair!

How far north are you, Magnolia? <waves>

Oh no poor you Fluffy. Hope you're looking after yourself.

I'm in Bolton so not far from you <waving back>

Our main office is in Bolton. I worked there last time I worked for this firm, but not these days.

I've perked up a bit actually. Hopefully I've turned a corner!

Whorr-appened to 161 (Cilla Black voice )

Anyway , now we're at 160 <hurrah> it feels like it's getting near

I really hope you're on the mend Fluffy

I saw a Christmas thread in AIBU earlier today which was a shock considering it's been boiling today and it's July! 🙄

I have had a totally rubbish day. Right now I'm listening to MIL moan about nonsense to DH and I'm hormonal enough that it's giving me the rage

Roll on bedtime!

159

Morning!

Meeces, I hope you made it to bedtime without killing anybody!

I'm still wonky, but not as wonky as I have been, so it's an improvement. 😁 I've even ironed DD's school dress this morning, as it was on the line to dry overnight and needed finishing off! That is possibly my limit though.

158

Did you do a Covid test @NoWordForFluffy , I know it's still doing the rounds in places .

We had Hades temperatures yesterday , very clammy at night .

I've just watered the potted plants otherwise they go very quickly from 'okay' to 'pfffft' within hours .

Morning!

I've not tested, but only cause I'm too tight to buy one, and I threw the ones we had away when we moved. Pretty sure it is Covid though. False dawn yesterday, back to utter hideousness this morning!

And we were hot yesterday, not as hot as you dahn south. But our room was 23.5° overnight. Grim.

No breeze this morning and clammy. We're forecast rain later.

I need to do the weekly feed of our plants. The tomatoes are finally doing something. I reckon they're about 3 weeks behind last year's, so not as bad as anticipated!

Sorry to hear you're still feeling rubbish Fluffy.

Back dahn south now after my fleeting northern visit and yesterday was waaaayyyyy too warm. I've decided that unless I'm by the sea with a cocktail in hand I don't like being hot.

My tomatoes doing okay, i can see the start of fruits. The cucumbers are being SAVAGED by the slugs and snails though so I've put some lager filled tubs down and they're busy getting pissed/drowning now.

What a way to go, Magnolia! 🐌 🍺 💀 🤣

My tomatoes are just starting to develop flowers. They've doubled in size this last week though, I think. I've been out and bought canes to tie them to, as I was lacking. I needed to go to Card Factory which is near to B&M, so killed two birds with one stone.

When did plant pots become so bloody dear? I want two pots for my mini Christmas trees, but the ones I like are £20 each, and they're only plastic, just big. Pretty sure that Wilko did similar for less than a tenner when they still had shops!

My trees haven't grown massively. It may be next year when they're debuted out the front at this rate. 🤣

Have you tried Aldi for pots Fluffy? Ours had some lovely looking plastic ones in last week that were about £10 I think I couldn't look closely as DH dragged me away 😂

We're off on a spur of the moment weekend away after a stressful week. It's grey, clammy but hot here and it's annoying me.

My toms look ridiculous, they're tiny and no sign of flowers at all. I think I've been lax as they pretty much sorted themselves out last year with very little interference from me. Will pay more attention when I'm back.

Ooh, no. I'd not thought of there. Good idea, Meeces.

Enjoy your weekend away. Hopefully the weather improves for you.

Have you fed your toms yet? I think that's what finally helped mine. Rainwater (which always supercharges plants) and seaweed feed.

Just remembered its the festive shopping weekend on QVC - festive fragrance at 1pm, festive food at 2pm, festive garden centre at 3pm and festive gifts at 4pm. Currently festive DIY gifts and theyre showcasing some magnetic fasteners which i must say I'm quite taken with 😂

I'm a QVC virgin but I'm quite enjoying their sales pitch.

You're right about the pots Fluffy - I got two from the garden centre a few weeks ago and they were £30 each but they are massive. Good idea to try Aldi or Home Bargains as well possibly.

Those magnetic fasteners are quite nifty Magnolia I have some clothes that I don't want to put a pin/fastener through as it would damage them.
It would be nice if alongside the gold or silver they did a set with two of each colour .

Last year I bought some bargainous Ear-studs in Tesco - five little Christmas-ey studs for cartilidge piercings but ideal on a bag or scarf

If you watch more QVC you'll find yourself liking some of the presenters and reaching for the mute button or off switch with others !

DD wanted a nail polish and a particular lipbalm , neither of which we could find in real life shops but ordered online .

It's my bugbear with QVC that the delivery is so ££ , everything else I love . Sometimes just to look at the presentations for ideas,

My tiny trees now gave big pots! (Home Bargains, good tip!)

I'm hoping this encourages them to bloody grow a bit more, tbh. They won't be going out the front this year if they don't try that bit harder to grow! 🤣