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

[NoWordForFluffy]

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

oooh you've caught me with new fangled toblerone flavours - please let me know if you find out. I LOVE toblerone. Have one of the massive duty free ones hidden in my bedroom where I will be eating chunks of it in secret.

will start adding stuff to the "christmas cupboard" next week I think, still feels a bit hot though 😂

The Costco version of mini toblerones are really good and I normally get a bag it two for my magical Christmas tin ( it refills itself with an assortment of nice chocs overnight once it gets to around a week before Christmas. It was meant to replace Quality Street but I always panic at the last moment and buy a tin from Costco!

@ConstantlyCooking I have a similar magic snowman who refills himself with chocs overnight near Christmas so I think I need to get a Costco card!!

I bought a bag of the Costco ones last year then when they got eaten except the plain ones I made chocolate brownies with them - and damned nice they were too

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Morning!

I like the idea of Costco, but getting to our nearest one is a pain in the arse. I did join once for a year, but it wasn't worth it really.

We're forecast rain again today. The plants will be loving it. I almost feel like we need a second water butt, to make the most of it. But, bearing in mind we've not even emptied one so far, we probably don't! 🤣 We only have a little garden!

I have a few baby tomatoes now. They're so slow this year! They won't get enough sun to ripen if they don't get on with it!

Wow, 132, feels low all of a sudden.

Lots more talk on the Christmas board 🤶🏻🎄🎅🏻 (Nice response to Judgey yesterday @NoWordForFluffy ).

Another cruise ship visiting today, can see it pulling in from my bedroom window. I love having a sea view, I look out every time I walk by it.

Taking the DC to a local show/summer fete today. There is entertainment and a tent full of veg/cakes/art and crafts that have been made, with prizes for first/second/third. We will be watching the vintage tractor show too. Deciding whether to invite MIL - it just becomes a bit harder when she’s there. She often says “it’s fine” or “it’s okay” even when I have said no to the DC. Find it very hard to manage that. I’ve felt mentally drained this week since getting back, having to prepare myself for taking the DC out as they are being difficult at the minute.

Hope everyone has a good day ☀️

I love Costco. I especially love it now I have a garage! Thinking of getting a freezer for the garage too but DW says that's a bit excessive when there's only 3 of us.

I bought a roll of the Costco Christmas wrapping paper last year and it was so good! So thick, great quality, double sided. Will get another this year (I have absolutely loads of the roll left but want more patterns).

Minniedog when we moved (many years ago) our new house had a built-in fridge do our old fridge freezer is in the garage specifically as our Christmas fridge. It is very useful in December and also stops me nibbling supplies!

Morning all :)

DS and I are in Exeter visiting my grandparents so don’t have much time to think Christmas at the moment. The other morning there was an autumnal feel to the air so that made me excited.

I am despairing for my tomato plants @NoWordForFluffy, I really don’t think I will get any.

I have never been to Costco, I don’t think there are any near me :(

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I have tomatoes growing ,I’ll ask my DD to check what they’re up to , there were some flowers when I last looked . I grew them from seed - moneymaker or something.

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I've seen so many people say the same thing about their tomato plants, Hoping. I blame the peat-free compost as they just took forever to get going. I certainly won't have as many as last year (that's no bad thing as the amount I had was ridiculous!). But I have 1/4 of the plants. I'm not sure I'll get 1/4 of the tomatoes either, tbh.

It's lovely today. It improved from about 7 last night. We had one load of washing out overnight as I'm reckless about spider willies and it being darked on and DH has put another load out this morning, while I was 🏃🏻‍♀️ with 🦮

70, mine are Crimson ones grown from seed. Plum and normal round ones. They're blight resistant.

@JenniferGreenHat, how did yesterday go? Was it yay or nay for MiL?

I was just coming back to say the mornings feel autumnal, Hoping. You can really feel it coming at 6/7 am.

Just chiming in to say I have four green bullets tomatoes. I know I can grown them, this just hasn't been the year.

@NoWordForFluffy Nay for MIL. It was just easier for me, but I do feel a bit guilty. But they don’t make much effort with us.

It started raining hours earlier than forecast so we were all soggy. I could only fit raincoats in my rucksack, and the DC could have done with a jumper too as it was soooo windy and chilly. And the suncream that I battled onto DC3 was a waste of time! But it felt lovely and autumnal and made me happy 🍂

Morning!

Same here with the tomatoes - got lots growing but way behind last year.

Beautiful day here in London and I've got the family currently whizzing down the M6 to spend the weekend here so I'm very excited.

Agree with the autumnal feel, I noticed last night that I was putting the lights on at 8.30pm which felt early.

Happy nearly weekend all.

Does anyone ever 'whizz' down the M6?! Shocking bloody road! We don't go on it now it's 'smart' (misnomer if ever there was one), as they're bloody dangerous. We go across country via deepest darkest Cheshire, then join the M1 by East Mids when we go to see Why et al.

I hope you have a lovely weekend, Magnolia.

I said to DH that you can really feel the days drawing in last night. We get up at 5.50 so I can walk the dog before work, and if it's not sunny, it's quite gloomy now at that time. We'll have to dig the dog's harness light out again soon!

Have a lovely time Magnolia.

I am very slowly doing my cleaning, I can only do it in short bursts or I am fit for nothing too quickly. This chronic illness malarkey is hard work and now it seems I have several of the things I need to be careful.

I have put some washing on the line and have another load in. I hope that doesn't jinx the weather.

I am somewhat reassured that everyone’s tomatoes are like mine!

Lovely weather here in Exeter, we are off to the seaside :) Not the beach as DS doesn’t do sand but I love a walk along a prom.

The darker nights aren't here in Scotland yet. Our summers have long bright days (but it is getting colder by the day).

I'm so happy September is approaching. I love the 'ber' months.

@whydoesitalwayshappentome short bursts are good. I hope the weather stays dry!

I haven't got tomato plants but follow last year's harvest of ONE apple, I have enough for a crumble from one tree this year. I am hoping my late tree will match this. Very excited.

Morning all,

Sorry I've been completely AWOL, between work being manic and not really "doing" Christmas last year, I had completely lost track of my mojo. But we made a decision in July (last time I was home) that DH would travel out to me, and dDD will travel down (she expects to be in Amsterdam) to have Christmas in my apartment in Brussels. I thought I'd bought a flat back tree in CIJ but it was cancelled so I need to try again.

As work finally slowed in late July, I started to get my crafting juices moving again - I may not manage it all, but I'm planning a number of knit and sewn items for various gifts (mainly Nieces), as I (should!) have plenty of long quiet evenings to myself.

But I'm "home" this week, which means running around the country to see everyone and also organise DD for her planned move (including bringing back another suitcase of gear for her to bring up by train in a few weeks time...). Her results are out at the end of next week 🤞🤞🤞but at least she'll know immediately if she can go to AMS, unlike the CAO offers for Ireland being another week later.

I hope you're all doing well too!

Growing tomatoes on a balcony has been a learning curve - they're all in my bath for a week while I'm away so who knows what I will get back to 🤣

How far north are you minnie? We love Scotland in this house (but not in summer because of the midges and tourists 🤣)

I think I remember your solitary Apple constantly

After catching up on the thread I went to check on my tomato plants. I have 6 - 2 in planters, 1 in a big pot that's just outgrown my little greenhouse and 3 in tiny pots that I thought were dead but seem to be recovering.
Between 6 plants I currently have 10 very small, very green tomatoes. Highly doubt they're going to improve in the next few weeks.

Christmas in Brussels with the family sounds lovely Biddy

My cross stitch cards arrived yesterday and I've started the penguin one already.

I'm about to go and save DH as he's on the phone to o2 raising a complaint and his head is about to explode 🙄

Are we even going to summon enough tomatoes for a salad between us?! 🤔🤣

I'm on my third card. These gonks are dead quick to do!

The garden already smells like a brewery where the windfall apples are fermenting in the heat. But no salad.