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!

Shhhh. Don't rub @ConstantlyCooking's nose in it!

Christmas in Brussels does indeed sound lovely Biddy .
We are going to Bruges in December for Christmas markets . If ever a city looked like it would do Christmas well I reckon Bruges is in the running.

DD sent me a photo , I have some green tomatoes so they’re doing something. I had hoped to have a glut of tomatoes that I could roast and freeze for soup , it might happen , who knows.

I don’t have apple trees but there is a pear tree. Lots of mushy pears and wasps🙄

Sorry! 😶‍🌫️ If I knew the secret to apple success I'd share it, be it in the form of knowledge or cider.

We do get a few hornets after the windfall, which is nice to see. You can hear them munching though, which is a bit disconcerting.

I'm in the central belt @NoCheesesForUsMeeces so luckily no midges!

Looking forward to the Edinburgh Christmas markets this year, I've never been although I hear it's terribly overpriced of course, but very pretty.

(Bites into apple and flounces off thread)

Offers mulled cider. Tis the season 👀

Don't waste it! 🍏

Grudgingly returns.
I hoping to manage a combined total of two crumbles from my trees this year!

Morning all :)

Travelling home today so a long day of driving on the M5. Then need to get lots of clothes through the washing machine.

Hopefully will manage some Spirit of Christmas tonight.

130

Safe travels, Hoping!

I think it's meant to be nice today. We have a load of washing in the machine ready to go out, so the forecast had better not change!

The kids are off to DH's parents, so it'll be a nice quiet house today!

Ooh enjoy the quiet house @NoWordForFluffy!

The weather looks cool but dry back home which will work fine for my washing :) I hope it stays nice for you.

It definitely felt like the nights are starting to draw in last night. I keep getting emails about how the interest rates on my Christmas savings account are going down so I may as well start spending it - DS was very keen on a picture of a peregrine falcon he saw on holiday so might get that and frame it for him.

I've also remembered a birthday next month. I'm feeling very under prepared for this year, not that there's much left of it!

I had a Quick Look at the Toblerones sadly they all seem to be the same so I’ll leave them .There will be loads of special offers nearer to Christmas in supermarkets.

130 days does not seem that far off . I will be stealthily picking up December 1st Box fillers from September so I can choose nice things and hopefully don’t get The Twitch.

Apparently dark red /wine red is The Colour for AW fashion which is nice as it’s autumnal and festive and happens to suit me. Not planning on dressing head-to-toe in it but a jumper would be ideal.

I have a tin of rhubarb lurking in the pantry that I could turn into a crumble .

Years ago I had an apple tree in the garden , it would take me a whole day but I’d pick, peel, chop and cook apples then freeze . Left a bit chunky it made delicious crumble. The tree is long gone so I buy 3-4 big Bramley apples for crumble

I’m currently watching Home Alone - I absolutely love it. I’ve looked through the Matalan Christmas range online - some nice things. But they don’t deliver to here, which is frustrating. Only so many things I can ask my parents to bring in their suitcase!

I’m debating whether to treat myself to the Spode Christmas pastry forks - I was going to get them for my Birthday so when everyone starts asking what I would like, I can have those. But I don’t need them, and we are trying to declutter. 🤔 And we barely eat mince pies or Christmas cake, so I’ll probably just use them all year round too, for birthday cakes.

We had lunch out and played Crazy golf - DD9 is really struggling with emotions recently. She’s so annoyed that she didn’t get a hole in one, and so shouty to us all. Most suggestions are met with groaning etc. I don’t actually know how to deal with her behaviour, but I feel like I’m constantly on repeat saying the same thing to her. Which she ignores. And it all makes me so cross.

I'm pretty sure mail to the CI is bog standard prices, as I sent something to someone on the bargains thread last year. Happy for you to use my address and I'll post it on to you if you want, @JenniferGreenHat?

Sounds like hormones are playing havoc there too!

Oh 9 was a tough age! All those hormones.

Yes, postage is just standard to the CI, which makes me quite cross at companies who don’t send here. Smyths is one who doesn’t - I managed to get 2 huge Smyths boxes in our car on the way back, so that was good. Hobbycraft don’t. Thanks for the offer @NoWordForFluffy but I can always ask my parents. I try and buy local but there isn’t much choice, and sometimes it’s double the price of Amazon, which is too much difference.

@MinnieDog Is 9 usual? I really was expecting to get to 13 before all of this?!?

Nooooo. 9 is definitely hormone kick off! DD is just 11 and has been fun and games for a good while! 😬

Yes agreed with the above, 9 is when it all begins! Oh I'm glad we're through that. DS is 14 and has a whole different set of challenges now, but I've had the last 5 years to get used to it 😉

I used to love Lincoln Christmas market then they stopped it I think for safety reasons. Which other Christmas markets in the UK are good? I like the sound of Edinburgh, Ive been once in the Summer and loved it