Season of mist and mellow fruitfulness...and ramping up those Christmas preparations! Countdown to Christmas 2024 (thread 3) (title edited by MNHQ @request of OP)

[NoWordForFluffy]

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(Saves us checking the old thread tomorrow!)

Here goes, folks. New thread to see us through autumn!

I've noticed the last month or so that the potatoes I buy ( Sainsbury Maris Piper ) are really hard , not at all floury like they should be .
I bought some Baking Potatoes a couple of weeks back to do jacket potatoes but these were the same .
I know the weather has been rubbish so the harvest will reflect this so probably no improvement in the future ?

Hello Jones - DS is the only non-vegetarian in our house m he will eat small , very well cooked chipolatas but not PiBs . I sometimes do a side dish for him in the oven, he has plain roast chicken that the cats eagerly wait for shares of

DD was asking me "now it;s Autumn , what puddings are you going to make?" I'll do some Sticky Toffee Puddings and some crumble & apple that I freeze seperately then assemble and bake .

I;ve got a Christmas Pudding from last year or the year before but not doing a cake this year .

51

Morning!

I have a work trip to London today. It's gonna be a long old day, I can tell you!

It's very gloomy here still. No rain, just permanently grey and still!

Morning all, Yuletide folk!

Got back late last night from our holiday after 19 hours of travelling.

And although it's extremely grey and meh outside here in the SE, I'm raring to get back into my Christmas state of mind!

I may well get out the Christmas mugs later 😀

Morning. Another tired one in this house as LO is still ill. This time I got sent to sleep elsewhere at 4am so DH could do the nightshift so I'm not quite as tired as him.
Fingers crossed Vicks, Calpol medicine and a Calpol plug in gets us through the day 😩

On the plus side, I made some Christmas progress yesterday. We did the food shopping and I picked up this cute plate from Sainsbury's.

Hoping the local Santa charity scheme launches today so I can get ordering

Cute plate, Meeces! Sorry you're struggling with a poorly DC. I reckon you'll get results with what you've got, medication-wise though.

Welcome home, Monkey. Let Christmas commence!

I can’t believe it’s 51 days. It’s going too quickly. I did browse a Christmas magazine yesterday whilst bathing DC. And we’re reading Christmas stories at bedtime now.

Like @NoCheesesForUsMeeces, we are ill in this house too. Again. DD has been ill since Friday, and not at school today. I had to cancel DS flu spray as can’t take DD into the doctors unwell whilst he has the spray. I have mountains of washing, even after 4 loads yesterday. I’ve been ordering warm clothes for Lapland, but that’s bags of clothes to wash too. Feel quite overwhelmed with everything. The lack of sleep isn’t helping. Need to write some lists, that will help me feel more in control!

I’m going to attempt DC handprints for Christmas cards today. It’ll be the last time we do them, so want them to be extra special 🎄🎅🏻🎄

Hope DC feel better soon @NoCheesesForUsMeeces

Morning all, I've picked up a couple of stocking fillers in The Works and with that I think we're pretty much done in terms of presents for DDs. I'm about two thirds done for DH and other family members too. My aim is to get all presents bought by the end of November so I can spend December relaxing rather than going round the shops.

I made the Christmas cake and Christmas puddings last month so I need to give the cake another feed today. I'm thinking with a mix of amaretto, cointreau and spiced rum. It's more booze than cake by the time December rolls around! 🤣

@NoCheesesForUsMeeces
Hope your LO improves soon.
What the bejeebers is a Calpol plug-in? Sounds intriguing!

Whilst I was away, my Christmas Good Housekeeping and Prima arrived. Also have the Christmas Woman and Home squirrelled away pre-holiday to enjoy over a mince pie and cuppa.
Someone up thread commented that the Christmas women's magazines are the same every year.....so very true but that's how I like it!

@GameOfJones I always feed my cake with Amaretto, so yummy.
Planning on making it this Sunday.

Tempted to have a quick peek at a magazine but I must start unpacking...

MonkeyDog was extremely pleased to see us last night and to prove how much he's missed us, he rolled in something disgusting on our walk just now 🤦🏼‍♀️
Welcome home me.

It's been a long day. Calpol is a marvellous thing but an ill toddler is like a teenage girl I think - up and down and doesn't know what they want but they know whatever you offer is not correct 😩

Monkey the Calpol plug in is this (pic). It basically fills the room with a nice vapour that helps clear things a bit.
You can get Vicks ones too.

Jennifer how did you get on with the handprints today?
Fingers crossed your DD is on the mend 🤞🏼

Jones getting everything done by end of November is my aim every year. Have only managed it once though I think

Local Santa scheme started today so I called and got my children to buy for (and this year the office have helpfully told us clothes size and something they're interested in) so that's part of my to-do list for this evening.

I was also contacted by my work friend today asking if I was going to be taking part in the annual office wrapping presents to raise money scheme. I had to say no as I can't commit to being available but I'm a bit gutted - it's my favourite 2 days of the year and first time in a decade I haven't done it.

50

Did you have a nice day in London yesterday Fluffy? I waved.

Hope you're all feeling better today Meeces.

My cake will also be more booze than cake similar to yours Jones. I put a bit of the pedro ximinar sherry on and realised it still looked a bit glistening so maybe i'll hold off for a few weeks.

DH said channel 5 are showing christmas films - yikes!

Just been to Sainsbury's, lots of gorgeous Christmas fare.

Decorations, food (the panettones looked fantastic) and I couldn't resist this mug for £4.

Afternoon!

Magnolia, I wasn't really in London for long. I did have a good time though. It was a bit of a networking thing, which sounds wanky, but isn't! 🤣

It's my birthday today, so I've taken a couple of hours off work to chill out this afternoon. I didn't get back til 10.30 last night, then FluffyDog thought it was a good idea to go 7.4km this morning! 😩😩 I'm very tired!

I love the mug, Monkey!

@NoWordForFluffy
Happy Birthday to you!!
How lovely that everyone is celebrating it with fireworks!
Hope you've had a lovely day.

Happy Birthday @NoWordForFluffy

There were strikes planned for this week (Rail/Underground) but they've been postponed thankfully .
My DS has to go up to that Larndan tomorrow so he's planning his route .

Fifty Days which means tomorrow is seven weeks , it starts feeling Real now

It;s not very fireworky here , might be more later as it;s dry and cold , ideal firework weather .
The cats are locked in and being very judgey as their dinner has not materialised . !

Yes, if I want a party, I choose one which somebody else has organised and just rock up! 🤣

It's very fireworky here. 🎆

Happy Birthday!!!! @NoWordForFluffy 🍾💐

49

Morning!

I love the smell of the morning after Bonfire Night! All cordite-y!

7 weeks today!! I got the condiments for our meat yesterday, plus some more crackers (eating ones) and the goose fat. The meat is being delivered a week on Friday (lamb and beef, pork already in the freezer).

Still need to hunt out the yard of Jaffa Cakes though.

Getting there!

7 weeks?!?!?!

Starting to panic now....

I told the DCs that I'd like their Christmas before the end of the week.
You'd think I'd asked them to walk over hot coals!
Crikey, if someone said to me, Please write a list of items you would like and then you will receive most of them in 7 weeks, I'd bite their hand off!

I've got my Christmas cards, wrapping paper, a few (very few) pressies, some M and S food ordered....and, most importantly, a box of After Eights.
Pretty much organised then 🤣🤣

I asked DCs for their Christmas lists!

Good morning. Despite not needing any more wrapping paper I bought a roll of lovely dark green paper in Sainsbury's yesterday. With one exception all the presents I have bought so far are reasonably small and in boxes so I may go for the full Instagram worthy poncetastic wrapping look. Then again maybe not 🤷🏻‍♀️

@MonkeyTennis34 I got the same eye roll last night when I said I want lists by 23rd. Father Christmas may well be bypassing this house.

I managed to get the clementine bucks fizz and also the sloe gin with forest fruits and wine or something.

@theWoollybacksWife that paper sounds nice, I'm after some dark green so I'll be off to sainsbos. Think I'll be doing some poncey wrapping.

@NoWordForFluffy I think the jaffa cakes are in Home Bargains as well as Aldi.

I've only seen Oreo's and Party Rings in HB. Maybe I need to look more carefully, as they tend to be scattered everywhere!

I envy people who are good at poncey wrapping. It's not my forte! I can wrap nicely unlike Why who makes up for lack of talent with amount of tape, but poncing is a no!

@NoWordForFluffy the jaffa cakes are also in Morrisons although I think shrinkflation has hit they don't look as long as they used to 😮

Oh lovely. I'll pop along after work, thank you.

I think they're not a yard, from what I've read. It's ok though, they'll be appreciated!