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!

Morning!

I'm just back from the dog run! The wind has dropped a bit now...it kept me awake some of the night as it was blowing straight at the house. I'm a bit tired!

What did you bake, Magnolia? I didn't get any baking done this weekend. I will next weekend though.

We're making a concerted effort to eat through the freezer a bit to make some space. It's very full!

Fluffy we're on the random freezer dinners as well 🤣

The DC are still not well enough for school/nursery, so I am trying to work from home and juggle them. Luckily I can work my hours as and when suits - I very much doubt I'll get my usual 9 done today!

I've a feeling I'm going to be getting the Christmas decorations/crafts out this afternoon to occupy us all!

We are also trying to eat down the freezer to make some space for Christmas!

I have picked up some bits from the supermarkets today as we have now sorted Christmas hosting plans.

Lidl had 20% off a lot of their Christmas items for Lidl Plus members. I got DH one of their branded Christmas jumpers for £6 🤣 but also lebkuchen, stollen bites and some Christmas tree shaped pretzels. Then I popped into Sainsburys to stock up on Cremant as they have 25% off 6 or more bottles of fizz or wine.

Happy Rudolph Day indeed and yes the Last One of 2024

Good Luck with the unwanted rodents Monkey

We had mice in the understairs cupboard a couple of years ago and our 2 cats were No Bloody Use At All , female brought one back IN

I am busy writing My Lists ( and checking them twice )
Planning that I can spend a day cooking things that can freeze (lasagne , Sticky Toffee Puddings and Brownies )

Our two chest freezers ( they're small ) are looking empty so need restocked with pizza and garlic bread (Aldi) , ice cream (Sainsbury) , vegetarian grills (Waitrose) so I need to plan when I can get there . .

That really made me laugh about you all eating up the contents of the freezer as my weeks meal planner has got 3 days just saying "freezer" next to them.

I made a massive mac n cheese (Nigella) for when the fam a lam come in Dec, plus a dish of dauphinoise potatoes, plus a meringue wreath that also went in the freezer for an easy pud.

I'm hoping to make a yule log for the freezer at the weekend and some sausage rolls but only if we've cleared some space.

I have done something Christmassy today: ordered more cheese! The Cheshire Cheese Co has some BF discounts, plus I had a code for a free truckle for my birthday. Sorted!

I ordered a new fridge the other day, which we will use at Christmas only for booze and party food! It's just an under-counter one, but without a pointless freezer box. It's coming on Wednesday.

Thanks all. Pest Control woman is returning tomorrow to remove (eek) dead, trapped rats.
The flies have decreased in number but still there. I can’t bear the thought of people coming to stay over Christmas when it’s like this 😱

I’ve finally received DD’s Christmas list and am planning to order a few things off it tomorrow. DS2’s is still nowhere to be seen…

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Morning!

I'm just back from the dog expedition to new areas on the neighbouring estate we've not been to before! FluffyDog followed his nose, and that's where we ended up. I had a sliding in mud incident on our estate, and got my knees muddy, but I somehow just carried on the momentum and didn't actually stop, just incorporated it into the running. 🤣🤣

I'm wondering what to have from the freezer tonight. Lucky dip, maybe! 🤣

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Been awake since 4:45 here - Somehow yet another cough/cold thing has hit our house and LO has been unsettled 🙄 Not too bad at the moment but only started on Monday. Is this what parenting a toddler is?

I am v v behind on Christmas organisation. I have photo calendars to design and order, 2 nieces don't have anything yet as am waiting on a list from SIL, friends daughter also doesn't have anything and I'm drawing a blank for her.
Oh and I have a barely started cross stitch Christmas card that I keep forgetting about.
I'm also only probably 70% done for LO and have nothing for DH. Starting to feel stressed but hoping people will cut me some slack as I've essentially turned my life upside down!

Hope everyone else with lurgy filled dc are doing ok and dc are on the mend soon!

@NoCheesesForUsMeeces
Sending you all get well wishes and yes, having a toddler did feel like an endless round of administering Calpol!

Chez Monkey the illnesses always seemed to hit at Christmas so take heart....you and yours will hopefully be ok by then.

I can't use ill health as an excuse for my lack of organisation this year but I will instead use:

Our family holiday in early November (never done this before)

Mum's 80th in late November

Rat invasion! The rat woman has managed to get rid of "most of the population." (Sorry guys)

When DS was 6 months I took him to A&E on Christmas day coz he had a high temperature and the Doctor diagnosed bronchiolitis which was easily treated with calpol and lots of water but I remember he said that during the first 2 years kids get about 6 general respiratory viruses each season and its good in a way as it "trains" their immune system. BUT it does feel like they constantly have a cold.

Speedy recovery to all still suffering.

Good news re the rats Monkey.

Ha Fluffy - we are also having freezer food - lamb and apricot tagine for two and cajun chicken for the other two (not enough portions to even eat the same meal 😂)

Meeces, welcome to the merry go round of toddler illnesses! It's never ending! I hope this one passes quickly. 🤞

Monkey, hurrah for dead rats! ☠️

I worked 9 hours with no lunch break today. I'm knackered. My assistant is off, so I'm keeping up with her work. And a partner is off, so I'm the contact on his urgent stuff. Plus I'm trying to prepare for being off myself in a couple of weeks! It's tough going!

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What is your job @NoWordForFluffy ? Fingers crossed you have a less stressy day today.

Its still dark here and the moon is a tiny little crescent, very pretty.

Morning!

I thought the same about the moon yesterday, Magnolia. It looks lovely when it's tiny!

I'm a solicitor. I'm in the office today as we have a client meeting. It's not a good day for travelling though, as it's freezing, so hopefully they'll get there OK!

Shocking night's sleep all round last night. We think the dog had something stuck up his nose, as he's been snorting a lot, and he was restless last night. DH said he did two enormous sneezes and something shot out of his nose, so hopefully he's cleared it, otherwise it's a vet trip for him!

Morning all.

Meeces in my experience, parenting in general is just juggling life with whatever new delight the kids have introduced into the household 🙄

I booked for us all to go to Butlins next week, including taking DS out of school for a couple of days, but he was off for a week and I've had to pick him up at lunchtime since he's been back, so can't really!

I was a Quantity Surveyor for 20 years but was always a bit baffled by some of the Contract terminology so hats off to you Fluffy for dealing with law.

Firefly that's a shame re your holiday, maybe you can change the dates?

I went to Aldi and got some Irish cream liquor - it got some good reviews (its knock off Baileys i think?) Plus some vodka which I think I'm going to make mince pie vodka with.

Liqueur even! Before the spelling pedantics come for me.

Oh no, Firefly, that's disappointing. Is it refundable / movable?

Magnolia, I don't do anything as technical as contract law. I do civil litigation, acting for corporate clients.

It's too short notice to refund and they only move it within the same calendar year, which won't really help.

It was only £60, so wouldn't be losing out on a lot of money, but I was really looking forward to spending the time together. DParents are also going, and I'm the lead booker so I've decided just DD and I will go for a couple of days and I'll assuage the mum guilt by buying DS a Switch game he's been eyeing up 3 weeks before Christmas 🙄

Civil litigation is much more fun than negotiating contracts!!

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Morning!

Can't beat the mum guilt, Firefly! I'm sure you'll have a good time.

Butlins are one of our clients, so please don't have any mishaps while you're there! 😬🤣

And I agree that civil litigation is more interesting than contracts. Not sure I could face drafting contracts all day! M

The dog dragged me 7.3km this morning. I'm knackered already.

Ahh yes - liquor is the green parsley and eel water sauce that is sold with pie'n'mash in Eel'n'Pie shops .

I live in East Larndan - I have never entertained this delicacy

And I definitely wouldn't want a bottle of that 70!!

70, saw the attached photo on Facebook and thought of you!

I've just whizzed through a load of overdue online training. Annoying, but it's done now! I have to say though, that I'm never going to try to put a fire out, so the correct extinguisher isn't something I need to know! 🤣

HaHa! @NoWordForFluffy

Though a very determined cat would have those baubles

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Morning!

70, I did think that some cats would still get the baubles from it!

The day has started nicely here. The overnight winds have dropped too (annoyingly in relation to washing drying ability!).

I might paint the bathroom today. Exciting!