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!

We've moderate winds forecast tomorrow. Not 17k mph though!

70, you can just buy boxes, yes!

We saw the Northern Lights last night after failing to see them in Iceland. Twice. They were beautiful!

Great photo @NoWordForFluffy

I am amazed that I saw them here too. I thought I’d be too far south. I spent an hour at the beach watching them, and then another hour outside my house. I woke DC9 up but they couldn’t see anything, and were quite annoyed. I’ve wanted to see them for years, dream come true!

OMG such beautiful photos Jennifer and Fluffy. (Northern lights AND Booths Christmas)

I am very jealous as am desperate to see the northern lights. We went to Lapland years ago and I was hopeful then but not a glimmer.

Happy nearly weekend everyone and don't get blown away!

That's stunning, Jennifer. We didn't go anywhere, just stuck our heads out of my office window!

We didn't see them last time they were strong here, Magnolia. Last night you could see them with the naked eye (red glow), but through the phone was far better.

I have friends in the NE and their photos were stunning too!
You're all very lucky 🤩

Northern lights and Booth's are both on my bucket list...both highly unlikely living in the most south eastern point of the SE!

Feeling chilly and crisp this morning, just the way I like it!

It was the official Switching on of The Heating last night.

Ha, Monkey, I've now turned our thermostats on, so the heating can come on if necessary. The house hasn't dropped below 18° yet though really, so it hasn't come on. I've a feeling it won't be long, however, as the lounge can be cooler in the morning.

I'm not sure where the southernmost Booths is as they may have closed some. You'll have to make a pilgrimage!

We're going to Reading for a Uni open day tomorrow....are there any Booth's nearby?

Will google....although I can't imagine DH or DS2 being too happy about a detour after a 3 hour drive.....

No, Reading is WAY too south. It's a northern thing!

ETA: Knutsford is the most southern one.

Ah well...one day, maybe I will make the Pilgrimage.

A pilgrimage to Knutsford! Not on most people's bucket list.

Ah! I've found my people! I'm very excited this year, but I don't really know anyone else in real life that is!

I got the cutest biscuit tin from m&s the other day. It's a musical moving santa's workshop. I got my advent calendars today - club card offer so why not!

When is everyone putting up their tree? I'm going for 17th November I think!

Ahhh , if I was going to do a Bucket List Tour , it'd be to Windermere so I could go to Lakeland Limited flagship store and Booths .
Bit of a trek from Essex though I could do it on the way back from DBro .

For years I wanted to head out to the huge Marks'n'Spencer beside the huge Sainsbury in London Colney and buy all my shopping in one go , but of course that wouldn't work , I'm a stealth buyer not One Hit Wonder

😂😂

@MsChatterbox

Dexup Dates.....serious stuff!

We usually aim for the 1st December which I see is a Sunday this year so it's perfect!

When I was small, it was always, always the 13th - 12 days before Christmas. So much has changed, including year-round satsumas.

@MonMonkeyTennis34 haha it's a goal to stop myself doing it sooner 🤣. I would honestly do it now if I lived alone!

I grew up in a week before Christmas and down after boxing day house! So I'm not sure why I'm like this lol.

Satsumas are mostly minging these days. 🤮

We'll do 1 Dec too this year. We do the first Sat in Dec or last Sat in Nov, depending on how it falls.

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Morning!

I'm not up yet, but have been awake for quite a while. It's nice and cosy in bed!

No real plans this weekend, thankfully. I'm quite tired!

Morning - we went on a Serial Killers Walk yesterday evening (and going to the Serial Killers Exhibition in November - I know there's a theme here )

Quite a bit of walking at a good pace , I had cramp in my feet last night that kept waking me up ouch

Morning everyone!

Started the process of pickling some onions yesterday so time to finish the job. My house will smell like a vinegar factory, but hopefully the end result will be worth it.

I've just had one of my homegrown tomatoes , never grown them before but my goodness they are lush . A load of work though , i grew 5 plants from seed which was plenty . Still some on the vine waiting to ripen .

Went to Lakeside but it was busy and I wasn't in the mood to look just for the sake of looking so got what was needed and trundled home again.
Loads of Christmas things instore

I dug all my tomato plants up today - there were loads of tomatoes left but they'd gone a bit funny and I think it might have been all that rain. I planted some tulip bulbs then went through DS wardrobe and shelves and filled 4 bin bags for the charity shop and tip.

Knackered now so MAFS and a glass of wine I think.

@Clouday you'll have to let us know how the onions get on.

73

I should go to bed but QVC have Christmas things on now .... Hotel Chocolat . I'll watch but not buy it , the flavours are too different for my DC (DH doesn't eat it at all and I only eat occasionally)

Morning

Boring day today - washing and the biggest pile of ironing.

I was planning weekends in my head yesterday and was thinking "I wonder how many days till Christmas"!! Duurrrr.... Thats the menopausal brain again.

Got a leak in kitchen roof which needs sorting and not looking forward to it as I seem to have the worst luck with roofers.

Morning.

I'm just drinking tea before going out with the dog. It's chilly out there and the heating is most definitely coming on now!

It's dry til 5, so I need to mow the lawn and trim the edges as it's dead tatty, but the weather has been against me for a while!

It's also bathrooms / woodwork in all rooms cleaning day as well. Exciting. 🙄

I've got washing out as it;s dry and a bit windy , not much but better than them sitting in a basket . They'll need to go in the dryer when they get inside

Very autumnal now , leaves are bright red on the Virginia Creeper and starting to fall off , the dogwood stems are red
I love bright'n'cold days .

Flu jab/Covid jab next week <joy>