Ho ho ho...here we go round again! Countdown to Christmas 2025, thread 1

[NoWordForFluffy]

365

Evening!

I'm tired after today, but the buffet was a success. Tomorrow it's dinner!

Everyone seems to love their gifts, which is always good. 😊 Bed soon as it's all go again from the morning!

I have an MN emergency. I am washing line-less 😱 It was a rotary one and the cement block it was put into has come loose from the lawn so the whole thing fell over and I can’t fix it until later this evening.
Sun is back out and my load of washing is about to finish so I’m turning the conservatory into a drying room for today even though I hate looking at washing on an airer.

I have cooled down now. Yesterday was a breezy 20° and the difference it made to my mood and sleep was amazing. Up to 23° today but that’s ok.

I have an hour or so of boring housework ahead, including cleaning the oven 😳 but im going to listen to podcasts at the same time and hope that they distract me. Then DH will bring LO home and all peace will disappear.

@GrannyWeatherwaxsBroomstickI admit I love the snuggles when LO comes to us in the middle of the night but I was mid hot-flush and he literally climbed to lie on top of my body. I thought we both might melt.
And when he’s up for the day there are no snuggles, just clambering over me and incessantly demands for a drink, move, blanket on, no sleeping, sit by there, this pillow is mine etc 😂 All done in a very cute way but it starts before I’ve had chance to open one eye some days.

Did you get your washing whirly-gig sorted Meeces?
It's a shame to miss a good drying day

174

Load of washing in
Took DS to work
Took DD to work ( croissant tradition, onvs)
Tidying and waiting for food delivery ( MN while drinking coffee)

Started the Dec 1st Box buying (got pyjamas for DD and now a nail polish from one of her favourite brands )

It’s not fixed 70 😭 We tried but part of it broke so I’m picking up a replacement at some point over the weekend. For now the conservatory continues to be a drying room.

Also, thanks for the kick up the bum on Christmas stuff. I need to look if there’s any chance of cheap matching PJs for my whole family as I promised I would.

I am killing time on my phone while waiting to pick LO up. I dropped DH to the station and didn’t see the point in going home for 10 mins then leaving for school run but the result is that I’m here half an hour early but I’ve got a great parking space for once.
Im researching spa’s for dms birthday, what to under-plant with my roses (the bare stems just look a bit rubbish), Christmas PJs and highland cow earrings. Quite eclectic browsing I’d say 😂

Meeces, the Next sale is online from tomorrow. There are loads of PJs, though I'm not sure whether you'd get matching ones.

I got through work, took a Sainsbury's delivery in and have just cleaned the kitchen. The weather is wet and windy, so definitely no washing out for us today (it went downhill at about lunchtime).

Our bedroom has dropped below 20°++ for the first time in ages. Thank god!

Is the site misbehaving for anyone else? My bookmarks aren't working so I'm having to scroll loads to find them. Far too much effort!

My bookmarks have all vanished as well Fluffy. I can’t be bothered to wade through everything.

173

Oh do hope you get your washing line fixed Meeces. I've just put some stuff in the tumble dryer as looks like it might rain and I'm off to the gym shortly but not before I've had a look at the Next sale (thanks Fluffy).

DD had a sleepover last night so I've left breakfast out for them (Croissants - might start your tradition 70). There are 4 of them and they're all chatterboxes so I think they'll be very tired today.

172

Morning!

I'm still in bed, contemplating getting up. But DH and the dog are still snoozing, so I think I'll stay here for a bit!

Why, I've changed my settings to 25 posts per page so I don't have to scroll so far to find my bookmarks (I was on 100). MNHQ don't appear to be trying to fix the issues, mind you. 🤷‍♀️🙄

I had to get up due to a vomiting dog. Sigh!

He seems fine now though, thankfully. I think it was hunger sick.

Morning @NoWordForFluffy , hope your Ddog is better now.
We are on holiday in Cornwall as DS has finished school for the summer.

He's fine. He had a couple of carrots and were just back from his run / walk (he was on fine form). He's snuffling in the grass for his biscuits at the moment!

Enjoy your holiday!

Ohh poor FluffyDog

Our cats are being dirty stops outs at the moment , they like being invisible in the darkness . Their bellies rule their heads , they have their routines .
So when we are trying to lure them in, FemaleCat goes off and eats grass "Yeah , best way to worry them, eat grass" then voms it up (frothy spit'n'grass) usually in the hall or DS room (Much to DS disgust )
Then she goes through to eat supper and bully her brother away from the plates .

171

Morning!

Monday again! It's my day off today, and I've lots of bits to do including visiting the parents.

The weather is increasingly clammy. It felt fresh first thing, but not so much now. It's meant to be dry though, so that's something. It rained overnight.

It's raining here. I took the dog out yesterday afternoon, and got caught in a thunderstorm. We both got drenched.

Still no washing line here. Instead we are mid-debate about rotary vs a straight line. DH wants a straight one (I think it’s to protect the lawn as the old one falling over took quite a clump out) and I like a rotary one purely because I can hide my underwear on the inside. Exciting stuff.

Temp is due to go up over the week culminating in 30° by Friday. I am not pleased 🥵 and to add to the stress we have a MIL visit this week which would normally be fine but we have a few things on so the timing isn’t great.

I’ve set myself a goal for July - to have my cross stitch card completed enough that you can at least see that it’s a penguin as I’m being rubbish at it.

Hope everyone else is ok and looking forward to the weather everyone but me seems to love it

I'm #TeamDH re a straight washing line. Washing dries so much more efficiently. We put undies on those clippy things you get. Maybe you could hide them on the inside of those, Meeces?

I like to be different, I have a straight line and a whirly gig #greedy 🤣

We had a washing line when we bought our house , tall concrete post one end and the other fastened to a double hook ( so you could "figure of eight" ) in the wall.

Yes you can get the washing blowing but less length. And when I looked out my washing was sprawled on the grass having hoiked the hook out of the wall.

My rotary airer goes high ( it has a temperamental handle ) but I have never found one better

Can't believe we are closer to next Christmas than the last 😃👍

170

Oh another landmark countdown and tomorrow we're into the hundred-and-sixties

We've planned some Christmas Activities (booked ) so falling into place , slowly .

160s feels really close, doesn't it?!

Rattling along. 😬

I made my first Christmas related purchase today 😱 We're officially off to Tulley's for their Santa experience! Have wanted to do it for a few years but this year could possibly be DS' last one believing and DD is just about old enough to understand so it's kinda a now or never scenario.

Also got a few prezzy ideas for my kids on the list so that's a bit of a weight off. Intending to go to Smyth's later on in the year to go and get everything but it's definitely nice to have a bit of an idea of what we're getting ahead of time

If anyone has any tried and tested gift hits for a 7yo boy or a 2 (nearly 3yo girl) please do share 😁

@TeddyBeans
There will be loads of "What are you buying your DH/Teenagers/7yo DS" threads on here , loads of ideas
I don;t know if any of the old ones are any good as Wish Lists always change -I know mine did when we were looking , they're adults now .
Memories of going into London trying -and failing- to find the Raving Rabbids Go Home game on Nintendo DS and waiting for it to be delivered . Thankfully arrived on Christmas Eve <phew>

Don't know if they still do it but Sainsbury used to do a half price toys sale in October - usually Half Term time .

Enjoy Tulleys . I suggested taking mine to the Hallowe'en event but my DD doesn;t like those interactive zombie things even as an adult .

169

Morning!

God, MN is still broken / glitchy. I got refreshed off this thread and back to Active twice before it let me read 70's message and post myself. And still no working bookmarks. 😩

I'm giving a presentation at work today, which I'm not thrilled about, it has to be said. The train is very quiet on a Weds though (as is my office; there were only 3 seats booked as well as mine when I checked yesterday!).