Melting from the heat, yet still Counting down to Christmas 2025 (thread 2)

[NoWordForFluffy]

OK, so you all went on a bloody posting frenzy!

Can someone add the countdown from today to make it easier tomorrow? Thanking you!

Morning. Definitely cooler here today too - I woke up with my feet hanging out and they were ice cold 🥶

I need to do an inventory of Christmas paper as I have a bit of addiction to it but I’m pretty sure I don’t need to buy anymore although I may need to get some with Santa on for the Santa presents.

I dug out the Christmas planner then sat and added a few ideas to the present list last night. Very festive (as long as I ignored DHs rolled eyes 🙄).

I do need gift wrap this year.
I've got plenty of cards and tissue paper.
Any good cracker brands you recommend?
(I prefer non plastic)

I bought my crackers in the January sale this year. Feeling organised. They were from Selfridges and they are pink. DH and DS are not going to be thrilled but I am.
Beautiful picture @swampwitch0

I buy the crackers and fill them with little bits from Rex London.

This is my Nectar balance. It's a lovely-looking number pattern and I thought that 70 would appreciate its neatness! 😁

Wow! That's quite an impressive Nectar balance Fluffy

I visited my local out of town shopping centre today when I needed to buy a raincoat. I had a lovely time browsing the very limited range of festive goods available although I did resist buying a Christmas reed diffuser in Next #resistingtemptation

We try to keep it around £200, Woolly! I must've spent a good £200+ this year already (my booze collection is huge!).

I'm waiting for Bailey's to go on offer, and I'll also start getting snack stuff soon as well.

I went hunting for Christmas tea towels today. Not sure I really need any though!

106 getting so close to double digits now.
I have started my snack cupboard for Christmas. Got some Celebrations on offer at tesco and Lidl had chocolate filled chocolate wafer rolls last week.
I get quite a few things there, but we do love our German snacks and sweets.

Morning. I’m on the train on my way to my office day and I feel rubbish - LO appears to be a bit under the weather and was asking me to stay home while I was putting my shoes etc on. Working mum guilt is so bloody hard 😩

I’m trying to keep my buying under control this year. If I buy any decorations DH may divorce me but I only have 2 tea towels so maybe picking up an extra few will sooth the urge?
I also haven’t bought crackers in a few years as we’ve either been away, out for lunch or it’s been just us 2 which seems kind of pointless. Will maybe get some mini ones this year as I’m sure LO will enjoy them.

@NoCheesesForUsMeeces
It's tough, mum guilt never goes away 😢
<klaxon>
I have NO Christmas teatowels 😲😫😢
I'm not sure how this has happened....a trip to the k maxx may be in the offing 😊

105

That sounds tough Meeces but it does get better - I remember physically peeling DS off my leg when I had to leave him at nursery to go to work. Horrible. But the independence is really good for them.

Fluffy I'm so impressed with your nectar points - I never check mine so was very excited thinking i might have a similar haul and I've got £26 😒😂

Just trying to get a quick wash out before work. Rock and roll.

Morning!

Bit damp here today. I missed the massive rain storm at 6am, and only had to deal with intermittent showers while I was out with the dog. There's a rainbow out there which is pretty!

Magnolia, Sainsbury's is our main supermarket, and I also use Argos a fair bit. I shop in a way to maximise our points, essentially.

I should probably check out Nectar points as we tend to shop in Aldi then Sainsburys each week and we somehow always end up buying clothes or house stuff from there… but we always use DHs nectar card.
I checked mine and I have a grand total of £1.67 😂

It’s been raining a lot overnight here but seems to have eased and for now I can see blue sky.

I ended up finishing work early yesterday to collect LO so I did an hour or so last night and will be doing a bit extra today and tomorrow 🙄
Means my day will be beyond boring. Work and when I need to stretch my legs, tidying up a bit and putting a wash on, then time with LO and maybe a bit of cross stitch before bed if I can keep my eyes open

Ah, we have two cards, but linked to one account, so we are both putting towards the same pot!

We've had rain on and off all day so far. But also blue skies!

104

Very impressive Sainsbury rewards @NoWordForFluffy

We got a Thursday delivery , DH noticed that our Nectar rewards are better if we order on a Wednesday (More offers ) and he WFH some days .
Usually manage to save up a good amount , not as good as a few years back though , they cut their Rewards back .

So today:

Washing on
Take DD to work ( Traditional Croissant)
Tidy up
Dentist appointment
More tidy up
Going to pack summer clothes in vacuum pack bags

I didn’t know you could link the cards like that Fluffy - that would make way more sense in this house as we do food shopping with DHs card but mine is linked to the Argos and eBay accounts.

Is it just a dentist check up 70? If so I hope it’s all ok!

My day is going to be:
work
MIL dropping LO off
trying to work a bit more.
tidy a bit so the house doesn’t look a total wreck
visit from my dm
bedtime routine
out with a friend for a couple of hours (she hasn’t been free for ages and is suddenly insistent that we catch up so I’m assuming she has some sort of pregnant/engaged/moving away type news).
Then hopefully some sort of sleep as we got very little last night 😩

Morning!

Bit breezy up here still. Thankfully I dodged the rain while out with the doggo!

I'm not sure that we collect fewer Nectar points now. I maximise the personalised Nectar points offers (shopping on either mine or DH's card, depending on which is more profitable!) and always sign up to points boosting ones (like how much fruit and veg you buy!) as well. We collect / spend about £350-£400 a year, I reckon.

103

Yes , check up Meeces but need some work done so I have that to look forward to !
I dropped DD off and picked her up (I got the it's tipping down and I;, knackered call.
Washing , tidying , made a vegetarian shepherds pie ,
I bought a copy of the Good Housekeeping magazine (the Christmas Food one ) to read this week. Probably alll adverts though .
And I put the duvet on, Cold at night now , cannot manage with just a top sheet .

Morning!

I think we're going back to our (2.5 tog) duvet today, 70. I was cold overnight. The bedspread has been great for summer, but I need a bit more warmth now.

Appalling forecast here today. I might do bog all today. I've done two ten hour days with no lunch break at work. I'm exhausted.

Some very heavy rain 🌧 showers here today

Got most of the washing dry

We're on load number 4 in the machine! It's windy enough that the lighter stuff is drying dead quick, so we can dodge showers!

I've done some weeding out the front this afternoon, as well as ironed the uniform. We've both been on laundry detail!

I've half made our bed as we need to locate the duvet in the vacuum bags in my office! I did make DS' bed fully. DH can finish ours / do DD's!

@NoWordForFluffy
I'm stripping the beds tomorrow.
I think I need to clean inside my car, too.
I've got a cake in the oven 🍰
It's feeling autumnal and I love it 😀

I was basically DC taxi service all day. It's now changed so much that their social life is now better than mine!! Also London traffic after tube strike/rail replacement services/heavy rain hail made sure that traffic really awful everywhere.

I had 2 loads today.. the problem is folding them all tomorrow and doing my ironing ?and packing. I did a few “keep landlord happy” deeper cleaning jobs (like edges of dishwasher and the white cupboard doors…I cannot wait to get back to original wood at home!!).

I am waiting for a second order of cotton - the first to the apartment never arrived and my godchild is waiting for me to put the neck and buttons onto her birthday cardigan. So I ordered again. But to my office. Let’s see next week.

I got a nice bottle of wine last night but my chicken was still frozen - between the wine and a good dinner, I am very mellow for a change. But next week is a little frantic. And then I planned a dinner for colleagues on Saturday after being away for Thursday and Friday..I may be nuts!

102

Morning!

We had a massive flash of lightning, plus a huge rumble of thunder last night, then not much more of a storm. It just buggered off. Most bizarre!

We're set for more heavy rain today and tomorrow. Which is something to look forward to! 🤣

We had our first proper autumnal type dinner last night, so I feel I've finally accepted the season!

I need to walk the dog, then go and see the parents with their Waitrose delivery (it's easier to get it delivered here and I take it to them as not every delivery driver can find their apartment easily). I then have cleaning to do which I'm going to probably split in half and do some tomorrow as it's my day off (I work 10 in 9).