Here we go again...Countdown to Christmas 2026 (Thread 1)

[NoWordForFluffy]

365

Evening!

I'm a bit tipsy and very tired, but it's been a good day.

Round 2 tomorrow with the roast dinner!

294

Looks like it is shaping up to be another lovely day although DD informs me there is 65% chance of rain.

My bulb lasagne is looking lovely so far I have crocuses and something else is about to burst into flower. The slugs seem to have eaten the bulb flowers in the borders which is bloody annoying. I hate slugs.

Morning!

It's very wet here. And we've just had a car crash outside the house! I was out with the dog and came back to carnage and a police car. Luckily we only have one car and it's outside the house, set back from the road. Our two neighbours' vehicles are damaged (one badly) though.

Thanks for the congratulations for the new job. My colleagues are pleased for me but sad I'm going. And very sadly no posh loo to upgrade to! 😭

I don't think my bulbs have even considered flowering yet. One day!

Wet here too! Dropped my kids to play scout wide games at a muddy camp ground. Dh has take 25 beavers to sleep at a soft play centre. I’m hoping that means I’ll get some sleep tonight.

Belated congratulations Fluffy

It's cold and a bit damp here. DH was out in the garden earlier and had to come in and put the fire on despite being layered up.

Cold here too. We just saw a gritter!

A GRITTER! 😱

I'm hoping it warms up for Easter weekend as we are up your way visiting family.

293

Morning!

I'm not convinced the gritter was needed really. It has been a chilly start, but we're forecast 11° through most of the day.

We're going to my parents' place soon. I'm dragging DH along as they're having problems with their freezer not shutting (the problem may be my dad!), so DH is going to make sure the hinges are functioning as they should be.

I went to the gym, then supermarket then did an hour of gardening (weeding and pruning). Its quite destroying how little difference an hours hard graft in the garden makes then DH comes along with his 20 minute mow and the garden suddenly looks spectacular.

Have a nice time with the family Fluffy.

I am at work and my husband mentioned the q word earlier and it went bats for a while. More or less settled again now and he has been banned from ever saying it again!

Another grey day unfortunately and there is a nip to the air.

He Said the Q-Word the savage !
What was he thinking ?

Grey here too though I did manage to get a load of washing out yesterday .

I made some Cinnamon Buns last night , froze half for later . put the other half in the fridge then took them out this morning for the 2nd rise and bake , Works very well . Just takes longer to rise .

@70isaLimitNotaTarget He knows it is a banned word with emergency services and the NHS and still he said it.

I love cinnamon buns, not had them for ages.

It's a banned word anywhere taking incoming calls! It always kicks off once uttered. 😩

We've been to the parents. DH defrosted the freezer, so he didn't need all the tools we took! The door now shuts and mum can stop wanging on at dad about it.

I'm waiting for somebody to come round to quote for some paving in the garden. We could do it ourselves, but I thought I'd get quotes as it will be much easier to get someone else to do it!

@NoWordForFluffyI can only imagine the wanging on 😫 at least it is sorted anyway.

I definitely think pavement is better to get someone in.

292

Morning!

I managed to be vaguely productive yesterday in that I washed up, wiped the kitchen down, and weeded the front garden. I need to do proper housework today though (cleaning the kitchen properly and the bathrooms too).

I might pop to Dobbies as well, as I want a pizza stone for the BBQ and some heathers to put in the front garden. I've seen loads around the next door housing estate thriving. I'll get some ericaceous compost to plant them in so the soil is acidic and hopefully they'll do well. I want maximum coverage out there so it helps prevent weeds growing.

I also fancy some patio potatoes this year. Not many, as we aren't big potato eaters. But some would be good.

Morning. I’m still in bed 😱 LO is in with me watching tv.

Yesterday we had a morning of clubs, a meal out then me and DH alternated getting stuff done with looking after LO.
At the end we had 2 clean cars (inside and out), clean kitchen and bathrooms, toys away and a wash done and drying.

Today I think DH is going out for a late breakfast while me and LO go to the gardening centre. I don’t really need anything but we like it there (and it has a cafe).
Then we’ll go food shopping before visiting my dad.
Planning a roast for yea with a turkey leg that I took out of the freezer yesterday so will undoubtedly feel a bit like Christmas

why I used to work in a call centre and the Q word was 100% banned!

Also, I still haven’t sewn DHs trousers. Am planning to do it tomorrow morning while the house is empty and it’s my day off…..

I had to return something to M&S so did that today , bought some food there (I thought -well, why not) .
Cleaned the kitchen bins
Washing DS bedding .

I have two very small climbers on the window sill , Clematis and PassionFlower , so I can keep and eye on them .They are too new to go out yet , but in a week so so they can go in mini greenhouse , it's a shelving unit with a zip up cover , but enough to protect them.

291 Afternoon. It’s my day off so I started off being productive. Put a wash on, tidied the kitchen, cleared the ironing then had a relax by pairing up socks with a cuppa.
It’s all gone wrong since then though. LO is in a clingy stage, a complete 180 from the ‘I can do it by myself, don’t come with me’ we’ve had the last few weeks. Today I’m apparently needed for company when he needs a wee, to watch when he was doing a puzzle, colouring etc.

The conservatory is the play room and it’s a tip and the kitchen is messy again but I’ve had to leave it as we had a dr appointment and we have a club soon. Plus he’s sat on my lap needing lots of cwtches and I’m not going to say no to that

290

Morning!

At least you managed semi-productivity, Meeces! 😁

I went to Dobbies on Sunday and bought some little alpines, three tomato plants and some seed potatoes and sacks to grow them in. The potatoes will stay in the understands until Good Friday, and then get put in the sacks to hopefully grow!

Turning to Christmas, it looks like it's going to be all different this year, without me having to do / say anything! My SiL is getting married this year, and she's said they'll likely spend their first married Christmas at home and my in-laws are going to NZ close to Christmas, so won't be around for some of it.

I'll probably do dinner on actual Christmas Day and have my parents over (it's far easier having 2 extra than 7!), then just have a chilled Boxing Day buffet for the 4 of us. Far less bother!

Morning!
How nice that you get the different Christmas you wanted without having to do anything!

We have a very ‘pencilled in’ plan for this year which will basically be DH doing dinner, my mum coming to us for it and us maybe doing a little visit to my sister in the afternoon as she’ll have a tiny baby by then.
Similarly to you I think ILs will take themselves out of the equation as SIL is also having a baby soon and I think they’ll host her and be happy with that - so maybe Boxing Day will be for ILs.

I’ve started watching some random American police series and yesterday DH walked in the room as a Christmas episode was on and playing Christmas music. His face was a mix of I quite enjoyed it though (was in a hormonal
bad mood and it was cold and grey outside).

289

We're into the two hundred and eighties
On the downside there's another Friday 13th !
But I didn't realise there were 3 of them , I thought we'd get them over and done with,

Mothers Day High Tea planning .....

288

Had the day off so scrubbed the house. It is very windy and now the garden is covered in twigs. So will need to rake the garden at the weekend.

I won't be doing any high tea for Mothers Day I will probably be sulking as they've forgotten again. Last year DD made me a quick card at 7pm when it finally dawned. Nothing from DS. I think TikTok et al should be obligated to do Mothers Day alerts at random intervals in the preceding week.

I have bought myself a nice candle though.

I’m rewatching ER as my treadmill entertainment. Just watched the first season Christmas episode, made me quite teary (in a nice way; Rosemary Clooney, playing an elderly lady with dementia, singing ‘Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas’ )🎄

New Year’s Eve episode tomorrow. Maybe I should get some Champagne in? 🍾

That’s really rubbish Magnolia. Maybe make a big deal about doing something for yourself for
Mother’s Day?
Last year was my first ever one and DH took me to a cute farm park and provided a picnic which included homemade scones and a box of chocolate fingers for me as LO is too small to do much of anything (except open and try and steal any presents).
This year we’re away so I’m guessing a card and lunch somewhere but nothing fancy.

70 I’ve never been a big believer in bad luck on Friday 13th but I had dental treatment on the last one and it ended in infection and very very bad pain for me so I won’t be making appointments on those dates again!

Random day here. LO is under the weather so has been home with DH while I’m WFH. Has been an interesting day and I can’t wait to log off!

That's not good, Magnolia. 😟 I'd be very disappointed if that happened. DH still sorts the kids out with something to give me, so we shall see how it goes when they're left to their own devices in a few years.

It's 55mph winds here. Thankfully it's gone round a bit so isn't blowing straight at the front of the house anymore. That was breezy indoors thanks to the bloody shit vents at the top of the window.

I never watched ER. Not sure how I missed it!

I say a big yes to the 🍾 idea!