Woooooooahhhhh, we're half way there! Countdown to Christmas 2026 (thread 2)

[NoWordForFluffy]

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Phew, it's a scorcher!

Happy birthday to 70's DD. Best date for a birthday ever!

LO started school today. Not sure he noticed he was going to a new place with some new faces. I was a bit emotional though, he looked to big 🥹

I was supposed to work, do some washing and my first proper school run. Instead, a killer time of the month landed and I was in too much pain to bend over and put the washing in. Does mean I’ve spent the evening led with a hot water bottle on me nosing online at Christmas stuff.
I have a vague idea that I’d like to make something for my nephew. Dsis loves handmade stuff so she’ll appreciate it (SIL not so much so wouldn’t bother for other other nephew).

Also, insider info from dm. Our local TK Maxx took a delivery that was around a third Christmas stuff today but they’re waiting until Friday to put it on shelves as they need to move stuff/clear some space.
DM is keeping an eye out for the Spode Christmas tree glasses for me

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Oh @NoCheesesForUsMeeces how very exciting and also very emotional. Did he love it? I can remember DS first day like it was yesterday and tomorrow will be his last first day of the year (Year 13). So I will absolutely be shedding a few secret tears after he leaves.

Tbh he will probably be running late unable to find his books, I will try and get a photo and he will shout at me then I will think God it is time you left to go to University mate. And i will spend the rest of the day pissed off.

Magnolia he really enjoyed it. Came out smiling, didn’t stop talking all the way home. He did zone out for half an hour when we got in but once he’d eaten his tea (scoffed it like he’d never eaten a meal before) he was back to being chirpy.
He also couldn’t wait to go in today so I’m happy with that.
Apparently having choices of what to have for lunch is the most exciting thing in the world, he must have told me 5 times yesterday that he can have pasta or jacket potato or chips and he can choose to have veg or salad. It’s like he lives on bread and water with no options at home 🙄

Could you tempt yours into a cheerful morning with a bacon sandwich or something (this is what my sister did with 16yo nephew for his first day - one bacon sandwich for the cost of a short hug and a non scowling photo) 😂

Work is annoying me today. I’m in a lot of pain and can’t wait to log off.
To distract myself in a boring meeting I’ve got a piece of paper, divided into squares, labelled each one with a room in my house and started listing all the jobs I want to do in each room.
I think this is the start of my Christmas clean along planning. What a saddo I am!

Meeces that's absolutely great news, so many kids have a difficult transition to primary school so it is fantastic that he has come back chatting non stop about it.

Good idea re the bacon sarnie but he is a bit diet obsessive and probably won't eat a bacon sandwich but I will plan a big tasty buffet type thing for Friday night.

Hope you are getting through the pain - the Christmas planning is an excellent distraction.

Meeces, that's very sweet re your DS. Did he actually tell you what he did at school, as the answer we always got was 'don't know' when directly asked! I love the school dinner excitement! 🤣

Sorry that you're in pain. That's not good. Hopefully you've done some amazing Christmas planning though! I might also do a room-by-room list as it'll help me focus.

Magnolia, I hope your DS is cooperative tomorrow!

Bit of a nothing day here today. Nothing to report at all!

Aw love the excitement about picking meals! My timehop has made me very nostalgic today with pics of DS's first day in reception and high school (and other years). He's 16 now and six foot tall with a full beard and it feels like another lifetime ago.

Fluffy the information I got was all over the place. He told me about playing outside in the rain because a boy fell in a puddle and had to change his clothes.
He also told me his new class has a giant tv in but they didn’t turn it on, and apparently they did some dancing.
But according to him, he also doesn’t know his teachers name, didn’t talk to anyone, made no friends and wasn’t given his snack (he was,
DH saw him eating it ) so he’s not a reliable source!

Good luck for tomorrow Magnolia

Christmas planning is going well. I have present ideas for half of the people we buy for, a few craft ideas and now we have a mixer I am thinking I may try some baking again - shortbread/gingerbread rather than cake though.

The pain is something else but DH is treating me like I’m really ill, he bought me a pack of Bounties (my favourite) and even delayed his dm coming to stay until tomorrow so he’s 100% in my good books today.

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Mine are a long time finished with school but the memories (good and bad!)
are still there. The first few days jog along nicely, then they're knackered at the weekend , the. DS would be asking "when's the next holiday?"
You've just had six weeks,matey .

Friday ahhhh.

Is it drop DD at work / pastry day today, 70?

I'm very glad that it's Friday. It feels like it's been a very long week, despite only having done 3 days so far. Catching up from leave does that. 😫

Meeces, those conversations all sound very normal! Bless him, it does sound like he's enjoying it though.

We had so much rain overnight. All the usual puddles were enormous this morning, but luckily it wasn't raining still. FluffyDog took me on a route we've not used for many months this morning (it's one I hate!), so that was a change.

Had a lot of rain here too.

DS was late!!! I didn't bother with a photo just yelled "get a move on" as I left for the gym. He cycled past me as I was stuck in traffic so I reckon he was maybe 4 mins late but late is late.

At least DD was on time with her skirt rolled up to her waist 🙄. I tried to tug it longer as she was leaving.

Honestly might not be pizza buffet tonight might just be a good talking to for both of them.😂

Happy Friday all.

No pain au chocolat she's WFH today so it'll be a bagel or toast

I've been to the audiologist today as I have been having some ear problems, turns out the health of my ear is very good but the hearing test has picked up congenital hearing loss!! Probably from early childhood or even birth - apparently I must have been filling in the gaps/subconsciously lip reading most of my life.

I do ask people to repeat themselves quite a lot and I struggle a bit in busy pubs/restaurants and I noticed the kids getting quite irritated over the last year or so with me saying what all the time.

So I have to get hearing aids!! I actually cried - it was a bit of a shock.

Anyway I've got through 54 years so I am going to think about it for a few months...... and keep saying what?

@Magnoliasunrise my SIL was diagnosed with congenital hearing loss many years ago, she put off having hearing aids for a few more years but wears them all of the time now,,,,the advances made are remarkable and she loves being able to be a full part of our conversations now. Hers are NHS and very discreet,

Were you advised about the link between deafness and dementia? I only found out recently.

In your shoes, I'd get the aids, personally.

I need to get my ears checked as my tinnitus has picked up in frequency recently.

Ooh, @TheWoollybacksWife, someone on the bargain thread has spotted that the cranberry and clementine Buck's Fizz is for sale on Ocado. Good news after last year (wonder if they got loads of complaints?)!

I can confirm. When the picture attaches it will be a screenshot from Ocado! Exciting

It wasn't in M&S this morning - I checked. I know what I'll be spending my Sparks stash on now - DD1 will be pleased 😂

Bottles and bottles of Buck's Fizz! 🍾 I don't go to town that often. I'll have to go into the city centre on my office day instead to keep checking the stock situation!

@Magnoliasunrise I had to go for a hearing test in February after an ear infection caused bilateral perforated ear drums and left me hard of hearing. Both ears have perforated at least twice before - ear infections were my 'thing' as a child in the same way that my sister always seemed to have tonsillitis - so there is some scarring too. My hearing did return to pretty much normal levels after a couple of months but I do have to have an annual retest and I discussed hearing aids with the audiologist.

Like Fluffy I have tinnitus and I'm interested to see if hearing aids help mask it.

Throat infections were my thing!

The right aids are able to mask tinnitus, so definitely worth a try.

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Thank you @Timetotakepart @NoWordForFluffy @TheWoollybacksWife
I am going to get the hearing aids - I told the kids last night and DS said "thank God for that" so I think it was impacting them.

Hadn't heard the connection with dementia but apparently mid frequency hearing loss (or cookie bite hearing loss), which is what I have, means that your brain is constantly filling in the gaps you miss (mainly conversation) and also the tinnitus is your brain creating the mid frequency sounds that you are trying to locate but unable to so it is very tiring. And you are right about the aids being able to reduce tinnitus.

I am absolutely delighted about the bucks fizz especially after last year I gave everyone false hope when the M&S customer service told me they'd be stocking it.

interesting how everyone had an illness ‘thing’ as a youngster. I had 2 - nosebleeds and ear infections. I saw ENT specialists a lot.
I have also lost part of my hearing in one ear thanks to an infection that resulted in a boil/growth on my ear drum that popped and caused some permanent damage. It’s manageable for now but if I lose any further hearing I think I’d need aids.

Im glad you’re getting them Magnolia.

Fluffy I’ll be copying you by going to M&S on my office days to check for Bucks Fizz stock as there isn’t one near us. I really missed it last year.

Morning!

I'm glad you're getting them, Magnolia. I hope they make a difference for you (and your family).

My tinnitus is almost certainly due to too many loud gigs as a youngster. I remember one particularly loud gig (Suede @ Brixton Academy) where my ears really hurt on the way out. It's probably only slight - mild on the grading scale though.

I'm just back from walking the dog and we'll be heading off to Martin Mere once I've showered after breakfast.

'Twas me! I have some coming on the delivery tomorrow as DH pointed out it was best to get stocked up (will have to hide some though or he will glug it all before Christmas and M&S may sell out! 😱)

I just started an Ocado order for Friday and added 2 bottles of The Cranberry & Clementine Bucks Fizz and 2 Bottles of the Alcohol free version. If they arrive I'll do the same for my next order.