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

[NoWordForFluffy]

183

Phew, it's a scorcher!

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

Same here with the sleep Fluffy. I think it’s because my bedroom is finally cold at night so I can snuggle down.

Annoying about the plumber Magnolia. My dad is our plumber/builder/general fix it person but even he can be like this with some things (but on others he’s obsessively neat). It’s weird.

Im back at work (from home) and really struggling to get my head in gear this morning. People are already complaining of workloads and project delays and all I can think is that we’re getting paid, nobody really cares massively outside of our employer, just bloody get on with it 🙄

The weather was horrid!

it’s my birthday next week, I’ve asked for candles and luxury bits. I feel the need to snuggle.

I also need a day to think about Christmas and make my lists. I feel behind as I’ve not even thought about lots of bits.

Still trying to run the freezer down, I get somewhere and then seem to build it back up.

Our freezer is much the same as yours, FFS. Where is it all coming from?!?!

65

Morning!

It's a bit chilly this morning. 🥶 I actually wore my jacket walking to the station (no tights yet though; definitely not cold enough for those yet!).

I'm giving blood at lunchtime again. It does seem to come round quickly. It's dead convenient though as it's literally right next door to my office, so I've very little distance to travel. It takes longer for a lift to arrive and for me to get downstairs than it does to then get to the donation centre!

I never have enough sleep on the night before the office as I can't get to sleep early enough, then we have to get up at 5.30. 😫

At least the train was on time. It's surprisingly quiet (for now)!

Morning. I had a surprise phone call from
the dr this morning to say after reviewing my results over the past few weeks they want to try a new medication and sign me off work for a few weeks while it starts to work. I’ve just told my manager and now I’m not quite sure what to do with myself.

I think I’m going to give myself an hour or so of cuppa, tv and cross stitch then make a plan. I feel so weird as I don’t feel massively ill, although the burn out/stress of the last few months mean I probably need the break.

Im adding an electric blanket to my Christmas list I think. I’ll soon be working in my office garden room and it’s going to cold (it’ll be heated but still).

Oh goodness, Meeces, what a surprise for you. At least you've hopefully now got the time to start to feel more like yourself again.

It's really nasty weather here; wet and windy. It's meant to be OK tomorrow, and it has better be as we've loads of washing your catch up on!

Meeces use the time to recover , you can get all your Christmas Planning in order , even if it's just lists !

Still tripping over paint pots here <sigh>
Hoping DH will get the rest of it done this weekend but he can only paint when we're out and not squeezing past him or using the doors that he's trying to paint .
I need to make my Christmas Cakes soon, I bought some really teeny cake tins . 4 inches wide , they look more like hamster bowls
I need to decide on the recipe (I use a Delia one) how much I'll need then soak the fruit .

Need to go to Costco , I'll go Friday as it's way too busy on a Saturday .
Exciting things like loo roll and binbags . Oh the glamour .
And other less boring things

64

Morning!

Sorry to hear you are under the weather Meeces, fingers crossed you feel better soon.

I made small individual Christmas cakes one year using baked bean tins. I remember the tins being very fiddly to line but they looked pretty in the end.

Morning!

I'm off now until Tuesday. The price I paid for that was working until almost 8.30 last night. However, I left the office just after 3 as I knew it would be a late one, because I had to review a file and draft a Defence. I wasn't going to stay that late there (I also can't concentrate there like I can here).

We apparently have dry weather this afternoon. We better had, as we will have two loads of washing to go out!

Sorry to hear you are unwell. Have a good rest @NoCheesesForUsMeeces

I am off today and having a blood test and there are loads waiting which is unusual at this time of day. I usually have them monthly but they were a bit wonky two weeks ago so here I am again.

Cleaning the house later. So much fun on one day.

Thanks all. I’m on a mission to be busy until lunchtime so I’ve changed bedding and put a wash on, got another load ready to go in after this and am ironing.
When that’s done load 1 will go on radiators, load 2 will go in and I’ll tidy the kitchen.
I’m also looking at the sideboard in the conservatory and trying to work out how to rearrange it because it’s cluttered and annoying me (it currently has 4 LEGO cars, LEGO Ironman, 2 photos, some little plants in cute pots and Halloween decorations on it).

My aim is to be done by 12:30, eat some lunch then have a good hour or so relaxing and cross
stitching before picking LO up at 3:45 and going to DM’s for tea.
Although there may end up being a nap in there somewhere as LO was awake 3:45 until 5am. No idea why but I was productive and stole a load of Christmas present ideas for him off a few Christmas threads on here while I was up.

What are you doing with your days off Fluffy?

Fingers crossed for better results this time around why

63

Nine weeks
And the Extra Hour on Sunday with the Clocks Going Back means we get an extra hour of Rudolph Day

Oh yipppeeee well spotted 70.

I am not working today so I am officially on half term. I have already been to the gym and just about to start the ironing so I am feeling quite organised.

I am off up North early tomorrow - DC aren't coming due to various training etc so I am having a weekend of shopping and eating with DM and DSis. Can't wait, apart from the constant torrential rain that is predicted all weekend.

Yes, bring a boat, it's already rather wet and today's rain hasn't got going properly yet (brief respite at present, hopefully for the whole dog run / walk!).

I got nothing done yesterday. Turns out I was very tired indeed, so other than putting the 2 loads of washing out, I did bugger all, other than finish a cross stitch Christmas card. It was bloody lovely.

I'm meeting a friend later on for lunch, then we're having a Dunelm mooch. She may also need to travel over by boat, though she's not far away.

Good Luck with the dog run (swim) - I am off to get the boat ready!!!

Morning. Heavy rain down here too, and it’s due to continue all day.
As seems to be the routine here, LO has come down with a cough this week and has passed it to me just ahead of half term 🙄

Im quite pleased with the housework I got done yesterday so am having an easy day today. I will tidy the kitchen and need to pair up a mountain of socks but I’ll be cross stitching in between, then I’m picking up LO from school.

I think we have a birthday party to attend on Sunday but nothing else on. We’re away next week so I’ll be packing but once that’s done I may settle down with my Christmas planner and a CCF to celebrate Rudolph day

I've been out for lunch and it's wild out there! DH came to rescue me to save me from walking home (I walked in). It turned from relatively still and spitting to very strong winds and rain, really not nice at all. I was waiting in Dunelm for him and everyone was dead chatty as they were leaving. I had about 5 conversations about the weather! 🤣🤣

I picked my DS up from work (he'd have a walk, two buses and a short walk , which he'd do no problems ) it was wild . Bins knocked over , signs knocked over , branches snapping.
I'm looking at the trees thinking "I hope you're bendy not breakey"
We are home now <phew>

And I braved the M25 for Costco but it was calmer this morning !

It was still and sunny for the dog run / walk earlier. Beautiful. Then went to shit while I was out! 😫

62
We have The Calm After The Storm , but in reality , it's the Calm Before The Next Storm !

DH is painting again .

The weather is diabolical here! And set to be far worse tomorrow. Luckily it was dry for the dog run / walk this morning, so that was a blessing. I'm not sure DH will be as lucky later on!

@Magnoliasunrise, did you get up north OK?

I just might have picked up the December Good Housekeeping magazine in Waitrose (Julie Hesmondhalgh on the cover ) . I won't open it till after Guy Fawkes night though .

I haven't been tempted by any magazines...yet!

The wind has really picked up now. Really looking forward to taking the dog out in the morning...wind, rain and bloody thunder forecast. I'll just watch the horizon for the four horsemen of the apocalypse, I reckon!

You and FluffyDog can recreate the scene in The Wizard of Oz when they get twirled up in the cyclone .

We have rain, heavy rain tonight but dry tomorrow . So I might get washing done but I'll need to use extra pegs !

I had another exciting M25 drive today with extra rain and lorries spraying my car so visibility minimal . You escape one and another moves into it's space . <sigh>

We have dry spells long enough for getting washing dry tomorrow too. Definitely extra pegs and not propped right up in the air where it can take flight from the garden more easily!

I joked with another dog walker this morning that we'd have dog balloons on the walk tomorrow due to the wind!

Rather you than me on that motorway, 70. Sounds awful.