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!

Whhhhhhhhhhhhhyyyyyyyyyyyy

It is lovely . I have a Portmerion Holly&Ivy plate , bought it donkeys years ago in TKMaxx . It makes a guest appearance every Christmas (I bought some Spode Christmas Tree as well). Not a load of plates just odd ones .

If you have a TKMaxx/HomeSense near you they're bound to have some (soon)

141

Evening!

I've had a pleasing day, all due to finally sourcing replacement loo seats for the house! (Yes, exciting!) I spent ages online looking for them, and after a lot of digging, I found what I needed (we have unusual-shaped toilet seats). So they've all been replaced as the soft closers are buggered, as they arrived today.

I'm glad it's Friday tomorrow. I'm ready for the weekend!

I was beyond excited by my bathmat (very dark green) and shower curtain ( dark green floral William Morris print - very blousey )

So I totally get your delight in the loo-seats

I love a William Morris print! Sadly we have a shower screen, not curtain, else I could totally get with that!

140

Twenty weeks

I made some SoupDragon recipe flapjacks last night and multi tasked mopping the floor as they need an eagle eye on them so I stayed close .

Our tomatoes are going great guns now . There's probably another bowl worth on the vines .

20 weeks, that doesn't seem a lot! Still no sign of my tomatoes turning red.

I'm off for a job interview today.

Hope the interview goes well @PearlsTeapot

Housework today which is always something I could do without having to do.

I was contemplating wrapping the presents I have already bought but can't summon up the enthusiasm.

Good luck with the interview!

i have some nice M&S Christmas bits. I’m hoping to buy some slip transfers and make some of my own bowls and platters as I’m a hobby potter.

I haven't got a creative bone in my body @FurForksSakeI am very impressed when people can make things.

We get a handful every few days. There are SO MANY green ones now as well. Doing bog all in relation to ripening though! Some are enormous too.

I got the job! A lovely little part time role in a garden centre. Just in time for bringing in money for Christmas.

Congratulations, @PearlsTeapot! 🎉

I can definitely confirm that Why is not creative at all! We aren't the most creative family going, it has to be said. Though my DD loves to draw and is really good. Must be from DH's side!

Congratulations @PearlsTeapot you'll be very handily placed when all the Xmas stock starts arriving!

139
Into the hundred and thirties
Congratuations @PearlsTeapot

Yes to Christmas Decorations at the garden centre , they'll arrive before you know it and you can peruse them

Morning!

I had a lie in today, then took the dog out for his stroll. I had to try to make him slow down as it was too warm to keep running everywhere (for both of us!). We managed to dodge Parkrun, thankfully.

I'm just trying to find more lights for our garden. So many choices and really hard to see if the connections match with the ones we already have!

138

I need to sort out my clothes for going on holiday . My nice frocks are in the attic so I need to get them out so I can wash them.
Then decide what other things I'm taking .
I want each seperate to go with at least two other things as I always overpack

I made vegetable chilli and macaroni cheese , some to go in the freezer .

I was looking through the Christmas Cleanalong Thread and I bumped it to go back to.
It originally started end Aug to do a task a week then leave lots of time in December to enjoy without the panic.

Once DH has done the hallway he has has own list of jobs to do .

I said to DH we might need to replace the Fridge/Freezer as it freezes up , gets defrosted , sulks , sets off its alarm .
Had a quick look in Costco when we were there a couple of weeks ago . I need to decide what size I need (and make sure it'll fit through the door ) .
The one we have at the moment is nearly 20 so its done well but probably very inefficient .

I've posted too. We've a list of jobs to do on the house this year (as ever!). I say 'we'...they're all jobs for DH to do.

I slept on the sofa this evening (two nights of 6 hours' sleep catching up with me). Now I'm rather awake. Hmmmm! 🙄

Morning!!

We are still in Zanzibar, had biblical rain yesterday and my housesitter said still no rain in London so she's watering the tomatoes daily. I'm excited to see them.

Still got a few days left and I will be gutted to go home BUT these lovely messages (apart from that odd bod banging on about warranties) has cheered me up.

I am now DETERMINED to book some Christmas shopping in diary for August Rudolph day.

Congratulations on the job @Pearlsteapot

You can't beat the occasional warranty lecture, Magnolia! I feel like it was a proper TED talk (or maybe I would've done had I read it)!

I slept really well once I got back off, thankfully. I feel much better now.

I know very little about Zanzibar, you'll have to tell all when you're back.

Freddie Mercury was born Farrokh Bulsara in Stone Town, Zanzibar (now part of Tanzania), on September 5, 1946.

That's one fun fact @NoWordForFluffy

Ah yes. I knew that in the back of my mind. (We're big fans of Queen / FM music in this house.)

Yes well done 70 and also bizarrely Peter Andre who i always thought was Cypriot but there you go.
Walked past the Freddie Mercury museum today actually but didn't go in as it was hot, the kids were arguing (par for the course) and I had the zanzibar coffee house in my sights.
It's lovely but I am getting a bit sick of people trying to sell me stuff. And we've bought a lot to be fair.

So anyway scrap that, Peter Andre was born in Harrow (who knew) he does charity work for Zanzibar. DH obviously got his info mixed up.
Every day is a school day. 😊

137
Morning. We’re still away (Germany now) and I’m a tad hungover as we went to a wine festival. Oh dear!

70 I am usually good at packing but I’ve massively overpacked for this trip. We’re away for another week but I’ve got 4 dresses, 5 tops, a pair of shorts and 2 pairs of linen trousers I haven’t put on yet.
And I packed for LO who has enough clothes to be here for probably about 2 weeks at least

Temps here are due to go up to 34° for the next few days which is way too hot for me. And apparently there’s been high temps and no rain at home so I’m guessing all my plants will be crispy when I get back.

Is the cleanalong thread helpful? I mean to do the big holiday cleaning plan (can’t remember what it’s called) every year but I never do. Bit like the nigel Christmas book read-along that I intend to join every year but never do (I’m probably 5 years in to owning that book and have never gotten past the intro). Oops!
This year will hopefully be the one though as LO will be in school in a few weeks but I’m keeping my 4 day working week so I’ll have a day to tackle the house and chill each week.

Ha, Meeces, we are twinning re poor Nigel! I too haven't managed the read along!

The Grand Holiday Plan (I think it's called) is quite useful for focusing the mind, I think. I do tend to clean quite thoroughly all year (I do all visible skirting and the doors / frames every week for instance), so don't tend need the cleaning aspect of it, but definitely the sorting / tidying part, as DH loves a flat space to dump shit on. 🙄

We've ordered a porch canopy to put on the front as currently anyone waiting at the door is subject to the elements completely. Some houses on the estate have canopies, but they clearly decided we didn't need them, but I beg to differ! DH is already talking about how we can decorate it to make it look Christmassy! I've trained him well.