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Festive Frugaleering

1000 replies

Unescorted · 28/11/2021 18:54

[[https://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/credit_crunch/4340188-Savvy-savers-sashaying-through-September old thread]

Opppppps - we nearly filled the old one

OP posts:
Thread gallery
9
lifelongfrugaleer · 19/12/2021 12:08

Hope he’s ok today em
Boo for side affects. That’s why mine is after Christmas
Dog walking and baking and cleaning today I think

ememem84 · 19/12/2021 12:22

Home. Dm is keeping the dc for a bit. DH in bed sleeping off hangover plus sore hand. He severed an artery. Stem of the wine glass went through the “meaty” part of his hand right under his little and ring finger. He’s lucky he didn’t need surgery.

Lovemaltesers · 19/12/2021 12:40

Thank goodness someone was able to take him to hospital em. How sympathetic have you been?!

Had lunch that DH cooked, loaded the dishwasher and gone back to bed. The plug in the sink is clogged with grease, so DH can sort that 🤢 and do the washing up!

Taytocrisps · 19/12/2021 12:46

Sorry I haven't been posting much. The news re: Covid just seems to get grimmer every day. Then you go into a shop or supermarket and there's Christmas music blaring and Christmas presents/food everywhere and if it wasn't for everyone wearing masks, you'd think you had just dreamt up the whole Covid thing. Everything seems a bit surreal at the moment.

Anyway, I haven't gone too overboard with spending for Christmas.
But I had a very expensive dental bill in the run up to Christmas. And I have to get more work done in January. My own fault as I'd been neglecting my teeth due to the separation and then Covid. I can afford the work but my savings have taken a big hit.

I'm looking forward to Christmas and keeping everything crossed that there's no lockdown and we can meet up with family as planned. DD is really excited about Christmas. She's in her last year at secondary school now. We sat down yesterday and set up an online account with the CAO (Central Applications Office) - they process all of the applications for third level diploma and degree courses. Hard to believe we're already looking at college courses.

Enjoyed the Strictly final last night but it was very disappointing that AJ had to drop out due to injury. Not much of a competition with just two finalists and not much of a surprise that Rose was the eventual winner.

Yan sorry to read you've had such a tough year

Love sorry you won't get to visit your Dad before Christmas

Gen sorry to hear about the positive tests but glad you didn't have any symptoms. Keeping everything crossed that you get home to NI for Christmas. I haven't been doing much festive stuff but I managed to get to a concert in a Cathedral last weekend. It was Viennese waltzes so it was a mix of non-Christmassy stuff like the Blue Danube and some Christmassy music like the Nutcracker Suite. It was the first performance/concert I've been to since before Covid and it felt refreshingly normal. Well, apart from the face masks. I think DD and I are going to watch 'Elf' later. She had an appointment at the orthodontist earlier in the week and it was playing on the TV there. A nice bit of festive escapism.

Off to the shops shortly to stock up on turf and cat food/litter/snacks. On Tuesday I'm doing the big grocery shop and then I just have to pick up the fresh stuff - milk and bread and veg.

Most of the nice restaurants locally are closed on Christmas Eve but I found one that's open until 2. So we're going out for lunch and dessert on Christmas Eve (to hell with the expense) and then we're going to do some festive baking when we get home.

em sorry to hear about your back and your DH's injury. Not a good time for either of those things.

Adora fingers crossed that your DD evades Covid and makes it home for Christmas.

ememem84 · 19/12/2021 14:24

love to be fair I have been fairly sympathetic. From all accounts he literally tripped and fell. Hand down to stabilise himself and boom. Severed artery.

The friend who’s place he was at has form for ridiculous things though. We’d joked before he went out that he’d probably end up in guernsey (going by past form from said friend and his “awesome ideas”

DH is in bed. I’m flagging. Side effects of booster are kicking in.

I was attempting to bake a gingerbread Christmas tree (cutters from dunelm - decreasing sizes of stars stacked up). Did 3 huge ones. Then realised not enough dough so have baked them and then made a million smaller ones). I bake when I’m stressed and sad. I also shop. But today I chose baking.

AdoraBell · 19/12/2021 14:41

Ugh 😑 DD2’s house is being overrun with mice. House next is being renovated 🤦‍♀️ So £38 spent on plug in repellents on Amazon. It’s a big old house and I don’t want her to wait for LL to sort this. It will be a Channel 5 horror programme when they return after Christmas break otherwise.

lifelongfrugaleer · 19/12/2021 14:51

The baking sounds lovely em and dh has been lucky. Big hug sweetie

Unescorted · 19/12/2021 14:53

em I hear you stress baking.

Adora we have gone with snap traps, peppermint oil, expanding foam. I will let you know how Dh gets on. Decluttering is really good too so DH's box collection has been thrown out. If I had known that is what it took I would have gone to the pet shop.
For the mice I have humane traps - when I catch one I drive them to where I know there are raptors and owls and let them go. I don't want them back and the birds need dinner.

OP posts:
ememem84 · 19/12/2021 15:00

Kids are back. It’s chaos.

I never thought I’d say this. But. Thank goodness for blippi.

Wolfcub · 19/12/2021 16:26

Sounds like he was pretty lucky Em

Mrsmadevans · 19/12/2021 17:49

Em that sounds nasty for your DH sounds as if he has been very lucky to escape with his hand intact 🙏
Hope you are feeling better after your baking bless you 💐

floatinginmyhomie · 19/12/2021 18:53

Sorry I dropped off a bit.
life it’s 0% so thankfully not building up.
love I’m sorry to hear you won’t be able to see your dad before Christmas💐
gen I hope you’re feeling okay
I hope everyone who had the booster feels okay💕
em it sounds like your dh was very lucky I hope he’s okay.
Sorry if I’ve missed anything. DC2 is cluster feeding and it’s exhausting me. £20 paid back into debt. £3 on playgroup. £18 on a Christmas present.
Not feeling very Christmassy at all usually I feel really christmassy by now.

ememem84 · 19/12/2021 20:19

He’s ok I think. Thanks all. I mean his hand is swollen and hurting. But he’s ok. I just can’t believe how lucky he was. I’ve also seen the pictures. Almost made me throw up.

But I’ve had a bath with Epsom salts. Back is still twingy but nowhere near as bad as it was.

And we’re in bed. Kids early to bed. Dd not napped today. 😞 and we’re both exhausted.

Work for me tomorrow. DH home as no work for him now until January. This is my last week this year. Wahoooo

AdoraBell · 19/12/2021 20:19

I’m also keeping fingers crossed 🤞 for no lockdown although DD2 has tested positive. DD1 was planning to come home today but changed her mind/plans so coming home on the 23rd.

lifelongfrugaleer · 19/12/2021 20:26

Bad luck on the positive test adora
Early night sounds the best plan em

Gensola · 19/12/2021 20:45

tayto hope you get your Christmas Eve treat, it sounds lush! Only three days til we fly, keeping everything crossed.
adora we are also praying for no lockdown at least before Christmas - I’m finding the uncertainty really stressful.
I’m having dinner with a friend tomorrow - I’m due out of iso at 12 tonight and I’m already testing negative on LFTs thank goodness. Will be nice to get out after almost two full weeks at home.
Thanks for the Christmassy ideas - I’ve never seen Elf so I might check that out. We did watch the Holiday which somehow DH had never seen!

HumbugWhale · 20/12/2021 06:27

Sorry been MIA. Just skimmed last few posts - he severed an artery Em???? Blood hell! That's scary from what sound like quite an innocuous trip.

Just looked at my cc bill. That was a mistake! Been hammering it a bit buying last few Christmas things and replacing a few things that broke such as the kitchen bin. Why are bins so expensive??

ememem84 · 20/12/2021 06:53

humbug yep. He somehow tripped, put his hand out to break his fall and it went right on top of a wine glass. Glass smashed and the stem went right into his hand. Ick. Gross. Yuk.

It was an interesting night. He was up a few times because hand sore. I was struggling to get comfy because my backs still tweaky. But onward.

Up now with dd. Watching cartoons and eating brioche.

lifelongfrugaleer · 20/12/2021 09:13

I need ideas for lunch for 10 on Wednesday. Stumped. I thought soup but doesn’t seem
Enough

ememem84 · 20/12/2021 09:50

Slow cooker chilli. Crusty bread. Guac. Tortilla chips.

northender · 20/12/2021 13:21

What about Casserole or chilli with scone topping? Can be one pot then

HumbugWhale · 20/12/2021 14:25

That has given me a real chilli craving, haven't made chilli for ages!

lifelongfrugaleer · 20/12/2021 16:46

Lasagna has been requested but thanks for the ideas

ememem84 · 20/12/2021 18:21

@northender

What about Casserole or chilli with scone topping? Can be one pot then
Wait what? Scones on casserole! What sorcery is this?
Wolfcub · 20/12/2021 19:25

Mmm yes North, you've got to love a cobbler

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