When Two Become One - Dundee and Angus Local CHAT THREAD

[TeaAndTunnocks]

The merging of the sites seems to have done funny stuff to active convos on here, so here is a new chat thread for all Mnetters in Dundee and Angus.

How are you all doing? If you don't know me yet, I am the Local Editor of the Dundee Angus site, and will be working hard to get the site filled with great places to visit, tips for classes and shopping, and lots of wine or coffee fueled meetups.

I have just been moving house this past week, which is why it has been very quiet on here, but am hoping to be back up to speed next week.

Soooooooooooooooo, how is the weather where you are? I am in Dundee and it is snowing but not lying. Can you believe it? Where is our Spring gone?

Thanks. Will call tomorrow to see if we need to book, else just turn up. Or do you know?
I am happy your children believe. I think it is a magical time, I really love it. Cute.

I am quite surprised that they still believe tbh. We've been saying for several years, 'this will be the last year'.

They've decided they'd rather go skating with Granny tomorrow.

Maybe they are half-pretending. Enjoy it while it lasts, I say!

We went to the botanic gardens one on Sunday (photos on Fb!) so thanks again for the info. There was no queue, and Santa spent a lot of time with DS.

Have wrapped everything apart from the couple of items that are hopefully arriving tomorrow, and if DH can get around to choosing himself a new hoody or something, which I will wrap, then we are all set. Have started putting a few things under the tree, DS is excited every time is spots a new gift under there, but is being shockingly good at not trying to open anything. He asked, and took being told that he must wait, very well. He has shaken a few packages and given them a squeeze, but no attempt to open.
Got my vegan cheese order delivered today so my cauliflower cheese will be fab, and there is a new Holland and Barrett in the nicer shopping centre which stocks faux meat so we have our non-turkey roast, un-sausages and fake fakon bacon!

One week to go!

Glad to hear that you had a good time with Santa, but what a shame that it wasn't busier for them.

Would you mind putting a wee review on the listing here to let other parents know that it was good.

Have you tried the cheese shop in town? No idea if they have vegan cheese, but they do have a great selection so they might.

I ordered our turkey this week, from local butcher, and have got most of the presents. I think I might get this beer gift pack from local brewery for my dad.

Talking of brewery - anyone fancy a trip to the brewery? Any beer drinkers around? Thought it would make a fun MN outing. Would have to be sans enfants though.

A brewery tour could be fun

I finish up for crimbo after lunch hurrah! But have the dentist this afternoon, boo!

Cannot wait for a couple of weeks off

Will set something up in the new year for the brewery - we could car share. I don't drink beer so am happy to drive.

Maybe we could even do a brunch in St Andrews followed by the tour?

We've got our tree up, and the whole house smells lovely. Do you do proper real trees? With DH being German, it is a must in our house. They are scandalised by our plastic trees.

Here were two families approaching as we were leaving, maybe it picked up for them.
Have done a review.

Not tried the cheese shop, but really, the smell of real cheese, or any dairy, turns my stomach. Plus I'd rather support a vegan business. Though I do see the merit in letting non-vegan places know there is a market for vegan items. I'd be interested to know if they do do a vegan cheese though, just out of interest's sake.

A not a beer-drinker, am in fact tee-total. Have actually done a brewery tour for work a long time ago. Smell also makes me feel a bit nauseous! I think I have an über sensitive nose!

Fake tree here. I like plastic, it's fantastic ! Grew up with fake, it's fine by me, and so much better for us financially. How much is it for a real one around 6'? I think we paid that for a fake one, and it will last us forever.

*There ...

*Am

Oh dear. Must proof-read!

Will ask at the Cheesery next time I am in. You can always stand across the road and send me in to get the cheese :)

Our tree was £22, I think and will be recycled afterwards. We used to put the branches on the log fire in Geneva. It smelled lovely.

I don't drink beer but like the drama and flourish of a good brewery - plus my DH used to work for a company that made brewery equipment.

Will have my work cut out to stop him gate crashing!

Thank you, !

How tall is it for £22? When we have a garden of our own, I plan to buy a Christmas type tree and plant it out for it to grow wild.

Bookmarking the last post on here isn't working for me, and hasn't for weeks. It works on other threads - is it just me?

Oh, I never use bookmarking so I wouldn't know. Will try it out though.

Last day of school! And DH will be off for the holidays driving me mad at home all day.

Still to do - get Dad's present, wrap presents, take dog for a haircut, pick up turkey, supermarket dash.

Am wondering when to do the Big Shop. Tesco is open 24hrs. I might go out for a drink with DH one evening, and do the shopping on the way home.

Tree is about 1.70m (don't ask me what that is in ft cause I can only do metric)

How do you find where you last read up to, without having to scroll for ages? Not so much for this thread as it doesn't move fast, but others? Or do you have short pages? I read all on one page.

Haha, aw, I am sure you will have a lovely time with DH!

I am feeling very organised having everything wrapped, hahahhaha.

Think I will go to Sainsburys on Monday, as we have coupons for double points and stuff. Just need vegetables, so should be a quick and easy trip.

I am 1.70 so I can tell you that is 5'7".

I flick down to my last post - it is quite easy if you have posts highlighted. Agree that bookmarking is handy on long threads, but I don't often remember to use it.

Will ask why it doesn't work in Local threads though.

btw, I mean to ask, did you all get a Local Newsletter last week?

You are doing well, to have everything wrapped. What is DS getting from Santa then?

It's easy on here, not many posts, buy other threads, my post isn't the last post, or I haven't even commented but reading a long thread, bookmarking is very useful. It used to work on local threads. Maybe it's just me!

Um, can't remember if I got a local newsletter. Been a bit busy with everything haven't really read emails properly, most of it is spam! (Not your newsletter, obvs!).

DS is getting a Bosch workbench with tools (sooo cute!), Peter Rabbit box set, a top, and a vacuum cleaner! That's from Santa. And a little stocking with useful things in, or stuff that's cheap that you'd buy a toddler anyway, like bubbles, bubble bath, pants, a teddy, a little book, and a pullback tow truck. I have wrapped everything in the stockings in one type of wrap, gifts from Santa are in another wraps! Then gifts between each other are in different wrapping. I need to work on my handwriting for the gift tags though, i.e. Disguising it. I might actually have to get a friend to write the Santa labels in future, my disguised handwriting is not much of a disguise. Don't think he'll notice this year.

Then he gets some gifts from us. Got him some pirate play sets, Schleich dinosaurs, a couple of games/jigsaws, books, and a Sheriff Woody. And art stuff. Maybe some other stuff, I can't even remember any more! Some cars.

Bless, but I think you are overthinking the wrapping. Maybe my kids are extremely un-observant but they've never noticed the handwriting is the same!

A workbench is great. He will have a lot of fun with that.

We haven't got many toys this year, as DS is getting a TV and DD a camera. Just some stocking fillers since their main presents are so expensive.

DD has been asking for a polaroid for ages, and we've got her a Fujifilm one.

Keep meaning to ask, Lentil. Are you a trained photographer? Your pics are fabulous.

I read on here a couple of years ago that some kid susssed Santa wasn't real because his mum had wrapped everything in the same paper! So I am not doing that!

I hope so re the workbench. We have so little room here though, it will really come into it's own when we move.

It's so different when they are your children's ages. The gifts cost more, but are smaller. I had a Polaroid at her age, I loved it! Everything here looks huge. The workbench is ginormous. I also ordered a truck online, didn't read the measurements properly and yikes, it is massive! Whoops. Again, need a bigger home for that one! Or a garden.

No, but DH has a super fancy camera, and it REALLY makes a huge difference. He is really getting into photography/filming so is getting nice lenses and other stuff like proper flashes and stuff. Plus he is a tech whizz so he does some editing of the photos sometimes, like makes them lighter or darker depending on how they have come out, which again has made the world of difference. But thanks. We try. I love photos, I absolutely love looking through them. And I take a lot, in the hope that by taking 100, we'll get a couple of good ones!

Apols for typos recently, don't know what is going on at all, I actually write really well and take pride in that fact. iPad keeps changing things, I swear!

Gah, just been to the library and found the most perfect book for DS for Xmas - goes really well with the dinosaurs and digger he's getting, so I have raced home and ordered it online, there is a chance it could get here in time! Wasn't the twitch, I feel he has enough gifts, can never have enough books though. So, that'll teach me to be smug, possibly not finished wrapping after all!

Yes, a good camera makes a difference but the person using it has to know what they are doing. Your photos are always great - with good camera angles and quirky shots.

We had a friend in Geneva who had a huge camera, and all the requisite lenses. He came to DH's birthday party and took loads of photos, and they were all crap.

I have a Nikon D40 that I bought a few years ago, but I hardly use anymore. I am actually thinking of selling on eBay.

You really need a bigger house! Are you all raring to go in the new year?

Aw, thanks. Like I said, for me, it's mostly click click click and hope to get a good one. Still, I think the camera has made a difference, compared to the old one we had.

I am so ready to move! Still not completed our sale down south, but seems to be ticking along without issues. Solicitors just take so long, don't they!

Hope you all had a great Xmas.
The book I ordered last minute didn't arrive before Xmas, but it came yesterday and DS has been reading it pretty much non-stop, so a huge hit.

Where on earth is everyone!

Have opened a new chat thread for the new year