Swagger Inn 175 - The one with no witty title (but lots of HBFs)

[SisterHelenoftheEternalCatchUp]

<Wipes bar>
<Burns chaise>
<mops floor>
<lights fire>
Thread 175 - will we never shut up?! Pull up a chair and have a good whinge about domestic tedium and annoyingly fictional HBFs... (once we've finished the other thread).

Evening

Could have sworn I'd posted a couple of days ago, but clearly not. All very dull here, just work & endless phone calls about parents with very little forward movement on the whole problem. I have had a present buying blitz & put most of the decorations up now at least, so I now only have a few more presents & cards to buy, do the wrapping & a few more decorations and then get some food shopping done. Work Christmas lunch tomorrow & drinks with a neighbour on Sunday, so a couple of nice things to look forward to.

<cwtches> for Misty, poor thing - hope she is feeling better soon.

helen, have you asked for a chauffeur's hat for Christmas?

<distracts letus with vodka>

ww - what did that goulash taste like in the end, was it good?

Morning all. Sunrise is in progress - we've had the vivid bit, and it's fading now. The clouds look very low and heavy, so I've got no idea what it will do next - either nothing at all, or something spectacular. I suspect the former.

Once it's light enough to feed the chickens I'm going back to bed until it's time get up for work. (Yesterday, I thought I'd get an early start today, but I think that's a nope. Unless I give myself a severe talking too. Or Intelligent Cat is installed on my side of the bed and refuses to move.)

Morning wenches.

What are the chances of any cat doing what you’d like it to Helen?

I may start wrapping some presents this weekend. Tree and decorations are up.

Big <cwtch> Fancy and an enormous bottle of pink fizz.

Just trying to muster some enthusiasm for the day ahead. Perhaps it fell down the back of a sofa cushion.

Afternoon. A nothing sort of day weather-wise.

The water heating hasn’t been working so DH got the plumber in, but today he’s gone off golfing and the heating isn’t working now. The house is like a barn. Why can no-one do a proper job these days? <sigh>

Thanks wenches. Misty seems alright in herself, but just keeps going to her tray. She’s sleeping and eating as normal though so I don’t think she’s in pain, just uncomfortable. <another sigh>

< cwtch> for Fancy. Enjoy your outings.

Evening wenches.

Tiiiiiiiiirrrrredddddd.

Lots of extra cloaks blankets Apricot. Hope the heating’s fixed soon. Poor little Misty, being uncomfortable.

I’ve been to work, came home, went out to collect DS2, and now I’m waiting for my electric blanket to warm up.

Evening all.

Oh no Apricot You don't want your heating packing up at the moment!

I'm out at SportingActivity waiting for DH and Ds to finish up. I went to Sainburys to pass the time and found Running Grave there for £13 - hurrah! Plus eggs, and own-brand shreddies which the local supermarket hasn't got in stock. So that was quite a successful evening.

Hope that LetUs has warmed up and that Fancy has had a good lunch.
Looking forward to wicked;s goulash update
In other news, I had a message from a friend asking if I'd sent her a card... apparently I'd got distracted and done the envelope, then just bunged a card in without writing anything at all The ultimate in recyclable xmas cards!

Morning wenches.

At just writing the envelope and not the card.

You’ve reminded me I still don’t have Running Grave. I do have to go into nearby village where the bookshop is this morning. Nice pre-Christmas treat for me.

Other than that, I might start wrapping presents. Might. DS1 and his GF are coming this afternoon so that’ll be nice.

Morning all. no sunrise to speak of today, but I did have 5 Swans-a-flying go over while I was feeding the 5 hens-not-laying (the swans weren't quite overhead and were downwind, so I didn't get the full whooshy effect of their wing beats).

Managed to see a decent shooting star last night as well, which was nice. Must have come in at a shallow angle because it lasted long enough for all three of us to go "oooooh" and watch it.

Today is more SportingActivity, Xmas shopping, and also the second of those French-language musketeer films is on at the independent cinema (as an alternative to the local football derby)

Have a good day all.

Well, the goulasch soup turned out ok although I didn't get it as spicy as I wanted to. I was trying to be "authentic" but not sure that sauteing the onions etc made any difference. Next time I'm just going to chuck everything in and let it boil for hours and add stronger spices. I had this amazing goulasch soup at one of the Christmas markets I went to, so yummy and spicy

My next culinary adventure will be making Eggs Benedict, I'm sure nothing will go wrong

Ooooh at shooting star, I've never seen one.

It's important to treat yourself Letus

<Adds cheese to Fancy's pink fizz>

Hope the heating is fixed Apes ⛄

Hope all wenches have a good day

Evening. Nice day with quite a lot of sun.

DH managed to sort the heating out. I had a very lengthy explanation but basically something was off that should have been on.

DH has gone to the caravan to drain it down and close everything up for the winter. We should have gone last month but with everything going on we didn't get round to it and I didn't want to go now, so he's gone on his own and is on his way back now. I had a FaceTime walk around to tell him what to bring back.

Gosh WW you have gone all MasterChef. DS is the same, he does some lovely meals, he has all his own utensils, but oh the washing up.

I have seen shooting stars, but not for a long time.

Lovely that LetUsDS1 and his GF are visiting .

Evening wenches.

Read your culinary description Wicked and was most impressed. I’ve done frozen pizzas

Is this the Geminids (I think) shooting stars? I suspect we’ve too much light pollution to see much. The campsite that BestFriend and I stayed at when we went to Latitude had a special certification for stargazing because of the lack of light pollution. It was beautiful.

Oh Apricot why must they explain? Is it fixed? Yes. There we go, end of conversation thank you. Love the FaceTime walk round.

Didn’t end up going out and haven’t wrapped any gifts. Having a lovely evening with DS1 and his girlfriend.

I think sauteing is just a fancy <nto> word for frying I had a frozen thai ready meal for lunch, I'm such a Masterchef

Evening

Have been doing a bit more present buying and decorating, a fairly lazy day in all, which was much needed.

Lunch yesterday was nice, was on a table with another department & the new women in that department turned out to be good company. Food was a bit mixed - my main course was pretty bland, not surprising as checking the menu later I reckon they missed out all of the seasonings. I didn't see any of the vegetable side dishes either. But hey, it's a free meal & an afternoon off work, so what's not to like?

How is Misty getting on?

Well fuck me, I made Eggs Benedict for breakfast. Can’t believe I managed to poach an egg. I’m very proud of myself I have to say 😀

Afternoon. Nothing going on weather-wise.

I’ve been doing paperwork on my car. Tax was fine, did it online. Insurance seemed fine, put in my card details, approved it in the bank app, bank said it was accepted, then got a message from the insurance saying there was a problem, phone this number, not open until tomorrow. Why is everything so difficult?

Misty is still the same. Fine in herself but still in and out of her tray. It’s a week tomorrow since she had the antibiotic jab. I’m going to have to get a sample aren’t I?

That looks lovely WW.

Afternoon wenches.

Thought I’d posted this morning. Clearly the excitement of getting an early start on the ironing was too much for me.

That looks delicious Wicked! <pinches a rasher of bacon>

You can forgive a lot with food when it’s free and an afternoon off work Fancy and a bonus of good company.

Oh Apricot I know exactly what you mean. The number of times when I’ve tried to do something online - usually to do with work - and I can be heard shouting “why doesn’t it bloody work? Why can’t it just be straightforward?”

Good luck getting the sample from Misty.

Usual Sunday here. Finally finished a toy puppy I’d knitted all the bits for ages ago. The sewing up was very complicated though which is why I’d put it off for so long. It’s taken flipping hours to do and I’m now knackered. Seriously how can sewing up and stuffing a knitted toy be so tiring?

Going to do bath’n’book soon whilst DH and DS2 shout at watch the football and they’ll no doubt be sulking afterwards

Evening all. I've had a big family catch-up which was nice, and also meant I spent this morning baking, and wrapping and labelling. I've only known about it for over a month, so I couldn't possibly have got things prepped sooner

nothing is ever simple with paperwork. Nothing. It always turns into a complete PITA (Likewise, doing the 'finishing; on any craft project!)

Well done on the breakfast - it looks well impressive Wicked.

Morning wenches.

Prepping early Helen? What’s that then? Bug family catch up sounds ace.

Monday, dark, still a ton of things to do - no thanks.

Have good days wenches.

Afternoon. It’s been one of the daaaaaaark days before Christmas as my Mum used to say ominously.

I know Helen. I’ve been on a countdown to Christmas for yonks and I still leave stuff until the last minute.

Well, I got a sample from Misty. Yay! They gave us a kit to put in her tray and it worked like a dream. DH has taken it in and they’ll analyse it and let us know.

I sorted the car insurance too. Why they said there was a problem I don’t know.

Evening all. Apparently I didn't post anything this morning. Oh well. There was a sunrise today.

I have mostly been shopping today - I 'popped out' for some last minute stuff and came back 4 hours later . I did get everything on the list though. Now I need to do wrapping.

Well done on getting the sample Apricot - hope that it comes up with something easily fixable.

Evening wenches.

I shopped, went to work, shopped on the way home, had dinner and then wrapped a few presents. Took me sodding ages to find the tissue paper. It always goes walkabout from where it’s supposed to be, which has nothing to do with me not putting it back in the right place. Rather tired now.

Your mum wasn’t wrong Apricot re the daarrrkkk days. Everything crossed for something simple showing up in the sample.

Always good to spend an unexpected few hours working through a list <tae> Helen. Well done!

Evening

Have had a lazy-ish day with FancyMan, went for a bit of a walk and then spent the evening chatting with family and watching Only Connect. Am trying to summon the enthusiasm to wrap some presents, rather than leave it to the last minute as usual.

Well done for getting the sample from Misty! Fingers crossed the vet can get her better.

Morning wenches.

Still very dark and seems to be throwing it down. Festive!

That sounds a needed restful sort of day Fancy. Present wrapping seems to be in the same category as holiday packing.

Better get going, although I don’t think I need to do any more gift shopping so hurrah for that.

Afternoon. It's piddling down here too Definitely hibernation weather.

Work is fairly quiet so I'm trying to tidy in between emails - I've hung a picture that's been sitting on my desk for ages, so that's some progress. (I'll just ignore everything else that's piled high!)

Hope you managed to get some presents wrapped Fancy

Afternoon. Nice day, pretty sunset over the back of the houses now.

We’ve heard from the vet, there is blood in the sample so we have different antibiotics and another huge bill. These are in liquid form and have to be given twice a day. <sigh>

Another online debacle. DGD wants money for Christmas so I tried to transfer it from my iPad. I confirmed her account and pressed send but it wanted facial recognition before it would co-operate. It didn’t recognise me. I always get this. Do I look like a blooming alien? At one stage it locked my account. So I tried to do it on the PC, but I had to approve in the app so it’s back to the iPad and facial recognition. Argh! I had to delete the app and set it all up again. Then I got asked a dozen questions in case I was being scammed. Everyone else is getting cash!

DH has just fetched DGS from school but because of his broken wrist he is collected from reception to avoid all the hustle and bustle. Apparently the door was locked and a sign said press the button which DH did. Wrong button. It was the fire alarm and all hell broke loose.

Honestly I just want to go away and hide until the New Year. I hope everyone else has had a better day than us.