August 2008 - I wish it could be Christmas every day, with the TV rows and the ILs you'd like to slay-ay-ay.

[steaknife]

Hmm might be a bit early for a festive thread title but thought we could get in the mood.

None of that tasteful two colour decoration scheme in my tent - oh no. The gawdier the better.

I wouldn't know Sazz, I am being subjected to James May on Space

We don't have a scheme we have loads of little bits and bobs collected from everywhere, it used to be silver and ice blue/green before DH's tat gene kicked in.

2nd class stamps here too so I'm off to get that done, whilst admiring my garish tree

LOL @ tat gene

DH knows he is prohibited any input into any form of decoration in our house

Do your cards tomorrow dizz otherwise you'll guilt me into starting mine and i don't want to [petulant child emoticon]

Gah, stop writing cards everyone, I haven't even bought mine yet No tree here either, in fact no decorations at all. We've lived in so many rented places, a box of decs would just be one more box of tat to lug from one rubbish house to the next [humbug emoticon]. I would like to jolly up the place though, maybe next year when we might even have our own place...

santa good to see you again, looking fly in your festive garb

Sazz what fun to hear of afternoon delight It's all good calorie-burning exercise, y'know.

oops interesting re chinese herbs, I 've heard they can work where other things fail. We may reassess the situation after xmas as I cant say im happy slathering ds in steroid cream every day. ds has been referred to a dietitian (sp?) and allergy specialist for testing - so far allergic to dairy, soya, lentils and eggs. We have cut out wheat too and are too scared to reintroduce yet.

im most impressed with all your xmas preparations - I have ordered all my pressies from traidcraft this year (polishes halo), have day off tomorrow so will get cards/wrapping paper, then need to find vegan wheat free xmas cake recipe and im sorted

ds is teething - all his other teeth are coming through at once the poor sausage

cyteen the only reason I have them is that I bought some in the Paperchase sale after Christmas last year I was also looking for round gift boxes in Borders last week but couldn't find any - have opened up one of the Christmas boxes from the shed to find I bought a pile of those in the sale too yipee!!!

sazz cards for post almost done however I've still got all the work ones (which I might not do) and the local friend ones [eyes falling out of head emoticon] might leave those for a wee while though

VG delighted to hear MammyVG on the mend - don't be stressing about Christmas, some things are more important and your mammy ranks right up there

evening all, i'm not here and most certainly not drinking wine. i'm having an early night because i've got school work in the morning
hic

that's great news about your mum vg. i hope she continues to recover

ps still not here, definitely in bed now

VG Glad to hear MamaVG on the mend. Thanks - yes I'd heard about the stairs - fortunately we don't have any in our flat so shouldn't bother him too much! I don't imagine his flight to London on Wednesday will do him much good if he's still stiff though . SIL kindly texted pointing out that he'll be back for the X-Factor finals - please don't tell me it's Strictly finals as well next weekend otherwise I'll be even more !

When is last posting date for 2nd Class stamps? I am sending our cards with DH to post when he is back in England. Tbh a bit worried about this and fully expecting him to return back to Singapore with said cards still in his suitcase.

Morning

snot last 2nd class post is 18th and last 1st class is 21st so as long as your DH remembers to post them they'll be fine!

No cards here, I have looked at a few but none have really grabbed me. Keep thinking I should involve DD in some sort of crafty exercise, at least for close family, but honestly don't know if I can be arsed . Last year we made some fecking spectacular Christmas tree ones with loads of squares of different green paper then liberally coated with 7 kinds of glitter, but to be honest DD got bored after about 15 minutes so between me cajoling and her getting sulkier it was not as much fun as it should have been... your suggestions for easy/quick/ home made designs greatly appreciated.

Oooh my step dad is taking me to Selby at lunchtime, to look at a car it's a rather interestingly teal coloured Skoda. Am rather excited and also really nervous

VG - that is our card nearly.

Lovely green paper from Lidl cut into triangles and glued on by DS. Tiny tree trunk made and glued on by DS. And DD1 has put a blob of red paint on top of each one.

They look lovely.

I forgot to say I got my secret santa present. I'm saving it for Christmas day. Thank you so much.

The health service might not work here but an post is scarily efficient.

Morning ladies
vg great news about your mum

Ooh and congrats to mrsnot on the marathon running!
DS is a grump today again. Everything is NOOOOOOO at the moment
I don't think MIL will have him overnight again any time soon. She put the travel cot in her room, meaning that he wouldn't sleep and kept waking to chat to her. She looked knackered when we picked him up yesterday
No tree, decorations, cards or gifts here yet we're doing that next weekend. We're probably getting a fake tree this year. We don't fancy having S trying to eat handfuls of pine needles or anything.
Back to real life today after my lovely weekend. DP and I have decided that we're going to do a 'romantic dinner' every few weeks from now on.

Excellent stuff QoD, glad to see he's responding well to training open communication

hotter don't make me over looking at cars. Well actually I'm not, I know so little about cars that am hard pressed to distinguish one make from another, unless it's an obvious one e.g. Porsche vs Robin Reliant. But being independent, ooh

Been to stay and play this morning, where I disgraced myself by tipping DS off a trike onto his head Got a bit carried away pushing him around and cornered a leetle too tightly. Perhaps it's good that I don't have a driving license just yet.

Oh, Eczema, well in general I am a big fan of going to the GP and using whatever greasy concoction/cream/emollient/emulsifying ointment/steroid etc. that they give me at the time as these usually work very well for me.

However, for the inbetween bits I like Bach Rescue Cream as I react to almost every hand cream known but apparently not to this and so my mum sends some over every now and then.

Christmas party yesterday with Baby Group. DH was Father Christmas. ALL the babies cried at him.

Am feeling shattered and need to tidy while DS is asleep and before our cleaning lady arrives.

Mum arrives on Wednesday. Hurrah.

Oh and my tip for home made cards is to cut a picture out of last years cards with pinking shears (is that the word? those zig zag scissors) and stick it onto a new card. Maybe adding glitter as appropriate.

VG I have a big vat of E45 cream that I put on everything (inc my face as a moisturiser in winter.)

QoD Good news on the regular datenights. Programming something into his diary is a good way to get 'spontaneous' stuff.

Xmas trees - we are being v humbug and not getting the big one out at all! Am v impressed with mums of 3 putting theirs up but I just can't face another tree-toddler-PITA fortnight. I know it won't be as bad as DS1's 2nd Xmas but I just can't be arsed with it again. So we'll have the little 3' tree and the kids can decorate.

I am LOVING this walking child business! Kurt has just appeared v chuffed with a Thomas bag round his neck. I've just sent him off to show Grandpa in the kitchen. Still not doing proper words yet, just beeps and chirps and camp Frankie Howard 'ooOOohs', but he's definitely understanding me. And he's done some pointing today which was a relief.

DH's band are debuting at the local open mike tonight! I'm not going but Sunday is the Uke Jam Xmas Cabaret and they are doing a set there. Was my best night out all year 2008, hope this year lives up (but then I did spend most of 2008 in my room pregnant or BFing so there wasn't much competition LOL.) DH also mentioned something about him and me doing a number together but am as to whether we'll have time to rehearse.

I have actually made some cards with DD1. We already had a big pack of blank cards from Hobbycraft and then went to The Works and got some Happy Christmas stickers and present stick ons etc. Added to this were some stuck on trees and snowmen from the little table decoration sprinkles we already had and a dab of glitter. Already posted to close family and CM . Sorry, but i am so uncrafty i have to blather on about our achievements

Faberooni sleep last night. I went to bed at 9.30 and DD2 slept till 7.45 and DD1 until 8.30 . Never in her 3 years on this planet has she slept so late. I must remember if i need a lie in she needs a late night two nights before

Playgroup this morning, then had to drop DD1 at preschool for their nativity dress rehearsal. SHe refused to put on the star costume but decided she would be a sheep instead

Hope you get a car hots . Skoda's are basically VW's now so should be good

DH is upstairs banging about and am pretty sure he's trying to hide my Christmas present - now unless he hides in the drawer full of my size 12/14 clothes (as I'm never in there ) there isn't anywhere else Ican'tfindit I don't use regularly

sitting in waiting on the building standards bloke between 12-2pm, now we were late getting home because of stupid closure at the bridge but please PLEASE PLEASE let it be him thats late and not us as we really need him to be generous and sign off on this

cyteen don't worry about his trike injury - hopefully it will have mentally scarred him against motorbikes for life AND am sure the arnica that you swiftly applied has worked wonders

LWFH Bachs rescue cream is brilliant isn't it, huge fan here too. I also like their calendula cream which is great for skin too

MIL arriving tomorrow and am sitting here knee deep in decoration boxes/ironing and I should baking for the cafe for tomorrow - can I be bothered, eh no

Miamla Did you go to your choir thingy last week?

Ladies, I have to write a covering letter I detest writing covering letters. But the job in question would be a very good opportunity, and their office is soon moving very close to where I am. It would mean that once the've moved it would be a 15 minute train journey. But I still have to write a sodding cover letter detailing why I want to work for them blah blah blah.
I always end up sounding just like everyone else, with the same trite phrases.

Covering letters are always bollocks though, everyone knows that. Just once I'd like to answer 'why do you want to work here?' with something like 'because otherwise I won't be able to pay off my dealer and he said next time he'd break my thumbs'.