Crepeys do Christmas...

[oldqueenie]

Will this fit the bill. Dull but seasonal?

Christmas prep inching forwards. Bought tree today, for what seemed an extortionate price, then spent a merry hour hefting bits of ikea kitchen out of the sitting room, repackaging it for return, etc. Then into loft for decorations and tree stand. Then back into loft for legs of tree stand. Then back to tree shop for new tree stand, as original stand only has three of its for legs, and no little thing to screw in to stop it falling over.

Hurriedly assemble new stand and tree, bung lights on, in attempt to entrance DS in the way they do in the films. But he just wanted to watch his DVD.

Went off to play bassoon in carol concert, and decorated tree as I saw fit upon my return.

Hello everyone, have dipped toe in but put off posting because 1) can't type properly on new phone 2) no Christmas preparations to report.

Now,though, have watched dd put up Christmas tree, baked 3 cakes and bought presents for a few people (not buying many, we have a charity pact).

The last two years' Christmas cards were written at dh's hospital bedside. Haven't wanted to do it this year - think I may let myself off. It used to be my favourite job.

Sympathies herbs re sick niece - very scary

Hi alto!

Is the not wanting to write Christmas cards another sign of encroaching crepeydom? I am planning not to send any next year (apart from to the real oldies) and have cut back majorly this year. I have got better things to do with my time. Like MN and sleep and

My card writing is down to a minimum too - have written them, but haven't posted yet!
I am feeling rough and expect that as soon as I stop I will come down with something - boo.

Dp, in an attempt to boost my b12 fed me a shellfish supper (yum) didn't have the heart to tell him that if I have a real issue eating it doesn't really help as you don't absorb it.
Good on you Ruby for saying no - I am thinking about taking some time off as I still have loads owing.

I am officially Losing the Plot. Which is, obviously, seasonal. DD1 was off sick yesterday and today - I was working from home yesterday, friend had her today; I have been dashing around like a blue-arsed fly trying to do my mum's Christmas shopping for the girls as well as my own; I have no idea about when I am going to wrap any of this lot (DP has bought his own, very extravagant generous, bunch of presents for absolutely everyone including my sister and her partner), there are various things I have to pick up from generous friends (one knitted DD2 a hat which she will adore, and the other has used her staff discount to buy a selection of luxurious objects ) and I have to interview various people who can't be interviewed during staff hours or whom I'm interviewing for freelance stuff. Including a thoroughly suspicious eye specialist who insisted on grilling me about my credentials for interviewing her

My childminder's father, who is only in his 50s died of a heart attack this afternoon - we are all in shock. He wasn't ill, had a pain and came home or some tablets and collapsed.

We had no idea (just a text from school saying she wouldn't be able to collect nd the school would hang on to the children she was collected until parents could get there), another parent popped round to offer to collect ds this week for us and told us the news. Really a bit stunned.

That's absolutely terrible. I'm so sorry.

How awful, Blackduck. Really sorry.

I have the day off today and am wrapping presents and doing a bit of last minute Christmas shopping.

I think the scary thing is he wasn't ill, and he was not really that much older than us.. Certainly pause for thought. There is now talk of getting a defibraltor in the village and getting people trained. Don't know if it would have helped in this case or not.

So sorry Blackduck. Getting people trained can only be a good thing - still shudder to think what a close call dh had.

I seem to be getting v low & tearful. And irritable. Just as I was ready for a gentle slide towards the break I've acquired a mountain of new work. No time for card writing even if I could face it. Only on MN now because client is late.

Yes, Christmas for me now just brings back all the terrors of the past 2 years.
Need to build a new set of associations. And of course, need to do it cheaply!

Oh BD how terrible. So young. What a good idea to get a defibraltor - how far is the nearest hospital?

Alto, make this Christmas the start of happy and relaxing memories - sod the cards

BD, what a horrible shock for your childminder and indeed everyone.

alto, I hope you have a few days' break over the Christmas period and manage to relax.

Thanks all and alto, sorry to bring back bad memories.
BTM the phone box idea is a good one, I will try to remember that. Nearest hospital is only a minor accidents place, it's then about a 20/30 minute drive to the nearest (guess the blues could do it quicker). I really don't know whether it was instantaneous, or what, have no real update.

I am pretty sure the village would raise the money - the family are lovely and a real heart of the place hence the reason why it is so sad.

School have been fab, opened early for any parents who had no childcare.

Oh and sod the Christmas cards! (I have finally posted mine and have one more to write that I had forgotten about, but the rest can go hang. Have just done last of present buying - except one that has to be done on Christmas eve. Wrapping left to do.)

Thank you all for kind words of encouragement (especially ruby, hope you're having better Christmases now).

I really do hope to make this the start of a new lot of happier Christmas memories. 'Sod the cards' seems a good way to start .

May I bring you some light cheer in the form of my mother's reaction to her presents? She phoned me up to say that she had received the earrings from the children (we had a huge row as she said they were "screwed up in a bit of tissue" - they had been wrapped by the designer and she had put one of her stickers on the (admittedly tiny) parcel. She denied seeing any sticker, and said that the earrings had "fallen out of the card because they were so small") and several books from Amazon from me and DH. "Is that all?" she asked. I said, rather irritatedly "What do you mean, is that all?" And she said "Well I wasn't really saying it wasn't much, but it is just some books and some earrings."
FFS. Oh and this is the woman who has delegated her present buying for me, DH and the kids to me... "because it would all cost too much to send."

What the actual eff, SB?

Your mother and your boss are both...incroyable, innit.

Good to hear Granny Doom is on her usual top festive form, SB!

At least I haven't got her this year, Stropps. She is going to my cousin. We have, instead, as well as PIL and FIL's mate, BIL and his GF who are, apparently, looking forward to a lovely relaxing Christmas not doing anything.

And we have them for just shy of two weeks. I may go back to work between Christmas and New Year.

The bastard mice have got the Christmas chocolate!

Last year I put the choccy coins, all ready for the DCs' stockings, in a box in the loft, and all that was left by Christmas Eve was a pile of shredded foil.

This year I thought "aha, you're not catching me again", and wrapped them in a plastic bag in my wardrobe. The little blighters have somehow found it and eaten it. This means (worryingly) that we have mice in the house. And no, it wasn't small children, unless they nibble holes in bags.

MrsS I love hearing about your mother, I am just glad she is not my mother. And I bet if one of you dcs had said anything approaching that she'd have said 'don't be so ungrateful' :) and make the rellys do something!
Cv - I bought ds a kinder surprise for his advent calendar today, stupidly I left it in a bag on the floor...the 'surprise' is no chocolate as I had to prise the plastic canister out of the dogs jaw ....
Two more working days, one more team meal.........

Mrs S, your entire family sounds tres malhereusement.

Cards written, mostly addressed, some have stamps, but all are as yet un-posted. Must get finger out.

Exhausting couple of days. Non-appearance of builders on Tuesday, making me blow a gasket and almost telling them to shove the rest of the work up their arses. DP's works do on Tuesday night, involving delicious meal then karaoke. Marvellous. Then awake most of the night, as is so often the case after food and wine in any quantity.

Then yesterday tube with DS from Walthamstow to Tooting to see sick niece, who is now in hospital, back to Vauxhall for another works xmas do, then home. Then DS awake half the night, and up at 6. Gah.

On an S&B tip, bought some BARGAIN Levis curve skinny jeans in TK maxx for £29. They're so marvellous. Thick denim, yet super-stretchy. Also, my Merrell Dauphine boots arrived yesterday, bought on a whim on a discount site. They are so incredibly comfy, I can't wait for some icy conditions. Makes me realise what quality footwear actually feels like, after wearing pleather Tesco boots all yesterday.

Oh nice boots herbs....