Just got a boxset of DVD’s for GD so that’s crossed off the list. I will get there…I WILL get there , :smileyhappy:
I wish I was as superly organised as some I could name…Katy!
Yay!! Paaarty in Benchland! FF feels better, KTC’s ED not as ill as was feared - hopefully it will just be a passing “blip” - and my weeks *should* be less stressful in future. Hope all the “silent” inhabitants of Benchland are also doing Ok!
Everyone at school is suffering with headaches, sore throats and general lurginess - par for the course in the autumn term, especially when it’s a long one! I was, foolishly, gloating to myself, this morning, that my superior immune system seems to be fighting off the Lurg, but tonight I do feel a bit **** actually. Will probably snuggle into bed pretty soon.
OH’s suitcase has arrived. It’s not very big so I’ve hidden it in plain sight (still in the JL delivery bag) under my dressing table, underneath the blanket bag. Really pleased with that purchase! YD & I saw this case in a big - unique to Norwich - department store. It was black and cost £88! Far too much for a very small suitcase (a similar size to my Norecambe one, but with wheels). We took a photo on my phone so I could remember the make/size etc because buying online it’s really tricky to judge size - at least for me anyway! I thought I’d have to buy something else of a similar size/construction, but I found the same case in J*** L**** for £44 with a 30 year warranty and in red, OH’s favourite colour!! The holdall he’s used for more than 30 years, which is falling apart; hence this purchase, is a very similar red so I hope he’ll be pleased. The invoice in the parcel says it’s only £42! So even more of a bargain? I think it will outlive both of us! 
Thank you girls, soooooooo glad you are here:smileyhappy:!
Am on the “superly lazy” bench today, have done sooooooo many things over the last few weeks trying not to think about ED am well up to date haha!
That was really good news about no planning etc, nice to have someone that listens, hopefully that will now be the end of that nonsense for you, JCJ, and you can enjoy your days:smileyhappy:
Good news that suitcase is a bargain and lovely.
FF, fingers crossed it is bread, my YD had peeling feet and hands for weeks (wasn’t sore) tried to get appt at docs, impossible to book due to her awkward working hours. Anyway we have discovered it is a sauce she has been covering most of her food with, you just never think of food stuff…
So glad you feel so much better.
You are now on a roll with X shopping haha.
Will really annoy you now, X cards written and stamps on envelopes hahahaha xx
What’s wrong with me??? xx
Good grief, Katy! It’s not even December yet!! I have 40 cards to make, and 2 December birthday cards. Not even made a single one let alone written any! School Christmas Fair being put back will only delay card production too, as I’ll carry on knitting Santa bears etc until there’s no point.
Going to make the Christmas cakes this afternoon. It occurred to me that I’ll be making mince pies next week, Fair the following week and leaving it until 16th December is cutting it fine, even for me!! It has to be a Saturday because it ties up the oven for 12 hours and we just have to have our Sunday roast!
I only have to send two cards and last year I missed the last posting date! I will try to get them off in time this year, I’m hopeless :smileyhappy: I try asking the GC what they want in Oct. but daren’t buy anything because they change their minds in Nov. and then again in Dec. On a roll? I don’t know about that. Only buying for GD2 now I’ve got the list because her mind won’t change and GD1 is adult and vouchers are acceptable.
Phoned Son tonight for ideas but he couldn’t say anything as GC were all around. He’s going to phone me tomorrow morning when they are all out.
Still feeling ok, hope it won’t come back again! Hope that you are are ok as well JCJ and that the lurginess passes you by. Hope your Xmas cake turns out well, I’ve never ever made one, Can’t cook, won’t cook is me! Open box, take off wrapper, stick in oven for 20 mins that’s my sort of cooking :smileyembarrassed:
Am on the “ouchy, ouch” bench:smileysad:, was sweeping floor this morning and must have moved slightly the wrong way, felt it go immediately, grrrrrrrrrrrrr so am sitting with a hot water bottle on back and have taken painkillers, strong ones now I feel really jittery…as long as they calm it down…sooooooooooo annoying…
Two FF??? you should be really quick organising them hahaha. Has Purdie calmed down now? Are you using your reading machine? Are your boots pretty?
Oh JCJ, you are so creative, would have to start making cards about 10 years in advance, 40 wow!!
Hope cake making went well:smileyhappy:
Will def be loitering around the shed tonight:smileyhappy:
Am in a quandry, a good one haha, should I treat myself to a handheld console?? I love these things my old one is really tatty and lid is cracked so never really use it now, have had it for years. New one is expensive, could that money be better spent??? It probably could…will have a look at cyber shopping tomorrow and decide then. Decided not to buy trunk thing because I didn’t want clutter am keeping toy baskets hidden behind sofa.
It’s a beautiful day here, sky is blue, hardly a cloud but oh soooooooo cold xx
Purdie is beginning to calm down. 5 months old now, and not quite so mad. Still kittenish, playful and up the curtains in the mornings but more cat in the evenings snoozing on my lap and having cuddles.
Yes I’m using the reading machine but I still prefer a proper book.
Boots? Pretty? No…plain old bog standard, flat heeled, black expensive boots!
And yes, treat yourself, why not? Buy yourself an Xmas present. I always do. If the rest of the family deserve presents…so do I :smileyhappy:
Ooooh backs, just a slight wrong move and ouch. Hope it’s better soon.
Son phoned today with ideas, so a quick trip online and I’ve got pressies on order for another two of the GC. His eldest son wants a voucher for X Box available at tesco so will get that tomorrow. DIL wants a voucher for a local spa, son picking that up for me. Quite a lot done today. Hopefully a trip to the City this week will get it all finished apart from the odds and ends I can get in town.
Cold and frosty here this morning but it warmed up and was raining when I had to go out this afternoon.
Keep taking the pain killers, KTC, and keep moving gently. Hope it recovers soon.
We had a cat incident today - or the neighbours did. 40+ year old daughter moved back into her mum’s house, temporarily, because her landlady wants the house back, that she’s been renting in a village about 3 miles away. She has a cat that is used to using a cat flap and coming and going as she pleases. They were going to try to keep her in (the cat) because they were worried about the road (not terribly busy, but they lost a kitten under a car, years ago, on this road!) or her getting lost.
Anyway, had a phone call from neighbour this morning because they thought Rosie had got out through the small bathroom window - left slightly ajar - via our porch roof and the fence. Everyone on full alert looking for it. Neighbour’s daughter distraught. Messages on Facebook etc. Another phone call tonight. She’s back, alledgedly back through the same very small window. Upstairs. Requiring a 5ft leap from our porch. Somehow I doubt it. I think she managed to hide away somewhere all day. Little minx! :) Whichever is true, we’re all relieved she’s safe and not roaming the streets in the cold tonight.
Dinner is pulled pork in apple, onion & sage sauce, mashed potatoes, carrots, sprouts, buttery leeks, peas and Yorkshire pudding, followed by spotted dick and custard. Never made pulled pork before, but I bought a pork shoulder joint and it had instructions for cooking it that way (minus the sauce - that was my invention) and OH has toothache so I thought it might be easier for him to eat. I was quite impressed with it! Will add it to my repertoire.
When getting the custard powder out of the cupboard, I noticed it was horribly sticky on the bottom. What the …? Peered into the back of the cupboard and realised I had a major mincemeat disaster! I knew I’d overfilled the jars slightly, but then I, stupidly, put them in the cupboard that has heating pipes up behind it (because it was one of the few cupboards with tall enough shelves for the big jars). The heat made the mincemeat expand and the revoltingly sticky 'juice" has leaked out all over the shelf and everything nearby (luckily all tins of stuff). That was a major clean up job! :(. The jars are now wiped clean, sitting in a plastic ice cream tub (previously empty!) and in a cooler cupboard. We’ll be using most of it next weekend anyway.
Cold and grey here today. Not forecast to be cold enough to need to scrape the car tomorrow. First Monday for 4 weeks that I won’t have to, but it looks like I may have to the rest of the week instead!
aaaaargh soooooooooo painful, can’t straighten up and can barely walk, trying to keep moving…xx
Oh lawkes Katy…you poor thing. I’ve been there, done that and it’s awful (and bl***y annoying) when you want to move and can’t. Keep taking the painkillers and consider a chiropractor! SIL has an ongoing back problem, he seizes up in pain for no apparent reason, goes and gets himself “crunched” and he’s fine again.
One of the presents I ordered online last night was not what was wanted by GD so I’ll be giving that to the youngest GD instead. Today I went to “R goose” in nearby town and bought the right one for the other GD. There and back in an hour, pretty good going as it’s a 20 minute drive there. And I nipped into the alternative supermarket there for two of their yummy cheese topped rolls.
Town supermarket tomorrow to get vouchers and actually, for me, I’m doing quite well as it’s still November :smileyhappy:
Hope your back is starting to feel a bit better, Katy.
Goodness, FF, this Christmas shopping frenzy - and it’s still November!!
There are more and more festive lights going up on people’s houses as I drive home. I love to see them cheering up the dark evenings.
LOL at your secret shopping task, Ali. Close your eyes, grab the nearest thing and ask the sales assistant to gift wrap it? Get Hump & Dink to choose you something? Maybe not. Goodness only knows what they’d pick! Perhaps OH or son can buy yours. Or just be a superb actor on Christmas Day when you open your “surprise”. Hehehe.
FF, this X*** malarkey is catching, woo hoo:smileyhappy:
Laughing at ninja ali, ninja-ing all over the place trying to find her secret gift, what is it?? Where is it?? Will it be wrapped?? At least you know who it’s from…or do you??
YD wants to go “all out” this year, JCJ, lights everywhere haha, would like to hang them at window but would still like to close curtains, have no idea how we can do this. Any ideas most welcome.
Back is a little better, still walking stooped and wincing a lot, had an appt in town today really didn’t want to cancel so off I trooped hanging on for dear life to my chariot, found I was in less pain actually walking haha.
No GS this week as I really couldn’t manage to lift him etc, fingers crossed back to normal by next week.
Would be terrified to go to a chiropractor FF, my back is such a mess :smileyfrustrated: xx
Goodness me, it’s cold down here. Car frozen over every morning this week, I just sit in my nice warm house and thank goodness I don’t have to go out to go to work until 4.00pm. Even then I need my coat on to go from main school to annexe. On Friday I need to be out at 9.15 am so today I bought some de-icer for the car from local supermarket, Hopefully it will make the scraping easier.
More and more Xmas lights here too, It causes me to go “Grrr!” Just not before the 1st December! After then it’s ok. I think my Xmas decorations will be minimal this year. I have to think…Purdie…tinsel… hanging items…just not a good idea!
Pleased you’re improving Katy. If your back is such a mess, a chiropractor might sort it out! Glad it’s a little better.
At least you’ll get something you like Ali :smileyhappy: Many’s the time I’ve smiled and said thank you with gritted teeth :smileytongue:
Katy, cellotape (other sticky tapes are available) the lights to the window frame, if they are plastic (window frames) or drawing pin (CAREFULLY so as not to pierce the wires!) if frame is wooden. That’s the way we did it for years. However, it’s a pain to get the sticky off after - need “sticky stuff remover”. Now I’ve purchased a candle arch and an LED mini tree, both at bargain prices in post Christmas garden centre sales, for the kitchen and front bedroom respectively. Much less faff - just plug in and go - no clambering across draining boards and balancing on window sills!
I have been shouting at the radio, in the car going to work, all week, when they play Christmas music. ?Do they know it’s Christmas?“IT ISN’T! WE’VE STILL GOT FOUR WEEKS!” but it will be December on Friday so I suppose it will be ok then - but not too much. It must be my age but I’m heartily sick of all the traditional Christmas chart music. Same old, same old every flippin’ year. Sooo glad I don’t have to work in a shop playing it all the time!! Grrrr! Humbug!
Didn’t think of that JCJ, was thinking about blu stuff (tic tac) she also wants those lit up gift boxes, my living room may turn out to be Santa’s Grotto haha!
Am with you regarding Xmas songs the same old same old…
Been struggling today, too much obviously yesterday, have done a lot of sleeping, body heals itself mode.
Gosh it is tiring…
We today had gardeners making lots of noise, cutting bushes etc and this machine that is flattening the ground (not near but echoes all over the place), pounding, pounding, slept through it all:smileyhappy:
Have my new lynn stuff and it’s so funny it’s like suction mode, takes a while to get it on cause it’s so tight makes me laugh:smileyhappy:
It’s sooooooooooo cold, brrrrrrrrrrrrr, my heating bill will be enormous xx
Admin lady at school was busy, busy, busy tonight putting up fake snow on shelves and snowflakes on the windows and a small tree in reception. Tinsel around the noticeboards. She’s used cardboard to turn her desk into a gingerbread house…She’s a bit OTT about Xmas methinks. But it looks good and cuts down on the surfaces that I have to clean so ok by me!
Youngest GD had to have vaccination today. Daughter’s ongoing anxiety about anything health related means she has problems even being in the Surgery so I went with them for moral support. GD didn’t really feel it, a small whimper afterwards and then a giant chocolate button from the Nurse and she was fine. And just eager to show us how she could walk down the stairs on her own!
Another delivery today, more DVD’s for the GC, I’m beginning to get there. Have two City visits lined up in them next two weeks, so that should sort it!
Expecting to use the de-icer tomorrow, geez, it’s cold , need to dig out the hat and gloves for tomorrow. It’s not so bad when I don’t go out until 4.00pm but tomorrow I need to be out at 9.00 am.
Sounds pretty FF, and less work for you, woo hoo!
Glad GD was fine, always worrying these jabs.
Well have dithered so much about game thing, price has risen:smileyfrustrated:, that’s what I get for waiting…
Getting up from bed is a little easier but sofa sitting is ouchy, can’t stand all day though, may have to try hard chair. Am nipping into town later, quick visit and back home as fast as I can. No supermarket visit though maybe another day and sorry Mum no treats this week:smileysad:
Backs are a pain xx
Spent £94 pounds in local supermarket today! I only went in for bread, milk and a few other bits and pieces but I saw a DVD that I thought Daughter would like and then ended up by the vouchers and thought I might as well get them while I’m here. Two more GC sorted! So glad some of them are getting to an age where vouchers/money is more acceptable.
School has come along way from when they threw up a tatty imitation tree two days before the end of term. So many changes of Head and staff in the eight years I’ve been there! Maybe a little OTT this year but it cuts down on my work, so I’m not complaining! I just asked if I could put up a Bah Humbug sign :smileyhappy:
Game thing price will go down again, probably after Xmas. Just keep watching Katy! Then treat yourself quickly!
Swimming must have pretty chilly last night JCJ. I am adapting the knitting pattern and sending you a centrally heated full body suit for your last few miles.
Message from YD this morning: “Your daughter delivery slot is 1:30 to 2:30pm. Arriving in a white Fiat 500”
Spent an hour making vast quantities of pastry and a stew for tonight. OH been despatched to buy local bakery crusty bread to go with it, so when we finish making a gazillion mince pies, we won’t have to bother cooking (or fetching/waiting for delivery!) So organised! Time for a little lie down now!
Thank you for the thermal swimwear, FF. The flashing lights and tinsel give it just the right festive touch! Definitely freezing in the coastal waters off Guernsey! (British Channel? I realise I’ve no idea, despite swimming there for the last 20+ weeks!) Only 6 of us swimming on Thursday evening, and just me for the last 15 minutes. Bliss. 2 3/4 miles left. Should still make it by Christmas. Don’t think there are any school commitments on Thursdays.
Vile B-I-L (on OH’s side) is angling for an invite for Christmas. He was soooo obnoxious last time he came here and I know he’ll spoil the relaxed atmosphere with us and the girls. I can’t bring myself to say a definite “NO”, as he’s currently in hospital due to mental health issues. He’s fallen out with his GF - again! - so he’ll be on his own. Pinning all my hopes on other B-I-L coming to the rescue. But I won’t hold my breath. If he does stay here he’ll have to sleep in *my* room, so I’ll have to contend with OH snoring and twitching too! Grrrr!
What a difficult position you’re in with your BIL What difficulty with your OH would an outright NO cause? And then there’s always the pesky conscience to deal with. I hope the dilemma resolves itself and if he does come to you that he behaves himself.
i decided to clear out one of my food cupboards today and give it a clean (only because I can’t get the newly bought food into it)! Quite a few tins and packets out of date, so they have hit the bin! I have noted what they are and will not be buying them again as I obviously don’t eat them. Pineapple chunks? Why did I buy them? I don’t like pineapple! There must have been a reason at the time. After that I thought I’d better do the other two food cupboards but everything else was ok.
Life with Her Royal Furriness is getting easier, dangerous places she could get to when tiny are now too small. She shows no inclination now to chew the electric wires, so that’s a relief. Any time I lose her I just need to shake the bag of tuna treats and she’s right beside me. Or turn on the tap. Or put the washing in the machine, as soon as I open the door she’s in there having a look. It’s put t-shirts in take cat out, put jeans in take cat out, put jumpers in take cat out, put everything else in take cat out. Make CERTAIN cat is out, switch on machine.