NOOO! JCJ! Mind those rocks…oh thank goodness… you saw them! Pass me a double glitterbury juice Katy, I feared the worst for a minute. Well done JCJ. What’s next?
I’m recycling the outfit I wore to JCJ’s Daughter’s wedding. Waste not want not but I have added pink and purple sequins.
Saw Daughter today and she told me to stop beating myself up, that I could not possibly have thought that Son would buy me a tablet. I feel a bit better now. Been to town today, market day, got some more wrapping paper and some puzzle books, we have a stall that sells back copies of them cheaply. (Have I said that before?)
Visiting my elderly friend tomorrow, couldn’t go last week as cold was still at the infectious stage and I didn’t want to give it to her. I’m still getting through tissues at a rate of knots, still bunged up but feeling alright.
I have arrived!! Hoorah! It’s taken me 1 day, 13 hours and 13 minutes to complete the 30 miles. Pass me a large glitterberry juice and an alliburger and I’ll just change into my glad rags.
Just the 3 of us in the pool again. It won’t be like that for long, January usually brings everyone out with good intentions of getting fit.
Only one more get up and half a day at work. Nearly there!
I was going to say to you exactly what your daughter said, FF. If you don’t buy expensive presents for each other how could you possibly have known?? My mum always used to tell us not to buy anything for ourselves in the run up to Christmas - telling us to wait and see what we got first! Perhaps buy yourself a New Year present next year?!
Pass me that sparkler, I want to write my name - the closest I’ll ever get to seeing my name in lights!! J. C. J
I think I’ll swim Loch Lomond next. 24 miles. I fancy another Scottish party. I start at Ardlui next week (if I’m not firmly esconsced on the CBA bench stuffed to the gunnels with turkey, chocolates and mince pies!!) There looks to be some tricky islands to negotiate en route! ?
Your entrance was truly spectacular, who would have thought so many people there to greet???
Did you manage to hear me & FF singing silently??
Loved your gowns girls, how clever using your bridesmaid dress?
Feeling slightly under the weather, too much glitterberry and ali burgers consumed…
And what about those “sparkler” words JCJ? You are getting extremely inventive hahaha, what are you like??
Now Loch Lomond, that’s where I was when I didn’t know where I was…
Head spinning today, have stuff to do but all in different directions, so haven’t a clue where to start? Have a plan but it’s too tiring so am away to ponder on the “CBA” bench indefinitely xx
Right that’s it. Turkey, veg, salad, cream & bread fetched from farm shop. OH despatched earlier, to chemist to get me Strepsils extra strength (other…) because, of course, within 3 hours of finishing school yesterday, I developed a nasty cough, sore throat and fuzzy head! Typical! Feel a tad sh**. YD has a nasty cold too, so we can be miserable together when they arrive tomorrow. She’s doing a roast pork feast for her in-laws today.
Anything I’ve not got now we do without! Hunkering back down on the CBA bench with a mugatea, my tablet full of silly Christmas games and jigsaws and my Kindle (other…) Bowl full of chocolates on the coffee table. Let Christmas commence!
Half past 3 and it’s not getting dark yet: the nights are drawing out again! Yeah!
Thought I’d reinstate the Benchland carols. Anyone care to join me for a sing song? There are some alliburgers and alchofrolic beverages left from Thursday’s Guernsey festivities.
Oh holey tights
O holey tights! The shoes are brightly shining,
It is the night of our great chariot race.
Long sat the girls in The Station Hotel dining.
Till the dogs appeared and the camels increased their pace.
A thrill of hope the dreary prom rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious form
Tights to your knees! Oh, hear the Benchland voices!
On off with the fleece, “Oh Christ it’s warm!”;
O tights, O holey tights , O tights knee high
O night, O holey tights , O tights knee high
Led by the light of Katy’s chariot beaming,
With thumping hearts by Eric’s statue we stand.
O’er the girls the sweat is sweetly gleaming,
Now come the women from out of the Benchland.
To The Kings pub we shall make our way
In all our trials BC made us friends.
We know our needs, whose turn is it to pay?
Behold The Kings! Inside there’s cups of tea!
Behold The Kings! Inside there’s cups of tea!
BC has taught us to love one another,
We live by love and our gospel is peace.
Lynn we shall thwart, for the sleeve is our brother.
And in Benchland’s name all guiltiness shall cease.
Great chunks of guilt to the grateful crocs toss we,
With all our hearts we praise BCC’s name.
Christ, is it warm? Then peeling off a fleece we,
Chomp on an alliburger, dancing round the flame.
Chomp on an alliburger, dancing round the flame.
Absolutely brilliant JCJ, my favourite carol and you’ve adapted it to fit our world. I’ll never hear it again without the words " oh holey tights" reminding me of the support and friendship we all get from these forums.
The dreaded van has arrived in our supermarket car park and I have had a letter today inviting me to a mammogram on the 12th January. Timing is not good so I will have to phone and get a more convenient time but I’m NOT thinking about that that until Xmas is over.
Didn’t get up to town today as the road was closed due to a traffic accident just outside my house. Didn’t see it but I heard it and went to look out of the window. No one injured but police and ambulance came and the road was shut for about 3 hours. I decided I could wait until tomorrow to get the last minute things.
Awake in a hot sweat (to the tune of Away in a Manger)
Awake in a hot sweat, throw covers off the bed,
The demons of cancer abound in my head.
The wind in my stomach causes pain when I lay,
Then lazy JCJ asleep half the day.
The camels are glowing, the donkey’s on skates,
But little dog Joey for The Duchess he waits
I love all my new friends, who understand my plight
Someone to laugh with in the middle of the night
Believe me, oh BCC, I thank you today
For keeping me sane, and I’d just like to say:
Bless all BC patients feeling tender and scared,
And take us to Benchland, to live guilt-free there.
That brings back some memories!
Loads to do today. Once I can get off this chair and get dressed!
Aaaah JCJ, had forgotten how brilliant they were:smileyhappy:!!!
A lot of memories, indeed…
Went to pick up food and decided to sing the Benchland Carols, silently of course, drew quite a crowd and a few strange looks…
Everything is now done & dusted, not a space in the fridge, hoovered, beds done etc so just quick tidy up tomorrow morning, hurrah.
ED came along and I told her about game I had bought GD and said we will play it tomorrow, she was thrilled, NOT, had forgotten how much she hates games, she was such a sore loser hahaha!! So will force her to play hahaha. xx
I had to bite the bullet last night and wrap presents. Purdie did “help” but it wasn’t as bad I feared, some wrapping paper got crumpled, a couple of presents had their corners chewed. A sticky label attached itself to her paw, that was quite funny! :smileyhappy:
Today she has gained the freedom of the whole house, I tried giving it to her about four weeks ago but she just wanted to climb the banisters and then fell about eight feet onto the stairs and didn’t land on her feet. So I blocked it off again. Today, however she proved big and strong enough to get over the barrier so that’s that. I hope she’s learned a little more sense or more surefootedness.
Found out today that a cat was the cause of the accident yesterday. No humans were hurt but the poor pussy is badly injured. That reinforces my idea to keep Purdie as a house cat with a large catio. Son and SIL are building the catio in the New Year, I’m sure all the family think I’ve gone bonkers, Son has taken to calling me “mad cat lady”!
My house looks as if a bomb has dropped on it, I’ve never seen it so untidy. at least no-one will be visiting me, so I’ll tidy up as and when I feel like it.
I am ready for Xmas, thanks to the local sweetshop opening today and an other customer saying “oh look, chocolate tractors” . Just the thing for SIL’s Boxing Day pressie! Got a tin of “Man Flu” mints for Son which is apt as he rang me tonight to say he’s caught a cold.
OH been in his Christmas grump all day but he snapped out of it when the girls arrived at 5pm. Both have bad colds so we’re sharing the “mulled parecetamol” (=lemsip!)
Lasagne has been consumed, The Were Rabbit has been watched (YD bought the DVD) and the girls have retired to bed to try and sleep off their lurgs.
We could never play games either, KTC, because OH & ES are too competitive. When i was a child, we always had a new board game for Christmas and played it altogether on Christmas day. I tried that a few times with OH & kids but gave it up. Not worth the agro!
Wishing everyone in Benchland a pleasant day tomorrow and a happy, healthy 2018! xx
I’m home from a lovely day at Son’s, dinner was fabulous, DIL outdid herself.( To think that when Son married her her she couldn’t boil an egg!) Son was dying from man flu but did his best to be cheerful. Seems to have forgiven me for buying a tablet :smileyembarrassed:
Grandchildren really loved their presents from me and I got loads of hugs…I only bought what their parents told me to but I was really pleased they all loved them!
I received vouchers from Son, after the tablet debacle he had no time to get anything else. Daughter gave me a jigsaw (Purdie will help with that??!!) and a cardigan. She said she tried hard to think what I would like and not what she would like and she’s got it just right, I am chuffed to bits!
A brilliantly lovely happy day for me. I hope all yours have been as good. We’re all back to Son’s tomorrow for the usual Boxing Day tea, I hope he feels a little bit better. I will be wearing the new cardi.
We’ve had a lovely day too. I got up at 8 to put the oven on and sat in my PJs reading, drinking coffee and nibbling on salty snacks until everyone else surfaced around 11:30 (the joys of a civilised child-free Christmas?!) We opened a few presents each - DIL was thrilled with her food processor (and that D had let her have it! They’d been arguing about kitchen cupboard clutter!) OH a bit non-plussed with his suitcase - I’m not sure he wasn’t thinking I was sending him packing! The roast beast feast was delicious - even if I do say so myself! - and we all ate too much, of course.
A short walk to get some air and make some room for turkey rolls - the best bit! It was very short because D suffering with a nasty cold but trying to put a brave face on it. I know she’s not well because we’ve only consumed one bottle of wine since they arrived yesterday tea time, and one bottle of bux fizz. And I’ve had most of that. Most unlike her! She has also resisted the mini sausages and ‘pigs’ in the fridge EVERY time she’s been in there for milk to make tea. Wow! Send for the doc!! It was lucky we didn’t walk far because it chucked it down with rain about 5 minutes after we got in and has continued to do so ever since!
We’ve watched some silly films and the Christmas Bake Off and generally had a good day lolling about. About half the presents are left to open tomorrow and we’re all looking forward to the Boxing Day Pie!
I texted ES to tell him there was money from me in his bank account. He was playing tanks with his ‘nephew’ (technically his GF’s nephew) so he seems happy. I miss him, but I’m glad he’s happy. I absolutely refuse to go down the emotional blackmail route my MIL used to use!!
Food munched, not too many leftovers, presents opened, everyone excited, pennies for me, new game and cream for rejuvenating me, well, my face hahaha, so a new younger version will be seen in Norcambe!!!
Tears pouring down our faces with laughter at GD’s game, was soooooooooo funny, ED was fine because she was a winner:smileyhappy:, which made things funnier…
I agree, never guilt anyone ever. Think it is a horrible trait.
Hope son feels better today FF, and your daughter too, JCJ.
Happy times for all indeed:smileyhappy:
Poured with rain all day yesterday, am quiet today, am going to sit on the “CBA” bench indefinitely xx
On the little bit sad bench. The girls have just left for their 3 hour drive home. I was going to go for a walk around the local streets to enjoy everyone’s pretty lights to cheer myself up but it’s lashing down with rain - forecast to return to snow later, but rain again by morning. At least I don’t have to drive anywhere tomorrow!
Opened the rest of the presents today and we had a bit of a “great minds” problem too. I put a lovely, leather rucsac handbag on my “big river” wish list. It was quite expensive (by my standards - not for those who routinely spend silly money on handbags!) so I wasn’t really expecting to get it. I had 2. Both OH and YD bought it for me! Both in the same colour! I wondered why OH said, “Is that the right one?” when I opened the gift from the girls!
I have contacted “Big River” and they have said we can return one, but as it wasn’t direct from them, one of the purchasers will need to do it. It looks like they both ordered it at exactly the same time - definitely the same day, 17th November - which could be why they could both see it on my list as “unpurchased”"! YD agreed to return hers and buy some “Big River” vouchers for me with the refund, so I can look forward to some New Year shopping!
YD also bought me a knitting pattern book for some very cute teddy bears, so that’s my next project, after I’ve knitted some more take away coffee cup cosies for friends of DIL who have seen the one I knitted her. I’ll make a few and she can sell them in aid of The Hamlet Centre, where she works. That’s if I can remember how I made it!
Most of the gifts from school have been admired and quietly put in the pile for the next charity bag that comes - let them make some money out of them instead of them sitting around unused here - apart from the edible ones, of course!
Back to mundane chores tomorrow, but at least, unlike lots of people, YD included, I don’t have to go back to work.
Another lovely evening at Son’s though we all left earier than usual because of the water on the roads, they’re not really flooded but there are gigantic puddles so driving is not easy as they can’t be seen in the dark! Also because Son has to get up at 4am to go to work and he’s still not well although he is better than yesterday.
I acquired another jigsaw puzzle and lots of chocolate today, yay :smileyhappy:
So you got the bag you wanted JCJ and now some vouchers for something else, I’d call that win,win!
Nipped upstairs a little while ago to the bathroom (as you do) and thought I’d see where Purdie was, expecting her to be asleep on my bed. Went into the bathroom first and there she was… curled up in the sink!
I have to go to school tomorrow, was I off sick last week or just couldn’t be a****d? I don’t want any more sick days on my record so I need to go in this week instead of last.
Oh, and “Big River” took me far longer than it should have done. I’m going to blame the fact that Daughter gave me a lift to and from Son’s and DIL was liberal with the wine…
Commiserations to Brodie Bear. She will be made very welcome if she does find her way to Benchland. I shall light some lanterns along the path from The Dark Woods to help her find us.
Nipped into local town today to try to switch bank account from “Huge Stupid Bank of China” (which have really been ****ing us off lately) to another big high street bank (they don’t do prescriptions like their namesake pharmacies!) but we couldn’t do it today - had to make an appointment for next Tuesday.
Had lunch in supermarket (chicken house? No. It’s hyphenated!) and as I sat down I spotted THE VAN! Managed to eat my soup & roll without having to swap places with OH so I couldn’t see it. I’m improving!
Went to try to get car fixed - paintwork damage after my altercation with the bus in the ice - but the place was closed, probably for the whole week. Another job for next week then.
Aaah ali, the forum will be sooooo valuable to her, if BB finds her way to Benchland she will be made most welcome.
Well, your day sounds like mine JCJ, nothing accomplished:smileyfrustrated:, ventured into town to visit the sales, didn’t like anything whatsoever, usually shop online BUT a certain shop NEVER has what they are advertising… always sold out…drives me crazy…you only find out when it goes into your basket, grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. Think that should be illegal.
Speaking of the van do you have your appt FF?
Didn’t wear my ballgown opted for leggings and a new top instead, soooooooo glad I did, top was big and baggy and hid my expanding tummy haha! xx
The roast beast feast was delicious - even if I do say so myself! - and we all ate too much, of course. 
I was going to go for a walk around the local streets to enjoy everyone’s pretty lights to cheer myself up but it’s lashing down with rain - forecast to return to snow later, but rain again by morning. At least I don’t have to drive anywhere tomorrow!