Yawn Yawn Wakey Wakey 2025

@Obelix-Vendée, if I had to clean the room properly before getting the tree up, it would never get done! I did sweep the corner before I moved the table into it though! The tree is assembled, the lights are on, and a few decorations have been carefully placed. I have quite a few little felt donkey decorations I’ve bought over the last few years. However, they seemed too cute to put away all year, so I’ve had them hanging on door and drawer knobs. I’ll have to search around to find them all!
I have two free range turkey crowns on order to pick up next week, and I’ve made two bags of pigs in blankets and frozen them. There is a packet of stuffing in the cupboard (I do like to make my own versions, but had so many complaints from the family that I have to buy the ordinary stuff!) I also have a Christmas pudding which I bought last year, and nobody had room for. It’s eat by date isn’t till March, so that’s one less thing to buy. I’ve bought a honey roasted ham, and I always have several packs of Somerset Cheddar in the fridge, so as long as I buy enough potatoes for roasts, we could be good to go.

 

@Ergates OH has been doing the housework on Mondays since mid September so there are bits he never thinks of that need a good seeing to. It will last me a good few months and is, above all, a ploy to prevent all the decs going up far too early. Two weeks are fine but I get twitchy if they're there any longer.

No Boxing Day here so the Xmas feasting is just that - Xmas Day for us and Xmas Eve for the French - then a normal worjing day with shops open and no sales till early Jan. No need to lay in hams and turkeys and sausages and stuffing and puds and absolutely no bread sauce.

 

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Good morning everyone. Good night last night and oh I enjoyed not having to attempt answering some of the questions. My team didn't win but we are used to that and it never really daunts us as we just enjoy the craic. My only moan was that there was no heating on (that could be discerned anyway) and I had to put my coat back on after just one round of questions. My feet were like lumps of ice all evening. Crikey, @Ergates! I am mega impressed with your organisation! Have you got room for another one?

 

Morning all, looks better than expected out so after our usual walk I will hopefully be able to have a potter round the garden. OH is out all day so I can please myself about lunch etc.
It's very noisy though as there are roadworks just round the corner - Openreach yet again!
I'm hoping they'll let me through the barriers to access the shortcut via the alleyway.

Blimey @Ladybird4, you must have been freezing.

Have a good day folks.

 

It is dull and grey here and the sun is trying but not winning. OH is out golfing and I shall spend my day sewing apart from a visit to the chooks and to check my seedlings and cuttings in the polytunnel.

Why on earth was your venue not heated @Ladybird4? Seems mad as well as negligent to me.

Openreach's French equivalent involved much road digging in towns @lizzie27 but, out here in the sticks, they just string the fibre optics along our telephone and leccy poles. Much cheaper and less invasive.

Last dance class before Xmas this evening - waltz then salsa but not as seen on Strictly. Fun tho.

 

Good morning all.

It's noisy here too as they are dredging the village pond which was choked with reeds. They have finished clearing it and now they are digging out sludge from the bottom. The digger dumps it into a big metal lorry that takes it away somewhere. It's just over the road from us.

I wonder if there was a problem with the heating @Ladybird4 rather than that someone hadn't turned it on?

We had small Christmas puddings last night, Tsco's finest. We probably won't have them on Christmas Day as Cedric's grandson has Coeliac so can't have gluten.

We are going out to lunch with friends from down our street today at a local pub that does good food.

 

Afternoon folks.

I’ve been making gift tags, using old Xmas cards, for the work team’s little presents today. They look quite good! Just had to clear the under stairs cupboard to get something from the back so I should really check through everything before putting it all back…Can never have too many shopping bags though!

I hope everyone is ok today and doing as much or as little festive prep and activities as they wish.

 

I used to do that @AuntyRach, a useful way of re-using pretty Xmas cards.

Hope you enjoyed your lunch out @Busy-Lizzie and your last dance class @Obelix-Vendee, I love a good waltz but haven't had the opportunity for years.

Enjoyed an hour or so in the garden. I've nailed strips of roofing felt over the top of the wooden sleeper step down to the garage to make it safer when it's wet. I slid on it last year and fell sideways onto the big camellia pot - don't want to do that again. Then I pruned the old magnolia stellata slightly as the branches were encroaching on the drive. Looking out the front window there is a spectacular rosy red sunset now so hopefully a nice day tomorrow.

 

When I went to see the chooks at 1pm it was really warm and sunny but now it's all shades of grey. I have finished my red lace frock for tonight's Xmassy dance classes. New pattern for me and I'm pleased with it.

OH is back from golf having won his match. Told me his friend Isabelle and her OH are hosting the gang's Galette de Rois in January. I told him he was going on his own this year and he was surprised! 4 to 5 hours of conversation with people who, tho pleasant and have had interesting lives, only manage a whole 10 minutes max not talking about fellow golfers, golf games, golf courses and golf holidays. Have done it 5 times now and hosted one but life really is too short.

Well done @AuntyRach for your creativity and @lizzie27 for making things safe. The non slip stone chippings are working really well in the chook pen so I shall put some at the entry to my polytunnel too as that can be a slippery slope.

Hope lunch was good @Busy-Lizzie

 

Dearie me, where has today gone?
This tree has taken up more of my time than intended. We had to go to b & m for more lights, as our strand looked quite pathetic and we haven't even finished decorating it. Still, it will look fab when finished!
Whilst at b & m, some dog toys fell into the trolly. They don't normally get 'pressies'; must be getting soft in old age. The goose giblets are what they really love!
I like the sound of a red lace dress, @Obelix-Vendée

 

Evening all. Just finished making raspberry ice cream, ready for our grandsons (and their parents!), coming to visit over New Year. It still needs churning a couple of times, but it tastes pretty good...

It's been a beautiful day, minus 3 overnight and frost remaining all day in the shade, but lovely low sun illuminating the bare twigs on the Acer Sango-kaku, which are shiny and pink. OH hasn't set foot outside - a pity in a way, but he needs to nurse his cough. Thursday's concert is in doubt, unfortunately, unless he picks up quickly. I've still not developed his germs, so I may escape this time.

Last night, hedgehog food and apples were consumed only by the vixen. I'm guessing the hedgehogs might now feel it's cold enough to start hibernating. I'll put out food in the feeding station for them, so it's protected from cats and the weather, as well as from the fox (though I'll give her some food in the open), in case the hedgehogs wake up hungry in a mild spell.

No tree here yet. It's still in the loft, but we might be able to bring it down in a day or two, once OH feels a bit better. Our decorations are definitely not colour coordinated, as they include bits and pieces made by children & grandchildren, and some very old ornaments with sentimental value. I admire beautifully designed and coordinated decorations, but prefer our tatty old ones in my own home!

 

I can't bear to part with many of our baubles either @Liriodendron
Named ones for all our dogs (except Rufus) and grandkids, bought in charity fundraisers, ones picked up on our travels in Christmas shops (Norway ones were the best), hand blown local ones... they may not be coordinated, but they do yell 'it's Christmas'!

 

Good evening all. I did make a major complaint about the heating at the clib but I think @Busy-Lizzie may have hit the nail on the head as there must be a fault in the system. The blower was gushing forth, trouble is it was blowing out cold air. At least we haven't another match now until January 11th. @AuntyRach my Bestie and I do that with old pretty cards and I bought a set of cheap plastic scissors some years go that have cutting edges like pinking shears but 4 different wavy designs, and a punch to make the holes. I took a walk up to the post box at the end of the lane earlier to get the last of my cards sent off and it was bitterly cold and damp. I really hope it doesn't freeze tonight as it could be lethal underfoot. I have lots of my own hand made onrnaments on my tree and several very old ones that have sentimental value to me. I don't mind that I have every colour in the rainbow in my tree ornaments as the tree looks fine to me.
I wonder if your vixen will move into your garden permanently @Liriodendron. It woiuld be so sweet if you had some little cubs next year. Are your dog toys squeaky ones @Penny_Forthem? My youngest sister always get a squeaky toy for her German Shepherd and then times just how quickly he can 'kill' the squeak after being given his parcel. He is good at opening the parcel too!

 

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I am signing out now. Good night everyone and I'll see you all tomorrow.