santas Challenge 2016... Gifts, chat, challenges

I'll take a look at this month's challenges soon. So far am in full on beating mode. I've cleaned out so much junk it's amazing. I usually love tidying and organising, but even more so now. Getting the gardens done, but can only manage small bits at a time and not meant to be digging or lifting or anything heavy.
Managed to sort out 8 huge bags of clothes and 3 bags of shoes for the charity shops, and still a wardrobe to go through! Got some shelves up in the bedroom for a bit more storage room and bookshelves in a different bedroom. Feel like I'm getting somewhere.

I've given in my papers for maternity leave. So I get my year away from there. Amazing! But getting a little longer as my husband is in hospital in mid July for quite a big op and I'll have to have a few weeks looking after him while he's recouperating, that's a few weeks before I'm due. So he will hopefully be back on his feet in time.

I've stocked up on wool, craft bits and bobs and even supplies to have a bash at soap and lip balm making. Wanted to try it for ages. And seeing as I'll have plenty time at home before this little one comes along, I figured it was a good time to try.
I also seek to have bought so much more shopping than usual. Stockpiling so when it's not as easy to get out to the shops there is plenty in.

crazy-cat-lady wrote: »

Ooh Katiehound, very nice. Long cruise. Who with and where? This is the first year in ages we hadn't done one. Had a normal fly and stay in Hawaii instead. I'm torturing myself. I keep seeing some great cruises with Princess or Celebrity for next year, but it's just not possible! I have withdrawal symptoms.

Fred.Olsen- appeals to the older generation!! smaller real ships and lovely lovely crew!

Thought about cruise to islands of Indian Ocean (first cruise of this sold out in 10 hours apparently) but 2 long haul flights and expensive for single.

Then spotted another cruise-Oct 2017- the one where ship sails out to be based in Indian Ocean, so ex Liverpool thro Med, Suez canal and into Indian Ocean but only for few days. However 19 days longer than one above and turns out to be £2 cheaper!! I can pysche myself up to do just one long haul (back to Man) and that will be after a holiday.
I always take frequent flyer nasal spray because that seems to help keep recycled bugs in air con at bay!

Yes this was a treat to overcome operation fever! (and to make up for the cruise to Caribbean that I cancelled for this year and which was just too too expensive to transfer to 2017- about double the cost of one above! Don't plan to buy part of ship!)

Hope all are well.
It's half term here but I'm full of cold so don't feel like doing much, I've bought some plants at the boot this morning so hoping to get them in later and will do some knitting as I have hedgehogs to finish.

Have an enjoyable bank holiday all.

Still trying to get my head around the knee op- now a week today.
An older friend said today wasn't I going into a nursing home after ???!! that's because my stairs are very very steep and narrow. No, my plan is to live downstairs for 3 weeks and cadge showers from willing neighbours who have down stair walk in showers (diminishing offers!!) My drop end settee turns into a bed and I have a downstairs loo.

Today loaded the car with duvets between the showers- well over 20. Meeting a contact tomorrow in Grimsby (met her when she was fundraising at car boot 10 days ago) and she is taking them for holding kennels here and for kennels for street dogs in Romania. She is thrilled and we are pleased that they are a) not going to landfil and b) have a worthy home. Looks as if there's at least another 50? duvets left in the garage!

Great bargains at car boot last w/e: 3x D duvet covers, 2xS duvet covers, 2 x S sheets, 3 x p/cases, 1 pr full width mid length poly cotton curtains. The lot? £1.20. This past sunday S duvet covers @ 50 pence each. Stocking up for the non driving summer.
I also got a load of books, one of the last stalls was packing up- all books 10pence- my kind of price! I think one of the titles was RRP £20 - nice pressie.

Trying to get items out of the house that can go, a friend's birthday late July- her present wrapped and delivered- cost me £8.10, full price £40+$35!! I really love the challenge....... if she doesn't like anything then it can be moved on, that's the rule.
Hope to get some duvets sewn and delivered to village PO but I really need to attack the house- hate doing that- I like to create, including creating mess!!!
2 big bags of shoebox goodies now and 1 big bag of Christmas / birthday presents sorted- to store!
After some lunch start attacking more paperwork to be shredded , filed or binned!

Re car. My garage is really lady driver/ owner friendly. They service and MOT my car and fix any problem too. I just pop in when I am going on a long journey and ask them to check it all, every-so-often i then appear with a large box of biscuits or 8 x beers.
I did learn to change a tyre, wrenched my wrist badly and had to have an operation! so not going there. (That was my first car, Renault 10 when I was ? 23?)