Not mentioning the T word at all

katieowl_2

mmmsnow wrote: »

"Why?" I asked her, "Why would an atheist and a Buddhist have a Christmas tree?"

I probably shouldn't say it but that actually made me smile really hard (and I can't even think of an answer)

Kate

Aesop

SDG31000 wrote: »

I'm still at the just about able to knit one purl one stage and I'm trying to turn a rectangle of knitting into an owl. I did try to find a pattern, but failed and am going from this pic. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Tooley-Owl-toy-knitting-pattern-easy-beginners-/120743449430

http://knittedtoybox.blogspot.com/2009/09/owlies.html

any good?

or

http://www.classiceliteyarns.com/pdf/LOwell.pdf

rachbc

mmmsnow wrote: »

Argh, Christmas.

<begin rant>

I'm having my parents over (cooking Christmas dinner for the first time this year!) and my mum's already moaning about the fact that I'm not putting up a Christmas tree. "Why?" I asked her, "Why would an atheist and a Buddhist have a Christmas tree?" This was followed by the inevitable "because it's nice". Then (and this makes my blood boil) she says, "You can both come over to us, WE'LL have a tree." When I said "no", she then decided it would be best for us to go out for a meal.

Now, after much grumbling, my parents are definitely coming to mine and, what's more, they aren't bothering with a tree. Sometimes I think my mother likes this strange, low-level drama she creates. I'm a little hurt that every invitation to come to our flat is met with, "Oh, you should come to us, instead." :mad:

I can cook and I do keep a clean house so I don't understand what the problem is!

</end rant>

Glad to get that off my chest.:D

I asked my parents if they wanted to come to us - their response? Well we'll see if your brother wants to come to ours for christmas and if not we'll come to you....???? Erm your ok thanks we'd rather not be someone's second choice! You were only too happy to invite yourselves 2 year ago when we had already said we wanted our first ever christmas just with the kids...

JIL

rachbc wrote: »

I asked my parents if they wanted to come to us - their response? Well we'll see if your brother wants to come to ours for christmas and if not we'll come to you....???? Erm your ok thanks we'd rather not be someone's second choice! You were only too happy to invite yourselves 2 year ago when we had already said we wanted our first ever christmas just with the kids...

My mother says daughters should go to their parents and sons should go with their wives. So she expects me to go to her house every year but my brothers are let off the hook.

VJsmum

Families, eh? Christmas brings out the worst in em that's fo sho.

We are having MIL for the third year in a row - not sure what we did to deserve that! Bonus of SIL and niece and nephew so hopefully that will keep MIL occupied. She said one year that we were taking so long to open presents it would take all day - she didn't quite see that that was the point! And another year had OH picking up leaves outside the front - as he didn't have anything else to do :rotfl:

GreyQueen

JIL wrote: »

My mother says daughters should go to their parents and sons should go with their wives. So she expects me to go to her house every year but my brothers are let off the hook.

Ah, the fun and games of the season of goodwill. I can quite see why some people leave the country for a break somewhere warm and preferably not-observant-of-Christmas.

One young woman I know (early twenties) is beyond exasperated with her divorced parents. They split when she was a child and she sees both of them and gets on with both of them - until Xmas. They both demand her presence at their respective Christmasses and, whichever one doesn't get her, sulks and gives her grief for the other 364 days of the year.

Poor girl cannot win; an equitable turn-and-turn about, one year with Mum and one with Dad, isn't acceptable. Splitting the day, or days, between their households isn't acceptable. It's all or nothing.

Her reaction? Utter disgust. She's told them she won't spend Xmas with either as she refuses to be made a chew-toy in their ongoing issues and she'll visit at less-fraught times of year and they can each do their own thing. Can't say as I blame her. She spends her Christmasses with friends.

Mum remarked last weekend that she thinks there is "less fuss" being made over Christmas this year, meaning less hoo-haw in the shops and the media. Of course, there's still plenty of time for fuss to happen but I sort-of feel that it's a bit more low-key. I guess with so many of us squinting at the utility bills and food prices, trying to whip up a shopping frenzy is going to be difficult.

If any retailers are expecting a haemorrhage of cash from the GQ household, they are going to be sorely-disappointed. Pressies are mostly bought, there is giftwrap and cards from other years. It was a drip-drip throughout the year, so they've seen it and counted it already.

Well, yesterday was a gloriously sunny day here in PC - I could see it from the office window - but a hour's drive away the parental home was blanketed in heavy fog all day. Today we have the Grey Miseries again. I don't suffer from SAD, thank goodness, but this weather is enough to make anyone feel like a troglodyte, esp after the clocks change and there's nothing left after the workday.

Hokay, time for some more tea before getting dressed. Gonna hit the Magic Greengrocer after w*rk and trawl the c.s in that part of the city on the way back home. Gotta keep hunting for that totally unworn pair of Ecco shoes in my size which someone is sure to discard any day..............now!

Have a good day and here's hoping your paths are strewn with yellow label bargains........and stray coins are found in pockets.

Love and peas, GQ x

greent

Morning all!

I have to make cakes today for 2 school cake sales in aid of C-i-N tomorrow. One child has requested fridge cake - I have no digestives nor rich tea biscuits but have an abundance of aldi choc chip cookies - do you think I can make it with these instead? I'm guessing it'd work, but thought I'd best check in case anyone knows of a reason why it wouldn't... I don't want to go and buy biscuits because a- I've already got stuff in and b - there is NO way that'd be all that I'd buy! :D;)

SDG31000

Thank you very much for the patterns Aesop. If the one I'm attempting doesn't work I will give them a go.
greent I can't see any reason why choc chip cookies wouldn't work. I think plain biscuits are generally used because they break easier and the amount of other stuff going on in the recipe. You could always make a mini one to try it out. Bonus is you get to eat that one

Thankfully DS1's wrist feels much better this morning and he has gone off to College. The house is mine again. I just wish they would all take their mess with them when they leave. I have a bin bag of papers that need shredding in the living room, a pile of letters that need to go to my old neighbour's care home on the sofa and all the washing up from last night awaiting me in the kitchen. The washing up is normally DS1's job, but he had a good excuse for not doing it last night.
I'm trying to find the will to get my bottom in gear and do something useful. I need to go shopping as I'm out of Earl Grey tea and caster sugar, and have baking to do. To be honest I can't be ar**d to do anything. It's cold and grey and miserable and I haven't slept properly for 4 nights.
I might give a friend a call and see if they fancy a walk down to the Co-op with me.
Sorry for the whining. I need an IV of festive spirit or failing that.........vodka.
Here's hoping the Blue Chicken of Happiness lands on your shoulder xxx

Gigervamp

Greent, my nan used to buy a bag of broken biscuits to make fridge cake and that would have all sorts of different types of biscuits, so choc chip cookies should be fine.

Lovely and bright here this morning although the sunshine is glowing through a veil of mist.

D&DD

Woohoo I have a whole day at home today *apart from the fact its OH's day off [STRIKE]and he's under my feet already[/STRIKE] *
so planning on some more dinners for the freezer today,am wondering how the hell I'm going to jemmy a pigeon in there tho let alone a turkey :rotfl:

Will be back later to finally catch up on everyones news properly hope everyone has a great day
XX