No T Words mentioned at all - a fresh start

hoglet121

Morning everyone :-)

Lovely to read all your news and catch up on what's been going on.

MLW - have a wonderful time, have some gluhwein for me!

FTM - eeek! that hornet sounds terrifying.

Not much going on here - the weather is truly awful. It's mywork Christmas lunch today and to think last year's we were sat outside by the harbour getting blinded by the sun and a touch burnt. I've just been blown up the street by a huge gust of wind, winter zip-up hoodie on. The poor plants are getting bashed around no end.

On the subject of plants, my first Christmas Lily bud has opened. Yay! They are such a beautiful flower, and I honestly do nothing to them at all all year round, and I get these huge, stunning blooms. I feel like quite a cheat really.... but the scent is just wonderful and the flower brightens up the garden which is looking a bit gloomy with all this wind and rain.

I said to my cousin last night that I thought we needed a wet weather option for Christmas Day - we're going to see how it goes but it could be interesting if this weather doesn't clear up soon (it's not predicited to...) after Christmas we are also going camping...... could be a wash out!

I think that's just about all my news, keep well everyone

Love to you all,

Hoglet x

flowertotmum

Evening all..

MLW..have a lovely time away..i can almost smell the christmas spirit from here...be safe..love from us all..

VJ'smum..ooh your weekend away sounds lovely..you will love it..all relaxed and no rushing around..your life is busy busy..so a nice weekend will be amazing for you and your OH..enjoy..

Hoglet..sounds like you got some of our weather..i just popped the dog our for a wee and its blowing like billyo and raining..o your lily bud sounds beautiful..i have 2 christmas cactus..from an old friend many years ago..they bloomed first week in Decmber and are still goinf..so pretty and a bright pink too..lovely colour this time of year..

Well the hornet saga is ongoing..Simon is going up in the loft tomorrow to check all area's.I really don't want them in the loft or anywhere..
right off to bed..
take care all
love
ftm

candlelight_2013

:xmastree:Hello all,

The weather is quite mild this morning. We popped into town and managed to buy chocolates i wanted from Thornton which I couldn't get last week, and then popped to see DD.

Grandson is coming for tea tonight but DGD2 isn't because she has a bug which is going around school. It is a pity becaus she will miss end of term activities.

We went to see our dear friend who had the heart attack and bypass yesterday. My goodness he looked poorly, poor man looks as though he has aged 20 years. I know it is early days yet, but it was a shock. It was good though that he could talk to Himself, who went through similar a few years ago, and I was able to convey a few words of encouragement to his Wife. She is doing wonderfully well, but I know she is really worried. As I said to her it is such a responsibility when you are thr only other person in the house, in case they take a turn for the worse. I know I felt like that when Himself came out of the hospital, and I watched him like a hawk. Anyway he is determined that his potatoes will be planted on St. Patrick's Day, and I don't doubt for one minute he will achieve it. They are having a very quiet Christmas of course, and we were the only folks they had asked to visit them, which I thought was lovely.

FTM I hope Simon didn't find any more hornets in the attic. I do know how nasty their bite is.

Hoglet I am sorry your weather is not good and hope it might improve for Christmas, wether forcasts can be wrong;)

I hope Lyn has had a safe journey and that she enjoys her trip, which I am sure she will.

Enjoy the rest of your day and take care

Much love

Candlelightx

hoglet121

Morning everyone,

Work is gathering pace in the run up to Christmas - everyone has just decided they want things before Christmas - most of which I don't have in stock and stand no chance of getting in the next few days.

Just a quick note as I have to get 8 orders out in the next hour, and prep for things going on whilst I'm on leave. I have also managed to strain my wrist which is just awful timing - obviously for work but also for cooking at Christmas!

Cousins texted last night and theiy family advent activity calender has drawn a BBQ at ours on Christmas Eve... the next few days are just going to be mental! Once I'm home from work today I'll be writing a very detailed list.

Right, I really must get on. Love to you all

Hoglet x

PS the weather is now dense fog - what is going on??!!

katep23

Hello everyone and an early Happy Christmas. Been very busy with packing and moving stuff to the new house so sorry for not being around much!

FTM, could they be european wasps? We've had some huge wasps this year and that's what we've been told they are.

VJs, what a lovely thing for your daughter to make a surprise visit! Glad she is enjoying the course and Happy Birthday to you!:bdaycake:

Hoglet, we always think things should quieten down work-wise before Christmas but it never seems to happen does it?

Candelight, hope your friend continues to improve, what a shock just before Christmas.

MrsL, I love the European Christmas markets, never been to Berlin but been to Frankfurt and Munich.

SM, I feel your pain regarding the central heating. There was no heating oil in the tank at the new house and, coupled with the fact it is damp, it was really cold there last weekend.

We should have had a delivery this week so we will find out tomorrow if the boiler works, keep your fingers crossed

Well, first couple of loads taken to the new house last week.

We've realised just how much work it needs, it really is a renovation

We'll be back there tomorrow to take more furniture and boxes - we have so much stuff it's going to take 20 - 30 trips we reckon.

Once we know if the heating works, we can decide when to actually start staying there and move the cats and ducks over.

Engineer booked for Tuesday to service the boiler so if it doesn't work hopefully they can order parts etc.

Am enjoying the warmth at our old house right now before we head over tomorrow - thank goodness for thermals is all I can say

OH is on his way home from London after a couple of after-work drinks. He has now finished until 5th January - I am working on Monday then I am off too :T

candlelight_2013

:xmastree:Kate, I know it will be hard work, but just think of the fun you will have, a place of your own.

Happy Christmas to you and yours, and keep warm.

Much love
Candlelightx

hoglet121

Morning everyone,

Well into the last 2 1/2 days of work for the year. Walked in and had forgotten how much stock arrived on Friday that I now need to sort through ugggggh. Other than that it should be realtively quiet - the roads were empty this morning!

We had a lovely weekend - DH finished for the year on Friday so I picked him up from the pub on my way home (his work go to the pub at lunchtime on the last day and have drinks and nibbles). On Friday the weather was absolutely glorious - hopefully a sign of things to come.

We were predicted rain all weekend and Saturday chucked it down. We bought some bits for Christmas dinner in the supermarket, and I took a photo of how empty it was. Having worked in supermarkets in the UK when I was much younger, I still love how there is no panic-buying, rushing round filling the trolley with all kinds of stuff here. We finished off the Christmas shopping in the mall, which was busy but not heaving or unpleasant, we've now got both our contributions to the family secret santa.

Sunday the weather turned on the sunshine again - we went to the beach fto try and catch a fish - no fish but I dug out enough clams for us to have as a starter for dinner. They were absoutely delicious - so sweet straight out of the sea.

So last push now - my boss is toying with the idea of us not opening at all on Christmas Eve but I suspect nothing will come of it, sadly!

Right, I'd better get on

Love to you all, and to those that are finihsing up for Christmas - I wish you a very merry Christmas and a happy new year.

Hoglet x

candlelight_2013

:xmastree:Hi Hoglett,

Can you send some sunshine over here please it really is quite cold.

I am much the same as you, although I am retired. Most food bought, just fresh veg and salad and bread on Tuesday. I never attempt the shops on Christmas Eve.

Christmas Eve we have to drop DD off at the hospital because she has an appointment to see her surgeon and to have xrays to see if the bone has healed in her leg. I so hope it has, she needs to have her independence back again, and that means being able to drive again. She is likely to be there for about 3 hours so she will get a taxi back, and then will phone us with the results.

I hope the sun shines all over Christmas for you and camping will be a wonderful experience.

A very merry Christmas to you and DH and much love

Candlelightx:j:xmassign:

hoglet121

Hi Candlelight,

Thank you for your very kind words. All the very best to you and your family for Christmas. I really do hope that your DD has positive news from the surgeon, that would be a wonderful Christmas present for you all.

I will do my best at sending some sunshine to you - at the moment Christmas Day is looking the most overcast, so the sun must be booked in with you that day :-)

Much love

Hoglet x

scottishminnie

Greetings all from flooded Scotland. Howling a gale and horizontal rain - not terribly festive although not terribly cold either.

Mrs LW - have a wonderful time Gluhwein even sounds delightful.

Kate - glad the move has gone well so far. Hope the heating is working ok. Ours seems to be ok now although we know there is water at the bottom of the oil tank so it will need to be drained at some point. We bought a little electric heater but they don't give out much heat. More weight to my campaign for an extension to the den to make room for a multi fuel stove or an open fire.

Candlelight - sounds like you are well organised so time to have a break!

FTM - are the girls excited yet? I think children's anticipation of Christmas is infectious. I could do with borrowing them to get me in the spirit!

AOT, HOi Polloi , VJsMum and other friends - :wave:

I must ice my Christmas cakes tomorrow night, just need to get some glycerine at lunchtime tomorrow. I seem to remember last time I had to get it from the pharmacy and I had to explain what it was for. Maybe i'll try the cook shop first. I also need to make some peppermint bark before Thursday as it's become a tradition amongst friends.

My much nurtured crop of cabbages are no more:( scoffed by 3 roe deer who seem to think my garden is their larder. The joys of living in the country I guess. I thought they were adorable when I first saw them outside the gate. Now they have been inside the garden Im not feeling so welcoming! My father suggested we should forgo turkey for christmas and have cabbage stuffed venison instead. Everyone thinks it's hilarious so I just need to get over myself. I suppose at least they won't be hungry!

Tomorrow is my last day in the office and I will work from home on Tuesday and Wednesday which means no travelling and not having to think about what to wear! That also means though that tomorrow lunchtime is last chance saloon for anything major I've forgotten about.

My sister asked me to make rhubarb gin ages ago and I told her we had eaten all the rhubarb so I couldn't however I bought some about 6 weeks ago and made it so I have been shaking up the bottle each week since. I finished it off yesterday, bottled it and packaged it up as part of her Christmas. It smelled deadly so I will report back on how it tastes. I think next year I will start earlier and experiment with perhaps some other fruits. I like the idea of raspberry vodka.

I'm off to watch TV for a while now which is a real novelty as hubby tends to hog the set in the den since it has sky. I see there is a carry on film on one of the free channels though so I'll retreat to the "posh" lounge on my own, admire my tree and fireplace garland and watch some good old fashioned humour. I may even treat myself to a G&T - what decadence!

I'll be back before Christmas - I love the serenity of this world!