*The Holly and the Ivy* and the You Know What 2013 Chatter Thread.

noodles86

Happy Birthday OMO :j

The mini black tower wine & popcorn were both from Home Bargains (popcorn is also 4 for £1 with sweet, salted or butter).

Nitnurse I will take a pic monday for you & post, though it will be rough looking! I also managed to get 7 full size mars for £2 and 7 freddos for 95p so just mini santas now - which I don't think I'll get in May! Though I did get candy canes so I suppose you never know!

FeistyFidget

MrsInvisible big hugs my lovely xxx I hope you have a bloody amazing good time in the land of Oz

Sugarspun feel better soon my lovely xxx

Noodles looking forward to the photo's, I am very curious too

Well I have been rather naughty today - was supposed to take things easy today BUT since everything kicked off with DH my OCD cleaning as gotten a bit out of hand Have spent the day bleaching and scrubbing the balcony (bloody dogs) and cleaning the flat. The fact that I cleaned the flat yesterday has not escaped my notice, but any mess, dog hair or dust is making me feel anxious Washing machine is currently doing a cycle with vinegar and soda crystals. Plus I have about 20 hours of mandatory online courses (joys of being a dental nurse) that need doing by July and I was supposed to start them today!

The first of my very items arrived today - I didn't order until about 4pm yesterday, so very impressed

mrsinvisible

feisty, ocd is no joke, but if it were I'd be inviting you up to mine for a few weeks! I hope it calms down and you can relax a bit. As for the online dental nursing courses, little and often, and lots of rewards. I am so pleased that mr feisty is home, maybe keeping an eye on you. and reining you in!
My dgs came up this morning with his dad, because it was raining he decided to go out on his bike..... there is a huge puddle in the turning circle outside, so he was riding round and round into the puddle and out the rain in torrents so when he came in he was dripping, but it made me smile that with all the technology they have, it was something as simple as the exhariliation of getting [EMAIL="bl@@dy"]bl@@dy[/EMAIL] wet through that made his day. His coat is on one radiator, trainers on another and the rest of his things in the wash, happy days.

freespirit66

:bdaycake:HAPPY BIRTHDAY DISABLED-NCIS-FAN :bdaycake:

NANAMIA aah you say such nice things, it cheers me up no end even when i am being a misery :rotfl:it went through DD2 office like nobodys business, 12 all in one day, luckily i havent had it bad, DD1 is avoiding us at all costs as she has a nail course booked in london all next week, but i did manage to get out for a nice walk with the dog and DD1 today, it blew some cobwebs away.

Hope everyone had a good day today,

caitlyn22

Sorry to miss birthdays - hope those of you who have had birthdays have celebrated and been celebrated!

Have been trying to get going with a bit of Christmas shopping online but really struggling for ideas this year. Most importantly my sister has recently announced she and her husband intend to move to Australia, so they're going through the process now. Genuinely devastated, she's the only family I have and I can't imagine the kids growing up and only seeing them once a year. Know that some of you are going through this so will appreciate that I'm trying my absolute best to be happy for them, at the same time as feeling very sad! It's come at a really difficult time too, I'd just got to a point where I felt I might be able to look for a job elsewhere in the UK - and having made applications, now have an interview for a job that would effectively double my salary, but now I can't possibly imagine leaving my mum alone. Previously I was worried but thinking I'd only be a few hours away and my sister would be close by in case of emergency, but without that, I think I would just feel horribly guilty. My sister thinks my mum wouldn't have hesitated to leave us (partly true, but not entirely unconnected to her mental health issues) but I don't feel that way. OH has just got a promotion so staying around here wouldn't be the end of the world, I'm lucky enough to enjoy my job, it's just frustrating knowing if I lived elsewhere I'd earn far more doing the same thing. On the flip-side, living in the North East is cheaper so trying to think that it probably all evens out! My sister is wonderful but so self-involved and is convinced we'll follow them out there and has said as much!

So back to Christmas - not knowing if they'll be here or if I'll be posting things is making shopping tricky! I'm like you mrsinvisible, already wish I had more people to buy for. Plus it's that time of year when all the Father's Day gifts are out, makes me so sad to not have my dad around to celebrate with. I am very lucky to have OH though, plus it's my birthday this week so we have a few fun things planned.

Feisty, so pleased OH is back but know exactly what you mean, my OCD cleaning has been in overdrive today too! OH jokes that you could literally wind me up and watch me go! My cleaning is directly linked to my stress levels and is clearly about me exercising some control over SOMETHING, when all else is spinning out of my control!

Anyway, I'm around and always reading, so even if I'm not posting, know you're all in my thoughts - and I'm on the hunt for the One Direction single!

Nanamia

Freespirit glad you managed to get out today ventured away from the loo! Don't kno if its just me but think there has been an awful lot of this type of bug around this year yuk. DD1 will come home all enthusiastic and dying to practice, you should get a few manicures My DD is at the end of her beauty therapy course ( she has a 2.1 from Liverpool but hasn't used it since! ) so whilst she home with DGD2 she's been doing beauty therapy! Think she just enjoys being a student really. However my nails are looking much better than they've ever done, this week she's waxing my legs - the things she has me doing ha. She's threatening to tint my eyelashes too. Unfortunately I'm not at all girlie so it's wasted on me. xxx
I've been to see my friend (poorly one) and was having a good chat and giggle but had been a couple of hours so felt a little guilty DH was home alone, came home to be forced to watch the Eurovision aarrrghh. Should have stayed where I was. Night night xxx

Nanamia

Caitlyn sending huge hugs xxx

Nanamia

Yesterday's effort

mrsinvisible

Nanamia that cake is gorgeous,
Caitlyn, horror, family going to live abroad, know well the effort of being pleased for them while your heart is breaking, hugs to you.
This poor summer continues, my greenhouse is still full of things that should have had their feet firmly planted in the earth weeks ago, you can see their distress, hopefully not for much longer.
My laptop has 'died' so a lovely friend has lent me theirs so that I don't miss my skype grandnibs fix, so hugs to lovely friends. (I offered to make a cake as a thank you, but the panic in the eyes told me 'no'). you've got to laugh, even the birds are wary of the crumbs I put out. xx

FeistyFidget

Mrsinvisible your cake comment above made me chuckle I am far from diagnosed OCD, but as Caitlynn said when I feel that my whole world is out of control, having control over cleaning seems to help (although am beginning to think it may actually be a hindrance)

Nanamia gorgeous cake as always

Caitlynn I'm so sorry hun It does seem a bit selfish of your sister leaving the care of your mum completely to you I think your plan of concentrating about the positives of staying put is a good thing I would work on the premise that they will be here for Christmas and buy for that, if not just give them early to take with?

Well after promising myself a laid back day (have been saying that since DH got out) it didn't happen After running around like a hurricane delivering orders, visiting Nan, working, cleaning and fetching for DH I have crashed Headache and so tired I feel like I am going to collapse. 19 hours to go on the courses front, but have to fork out £50 for the privilege of doing them