The OS Doorstep - a helpful and supportive thread in these tough times

kidcat

Sheila I am so glad you managed to post, I hope you are feeling better soon

MrsVP its lovely to have you posting again

We have had a quiet day, very late breakfast followed by a general tidy up, whilst I got the ironing done and then the packing. I popped out at 5pm to fill up with diesel (I am loving the lower fuel prices currently) and did a quick whoopsy shop.
Takeaway leftovers for dinner tonight, and I have managed to get fully packed, except for toiletries, I have even loaded most of the car. There is just the suitcase to go in tomorrow morning but I figured it would look obvious if we put a suitcase in the car tonight.

ivyleaf

So glad to hear from you Sheila, thanks for managing to post. Take it easy and get well soon. We were very worried about you. xx

Welcome back Mrs Veg Plot :hello:

Saving Queen You mentioned shortbread.....for us, this has been the "Shortbread Christmas". It all started a few weeks ago when DD2 got locked out (her DH had forgotten to take his key out of the inside lock) and her Dad managed to open the door for her. To say thank you, she gave him a tin of shortbread which had been intended as one of his Christmas presents. We already had a box of shortbread in our stash at home, but that was fine.

Come Christmas Day, we go to DD2's in the morning to exchange presents. One of their presents to DH is a box of shortbread "To replace the one I've already given you" DD2 explained.

Then we head round to DD1's for lunch and presents. Grandson's lovely girlfriend is squealing excitedly "Open ours first, open ours first!" so we do. It's a big box of shortbread.

Good thing we like it....

kidcat Somehow I managed to miss the fact that you are going away! Hope all goes well x

savingqueen

Have a lovely time kidcat, you sound very organised!

Hello again Mrs Vegplot, don't worry about keeping up, we are just happy to have you. I am planning to start baking bread again, maybe from the weekend.

Great to hear from you Sheila, we were worried. Keep on doing all the right things and you will feel better more quickly.

Ivyleaf, you lucky thing! The shortbread I had was just a little pack (ordinary biscuit type pack) from All-deeees and was lovely and buttery. Could eat those all day. DH and I have been trying to eat up all the goodies so we can start our healthy eating plan asap.... I know, I know. I opened the stollen today but there is still loads left eeek. Still most of the Xmas biccies are gone - kids can have the last box, all mince pies went days ago, Xmas pud finished so we are getting there. Still have a fair amount of choccies left as well despite our best efforts! DH and I don't get many Xmas gifts (sometimes none at all) but this year we got sweet treats from a couple of friends/work colleague/grateful student and then our boys used some of their saved money as well to buy a ton of chocolate for us.

My cold is going but my back is playing up, being careful so hopefully back to normal soon (no pun intended!) Poor DH's shoulder is really bad today and his back also so we are a fine pair. I am keen to get on with plans for the coming year but until I am fighting fit and kids and DH back at school/work, things are a bit in limbo. I need to concentrate on some back to school things and get the tree, decs and cards down amongst other bits from my list for Fri-Sun. Have made a meal plan for next few days.

Softstuff

Get well soon Sheila.

Nursemaggie, you just decided for me what we'll have for tea tomorrow - chicken korma!

We had a lovely tin of reduced almond shortbread this year, very buttery and light. Only thing was, it was all covered in icing and the tin lid was very tight. Every time you opened it you got a *PUFF* and you were "antiqued".

We celebrated new years a night late apparently. After beer and some fortified shiraz I had my husband dancing round the front room singing "Danke Schon" and waving ferrero rocher. In his pyjamas. It was quite the treat (he doesn't generally drink).

We're setting to on big plans today, making some appointments for house viewings and so forth. If we do get a house, the next plan is how to make the extra space pay. Could be quite an interesting journey all round.

burtha

Glad you posted Sheila ,hope you start to feel better soon

Kidcat I to missed your post as to where your going ,but I hope it all goes to plan and you have fun

Hi to Mrs veg plot :hello:

Soft stuff ,enjoy planning and viewing ,exciting stuff

Its blowing a gale here ,the trampoline has moved at least 10f across our patio :eek: ,let's just hope that we don't lose any trees .
So need to go to bed but still wide awake ,work tomorrow but at least I will finish before 3 ,dh also working tomorrow , both of us will be off on Saturday :T:T first day of dh has had in about 3 weeks , hope he can watch D's football match in the morning ,then we will spend the day cutting ,sorting and moving logs ,all free of course just hard labour:D

Hope to get the tree down tomorrow night ,my see if it will fit in a wheelie bin bag ,then can just unwrap it next year .....

mcculloch29

Hi all, well... here we are! Made it through another year and Mr Nutty's good fortune gives me some hope that things will be well for others. What good news, shame about the missed mini break but what a trade-off.

Musician friends of mine always have open house at New Year, I popped a snippet of video on my FB page for those of you who have me as a friend. It was a lovely evening, I drank very little (painkillers) but enjoyed a killer chilli and wonderful company. I also was given two books by Alan Alda as I share a M.A.S.H. obsession with the father and YS of the house.
My 4ft tree comes down on 12th Night, once all decs are off it goes into a giant bin bag in one piece. I remember than it originally came in quite a slim box that required much tree dismantling. Fitting the feet on the stand was always a total PITA so they have stayed in place for the last 20 years. Not pulling it apart and jamming it together is probably what has kept it one piece with bits unbroken for so long.

shanks77

sheila glad to see you posting. Look after yourself xx
Kidcat have a lovely break
Mrs VPlovely to see you posting again

Pooky

Kidkat - Have a lovely time.

Mrs VP - lovely to see you back.

I wish my tree would fit in the loft without being dismantled! It's 7ft tall and nearly as wide though so not a hope. I swear there will be no tree left as every time it comes and and goes back away it sheds so much. I'll be hoovering up the bits for weeks. We brought that tree for our first Christmas together in 2000. It cost £200 - so so far it's averaging out at just over £13 per years usage. Not to bad really.

All my decs are down and the majority are back in the loft - just another couple of boxes sitting on the landing waiting for an energy spurt....might be a while!

DD1 didn't get in until gone midnight and the kittens woke me at 2am, 4am and 5.30am....in between times DD1 was coughing, DD2 got up twice for a wee and DH was laying in a silly position and his CPAP machine was making silly noises. I could have quite easily left home this morning. I shall no doubt have a 5 minute eye rest this afternoon to make up for it.

A friend phoned and asked if I fancied a day of sales shopping with her.....much as I'd love to spend the day with her, the idea of traipsing round shops isn't my idea of fun. There's nothing I need and I can be far more productive at home. I did suggest we go for a walk along the beach but she "needs" to go spend her Christmas money. I need more friends that just want to walk on the beach and drink tea from a flask!!

Right - off to drink more tea and avoid the call of the biscuit tin.

ginnyknit

Oh Pooky I would happily be your walking on the beach friend. Its funny we were just saying this morning how long it is since we went to Morecambe to recharge our batteries for the day - not quite as warm as where you are but works well.

Going to turn up my £3 brand new velvet curtains for Ohs room - thank you Cs :T and make spare cover for Dgs's big orange cushion as he tends to get it grubby quickly. He invited himself over last night - Mummy 'what do you want for tea ?' Dgs 'grandma!' After his bath we lay on his bed watching Cbeebies and I was dozing then he stroked my face like I do his when he is nearly asleep - very high cuteness factor at the moment, he woke his Mummy with kiss yesterday.

Must go and dig something out of the freezer for a warming potato pie as its chilly here. Note to self - buy red cabbage to go with the gallons of vinegar!

Possession

Lovely sunny day here, just a bit of a chilly wind. Have got the chest freezer ready for sale, put oven cleany stuff in the oven, and DH has gone to get his hair cut. So feels quite productive so far. We have another mystery shopping lunch at a local pub which feels very luxurious, 2 in a week! DH starts work again on Monday so we're trying to make the most of it.