Apple muncher's number crunching

apple_muncher

Up rather early as the chap who is the caretaker at dd's school rang dh at...5.43am. He has a sickness bug and cannot get out of bed, poor chap, so dh woke up very quickly and has gone to open up the school before gtting back here as soon after 7 as possible so that I can go to work myself. A few more pennies in the payslip.

Dd's nativity was beautiful yesterday. She opted out of being wise man 3 and chose to be a sheep instead. Nowt if not flexible, eh?

Still v few cmas decs up, but we have cracked on with wrapping stuff up - all dh's kids + partners/spouses, my work colleagues. I cannot have spent more than... oooh... £4.20 on 3 colleagues/friends. Go me! And they have a few hanging tree decs added in, to reduce my stash a little...

I have found items for my niece, BIL and mum, but am really struggling to come up with ideas for big sis. Everything I think of seems frivolous or 'just not right'. I think the ideal gift would be a little light to put at the end of the tunnel, but I can't guarantee that for her anytime soon.

In knitting news, I have completed one sock for dd - brilliant pattern - and am on the collar of her cardigan, which needs about 12 more rows, and then I can do the pockets and buttons. Ooooh, it may yet be finished by the 25th...

Am fully coffeed-up, now I need to get up, get dressed and go!

greent

For sis - A Gr0up0n (or similar) voucher for a pamper session/ afternoon tea to be used later in the year? x

apple_muncher

Lovely idea, greent - thank you.

Another early wake up as dh is opening the school up again - this time it was planned though, no surprise phone call.

Had trouble getting to sleep last night as I'd been reading the thread about low cost Christmas ideas, and my brain was whirring round with a list of who I hadn;t yet got a present for, and what to make them!

I did manage to make some decisions: neighbours will get a felt tree decoration of their initial, plus a chocolate 'slab' wrapped in cellophane using the letter as a label for it (they were going to get brownies, but I think this may be easier...).And the SLT at dd's school need something - was thinking gingerbread men/trees/stars wrapped in cellophane. I may also include some for big sis + co.

apple_muncher

Big fail on making shortbread - had to make a second batch. D'oh. Gingerbread men became gingerbread biscuits as the dough became really crumbly. So much for my idea of an artistic stack of stars...

I have wrapped up some of my craft makes for other colleagues or their kiddies and almost decided what to give dd's head + deputy. Dd has finished 2 more bracelets, so just 1 left to do.

The collar on dd's cardigan is finally finished. Dd has chosen buttons, which obviously need sewing on, and I need to insert the arms and then do the pockets. Her 2nd sock has a back and sole, so may be finished quite soon...

Big sis has given me some jobs to do tomorrow. Dh has to open up the school again (poor chap, he is so tired as the extra work at the school was on top of 2 already full and busy days) but has agreed to set his alarm to a time starting with a 6 instead of a 5.

Tomorrow involves doing what big sis told me to do; school runs; watching dd's performance; food shopping; knitting; sewing up letters, an owl and a cardigan.

earthgirl

Wow, so busy Apple.
You do give a lot of gifts..I am just giving a wee something to Ds1's teacher, and a couple of neighbours who are so kind to us during the year. Obvously you are much kinder!

apple_muncher

I am definitely not kinder, earthgirl! I have only spent about £4 on presents for work colleagues, their gifts have come from things I had already made but which had not sold this year. I am a governor at dd's school, so I know the leadership team more than most people do, and I am sooo conscious of the extra they put in to the school, and to dd. Also, being SLT and not a class teacher, they get fewer presents and I like to give them a boost. Having failed to produce aesthetically pleasing biscuits, I may have a go at the brownies after all...

apple_muncher

I am very pleased to announce that the brownies are a success. One trayful of mixture produced 3 sizeable slabs, which are already clingfilmed up. I shall lay them on a foil-covered bit of cardboard and cellophane them prettily for the recipients. I may even make some more as I have enough ingredients...

Aldi was also a success. Having half-filled the trolley (a shallow one, mind), I realised I'd only got about 4 items off the list! However, in the end I got 52 items for £42, which I reckon is a result. And I was served by a lovely neighbour and the place was almost empty, so we had a chance to chat about our dds.

Dd's school cmas show was excellently done and a pleasure to watch. She and I have done 2 Rainb0w mag1c jigsaws since getting home.

I also got on with some parental stuff - emailed a friend with questions and got a quick reply; called a company about care fee plans/annuity things.

Did a Davina dvd as I just wanted a follow-along workout. Ooph.

Just 1 more work get-up. Happy times.

Dh has been and has his eye checked out again. He didn't need an injection in it this time - phew. He also had to open up the school this morning and, tonight, has to put away all the chairs we sat on for the production - extra hours - yay. Tomorrow he still has an early start as he has a 2 day training course, paid for by the school, but rather a long way away. He will definitely need to relax and unwind at the weekend.

earthgirl

All sound lke great progress and so lovely happy times. Good news about DHs eye.

apple_muncher

Thank you, earthgirl. We are hoping to avoid another eye op...

Forgot to mention earlier that we had a letter from the bank telling us that out offset was more than our mortgage so we might like to consider putting the money elsewhere to earn some interest on it. Food for thought, but will not ponder it until the new year - too much going on at the mo.

apple_muncher

For the record: we have paid £12,555 off the mortgage so far this year, despite dh not having a job. Not too shabby.