* It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year * - It's the 2016 Christmas Chatter Thread

Gettingtherequickly

I think I am back:D

Amazing how busy you are when you get back from holidays, not had time to spend any reasonable time here, so hopefully, I am going to cover everything, if not, blame it on on my age!

Chrissy - Well done to DD

Free - Hope you feeling better

Fiesty - What a cutie, hope hubs feeling a bit better

Mrs R - Great shopping

Peppa - Nearly there!

Nic - 18 mths for a kitchen, they have the wrong builders in! Company I work for recently won an award for a new build, the whole house didn't take that long!

Anyway, holiday was fab. Had the opportunity to upgrade to business, not flown that way before, but saving up for next one. It was bliss not having to queue to check in, extra baggage allowance (increased from 2 x 23kg to 2 x 32kg, which save alot of hassle:rotfl:) Taxing down runway at Heathrow, looked up and realised that I was in the wrong seat, only 4 seats across the cabin, as I was the only one in the row, don't think it was that much of an issue:D. On arrival in Cairo, I was fast tracked through passport control, but then we had the luggage delay to deal with. Was ridiculous, 3 flights in together, looked as if there was 1 set of baggage handlers and a few cases from one flight onto carousel, then the next one etc. Eventually got out, they had arranged for a cab to meet me, going to do that in future, came out of airport at 5:30am & was in Alexandria at 7:45 for the bargain cost of about £40stg, cost me more than that to go to Heathrow and that is an hour.

We went out for breakfast and had a major crisis, little fella lost a tooth! Temp was about 33 but so humid, it was unbearable, Cairo was 40, but without the humidity so was much more pleasant. Kids loved everything they got, but were so disappointed that they could not tear into the cases immediately, hated getting something every day:rotfl: They are really good kids, like all they want every thing but accept it if they are not getting what they want. Salma was very disappointed at not getting her Princess Lego. I have no idea how she spotted it in the case, but as it is for her birthday next month, it was taken out while she was not there and put away, so she was very confused by the time the cases were emptied.

They are members of a club which does sports etc has restaurants so I generally go there a couple of times with them. Was refused entry! I thought it was hilarious, had to sit outside a cafe outside the club and read my kindle, was only refused entry once before and that was shortly after the revolution in 2011, which I could understand.

Then you come & have to deal with work:( Been so busy since I came, not had time to think. Also had to go & see the mum the charity I am involved in is helping. Has had her benefits stopped, because she has not told them her new address, they have actually written to her to tell her that, go figure! Dealing with all of that, but not what she needs when she has an ill child & school will be starting in a couple of weeks. We will get things sorted for her, she is so grateful for our help that we don't mind going the extra mile. The treasurer resigned a few months ago but our new treasurer trying to get the paperwork was like trying to get blood out of a stone, not helped by the fact that the area scheme kept telling us there was a large discrepancy in the finances. So the new treasurer & I spent 7 hours on Sat trying to get it sorted, it now agrees to the penny, but audit should have picked it up 2 years ago. Have also been roped into making a 10" Christmas cake to be raffled so that we can raise funds. So in addition to the 5 I needed to make BH weekend, I now have an extra !:eek:

But the following weekend, using my DB Christmas present from last year, friend & I off for a spa day on the Friday, National Trust place the next day & home Saturday evening, so something to look forward to:)

Hope I haven't bored you all to sleep now:D

freespirit66

Evening everyone, we keep saying we need to go to Ikea for new plates, glasses etc then DD1 suddenly remembered she had a load of stuff in the loft that she had collected for her bottom drawer years ago, she went up and we got it all down, haha it was like we had been to ikea i now have a new dinner set, glasses, can opener, oven trays, oven gloves and tea towels plus the obligatory ikea plastic tubs.

CHRISSYG that will be a lovely surprise for DD

VULPIX i think that is all of us who have completed our UFOs then as MURIE made her table runners too.
Oh no you must be worried sick about your mum, i hope it isnt anything too bad and that she gets checked quickly. She might listen to the optician if they think she should go to the doctors. Your hamper makes sound lovely

GETTINGTHEREQUICKLY aww your holiday sounds fab, DD1 fell in love with Egypt and would love to go again. Why were you not allowed into the club? Your christmas cakes must be legendary seen as you get so many orders

murie

Vulpix- where do you get your energy from?? Cutting slabs, laying patio, building stone walls?! (I'll have what she's having please waiter!). I stand in awe of you (but don't overdo it) x I can understand how worried you are about your mom, she's probably very scared but hopefully the optician can refer her to the GP so the decision is taken out of her hands. Worrying times but hopefully nothing serious. I too keep thinking about making jams etc for hampers- I had a chilli jam recipe of Nigellas that was gorgeous so might make some of that- I might even put some edible red glitter in to make it festive!


GTQ- sounds like you had a fab time, bloomin hot though! Good job you had your kindle on you when you had to sit outside at the caf! . Sounds like you have your hands full now you are back too.


Chrissy- did you get the price through for the ornament? Hopefully it was a reasonable one.


Pinksteps- how is Teddy today?


Free-bet it was like Christmas with all the new stuff?! I have a confession- I have only ever been to Ikea once!! Shame on me I know!


Have a lovely day everyone x

vulpix

GTQ sounds like you had a fabulous trip.Who did you go to visit? Is it your son/daughter?Nosy I know but I like to get these things straight in my mind!

Murie,do not be in awe,it is not a pretty process.Very,very slow as I sit on the ground to do most of my building work.Got to shift a ton of stone today so the concrete is free for tomorrow. This stone will be dizzy,it has been moved twice already.The garden has a tall fence on top of a stone wall and the footings for the fence posts are enormous.I need to cut them all down so i can then build a retaining wall to fill with soil to make a flower bed.Will take some photos today.

I have also snitched on my Mum to the opticians when I made the appointment.Told them whats happening,so hopefully she will take notice of him when he tells her that she needs to see her GP.

Oh yes chilli jam.I made some last year but it didn't set too well.Tasted good though.Made some strawberry jam the other day.Nothing better than homemade jam.

Vx

Cherry24

Hi Everyone,

I nip in here year after year. Glad to see the Christmas threads are still going strong. I wondered if anyone could help me. I wanted to get my nephews a lego tray each this year. They sell them on etsy but since they are all in America, the postage is astronomical. To give you an idea of what I mean, here is a link:
Etsy Lego Tray
I considered making my own like this Lego Tray DIY but I know mine wouldn't look as good esp the personalisation bit. Has anyone seen them for sale anywhere else?

Edit: I've worked it out. Have found some cheap trays on ebay, OH says he will cut down base boards for me with his saw and I'm going to do the names with vinyl stickers.

Peppapig

VULPIX good on you snitching on your mum, if she's anything like mine she'll take more notice of a professional even when it's blindingly obvious that what us humble family members are saying is right! Hope your stone shifting goes ok, pics of the garden would be lovely. Don't duff yourself by working too hard though.

MURIE I do enjoy a mooch round IKEA. I don't often buy anything (other than their scented tea lights which are lovely) but we've got one quite close to us now so it's easy to visit. I find they're really good for giving ideas of how to use a small space well. Mind you I could do without the people wandering round lost, not following the arrows and getting in my way!

FREE that was great DD remembering her 'bottom drawer' in the loft, new crockery and no cost is a fab result. Well done on finishing the bunting. Hope your fibro is braving itself!

GTQ sounds like you had a great time even if you were persona non grata at the club. Did you look a bit shifty lol?

CHRISSY well done on finding the Jurassic Park ornament, hope the price is within budget. DD will be amazed.

SPENDLESS congratulations on the new job! Hope it turns out to be permanent and you really enjoy it.

No chemo again today, had a phone call at nine this morning. platelets are ok but neutrophils are down this time. Disappointed doesn't really cover it. Bloods 09:00 next Tuesday and then if all ok chemo 14:00 same day. They say there isn't anything I can do to help things so I think I'll just have to give my body a good talking to.

princesskitty29

Hi all, it's been so long! I hate being away for so long but life just gets in the way sometimes! I haven't caught up yet so sorry if i've missed anything, I just wanted to say hi. Hope you're all well and hugs to anyone that needs them. I'm off to read back now! x

System

[QUOTE=murie;


Chrissy- did you get the price through for the ornament? Hopefully it was a reasonable one.


Just had word they are £21 delivered which is great , although i will have to order it very early tomorrow as she keeps flitting about and is very nosey !

girlinayellowdress

murie wrote: »

Pinksteps- how is Teddy

Hi, very much better today thanks. For those not on IG she was a very poorly dog on Friday night/Saturday morning and a trip to the vets showed she had gastroenteritis. She had lost a lot of blood very quickly in a short time but after 3 injections and lots of stomach tablets and antibiotics she is nearly back to herself, naughty as ever. The vet seems to think she had picked it up from the seagulls here (forever pooping in the garden). But over the worse thank you all for asking and I'll put a pic on IG to show how she is today.

Oh Peppa, those FB groups, so many pretty things. I only bought one item so far but was looking at a skirt and DS said "you have over twenty", good job he has not looked in the other wardrobe with my dresses and bags :rotfl:

girlinayellowdress

Oh I meant to ask, this will be a long shot but last year Ruth_honey posted a lovely cross stitch of Meg and Mog that she had made for Halloween. It was on bright orange aida and I was wondering if anyone had the chart. Not sure if it was in a magazine but I've really been wanting to make it.