The Simple Bare Necessities feat. Gratitude & Recipes

Greying_Pilgrim

Backatcha UncannyScot :wave:

Aw, starnac - thank you. Yes, you're right about the lights - BG is too wee to count as such, but recognises trees in windows, and has started pointing them out So I can see the development into counting..... and comparing............ .... :rotfl: How is you lovely? All good I hope? Your 2 'youngish' ones ready for the big day?

Well, we were up bright and early and did a teeny bit of a shop, having a lift from DH there, and then walking back. MrT was moderately busy - about the same as a normal Friday, but I'd hazard a guess folks trolleys were fuller. MrL was lovely and quiet :j And MrM was really busy - even a member of staff commented on it - and I spent the most time in there queuing, because the miserable person in front of me, hadn't the thought to let me through with my one item......... mrM hadn't really got what I wanted anyway - they didn't have the offer that mesupermercado advertised, so I wish I just hadn't bothered going there. I've only been in mrM a handful of times in 2017, perhaps I can do even better in 2018..........

I had to laugh to myself in mrT. Earlier on in December, I had been party to a discussion between 2 members of staff discussing the lack of Christmas music in MrS, and how 'boring' it was. I thought to myself, how refreshing it would be to shop without that dearheart, Mr N H0lder, screeching 'it's Chrisssssssmmmmmmmmmmmaaaaaaas' at me whilst i looked for mild cheddar portions............... And sure enough, when I was in MrS a couple of days later, it was beautifully quiet. In MrT this morning, I was struck by.......... Silence. Nothing, not an 'instore' radio station, not a carol, not a Christmas toon, not a pop-song. It was bliss. And it may well have been because it was early, perhaps it was because of the collection of people in the store at that given moment, but there was a palpable lack of 'frenzy' or anxiousness. If the supermercados have listened to customer requests to at least play music at a 'background' level, or in my case, 'not at all, thank you very much' Can I just say 'thank you' and say what a pleasurable difference it has made to be shopping in your store in December.........

Right, best crack on.

Greying X

Pippilongstocking

Morning all lovely folks on here - I think Starnac hit the nail on the head - family experience is the memorable stuff. My two 'younglings' even now go off and find the most ludicrious luminous light shows where they are and send me photos via tinternet. We use to spot them on the long drives around in the evenings going to clubs or whatever and we still do it now.

We do I have to say appreciate the tasteful trees but its the lightfilled exploding joyous extraviganza's that tickle us the most -

Love a quiet shop - I'm with you on that one.

hope the pottering is successful and as silent as it can be!

starnac

Greying my two are very excited. Thank you for asking. I have been trying to do a lot more Christmas experience with them this year as I have a fear that this may be the last year that DD "believes". It has also been the first year that DS hasn't been completely overwhelmed with everything. He is coping really well this year.

How lovely to have a "quiet" shop. More supermarkets should take this on board.

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Morning :hello:

:wave: to Pippi with a very looonnngg continental arm........ Oh, I agree, looking at the differences in decorations is, indeed, half the fun. And whilst I often think that I wouldn't want it in or on my own home, it doesn't stop my appreciation of the time, effort or creativity that has gone into the preparations . And then there are other times, and I think 'why?' :rotfl:

starnac - that's wonderful that you have been majoring on 'experiences'. I've been looking up advent 'doings' this Christmas, in order that we will be better prepared in the coming years to do things with BG. DH wants an advent calender to be part of BG's Christmas, and I agree, but don't want it all to be about chocolate. Some choc, yes, but not all about chocolate

Well, I put up the last of the decorations yesterday, along with all the cards we've received. Baby Greying doesn't know which way to look first! :rotfl: There are a couple of cards (from family members) yet to arrive. They usually are the last to drop through the letter box, for several reasons, so I've reserved space if they do come in today's post. I did receive a card from the person I thought may fall off the card list this year, with an offer for a meet up. We'll see what comes of it, as I would definitely like to keep in touch with them.

Tea last night was l/o pizza and wedges. And by fluke, the pizza was 2 different types - mushroom (Yum!) and black olive.

We are off out to meet up with a friend today. They live out in the countryside, so i'm really looking forward to that. Hopefully BG will have some space to pootle about.

I have yet again, stalled with my crafting. I really need to get my bottom in gear and just grind through. I do so want to make it, but have been discouraged by either getting the pattern not quite right, or finding a glitch in it. I have to say, that my version looks different to the picture. It just needs to be 'good enough' for purpose this year. All attempts at 'better' can start in the new year.

Tea this evening will most likely be out of the freezer, depending on what time we get back and how hungry we are or not.

We're pretty set for 'provisions'. But the shops are open tomorrow if I've made any mistakes and omissions. Failing that, we have tins of beans and bread, and the shops will be open again soon.

**I forgot to add, that over the past couple of weeks, purely by chance, I have been in a broader range of supermercados that I normally would have. And the one thing I have noticed, is, the lack of 'screeching' christmas music. MrS was definitely the first, but then I noticed mrT etc. MrM didn't have music yesterday (I don't think) but mrA does have its own in-store radio station.......... I don't shop at mrA much. BUT yesterday, up the high street, which shop had music blaring out, on the most awful audio equipment, that sounded like a 1970's transistor radio on full blast, when the batteries are giving up? M&$! You could have knocked me down with a feather :rotfl:**

Right, best get tail-shifting.

Ta for popping by. Appreciated.

Greying X

beanielou

Have a very happy Christmas with BG.
Enjoy xx

Greying_Pilgrim

beanielou wrote: »

Have a very happy Christmas with BG.
Enjoy xx

Thanks love. Hope you have a peaceful, happy and comfortable time too XX

rtandon27

Greying_Pilgrim wrote: »

...Failing that, we have tins of beans and bread, and the shops will be open again soon...

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

GP, your comment has had us in stitches for the last 5 mins - OH would like you to know he is quite happy to have bowls porridge all day long on 'the' day if it means we don't have to go to the shops & brave the crazy end of the world shoppers!

Since we moved out to the middle of nowhere, we rarely go to the shops, opting instead for a delivery or quick trip up the road to the farmer's market. All OH wants for 'the' day is some veg that tastes like it is supposed to, and something carnivorous roasted - which means we could freezer dive and keep it cheap!

On the other hand - I would really like to join the hunt for the cheaper than cheap yellow stickered posh something I'd never normally buy & will probably never buy again!
:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

On the subject of cheap is good but free is better...
Yours truly had the honour of being the one to clear out the fridge after my work section get-together - scored with two great chunks of cheese & an incredibly extravagant posh bottle of red wine. Cheese will be added to everything until it is done...Hic - the wine was an amazing treat (along with our normal frugal fare) - oh how the other half live :D:D

starnac

Greying_Pilgrim wrote: »

Good Morning :hello:
DH wants an advent calender to be part of BG's Christmas, and I agree, but don't want it all to be about chocolate. Some choc, yes, but not all about chocolate

Greying X

Make your own. There are plenty of options - sewn panel with pockets, boxes, little drawers etc. That way you can control exactly what BG will get each day. Chocolate some day, a toy the next, a colouring book, a "lets bake cakes" promise etc etc. I do like an advent calendar.

You have just shy of a year to come up with something :rotfl:

Anyway in case I don't get back on here before the BIG day. Wishing you all a happy Christmas and a happy and healthy new year.

Cheery_Daff

Greying, we have a copy of this, which is beautiful

Woodland Christmas advent calendar book

Having just looked it up to pass you a link I am ASTOUNDED to find the cheapest version on that website is £18 :eek: :eek: We picked it up for about £1.50 in a charity shop a few years ago :eek: Anyway, it's a lift the flap book with beautiful pictures of woodland creatures, and we bring it out every year and have it along the windowsill, and look forward to the day of the hedgehog, the baby wild boar, and the hoopoe (er, not sure what woods they're in but they're not local to me :rotfl: )

Sadly this year it is packed away in a box somewhere and I've missed it!

Anyway, I just meant to say that advent calendars don't necessarily need to be chocolate (although I confess I always have a chocolate one on my desk at work ) but having seen the extortionate price being charged for the one we have I certainly wouldn't suggest buying that (in fact I might be more careful with my own copy in case I ever need to sell it to buy food! :rotfl: :rotfl: )

rtandon27

Just saw this article and thought of your post from earlier about advent calendars...