The Simple Bare Necessities feat. Gratitude & Recipes

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Morning :hello:

edinburgher wrote: »

On the theme of assertive trolley drivers, have you ever been shopping and had someone either accidentally or intentionally sync up with you?

I had something very similar in mrS yesterday. The lady was doing the scanning of the produce (veg aisle) and her fella was dutifully pushing the trolley, presumably to catch anything she may have felt they needed and tossed into the trolley. However, everytime I moved to even look at the produce, he seemed to move the trolley to block my access (I only had a basket). I'm not sure if he was concious that was what he was doing, or whether the old 'hunter gatherer' genes were kicking in, and his family were having their fill of the woolly mammoth before the rest of the tribe got a look in. I must admit to finding it mildly amusing and ferlippin frustrating in equal measure :rotfl:


Well, BG and I have posted (most) of the Christmas cards, including hand delivering a couple to our senior citizen friends. I'm not telling you this to wind anyone up who has not yet been able to make a start on writing whatever type of communication (if any) you chose to send at this time of year, but it was just so rewarding. BG raised such smiles of delight, just by turning up on someone's doorstep. I hadn't appreciated how moved I was going to be by it. I've never had that feeling before - that an action so 'simple' can elicit such a nice reaction. This is perhaps what people mean when they talk about the 'magic' of Christmas that has been lost. Because the cards were homemade and hand-delivered, there was no real costs involved - well, versus a shop bought card and buying a stamp, anyway. And BG always likes being picked up to put cards and letters into the post-box - 'by myself mummy!', that that is an adventure in itself. One of our friends also kindly gifted BG something for their 'Christmas box' - which was totally unexpected - they've already been so kind to us this year.



DH has offered to get some shopping from mrL today - it'll be the staples of bread, milk etc. I'm not planning to go shopping, and it's too cold out for 'leisure' shopping, so it'll be a lsd at least. I think I may need to concoct some sort of stew for us tea, as 'Baby (Greying), it's cooollllllddd outside'


Don't think I've owt else to report. Ta for popping in and confessing your Chrimbo Card woes - if it's any help, I do still have some unwritten to complete. I didn't want to completely over-whelm DH last night with getting him to sign too many cards. But I was pleased that he did complete the ones that I asked him to


Right, best shuffle orf.



Greying X

beanielou

That is .so lovely.
The magic of Christmas indeed

I have finally written some cards :j :j :j

Smurphington

I thought you might appreciate this Greying , 2 things my daughter said today
"Cows get milk from their bottoms" and when unwrapping a fudge bar, "taking off it's skin"

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Morning :hello:


Oh Smurphington - if only we had a permanent camcorder on our shoulders to capture all these delightful utternaces of our babes! Although having been brought up on a dairy farm, the cow thing....... no, nope, that ain't how it works....... :rotfl:


Well, I'm organised and disorganised in equal measure. In some ways I'm amazed at how much I've achieved, and in others, I am dismayed as to how much there is to do, and how little time is left to achieve it! :eek: I think the one project that really, really needs to be done without a small in the vicinity - for a number of reasons, including safety (and secrecy ) - is the one that is worrying me the most. Time just evaporates when I do have space, time, the sewing machine and a small-free environment to myself


Still, mustn't grumble. This week has been full of 'moments' that have no monetary value, and yet are (if you would like them to be) the very essence of the 'magic & sparkle' of Christmas - or perhaps just life itself. It's the words out of babes mouths, it's the small acts of 'charity' (in it's broadest sense) that are going on - much untrumpeted, and deemed unworthy of newspaper headlines, it's the relished meeting up with friends, family and loved ones - if that is your bag, I realise that it's not everyone's cup of tea, so I'm referring to positive choices to meet with people that you like to be around, and who like to be around you Thankfully, we've several of those type of hook-ups to look forward to in the next couple of days.


I've not done any specialist food shopping. I have thought about what we might eat - but that is about the sum of it :eek: T'will be beans on toast at this rate....... which is no bad thing. Although I am concious that many more shops are closing for Boxing Day in addition to Christmas Day this year - a move I'm in favour of, but need to plan for as well. Still, we wouldn't starve, and can drink coffee without milk, so it wouldn't be the end of civilisation as we know it!


We've been pedestrian in our tea choices of late. The usual pizza & wedges, curry plate and cardboard box fish & oven chips have all featured. It was left over chilli, baked tattie and broccoli for tea last night.



We've been attending no cost/low cost (ie voluntary donation) type events and have had a nice time - it's nice to see other people's efforts and delight in simple activities together as a family. We have decorated our own tree - just a cheap & cheerful artificial thing, bought from mrT with vouchers last year - and have discovered that BG is enraptured by it as much this year, as they were last year. I don't know what I enjoy more - having BG excitedly join in 'decorating' the tree (why do little people want to put all the baubles on the same branch????), watching them stand back at the finish, stretch out their arms and declare, 'I luv this', or the 'Mummy&baby' time enjoyed after tea in the evening, just sitting together in the dark, watching the twinkle of the lights, and talking about the various items on the tree... Soooooooo very much to enjoy and feel very, very, very grateful for.


Right, sounds like the household is a-stirring, so best get a wiggle on. We were planning a family day out today, but I think the weather isn't going to be grand; but then someone else was telling me that it's set like that for the rest of the week, so we may have to tog up, and suck it it up......


Ta for popping in. Appreciated.


Greying X

rtandon27

Greying_Pilgrim wrote: »

...and can drink coffee without milk, so it wouldn't be the end of civilisation as we know it!...

I tried to convince OH of exactly just this, given the fullness of both freezer and store cupboard, but he was having none of it, so bought two weeks worth of mulk (the almond kind) & ham & wraps - at least he's a man of simple tastes - just took the money out of next week's grocery budget:D:D:D (He'd better not even think about going through it quicker than he should, as we won't be getting more :o:o)

beanielou

All sounding good

WannabeFree

Hope you've had a lovely day

x

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Morning :hello:


How's tricks?


Cor, I hope the weather wasn't absolutely pants with you yesterday - t'was with us We ventured out shopping in the afternoon - I know it's nigh on winter, but you could hardly see a hand in front of your face, just because of the stygian gloom of rain clouds


Anyhoo, I popped into morries - in the hope that they had some of their baked in-store shortcrust mincepies - they did not Although they clearly are expecting a run on mincepies, as you could have bought any other variety of mincepie, from any and every other manufacturer on the planet, they had that many crates of 'em stacked everywhere. A SEL served as a helpful reminder 'Don't forget the mincepies'. Do you think someone in purchasing's job is dependent on it????? Still, the lass on the till was pleasant enough - something of a rarity in our local store. Then I pushed on to L1dl. The store was virtually deserted, apart from the kids from the local high school, coming in for a warm, a steam and lots of in-store bakery goods...... Again though, the chap on the till was so nice and chatty (without being overbearing, nor in-efficient), it was a pleasure to drop in there. fArmfoods hadn't got another single customer in the shop, and they hadn't got any onions in either. Very hit and miss that shop......


I've finished another crafting item :j This was the major one, the one I wanted to do, and I'm beyond pleased that it's completed..... albeit wonky and artisanal......... I hope, feverently, that BG comes to like wonky and artisanal....................:rotfl:


I have one more item to make, and then that is my list done. Stuff has fallen by the wayside, and I (thankfully) made the decision early on as to which things had priority, and therefore don't currently regret anything I've not done (a rarity for me! :rotfl:), but I am glad that I kept going with what I did prioritise - even when things weren't going right. Things have worked out OK. They are good enough.


Tea last night was vegetable soup. I forgot to mention, I got 3 bags of veg from morries - christmas selection - for £1. NOW, before you all shout at me, 'but Greying they are only 29p or 19p or tuppence - at x, y or z outlet' - remember the weather was filthy yesterday, I only went to morries that is (currently) participating in the veg price war, and I looked at the quality of the produce, and picked out some nice things. I didn't mind paying 4p a bag extra - on this occasion, because we would have wasted fuel and I would have got soaked to make those additional savings........................


I also got some coriander from morries, which I must wash, chop and put in the freezer - good for curries into 2019!


Right, I've coriander to wash, pasta to cook and a few more things to tie up. But I'm delighted that we're on course to modestly meet Christmas. We've still some hook ups with friends to enjoy too All donations, cards and gifts have been given, and BG is still enamoured with the tree!



Life is rich. Very rich indeed.


Ta for popping by. Appreciated.


Greying X

Cheery_Daff

Very impressed with your Christmas preparations Greying! :j :j

Busy_Mee1

I have loved your description of BG's enjoyment of Christmas ....such a joy. Thank you for sharing with those of us whose babies have grown and are waiting for the next generation ....Pah Christmas without little ones is a bit lacking x