What small DFW things will you do this week? w/c 19/12

allydowd

So the one wee thing I requested as a Decemberfest gift has arrived and it is lovely...a new calculator....but what is more lovely is that it comes in a presentation box which I can repurpose....

Gets a gift....loves the boxes it comes in even more than the gift...:rotfl:

FatVonD

I'm back from my big shop, it was exhausting (and still really busy) but I refused to get stressed and we just worked our way round at a leisurely pace. The only thing they'd sold out of was own brand butter but I can get that locally. I foolishly picked up some raspberries that go out of date before Christmas but I have frozen them, I'm not sure how they'll be when they defrost but only one way to find out! It was expensive but we are feeding 12 people both lunch and supper and we also bought alcohol so not so bad when you compare it to, say, going out for Christmas lunch.

The lady on the till couldn't work out how to charge for my butternut squash so, after a few tries she gave it to me for free :T I was mightily pleased as apparently it's done by weight and it was a big one :eek:

Night all

FatVonD

Bob, this was the banofee cheesecake recipe, it was when I googled how to make the dulce de leche that I found out that there is a difference between condensed milk and evaporated milk. Apparently you need to use the full fat version also.



http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/banoffeecheesecakewi_85024

determined_new_ms

yippee :j last day at work until the 4th :j and we have been given the go ahead to leave early "as long as we've finished what we need to" cue me on a super efficiency drive! I've got 4 really important things I need to do this morning, 2 clients to see between 11-1.30 and then my case notes for them. I'm hoping I should be able to leave by 2/2.30 :j am sure today will be another day of me trying to refer into statutory services and them batting me away. Honestly with all of the reforms its really hard to get the statutory services to pick people up...

In other news - not much to report! Pay day today, doesn't really make a lot of difference to me as I spend so little these days

have texted friend to see if I can borrow their inflatable mattress pump as ds announced last night he and his gf are coming to stay tonight. Wish he'd given me a bit more notice!

all meals from stores - need to make packed lunch for madam

quick shower

going out tonight for pre Christmas drinks, madam going to the outlaws and we will pick her up on the way home...

need to read an email from energy supplier about the switch we've made

try not to eat my weight in junk food

ok that's all and I better get a move on! Happy days guys! x

crazy_cat_lady

Morning all :coffee:
:xmastree:
I've just been catching up on the thread and it really is getting all festive now that people are finishing work and getting ready for some quality time off. I'm finally feeling more human again after a couple of good nights of sleep so I'm feeling ready to enjoy a nice, Christmas weekend.
I can't believe that it's Friday already though, where has the week gone? Today is a busy day though as it is my niece's birthday, and also ds is going to another birthday party this afternoon. I'm also going to deliver my dad's Christmas presents while I'm out and about. I am foolishly hoping for a nsd but that would be miraculous considering I'm going to be out for most of it.
Here's today's list:
:xmassmile check banking and PAD
:xmassmile visit my niece
:xmassmile deliver family presents to people I won't see between now and Christmas
:xmassmile get ds to party later
:xmassmile continue present wrapping (just the kids stuff left to do and there is an issue with time on my own for this)
:xmassmile continue crochet blanket I'm making
:xmassmile daily jobs - washing up, washing, hoover
:xmassmile meal plan for the days ahead - I bought the meat yesterday...
Have a good day everyone, and happy days to everyone finishing work for the day!

FatVonD

In bed right now drinking a cup of tea and checking the clock periodically to remind myself smugly that I would usually 'be on the train' 'just be starting work' at the appropriate times as I take another sip of tea and snuggle under the covers a bit more :rotfl:

It reminds me of when I was a child and our garden backed onto the school playing field and I could actually see the school from my bedroom window if I was off sick.

I don't have much to do today, I need to pick up some butter locally and I will clean the bathroom and extract all the plates/bowls/glasses/mugs/cutlery from DS And DSGF room to have a count up to check we have enough of everything for Christmas Day. I am going with an 'eclectic' look for the chinaware :rotfl:

We had been planning to see middle DSS and his GF and baby on Christmas Eve but we have cancelled as there is too much prep to do, we will see them the day after Boxing Day instead. We had already taken the present for the baby over early as it is a baby walker and was taking up lots of space and it was looking like he might need it earlier than Christmas.

In between the prep we might go to our local pub for a couple on Christmas Eve, there is always a lovely atmosphere in there and they always have a covers band at the weekend. It's funny but before we moved here I thought it looked a bit 'rough' but everyone is really friendly and uninhibited and knows how to have a good time. There is a real mix of ages but even the young ones get drawn into dancing with with the oldies on their way through to the loo.

With the big Christmas shop I didn't even give other meals a thought but, as I'm off work, I can frequent the local Mr T at reduction time each day. DH is feeling generally bleugh at the moment (in my amateur capacity I think he has Fibromyalgia but he won't go to the doctor) and doesn't want to eat anything more than sandwiches so it may be YS buffet all the way!

Have a lovely day everyone

DawnW

Afternoon all
Been shopping again (even though I said I wouldn't ) because OH decided he wants a turkey :eek: Anyway, I vetoed a fresh one, as they are so expensive, and we have loads of meat already. Also took the opportunity to get some bread, some porridge oats (which I forgot the other day) and a couple of small chocolate gifts to wrap in case of unexpected visitors. So, we now have a frozen turkey which I have put to defrost slowly in our unheated conservatory.

At least we walked to town so avoided paying for fuel!

Found £25 on the pavement which I am trying to reunite with its owner via local facebook sites. It was in quite unusual packaging, which the correct owner would be able to describe This little town is not by and large a wealthy one, and the loss of this sum would be a big setback for many of the residents Hope I can find out who it belongs to No luck as yet - I had hoped to reunite it with its owner before Christmas. If not, I will hand it in to the police when their office is open again. Don't have old style police stations that used to be open most of the time

Posted 2 ebay sales while out - I contacted the buyers before posting to ensure they realise they won't be getting their items before Christmas now. They weren't bothered about that. Also sold another item this morning, and have been assured by the buyer that she is not expecting it till the New Year at least. I will try to do a bit better than that! Ebay has been slow but still the odd sale trickling through, even though I haven't listed anything new for over a week. More listings needed after Christmas obviously, but I wanted to avoid too many people thinking I could get things to them at short notice in time for the big day. I am not Amazon, after all, and have tax bill receipts to prove it :rotfl:

Other than that, I received a nice apology from Campbells meat, from whom I received a faulty order yesterday. They are refunding the missing / wrong and damaged items (rather generously, especially as I can still use the damaged / wrong things), and sent me a 20% off next order code valid till the end of December 2017 by way of apology. I thought that was very fair.

OH has gone out for the afternoon and taken pup with him, so it is blissfully peaceful here. I have a gammon joint in the oven and now need to think about veg to go with it!

The gammon was gorgeous! It was from the freezer, bought from Mr S reduced to half price (I assume because they wanted to get rid of their 'old' stock before putting out the much more expensive ones in pretty Xmas themed wrapping ) We had it with roasted veg, braised red cabbage from the freezer, sprouts and gravy, and it was the best dinner we have had for ages! Needless to say there is a huge amount left for dinner tomorrow, and for sandwiches for the next few days - unless we get overwhelmed with turkey and freeze it for later :rotfl:

Moved the jars etc that do not strictly need to be kept in the fridge out to the meat safe in the conservatory - which needed cleaning first needless to say! This has made a bit more space for real perishables over the next few days.

maria3104

Hi All

I am the last man in work. Here until 5. so another couple of hours.

Then AS£a delivery tonight of £120 of veg and milk etc. hardly larger than a normal big shop. We are all on diets and trying to maintain a touch of healthy over the holidays. DS milking and will need to be up at 4.30 daily and DD is only home for 2 days with bf. So not a lengthy feast to cater and the xmas eve stuff is already in the fridge as a very generous gift from DS1. Our fridge runneth over.

I now need to menu plan. Puddings for xmas day. Banoffee pie seems like a good idea, or toblerone cheesecake, and obviously xmas pud. That should see us through!

Storm barbara is gusting through my little town and I hope no one gets damage in the next few days. It is so awful for people at Christmas.

2017 for me I hope will bring renewed focus on finances for me.I am starting with no debt. Tax bill paid and a clean sheet. But I have enormous mortgage and have got a little complacent with the pennies.Time to rein my self in.

So:

No holiday in 2017.
Decluttering really needs focus. Lots done but lots more to do.
More time to be spent outside farming, dual benefit of also doing more steps.
Weight loss
Grocery shopping needs controlling again.
Save for an excavator and lambing shed

Yep this list is about right.

happy christmas everyone. Please stay well and happy.

Love M xx

La_escocesa

Hi everyone :santa2:

DNMS - how did you get on with the YS turkey hunt?!

Oooh...all this talk of fudge.... nom nom....

Got away from work at 1.30 today - off until 9th Jan! :T Was v pleased with that. Barbara is making her way past but I took the pooch out as soon as I got home when it was less windy and rainy so happy about that.

I've just put the WM on at 30 - will need to TD some stuff though so we can pack!! :eek:

Hoping to get the whole house spic and span before we leave tomorrow - family visit #1, family visit #2 and then me and OH are jetting off for New Year. Worked out quite well as we got money for Christmas which covered our flights and most accommodation. Plus, the dog was already booked in kennels for Christmas so made sense to go at the same time.

Woop woop, exciting times. :cool:

I'll probably log on over the next few days but will wish you all a Merry Christmas now just in case I don't.

:xmassign:

xxxxxxx

FatVonD

Merry Christmas, La E, enjoy your trip!