Get a grip woman!

Baileys_Babe

We have no idea what we will do, we will need to talk to the wider family. Usually, my parents come to us for a week at Christmas, but now they live closer there will be no need to sleep anywhere but at home. 
OH parents live nearly 2 hours away, I have only ever spent 1 Christmas day with them and we vowed never to do it again as they don't mark the day in any way, thankfully this was before we had children. 
I will feel guilty if we do not visit them as they only have 2 grandchildren (our children) and we are the closest family, geographically. We usually visit early in the New Year.
We won't be able to have both sets of grandparents in the same bubble as my parents would like to spend time with my sister and her family as well and so do I.
We will need to consider the clinically vulnerable members of our family as well as everybody's mental health.

Our 3 households have been thinking of various ways to stay connected over Christmas using technology, quizzes, board games etc but we need to remember we are catering for people from preschool aged to late 70's with a high rate of dyslexia. Any ideas welcome.

I also think our planning is on hold until we know which tier we are in, I'm guessing we will be in tier 3.

Good luck to everyone trying to negotiate these trying times.

Suffolk_lass

Aargh Christmas! My auntie (mother of the cousin with whom I was in discussion) phoned last night. Poor old thing had got herself in a right old state deciding for herself that she wasn't coming here, and isn't going to her daughter's (as she has her daughter, partner, their tot and occasionally his two daughters all living there) The two daughters are the problem because they are at school (school children are silent spreaders, they believe) - anyway she was so relieved when I said I completely agreed. She had been fretting about telling me and in the meantime, losing sleep and suffering with IBS while all the time her son and I had already agreed we probably wouldn't. I said the discussion will be next week but that is because that is when I will next see him, and we will know then which tier(s) we are in. I've had a read of the guidance that has been published so far but need to know about tiers because of my little NFP community food business before I decide if that is going ahead or not. As the next town is in a care home spike our district might go higher than 1 when the tiers are published, although cousin, auntie and we all live in villages with published rates of 3-8 (per 100k in last 7 days) at the moment. If we go by county we are low, if we go by district, we are high, if we go by lifestyle, we are small and conservative. No point in fretting. Que sera sera (whatever will be, will be). 

My car passed its MOT yesterday and I actually entered the garage showroom to collect my keys (lots of hand sanitizer, mask, shield and discussion about the car held outdoors) - all good (hooray!).

DH fiddled about with the new metal splash back for about 2 hours then realised his drill battery needed charging. I finished painting the first grey panel - it's going to be fine in my view. I haven't got enough room to go faster so must just be patient.

My lovely friend locally collected some flour from our bulk buying stash and when she goes to Waitflower she is going to try and get white marzipan, and rye flour for our starter. That's great - the nearest Waitflower/John Lewis is about 8 miles away but another set of people. We might have to go to the market tomorrow as the veg in our click and collect was so sad (the clementines and pears were over-ripe and the broccoli and cauliflower were limp and sad - if we do I suggest we buy malt loaves from the baker there (he who DH did his course with).

I'm going to need stamps soon too as I think Christmas cards are important this year

themadvix

Too true about Christmas cards! Last year I announced on Facebook that it would be the last year I was sending them for zero-waste reasons... have had to rescind that this year! 😂 They’ll still be glitter and plastic free, and therefore recyclable, but I think we’re all pretty much living for post this year! Fortunately I’m well stocked for stamps due to the RM survey - despite sending lots of cards and notes throughout the year. 

The malt loaves sound good. For making at home Doves Farm do a lovely malthouse flour if that’s your cup of tea.

greent

Ooh - I like the Dove malthouse flour - can also recommend that one  

Karmacat

Ooh, nice, I didn't even know about that.  I used to *love* malt bread.  

SL, it sounds like you're doing really well on arranging Christmas - I'm a bit like your auntie, worried about turning down an invite, but not really, I'm sure they'll understand, just like you understand your auntie.  

Your market sounds great.  And ... "Waitflower".  Perfick!  I love that  

Suffolk_lass

I've always bought Becheldre (Welsh flour mill) flour when I can get it but this year I plunged in and bought the Italian 00 grade reinforced (17-25% protein) Caputo flour from Italian Gourmet foods in 25k sacks - it is fab for pastries (enriched doughs) and our sourdough loaves and we have been sharing among our sourdough group at cost which ensures it is always fairly fresh. This last month I ordered both so my larder is stuffed. Then DH came back with his rye based starter from his course  and has gradually using up the rye I had. That's fine but Morries don't do it - hence my friend will look. The Waitflower website says they do the Becheldre as well as their own brand (a dark one) and a spelt mix - I really don't mind which.

I had a dozy moment and slapped undercoat onto two drawer fronts before realising I had not sanded them first to give a keyed surface 🤦 so after the paint dried I sanded them down and have started again! What a twit! DH is still fighting the extractor and splash-back and has managed to crack a floor-brick 🤦🤦 what can I say that does not make him more resentful. I was in the next room and available to help lift if he had only asked!

Poor DS has been trying to detach his old battery and finally, after 2 days of spraying with WD40 he phoned and showed DH what the issues were on a video call - "Oh, you need one of these to hold that bit with" sorted him out. Poor kid (he's 28 now!) - then Halfords tool had sold him a battery that does not fit the engine space (sigh). 3 days lead time he has managed to reserve one at the main dealer for about £70 less and just needs to collect it now. We feel like very poor parents, never having thought to go through the checks our fathers taught us as first time car owners. He moved out at 20 before he had a car. So hopefully today he will finally get it sorted and come over to learn a bit and take some outside exercise with DH.

Suffolk_lass

Yay! DS made it over and he and DH went for a lovely short walk (only a couple of hours) and DH also made sure the terminals on his new battery are attached properly and greased to protect them. DS was really struggling with stiff neck and shoulders that has been stopping him sleeping - I confess I touched him - he was facing away from me, we were outside and he was sitting on a crate with me standing behind his back - just to loosen him up so the knots were broken up a bit. It's the first time in months and months and it was for a reason I could justify. I came in immediately and washed my hands. As he has been on leave for three weeks, going nowhere and only collecting his battery, I am hoping all is well. I really wanted a hug but did not have one. 

Karmacat

Oh poor you!  To have your son there, and so rarely, and not being able to be motherly .... I'm sure what you did was safe.  
And what a thought about the checks on the car ... we're all catching up with so much stuff during lockdown, is the best thing that can be said for it.  I still hope its over soon though... 
Have a lovely weekend.

trix-a-belle

SL I totally get it & say do what comfortable with! For the significant % of the first lockdown I didn't go in my parents house, dropped their shopping off at the front door, chatted out on the driveway, was only going food shopping... it killed me not being able to give my mum a hug, especially as a friend lost their mum to cancer during that period, although I have a housemate that I live with I'm lucky if I see her for 10 minutes a day, thats not social interaction to keep someone sane

Suffolk_lass

I've just seen my electricity supplier (Yorkshire Energy) has ceased trading as of yesterday. I've followed the advice on here and read my meter and submitted the reading but my heart goes out to the courteous and helpful team there who will lose their jobs, three weeks away from Christmas