Get a grip woman!

Suffolk_lass

I'll let you know how it goes. I'm meeting one of the table centre ladies this afternoon to go foraging with her, starting in my garden.

She is struggling after losing her husband and maybe a bit of one-to-one company will lift her a little. I know I'm not the best to do this (I'm not one for anything but practical support, in case you have not noticed) but better to wander round with me than being indoors on her own. I want her to get to the point where she joins in spontaneously, rather than having to coax her. I know she enjoys mixing when she does so, so hopefully knowing a few more people a little better will be what she needs

Suffolk_lass

Well cocktails went well and my table centre looks pretty. It's outside at the moment to see how well the vegetation lasts

Watty1

Sometimes practical support is more help than the type that lets you weep into your coffee on the sofa.  I have had both over the last year and genuinely think both are needed.

Suffolk_lass

Oh @Watty1 I feel for you.  Yes, all forms and ways are fine. 

We raised over £350 from all our Christmas Preparation sessions this year. Next time, we will do 2 things differently:

1. Take non-returnable deposits and not confirm attendees until they do pay
2. Stress the community benefits as well as the fundraising as lots of lovely chatter and getting to know each other.

I've paid over the money by transfer and I will be mostly paying for stuff in cash from now on!!

Suffolk_lass

Dental checkup with a lovely Polish dentist at my local surgery. My first checkup since November 2019 (which was my first at that practice). We discussed my teeth and how they got like that - I was one of the teenagers subjected to a dental scam in the 1970s. I also played hockey, accounting for the repairs to two of my smile teeth, and I had a wisdom tooth that grew into the molar next to it. And I used to grind my teeth. That is another benefit of being retired from paid employment. That has stopped. He said I knew my mouth very well. I suggested I needed to, having had that much work done. We laughed and he complimented me on preserving what I have - and best of all, no further work needed. What a nice man...

I find myself still putting off the card-writing I have to do. So today I will be doing it. All of it. Then I will ice the Christmas cakes and post the foreign cards (not yet for the cakes). And do the washing... My word I have been lazy this week

Karmacat

Great news from the dentist!  I haven't been since April 2019 and they've gone private in the meantime - I can't face the paperwork yet, though maybe I will over the Christmas/New Year gap.

Good luck with the cards too - hope you haven't missed the last posting dates 

debtfreeoneday

great teeth news!

Suffolk_lass

We missed the overseas deadline for posting but second class is today and first class is (irrelevant as all ours are in the post) probably Monday.

I have one item left to post to my Mum - it is two Christmas cakes but they were only covered in the thinnest layer of marzipan yesterday, so that will be Monday!

Today I have the humungous piece of beef out of the freezer to cook and DS will be over after he finishes work to help me decorate our tree and puts lights up, and help eat some. He will be 30 next birthday - I am not really sure which of us is more of a traditionalist! When he was little we didn't put any lights or tree up until he went to bed on the Saturday before Christmas and he would wake up to it. Ever since he grew taller than me he has insisted on helping with the tree.

In The Times pictures yesterday there is a picture of a very large tree with a wreath behind it. Just lights on the tree, but Tuppence, the rescue cat is in there, waiting to be spotted. Lovely.

In money news, we spent a little more yesterday as we went to the market and bought bread and cakes (he is not there next week) and then picked up a couple of bags of veg, some fish and then went in the butcher on the way back to the car. It seemed rude not to have breakfast so we went into the coffee-shop/wine bar next door and had good coffee and bacon butties. A lovely morning. 

DH drove our cards for the town we used to live in, down to our friend who bubbled with us as he is going to hand deliver them on his bicycle for us. There were about 25 I think (DH has family there). Meanwhile I made the Mary Berry iced lemon traybake and delivered it all cut up ready to go, to my neighbour the anaesthetist, for him to take in to work, as a little thank you. The hospital he is at is very busy at the moment and he is based with the Covid patients. He looks absolutely shattered.

Karmacat

Suffolk_lass said:

In The Times pictures yesterday there is a picture of a very large tree with a wreath behind it. Just lights on the tree, but Tuppence, the rescue cat is in there, waiting to be spotted. Lovely.

DH drove our cards for the town we used to live in, down to our friend who bubbled with us as he is going to hand deliver them on his bicycle for us. There were about 25 I think (DH has family there). Meanwhile I made the Mary Berry iced lemon traybake and delivered it all cut up ready to go, to my neighbour the anaesthetist, for him to take in to work, as a little thank you. The hospital he is at is very busy at the moment and he is based with the Covid patients. He looks absolutely shattered.

This is a picture I want to see!  I've googled Tuppence the rescue cat, but its only individual cats in rescue centres that are coming up (including a few in Australia, dear me) - help!

And how lovely of you to make the traybake for the NHS peeps ... I can't imagine what its like for them   

themadvix

A friend sent me the cat… so here you go KC….

SL, it’s all sounding very lovely and Christmassy with you - and how  kind you are to be making cake for the hospital staff - I’m sure they really appreciate it!