5 OS pleasures in your day today - part 3

LaineyT

For yesterday,

After a (very) early start with small dog we went back to bed and didn’t wake up again until nearly 9.

Productive morning in the kitchen, made a loaf, sausage rolls, mince pies and some winter slaw for lunch, sort out of fridge and freezer as well.

It was a mild but windy day so bit of time spent outside in the garden, planted up one pot of tulips ( late I know 🙈 ) and had a general tidy.

Before I knew it was time for small dog’s main walk of the day, we went around the field and mightily scared some partridges under a hedge, heading home at sunset with the most beautiful pink sky and a rainbow cloud, magical.

Treat of a takeaway for tea.

PaulieHerts

We went to Ali Pali yesterday to see Keith Allen in a Christmas Carol. It was very good and fantastic views across London.  We live near enough to drive and they let us park right near the entrance !
Yesterday morning I got a few preparations done, meats and sausages out of the freezer, smoked mackerel pate and stuffing balls made.  Son called in for his ablutions and gave me one of his beautiful handmade wooden 3 tea light holders, better than any expensive gift.  He also took the unsubtle hint and left one of his handmade chopping boards for his auntie.  Won’t see him again until well after Christmas 🎄 
Today we must get on with cleaning and house beautification 🤣 Veg to prepare, gammon and sausages to cook.  Tonight we will have our traditional sausages, mash and onion gravy dinner and watch OH’s favourite old film of a Christmas Carol. Just us and OH’s mum for Christmas dinner tomorrow and then 14/15 of my family on Boxing Day 😊
I wish you all a happy and healthy Christmas however you spend it 🎄🎄😘

Purple_kitten

Can’t help but think of dad who left us this time 5 years ago now, don’t get me wrong I know it was his time, but there are good childhood memories there, they both always went all out for the childhood Christmases. We’ll raise a glass tonight and remember him to “always look on the bright side of life”.

1 I will admit I bought a half price tunic in the Joe browns sale as I also had a fiver off voucher so that covered the postage.

2 Pressies are wrapped up and found little extras I had got through the year and forgotten about.

3 Dinner tonight is hm burger in a bun with sweetcorn fritters.

4 Christmas dinner preamble of so much proper stuffing, pigs in blankets, and veggies all prepped, enough for the next 3 months and I’m not exaggerating.

5 Candles are lit, we’re warm inside, the birds have extra food, and I am “noseying” through the Radio times.

🎄 Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas. 🎄

LaineyT

The usual Sunday morning routine of bacon butties and catching up on all things Ambridge at least confirmed to me what day it was!

Boiled the ham then popped it into the oven for the last 30 minutes with an orange & whiskey glaze.

Over to to see the beautiful grey one, she had obviously been having a fine old time charging around her field as she was absolutely filthy when I fetched her in, washed her down as best as possible and settled her in stable. Made up her festive breakfast of added carrot, parsnip and apple to her normal chaff & balancer.

Listened to the Carols & Lessons from Kings on the way home.

A High Tea has just been eaten & enjoyed.

Wishing all that post and follow along here a very Merry Christmas 🎄 x

mhagster

Hello

Up early. 

Another day to lashing rain! And windy. But mild. 

Went to supermarket. Didn’t need much. Puppy was dropped off.
Home and made cranberry sauce with RTC cranberries. Probably only be me that eats it but it’s delicious!
Made pavlova and prepped veggies. Took meat out of freezer. Two doggies nearby all day.
Watched All Creatures Great and small and it was just so nice. I love it from the very start to the very end with the opening and closing illustrations a f music. 

A very hyper four year old came with his slightly grumpy sister. DD2 and The Chap had picked them up ( 4 year old will not come in my car) so they all decorated gingerbread men. The Chap is very competitive so it’s funny as he takes it very seriously! He won! They then all played Uno or Duno as the four year old kept calling it. They’ll all be back tomorrow but I was glad when they all left! 

Gave DD and The Chap a Christmas Eve box. Just filled with bits and bobs. She’d given it to me a couple of years ago.
Table is all set. 

Hope you all have a lovely Christmas. 

DundeeDoll

1) lovely morning service - young church 'taught' us to make origami hearts - when things went wrong the provost made parallels with the first Christmas which also didn't go to plan - then we wrote prayers on paper chain strips and joined them all together 
2) after quick sarnie (ys roast beef) friend came round and we walked the dogs up to and round the nature reserve
3) not long back and neighbour knocked on my door to point out mother of pearl nacreous clouds - stunning
4) old PhD student phoned from Sri Lanka to wish me a happy Christmas - gotta love WhatsApp!
5) during dog walk friend had mentioned she was playing fiddle at the diy nativity play over the river - I asked if she had room in the car which she did so that's where I'm just back from - great fun (and another two ticks in the I-spy book)

Frith

Merry Christmas!

Pleasures for today (Christmas Day)

1) Not a bad sleep.

2) Crept in with the stocking to smaller son's room. Bigger son took his with him yesterday. Smaller son most pleased with the keyring for his football team. Bigger son liked the cat toys for his kittens.

3) Outnumbered by gentlemen from the Middle East today so we left out some of the stranger Christmas traditions and tried to explain others (though many are impossible to explain!) Had bagels and smoked salmon for breakfast then chicken, roast potatoes and parsnips, stuffing, red cabbage, Yorkshire pudding, vegan pigs in blankets, carrots, gravy and bread sauce. We said we would leave a gap before the Christmas pudding and haven't eaten it yet.

4) One of my friends had been here for a few nights but he went elsewhere for a Christmas lunch. We also plated up leftovers and took it to another friend of ours.

5) We went to my parents for a while and had some Christmas cake.

6) Just watched the last episode of Ghosts. 

mhagster

Good morning! 

For yesterday/Christmas Day

Up early. Said Merry Christmas to the dog. And we opened our presents. He got a new duck and I got bits and pieces from DD1 and  DD2. All things I’ll use. 

Dog and I went to the beach. Tide was in which I knew it would be but managed to get him off lead for a bit. And it was dry! 

Home and started my busy day! Made breakfast for DD2 and The Chap who were coming over at 11am…though  it was about 11.25 when they arrived! Used RTC sliced sausage, RTC potato scones, and scrambled eggs with the leftover egg yolks from my pavlova egg whites. 

The niecelys were coming over. When do you want us. About 1pm. Well it might be around 1.30pm, it was about 1.50pm…so bang went my timings! Anyway we had an ante-pasto platter and nibbly bits. Then they all played and opened presents. And I just stayed in the kitchen and cooked and listened to the radio. Most stuff had been prepped on Sunday. 

Nipped upstairs at 3pm to watch The Kings Speech and get some quiet! 

Dinner was served and was nice. Suitably stuffed. Leftovers sent away with the niecelys.

Then DD2 was going to stay here so they could have a drink but hadn’t had a drink so they went home and I was actually happy with that. I think I’m now so used to being on my own. I quite like it! Plus I don’t have a TV anymore…which was a deciding factor for them too! 

Got all tidied up and hoovered…couldn’t bare coming down to it today so it’s all done! Just the dishwasher to empty. 

Started watching Call The Midwife but was dozy as I knew I’d probably be so have that to catch up with and managed to see most of Eastenders but will rewatch it again this morning as again quite dozy watching it. 

Had chats with my son and daughter yesterday. I miss the Christmases we used to have when we were all together. I especially miss my husband everyday but ‘big’ days like Christmas it’s like a more noticeable missing. Selfishly I miss having presents to open from him. Though I do treat myself to something every year. 

I liked watching DD2 open her presents as I knew she’d like what I bought so I liked watching her reaction. 

I liked seeing the joy on GN ( aged 4) face as he discovered Santa had been down my chimney and had left a Peppa Pig dolls house ( charity shop find) and the very Paw Patrol doodah that he wanted from Santa that niece couldn’t get that I sourced on Vinted for a quarter of the price! 

And i had to remind myself that last year I was on my own and I absolutely hated it so I am grateful that they want to spend the day with me. It’s just a day I now find hard. 

But it’s just a day. It’s done. Everyone else was happy. The dog liked having all his favourites with him. He loves the four year old and The Chap especially. My dishwasher was working having been broken for ages! ( got it fixed a couple of months ago). My pavlova was a triumph ( and topped with RTC cream and RTC blueberries…and I took photos of the mouldy strawberries that I’ll be showing at Tesco! Yuk! These were not RTC!! 

So it’s done. I did it…and made it all special for everyone else. 

Anyway back to work tomorrow so I have a script to practice today! There was an almost full moon this morning with stars in the sky. Noticeably colder this morning. 

Have a good day. 

Happycas

Good morning.  A beautiful sunrise.

M hagster - thank you for the lovely description of your day.  There is always a tinge of sadness on Christmas day though, isn't there. But it's lovely to make new memories too. 

I had a wonderful day.  I'm so blessed. 

DD and partner came for bacon sandwiches.  Early!  Although DD is 42 she still gets giddy about Christmas. And I'm glad!

Sandwiches eaten and presents exchanged, we went to our neighbour's for pre dinner drinks.  Lots of frivolity and chat.

Then loaded up DD's car like Santa's sleigh and off we all went to DS. DD and fiance stayed a while for present exchange and hilarity ( the headlights for Crocs shoes were a particular success!) then off they went to fiance's parents.

We stayed all afternoon with DS and family. Played games, ate too much, managed not to drink too much. 

DS took us home about 6:30.  We had a cup of tea and draped ourselves over the sofa, nodding off, before we gave in and went to bed super early.

Much to cherish.  And especially that DH was well enough to enjoy it ( last time it was our turn at DS for Christmas day, he spent it in A and E, with DS and I sitting in the car park until he was finally admitted to a ward. Covid restrictions!  No one allowed to be with him!)

Happy 🌞 Boxing Day everyone 

DundeeDoll

Had a fabulous Christmas Day
1) midnight mass - first time in the choir, candlelit, lovely music, and who should be towards the back but my Dean with some of his family (candlelit, bit difficult to see who exactly) - I wished him a Merry Christmas as the choir processed out - then home and our stockings were stuffed to the brim
2) up again early as dogs don't has a highdays and holidays setting on their alarm clocks so had a very lovely 2 hours with them and radio 4 - excellent programmes including Soul Music and the Reunion. I prepped all the veg (normally do that Christmas Eve but couldn't this year with friend's nativity and choir rehearsals) and the turkey crown which was a nice surprise for mum when she got up. by then though I'd gone to...
3) 10am meet up to sort music for 10:30 service - we had enough for a robed choir. 4th service in 26 hours, my voice just about lasted out! the provost gave a super sermon which has given me an idea for next year's nativity, now shared with young church leader who I realised has felt very alone this year (my one misgiving about joining choir, I had been a young church leader for nearly 25 years) and the other stalwart had another fall and is now to frail to help. got chatting to an elderly gentleman with a Manchester City top - turns out he's young church leader's dad staying for the festivities and will miss match on 27th as they don't have Prime - I checked if OK for him to come to my local - all fixed, and turns out very helpful for her as the children have ice hockey so wins all round (I of course am hoping for a Luton win later today, again on Prime)
4) home and mum well into cooking, I took the boys for a long walk to ensure- she too has had her 2 hours peace in the kitchen with Radio 4 - we have a lot in common! very yummy, plastic-free crackers with silly jokes and very good bangs, then presents round the tree. DD2 loved the 'make your own christingle' sets I'd made up for the £10 stockings, and I made my paper chain, also from the £10 stocking. We're already relishing the challenge for next year. Then naps all round 
5) and the evening was the usual christmas tv and left overs with a lovely group whatsapp with DS, DD1 and xoh. I'm now enjoying a peaceful start to Boxing Day, just me and the boys and Call the Midwife. Have a lovely day everyone.