The Garden Fence - proper Old Style support and chat!

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  • grandmanerd
    grandmanerd Forumite Posts: 746
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    Sometime in September is the 100 days mark, which is when I used to start serious planning and list making (mum would buy big lego sets half price in the August sales and keep them for me). I'm sort of organised - token presents for my grown up sons and their partners, lots for my baby grand-daughter (need to set a budget for myself next year). DS3 and Beloved will be getting lots of house warming stuff when they leave (hopefully early next year). I owe DS3 a 'trousseau' load of stuff from about 5 or 6 Christmases ago - I had no money so I wrote an IOU of all the things I wanted to buy him.  And a kettle because DS2 needed one and I gave him DS3's (still in it's box).

    I'm going to start wrapping things soon as I'm hoping to meet DS1 and DS2 and their partners this month. DS2 sent me a photo yesterday and we had an exchange of messages. I've suggested meeting up with him, gf and grand-daughter at my local garden centre. It's on the far side of a roundabout at the top edge of town but everything on that side of the East Lancs is Cheshire. My house isn't fit for visitors (it isn't fit for me really, improving but still overcrowded and still have 8 large boxes of LPs hanging around - DS3's share of sorting out their inheritance). 

    The garden Centre is fairly near to me, has a range of eating options (all very expensive and it's my turn to pay), does wonderful Christmas displays as well as other entertainments, both inside and out. My mum and her partner used to take the boys there quite often - it has playgrounds and lots to  look at so I've suggested it as a new Christmas tradition. DS2 and family are doing a big family Christmas in Northern Ireland - gf's sister who also had a baby in the summer is coming from Australia to be there. I'd already told DS2 it was okay if they wanted to spend baby's first Christmas with gf's family (her dad lives down south and her grandma's in Scotland) as it's easier to travel whilst the baby's so young. In a couple of years it'll be "we're staying home" and either family visit them or they do a 'tour' in spare weekends before the big day.

    I've been whittling away at my own possessions as well as taking a second pass at some of mum's things and there are a few bags that never got unpacked. I checked with one of the larger cs and they have room for Christmas trees so I'm hoping to get mum's 2 trees and decorations out of her spare room cupboard this week (will also put the bins out as they need to be emptied before the bungalow sale goes through). The only things that need to come back here are in mum's 6' x 4' shed.

    I've been struck down by winter bugs for the past 4 weeks but feeling much brighter for the last few days. I've been working on under the stairs - all neat rows of organised tins and dry goods now and nothing on the floor. My tools and diy and garden stuff should live under there but there was so much underfoot that I couldn't get in there. All sorted now and yesterday I installed a set of fairy lights. Only 3 of the 12 kitchen bulbs are working and they're on their last legs so it's gloomy by late afternoon and perilous after 6 pm. the lights make such a difference, highlighting the good bits and hiding the imperfections.

    I need a whole new kitchen adapted to suit my needs for the next 20 odd years (current kitchen is 18 years old, the previous one was installed a few days before DS2 was born and did 17 long hard years of service) starting with better lighting (and with bulbs I can change without going up a ladder - I could manage a couple of steps). However Mr and Mrs Builder agree it will be much easier to sort after DS3, Beloved and half the furnishings leave. Mr and Mrs Builder are coming to do my new gate and fence and repair the back wall (next door's has fallen down and the bit of mine that joins their's is part down - the old coal hole frame needs to come out because it's been eaten by whatever ate through my fence and posts). 
  • MrsCD
    MrsCD Forumite Posts: 1,740
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    edited 1 November 2022 at 10:19PM
    That garden centre sounds just the ticket to help perk you up  @grandmanerd
    I'm glad you're feeling a bit better today. As my grandma used to say, 'Make hay while the sun shines.' It all adds up.
    I told you a while ago about my front door curtain which I lengthened by hanging from ribbons.
    Here's the photo....sorry it's a bit fuzzy!

    Today I hung a second pair of curtains on the back of the bedroom curtains. We haven't put the heating on in there yet, so we'll see if it makes a difference. 
    #33 Saving for Christmas 2023
    Fashion on the ration 2021 ... 6 over Fashion on the ration 2022 ....53.5/66 Fashion on the ration 2023....100g acrylic yarn 1 coupon = 1/78
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