* Rocking around the Christmas Tree * - It's the 2018 Christmas Chatter Thread

Peppapig

JAKESMUM so sorry to hear what you’re going through with PIP but really pleased the good guy has come back on the scene, here’s hoping the system works for you now you’ve got the back up you need.

CHRISSY hoping the transition from DLA to PIP goes smoothly for DD.

FREE that’s brilliant about the migraines, I had to read up on it when I saw it on IG and I’m so glad it seems to have made such a difference already.

3FORHOLIDAYS I’m a terrible mother, for someone so organised I kept appallingly bad records of the girls’ childhood ailments and can never remember who had what or when

VULPIX lovely to see you back and triumphing over the laptop

MRSINVIS I wish you and your baskets/tubs lived near me!

0462 hope the physio continues to help and that you get to enjoy some lovely outings next week. You must be so frustrated not being able to get back to the job you love.

Not much going on here, enjoying the good weather and all energies focussed garden wise at the moment. I’ll have a go at the latest festive questions but my answers will be a bit rubbish as you’ll see.

Fave panto - I can’t stand panto in any shape or form (please don’t hate me)
Fave tipple - I don’t drink but I do enjoy a token Buck’s Fizz at Christmas so it’ll have to be that. I actually really like Dubonnet but I think I’m the only one left on the planet who does.
Fave Christmas dessert - trifle or strawberry cheesecake
Fave Christmas treat - eating chocolate before breakfast (as kids the only day in the year it ever happened)

nic2075

Hi all. Sorry I've not been on in ages, but I've had trouble logging. I couldn't remember my password. I'm still having issues as I now want to change the silly long one they send you, but it's not letting me. So far clearing my cookies and Internet seems to have helped.

I will need to read back to see what I have missed.
My life is just plodding along. Work is ok but boring. My girls are still doing their dance competitions most weekends and loads of classes, my DS is doing guitar exams today.
My dd (12) is doing well at high school, she has been put forward for a prize. She has been told that 3 teachers have put her forward due to her hard work and effort. There is a ceremony at the end of term. She has also got through to the all schools athletic championships on Tuesday. Really pleased with how she has got on this first year. I was so worry she would get lost.

I've just been enjoying the garden in this lovely weather. I've now got lots of Clematis and other climbing plants growing up the fence to give me more privacy from my nobby neighbour. Thank you to ever it was who suggested that. I'm slowly getting more cover. It won't stop the noise, but I think he feeds off me getting annoyed and when I am enjoying the peace. Also some of his friends made comments at my 12 year Old when she was out the back in her swimsuit. She won't tell me what they said, but she refuses to go out if he is out.

vulpix

Hi,Hows tricks?

To answer the recent Christmas questions:-

Fave Panto,Not a big fan really,only go as Mr V is usually in the local one.Love to see the kids enjoy it so much though.Did see Cinderella once with Frankie Howerd and real Shetland ponies pulling the coach,that was lovely.

Fave drink, Snowball,only ever consumed at Christmas.Also Bucksfizz,ditto.

Fave Dessert,Sherry Trifle.

Fave treat,chocolate orange,Turkish delight,crystallised ginger.

What is everyone's worst Christmas Food? mine is Christmas pud followed by Christmas cake,then mince pies.

We made about £100 between us at the car boot sale.I am umming and ahhing about buying a tree fern.I covet one but they are expensive. But car boot sale money is free money isn't it?

I have been spending a lot of time in the garden,it is looking good,maturing.I wish we would have some rain.I can't believe you had a downpour 0462.We are not that far apart and all we have had for weeks is a bit of drizzle for 1/2 hour.

On the slimming front I have lost 1 stone 4lbs. I looked up keto.I am not doing full keto but from experience know to do low carb,fat and sugar.I feel so much better for just losing a stone,would like to loose another couple but it will be slow as we HAVE to go out for meals and events etc. I have found a good trick for a buffet.Ask someone to get you specific things and thats what you get!

Christmas wise I have just bought some pretty enamel mugs reduced from the National Trust. Stocking fillers.I have noticed how so many of us have said we are cutting back on"stuff" this year.I find it hard.Having been a skint single Mum in the past I tried to find value for money to give the kids a good Christmas. Buy it cheap and stack it high.They earn more money now than I ever did and so I don't need to do that any more.I think I will make some edibles again for people. When the elder flower is out in the next week or so I will start some elder flower vodka.

Hope everyone under the weather is feeling better soon.

It is so nice to be back Vx

Gettingtherequickly

Hello there! Slowly getting there Was home for wedding at weekend and I am still recuperating. My flight times were changed, so ended up getting back to Gatwick about 3 hours later than my original booking made in January, so got to bed about 01:00 on Monday morning and was back in office before 8, slept through alarm this morning so not doing well! Wedding was fab, but my God, the attitude of some of the older staff there was dire. Plus they didn't have reserved parking for the bridal cars which meant that my cousin had to literally dump his sister, who was the bride, & dad at the door & find some place to park on the main road (on a Saturday afternoon:eek:), run back & then got caught the same way as the rest of us, there was absolutely no signage indicating where the wedding was, luckily for him, he could hear the music so followed it, he felt a right idiot walking down the aisle after the bride! But it was good catching up with family etc.

One thing I did learn from the wedding which can be now incorporated into Christmas is to put After 8's in the fridge! They were served with the coffee after the meal and my goodness, the flavour is enhanced, loved them.

Sorry to all of those having a tough time with bureaucracy, some jobsworths should not be allowed to work. I used to work in a centre for physically disabled when I was at school and one of them needed a new wheelchair, was asked if he could walk using crutches instead, told them he would be quite happy to do that, just a minor issue of being paralysed!

Free, you are lucky Thumper has had the pox this early, I got them when I was 21, so embarrassing, every kid in the area had them & I was the only adult!

murie

GTQ- I had the pox for the first time at 20 (again although milder at 28)! Its no fun as an adult so Thumper is definitely lucky to have had them at such a young age.

Gettingtherequickly

For those with restraint, M&S have chocolate truffles half price at mo. Long life into 2019. Was going to get some, but will wait until I see my friend who works there, can get her discount on top!

vulpix

Thanks for that GTQ,will get some tomorrow for MIL who is still in hospital.

Hope all the folks wrangling with forms are getting there with it. I used to claim tax credit in the past and that made me feel ill at the prospect.It must be much worse for folks with more involved forms than I did.

I have taken up knitting.Only baby things and hats to send to Chernobyl where they are still enduring the effects of the nuclear accident. I am still a beginner but enjoying it.

Off to try to buy a prom dress tomorrow for DD2 after her maths exam.I have the opposite of most Mum's.I want her to glam up,she prefers to be a wall flower!

Vx

System

Just when I thought things she were settling down Kenya comes back to haunt again .

Dd hadnt been well for a while muscle weakness , falling down and episodes of slurred speech, so off to the Drs and one blood test later apparently her body hasnt replaced the blood loss during the operation , its has got to the point the bone marrow cant do what its s supposed to .She doesnt t eat anything green which is essential to help replace the loss.

In an effort to do things that shes s comfortable with she has been put on vitamin B complex and folic acid tablets for a month, if this doesnt work its off to hospital something shes it too keen on ! Apparently she has lost st the equivalent to 2/3 pints . I now have a month to get her used to the idea of another hospital visit .

Treasurequeen

virtual Hugs to anyone that needs them.

i used to buy M&S belgian flaked truffles but recently i discovered sainsburys belgian flaked truffles priced at £3.25 normal price. They are even nicer than the sparks ones and are cheaper. i have bought a couple of boxes to put in hampers and to put by as an extra gift.

kerri_gt

CHRISSYG wrote: »

Just when I thought things she were settling down Kenya comes back to haunt again .

Dd hadnt been well for a while muscle weakness , falling down and episodes of slurred speech, so off to the Drs and one blood test later apparently her body hasnt replaced the blood loss during the operation , its has got to the point the bone marrow can!!!8217;t t do what it!!!8217;s s supposed to .She doesn!!!8217;t t eat anything green which is essential to help replace the loss.

In an effort to do things that she!!!8217;s s comfortable with she has been put on vitamin B complex and folic acid tablets for a month, if this doesnt work it!!!8217;s off to hospital something shes it too keen on ! Apparently she has lost st the equivalent to 2/3 pints . I now have a month to get her used to the idea of another hospital visit .

Sorry folks, RL been getting in the way of being on here but didn't want to read and run - would DD drink a 'green' smoothie? Is it that she doesn't like greed fodder? Just thinking a glass of something green might be marginally more palatable to slosh down quickly than chewing through a plate of green if there's motivation to stay out of hospital?

Sending good thoughts to all those battling with forms, neighbours, illness and stuff that isn't fun.

Oh, before I forget:

Fave Panto ; not a massive fan here either, but I have been to see the Snowman at the Peacock theatre in London a couple of times (not panto I know but love it) - debating seeing if my 7yr old niece wants to go this year....because I'm running out of people to go see it with :rotfl:

Fave drink; mulled wine (usually have one too many and am over it by xmas day itself)...Prosecco (ditto like the mulled wine - but it gets me through the wrapping) and Baileys - if I can wrestle the bottle off OH. With gifts this year we ended up worth about 5ltr of the stuff on xmas day...never mind the Lidl Deluxe version we'd quaffed (several of) before Xmas so were a little over that too come Boxing day :rotfl:

Fave Dessert ; not overly fussed but do like a nice Vienetta (or a black forest gateau but not on xmas day)

Fave treat: matchamkers while I write the cards

What is everyone's worst Christmas Food? mine is Christmas pud followed by Christmas cake,then mince pies..... same as Vulpix. As a kid with my cousins we all used to like the brandy sauce and were only allowed that if we have a little bit of xmas pud...yuk! I made sure I ate that first before it contaminated the sauce too much :rotfl: