Santa’s challenge 2020 ...

Happy_Kitties

Anglea  it’s lovely to hear from u. It’s awful when ur world is turned upside down. I sometimes message DD saying I feel discombulated today, when I feel at odds with myself if u get what I mean. Ive been shocking with birthdays this year, no motivation, better with Christmas. I feel most of my birthday presents have come with an apology for being late this year. I remember all of ur crafting u used to plan for occasions. Make sure u take time for urself to process things. Ive found in the end is it does come together, not usually how I planned but it has been the strangest 18 months. Sending hugs

chanie also sending hugs. That doesn’t sound good but I’m glad that the GP is being safe and sending u for a chest x ray. Take care of urself.

Anglea have a look on the M&S website with the gins, they are pretty. I decided to bite the bullet and try and get the other two gins for DD but I knew it would be mission impossible. I ended up ordering a set on their website that includes Prosecco. I’ve switched around a couple of Christmas presents to use some of the Prosecco and I’ve saved one for an 18th birthday next year (cannot believe I’m early for a birthday!!😂😂). DD also gets the other two gins for her collection, particularly the silver one and a friend also gets a lovely Prosecco for Christmas (which I think she would much prefer to what I had planned tbh) as they come in beautiful gold or pink bottles.
I wrapped them when they arrived straight away, and I’m sure that baby shark keeps grinning at me as it is now sitting on the bed ready to be packed away.

I did look out for any pencil cases in my local Tesco Chanie but nothing. I do have some spare but still waiting for that elusive final shoebox to pack so I can drop them off.

Katiehound I hope u r doing okay. I bet u r busy at the sewing machine  doing ur dog beds. 

Take care everyone x

chanie

I’ve ordered a couple more Xmas gifts over the past week or so.
I bought my mum her favourite toiletries, whilst they were on offer.  Whilst it’s not very exciting, it’s something she uses, so very practical.

I had an Amazon voucher for my birthday and ordered an engraved pen for someone for Xmas.  The recipient isn’t someone I know very well and i was struggling for ideas. 

I also bought OH another bottle of his favourite tipple.  It’s normally on offer closer to Xmas, but with predicted shortages for Xmas, I though I should get it now whilst it’s in stock and cheaper!!!

Next in my list is gifts for 3 males.  I have a John Lewis voucher I could use, but I’m short of ideas. 

Happy_Kitties

Chanie i hate buying for men, Duncle is awful to buy for. There are the usual bits for him but to get him a special present is difficult. This year I have bought him a 3D jigsaw of the London Bridge. DD said he will hate me for it…..bec once he has got it he won’t be able to resist doing it. Job done but it is difficult and to buy for 3, I struggle with one.

Have slowly been wrapping the Christmas presents. It’s a slow job as usual. I’m late again (no surprise) for another birthday. This one is a card with a scratch card and I’m even late just with this.

I am happy though. Although I will be delivering late this year, I now have my final shoebox. Had a root round in the bits I have left. Managed to fill half the box. Need to pick up a couple of bits like chocolate but as soon as this is finished, they will all be going. 

Also had a sort out of Christmas presents and spare presents. There were a couple of gift sets that would need to be used, I have no use for them as I’ve had a switch round with presents so they were sent to charity organiser. Trying to be more organised with things, and tidier. Slowly getting there.

Katiehound

Well, the hound gang finally got to Ireland last month for 4 weeks. We got back just over 2 weeks ago.

Huge amount of paper work, especially for the hounds (£100) & the problem of only 2kg of dog food per dog. Had to buy from N.I- not exactly what I wanted and dearer: ah, so!
Actually the bonus was that my old girl got different food and put on a little weight so she looks good.

It was wonderful to see open skies, neighbours not that close, a large garden for dogs to run in so no daily walks required: all in all  a breath of fresh air. I got to swim most weekdays, read lots of books, made and sold some cards and charged the batteries.and space......

That all seems an age ago especially as I had one of those journeys classed as an 'experience!'
Outward got a chip on windscreen which started a crack  requiring a new windscreen when I got home (long boring story!)
 Limped home with sickly car- home garage diagnosed 'something to do with suspension'- a big bang and car steering oddly. It happened only hours before I was due to leave for the ferry. 50 mph right across Ireland. I phoned RAC from Dublin and asked them to meet me when ferry docked- better to phone when you arrive was their reply!!! 
As it happened we were 1 &1/2 hours late because the winds were so strong the ship couldn't dock. The wind sock was horizontal! Then no phone signal until I got to Kinmel Services when I phoned RAC on my Irish mobile. Loooooong wait for patrol man but he diagnosed the problem, sourced a part locally and a garage willing to fit it. They even went to Chester to collect it. Full marks to PSS Auto Centre near Holywell. I was back on the road 7 hours later....

All in all 25 hours travelling and all the time my dogs were in the car. ( in all a 39 hour day.) Got home cream crackered.

Since then I have been sewing duvets: 12 delivered this week. Need more for next week for the groomers to sell

Never a dull moment!!

It looks as if I shall not be going away this Christmas. My girlie has a very restricted diet so cannot go to kennels. At 14 yo she wants her comforts and I don't think I can ask my dog runner to look after them for at least a week which I need to trail to the S.coast.
Maybe for a day or two?

chanie

Katie more car trouble, you’ve had quite a bad run in recent years, haven you.  But hopefully, your trip to Ireland was worth it.

I haven’t made much progress.  I think I need to sort though my present stash so that I see everything I’ve bought so far.  I have been pretty lax with recording what I’ve got during lockdown.  I’ll be able to do that once the children are back at school.  

I did buy a few extra rolls of wrapping paper recently.  There seemed to be a shortage last year and many shops has sold out before xmas.  

Katiehound

Yes, the car is getting on in years/ mileage.
I've never kept one for this length of time.
Sadly the same and similar models have all been so-called 'improved' with aero dynamic styling to the boot area so no back windows that open and a lot less space for the hounds.... otherwise I would have changed it years ago. I guess the engine will still be running when the body has given in!!
The other option would be to buy a van but then you get clobbered on ferries , tolls, trips to the tip  as a commercial vehicle even if it is private use.

chanie

Katie aaahh, the curse of so called improvements that makes things worse, rather than better.

I bought a new pair of shoes recently and got a shoe box.  This now means I have two boxes for Christmas 2022.  

Katiehound

chanie said:

 
I bought a new pair of shoes recently and got a shoe box.  This now means I have two boxes for Christmas 2022.  

ah, prepared!

 I am hoping to get a couple of hats knitted for those '22 boxes- it's not an amazing colour  (olive?) but ideal for  a cosy gift.
Just delivered 6 more doggy duvets. That's 18 in the past week. My plan is to empty the collecting boxes just before Christmas to see what I have funds I have raised.
 I also have some T shirts to make woven bones/tuggers. I wanted to get some made for 50 pence each and hang them on my door! Good pet presents.

Never mind seasonal activities, time to put away the shorts and find warmer clothes. When I was cruising I never packed them away so they were all ready for warmer climes- no chance this year!
Attack the bedroom.......

chanie

Katie I didn’t do any Link boxes this year.  I didn’t enjoy doing them last year as I struggled to get them finished and it ended up being a last minute rush.  So, I decided to have a break this year and focus on doing a Christmas toy appeal instead.  Needless to say, I got off to a good start and bought lots of small games from Sainsbury’s in the sale, but didn’t get much further than that.  l may put in a trip to Home Bargains to see if they have any suitable gifts, but otherwise, won’t be able to do as much as I want to this year.  

I get my best gift ideas or bargains when I’m out and about, but as we have spent so much time in lockdowns, I just haven’t been to the shops much.  Now that we can go, I just can’t be bothered. 

Hopefully, it won’t be too long before you get out your sunny clothes again.  It was pretty warm here today, so we may have a mild winter.

Katiehound

Yes, I also tend to get my bits & pieces when out & about but this last year has been spent on food shopping and not much else.
I do like car boots- haven't been to any and also a trawl thro the charity shops.

I don't have any cruises booked for next year.... nothing that appealed. I just need to remember that actually I did go abroad last year: including India, Jordan & Israel just as the situation was developing (for the worst!)
I have to say it feels like much more than 19 months ago!