Santa’s challenge 2020 ...

Katiehound

Anglea- hope it goes well at the hospital.
 If you have no birthday card just (hand) write a short note- sure you can find different greetings  rhymes/ poems on line and say how you value his friendship & help. perhaps an IOU for a meal out? afternoon tea? Really it IS the thought that counts.

Some friendships are toxic- I've had a couple of those- take up loads of time give nothing back except moaning so I wouldn't feel guilty.  If you want to keep in touch at all- the odd phone call.

Happy Kitties: I am so well organised that yesterday when I saw someone on the forum asking for a limoncello recipe, I thought yes, I have a great easy one. VERY small problem- can't find my 'own' recipe book- the one where I hand write /stick gleaned recipes. No idea where it is.There's no point in hunting either, it will appear in its own time!!

Yesterday I went shopping locally for shoe box bits.
 I'm glad I bought soap in Aldi a couple of months ago- there doesn't even seem to be a space for it now.
It looks as if MrT will be the cheapest & easiest for the following: (assuming the shelves aren't bare)
toothpaste-50 pence
toothbrushes- 2 for 25 pence
playing cards 2 for £1
magnifying glasses £1

face flannels have shot up in price and all I can see are white ones- not awfully practical for places with limited washing facilities so I am wondering if I will cut up a good quality (but not new) towel out of the airing cupboard in a more practical colour.

We are going to knit the remaining 4 pairs of mittens whilst away. My friend has volunteered to use up the last of the not-really-DK black yarn (a cheap nasty buy from A!) whilst I have some decent yarn, and yes we are really going to knit in these temperatures!!!

managed to crash the computer a week ago.
It's been a nightmare, like watching paint dry.
Lost my MacAfee- for which I'd paid- can't see an easy way to contact Dell (it was bought as a 'bundle' ) so avoiding any banking until I'm home again.

Off very very early tomorrow. Don't want any incidents!!!!!

Take care in the heat
Think we may have drought here- it's been so very dry. At least it will stop folk from doing "essentials!!" like car washing!! My poor car doesn't really understand the words car wash!

Happy_Kitties

it’s a miracle…….I’ve done a letter to go in a friends birthday card and I’m actually on time. She should actually get it on the day of a birthday. I’m must be ill !!!

I’ve started to slowly sort stuff out and have  wrapped two things, not great but it’s a start. I’ve decided with the March birthday present, his sisters birthday is coming up soon so I will add everything altogether and send including missing the other sisters birthday in June aswell. As long as I stay on track i should be okay. 

Im hoping  to finish my second shoebox tonight. I’ve got lots of bits already, a lot from Mr T like u said Katiehound and I usually get big bars of chocolate from there for 30p to go in the boxes. With the magnifying glasses, there was an offer on Amason a couple of years ago. There was about 20 in the pack and they only worked out 30p each and I’m just coming to the end of them. I did the same with work gloves, bought a bulk pack which have worked out approx 50p a pair. It is literally putting all the boxes together now but I can only do it bit by bit not all in one go. So far it will be two elderly boxes done so I’m itching to get a family one done next I think.
Face flannels I found H.Barg good, about 4 in a pack for 99p. But that’s before prices started to go up so don’t know if they will even have them now.

chanie

@Happy_Kitties great progress.

my family have decided that we should have Xmas dinner together this year, for the first time in two years and I’ve been nominated to host - 7 adults and 4 children.  At least I have lots of time in order to get prepared and maximise those offers.

I went to Home Bargains over the weekend.  DD spotted a particular item she wanted and it’s her birthdays coming up.  With lots of distraction and misdirection, I managed to buy it without her seeing.  I still need to plan for het upcoming birthday and I need to get a move on.

chanie

I had a clear out yesterday and found some Xmas gifts I had bought and forgotten about.  I also ordered a few stocking fillers for my children - practical items, so gloves and a luggage tag for their suitcases.  

Taking a tip from @Happy_Kitties, I’m going to start wrapping presents soon (will have to wait until the children have gone back to school).  

Happy_Kitties

Chanie I’ve managed to wrap a couple more things but really have had to have a dig around to find the birthday presents that need to be wrapped and dropped off sooner. So far I’ve found a couple and one I’ve absolutely no idea what to get. Christmas present for the teenager sorted but birthday I haven’t a clue so I’m going to ask Duncle for any ideas……normally he isn’t great bec he doesn’t want the blame if the present is wrong!!!!!

Hopefully sending off another box of charity items this morning, that’s the plan providing the rain holds off.

Katiehound

Hello

Thankfully an uneventful trip to Norfolk without any breakdown assistance needed!! but it was very very hot and even drier than here. My old hound struggled with the temperatures.
Some great charity shop bargains, probably the cheapest was the bag of coloured crayons. Most were new and nearly 50 for 50 pence. Even better when I opened it later I found a necklace, a broken bracelet (which hopefully I can repair) and 34 pence in 2 pence pieces! Therefore bag cost princely sum of 16 pence.

My friend donated 2 pairs of mittens she made last month & then knitted 4 more pairs from my yarn in the week (and heat). I knitted one pair & crocheted most of one knee blanket & started another. In the main these are using yarn that I inherited- boring 'colours' so interspersed with some bright stuff. I would like to reduce the heap of wool.

I bought toothpaste (50p), toothbrushes x 2  (25p) and today, playing cards - 2 packs for £1 & magnifying glasses from Mr T. Managed to get face flannels last week from a cheapie shop- think they worked out around 55 pence each. Wilko are the cheapest but white- not really practical. 

I actually think I have everything now. it will be good to see 6 china mugs gone, and the 8 shampoos. Would like to deliver all 8 boxes early next month is at all possible

last night a friend bought me (yet another!!!) duvet but half a bin bag of covers & sheeting. Today I got flat sheet, duvet cover & 4 p'cases for £3 so need to get sewing. have an order for 13 doggy duvets! Craft fayre was great for me ( and I was away too) they have another in Nov so hoping for more sales as well as maybe selling some crochet stars (free yarn) therefore a long list of things to do.

Delivered my first Christmas present - and came home with one so space gained = none!

Still chasing up local vet to get a price for signing the Irish pet passports next month. have one quote so far, one verbal message from a friend & nowt from the 3rd.

Happy_Kitties

Blooming heck Katiehound u are going to be busy with an order for 13 doggy duvets to make and it’s good to hear you had an uneventful trip to Norfolk, now that does make a change!

I haven’t even finished my second shoebox yet, I’ve been terrible. Keep planning to do it and keep putting it off. I’m hoping to do some volunteering at the big North Wales shoebox hub this year. Have over 100 metres of wrapping paper for them and and have Dove sets and men sets as they do dementia boxes after and treat bags for a woman's refuge where they may have fled with little to nothing after the shoeboxes have been dispatched
Flannels, picked up one in H. barg yesterday, had a look for the packs of four but they have well gone.

I have been slowly prepping the birthday presents that need to be delivered soon. Duncle actually came good with the birthday present idea I needed. The young person is at that age where they just want money. I then remembered that I had picked up some posh chocolate bombes for making nice hot chocs from the Next sale  abit ago now and I have one spare. So I am going to wrap £5 around the hot choc bombes. All of them are token presents, I stick to a budget but it just so happens that 6 of the birthdays fall close together. Hopefully I will gain some space.

The box of charity items was sent off and received and I’m just waiting to gain another box to send off some more items to another small charity group for Christmas raffles and auctions. Now there I am seeing space finally.
I do feel disorganised this year, I was bad last year but I’m even worse this year!

Chanie excellent tactics used with  DD to get the item she wanted without her seeing. It’s amazing the sneaky tactics we have to resort to. I particularly remember  having to do it with DD when she was younger with a Pickachu cuddly toy and I got away with it aswell despite it being this big cuddly yellow thing. She still got it now at 23. It’s amazing how cunning you have to be!

Katiehound

I was congratulating myself on all the shoe box items and then had a thought!
8 pairs of mittens to sew up & 6 lavender bags to make!

This week 4 human duvets collected/ delivered (1 x dbl+ 3 x KS)    No excuse not to start sewing except very clammy here +24 degrees.

Y'day delivered the remaining doggy duvet to dog training- sold within the hour.
Now no stock made at all!

Added to that have a big bucket of Bramley windfalls to attended to before they rot.

ha- which way to turn??

chanie

@Katiehound your crayon haul with extra treasure made me smile.
it sounds like you have lots on, but you will rise to the challenge.

@Happy_Kitties you are making great progress with your efforts for birthdays and Xmas.  

I bought a few more stocking fillers for the children.  I have planned a shopping day in September, so I’m hoping to get a few more things then.

Anglea

Hi everyone.

Katiehound, you really are such a busy person, you must be very organised to deal with all the travelling as well as gifts and all the doggie things and the boxes.

I did manage to get a card and gifts for my friend without him knowing although it did involve me urging him to wait outside a shop for me and find a seat,  saying he needs a rest.

I'm not very happy with my London son as the other week he phoned to say he wanted to come down with his wife the next day to stay for the weekend even though there was no warning and I was actually feeling very unwell that day and had a 3rd hospital appt in the following week. Not only did I say no because he had given me no time to prepare and felt too ill, but I also said that I don't appreciate him going continually awol.

It's also a good thing that I said no because unknown to me a builder that was rebuilding next door's wall, put all the  bricks and concrete mixer etc on my driveway and it was inaccessible the next day and DS had told me that he had wanted to bring a van with him to remove his stuff from my house. So it would have been a nightmare if he had come down. I ended up in an argument with not only the builders but also my friend that day as he seemed to think I was making a problem when there wasn't one. The fact that I couldn't get out of my house not a worry?? I've had other issues with him too so his day's are numbered with me if this kind of thing continues.

Other son is coming down at the weekend and we will do our usual of seeing him at a cafe with mum then after she goes home we'll be having a picnic by the lake, weather permitting. It's one of the few days that it's supposed to be dry.

I haven't given Christmas a thought yet apart from wanting to start on decluttering and cleaning the house, I miss mum2one's monthly challenges and have let a lot of things slide such as household folder with important information, a lot of that is out of date, household budget and dates of bills etc. Do you remember mum2one's daughter often setting us a freezer challenge?