* Driving Home for Christmas * - It's the 2021 Christmas Chatter Thread!

kerri_gt

Princesskitty until this year I'd always get a bottle of red and a bottle of white schloer. We used to have it at my cousins on xmas day and felt very grown up. Naturally the four of us children all wanted the same colour so it got a bit fraught if one would run out.
I also buy smoked salmon as I recall that was the first time I tried it too one Christmas there.

Spendless

Princesskitty29 - I suppose that there's always a 3 course meal for Christmas Day, it never occurred to me not to do this, even though my own mum told me I should have left out a starter this year due to DS' housemates also being guests and having a houseful for a few days. I can't think of any specific food though. 

There's a lot of family birthdays early in the year, 7 before we get to DD and we still have 5 of them to go, so haven't done anything towards it so far, but do have ideas in my head. There's so many chocolate bar brands that begin with her initial that I'm not too worried, because I can bulk them in if I get stuck. It's DD's friend's 18th today. She has gone to drop off a birthday card and present whilst taking in a grocery shop en-route. DH has taken her as I'm nervous about being pulled over.

Has anyone got a holiday already booked for this year, maybe one that had to be re-scheduled. If so what are your thoughts about it or even if you think you'll be able to go? We haven't booked anything, but DD and her boyfriend have. They booked last summer, when things seemed to be getting back to normal.  I get that, they wanted something to mark the end of their  respective sixth form lives,  before they start their Uni life in different places. Now I wonder if it'll even be permitted for them to go abroad. I don't want to fetch the subject up with DD just yet though. My parents have cancelled theirs for this summer due to their health problems. They didn't want to have to pay the full amount and then wait for it to be reimbursed if the holiday company cancel. It's already a postponed holiday from last year and they weren't sure if insurance would cover them cancelling, so decided to lose the money. My mum was upset about it, totally understandable, as I said to her she'd have got more joy from throwing £600 worth of £20 notes out of the window and wishing people who grabbed one, to have a good day on it. 

mandco

murie said:

Free is OK x

Thanks for letting us know 

Princesskittty  you have 2 little ones cooped up indoors its bound to be hectic I know my sdd is going stir crazy with her 2.
I also buy some foods at xmas because it reminds me of xmas as a kid even though I know I could make my own as its just not the same without them
My Bil & family are fine thanks for asking - they only had really mild symptoms thankfully

We didn't get any snow other than a light flurry one day that was gone about an hr later much to taz's disappointment - he had fun smashing the ice and pretending he was ice fishing in the paddling pool though 

I had an eventful weekend first the washing machine packed up and the repair man managed to flood the kitchen- its not worth fixing so going to have to get a new one. Then yesterday I woke up to no heating/hot water as the boiler had leaked everywhere and cut out due to no water pressure. Had to get dd a new car battery in the week so hopefully that's my 3 done and nothing else expensive goes wrong. 

kerri_gt

Mandco i hope that is 'just' a new washing machine needed and not a new kitchen    OH needed a new car battery recently,  I moved the car to wash it / clean it between xmas and NY and then couldn't start it to move it back (it was half way across our shared drive,  good job we have a good relationship with our neighbours as it was a bit of a squeeze for their car). Turns out it was 'only' a battery and better it happened then than when OH was off to work. The battery was the original,  OH car is a 52 plate....i think the battery was older than the guy at Halfords who changed it 

We've had a leak in the garage roof (cracked tile, semi fixed, roofer swapped it with another one and now just waiting for him to pick up an actual replacement), gas fire playing up and pump in the water feature in the garden not currently working (not sure if it's froxen or kaput) so I feel your *3 list.

Hope the boiler isn't too expensive to fix, why do these things never go when it's more convenient to not have hot water like in the middle of the heatwave last year.

nic2075

Hope you are all well.

Red robin, hope your Mum is on the mend. 

Princesskitty, im here with you on the homeschooling front. We have some days that go smoothly, but then others we are all overwhelmed and there’s lots of tears.  Mine are a bit older, but we have challenges with the amount of work, my eldest having no confidence and anxiety which makes working at home really hard.  There is a light at the end of the tunnel. 

I’m waiting for the kids to get up and make them pancakes. We have a couple of days off school.  We’ve spent the weekend playing Monopoly, going for walks and eating. So much eating 😆  I had a voucher for Hellofresh, so I’ve ordered that for this week to try and force us to eat nice healthyish home made meals every night. I’m a good cook and enjoy cooking healthy meals, but we are all losing motivation and having everyone home for every meal of the day is hard to think of new things. I’m hoping getting the Hellofresh boxes will give me ideas and try different things I wouldn’t automatically cook. 

mandco

Spendless we have a couple of weekends away in the uk booked and dd has a week with her friend booked for centre parcs later in the year but nothing for abroad. I'm hoping we might be able to get away later in the year as we had a big family holiday cancelled last year we have a credit for the flights but its too much money to risk booking anything with things being so uncertain and its nearly impossible to get travel insurance that doesn't exclude all/any covid related issues and with my medical issues I won't go abroad without that. 

Kerri thankfully its just the washing machine that needs replacing but the kitchen needs a really good airing as its smelling rather damp - bit hard with the current weather.  The boiler is still under warranty so costs were minimal - apparently they have been rushed off their feet with breakdowns due to the cold weather.   Hope your repairs aren't too expensive either the cold has a lot to answer for.
B&m apparently have had egg chairs back in stock though selling out fast but might be worth a look if you have one local

NIc  some times I feel like lockdown is groundhog day so finding new ways to change things up is a great plan, Let us know what you think of the hello fresh boxes I've looked at them a few times but never bothered as my lot are kind of fussy but wondering if its something that might be good for me to try just for myself 

What pancakes are you having? I'll be making some later but my boys will only eat plain ones with sugar and dd won't eat them at all 

Redredrobin

Well my mum is doing ok recovering slowly but it could have been worse . My dad had his first vaccine on Monday and she can have hers 28 days after she tested positive. 

I managed to slip on the ice last week just relieved no one saw me elegant I’m not ! Slippers and ice are not a good mix ! 

Skibunny40

Ouch Redrobin! That looks sore!

C_J

Ouch ouch! (Your leg matches the colours of your rug nicely though 😂)

kerri_gt

Wishing you a speedy recovery Redrobin, get lots of Arnica on that bruising.