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

princesskitty29

The sun is streaming in through the window here today, but I suspect it’s very cold outside like it has been lately. It always lifts my spirits to see the sun though. I was ordering some clothes from Debenhams and managed to get a lovely Maine jumper for my mum and a pretty Mantaray watch for my friend, both were half price and now in the Christmas box.

 

It seems strange that all of the shops are opening up again tomorrow, even though I really don’t enjoy online shopping anymore I’m also apprehensive about going back to the shops! Such a strange thing. I really can’t wait for things to feel more normal again.

 

Spendless gosh that incident with your DD’s friend must have been awkward for you all. I had a friend like that when I was younger, she had a boyfriend but would always make a play for others, I wonder if it is a low self-esteem issue.

 

nic sorry to hear about your car, that’s just what you need! I do hope when the electrician comes he finds it’s not as bad as first thought, I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you.

Redredrobin

Came across this beautiful artwork . 

SPOWER

Hi.  I just saw Driving home for christmas on the menu screen.  I love that song, Chris Rea.  I always thought it was Davina McColl off Big Brother in the video, but it's not.  I still don't know who she is.

nic2075

Thanks @princesskitty29 , I’m hoping he comes and tells me it’s a £1 fuse  that’s gone, but probably not 😂 

Today has felt very Christmassy. I woke up to snow. So I put on my twinkle lights earlier than I normally do and made hot chocolate for breakfast. 

The snow is now gone and it’s sunny and warm 🤷🏼‍♀️

Peppapig

SPOWER according to Google the girls in the video were Lizzie Cundy, Carol Decker, Kristian Digby and Gail Porter.  The song is a big favourite with me because of the links with Gavin and Stacey ( turn it up Dave I love Chris Rea) and because it always reminds me of the year my daughter drove home on her own from an army posting in Germany to be with us at Christmas. 

Spendless

Hope the car isn't too expensive to fix nic2075. Hopefully a car with that low a mileage on it, hasn't had something go too wrong.

Daughter has returned to college today, complete with her first hangover. She spent yesterday having her very first pub drinking session. Astonishingly she only got ID'd at the place she went to eat breakfast at 9am. 

The house seems very quiet. Later I will be calling to see my Mum. She went back into hospital last week, just as out-patient. This is because she developed an infection, which turned out to be because she hadn't been discharged with anti-biotics! They'd given them to her the previous time, but Mum hadn't picked up on she'd not been given them this time until the infection had developed.

When I can muster up energy to do some jobs, one of them is to sort my present cupboard out. Delved into it slightly to give DD an 18th present from DS due to the restricted shop openings etc at the time. Came across some a skinny tan gift set, I'd forgotten about and thought that would make a more appropriate present for now than wait till Christmas. 

nic2075

Thanks @Spendless, I’ll find out tomorrow hopefully. Just hope he turns up. He was fully booked for 2 weeks, I haven’t spoken to him to check.  Hope your mum is feeling better soon x

looks like a nice sunny day again today. Plan to get some washing out and help my daughter study. If it’s nice enough we can sit in the garden and do it. 

kerri_gt

It might be sunny but it's been flipping cold still. 

No xmas stuff on the go but have ordered DN a honeybee game from M&S (it's actually an ELC one) for her bday. Which isn't until Sept but it's been a godsend largely having presents bought early lately so since I'd decided on it, i figured i may as well order it now. It's like a version of Kerplunk. We bought our DN one years ago, he'll be 22 this year 😲 One of the good things about having two 'batches ' of DN's is for some things I've been able to rinse and repeat some present ideas. 

princesskitty29

I’m getting a bit excited over here as we’re heading home to see my parents next month and we’re going to have our second Christmas! We want it to be proper so I’m taking a small 2ft tree and my dad is making a roast dinner. I’ve just found some crackers on ebay that I’m going to buy and have sent to my parents’ house. We’re going to put Christmas music on and my auntie had left us a tub of Quality Street at my mums so we’ve already got some traditional Christmas day chocolates waiting. I can’t wait! Plus my parents live in a small bungalow so I know my mum is desperate to clear the Christmas presents out so she’s got more space again! I really can’t wait as I haven’t seen my family since October. Although I’m talking like it’s soon, it’s still not until the end of May!

 

It looks like another lovely (if not a bit cold) day outside again, we’re off to our local English Heritage site this afternoon so I might try and get out and paint a bit more of our garden fence this morning.

 

Spendless I hope your mum is doing better now and that the infection has cleared up.

 

kerri I buy repeats of presents for my friends children if they turn out to be a hit!

Spendless

Oh that sounds lovely princesskitty. Enjoy your day. Doesn't matter if it's weeks ago, we all need something to look forward to.

Daughter got amazing news last week. She has been offered to a degree course by a top London drama school - woohoo. It's not the course she originally applied for, so she's going to have a good think about whether she wants to accept or not, but how prestigious  of where has offered when she auditioned at still 17 (was day before her birthday) is amazing. You have better odds of getting into Oxbridge at her age. Meanwhile we are still pressing ahead with our plans to go away overnight to look round the other place she's been offered. If she takes this it would mean another year of auditioning but sounds less 'high powered' and I do think maybe a year of being nurtured is what she needs. I had her college tutor on the phone last week with concerns so I explained her background and the issues school caused a few years ago and she'll continue with putting steps in place to support DD. She also said she's having to devote a lot of time to pastoral because the pandemic and lockdowns has meant so many kids struggling. It's exciting to have options though.