And now we go again...

Makingabobor2

EssexHebridean said:

In the spirit of having things to look forward to in the gloomy month that is January, I've just acted on the N3ct@r email sent this morning with discounted theatre tickets to secure two seats for Just for One Day for £20 each. Yes they are up in the gods, and will no doubt require binoculars to pick out the stage but I really don't care! Not been to the theatre in SO long! 

ooh how exciting. I decided the other day that we should do 1 thing every month, just to have something to look forward to, even if its only a day at the seaside and a picnic. So far we have August and September filled....still 10 more to go. 

PennysIntoPounds

Round of mortgage applause 👏 

Hope the free lunch was good and the company tolerable 

EssexHebridean

Morning all! SA I did remember the coffee code this morning so might treat myself tomorrow!

That's a lovely idea MAB - Small moments of joy spread through the year is definitely a winner! That also reminded me that I had the email officially requesting my holiday days for next year to send to Madam, so that's headed off to her this morning! 

PiP - free lunch was good, free beer less inspiring (started with a pint of Siren Tempo on cask which was - frankly - a bit warm and tired. opted for Brixton Pale (keg) for my second one on the basis they were less likely to be able to ruin it! Madam was actually very relaxed and - as she can be when she's not set on throwing her weight around - good company. 

EssexHebridean

Well here we are on the run in to Christmas! Had tea at Mums last night - with not hosting Christmas Day this year she was keen to do something, and we were happy to head round for a tasty picky bits tea! 

Bit of an annoyance here is that our downstairs lighting circuit chose yesterday morning to go kaput. I’m certain all was well first thing, but then when I went to switch the kitchen lights on a little later = nothing. Resetting the trip worked for a while, but it then tripped again. I’ve got messages out for a couple of sparkys, but I have a hunch that one has already finished for Christmas and is on holiday, and the other I’m not sure still does domestic work - although we’ve known him a while so he just might take pity on us. I was a bit panicky yesterday as to how we’d manage if we couldn’t get it sorted before Christmas Day, but we’ve now got rechargeable sensor lights out, and the rechargeable angle poise type reading light I bought a few years ago when power cuts were threatened, and frankly have come round to the rather more chilled mindset of “we’ll cope!” Handily the Christmas lights in the hallway and front room really help, and the light we mostly use in the living room is on a socket anyway, so actually manageable I think. (remind me of this when I am trying to prep a turkey in half-light on Christmas Eve!) 
MSE Stuff
- took back an unused picture frame to The R@ng3 yesterday and got a refund, I was one day inside the 14 day limit for change of mind refunds so was glad I had remembered then!

- first of the two hams was cooked overnight in the SC on cheap electric last night, that will now be fridged until the second one is cooked, then I’ll glaze and bake them both together.
- WM also ran last night as it was cheap ish.was debating about sticking it outside as it is dry and bright but looking at the ground it really isn’t drying up at all so I have decided there is probably no point. 

- a little over £200 sent to the mortgage this morning from surplus- I’ll update my signature shortly with the end of year figure. 

- the lights we are using as temporary downstairs ones are all things we already had!
- found exactly the Christmas glasses I wanted for our Christmas Day place setting gifts in A’s on Saturday - and for 48p each so a complete bargain! They will contain a small handful of chocolate, a fr3dd0, a bag of mini party ring biscuits and a scratch card each used a £5 voucher airhead sitting in my A’s reward app to cover most of the cost of the glasses and the choccies as well! 

- also found a pack of reduced price Indian snacks in the Y/S’d area so those are in the freezer for Christmas as day tea.
- Nipped in to Lil’s near Mums yesterday too so have grabbed some more 5p shallots and also a swede from there as they looked good and were a decent size

Today is mostly going to be about cleaning and tidying - I have already made a start with getting the kitchen island mostly cleared - next job there is to get everything remaining off it and spray and wipe. Once it’s dried the bits that need to be there can go back. I also need to find my furniture polish for the various bits that need it - although I have a new tin in the shed if needed. 

I have a final few fresh bits to grab - more sprouts and we will probably grab some additional potatoes and parsnips while they are still at 5p, maybe an extra red cabbage too, plus I will probably need more cream. Other than that though I reckon we’re there for food, I will just do a final run through of my list to be sure. One red cabbage got turned into a big pot of braised reed cabbage and apricot on Saturday, and a I made a batch of bread sauce then too - all now stashed in the freezer with the Christmas day specific ones clearly marked. 

lucielle

Wow!  You have been busy!
L

EssexHebridean

You need to be at this time of year don’t you L! 

I have a list as long as my arm for today, so will be aiming to get as much as possible ticked off that, but in the meantime…

MSE Things
- additional potatoes, sprouts and another red cabbage bought this morning. I completely missed the parsnips so I’ll pop back for those - probably tomorrow morning.
- the second ham was cooked overnight (lower priced electric), so I’ll get that out of the crockpot shortly and let it cool. 
- presents mostly wrapped yesterday, using entirely wrapping stuff we already had and a LOT of saved gift bags and tissue paper. Under our tree is now looking very cheerful as Mum’s presents to us are already under there too. 

- Turkey collected this morning and as usual they asked if we wanted extra giblets - yes please! I may use the offally bits to make pate this year, leaving MrEH with the necks for the gravy. The bird is nearly 4.7kg so will give plenty of leftovers. 

- the coffee tables in the living room got a clean and polish yesterday - using the tin of polish we’ve had for years, and a cloth which is a chunk of one of MrEH’s old shirts. That tin of polish is on its final scrapings though - when do the dining table that will see if off.
- we have had porridge for breakfast, cheap and tasty, and will keep us both full until lunch! 

I also finally tackled a task I’ve been debating doing - and indeed trying to work out HOW to do it- for ages. When we moved in here I bought a set of dark blue seat covers for our dining stairs, only to realise too late that they wouldn’t fit as there isn’t anything to hook them round at the back of the seat -they weren’t expensive and were not easily returnable, so I shoved them in a cupboard in case inspiration struck, and yesterday it did as a I realised that it was possible to use a ruler to ram the fabric down between the seat pad and the wooden back, as well as tucking it underneath the seat pads in other places. One chair did require a few stitches to be inserted - with much muttering and swearing as we no longer have any curved needles, it seems, and as still have one more to do (well, actually two,  but right now I will probably just do the one needed for Christmas Day) but we already have much smarter looking chairs at effectively no cost to us. The covers perfectly match the colour of one of the walls in the living room too

Right, the pastry will not make itself so I had best crack on. Three batches needed I think - for two different lots of sausage rolls, plus the mince pies. I may a well get the hams ready to go in the oven while it’s on later too, eh! 

edinburgher

Second ham??? EH channeling her inner hobbit!

EssexHebridean

😂😂 I always buy two Ed - the T’s finest Outdoor bred ones that are half price at various times of the year. They will both be cut in half, and three bits will make it straight to the freezer while the other one will feed us over Christmas/new year. The others will reappear at various points through the first part of the year, until Easter when they will be half price again and so I can re stock!  All good hobbits know that you can’t beat having a tasty ham in the freezer ready to go! 

The pastry is made - although I did have to make an emergency dash to T’s having realised we were almost out of lard. It was total carnage in there - people pushing laden trollies or just abandoning them blocking aisles when they wanted to whizz off and get something from elsewhere. Anyway, having got the lard, the pork pie, and a bottle of squash for MrEH, I was able to make my escape and as far as I can think I don’t need to go back into a shop again this side of Christmas…although I might choose to, to see if Al’s have bargains tomorrow. 

MrEH’s employer has said they are finishing early…an HOUR early, I mean the generosity knows no bounds eh! 😆 Hopefully at some stage between now and then the payroll department will clarify what has gone on with his pay which is in the region of £200 below what was expected. Hmmm! 

Sun_Addict

Bah humbug to Mr EH’s employer 😞 Hope his pay is sorted as soon as. 

rtandon27

how utterly annoying EH - 200 is a good chunk of dough to be missing!