NST December 2025 A Different December

f0xh0les

Glad your eye is getting better @apple_muncher
Only 5 days left of 2025.  

DawnW

Strange Christmas here. OH has, I think, the flu, and I had barely recovered from a chest infection / asthma issues. He has been very poorly and still isn't great, though better than he was. Had it not been Christmas day, I would have sought medical help for him yesterday, as he had a high temperature, an awful cough, scary noisy breathing and nausea. As it was, it would probably have been A&E, and on balance I thought he was better staying at home in the warm with paracetamol / ibuprofen and plenty of fluids. I kept a close eye on him in case he got worse. I was worried about the awful wheezy breathing. We had planned to spend the day with family, but obviously that didn't happen. I didn't cook Christmas dinner. 

He feels a bit better today and is eating a bit, so I cooked a small roast this evening.  Just hoping I don't get this bug now - one or the other or both of us has been ill for almost the whole of December, and we have had enough of it!

I took the dog out twice, did a bit of cleaning and put the box of Christmas decorations away unused, but that was it, apart from cooking dinner. Tomorrow I must go through the fridge and see what needs using / freezing so that things don't get wasted. I didn't buy much perishable stuff, so it shouldn't take too long.

Grateful today that OH has improved and we didn't have to spend Christmas in A&E.

Rowan9

Sending love to you @DawnW and good healthy wishes for you and your DH. It’s good that he was feeling a bit better yesterday. It can be scary when someone is ill on Christmas Day. 

Today I’m grateful for a trip out to the library later this morning and meeting DD there, also going for a coffee with her afterwards. 

Grateful too for food in fridge and freezer, all meals are planned from it so I will only need milk and bread for the foreseeable. 

Grateful for getting a L!dl box yesterday with 3 heads of organic broccoli, loads of tomatoes and satsumas and that all are still good quality. 

I really am grateful for the tub and a packet of Q st which we were gifted and I suppose I am grateful for the opportunity to practise will power. The practice is ongoing. 

Hope you all have a peaceful day x

apple_muncher

I'm prepping Jan. Should be out soon!

apple_muncher

Here's January:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6647818/nst-january-2026-shake-and-vac/p1?new=1

DawnW

OH is a little better today. He is eating at least. Still has a horrible cough and wakes up with a temperature, so a way to go yet.

Took the dog out twice, and went through the fridge to see what needs using up.

I made curried parsnip soup for lunch, the cheap parsnips from L*dl were going a bit slimy. I only had 3 left, so ideal for soup once the yucky bits were cut off. This also used up some cream.

Cut up 5 wrinkly apples and cooked them in a little butter with a spoonful of sugar, some raisins and a shake of mixed spice. I then mixed with some mincemeat that needed using, and made turnovers with bought puff pastry bought before Christmas. We were going to have had family round on Boxing Day, and obviously that didn't happen, so use ups needed. I froze all of the turnovers except for 2.  I have my eye on some Chantenay carrots that will need dealing with next, but decided to leave them for today.

Had news from a good friend that her husband was taken into hospital in lots of pain on Christmas day. He is having lots of tests and they are concerned about his liver and kidneys. Feel a bit helpless as obviously we can't go to see him, or even offer much in the way of help to my friend. I have offered to drop off anything that she needs at least, but the last thing they need at the moment is our germs.

Grateful for a warm house, plenty of food and that OH is recovering, albeit slowly.

f0xh0les

Happy Weekend!  I went out and hunted bread. Ended up spending £30 - obviously not all on bread, but still quite annoying. 

Had a Wellington, stuffing, roast potatoes, corn, peas, carrots, and the last of the sprouts for supper. Now stuffed.   I think, except for a box of chocolate covered lebkuchen shapes, and half a packet of Spekuloos, that is Xmas food over with.  If I leave the biscuits on the table tonight, they will be gone by morning, and if I open the lebkuchen in the morning, it will be gone by 4pm, that's the way things work in my house.  Hungry Ghosts. 

So that is what I shall do.  Then it will be gone, and I can get back to Operation-Pantry-Use-up. 

Washing has been washed, then thrown in the tumbler to dry. Now it is done. 

Finished a book last night, it is in a pile by the front door with 3 red plates that I have no idea where they came from.  I am busily burning candles! 

4/6 of us have sore throats. 2 have coughs.   I am keeping out of this male-nonsense. I don't have time for it. I did buy them cherry cough sweets and Army and Navy pastilles. I'm not totally heartless. There are flu-drink-sachets in the first aid tin too. They will survive ... (probably).

grandmanerd

I had a lovely, if unconventional, Christmas Day. DS2 messaged at 11pm Christmas Eve to wish me Merry Christmas (it was already 7 am in Australia). They went to a barbie on the day and were going to the beach yesterday. I had a sore throat when I woke up (bad but not the worst I've had) so took various potions and slept until I felt better. At about 1 pm I was well enough to eat 2 cut up apples and later had yoghurt with oats and berries. I watched 'Mog's Christmas' and then in the evening DS1 and darling d-i-l came with presents and a bag full of food.

They bought me the boot slippers I wanted plus a dressing gown and a cardigan to go with the dress that DS2 bought me. Food has done 3 meals (pigs in blankets with sprouts and 2 lots of beef with assorted veg). Some veg still to go. My eyes have been really sore the past 2 days which has limited my activities. I've used eyedrops but can only play some of my games (nothing bright pink or too much white background). I finished my e-book but not started the next one (I have one large print library book) and have watched short things (Raymond Brigg's 'Father Christmas' yesterday and a series of u toob things today which I could listen to without needing to be attentive).

Mrs Builder came today so the kitchen and shower room are pristine and I asked her to sweep round the cage (I gave them the end of their second bag of hay and it was all short bits so a lot more has fallen out) and near to my table (tissues kept missing the wastebin and there were bits that had gone under the table). I'm continuing to look after myself (eyes a lot less sore now) and very glad to have stayed out of hospital. The razor blade sore throat is the worst symptom I've had in all the weeks I've been ill and apparently there's no cure nad nothing they can do for it, so I'll continue to work on getting better and not wearing myself out (and avoiding the hospital). Will try to get a little bit more sorted each day.

The bulk packs of toilets rolls and tissues came today and I'll work on putting together a list of other bits as they occur to me.

Grateful for presents and visits, peace and quiet, being warm and comfortable.

apple_muncher

Today I am grateful for those stretchy silicone things that go over the top of containers in the microwave, for a mega gym session, for WSM ( will Tom or Mitch win???), for dh having written his resignation letter ready to hand in on the first day of term ( last working day to be Aug 31st), for DawnW mentioning curried parsnip soup - I'll make it tomorrow.

f0xh0les

apple_muncher said:

Today I am grateful for ...  dh having written his resignation letter ready to hand in on the first day of term ( last working day to be Aug 31st), 

Congratulations Mr Apple_ muncher and to you too.  That is lovely. 

All change!!