Chitchat thread #24

[greenishfing]

I have just been editing my next online shop. I have ruthlessly removed all the chocolate items from it as I still have some "Celebrations", my sister gave me a box of chocolate liqueurs last week, and there is definitely Belgian chocolate in a present from one of my nieces.

One of my sisters has just texted to say she is making chocolate rum truffles at the moment as she can't find any that she wants to buy. I might just have to copy her. I'm pretty sure I've got everything in that I would need.

My other sister has just rung. She has had some horrible virus all week and is just starting to feel better.

I thought that I had posted this yesterday afternoon, but obviously not.

I have just received an email from my brother in Australia to say thank you for his Christmas puddings, which have arrived safely. It is 37°C there🫠😓🫠 and the air conditioning can't cope! Much as I might moan about our weather, it is preferable to that. I would have melted. How can he even contemplate Christmas pudding?

I have also just found out, via a circuitous route, that I am a great aunt again. My youngest brother, now deceased, had two children by his first wife. He then treated her very badly, and they divorced. The ex-wife eventually cut all contact with our family about twenty years ago. I think I'll try and discover contact details for my niece and send her something for the baby.

As it is silly O'clock, I think I'll try for a few more hours of sleep now.

[mothhawk]

Morning all.

I was wide awake very early this morning for some unexplained reason. Now it's 5.30 and the heating has come on, so I'll give it a few minutes then get up.

[mothhawk]

The refuse collectors are outside for their first collection. We get a double today, refuse and then recycling, then nothing till 5th January.

Everyone else having a lie-in? I bet Nicos is already up, with a little one in the house, and GF, I'll bring you up a brew if you're awake.

[Bren In Pots]

Morning

No lie-in MH we've been up since 7 but just switched on my PC to catch up with news, forums and emails. I could do it all on my phone but its much easier with a real keyboard.

Its looking like a better day no fog or mist just a dull cloudy day.

Enjoy your day

[Snoop Puss]

Morning all.

Productive day already! Looked at the weather forecast for Christmas after looking at this thread: https://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gr...hite-christmas Looking like a possibility here. But even if it snows, it won't settle for long, as we're due a deluge starting on Boxing Day. So I phoned our firewood man and he's coming today with a delivery. Phew! Arranging that is a big achievement. All I had left was one wheelbarrow's worth and some rain-soaked pine, which I've been drying off a few logs at a time on top of the range... Less than ideal but manageable. And now the sun has come out so I can put on the pellet heater (it rather chews through electricity at the start and end of its cycle even - not a problem if you're on mains but also less than ideal if you've got solar panels and a string of dull days.)

Glad you had a lovely day, Nicos. And well done you on resisting the chocolate, GF. I was thinking earlier I might not have enough.

Enjoyed the funnies today, MH. Every one a groan. Perfect.

Have a great day, everyone.

[Florence Fennel]

Good Morning All Sharing your weather Bren. Waiting for a grory hop delivery. Have a good day

[greenishfing]

Back again.

Somehow I have managed another five hours of uninterrupted sleep! Five whole hours, wonders will never cease. The coffee pot is definitely calling my name now Sorry, I missed your offering, Mothhawk.

Coffee made

That delivery sounds like a small miracle, Snoop. It sounds as if you'll have a toasty Christmas. When we had a woodburner years ago, we also had a very tame, fearless robin nearby. Whenever Mr GF went out to chop logs up unto smaller sticks, the robin would appear and wait patiently to examine the freshly chopped sticks for hidden insects.

I bet things are hectic chez Nicos. The excitement must be building. I know I'm daft but I still have to go on the NASA website every year and follow Santa's progress around the globe.

I really must get up and do something productive now.

[lottie dolly]

Good morning all,i am slow starting these mornings,must get the glow plugs checked out,nothing worse than being sleep deprived GF,good luck with the logs delivery Snoop,Nicos it will be fab christmas morning,sharing the descovery off santa clause and remembering times past,for me it will be extra nice sharing the time with my man,our first christmas together,my son and DL will join us for dinner,i hope to prepare most of the dinner christmas eve,just before bed,last night i looked through the seeds,got online kings,and several things leaped into the basket,i have yet to check it all and see if i missed anything,exciting or what,have a grand day everyone

[greenishfing]

I decided that I really ought to see if my car was still "alive." It has been sitting, unmoving, outdoors in the cold, frost and rain for over a month.

I went out armed with my fully charged jump starter. Wow, the little darling is "alive and kicking." Jump starter not required. She started at the first turn of the key She'll never be my dream car (not enough oompphhhh) but reliable and workhorse are the words that spring to mind. Good enough.

It sounds as if you have Christmas all sorted out, Lottie. I hope you have a marvellous time.

[burnie]

That's us away and busy till almost Hogmanay, have a good one all.

[Nicos]

Evening n’alln’all
Hectic….?….you could we’ll say that…but enjoying every second!

We took Hibou to the vet again today for a check up ,and she’s improving on her medication. We’re being realistic in that it’s a temporary thing…but a few more weeks with her would be lovely. She’s just jumped up onto the sofa demanding tummy strokes , purring her head off, having just been outside for 20 mins checking out her territory .

Have a great time Burnie, thanks for popping in to see us and share your lovely pictures again.

Our car service ended up being rather on the expensive side …needing quite a lot to do with the brakes… and it’s having a new Cambelt fitted in January. Best to be safe, so money well spent, even if, buy just looking at the vehicle, you can’t see anything new has happened

Bren…hardly any flour was spilled…just a tad on the work surface whilst measuring…my granddaughter is more tidy than me!

Well done with your wood Snoop..that was a bit of a close call.

[Jay22]

Evening, hope this finds you all well. Back home yesterday after our 10 day trip for Fakemas. Had a wonderful time with a very excited 4 year old and a couldn’t care less 5 month old.
Came home via the M1 from Ashby. So foggy practically until we got to Scotland.
Drove passed the exit for Meadowhall in Sheffield…the traffic was backed right onto the motorway. Must have been a very busy shopping centre!
So pleased to see your granddaughter has arrived Nicos, I’m sure you are having a wonderful time.
Off for a catch up, enjoy the rest
of your evening.

[greenishfing]

Good morning.

I'm wide awake but don't want to fall back asleep as I've already set my alarm for 7.15am. I've got to pop to the doctors for a blood test at 8.15 am. I booked an early appointment as Mr GF is always still fast asleep at that time.

I think I'll just turn the thermostat up now and let things warm up before I make coffee .... heating now on.

Nicos, it's good to hear that Hibou is still enjoying the important things.

Right time to get up and make coffee



I've got a grory hop due between 11am and noon.

[Snoop Puss]

Morning all.

Well, for the first time in years, I'm quite excited too. No presents to give each other but really looking forward to some downtime and indulgence. If I was the age of your granddaughters, Jay and Nicos, I'd be pretty well uncontainable!

So good to hear about Hibou, Nicos.

The firewood delivery arrived. More to come around New Year. Jack was out when he arrived and we didn't even hear him unload. By chance, I went looking for Jack and he and the firewood man were getting on like a house on fire. Firewood man described him as 'really calm'. That is an absolute first. No-one that knows Jack would ever describe him as that. Fingers crossed he's turning a corner. He headbutted me in the side of my jaw the other day in play... Ow, ow, ow!

On the cards for today, I've got a ton of work to get through and Mr Snoop is going into the village for a few errands, including picking up a pair of pandoro moulds. Too late for Christmas, but maybe for Kings Day (6 January). Oh, and a DVD player. It seems like ancient tech now, but I've bought a box set of Shakespeare plays produced by the Beeb in the seventies and eighties. Also old history now. But I remember a few of them and fancied watching them again. We watched one the other day on a DVD player we have lost the remote for, so couldn't select the subtitles. I can barely follow some American TV series these days without subtitles, so how I thought I was going to manage Shakespeare I have no idea.

Right, better get on with the day. Christmas Eve tomorrow.

Have a great day, everyone.

[Bren In Pots]

Morning

Welcome back Jay, the M1 always seems busy around Meadowhall no matter when we're driving past. It sounds like you had a lovely Fakemass xx

Nicos I need lessons from you grandaughter on not being messy in the kitchen Snoop it seems Jack can be calm like you say this could be the start hopefully.

Yesterday was spent visiting or having visitors todays going to be quite.

Enjoy your day