Good Morning Sunday

Good morning from a Wintry bright County Durham.

Like others have said the news is glum. Our Christmas plans have not changed as we decided three weeks ago the three household gatherings were balmy. DD has had the most dreadful term at school with bubbles going down due to both pupils and staff. Her own childrens school has been badly affected too in an area of Durham where the prison and local secondary school have driven infection rates high.

Sadly, yesterday DD1 took poorly GD2, aged just 4 to be tested, for Christmas peace of mind. Little one, as you can imagine was not impressed by the experience. We await a negative result, hopefully, with our fingers tightly crossed, as the family isolates.

We met up with DD2 and GC yesterday for our only family Christmas experience with them. It was an outdoor light show event which was managed beautifully by the staff at a nearby old seminary, which stands in the most amazing grounds. It had been transformed into a magical wonderland. One of the light exhibits was a huge model of the cathedral rose window, made from plastic bottles. I think the installation had also been on view previously at Durham Lumiere.

Have the best day you can everyone in these challenging times.

Good morning Mick and all

Brilliant to hear our Gillybob is ok and that she may join us soon.

Happy Birthday Mr.Harrigan ???

It is still rather subdued in Gravy Grange, today is GrandpaGravy’s 70th birthday, we cancelled the big party ages ago, but was hopeful that the AC and GC would be here for a winter garden meet-up. Unfortunately we are now in Tier 4 so that’s also been cancelled.

DH and his men friends have been good counsel to each other , lots of phone calls and reminiscing about our dear lost friend.

Keep safe and well folks ???

Good morning Mick, *Annie and best of all to Gillybob who may be reading this. Such good news, we have missed her. Thanks NanKate
It is a lovely bright and sunny morning here in our bit of Berks.
Happy birthday to MrHarrigran, and also my brother, who as far as I know, doesn't read this!
Lovely news about Iris, and her progress, well done little girl.
We had a phone call yesterday evening, telling us that our Church will not be open today or Christmas day, or until further notice. It is sad, as it would have been DH's last AV , but at least they are doing the sensible thing.
Viridian , love your new name.
I am another slow writer, so hope I haven't missed anything important.
DD phoned last night. They had just done an enormous shop, and so now will take half of it to their son, our GS, who has hollow legs.
Must up and away now to shower and dress.
Have a good day one and all.

Good Morning from the Scottish Borders where it looks to be still and dry. I can't ask for more.
Great news about news of Gilly yay!! thanks NanKate
Welcome back Viridian aka Mellow..
And hi to Supernain
Thanks for the funnies Nortsat and Pittcity (I have stolen them both)

We all need cheering up.
I have decided, a bit late in the day, to make a Christmas cake today. At least there will be food in the cupboard to eat if and when anyone calls ever again before Easter.

I must say in our town everyone is being friendly and kind to each other with woollen angels on trees and Santa and his elves posting letters through doors.

We won't have the carol singing in the square or the band playing on Christmas Eve but has anyone seen the Star of Bethlehem?

Viridian ?. I forgot to wish MrHarrigran happy birthday.

Good morning from a dry Morecambe Bay.
A quick glance through the posts, I’ll read properly later, suggests some glints of good news - particularly of Iris and family and Gilly, amongst the angst of many.
Not sure what today has in store, but I think it will include a long walk and a chat with family to put our Christmas get together on hold. Think we will give zoom church a miss. It’s being relayed from the actual church service now and they haven’t sorted the sound out properly and it’s a bit frustrating. We will go to the outdoor carol service tomorrow evening.
Birthday wishes to Mr H
Take care, stay safe everyone ?

Good Morning All x.
Dark and dismal at the moment where it was teeming down before. The weather's joining in with the misery and gloom.
I vowed I wasn't going to have the news on but switched on to see/hear a Jason Leitch from Glasgow health who spoke sense.

Hard/ difficult as it is these rules have to be carried out. The family are in limbo as to whether Ruby-Lou will be driven from Durham to D's to spend Christmas, as it's 3 there and 2 here. We can't bear the thought of a 12 year old being on her own and D is defiant and said she'd drive up and bring her back to join the family. When D gets a bee in her bonnet there's no stopping her.

Email from D in Oz was no better as their plans for Christmas were all scrapped. Because they live on the Northern Beaches where the latest outbreak is means that they can't travel where they'd arranged to go. 2 GC were booked to go to Queensland but aren't allowed over the border. They have to all start scrambling around buying extra food etc now.

I can imagine the cursing going on in that area of Oz as it was an American tourist who'd started the spread by not taking up isolating after he'd landed there. We all know that the USA is a hot-bed for the virus. Bloomin' tourists !

At least some cheer here with Gilly " in touch ". Thanks go to NanKate for allowing that to happen, I'm so glad as is everyone.

I want to nip to the corner shop for my usual yearly Express newspaper with the Christmas crossword in the supplement, I love it although I've never won it yet !

A small leg of lamb today----goody, I like lamb. No fresh mint though so I'll make do with mint jelly.

Oh goodness, the state of the nation gets you down if you dwell on it too much. I'm alright so long as I don't have the news on, so I'll put CD's on shortly.

How good that Iris has improved, what a treat for her and all those posh knickers/ pants from clever granny.

Lovely welcoming fireplace pic, so Christmassy.
I must put a spurt on if I'm going to find a newspaper left so will forego the crumpets until I've been.

Take extra care everyone and stay safe xx

Good morning everyone from Colditz north Kent where the sun has got his hat on and the world outside is shining in all its winter glory just to cheer us all up.

So glad young Iris is doing so well- such good news brightens the day. Happy birthday Mr H . Welcome Supernain and welcome back Viridian.

Your fireplace looks very festive BlueSapphire.

Will be taking our permitted exercise this morning with a walk taking in the allotment, seafront and Christmas card deliveries.

Thoughts with those whose Christmas will be difficult, but just imagine the celebrations that we’ll have when we’ve beaten this. Have a good Sunday. Stay safe.

Sounds like your D is a chip off the old block EllanVannin?

Excellent news about Gilly and the brave Iris which is a counter balance to the rest of the gloom about. We had already decided that there would be no certainties about Christmas so we don’t have to change our plans, but I feel for those who do. I think there will be a lot of turkeys consigned to freezers as gatherings are cancelled. They will have to be eaten in the spring or summer instead.

Absolutely nothing planned for today so we will see what, if anything, unfolds.

Good morning from a bright and sunny Black Country.

We finally went into the loft yesterday afternoon and brought down the Christmas decorations, so this morning we will be putting them up! Better late than never.

Had a socially distanced chat yesterday, at the front door with an ex work colleague who has recently gone through a divorce, but managed to keep her house. She lives near Mum so I keep in touch and plan to take her out for lunch when we can do such things again! Then Mum and I went for a walk along the Staffordshire railway walk, where someone had festooned some of the trees with Christmas baubles, with a note saying, a bauble a day keeps the grey away' and inviting people to add their own baubles.

Thank you NanKate for letting us know about gilly I hope she, her DH and family are doing well. We look forward to seeing you back soon gilly

Welcome back Viridian and a big hello to Supernain

Happy birthday to Mr Harrigran and MrGG such a lot of birthdays at this time of year, it was my DD's friday and today is my cousins, and my partners Niece.

Wishing you all a happy and safe day.

Good morning, Michael and all GNs. A very late one from me - I was awake really early this morning and then fell asleep so DH left me to it! Ear syringing for me this afternoon if I can find the surgery I’m supposed to go to - I hope it does the trick. I’m sick of having olive oil poured into my ears!
Nice to see you back Viridian - one of my favourite painting colours too!
Many happy returns to all the birthday menfolk!
Have a good safe day folks.

Many happy returns of the day to Mr.Harrigan and Mr.GG - such a shame for him that his special ‘0’ birthday plans can’t go ahead. Our youngest daughter has her 40th birthday next weekend. She didn’t make any arrangements fearing they’d not be able to take place anyway.

Great news about gullybob thanks for getting in touch with her NanKate Marydoll and kitty. Curious as to how you did it. A round robin letter that you all wrote in and then posted I imagine?

Lovely to have you back Viridian I like your new name better!

Good Morning all from Bright Harrogate - a good day for washing but not enough to do a wash!!!
harrigran. Happy birthday to your DH

Nice to meet you Supernain, you are obviously from Wales? I used to love my Nain and Taid!! Now long time gone!! Though since the ashes of my Mum and Dad are buried with them, we visit them On the Great Orme every year apart from this year
DH is listening to the Archers just now, once that is finished I, hopefully will enjoy the church service, think it will be the carol service.
Had two friends visit in the garden yesterday, one (who is concerned about her weight) at three of my large homemade biscuits, I know she will be complaining about not losing weight next week!! Mind you they are nice!!

I do miss not seeing and cuddling my GC (I'm lucky to have them!)
Please keep well, and remember the vaccine is round the corner!!

Grannyowl do you live near the estuary ? If so we could wave to each other, can't do much else at the moment xx

GrannyOwl, how right you are

Well that was a swizz. No Jumbo crossword in the Express supplement, just the ordinary one. Still, I had a nice walk in the watery sunshine.

Morning all from a bright South Notts. I went out earlier than usual to do a medium shop this morning as I rather dread shopping this close to Christmas as I very much dislike crowds, not that there's much to worry about on that score at the moment. I won't shop again until after the big day now.

The sock knitting is coming on as I'm approaching the toe - I might even achieve a sock which actually fits properly, fingers crossed. If all is good then I'll make another in the same size.

It's good to hear that Iris is making progress and that gillybob is all right, we all miss her, don't we? Hope today is kind to us all, especially those with illness or worries.

Good Morning Mick and everyone, bright and sunny day here in Oxfordshire, so bright that the windows definitely need a clean, tomorrow’s job I think.
Sobering news last night, we haven’t changed our plans as DD1and GCs are in Cornwall and have just come out of isolation due to virus at their schools, DD2 lives close by and is in our bubble so will be here with her dog this week.
Sorry for all those who have had their plans squashed, it was nice to think that other families, who had loved ones far away, would be able to see them for a few days.forgot I had a Christmas cake to sort, so have just marzipanned it ( is that even a word?)
Hope everyone has a good day, best wishes for those with a Special day, and all those who are feeling down in the dumps I send a virtual hug.

A late good morning from my bit of S Lanarkshire, sunny now but very cold. Just a brief post to give thanks for all the good news, a happy Iris, returning friends Viridian and soon gillybob and birthday wishes to Mr Harrigan and Mr GrannyGravy. I did write a post earlier but it even depressed me! So deleted it and waited for better times which have thankfully arrived with the sunshine.
Good wishes to all especially those struggling with the glums

Good morning everyone from grey Gower.

I've only been able to scan through your posts this morning, very bad night.

Happy birthday Mr harrigran ??

Thank you NanKate for letting everyone know that you managed to contact gillybob. Wonderful news. Hope you will be posting soon gillybob ?

Welcome back (MellowYellow) Veridian ?

Hello Supernain, welcome to GN ?

Wishing MrH a Happy Birthday and also MrGravy on your 70th ??

Welcome to the newbies whether by name or person ?

It’s nearly noon so I’ll go and get dressed ?

Good morning Mick and all from dry sunny Anglesey.
Happy birthday to Mr Harrigran and to GrandpaGravy.
Welcome Supernain from Norfolk but with a 30 year Welsh connection.
Viridian, nice to see you, I did recognise your portrait from a previous thread, I seem to remember it was painted by your father?
Lovely cheerful mantelpiece BlueSapphire.
I hope your husband feels better soon baubles, glad you got the medicine in good time.
Marydoll, shame about your sister-in-law but better to be alive in the bad books.
Excellent news about Gillybob, I don’t know her well yet but know how much you all care about her.
I know many are sad about changes to Christmas plans but we’ll manage while we are all here to support each other.
Have the best day you can everyone.

Happy birthday Mr GrannyGravy ??.
Sorry it's a bit subdued, have the nicest birthday you can have.

I have just about made it through all the posts. Good news and sad news in equal measure from the posters.
DGC were here overnight and DGS was awake from 3.30 - 5.30 then awake at 6am. I don’t think I will be up late tonight.
It is our carol service tonight but we can’t sing. Hmmm how will that work?
I hope the day is kind to everyone.