Has anything positive happened to you today? Would you like to share?

Met up with my walking friend strolled along the beach with the sun shining and a mild morning ,s weather. Then walked up to the coffee shop to have a Xmas Panini with another friend. Comfy warm company before Boxing Day lockdown.

This morning we had to go out for our last grocery shop before Christmas. Outside the shop is a sit down area with a singing snowman and his friends. You press a button to make him sing.

A little girl refused point blank to go near the snowman until a second little girl arrived and started to sing and dance along. Then the first little girl joined her and together they entertained us. When it was time to leave the second little girl got 10 yards away then ran back to say 'Goodbye Snowman'.

Between their antics and a little boy who sat down with a bump and stared in wonderment, mouth wide open and Cheesy Wotsits in hand, I laughed till I cried (behind my mask!). They made my Christmas.

What is delighting AND puzzling me at the moment is my hedgehog is still coming to feed every night, I thought he/she should be hibernating by now, quite out of kilter I feel but possibly to do with global warming. ?????

We just had our weekly Gransnet zoom meeting with a difference. It was a Christmas lunch. We all wore Christmas hats, had festive food (and drinks). There was a quiz. (I came last!) We had jokes and recitations - very special one from Elegran and a general good time was had by all. The nearest to a party we'll have this year.
I'd encourage other Grans to set up zoom groups. Best not be too large in size though.

I had a zoom call from my friend of 66 years. ?

A little group of us meet - at a safe distance - in out local park.
We are mainly dog walkers out exercising us as well as the dogs. Today it was one of our newest member's birthday and we all gave her birthday cards and sang "Happy Birthday" She was so pleased at our - feeble - efforts to celebrate her birthday (a very big one I gather - she didn't say!) that it cheered me up no end so a happy day for me too!

Just popped out to do a clear up in the garden after the dog had been out, the weather was pretty good, and on impulse planted half a dozen small pots of ground cover on the bank. The pots have been sitting outside on the table for about a fortnight since they were delivered. I always found an excuse to not plant them, but I just sprung it on myself this morning before I had time to come up with an excuse!

This morning I have finished sewing up my knitted sweater that has been around three years in the making. Pleased with it, but it does feel a little bit scratchy (I've sensitive skin) so will have to wear it with a long sleeved t-shirt under. I might have a go at learning to crochet this afternoon in front of the box as the DGDs have been given kits for Harry Potter as a Hanukka gifts and they expect crafty Nana to produce them.

I'm on a Facebook group for my home town where I was born and grew up. I have lived 120 miles away since 1984 but thoroughly enjoy "chatting" with people who are still lucky enough to live there, and to see the photos they post. I have made loads of virtual friends.

Yesterday I posted a Christmas gif and wished everyone a happy and healthy Christmas and New Year, and today I logged on to find I had over 120 replies plus another 140 likes. What a lovely boost!

Did the sainsbury shop with my lovely son in law, got all we wanted, he’s so quick with the trolley, we whipped round, too fast for anyone to breathe on us, or we on them?

Oh, and dd1 sent a little video of their newly acquired ex battery chickens, thoroughly enjoying a good old peck and scratch around their nice big run.

I wanted to send them a Christmas present of delicious dried mealworms but for some reason they’re not allowed at the moment.

Heard from dd that all their COVID tests - little Gdcs had coughs and there have been cases at their school - were negative. ?

Marydoll, what a lovely idea for a thread.
Can I have two goes, please?

Yesterday, our GD Facetimed us, and we had a long chat while she was overseeing our GGS in a bubble bath. He had been for a muddy walk, and was being warmed up.

This morning, our new mattress was delivered, into the hall.
There was no way we could have got it upstairs, but two of our lovely neighbours, came and took it up. They also took the old mattress off and put it in the back bedroom.
One of them was just going to go out for a run, but came here first. The other was helping calm his very excited twins, who had un-decorated their tree, and had talcum powder, all over her sweet little face.
Thanks chaps, and Happy Christmas.

Do you remember Charleygirl Ronnie Corbett's character in Sorry talking back to his monstrous mother in that situation, "Post it, Mother, post it!"

I had a conversation with my young neighbour this morning who always takes the time to speak to this old dinosaur. The car started (though I fear it will need a new battery this winter) and I went for a little drive. I didn't have to queue at a small supermarket and was able to get some milk to go with my copious tea drinking habit.

Apart from the laptop being on the blink I'm happy.

Whitewave I hope you are not thinking of sharing it- please give mine to any poor in this country or do what I told my mother, through floods of tears when she was making me eat the revolting food in front of me to parcel it up and send it to Africa if they are so hungry. That usually meant a sore rear end.

Just had a video of my granddaughter on her 9th Birthday morning.

Cheered me up as usually we would have been going over for a family 'party' with her and I was feeling bit glum

Thanks for starting the thread Marydoll some nice stories on here already

Dug up my beetroot and they are a really good size.

My OH hosted an extra Zoom ukulele group meeting this morning. He weren't going to have one so near the big day, but with all the disappointment at cancelled plans, decided to give it a go.

There were more people than expected, and we all had a great time, very laid back and humorous. Just what we needed to escape the worries for a couple of hours.

These meetings have been going on weekly since March. Although Zoom has limitations musically, it has kept us together as friends and lifted our spirits. We all very much appreciate it.

I'm just off the phone to Barclays having successfully cancelled my annual travel insurance!

I've tried a number of times over this past Covid year to cancel but after pressing 1 for this and 2 for that and being told that my call is very important, canned music, then getting cut off, I gave up and every now and then have another go when I had nothing to do. But today I succeeded.

So thank you Ryan at Barclays!

Tara woke me so I was downstairs around 7.45 am. The phone rang and it was an Amazon delivery man saying he had tried my doorbell about 30 minutes previously but no reply. I did not have the heart to tell him I was fast asleep and would not hear a fire engine outside but I would hear Tara whimper.

I was so grateful he came a second time to deliver my new vacuum cleaner.

Any offers to show me how to use it? I only have 3 bedrooms I am sure it will not take you too long!!!

Thanks- I will supply coffee and refreshments.

Good morning Lady Marydoll ... a nice idea for a thread.

We are having chocolate cake this afternoon.

A friend kindly sent us an Afternoon Tea Box as a Christmas present, containing cake, scones, jam, clotted cream, mince pies etc. It was a complete surprise yesterday.
We will eat the contents gradually but will begin with the chocolate cake today (it would be rude not to). ?☕️

I went to Tesco no queue got all on my list (not much as it’s only going to be me) and I’d been dreading it to be honest I’d left it too late to book click and collect. So a positive for me as I can now relax and only go outside for my daily exercise. Oh and a nice young man wished me a Merry Christmas when I was out walking now that was definitely a plus ?

Good thread Marydoll. This morning I had the loveliest young man in my local Santander Bank help me with an app problem on my phone. He took so much care. (And at the end he had a mega grumble about the number of people coming in with London addresses.)

Thanks for those who have helped get this thread going.

I had been thinking, often dangerous in my case, that there will probably be posters who lurk in the background, but can't quite take the first step. Especially as there have been some quite robust posts recently.
This thread will hopefully give them that opportunity to dip a toe in the water, without being anxious about any responses to what they have written.

It's not meant to be patronising, in case anyone thinks that.

Today I weighed myself and found I had reached the target I'd set myself for Christmas. I won't give you the numbers because I have still some way to go, but I have patted myself on the back! Also good news - my GS (16) has tested negative, though still self-isolating because his GF tested positive. Funny isn't it that negative news is something positive!