Good Morning Sunday 19th December 2021

Good morning all from the Scottish Borders. A thick fog outside but it looks atmospheric and Dickensian.
I am so glad to be home after an over long and overcrowded train and bus journey yesterday.
I went into my makeshift kitchen to find that in my absence, elves had put up a Christmas tree there. A real tree. I will decorate it today and not be so bah humbug!
Have a relaxing Sunday if you can.

Good morning, Mick, I'm glad you had company to chat with while you waited for the delayed bus. It's dark and cold in North Lanarkshire, but I'll have to make the effort and go out soon, still some M and S shopping to do, early evening Mass, then some wrapping....
Good morning all, hoping that everyone stays safe and well, PCRs return negative, and that those affected by covid recover quickly and fully. Great to hear of family reunions and meet ups.
Marydoll, Gingster, Sar, Susan, Laura, I'm thinking of you and your granddaughter, daughters and DiL.
Just popping in to wish everyone well, especially those with worries, pain or sorrow.
Sending love and prayers for those who need/wish them. ???

Good morning Auntyflo and all x

Good morning all from a very foggy Black country.
Nothing planned today neighbours cards to write and post and then the countdown can begin.
Carol service at DS church today we normally attend but will give it a miss this year, it's only a small church and not much room to distance, although they're limiting numbers we felt it wasn't fair taking a place of a regular church goer.
Roast pork for dinner and I my make some soup.
Enjoy your Sunday and virtual hugs where needed and may you all find some ?

Good morning from misty Colchester. Damp and grey again...yuk!
More pottering today as we've tried to minimise our socialising and things are being cancelled all around us.
Roast lamb for dinner and DS will be joining us for a change. He is usually driving back to base by the time we eat but has managed to get leave and shouldn't need to return before New Year. ?

Love to all ?x

Good morning Mick and all his followers. That was a long day for you Mick!
It’s misty again in Suffolk and damp. This afternoon is our village get together with mince pies, mulled wine and Christmas songs, which we have been practising for weeks. We decided that the singers will be outside the doors, and masks to be worn inside but I shall be glad when it’s over. I don’t think many people will come.
Our Christmas is in doubt as DSIL had symptoms yesterday and is awaiting his PCR results. If he is positive, it will be the second time our Christmas with them in Kent is cancelled. Family are coming here on 29th but student niece came home from Uni with Covid so that branch are unlikely to come.

So many people are in the same position that I shouldn’t moan. Tomorrow I shall pop out and get something for a delectable lunch for two that can be frozen, just in case it’s needed!
Love your house Maw and your tales of Dolly! Best wishes for all the poorly relatives today, particularly the daughters.
I hope the day is kind to everyone.

Good morning Mick and everyone from a very frosty Carlisle where it is -2C. Thank goodness I am spending this winter in my thoroughly well insulated new house. So far, I am not needing the Arctic-strength thermals I had to wear in my let last winter.
Now it is almost upon me, I am beginning to worry about my train journey. The train company has advised that there may be cancellations due to staff shortages. I am concerned that if that happens, they may try to ram more people onto fewer trains. We pass through industrial Lancashire where there are several stops and people have been known to pile on just to go a stop or two. I don't want to be travelling that close to others in these times. DS2 in Australia has been telling me for some time that I shouldn't be going on a train but driving. I have never really got into driving very long distances, DH loved to do it and I didn't and I'm not starting now when I'm getting ancient!
It seems Australians are finding the Omicron news from the UK a bit alarming, I suppose these things always look worse from a distance. Or maybe they are right...

Meanwhile, the day's job is packing. I only did the easy things yesterday, i.e my knickers...hopefully no-one gets to see those! It's the things on top I find it difficult to decide on.
My thoughts are with those of you with family worries, I hope matters improve for you.
And I wish you all a peaceful Sunday.

Good morning from a foggy NE.
DS's birthday lunch was a success, the meal was lovely and we had a room to ourselves.
DD is on holiday now but has quite a few appointments, she needs a booster vaccination which is causing problems. Her first vaccination was done in Brussels and second in the UK but she cannot get the paperwork which recognises this. She needs it to be right to return home to Brussels.
My sister bought a beautiful Christmas arrangement with a candle in the centre, it will look lovely in the centre of the dining table.
A quiet day for me with some catch up on television.
Take care all you lovely Grans.

Just to clarify, that photo is of the house I aspire to. Unforunately, it belongs to the Griswalds! ?

Good morning all from a foggy, dreich day in Glasgow.

A lot of hanging around for you yesterday Mick. Fortunately you met your friend to receive her card.
I remember those pea soupers we had years ago Gwen and wearing a scarf over our mouth as the taste of the fog was vile.
A painful time for you and DS1 talking about Philip GrandM pleased to hear though that you had a much better sleep.
Isn’t technology wonderful Marydoll. Being able to stay in touch with family and friends face to face has been a saving grace for many who are waiting to meet up again. Being able to enter DD2’s home and catch up with her in Brisbane via FaceTime until she can come home is a huge plus for us.

DH popped out to get me more batteries for my ever growing stash of fairy lights. He must have been gone over an hour and on his return I asked if he had a problem finding batteries. ?
He decided to give my car a run so had a trip to Ayr in the fog! I thought my days of worrying about teenagers was over. ??‍♀️

A quick Waitrose trip this morning ticking off whatever the girls have listed for our Boxing Day Buffet, their idea as they will be having a traditional lunch on the day and don’t want to go through it all again the following day. A relaxing day enjoying food we all like is something we are all looking forward to. All the necessary precautions will be taken for this to happen, more so again as numbers are rapidly rising.
Who would have thought, three years ago, this is the life we would be living. Stay safe everyone.

Have a pleasant Sunday all, hopefully a restful one during the business of preparing for Christmas can be exhausting.
Best wishes, as always, to those of you with sorrow and worries to endure.

Good morning Mick and all from a very foggy Anglesey. Ships hooters have been sounding all night long to compete with Orlin and his hooter.
What a day you had Mick, you must have been jolly glad to get home.
Wishing my very best to your daughters Gingster, Sar and Susan, such a worry when they’re unwell. Your granddaughter Gingster is pursuing a very worthwhile career, her mum will be glad to have her at home for a while.
Thanks for your wish Grannmarie very kind. Glad you enjoyed your day Mapleleaf there is something so special and so civilised about afternoon tea in a nice hotel.
Sorry you missed your grandson in his panto BlueS.
Hope the train journey isn’t too bad Ekwa, packing your underwear reminds me that I shocked a few on another thread when I declared that I can pack seven pairs of knickers in to one cup of my bra, no exaggeration.
There was a time when PCR meant Pre Christmas Rush. Now I wish you all a negative PCR test so that plans can go ahead.
Takes me so long to write on my tiny little phone that no doubt many will have posted so I wish you all a day of calm and of some happiness and of course at least one random pink flamingo ??????

Good morning all from a grey East Yorkshire.
Yesterday we went in to the city centre. I chose a piece of jewellery for my present from DH and we also bought a gift for our GS’s birthday which is a few days after Christmas.
Just a quick check in. Currently DH is unblocking the bathroom sink. He is blaming it in my hair. How can it be as if I saw any in the white basin I would pull them out. Saying that they certainly can’t be his if you knows what I’m saying ?
We will pop out and tick off a few more things required.
Take care everyone.

Good morning from misty Sefton. If conditions were clearer and I could get closer I could post an image of the tip of a neighbour’s conifer. It very much looks like a flamingo to me.
I have just postponed a meet up: although numbers aren’t too bad here, I’d rather be safe than sorry. Instead I’ll add to the Christmas decs with yet another nativity scene (it seems I cannot have too many) and possibly use Urm’s recipe for mince pies. (Decades have passed since I last made these seasonal goodies. Why labour when brands do better?) Our gran in Manchester suggests it’s fail-proof…we’ll see!
I hope your DD feels better soon Susan56 and that you all have the best day you can.
?????

Good Morning All x.
Thick fog first thing which gladly is dispersing nicely. A really haunting scene earlier. Dull at present but could pick up later.

My D's birthday today so hoping she can tear herself away from the children for five minutes so that she can collect her card and present. She's all of 58 now and battling looking after 6 children from 15 to 5, there'll be 7 of them next weekend when Ruby arrives for Christmas.

Thank goodness D is strong in mind and body ! I think I might have to hand her gift through an open window because of a contact problem as she's been isolating and the fact of all the children mixing at school. What a bummer. It's me who's at fault with just the one jab that from January will have fizzled as far as immunity is concerned.

There are people far worse off-----those with businesses. A bigger worry for them. This virus does make you think of others.

I must go and collect my Express soon. I get one this time every year to do the Christmas crossword, so it's become a ritual with me. I'd have gone earlier on but you couldn't see a hand in front of you.

I was killing myself laughing at your first letter * Marydoll* and the pic. of what I thought was your house lit up, thinking to myself it looked like the Griswald's----then later you said it was I remember when I first saw that film years ago and laughing my head off. I love it. The deflated turkey always sticks in my mind. Glad things are okay with you for the time being.

Thinking of the unwell D's, always a worry when your adult/children aren't so well and worse when you can't physically help them. Hope all improve.

A half leg of lamb today with cauli and white sauce, roasties too of course so looking forward to that. Then try and finish the wrapping. I thought I was nearing the end when I realised there were neighbours cards to write Ever been had ?

Off to collect my paper now that the fog has lifted and must leave it to one side until I've done other chores or I'll get nothing done again.
Have a peaceful day everyone and take care.xx

Morning all

I am late today, having had my morning cuppa in bed and reading my book. DH is now downstairs cooking breakfast I should move myself (I will once I have read this thread)

I am definitely having a lazy day, might pop out for a late Sunday lunch at our local Italian restaurant (working on #lazygran Urms)

Wishing you all a peaceful Sunday, sending (((hugs))) to all

Keep safe and well folks ???‍♀️

Good morning from foggy Manchester. You are all very busy getting presents and lft tests. I am hoping for all the dds and dgds to get better for Christmas. My dd is coming over with my dgs and dgd later on to try on a cardy I made for Christmas. The kids ones are pullovers with a santa on the front.
I will have a busy day tomorrow, dh wants me to go to some car showrooms to see if I can get in and out of different models easily so we can get a new car. Ds wants me to make mince pies so that he can take them to his work to share out.
I hope you all have a nice day.
Ena

Happy Birthday and many happy returns of the day to your wonderfully stoical DD EV. I truly don’t know how she does it but thank heavens she does. Very pleased to hear Ruby will be with her family during the festive period. Love and best wishes to all of them.

Good morning Mick and all. Thick fog in my corner of Lancashire and as the bridge has disappeared we appear to be living on an island . Currently 2°C.

What a long journey that turned into Mick and how kind are your bus drivers.

No special plans for today, it may be a lazy one of reading and YouTube. Sending best wishes to you all and hugs for all in need of one. ???

LauraNorderr! Either you have an enviably small posterior or.....

Best wishes to your daughter EV, she is such a strong woman! Must take after her mum!!
I'm glad I don't have a house like the Griswald's, too much cleaning and think of the power bills!!!
I have been cleaning out the freezer, anyone got a use for some dead sausages and lumps of something strange, I forgot to label. There is a difference between not wasting food and freezing stuff, which will never be eaten!
Also, into the bargain, I have frostbite! ❄❄❄❄

My thanks to Kalu and Marydoll for your kind thoughts. xx.
Thankfully we are a family who've always "got on with it " whatever's been thrown at us.
Then again, it's also having the strength of mind to cope too for which we're both thankful for and don't yet know or have the recipe for that Our humour I think, is an outlet.

Dead sausages----hahahaha. Priceless.

I am definitely having a lazy day, might pop out for a late Sunday lunch at our local Italian restaurant (working on #lazygran Urms)

Good for you GG13 ... it takes severe application and perseverance but once mastered I recommend the lifestyle.
?

Ekwa. Definitely not a small posterior so must be or

Dull but dry mid Cornwall. Hello Mick and all Good GlaMmingoes. Sorry, I can't post my own flamingoes today as on laptop but will try a cut and paste from LauraNorderr's post. You seen to have a few flying around LN. ??????

Hope your DH has success with the sink Grandmadinosaur.
Happy birthday to your DD EV. I hope she finds a little mum time over Christmas. Enjoy your crossword. I started the Radio Times one last night. Slow progress?
Good luck with the car search Ena.

I had highs and lows yesterday. Another birthday will be celebrated at Easter. DD rang yesterday and we chatted for ages about her coming down on the 28th for a couple of days as planned to celebrate my birthday. We agreed to cancel.

I had two close friends/work colleagues back in Derbyshire who helped me emotionally when I left my ex. I was in a mess. The three of us did theatres, city breaks and meals out for 12 years. We lost touch a bit when I moved schools, then moved to Cornwall but I heard yesterday from one friend, that the other had recently died. I have so many fantastic memories of our trips out and about.
A high I had, was that the remaining member of my dear father's family (his younger sister) had not lost her brilliant entertaining sense of humour. She's just celebrated her 90th birthday and sent me a long letter full of wit ?.

Susan I hope your eldest DD gets that care sorted very soon. Thinking of her ?.

Have a safe Sunday everyone.