Good Morning Monday 23rd December 2024

Good morning from Durham. I’ve woken in a panic, but realised the ‘problem’ was actually a dream, although it’s unnerving. TIB for me, then DD1 is going to drop DGS1 off here for the day. I’ll see what he fancies doing and go along with it. He thoroughly enjoyed the A Christmas Carol performance yesterday afternoon, which wasn’t too scary. SinL2 is coming, at some point today to assemble a toy for DGS2, but has a key to let himself in.

Best wishes to all. X

Good morning everyone, too dark to see the weather but it isn’t windy at the moment.

We had a good day at MrOops sisters, our nieces, nephews and Great nephews and Niece were there, MissOops couldn’t come as the dog is poorly. SIL is coping very well, a few tears as expected but she is trying to give her family a good Christmas.

MzOops arrived a day early with GS last night, she will collect GD from the station at lunchtime, meanwhile I have to find the ingredients for xtra Vegan/ Vegetarian meal for 3 as I wasn’t expecting them until tonight! At least breakfast and lunch will be easy,

Hope everyone has a good day and that those who are unwell, stressed or sad, feel a bit better.

Good morning from Malta where we expect the coldest day so far this year with a high of 13°C and a low of 3°C. Hooray! I might actually get to wear some of the warm jumpers I bought two years ago and have yet to put on!

I will be going over to look after the boys today whilst DD3 does the food shopping. I’m looking forward to it.

Have a good day everyone.☀️

Second attempt.
Good morning from Bristol. It’s chilly but I hope the easterly wind has died down today.
The service of 9 lessons and carols last night was well attended but I didn’t stay for the mulled wine.🍷
This morning, I have to get some rather niche lightbulbs in the next village. The local, very grumpy and unfriendly local electric shop closed down in the summer.
Then I’m off to Tesco with my neighbour; I don’t need anything but think she wants company.
This afternoon, I must pack everything but my toothbrush as I’ve got a pre-op cataract appointment first thing tomorrow and can’t remember how little or for how long I’ll be able to see.
May the next few days be joyous, puttin* your troubles to one side for a little. Carpe diem 🦩🦩🦩❤️🎄

Good morning Mick and all who follow on the home straight and the winning post in sight…🏇🏻 gosh it feels as if I’ve run the Grand National this year!

Some veg prep, smoked salmon pinwheels and Mr PG on the bread sauce duty (his party piece…which we will critique in great detail on the day🥱 as if all my contributions are taken for granted🤬) and then a kitchen clean - sorted!

Tomorrow will be a lovely day of visiting, gifting, cuddling grandchildren and no cooking with fish’nchips for supper before the big day 🤗

Love those knitted nativity figures and wish I had the imagination, talent and patience to produce your handiwork GM🫡

Hope all goes smoothly for everyone - see you at the winners enclosure on Wednesday 🥂

Good morning Michael and all GNs. Still dark in South Yorkshire so not possible to see if the wind is still bending the trees double but it was very noisy last night. I walked down to the supermarket yesterday and it nearly blew me off my feet a couple of times. Pottering today and a bit of a tidy up. I have to drive over to the retail park to pick something up from M&S but hopefully that will be my last outing before the big day. I made up the spare beds yesterday as DD and the menfolk will stay over on Christmas Day. There will be room at the inn!
Have the best day you can folks.

Good morning from s somerset, bright and dry today

All plot jobs are finished for the next few weeks, I may just pop up if we are about to get frost as I will need to cover a patch and the taps

It is very calm and peaceful here, nothing manic nor stressful, with the organic food delivery arriving as normal.

I think I will actually finish my knitted warm hat today and get onto the next pattern stage of my ufo jumper but first a walk about town

Have a good day

Morning from 3 in S Hants, I’m off to the farm shop for veg soon, they open at 7, the wind from last night seems to have gone.
Imogen, along with her filthy cold has a rash on her hand, identified as part of the cold virus by a pharmacist yesterday, we’re all 🤞she’ll be fine by the day.
Cooking the gammon later, a quick wash of my favourite jeans and some more ‘stash’ out of the freezer.
🦩🦩

Good morning all - no need to say how dark it is at this time of day!
Today I'm off on my sleigh for Christmas hols. I will no doubt post from 'down the road' but in case I don't have a wonderful Christmas one and all! 🎁🧑‍🎄🎄🎶

Good morning from a chilly Torbay although I think the pernicious wind has eased. Yesterday, several ships were anchored in the bay, sitting out the storm presumably.

After church, we hibernated and caught up with a few jobs at home. In the evening, we were at our theatre for the Christmas Social where I was rather overwhelmed by the kind expressions of concern over my recent stay in hospital and enforced withdrawal from the play.

Enjoy all your activities as we approach Christmas Day. 🦩🎄🎁🎅🏼🦩

Morning all , definitely colder here in Manchester today than it has been lately.
Just a general tidy up and bit of ironing today, before afternoon drinks with all my neighbours in the small bock of flats I live in. No need to venture out or even put a coat on, so really looking forward to mince pies and a couple of gin and tonics

Good morning all from a chilly North Leicestershire.

The roofers are due first thing and then our lovely cleaner is coming to give us an extra spruce up before the big day. DH is off to the gym and then we are delivering presents in the south of the county.

As we were collecting our food order in M&S yesterday, we bumped into Dragonfly - it's getting to be a habit.

Good morning to you all. I am soooo glad the shortest day has passed. Only managed 2 hours sleep last night. I always sleep badly during winter and I have no idea why.

I collected my turkey crown yesterday from M&S which I’d ordered online, only to discover that it is a sous-vide crown, so pre-cooked in buttermilk. It has bacon and cranberry under the skin and gravy. A £75 mistake I fear - how could I have been so stupid? The box said slow cook turkey crown so I assumed it had cooking instructions telling one to cook it slowly! I suppose on the plus side it only takes an hour in the oven. I ordered it in October and that would explain why all the other crowns were already sold out. I hope DD2 will forgive me.

Belated birthday greetings RosesandLilac - I hope you had a lovely day. I only read the posts last thing.

What a beautiful Christmas cake RosiesMaw. I’ve never made or for that matter bought one. There are some very productive Gransnetters indeed - appreciate the photos!

I cannot begin to imagine how you have managed to preserve your sanity Madeleine. I’m so pleased you are back in your home for Christmas. Incidentally, you share your name with one of my 2 daughters.

Your GGS Tachinan, he is an absolute cutie. And Gingster your GD with that fab gingerbread house.

Good morning Mick and all GNs up and busy today. It is very dark outside , can just see a star through the branches of the tree. Been awake since 4,30, too cold to get up and so read in bed for a while, but decided by 5.15 that I could not do without a decent cup of coffee any longer, so am sat here with coffee at one side, and note pad at the other , to jot down things I need to do today as they occur to me. Yesterday I shut the door on the chaos and went with a friend to church for carol concert, but other than that I spent the whole day attempting to get some sort of order from the chaos. Radio 3 on all day and how lovely to at last be able to hear it. In the hotel didnt have a radio and missed in particular my "Bach before 7" each day. On the plus side, I have christened my new shower. The seat and the shower head are great and I am happy with them but nowhere sorted yet to put shower gel and shampoo. Have to find my metal basket that sits on the shower pole. Bending down to put them on the tray is painful and it would be very awkward if I got stuck with my back!! For some reason the hot water on the sink is a very little trickle so after christmas will need to get the plumber to come back and check it out.
I am going to begin today by putting all the bags of rubbish that I have managed to sort out , in the shed for the dustbin men. Have recycling bag, separate box for glass recycling and rubbish rubbish. It will be good to get rid of the first lot and maybe be able to see the floor more. Hooray I have found my grabber, and can now pick up dropped papers and use it to switch on lights from plugs on the floor. So I am beginning to get somewhere. I have a doctors appointment this afternoon. I'm a type 2 diabetic, and you are always told about looking after your feet etc. So had a very painful right heel, which also had quite a nasty red streak going from it. I rang and asked to see anyone doctor or nurse , on friday, only because I didnt want to end up this week having to go to the emergency or the hospital . So was able to see the nurse, and she looked at it , cleaned it up and put me a raised little thing on it and then a plaster, which helped a bit. I was relieved and said thankyou and was about to leave but she said No stay there I'm not happy about your left leg. (I have had cellulitis in that leg in the past) It was quite swollen, a bit of an odd colour , but I had thought with all the problems being in the hotel and having to climb stairs etc it was just that. However she wants to see me this afternoon, so fingers crossed it is ok. It hasnt got any worse but cant say it has improved.
I am hoping before that to sort out the washer. Because I had been away for 10 weeks and wasnt sure what the water had been like, I put one of those cleaning things in and gave it a cycle of that. A friend kindly did my personal washing whilst I was in the hotel but there is quite a bit waiting to be done now. Wanted to get it going but cant get the door open.Will have another look in a little while, but the washer was here when I came and had no instructions , so it has been try it and see. I am still enjoying just the fact that I am home, however messy things are. that although I am sorry not to be seeing family I am relieved to just sit here on my own and not feel that I have to have a mammoth clear up for visitors. The one friend that I might see over Christmas has seen t when the workmen were here and so no shock to her!! Hope you all have a good day today, manage to get what you need, and can get home and have a little rest time before the arrival of visitors.

Good morning Mick and All from a dark South Bucks.

We are off to the Brighton area this morning to be with the family for Christmas. We’ve booked into the local Premier Inn as our son’s house is full and it is only 15 mins from his home. So looking forward to seeing the grandchildren who will no doubt have grown a few inches from last time we were together.

Your roofers seem a permanent fixture at your house Kitty 😀

Hope you get to wear your woolly jumper Bellasnana.

Good morning from Shropshire.It sounds like the wind is no longer quite so fierce thank goodness.

Today DH will go to the supermarket first thing then I have a hairdressers appointment this afternoon.We really must wrap the presents today.

Safe travels Taichinan and Happy Christmas to you too🎅🏼🎄

Have the best day you can everyone🦩

Good morning from a dark and chilly Black Country.

Pleasant few hours yesterday with DD and a lovely lunch. Roast Beef with veg and Yorkshire Pud. Sticky Toffee pudding for dessert! A chance to have a relaxed chat with DD.

MrJ went to Bristol to see his DD's and take presents etc. He will be home later today. I plan to pop to shops for last minute bits and bobs and housework.

Wishing you all the best day possible.

Good morning all. Still dark outside but sounding calmer than yesterday’s stormy weather.

I’m attempting to change my body clock pattern of sleeping during the day and wide awake at night! Fortunately I have nothing pressing to attend to so, just going with the flow accepting all will return to normal once I no longer need such strong doses of pain relief. 🤯 Strong coffee am. should keep me awake today. The plus side, I can have long catch ups on FT with DD2 in Brisbane due to the time difference. Always look for the positive. 😀

Gifts to wrap, washing on, Waitrose small shopping list and lastly, hairdresser at 3.00pm.

A lovely day ahead for you and ‘your boys’ Bellasnana. I can imagine their excitement waiting for FC to arrive.
Fingers crossed for Imogen Jaxjacky

Have a good day all and best wishes for a better day to those under par for whatever reason. Keep on keeping on.

I think you are amazing madeleine to have coped with everything you have been through.I suppose after the massive upheaval a broken washer doesn’t seem such a big problem.

I hope your appointment with the nurse goes well🙏🏻

Good morning from a brightening W Kent where I am looking forward to seeing my DB later today.
DGS1 was 28 yesterday and we had a FaceTime chat and tour of his new home which was fun.
Best wishes to all

Thank you Kalu
Happy Christmas Taichinan 🎄
Farm shop done, I was first in, veg can stay in the boot of my car for now.

Good morning from a deliciously cold, dark, calm Cornwall. The huge trees above my patio have finally stopped dancing.

The youngest grandchildren and their mum and dad came round last evening for a treasure hunt. I draw a plan of my flat and mark the hidey holes for reference if they can't find all 12 presents. I'm dastardly at hiding them. 😁 After a pizza supper the little ones, aged 7 and 9, played with rolling golf balls down a 6ft long cardboard tube propped up on my bed, chalking on the hall carpet how far the balls went. My daughter-in-law laughed and said, 'We might as well return their Christmas presents, they're having so much fun.' 😂

This evening a more sedate rerun with my other son and his 15 year-old. We'll watch a film together after they've done the treasure hunt.

Morning Mick, morning All from a dark, dry corner of Somerset. The wind has eased, hooray.

Other than needing to rescue a small fir tree blown from its pot we stayed in one piece yesterday. Thoroughly enjoyable day with the family. The lunch time buffet was devoured by our teenagers and their dad, goodness they can eat. They can also talk, lovely to hear all day their news. We’ll see them again on Christmas Day when our son is cooking for us all, a long day but so worth it.

Blood letting for me this morning, a restorative coffee afterwards before sausage roll making which I enjoy, Alexa will play Christmas music in the background and Mr C will lurk ready to test the outcome.

Goodness madeleine what a time you’ve had. Hope today goes smoothly for you and for us all. Take care everyone.

Good morning from still and dry South Lanarkshire.

I wasn’t able to go out yesterday as I was suffering from a cocodamol hangover having accidentally taken the wrong strength the day before for back pain. I can’t tolerate the strongest dose and they made me very ill.

Feeling more like myself today so I can get organised for going to DD’s house tomorrow morning for a couple of nights.

Wishing everyone the best day possible.