The Lockdown GangSTARS still going

A very happy Christmas to everyone. I hope that the magic was all that you had hoped for.

A perfect Boxing Day morning here.

A less than perfect Christmas Day for my little family visiting from the South. Will was sooo excited to be camping right on the beach, too...until the inevitable happened for an an adventurous 8-yr old boy...

This is cryptic Cherry
ixion hope your carpet is none the worse for wear today.
Should we be quietly whispering, "Tena" to our friend?

I think I must be the only Gangstar with an almost empty tum today I managed half a banana for breakfast and feel as if I've eaten the whole bunch!

Mamissimo no of course the vouchers are not because you're an old prune, it's to acknowledge you as a fine looking woman who intends staying that way.
There's obviously no hope for MrM he's past saving if he gets an empty violin case!

I can only assume that either a tommy gun or Nicola Benedetti are in the offing.
I'm glad about your rosy family day, may you have many, many more.

You will by now be with your own family Doodle and I hope you all have as lovely a time as I did with mine.

Grammaretto are you off to your family too? The little elves will be so excited.

Onward and upwards to the New Year now and who knows what kind of scourge pleasures it will bring?

Whatever is in store, we'll meet it head on and as ixion says, we're here and we share and somehow that makes it all...good or bad...so much better.

Merry Christmas 🎄

We're as stuffed as the turkey was and warm with family. Hope your days were rosy too.

Why have I received several vouchers for beauty treatments? Am I in need of pruning? Have I missed something?

Mr M received an electric blanket and a violin case.

I think our children bought in desperation.....🤣

Good afternoon on this merry December 25th 🙂

Not long had our xmas brunch breakfast 🤣. On to the next round of festive feasting ....

That's a lovely xmas present from your DS' & Dial Kaimoana, it'll be worth the wait 😊

ixion hope your carpet is none the worse for wear today 😬 and you had a lovely facetime with your family 😊

Hope you have a wonderful day with your family todayDoodle 😊

I hope that you have a fabulous day too Grammaretto 😊

Hope that you Jan and youNfk have the bestest xmas you can 🙂

Merry xmas everyone.

Morning Christmas gangstars. Happy Christmas 🎄
Grammaretto that a pretty tree.
Sorry to hear about your friends daughter with the broken leg. Nasty shock.
Kaimoana what a lovely gift. You will enjoy that especially being accompanied by your son.
We’ve just had breakfast and soon I must start assembling all the things to take to DS.
Have a good day all

Ho ho ho ixion

Thank you Cherry My birthday is in January as well.

All good wishes to Doodle, Grammaretto and the many Gangstars too busy or unwell to post.

I forgot to mention that my Christmas gift from Ds and dil was a wonderful surprise: two tickets for the musical 'Kinky Boots' - can't wait but will have to, it's in May 2023.
www.aucklandlive.co.nz/show/kinky-boots
My son will be my escort.

So that's where he is Doodle I did wonder. I've not lit the fire this evening just incase the chimney is required.
Advance food is all ready to go in the oven tomorrow. I took my shopping trolley to Lidl to buy booze. I was too early this morning. You can't buy alcohol until 10am.
The tree, very small, is almost done but I've lost the star for the top. It dates from 1970 so is important.
My df invited me to the midnight carol concert but I told her I would be asleep.
It sounded wonderful.
Another df who was serving in Oxfam where I was shopping said her DiL had fallen down the steps at Waitrose and broken her leg.
I'm sure df ws sympathetic but also wondering who was going to be cooking tomorrow.

Ixion nice to see you
Merry Christmas everyone

Merry 🎄 Kaimoana

Drat Doodle, I ought to have realised and made sure I'd bagged Jeeves' help sooner 🤦.

Merry xmas gangStars x

Sorry Cherry Jeeves is busy tonight, he made me promise not to say but he’s helping 🎅🏻 As the reindeer are on strike.
Hope you have a good day and enjoy yourselves.

Kaimoana it sounds like your family xmas was wonderful, and a resounding success 😊. Seems that Gubbins was truly on top form, she clearly loved the treasure hunt and as for your present, well it obviously couldn't go down any better could it🤩.
Thanks for your birthday wishes to my WP, not quite his birthday just yet, that's at the very start of next year (as is his sister's but they're not twins).

We've got thunder and lightening here at the moment and it's led to to think .... are we going to need to get picks and shovels to dig you out of prison that snow storm that seems to be heading your way over the next few days Grammaretto or is it only the highlands it's due to hit?
Nope, cough still there stubbornly resilient and delighted with itself 🙄. Hope no-one else is still coughing.

Doodle what are you having with your sparrow for xmas dinner? Joking aside, are you sure Waitrose got your order right? Glad Sainsbugs came to the rescue! Ooh, fruit cake 😋. I bet you make a really good one. I've been really lazy this year in that respect, no home made mince pies or even a xmas cake, #reallymustdobetter 😁

Well xmas day is almost upon us so having had largely an uneventful day doing nothing more than collecting our clicks, changing the bed, dressing the table, wrapping presents and eating I think it's about time I prepped the veg for tomorrow before I get sucked into a film 😁. Do you think Jeeves might help ......

Kaimoana I love your broach. So pretty. Glad you had such a lovely day. What fun you must have had.
I’ve been listening to Christmas carols. My favorite is O little town of Bethlehem. I love the words always, brings a lump to my throat. DH and I have settled down for the evening. I keep finding bits to wrap up. Goodness knows how we’re going to get it all to my sons. There will be 9 of us altogether and two dogs. (Yes I’ve got presents for the dogs too)
Grammaretto the quite expensive Waitrose sparrow will do for a couple of days for us. The much cheaper Sainsbugs ostrich will last much longer. Hope you managed to get a good tree. Are you relaxing tonight?
Ixion lovely to hear from you. Your tree tale made me laugh.
Hope you enjoy seeing the little ones.
Take care.
Busy day for me tomorrow so off early.
Wishing peace and comfort to all members past and present of the lockdown gang. My prayers and hopes are with you all.
Much love and cwtches and I hope you have a Happy Christmas. xxx 🎅🏻🎄🎅🏻🎄🎅🏻🎄🎅🏻

May I send my missive from a back bench Lobstar?
We (well, I) am ready for the big day, finally AND we are still together🤭.
Things didn't start off so swimmingly with the welcoming of the tree. Mr.I still doesn't get the fact that if you buy an oversized tree, not only do you have to bend the top along the dashboard to fit (and that's with a Volvo ... ) but you also waste a good couple of quid in cutting it shorter when home.
And no, it didn't fit in the base, either. Silly me for even raising the question. I knew that we should have approached the rather nice young man with the large chopper chain saw to pare the trunk down. Instead, we took our own jigsaw to it on return, the wool carpet looked a treat not.

Food is ready.
'We always eat too much any way'.
One Christmas day I shall just produce egg and chips. Nah nah ne nah nah.

Awaiting a FT at 21.30 with our small people in Australia to share their stocking opening. We will show them the mince pie and carrot we leave out for Santa and Rudolf, then I shall make Mr. I eat both for authenticity pre-photo tomorrow of half-eaten food.

Carols now on telly-box, warming glass tumbler of Bailey's to hand.
Happy Christmas to the Gang, love and prayers to those with worries and sadness, for it is not a time that everyone can celebrate.

And thank you for just being here 🎄

It's Christmas Morning here and all is silent. No traffic on the usually busy adjacent road, no dogs barking for a change, only birds and even they seem subdued.

I wonder what it was like on that First Morning with Bethlehem crowded, everyone doubled up in all available rooms and only a stable free.
Noisier than here I'd guess.

Bethlehem was known as The Place of Bread, so you could certainly get a good breakfast there

Rachel, Jacob’s wife was buried in Bethlehem. Boaz was from Bethlehem and took Ruth into his family. King David, as a shepherd boy tended sheep here so it was by no means an obscure place.

In New Zealand we have a Bethlehem and Judea, on the eastern coast, just a few kilometres from where my Dgd1 lives and studies.

Happy Christmas

Hello lovely Gangstars,
What fun you had Kaimoana with Gubbins and water on the verandah!

I hope that there's enough sparrow to go round Doodle imagine if you had to purchase another one!

I'm off to the woodland to steal a tree.
May as well be hung for a sheep as a lamb as they used to say.

I'll pop by later on to check on you all.
I hope the coughing has died down

Doodle I hope you enjoy your sparrow at least it won't take much stuffing.
I'm glad Mark was loved even with his "faults" - it's what we all need.

Our family Christmas was wonderful: the salmon was perfection, the Prosecco chilled but I wasn't up to eating much. Covid has diminished my appetite.

Dgs was brilliant with his sister, making an exciting game of the Treasure Hunt so she understood what was going on.
When it came to her picture clues, she had no problems at all and dashed about triumphantly waving each prize but the hunt was the best bit for her, she didn't bother opening the gifts once found

I'd bought her a water-play table with lots of wheels and receptacles and she loved that, splashing about on the deck and
overwatering my tomato plant.
So all in all a very successful day.
When my dil handed me the pretty ‘old-lady brooch’ you see here, Gubbins insisted we sing Happy Birthday to me.

Big not bit 😖

Hello gangsters. What a day. Been busy wrapping presents then had my big Christmas shop from Waitrose and discover I’d ordered the wrong turkey (I think it was a turkey they delivered but it might have been a sparrow). Had to dash out to Sainsbugs and managed to get another one that might last more than one day.
Had friend round for coffee this afternoon so the ironing didn’t get done. One more job for tomorrow.
Kaimoana i wonder if Mepa’s grandma sent her spirit over here last night. We’ve had the most torrential downpour today and many of the roads flooded.
What a fascinating story. I loved that grandma wouldn’t pass on her skills because she talked too much 🤣
Funny you should mention Mark. He and I parted company yesterday when I popped round to my sons. My DGD loved him and his wonky legs. He has a new home on the bookcase in her bedroom.
Hope you enjoy your carols. Hope you have a lovely time with your family.
Ooh thanks for the photo. How wonderful. Such colour and everyone looks so happy and smiling.
Grammaretto I baked a lovely bit fruit cake last night. Perfect for hiding an escape kit in so Jeeves and I will be on standby if needed. 🤣
Hope you had a nice time with your friends and that your room is ready for action.

I have written to the plumber's wife with fullsome apologies for the delay in payment and a promise to pay as soon as I can get the loan or steal it
Either way I hope I won't be needing Doodle's escape committee before Christmas.
I am expecting callers for coffee and mince pies so had better get some in the oven and try not to burn them

I will then ask the callers to help me move furniture so my den can be transformed into a room fit for serving Christmas lunch.

That crochet is a whole nuther level Kaimoana you keep raising the stakes!
Have a very happy Christmas you in the Southern Hemisphere..

Oops, forgot.

Nice to see you posting again Missedout despite the many 'issues'. I hope none of them prevent you having a wonderful Christmas with your 12 visitors.

And 12 cold rooms for Grammaretto .
As I sit here sweltering, it's hard to imagine cold. Nice offer from your tenant though I suspect you'd feel a bit intrusive if you took it up. Just warn visitors to wear long-johns.

Happy Birthday WP

I got everything done Doodle but for those very last moment things such as making the dip and guacamole.
Plenty of time in the morning though.
Glad your DH is feeling better.

Mepa has just told me she comes from a long line of traditional rain-makers, so effective the government used to call on her grand-mother to break droughts. Which she did every time. .

She chose a special nephew to take over from her but his father objected and sent him away to Nauru.
Grandmother decided not to pass the knowledge on to her niece, 'because she talks too much'.
Nor could she vouchsafe the secrets to anyone who would leave the islands - so the skills died with her.

One of the traditional crafts of Tuvalu is, incredibly, crochet. Here you see dancers in crocheted costumes.
Which reminds me, Doodle will you hand over Mark at Christmas? I’m sure he’ll be well-loved.

On Christmas Day the Sallies are coming to take me away to a morning carol service. I shall enjoy that.

But now going to put the gifts for my dear family in individual pillowcases as we do each year. There is something truly magical about the feel and sound of crinkly paper parcels rustling in a pillowcase. Nothing catapults me back to childhood faster than that.

I hate grating things too. Like you bits of knuckle is included in the final product.
I’m sure your DGS will love his melted melting moments. 😊
Grammaretto hoping the escape committee won’t be needed and you get approved soon.
I love a Christmas fair. Are you selling any of your pots?
Glad you are getting on so well with your tenant. Must make it nice to have company around.
Dear Cherry you always make me laugh. (why do you think people say merry Christmas 🍷 🤣)
So pleased you are feeling better. DH is too. Hopefully the worst is over.
What a shame about the missing present. That is so bad.
Nice to have a photo of them all though.
Hope WP has a happy birthday. Is it before Christmas?
I’m hoping my Christmas dinner will be being delivered by Waitrose tomorrow including a large and expensive exotic pudding to take to our sons. No idea what it’s like but it looks fancy. Sleep well all and be good coz Santa’s watching.

Evening all. Busy day today doing lots of little last minute jobs. Collecting presents, putting air in the car tyres. Collecting prescription and……baking a secret cake for DH for Christmas.
He loves a fruit cake and I haven’t made one for ages. He’ll probably guess now as the smell is invading the flat.
Missedout how lovely to have a post from you.
I think everyone looks funny in long johns. Not the most attractive of undergarments. I can still picture the look in DHs face when I suggested we got some before going to Norway in the winter.
Sorry you are having more health issues. So many have “the cough” . UTIs aren’t pleasant either. I hope you have some standby antibiotics.
Hope you have a lovely time with your DGC. I expect the family are really looking forward to staying with you. 12 is a lot to cater for. I hope you have some help in the day.
Good luck either all your ology appointments.
Hope you and yours have a lovely Christmas and thank you so much for popping in. 😊
Kaimoana bed runners usually go across the bottom. Keep your tootsies warm. It’s certainly a lovely one that Mamissimo has made.
Glad you’ve finished your baking. I hope that means you can relax and take things a bit easier now.
I’ve just had a mental picture of you in the kitchen, tussling with the temperamental Quinoa. “Get in the pan…… no I won’t ..yes you jolly well will…….. not going to, so there ……I’m getting the rolling pin 😡

That's quite annoying Cherry to have a missing present.
I didn't notice any mistakes.

I managed to burn the loaf I was making.
I was chatting with my tenant. She is off for a week's holiday and said I could use the flat if I was having visitors. Isn't she lovely. Instead, I have a dozen cold rooms all to myself. Brr.

PS. spot the sections of my post that doesn't have errors I'd preview but it doesn't work for me 🙄

Evening gangStars

Despite not posting I haven't missed much in the last couple of days then 🤔 🙃.
I see that Mr Doodle has dressed up as a Suma wrestler, Doodle has got a little merry on 🍷, Kaimoana has made seductive truffles, Mr Doubt has been clowning about in long johns, Missedout' has a dozen to cater for on Boxing day and a fridge so laden everything probably falls out when she opens the door has the cough and *Grammaretto won't have a new tooth until the new year or that bl**day grant at this rate-- and is rushed off her feet on duty at the christmas fair.
No, I haven't missed much at all 😉

I'm still coughing but feeling heaps better. I made a mad dash to get christmas and birthday presents for my WP yesterday and braved the supermarket 😱 this morning to get fresh fruit and vegetables and the xmas day meat. That was a nightmare 🙀 and there's worse .... we had a message from niece2 with a lovely photo of my youngest (of three) great nephew in front of the xmas presents we'd sent the three of them and his birthday present . What's worse about that you might ask? The package we'd sent had got damaged along the way a week to be delivered first class and a present was missing 😠. His birthday present 😢. Don't think there's any chance that'll ever be found ... a parcel in wrapping paper with a tag which just says "To dgn3 happy birthday love Cherry & WP" and has no address. I was at first annoyed but you can't help but laugh at the somewhat ridiculousness of it🤦