'From our Forums'

I'm going to pretend to be out for the rest of the day now.

That's what I mean Bags!

I wasn't criticising the thread at all. Just what They have put up there (arrow going to the right and up).

Someone (whose name begins with G) missed the point I think.

Couldn't agree more?

Exactly Bags. Just like pain hurts more in the middle of the night when everyone else appears to be peacefully asleep, so missing one's family (for whatever reason) becomes more poignant when it seems that every other family is having a special, jolly and delightful time at Christmas.

Nobody has to give in to other people's expectations. Why care what other people think? But really, I think the dreading xmas thread was about wanting to have a jolly xmas but feeling one couldn't because of certain circumstances, such as children and grandchildren not being around to be jolly with.

Geraldine That is spot on what I was complaining about in my earlier post. Being EXPECTED to have a good time or to shut up and put up about it.

If we don't like christmas and want to say so, is there then an implication that by admitting this, those who do enjoy Christmas somehow feel guilty if they are enjoying it and we dont?

Sorry to spoil the thread by getting back onto the subject. Its not like me. It was happily going off at one of the Gransnets threads wonderful tangents.

I have just redeemed myself by going way off topic in AIBU can I have rage though. Night all my brain is now well addled.

Oh!

I was 5'8" I've shrunk an inch!

You've grown an inch, jeni!

At 5'8" it doesn't bother me!

That's being shortist, jeni!

Inferior. Below! They're not as tall, so!

Yes - just learners really...

Oh I've just got that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sprouts - scouts - cubs!

Not really inferior. Just smaller.

Cubs perhaps?

merlot!

The woman in question could probably have bought some from her local Co-op - but obviously thought they would be inferior sprouts....

phoenix A woman crying in M&S on Christmas Eve because they've run out of sprouts reminds me of the episode in The Good Life when Margot and Jerry think Christmas will have to be cancelled because the Harrods delivery didn't turn up.

jeni

annosame here. Then we split into arts and science. I wanted to do science and they tried to make me do arts. My father had to intervene and insist I did science. In my school the bright one did arts. The less bright science? a very weird religious school. I was told I should read theology at Oxford and become a mssionary. Moi? the only missionary I know is the so called position!

I was ticked off for making a meat and potato pie (for seven people) which, according to the teacher, looked a "bit farmhousey".

"But we used to live in a farmhouse," I said, which was true.

I was sent out.

The pastry was supposed to be prettied up with decorative pastry leaves and flowers. I'd just tucked it in at the edges and crimped it all together. Still can't be arsed with unnecessary food faff.

The obnoxious cookery teacher was coming round the class to see if we were peeling the potatoes correctly. As she approached, I conscientiously started to take a very thin skin off mine. She came up to our table, looked at me (I thought accusingly) and said, 'Why are you peeling your potato so thinly?' Dismayed, I responded, 'But I thought we were supposed to do that, miss.'

If you cook them long enough, not much force is required. At least, it wasn't when I used to make lentil soup that way. Also depends on the vegetables. Root veg is easy.

And I have never made soup by forcing the vegetables through a wire seive!

Nightmare that was!

I learned some things in domestic science. How to make shortcrust pastry, and victoria sponge sandwich. And that the vitamins in a potato are all in that bit that you can see, just under the skin.

And the correct way to scrub a wooden table. (I've never had to use that bit of knowledge)