September Dryathlon

Not feeling at all well just now ( I don't deserve sympathy) it's all about red wine and mince pies , clashing! bleurrrrrgh.

Blimey, it's been busy on here today! Good to read all your news, and especially that you feel you're on the mend at last, jg Do make sure you don't overdo it though - it's easy to do when you're recovering and wanting to get back to normal, but can cause a relapse if the virus is still lurking. And you have such a lot on your plate at the moment. Look after yourself.

Hark at me, Dr Maggie, yet again full of good advice I never heed myself

We were with DGS2 today. I thought it would be fun for him to help me choose little toys and games to fill a Rotary Club Christmas shoe box for a little boy his age. And it was, till he started trying to wheedle every last one of that little boy's toys out of the shoe box and into his toy box. Yep, totally foreseeable - I'd never make a supernanny, would I? Fortunately he was eventually distracted by the Christmas Elf for his shelf I'd taken over....not the real McCoy, jg, but a much cheaper version handmade with love by an Amazon seller

As for strawberry creams - I'm taking the fifth, as they used to say in Cagney & Lacey

Night all

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Well our rather minimalist tree is up!

But we did buy this snow scene and if you look carefully you'll see it has lights - they flash but I can only show them static on here.

No idea why they're upside down though probably for the sane reason JG's tree was nailed to the wall sideways on.

Very nice ( the Christmas trees) I always put off as long as possible this onerous task of putting up and dressing the tree, but will get pestered by DGC from next week no doubt.

I wondered why you were going on about jg's tree being nailed to the wall, Anya - all the photos are the right way up on my PC...

Must be my iPad then!

Yes,they are the right way up on the pc and sideways on my iPad.

Thanks Roses thought I'd had too much mulled

Oh dear - roses I hope the effects of mince pies and red wine have worn off - so many temptations around at this time of the year. I have a mince pie and mulled wine evening tomorrow but as I am hostessing - I really need to go for the non-alcoholic variety Have you made a start on the tree yet - I'm relieved mine is up now....

Hey thanks Dr Maggie aka maggie - I tried to take your advice on board today but then I followed your example instead and ignored forgot it Yeah - the elf will be your saviour this month - I hope - it's a great bribery incentive tool ... for DGS2... LOL

Everything's the right way up on my laptop Anya and Ana - I love your sweet tree and your print Anya - so pretty and you can definitely see the lights in the second shot - hope you enjoyed a mulled while you worked

So, the Doctor says he thinks my mum's hallucinatory episodes are not due to the antidepressant - more likely a progression of the dementia. She had a good day today and we shopped, had lunch and searched for keys ... I left cue-cards strategically placed to gently remind her to eat/drink/replace keys on the hook provided/ and to confirm that she is indeed in her house and she is allowed to use all rooms including the bathroom and kitchen It must be horrible to have these moments when you just don't know where you are ... She still maintains a great sense of humour, a good appetite (albeit small portions) and a great concern for others....she brings to an otherwise rather dull day!

I arrived home to find that DH had tidied up, cooked dinner and was just opening a nice bottle of - my work for the day is done so I bid you all a very goodnight

Lovely post, jg - your mum sounds like a real treasure despite her problems, and your DH sounds like a good 'un too!

Erm, yes about those Christmas emoticons...

What are you saying Ana - a bit OTT do you think ...

Ok - I'll stop now ......

So sad to read of your mother's braved attempts JG and your love for her really comes across. What a wonderful daughter you are and what a wonderful mother she must have been to you (((hugs))) you are an inspiration truly. What a tower of strength you DH is at this time, when you need his support, strength and love as never before.

Seconded, Ana and Anya Enjoy your down time and your , jg - it's very well deserved.

I've deserved nothing good today - fewer than 1,000 steps and yet I've had a couple of g & ts. I have no excuse, but at least I've caught up with a bit of my paperwork inbetween bouts of online browsing and sorted out my knicker drawer. Not much to be proud of really, is it, on the very first day of a brand new month?

Bless you Anya, *Ana and maggie - you gave me such a lift when I read your posts... So much so that Mr jg and I ran stumbled three and a half miles early this morning.....
With running back and forth today I have already achieved 10,000 steps - happy me and I feel much better for it.

Just as well, dd and diva 2 are moving in for a few days until the weekend - I am hosting a Tropic Skincare party this evening for dd who is trying to find a way of supplementing her finances now that she is just working 2 days a week teaching. This is due to her ME and Fibromyalgia . Anyway that's why the tree is up so early - we've raided Sainsbury's for their luxury mince pies and have both alcoholic and non-alcoholic mulled wine on offer. The christmas music is playing in the background so I hope to start feeling the Christmas love soon.... we have some nice people coming

Oh btw maggie when I was sorting my knicker drawers earlier this year I found some neat little storage pouches - works well - I think it was muji - something like that anyway - I do like a bit of organisation ...me the neat-freak

Thank you lovely gang for your encouraging comments - I certainly feel the love from you all...
XXX


p.s. I hope I didn't overdo the christmas emoticons Ana

You're allowed, jg - special dispensation!

10,000 steps - WOW!!!

Is it just me or does the emoticon look rather sinister to any one else? Sort of baring his teeth rather than grinding.

'oh grandma what big teeth you have!'

Anyway managed 5000+ again today which cannot compete with that magnificent affort by JG (well done) and apart from two chocolate fingers after lunch have kept to my low carb régime for two days now.

How's the house selling going Ana - everything still on track? It's very stressful wondering if things are going ahead especially when searches and surveys and solicitors (nice bit of alliteration) take so long. A terribly dragged out process. Anyway here's hoping all is well.

Hope you've had a less stressful day JG - do you try any relaxation techniques? I've found them a great help when things have been at their worst. It doesn't make the problem go away, but it gives you a space in your head to stop all the worry and angst and that helps you to cope. Honest

Maggie you always sound so upbeat and you lead such a busy life....I mean busy inasmuch as you are doing such fun things

Roses and Ana I did dip into some of the political threads but think I'll stay out of it as I really CBA to bang my head against a brick wall

I'm going to get an early night as pretty knackered, but doubtless will not be able to sleep so may see you all later ???

I know what you mean Anya with the CBA with the political threads.However, some of us are made of sterner stuff and have waded into the trenches until only our tin hats were showing.There is much wailing and gnashing of teeth going on there and wringing of hands and weeping and even a bit of empathising.We have fired our shots and returned to our bunker for a mug of char, but hostilities may be resumed at first light.
As you were.

DH got the Christmas tree out of the loft today, oh what a sorry sight, branches all twisted ( because we shoved it in it's bag last year, without due care) I have put it in the conservatory to be dealt with another day.

Tee hee, roses, you are such a wag!

Anya I agree about the - I've always thought it looked rather horrible (a bit like a jack o' lantern) but with a Christmas hat on it's actually quite creepy...

Hope you sleep well! Who knows what tomorrow will bring...?

Yes, that gives me the willies too - it's a good job us grans are made of stern stuff, or none of us would be sleeping! Talking of which, for December I am imposing a screen ban on myself for 2 hours before bed. Apparently this improves your sleep, Anya, according to another GN thread. I only have a problem anyway when I'm woken up by DH clattering wandering off to the bathroom, and then sometimes I can't get back off, but I must say I've slept like a baby tonight (and am just about to get up

It was hard not doing the last minute check for updates/emails/lotto numbers last night though! Actually, wondering what I was missing could have kept me awake.....

I got my steps in - just - yesterday, and am meeting a friend this afternoon for a natter, so will be walking 2 miles at least. I might also walk on the spot while marzipanning the Christmas cake later on. Today's a fast day, so I won't be able to nibble

I'll look out for you in the trenches, where I often lurk but always keep my head down

Are you implying I'm a wuss roses (deliberately scary face] ??

TBH you and Ana usually make my case for me so well, I only interject the odd aside to let you know I'm in there with you. Hope you managed to untangle your tree?

I think I've finished my Christmas shopping ... just have the fun bit of wrapping it all up. I like to do this on the floor now we no longer have a cat ...just hope I can get back up afterwards.

Just managed to track down who is supplying our gas and electricity at this house. No use asking our kind and lovely but seriously dippy landlady, she hadn't a clue. The sadistic delightfully helpful young lady at Ecotricity asked me to do a meter reading which involved me opening a small cupboard and wedging myself in sideways with the flashlight app on my mobile to take a reading. Then I tried to extricate myself.....

The situations we get ourselves into....imagine marzipanning (sorry but since when has that been a verb? oh dear my inner pedant has slipped out again) and stepping on the spot.....

Hee hee, Anya, it sounds better than almond pasting, which I suppose is more accurate but still not grammatically correct. Which reminds me, I haven't done it yet (heads determinedly for kitchen with newly purchased ground almonds, even though it's nearly time for Pointless)....

Anyway, I'm sure I've heard Dame Delia say it. Though she's not the icon she once was in my book since she said that the bought stuff was just as good

Went out shopping to nearest market town today with DD2 , she wanted all sorts of Christmassy bits and bobs, and ended up as always in M&S foodhall.
Amongst other things I bought an iced Christmas cake as I just haven't had time this year to make one,( and when I did have time, had a horrid lurgie.)
Hope it will be alright, am a bit fussy about cake.We need a fussy emoticon, one with it's little nose turned up? So that was a few 'steps' and was my effort to fit in on this thread

Our Christmas tree is still in a mishapen heap in the conservatory, and suspect it will be for the next week.