Thread to state Xmas jobs we intend to get done today.

Outside lights up and then DH slammed the window through which the cable was threaded and cut it so they are ruined!!

Mission part accomplished; got the cash, had the infusion without any fuss, nice comfy chair and a chatty staff nurse for company. So far, side effects not evident. Feet up, mince pie, Countdown.... snooze.

Wrapping done, parcels ready to post, with a little help from a friend!!

Same job as yesterday planned for today - writing letters to go in with cards. Letters to write: 12. Letters written so far: 6. Now I've lost the cards.

We've bought a tree though. It's in the car outside, with its top branch bent to buggery over.

That was in response to Teetime's 'jobs done'.

()

No! But sorted out 6 evening dresses( only need 4) some day dresses, shorts, skirts, tops etc. All will get packed tomorrow afternoon with Kate's help ( bending over cases kills my back) and then the Great Gary will come and take them downstairs before he goes to his pinny evening!

Beard and moustache gone, new eyebrows and the search for some dates in those long boxes achieved.

The builder is still here; dust sheets everywhere. I don't want to do decorations until he's gone and I've had a clean up but I am going to marzipan the cake and I intend printing off some 'home designed' cards for friends I will see on Friday.

Have you packed yet Galen?

The photos are very glamorous.

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Never seen a tiara on board but all the rest yes!

Definitely a tiara for Galen

The decorations are out of the attic and on the landing still in boxes but that's as far as they got. I wrapped another couple of parcels to post which will now be late arriving in the Antipodes. Put all other wrapped parcels away on top of wardrobes before DGD arrives tomorrow and tries to inspect them.
Cleaned a couple of windows (inside only, it's raining) and waved the duster and polish around a bit, but it will probably be easier to polish as I pack away ornaments and put Christmassy ornaments around.
Does everyone else have to clear their ornaments/photos away before they get out the Christmas ones?

I find lametta adds the finishing sparkle Tegan.

You could just serve a couple of leaves of lamb's lettuce or iceberg or similar, or a carrot mousse (=mush), pears as Gagagran says, or sliced apples with balsamic vinegar or just lemon juice.

It's not so much the pastry, but the goat's cheese, whilst delicious, does tend to "get in your mouth" as my father used to say!

Greyduster I buy pickled pears from our local country market and they would be delicious with your tartlets. Or spiced pickled damsons which are also delicious. Or pickled walnuts?

Does everyone wear jewels on cruises Galen? I've never been on a cruise but I do like the idea of all the ladies bedecked in tiaras and sparkling necklaces and earrings in the evenings. (I'd need to buy some before I could go!)

Started anti biotics for horrid sinus infection. Mr I am heroically attemptin to clean the wooden floor. First effort since it was installed three years ago ?

All done bar the shouting now, really. A few more cards to write and that's it. Just food. I have been experimenting this morning with caramilsed red onion and goats cheese tartlets which i want to do for a starter. DD is veggie. They are very nice but not sure what to serve on the side to counteract the dryness of the pastry.

A bit more tinsel and another set of baubles and it will be super Tegan. (Says the woman who doesn't allow any bit of the tree to actually show!)

Sorted all my dresses out. Just nighties undies and jewels to do!

I can't get worked up about any of it this year. I've just been to the village PO to post twenty Christmas cards only to find they've run out of stamps

Nice, Tegan - not too overdone or overpowering. Sometimes you have to completely re-arrange the room to get the tree in and then you're crab-walking sideways to get to the piano or the windows or whatever.

This thread is a lovely counterpart to the thread started by someone who couldn't get into the Christmas mood. Just reading it gives you a feeling that everyone is doing this together - so many similar lists, and lovely ideas.

My list yesterday involved : << tidy and clean the lounge (the ironing's set up in there at the moment) and go through the decorations I've got and make a list of what I still need. >>

I kept it short but didn't manage any of it because I came home from work tired and tried to have a quick nap, but that didn't work.

Tonight I must at least move the washing from the lounge and find my Christmas cards - I'm sure I've got enough old ones kicking around to not to have to buy any new ones this year.

However, last night I did write a detailed Christmas menu plan from today until 28 December and a matching shopping list, with some recipes from some books I was browsing through. So tonight I'll have to go shopping, too, but I don't regard that as a chore.

Looking at what I have actually already done - it's not too bad, I can tick quite a few things off: Haven't done the local cards, but wrote all my Christmas cards for the UK and sent them off when I was over in November (tick!), hubbie has bought tree and will take off the netting today and let it get its shape back (tick!). He has orders to go round the house today checking for babyproofness, as GS (18 months) will be coming on Wednesday. (tick!)

Have got some presents (books ordered from Amazon) (tick!) and have just ordered a Christmas bouquet for my mother (tick!). My sister will be spending Christmas at hers this year, so that will be for both of them, really. Have already sent them a parcel with some small bottles of wine and some decent coffee (sister has started new job and says the office coffee is awful).(tick!)

Sister-in-law is invited for Christmas lunch.(tick!)

And most importantly - we have a wreath with fairy lights on the front door(tick!). (note to self - must change the batteries in that!)

I let the Gch do my tree and it looks super cluttered with all the stuff both have made at school over 6 years....They put all their stuff on first leaving little room for my "more Sophisticated" junk. Great I love it.

Hooray , finished cards and all have stamps ready to post. ( The worst job. I always run out of cards.)

Not as bad as I thought but seems to need a lot more decorations than the other one....bit empty looking ...

How does it look?