General Chat

You were brave to go out Tec, I just stayed put. I will have to go out tomorrow though,to the market. OH said that the pavements and roads in the market square were treacherous today.

Good morning/evening all. I won't be on for long as I'm babysitting for awhile this morning. Our daughter is working extra hours at the moment so I need to watch the children for a couple of hours before their father picks them up.

We put up Christmas lights yesterday. They look lovely and I am now starting to feel Christmasy. While I'm out this morning OH will put up the tree - artificial - and then we'll decorate it together. The angel will be left for our son to put up when he gets home from work. It was a tradition that the 3 children take it in turns to place the fairy on the tree. As our youngest is the only one home now he gets to put the fairy on the top. I also have lots of decorations that the children made and they have pride of place. We have some lovely ornaments although not from abroad. We have some baubles that belonged to my mother in law. OH decorated some baubles with the names of our children and grandchildren. The grandkids have their year of birth on them too.

I also miss the smell of a real tree but they are becoming an expensive indulgence here. Our daughter bought a real one and I was amazed at the cost. They are lovely and I must admit the smell in her house is very Christmasy and nostalgic. I spoke to my grandson in Hobart and they have just put up the tree and decorated it so he is very excited. My daughter’s twins who are 3 are at an age where they can truly enjoy the excitement – we even have a Santa photo this year:-))

I only have to wrap the children’s gifts and put them under the tree. A sign of the times – I bought cards made for gift vouchers. Very handy and much nicer than just popping them into a plain envelope.

Sue xx

Good morning Sue.
Christmas is magical when there are little ones around.
My not so little ones will be arriving soon. My daughter is coming on either Monday evening or Tuesday morning.
I know the second she walks through the door she will take one look at my tastefully understated decorating and set about covering the whole house with tinsel!
Her poor fiancée doesn't know what has hit him. He has never had a tree before, but he is now the proud owner of a huge real one complete with all the trimmings

Hi, Linda. My house would be festooned with every imaginable decoration if OH had full reign. I have some lovely ornaments and together with the tree I think that's enough. Our house is only small so too much makes it look cluttered.

I'm off now. Hope to see you all later.

Sue xx

Tradition: it is wonderful, and I got all nostalgic reading about your trees. When I was a child my father would walk to a friend's house way down the road and up the hill from us and he would cut three huge branches off their massive tree one for us and a couple for cousins. He would do this every year and that tree always had plenty of branches left, and when he cut it you wouldn't know unless you looked closely that that was what he had been upto.
Now we have an artificial one - but it has got me to thinking I might have a real one next year for a change - there is a place not far from us that grows them, guess he does his GST tax return only once a year - he works at planting and tending them all year and the only time he gets paid is at Christmas time.

I have all my cards that the children and grandchildren have made - I wouldn't part with them... I have OH's ones as well but I don't think he is aware of what I have stored away.

Diane - I find it difficult buying clothes for the two older grandchildren now because not every 14 or 12 year old are the same size. I saw some shorts that I thought would be nice for the eldest but as they are not elasticated I could make a mistake in my purchase. Nowdays a lot of the merchandise is Chinese/Korean etc and what will have the label M in one shop could be labeled S in another. I thought I stayed up late but 3.30am is a bit much for me. The only time I see that time is when I have to get up early to fy to OZ.

Pxx

Good Morning Sue, and Perse,

Think you've gone already Sue, so hope you have a good time with the children, more stories maybe, or fun and games in the garden?
enjoy it anyway.

Hi Perse, Yes, traditions are good, and old customs recalled. When I was young whole families got together at Christmas, grand parents, aunts, uncles, cousins etc. I don't think that happens so much now. In those days families lived in close proxinimity sp to each other, whereas now people have travelled to the four corners.

Would I necessarily want ALL my relations around me at Christmas?
"Think I'd better think it out again" as Fagin said.

Tec

Good evening/morning all

We also have anartificial tree. The local Lions Club used to sell real ones but that seems to have stopped now.

When we were in the UK we always had a real tree.

Linda, it is probably as cold as charity, but the thoughts of a white Christmas are so evocative.

Of all the things I can recall of the UK I cannot recall a white Christmas. In the areas we lived it never seemed to snow until January

Allan

Good Morning Allan,

Are you being Ernest today?

We have no snow here in my little corner of Wales, only on the mountains.
Our snow is forecast for Saturday night/Sunday moring - so I shall pack an ice box,and have it despatched to you in time for Christmas - you will be the only one in WA to have a white Christmas.

Tec

Good evening Tec

We may need the ice box

Temp today of 31, which means about 34 if the last few days have been anything to go by, together with thunderstorms

Identical forcast for Christmas Day. So it will be a chicken salad for lunch

Allan

Where is everybody? All busy with last-minute Christmas arrangements?
A friend in Worthing took a photo of his street yesterday and sent it to me. It's like a picture post-card - very picturesque - but I think I am happy to admire it from afar. I spent one Christmas is England and enjoyed it - but I don't like to be cold so I'm happy where I am. I suppose it's what we are used to. I look forward to the long days and socialising with friends and family in the outdoors. Christmas is part of that for us.

Santa Claus still has to come through the snow - he does live at the North Pole! - but he flies through the sky and can land on snow, sand, grass and water. Just as well he has the different time zones - gives him 24 hours to get around the world - and with a snack in each house put out for him - he really does well, doesn't he?

Hello Allan and Perse.

You are correct about the timing of the snow Allan, it usually comes later. people place bets on it snowing on Christmas day, but they rarely have to pay out. I have even known it snow in mid April.

It is really cold in the house, even though the heating is on full blast

Hello Berona, you arrived as I was posting.

The children always used to leave a mince pie and some sherry for Santa. I know other people leave whisky, but I hate it lol

Yeah Tec we lived in close 'proxinimity' to each other as youngsters but now we are all over the place.

I would love to have a white christmas - OH has and my youngest has had three of them when she was on her OE. Bless her - First year she rang me on Christmas Morning (my time) we talked for quite sometime said our good byes and then the phone rang again "mum how do you make breadcrumbs I'm cooking the turkey"?" She often used to cook at home but had never done stuffing - thought it quite sweet.

She will be flying in tonight with husband and MIL in tow from Wellington so you may not see much of me.

I will try and get in on the 24th but if not I would like to wish you all a safe and happy Christmas and take care you lot in the snow - keep the toes warm and cosey. To all of you in OZ hope it does not get any hotter - this damn climate change has a lot to answer for. Have fun with your friends and families - whether it be in the gazebo, on the patio or indoors don't over imbibe but have a swinging good Christmas.
Berona - yes I am sure Santa does do that you will probably get an extra present he was very impressed with you and Tec doing the tango!!

To dear Alison - I hope this is a very special Christmas for you - that all the treatments will be over and that you can look forward to a better New Year. My family and I will drink a toast to you on Christmas Day and I wish you all the best health in the world. Stay beautiful Alison - you are a very lovely lady.

Luv

Norma xx
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If we don't see you again, I hope that you have a wonderful time with your family and that you get lots of lovely presents. You have been good all year I assume?

Hello Perse and Linda

Linda the worst Winter I remember was 1981/82 when it was so cold even the sea froze at Grimsby. Working early mornings at the Fish Market was no joy!

Allan

We don't have snow like it was when I was a girl though. It was common for it to be really deep.

Happy Christmas Perse. Enjoy your time with the family and friends. See you again later.

Linda - of course, she has been good all year. We all have. And don't forget, she has been a star in the Christmas panto!

We will all be overwhelmed with the quality of our gifts in that case!

Good morning Berona

Are you saying that Tec and myself have been exonorated over our recent extremely minor misdeeds??

Allan

Good Morning Berona,
Yes,Santa does do very well, but it's the elves and the reindeer that do all the work - he just sits back Ho Ho Hoing - I hope he drops down your chimney. Unless of course you have an aversion to fat old men with beards dropping on your carpet in the middle of the night :))

Allan, OK, you can keep the ice box. I think we had a white Christmas in 1992...........I clearly remember the January of 1982, I had to get my daughter back to college in Preston, from Wrexham, for the new term. Took four hours on a snowbound M6, with a shovel and sacks in the boot. That was a long hard winter.

Tec