General Chat

OH has just suggested that he thinks he will stay home one day a week, because we have so many "little" things that keep being put off ............. he's been retired 13 years but still has an office and goes in 5 days a week for several hours.

Among the things??

writing the Christmas letter :-( :-D

Sylvia, it may not be long before our cheaper surface rates are abolished, I fear.

This morning, after breakfast, I was full of good intentions. I thought I would sit and write the few notes I include with several of the overseas cards.

First, I made myself another coffee, then made contact with daughter, then granddaughter, then decided it would be better to get showered and dressed so I was decent to face the world. Came back into kitchen, made myself another coffee, looked at the cards and ..... decided to come onto GR instead.

The spirit is willing but ..... you know the scenario ...

..... and I always love and enjoy Christmas. <3 :-D

I have to admit to ...............

We send wall calendars to some folks overseas ............ 3 large ones and about 6 smaller ones.

OH also gets catalogues from a discount book store, and they start selling calendars about August at massive discount.

We have already bought the 3 large ones (plus 2 that OH bought for himself) and 2 smaller ones.

Yesterday, I put in an online order for some books from one of the big book stores and saw they were offering 25% off calendars. So i bought 4 small wall ones and also OH's pocket diary that he likes :-)


Joy .......... we don't get any cheaper postal rates for mailing early so we don't bother with getting Christmas cards early. The last couple of years, we haven't even bothered with cards, we've just sent out a letter ....... if people don't like it, hard lines!!

The major reason for no early mailing rates for cards is basically because nothing now goes sea mail ................. when folk in England use the early rate, we get the cards before the end of October :-D

Canada Post seems to have faced this fact, and did away with the cheaper rate almost 20 years ago.

They do suggest mailing dates for cards and parcels to various places when they will practically guarantee delivery before Christmas ........... and we ignore those dates as well. Most folk obey the dates, which means that cards and parcels peak about 10 days before Christmas, and delivery can slow. After the delivery date can be just as fast as normal

JoyL

The fried Christmas cake with cream sounds good!

My sis-i-l used to serve it for breakfast though ... I can't remember whether she served it with eggs and bacon though!!

The cheese to be eaten with Christmas Cake has to be Wensleydale and the entire 'snack' accompanied by a decent single malt whisky

I have written out most of my overseas cards today.

Get moving folks, time's running out ..... the shops never will though. :-0

This week I saw a couple of young women leaving Smyths with trollies full of toys.

Couldn't understand it until I saw coupons printed in the newspaper for discounts at that store.

As I wrote earlier this month, some retailers are quick off the mark. :-0

Close your ears you Christmas poopers!

I have just checked my Christmas cards in order to send a few by surface mail.

Early bird savings. :-D

Sylvia, I cut a slice and fried it for dessert tonight instead of having it for breakfast.

It was a solid fruit cake with pineapple, cherries and nuts on the top and it softened lovely. I had it with cream and it was not bad. It made a change from my usual yoghurt or fruit and cream.

Asda had family boxes of sweets for £4 last week.

Breakfast-time here so I may try to fry the last chunk of fruit cake I have left, Sylvia.

Rocky, you're spoiling your Dad? He'll secretly love it no doubt.

:-D

By the way, I ought to have mentioned a week or so ago, our M & S is selling Cornish Cove sausages again. :-D (My post, 10 September)

Well, I finally bought my first Christmas present, for someone who doesn't like Christmas.

Oh well, he is my father, and I love him.

Yes I have heard of that Sylvia.

GloucesterJ Hello to somebody who may be from my part of the world. :-) :-)

her daughters loved it.

I thought it was OK .............. but prefer hot Christmas pud with juiced-up white sauce :-D

Now that's something I have yet to try, Sylvia.

My Scottish sister-i-law used to fry left-over Christmas pudding for breakfast

Ecclefechan tarts (which I like) can be found in our Sainsburys for most of the year but not mince pies which I don't care for anyway and, so, rarely buy. I prefer Eccles cakes - sliced across to add a knob of butter inside then heated in the microwave. Delicious.

I know that some people (Yorkshire folk started it I believe) like a slice of cheese with Christmas cake and I have done that but I sometimes have the cake with a dollop of cream - clotted is best. :-D

Not checked M and S and other food stores yet but I have sent off an appeal to Marksy's asking them to stock Cornish Cove sausages, which we all love, all year round instead of only summer. Replied saying they'll check with managers.

Off on a tangent as usual ..... but it's still nice and certainly not winter weather here. :-S :-D

Our Sainsburys sell mince pies throughout the year and very nice they are too with plain Greek yoghurt.
They don't last very long here.....

Shut up Stray!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :-P :-P :-P :-P :-P

106 days wohoooooooo