General Chat

Just made 21 mince pies.

O Anne I had'nt heard that. Thats another family that is not ging to enjoy this Christmas. I really don't think there should be such violent programs on TV or on these game boy things they play.

No Gill I hav'nt done the cake yet.

Made me laugh about your presents and Sandra eating it already she will only have to be patient for another day and then she can open them all if she wants to. We always save some for Boxing Day too.

When I went to buy some new crackers on looking at the back of the box to see what trash was inside I found it to be all the same kinds of things for the children and the adult ones. I wish they could come up with some different things inside for a change.

I bought a box but hav'nt looked on the back to se what is in them. I bought them online because they were really pretty and just my sort of thing. There is only 6 and they have lovely berries on each cracker which I shall keep. They are handmade crackers and made the way mum used to do them.

When I was in my teens and mum did hairdressing from home she used to make crackers. Make up the boxes for them to go in and dress the crackers beautifully. All different colours. They were made on two peices of pipe and a string wrapped around and pulled tight to seal them up and then the other end was done. then she would put flowers on them or paper scraps and ribbons. There was 12 in a box all in a line and then covered with cellophane paper. She sold loads. Not like the crackers of today when they have cutouts round each end.

Evening all,

Still mild here and the wind seems to have got up , we went to see my sister late morning and had a good catch up ,she bought me a lovely Amaryllis in a big glass bowl ,she said couldn't wrap it as the stalk had begun to grow even though she had had it in the cool ,there was also a present wrapped up that she said she had to buy as when she saw it it reminded her of our childhood so it will be interesting to see what it is .

Frank poor Conrad must have been very tired last night after driving all those hours but at least you've both had a nice rest today watching the footie .
Glad your other bit of Gammon was ok ,i thought of you today as i watched Mary Berry cooking and she had cooked her gammon in Ginger Beer and then roasted it in the oven with a ginger glaze .

That was good of the chap to save you some of the frozen mince pies for Sandra Gill , i think i've seen packs of four mince pies in Morrisons .
Sounds as if the shortbread went down well :-D :-D

I've made some Viennese Fingers today ,DIL asked if i would make some again as i made some last year and she loves them ,i must say they just melt in the mouth .

Jane Fitz's decorations look lovely ,i love all the greenery in the fire place and on the light .
It was nice to see little Benji having a run about , poor old Thomas though i bet he takes his self out to the summer house to get some peace .

Mel you'll have to hide some of the sausage rolls up :-D will the mince pies go as quick ? :-D
I haven't made any Sausage rolls or mince pies this year as last year they got thrown out and i do so hate waste , but i did buy a few mince pies .

Yes Ann it's very sad about the Aldi worker , her poor husband and her little girl they'll never enjoy christmas again .

At last Ann i'm glad you got it in the end but where the devil has the card been all this time :-0
So teddy will be getting a bit of sparkle in his jumper you'll have to take a photo of him wearing it .

Evening All


Just a very quick hello from me now. I am just about ready for my bed. We had such a late night last night with too much food and drink and a long game of Trivial Pursuit.
I did a buffet lunch today now none of us really fancy dinner which is is and ready. H&G have gone to friends. I have said that when anyone wants to eat they can just help themselves.
James is cooking tomorrow night so thatwill give me a bit of a break before Christmas day :-D :-D

Mandy my Amaryllis snapped last night.Chris found it this morning.The stem was so tall it just couldnt cope with the weight of the big 3 blooms :-(.

Thomas and Benjy are behaving today although Benjy still trys to pester Tomas to play .At one point this afternoon Thomas was asleep on his bed and Benjy had curled up on the blanket beside him :-D(Thomas had no idea he was there LOL)

Glad you arrived in Devon ok Frank.It sounded quite a journey. It was a very long day for Conrad. I know I wouldnt fancy driving both ways in the same day !.

I have to go as I really need my bed very soon. I shall be bright and breezy again tomorrow :-D :-D

Mandy I like those Viennese Fingers too, especially when the end is dipped in chocolate!! You must tell us what your sister's wrapped present is when you have unwrapped it. I bet you will keep wondering what it is now! Once those Amaryllis get going there's no stopping them is there. What colour is it? Yes, it does make you wonder where post disappears to doesn't it. I'm itching to start the tiny jumper now, but better wait till I've done everything tomorrow first!

Oh Gill, Sandra was quick to dive into her present wasn't she, bless her! The shortbread sounds nice in festive shapes!

It's good you had an early night Frank and I bet you slept well after that journey. They said it would be chaos travelling yesterday, yet today there didn't seem to be a lot of local traffic round here. It's good the gammon turned out well and I see JJ was pleased to see you and get some fuss. OH is watching footie on the telly now.

Yes you'll have to pop some mince pies and sausage rolls in the freezer Mel before they all vanish! I used to do that with my first OH. I would make 4 dozen and he would eat 6 at a time as a snack!

The crackers your mum used to make sound lovely Mel. I think you're right you don't get very good stuff in crackers nowadays.

Love the photo's you sent Jane, isn't Fitz's place lovely and very big. I had a giggle at Thomas and Benjy, they are quite funny together aren't they?

Yes, I heard about that poor woman being stabbed in Aldi Anne, it's not going to be much of a Christmas for her husband and daughter now.

Leon Bernicoff, the husband of June on Gogglebox has died today. He was my favourite......so sad. :-( :-(

We're off to bed shortly too Jane, poor OH has got a virus now. He couldn't shift this cough he's had for a while so went back to the doctors at the out of hours earlier, because it's a virus they can't give him anything. Hope he feels better before Christmas day.

I liked it when he was on Gill. I did'nt always watch it but have seen some of them.

Morning all

Cold day today quite windy, but so far no rain.

Well, what can I say, talk about excitement Sandra had me dancing around in circles in the living room 20 minutes ago, Saying it's Christmas Eve, she grabbed my hands and turned me around and around.....quite dizzy now :-D :-D :-D

We are going to be baking all day today and I've been instructed to make some cakes, so there's no getting out of it now LOL I'm just wondering if Sandra is going to sleep tonight, she doesn't normally see the mornings, but these last few days she's been up really early.
Her excitement is so nice to see, bless her.

Message off Sandra

<3 <3 <3 HAPPY CHRISTMAS EVE TO EVERYONE <3 <3 <3

Told you she couldn't wait LOL ;-) ;-) ;-) Is everyone ready for the big day???

ONE MORE SLEEP TO GO <3 :-D
Sandra's just chosen a Merry Christmas picture and hopes you all like it <3

Good morning LAZY BONES,

Glad to see you are all well part from your OH Gill.

We didn't have a Takeaway last night. In fact I didn't eat at all. The others had a mixed meat and smoked salmon salad, which they all seemed to enjoy.

I was in bed by 9.00 pm Laid and watched a bit of a Police programme, when in came Ros. So we had an early night again.

I was awake at 4.00 am and laid until 7.00 when I dropped off again. I was up by 9.00 COT. tablets, Shower and dressed.

Conrad and Jan are up stairs , I can hear talking. We are going to collect the Turkey later this morning, so I am going along for the ride.

In passing last night, I asked Conrad when he was flying back to Spain. Not sure if it will be New Years Eve or New Years Day. So it looks like we will be going home Thursday, which is not what I expected.Jan is going with him. !!! Gawd knows what they will do will all the food that's here.

That poor family !!! how on earth are they ever going to enjoy Christmas again. I bet the chances are the person was a DRUGGIE and needed money. Lock him up and throw away the key. !!!!

Everybody is in the kitchen now so I will go a have a coffee and toast.

Enjoy your Christmas Eve and don't over do things.

Morning all,

Dull here now after a lovely clear sky and sunshine first thing ,th ewind is quite strong but it's still nice and mild .

<3 <3 :-D :-D Happy Christmas Eve to you to Sandra :-D :-D <3 <3
Not long to wait now before you can open all your presents ,enjoy the rest of your day
I love the picture .

Coffee time now BBL

Morning all from a late riser,

<3 <3 <3 <3 HAPPY CHRISTMAS EVE SANDRA <3 <3 <3 <3

Love the pictures of Father Christmas. Its going to be a busy night for him tonight.

We had a little bit of sunshine this morning but it soon disapeared and it breezey here too.

Alexa is playing up today and can't play music or do things we ask her. Last night she would'nt turn the lights off so I had to take the plugs out.

Afternoon Everyone
I do feel far more with it today after a good sleep last night. I even ventured to Next and Tesco .I had to get more bread and Croissants .We always have Croissants Xmas Morning. I got a lovely padded jacket and a couple of little dresses in Next for Freya the little daughter of Mark and Kate who are visiting us on the 4th There were lots of men shopping in Next .Last minute I imagine to get their wives and girlfriend pressies.
I then popped in to Aldi which is next door and got Thomas a lovely new fleece blanket.It is a far more sensible size than the monstrous sized one he has now.

So Frank you will be back for New Year then. You will have to bring some of the left over food back with you :-)

I wish I could see Sandra all excited for Xmas Gill :-D :-D.The rate she is going she shuld sleep well tonight LOL I do hope that OH will be feeling well enough by tomorrow to enjoy Christmas day. With these horrible lingering coughs is it just a matter of waiting for it to go and it can be soooo long :-S

What a dark day it is. There seems to be very light drizzle too now . Its not really cold but I think I will be lighting the fire soon . Hannah is just off to meet friends for a spot of lunch somwhere and then later she is somewhere else to catch up with more folk. I think all her old friends must be home for Christmas. I know her good friend Sarah who lives in Valencia is back.

Lunch time now.

Just going to do our big breakfast.

We have that light drizzle too Jane. Only one more sleep till you can open your pressie Jane.

Oh seems to have sorted Alexa out now but it took a while.

I qm going to do the cake this afternoon and I must clean the chickens out but now I need to raid the freezer for a couple of things.

Your pressie is under the tree Mel :-D
Benjy has done a POO on the bathmat in the ensuite :-S :-S Dirty boy.

Here i am , had a busy day getting ready for tomorrow I've made a nice fresh strawberry trifle ,cooked a piece of beef for cold cuts on boxing day ,made the sausage meat stuffing and been to tesco for last bits and pieces .

Son ,DIL and family will be here later ,they thought they would walk here to try and tire the little ones out so hopefully they'll go to sleep early :-S don't think thats likely :-D

Oh naughty Benji ,you don't want him doing to much if that Jane , who had the job of clearing it up ?

Hi all, I am sitting on the bed with the Mac Book on mt LAP. So it's a LAPTOP COMPUTER. SORRY LOL LOL.

So Sandra is all excited. Bless her. xx Jo and Ella are coming about 6.00 pm They are staying the night, so Ella can be amongst us in the morning to open her presents.

We have had a lot of that horrible drizzle here for most of the morning and early afternoon. We went and got the Turkey and various meats that Jan had ordered I stayed and queued with Conrd to get it, while the girls looked around the garden centre and shops. We has a coffee, and came home.

Jan has started to lay the table for tomorrow. Roa is in the kitchen doing some veg and potato's. Conrad and I have been sitting in the lounge. I have finished yet another book.

It's defiantly going to be a take away tonight. I said there is enough to do without cooking tonight. Jo has her Chinese that's she's bringing with her for her and Ella. Not sure what we will have, but I think they have an Indian and Chinese close to one and other, so we can have either. I know Ros will want Chinese.

Have a good evening and a "VERY HAPPY CHRISTMAS" in case I don't get on here in the morning. XXX

Now I have just had to take a baby rabbit off Thomas just outside the back door.He had eaten the head and was just starting more :-S :-S It was still warm too :-( :-( Bl**dy pets. I have had enough of them now today

Mel Maybe Alexa was having a pre Xmas break LOL

<3 <3 <3HAPPY CHRISTMAS EVE SANDRA <3 <3 <3.
Love the father Christmas drawing too

Plus everyone else of course. Has Sandra eaten any her mince pies yet Gill?

We had roast pork earlier not my choice but the girls really like their roast on a Sunday, I prepared tomorrows vegetables at the same time so one less job.

Becky is staying over tonight and then after opening her presents from us she will go to her other Nan & Granddads for a change.. Paul now has the week off so will be staying here till New Years Eve which .

Naughty Benjy doing a whoopsie in the ensuite Jane.

I did read that thug that stabbed the young Mum in Aldi was an ex partner of her Mothers which seems to make it doubly terrible.

How awful Anne so she must have known him. My heart goes out to them this Christmas.

Well the best laid plans and all that. Sheila called in just after we had had our breakfast and she brought us a kilner jar of runner bean chutney and our card. I gave her the beans for it at the dog show back in August.

She has just come back from New Zealand where she spent a month out there with her sister in law. Her SIL had trouble at the airport when you have to put all your things in a basket and fo through the barrier thing. It went off so she had to go back as she still had her handbag with her. By the time she go through to the other side her laptop had disappeared from her basket. Not a good start to the month away. It has since been trace to China!!

So not done the cake yet and its now time for a COC and a mince pie.

Evening All,

<3 <3 HAPPY CHRISTMAS EVE........not long now SANDRA!! I love the Santa picture! :-D I used to like Leon's long suffering wife in Gogglebox Gill. They had been together a long time. Another Christmas that will never be the same. I hope your OH's cough soon starts to get better. It wears you down, all the coughing.

We started early this morning, got all the food ready, ham and sausage rolls cooked and OH did the veggies for tomorrow. We went out for lunch and were surprised as they were quite busy. Jason was dressed as a reindeer and another staff member was an elf with all bells clipped around his beard. I nudged OH to look and he had to laugh and said to the chap while stroking his own beard 'I think I'll give that one a miss!'.

We called in the factory shop after for some more batteries and for me to get a new toothbrush! When I did my teeth this morning the brush seemed discoloured and a bit beige!! I washed the toothpaste off that I'd just squeezed on, dipped it in bleach, rinsed it and then poured mouthwash on it and it looked whiter so I carried on and did my teeth. Now it may have been some new mouthwash I'd used that discoloured it, but this horrible thought occurred to me as I brushed. I keep an old toothbrush in the bottom of the cupboard under the sink for scrubbing around the plugholes and other places you don't even want to think of!!!! I don't THINK I got them mixed up, but even the remotest possibility decided me to chuck the old one and get a new brush!! lol. :-0

Mandy I bet the children set each other off with their excitement and will hardly sleep tonight. There must be quite a pile of presents for them all.:-D

I hope it was Jess that cleaned up after Benjy Jane. It's a good job someone didn't find it with a bare foot in the night!! :-S Thomas isn't helping either is he bringing home his bacon so to speak.

Frank it sounds like some of the food may be coming home with you again! OH and I were saying today how we would always be back to work after Boxing Day and remember New Year's Day being an ordinary working day when we started work. Now lots of manufacturing places close till after the New Year. Will it be Conrad bringing you home again? He covers some miles doesn't he!

Mel your mum's crackers sounded lovely. OH has actually bought some this year, although we don't usually bother as they seem such a rip off with the cheap gifts. MIL always bought us some, but never in colours that matched the table and decorations! In the distant past, when we had people for lunch or tea over Christmas, I would buy some small gifts to put in and add to the crackers. I remember one Christmas we had a 'bran tub' and asked everyone to wrap and bring a really naff small gift they had at home and wanted to get rid of!! My first OH's gift he pulled out was a pair of 'Bet Lynch' earrings which he wore throughout the meal. :-D I meant to ask whether the pompom makers on Kirstie are like the ones you have? I really liked the last episode, especially the winner!