Gran Chat!

[Plantaholic]

Oma I am pleased you enjoyed your break, even that short time, does you good. I hope you find Mil in good spirits today. Any news of her coming home.

Daisy, I am okay, just old and I just have to let things go. I was at a lunch with my WI members yesterday and felt too tired to post later. Nothing planned for today so I can catch up with writing cards. I have about 20 presents to buy although they give me ideas, I think it will be just money next year. I also have 3 family birthdays in Dec. And 1 in Jan. I could do with a Secretary.

Gemini, I think you enjoy your day with your GS, he seems very sweet.

Nanto, your OH likes to keep busy, a shoe rack sounds a good idea.

[Oma]

Plant
They are talking about getting her home shortly we hope.
I'm sure the days wear you out ,
I think money is a good option,
You don't have the hassle of looking for gifts and then they can go buy what they want with it.

[Daisy]

Good Thursday morning, everyone. We've had a lot of rain overnight, but it's just dull and miserable now.

Nanto, it sounds as though your hubby is making a good crafstman's job of your shoe rack. where will you put it - in the hall? That pooch looks very cosy on such a dreary day.

Gem, how are little E's eyes? It sounds as though he's just getting on with things in his usual enthusiastic style. I bet he's already getting excited about Christmas. I hope OH gets her game of golf today and enjoys the Christmas dinner at the golf club. How is she after recent treatment?

Oma, poor B. I bet he was horrified when your lovely snow globe shattered all over the floor. Not only must it have been a nightmare to clean up, but he knows how much you loved it. But you're right. It's certainly not the end of Christmas and an accident is just that, an accident. And perhaps you can find something else that you'll love just as much and will develop meaning for you. I'm glad he sounds pleased with his new glasses.

It sounds as though MIL is doing well, but it's a bit of a worry that there is flu in the ward again. I do wish she would agree to some kind of sheltered care. Once she's settled I'm sure she will find it better than being constantly in and out of hospital.

Plant, it's always lovely to read your posts, but please don't think I wasn't nagging. I was just concerned for you. I'm sure your WI Christmas lunch was lovely, and it's so important to keep up with friends and occasions like that. I think you've got an awful lot on in getting ready for Christmas, and money gifts are definitely the way to go. Could you get vouchers for some of the family this year? Anything from M&S to Amazon gives the recipients plenty of choice and they might enjoy browsing round online or in the shops after Christmas. It would take some of the pressure off you. My OH always says he needs a secretary. I always say he's got one - and it's me! At least I don't have to change his blotter every day as I did in one secretarial job!

I'm just off for a shower, and then we're going to defrost and clean the chest freezer. I'm doing it now while OH is free to help, and hopefully we'll find something for dinner today lurking in the depths. The dog food delivery is due on Saturday, and I know I won't feel like doing it tomorrow after the hospital. I know what Plant means about getting old - jobs like the freezer become much more of a chore when you haven't got so much energy.

[Gemini]

Plant, it's a tiring time of year!
We love your chats, but you are right not to log in when you're tired like that.
I agree with Daisy, money or vouchers are the way to go with so many to buy for. You have done your bit with presents all these years. I fully expect it to be vouchers or cash all round when I am your age

Oma, I can understand how upset B would be, but he didn't mean to do it. I can imagine the mess

Daisy, not a fun job but has to be done, and as you say best before your treatment tomorrow.

We are going to have lunch here then go to the library this afternoon. I'm sure we will share a cake at the cafe
E's eyes seem fine thanks Daisy. I let him open my advent calendar and eat the chocolate today, which made him happy. He's a pleasure as always.

[Nanto2girls]

Oh Oma, such a shame about your snow globe,but its not the end of the world.
Not as bad as what B dropped,but i dropped an egg. Covered it with salt to make cleaning it up easier.
Glad we haven't got a carpet inthe kitchen though.

The shoerack will be going under the stairs. We already have one,but its not big enough.

Plant, no need to be postig on here,if you aren't up to it.

Daisy, hope the freezer cleaning is going well. i used to hate that job.
The freezrs we have now are both frost free.

[Oma]

The snow globe I bought many years ago in the Christmas market in Hamburg,
It survived the flight home and many years in and out of the loft.
It did mean a lot to me but I can always find something else ,😁

Nanto
That's what I do with eggs , salt or flour makes it easier to clean up doesn't it,
You always need more room on a shoe rack don't you.

Gem
I bet E was excited being allowed to open grandmas advent and eat the chocolate 😁

Daisy
We wish she would go in a home too,
Her sister our aunt Ingrid went into a nursing home in Germany on Monday ,
Lovely woman but now has Dementia and unable to stay at home ,
We talked to MIL yesterday and sort of hinted it would be a good move for her, but she totally ignored us so we knew it was no use pushing it.

Good luck defrosting the freezer not a enviable task this time of the year .

I only have the tree to put up tomorrow now,
The decorations are up, ironing done, I have wrote some cards out but my shoulder is aching now , so I'm having a rest.

[Nanto2girls]

Forgot to say,i finished wrapping the presents.
Just two cards left to post tomorrow.

[Enfys]

Thank you for the news letter, Gem, it gave me the push I needed to come back here for a chat.

Imhope everyone is keeping well, had a couple of health issues but all seems fine at the moment. DD and Imare busy preparing for Christmas which will be at their house as usual. I always offer to do,it here but as she says it’s easier there, so I’m spared the work. It’s nice to be able to walk across the road to them and I can come home whenever I’m ready. The family are all well, GC all growing up, where do the years go. Will in Australia has just turned 19, I can’t believe it. He looks just like P and is doing engineering at university.

I am still going to my various groups and have just gone back to an art group after a couple of years and really enjoying it.

I hope everyone is keeping well and I wish you all a very Happy Christmas, but I will make the effort to keep in touch.

[Daisy]

Enfys, it's great to hear from you, and good to know that the health issues are behind you. It's hard to realise how quickly our grand babies become adults, isn't it. It must be lovely, but poignant to see how much Will at 19 is like P. I'm sure P would have been very proud of him. I hope he's enjoying his engineering course. It must be strange to think of your Aussie family heading into summer, while we look out on cold, rainy and dark days. You're doing well to keep going to your various groups, and it's lovely to hear you're enjoying your art again. It would be great to have a catch up in the New Year, if you'd like to. xx

Nanto, I envy your organisational skills. I have started on Christmas presents, and if I feel ok I'll start on Christmas cards tomorrow.

Oma, I wonder if there is anybody your MIL would take notice of about a home. Otherwise you and the other members of the family who help her are just going to be worrying all the time, or having to drop everything to help out in an emergency. I'm sure writing must make your shoulder ache. Don't over do it.

Nanto, I didn't know about putting salt - or flour - on a dropped egg. Every day's a school day, as they say.

I can imagine little E's face, opening your Advent calendar, especially with a chocolate treat inside it. Did you both enjoy the library and the cafe?

I've got quite a lot done today, including defrosting the chest freezer and getting rid of a few packets that had got freezer burn, and making two Christmas cakes. To be honest I only intended to make one, but my ancient recipe didn't say what size tin to use, so I used an 8" one, and had some mixture left over - enough for a second one in a 6" tin. I know this recipe will keep - it was used for our wedding cake and 5 years later we used the top tier for GS1's Christening cake, and it was in perfect condition. Whether we will actually keep it or not is another matter!

Then we took Eva over to DS2's, and he lent me some cloches for a couple of plants in the garden. It was dark when we got home but I went out and covered the plants anyway.

[Gemini]

Oma it's difficult when older relatives really need care but won't accept it. It is big worry and responsibility for the family. My mum always swore she would never go into a home. Only the fact that lockdown came and she was ill and it was that or a hospital, with covid and no vaccines, took the decision away from her.

How lovely to hear from you Enfys. Good to hear how you are doing. We missed you!

You have been busy Daisy!

Little E was very happy to be opening my advent calendar Oma and Daisy, and I told him he can next Thursday. He has a refillable one at home which has a little surprise each day, which is chocolate some days. Today's was a sticker, so the chocolate from me was an extra bonus for him

We spent most of the afternoon at the library and the cafe and enjoyed ourselves. I got all our Christmas cards posted, plus OH's great nephews vouchers.

[Nanto2girls]

Good morning ladies.

Enfys, nice to hear from you.
Glad the family are ok.

I've been up since 4 o'clock. Woke up really fancied some toast and marmalade. So that was my breakfast with a cuppa.

I cooked some filling yesterday for fruit pies. I've made two with mixed fruit and one apple. There is enough room in the pie drawer in the freezer.

Daisy, you were busy yesterday. Glad you got the freezer defrosted.

[Gemini]

Good morning everyone.

A day of grandsons today. GS1 all day, and GS2 from school.
No other plans. OH enjoyed her meal last night, and the ladies were appreciative as always. This is the meal she organises every year.

[Oma]

Morning ladies
It's a dry morning for a change,

Gem
A nice day having the boys,
Pleased S's meal went well and the enjoyed it
We were saying last night S is looking well I'm pleased the treatment wasn't as harsh as the first one.xx

Nanto
How's the shoe rack coming along?
You will be well stocked for Christmas all those yummy pies ,
I like a fruit pie , homemade ones , the shop bought are not the same but having said that , we have had Aunt Bessie apple pie and that was nice.

Daisy
Good luck at hospital today,
Hope it's. A short visit xx

I need to go to Iceland , B&M and Aldi ,
Then it's tackling the tree ,
GS1 carried it downstairs for me yesterday,

He said. Nana shall I put it up and decorate it 😱
No chance son I can imagine what it would look like 🤣

[Gemini]

Oma, lovely of him to volunteer though

We were going to get our tree and decorations down from the loft this weekend. Then I remembered that I am having reflexology on Monday. I fill that room with the Christmas boxes and tree bag, not to mention the presents and wrapping paper. I will just move the presents out on Monday but no point filling the room with more stuff to move out. After Monday that room can be Christmas Central until the end of the season


I hope all well this morning Daisy xx

[Oma]

Gem
Same with our spare room ,
It's packed with all the boxes for the decorations, no point putting them back in the loft,
I hate the mess but I've tried stacking them as tidy as I could .

Tree is up and decorated ,
Been to Iceland, B&M and Lidl ,
I'm worn out now and. My. Shoulder is killing me.

I think a nana nap this afternoon will be just the ticket.