(no subject)
Dec. 21st, 2013 02:47 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
turpsThank you so much to turlough for the card and presents, which are now under my tree :D, and to ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
saba1789, croissantkatie, digital_diva who won't see this 'cos she sucks!, madamebeetroot, ghostbones, rubytuesday, ephemera complete with awesome stamp, nopseud, romanticalgirl both for the card and the unexpected, but very loved Mikey and Frank photo -- which is now displayed proudly with the cards, augustuscaesar, annemari and msktrnanny, letterboys, rikes, llamabitchyo, sylvaine and a beautiful card from pensnest.
You're all fantastic and I've loved receiving and reading all your cards. I may have got misty eyed about the lovely things some people were saying, but you'll never prove it!
I've been busy, so a quick catch up.
As always I joined![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
picfor1000 for my annual Way bros story in 1000 words. Hopefully without making people cry this time /o\
It was black eye Friday last night -- the Friday night before Christmas and payday when fights tend to break out in the town. Thankfully James wasn't working nights but the calls had started amping up when he finished at 7:30. My brother was out on his works night, though, and called James at half midnight, then twice after one to say he was stuck in the town. Of course we'd been in bed for ages by then, so goodness knows how he got home. Hopefully it isn't like one year when he woke up in some bushes at a local hospital. Eta: he's home safe but apparently was completely bladdered. I bet his house is fun today.
Kayleigh passed her driving test, so no more driving the deathtrap of a moped. Instead she's driving the tiniest of ginger cars, and updating Facebook about her location often, just because she can.
I went to the scout nativity service with James and nanna during the week. To be honest I wasn't looking forward to it, the weather was terrible and the last thing I wanted was to go to church. But, I ended up enjoying myself. Due to the weather a few of the groups dropped out, so it was a small amount of people, but we got to sing and listen to three scouts play in turn, the trumpet, flute and clarinet, which was beautiful, hearing the Christmas carols ring through the church, especially when spontaneously, the audience started singing along. Nanna seemed to enjoy herself too, but the hard seats played havoc with her back, and she had to clutch my hand to get back to the car due to the wind and rain. Oh, and we got to see kids with tinsel halos and Sheppard with tea towel headdresses which was very much of the win. Nanna was reminiscing how I was an angel in my nativity at the church, and I got lost in the memory of Corey being a sheep for a while.
I uploaded my bandom exchange story to A03 on the due date and then added another 6k to the file after. Again it was a case of writing lots at the end, and I really need to break that habit next year. That or learn how to write short and snappy.
The big online grocery shop is being delivered tomorrow. Which ended up even bigger when mam gave me a list of stuff she wanted delivering too. She'll give me the money, but man, my poor debit card is not used to spending that much. I'm just glad I don't have to go anywhere near a supermarket now, because people are insane.
My first batch of cards have been sent, and have arrived in some cases which is amazing, I'm usually late with them all. The second are going soon because I ran out of postage money. But should hopefully be at their destinations before New Year. If they're not. I tried.
It's terrible weather again today. Windy with downpours of rain followed by hail. I have no intention of leaving the house because it's going to be busy from tomorrow with lots of travelling around, so I want to get the house stuff done. Which would suggest getting up from here, but meh, there's time yet.
Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?
Hot chocolate. I've never tried egg nog, and to be honest, don't like the sound of it. I'm sure it's delicious, but you just don't see much of it here, so to me egg nog is just a weird sounding drink.
Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree?
He wraps them, but puts them in a pile in the living room, not under the tree. The ones under the tree are from friends and family and would have been put there on arrival. The ones from Santa are delivered Christmas Eve. Usually in the wee hours of the morning when you're exhausted from trying to get your kidlet asleep and vowing vengeance on the people who designed toys then need batteries or fitting together. Not that I've done that multiple times or anything....
Colored lights on tree/house or white?
Coloured! And the more the better, and the brighter the better. Blue lights are all the range around these parts, so sometimes walking home in the dark it's like your path is being lit by lines of shiny blue lights.
Do you hang mistletoe?
Nope. It's not really a thing. Though I did notice someone had hung mistletoe over the customer service desk of Tesco click and collect, which could be awkward.
When do you put your decorations up?
The first of Dec. It's how we celebrate James' birthday, because every birthday should come along with humping boxes and arguing over broken lights.
What is your favourite holiday dish (excluding dessert)?
I've mentioned this before but it's the Boxing day breakfast turkey sandwich. I love it so much, coming downstairs and it's quiet after the chaos of the day before, all the new stuff lying around, and in the kitchen is the leftovers all wrapped up. I get a bun, add slices of turkey and stuffing, add a big dollop of coleman's mint sauce and just. It's perfection. The best sandwich of all year.
Favourite holiday memory?
Christmas eves with Corey when he was younger. His excitement as we put out milk and carrots for the reindeer and a mince pie and sherry for Santa. That time on Christmas eve is incredibly special, and even now, when he's grown up and doesn't believe, I still think there's magic in the air. It's there when I walk home from the family visiting, lights twinkling in the dark, breath frosty, santa stop here signs in gardens and plates on door steps. While Santa himself doesn't exist, I very much believe that the magic does.
When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?
I can't actually remember. Though Kayleigh found out when we did Santa's footsteps in talc, something we always did every year -- she's 12 years younger than me so I enjoyed her Santa believing years, too -- but I sprinkled talc around my bare feet, and she said Santa didn't walk around in bare feet, as you could see the toes *g*
Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?
Yep. That's when the new Christmas pyjamas get opened and worn. One year I forgot to get some for Corey, and felt mega guilty for ages.
How do you decorate your tree?
With lots of lights and tinsel and ornaments and strings of bells and crackers and lanterns Corey made at nursery and stuff James made at scouts. My tree isn't tasteful at all, it's messy, chaotic, and just beautiful.
Snow? Love it or dread it?
I like seeing it, but once it's down no one knows how to cope. The roads don't get cleared, the paths become slippery and just getting around becomes a chore.
Can you ice skate?
I used to. No way could I do it now, though.
Do you remember your favourite gift?
It was a Sindy house. It was amazing, three stories high with an actual lift on the side that the dolls could travel up on. It had furniture and was just the greatest thing I'd ever seen. It lived in the dining room of our house and I loved it for a very long time.
What's the most important thing about the holidays for you?
I'm not even sure to be honest. Things get a bit fraught at times, like now when mam is being awkward and refusing to say where she'll go Christmas day, and we end up spending a load of money and putting in a load of effort and you'd think it's not worth it for a few days. But to me it is. I love the cheesy movies and songs and I guess the emotion of everything. Maybe that's a silly thing to say, I don't know. But to me it makes sense.
What is your favourite holiday dessert?
I don't really have one. I don't serve dessert after Christmas dinner, but will have a variety of cakes and sweet stuff on offer for the boxing day buffet. If something has chocolate it'll be a favourite for me.
What is your favourite holiday tradition?
Have I mentioned the boxing day turkey sandwich of awesome?
Actually, while I was joking with that it ties into my actual answer a little, which is the boxing day buffet. It's something my family has always done and is casual in a way that I like. Sure it takes time to cook stuff and make sandwiches etc, but I love that we do that and then just graze for ages.
What tops your tree?
A pretty gold star made of wire, all swirly and lovely.
Which do you prefer: giving or receiving (gifts we're talking about here!)?
I won't lie, I like getting gifts, but I like giving stuff too. I've got James something that I'm itching for him to see. And while I know mam will look at her gifts and not use them/complain about them, I've enjoyed picking things I think that she'll like. Same for all of our family and friends.
What is your favourite Christmas song?
Fairytale of New York. I love that song so much.
Candy Canes: yuck or yum?
I'll say yum, but I wouldn't go out of my way to buy them. Maybe if they were made of chocolate, especially toblerone chocolate. Hmmmm, now that would be yum.
I should go finish cleaning the microwave now I guess.
turlough for the card and presents, which are now under my tree :D, and to saba1789, croissantkatie, digital_diva who won't see this 'cos she sucks!, madamebeetroot, ghostbones, rubytuesday, ephemera complete with awesome stamp, nopseud, romanticalgirl both for the card and the unexpected, but very loved Mikey and Frank photo -- which is now displayed proudly with the cards, augustuscaesar, annemari and msktrnanny, letterboys, rikes, llamabitchyo, sylvaine and a beautiful card from pensnest.You're all fantastic and I've loved receiving and reading all your cards. I may have got misty eyed about the lovely things some people were saying, but you'll never prove it!
I've been busy, so a quick catch up.
As always I joined
picfor1000 for my annual Way bros story in 1000 words. Hopefully without making people cry this time /o\It was black eye Friday last night -- the Friday night before Christmas and payday when fights tend to break out in the town. Thankfully James wasn't working nights but the calls had started amping up when he finished at 7:30. My brother was out on his works night, though, and called James at half midnight, then twice after one to say he was stuck in the town. Of course we'd been in bed for ages by then, so goodness knows how he got home. Hopefully it isn't like one year when he woke up in some bushes at a local hospital. Eta: he's home safe but apparently was completely bladdered. I bet his house is fun today.
Kayleigh passed her driving test, so no more driving the deathtrap of a moped. Instead she's driving the tiniest of ginger cars, and updating Facebook about her location often, just because she can.
I went to the scout nativity service with James and nanna during the week. To be honest I wasn't looking forward to it, the weather was terrible and the last thing I wanted was to go to church. But, I ended up enjoying myself. Due to the weather a few of the groups dropped out, so it was a small amount of people, but we got to sing and listen to three scouts play in turn, the trumpet, flute and clarinet, which was beautiful, hearing the Christmas carols ring through the church, especially when spontaneously, the audience started singing along. Nanna seemed to enjoy herself too, but the hard seats played havoc with her back, and she had to clutch my hand to get back to the car due to the wind and rain. Oh, and we got to see kids with tinsel halos and Sheppard with tea towel headdresses which was very much of the win. Nanna was reminiscing how I was an angel in my nativity at the church, and I got lost in the memory of Corey being a sheep for a while.
I uploaded my bandom exchange story to A03 on the due date
The big online grocery shop is being delivered tomorrow. Which ended up even bigger when mam gave me a list of stuff she wanted delivering too. She'll give me the money, but man, my poor debit card is not used to spending that much. I'm just glad I don't have to go anywhere near a supermarket now, because people are insane.
My first batch of cards have been sent, and have arrived in some cases which is amazing, I'm usually late with them all. The second are going soon because I ran out of postage money. But should hopefully be at their destinations before New Year. If they're not. I tried.
It's terrible weather again today. Windy with downpours of rain followed by hail. I have no intention of leaving the house because it's going to be busy from tomorrow with lots of travelling around, so I want to get the house stuff done. Which would suggest getting up from here, but meh, there's time yet.
Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?
Hot chocolate. I've never tried egg nog, and to be honest, don't like the sound of it. I'm sure it's delicious, but you just don't see much of it here, so to me egg nog is just a weird sounding drink.
Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree?
He wraps them, but puts them in a pile in the living room, not under the tree. The ones under the tree are from friends and family and would have been put there on arrival. The ones from Santa are delivered Christmas Eve. Usually in the wee hours of the morning when you're exhausted from trying to get your kidlet asleep and vowing vengeance on the people who designed toys then need batteries or fitting together. Not that I've done that multiple times or anything....
Colored lights on tree/house or white?
Coloured! And the more the better, and the brighter the better. Blue lights are all the range around these parts, so sometimes walking home in the dark it's like your path is being lit by lines of shiny blue lights.
Do you hang mistletoe?
Nope. It's not really a thing. Though I did notice someone had hung mistletoe over the customer service desk of Tesco click and collect, which could be awkward.
When do you put your decorations up?
The first of Dec. It's how we celebrate James' birthday, because every birthday should come along with humping boxes and arguing over broken lights.
What is your favourite holiday dish (excluding dessert)?
I've mentioned this before but it's the Boxing day breakfast turkey sandwich. I love it so much, coming downstairs and it's quiet after the chaos of the day before, all the new stuff lying around, and in the kitchen is the leftovers all wrapped up. I get a bun, add slices of turkey and stuffing, add a big dollop of coleman's mint sauce and just. It's perfection. The best sandwich of all year.
Favourite holiday memory?
Christmas eves with Corey when he was younger. His excitement as we put out milk and carrots for the reindeer and a mince pie and sherry for Santa. That time on Christmas eve is incredibly special, and even now, when he's grown up and doesn't believe, I still think there's magic in the air. It's there when I walk home from the family visiting, lights twinkling in the dark, breath frosty, santa stop here signs in gardens and plates on door steps. While Santa himself doesn't exist, I very much believe that the magic does.
When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?
I can't actually remember. Though Kayleigh found out when we did Santa's footsteps in talc, something we always did every year -- she's 12 years younger than me so I enjoyed her Santa believing years, too -- but I sprinkled talc around my bare feet, and she said Santa didn't walk around in bare feet, as you could see the toes *g*
Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?
Yep. That's when the new Christmas pyjamas get opened and worn. One year I forgot to get some for Corey, and felt mega guilty for ages.
How do you decorate your tree?
With lots of lights and tinsel and ornaments and strings of bells and crackers and lanterns Corey made at nursery and stuff James made at scouts. My tree isn't tasteful at all, it's messy, chaotic, and just beautiful.
Snow? Love it or dread it?
I like seeing it, but once it's down no one knows how to cope. The roads don't get cleared, the paths become slippery and just getting around becomes a chore.
Can you ice skate?
I used to. No way could I do it now, though.
Do you remember your favourite gift?
It was a Sindy house. It was amazing, three stories high with an actual lift on the side that the dolls could travel up on. It had furniture and was just the greatest thing I'd ever seen. It lived in the dining room of our house and I loved it for a very long time.
What's the most important thing about the holidays for you?
I'm not even sure to be honest. Things get a bit fraught at times, like now when mam is being awkward and refusing to say where she'll go Christmas day, and we end up spending a load of money and putting in a load of effort and you'd think it's not worth it for a few days. But to me it is. I love the cheesy movies and songs and I guess the emotion of everything. Maybe that's a silly thing to say, I don't know. But to me it makes sense.
What is your favourite holiday dessert?
I don't really have one. I don't serve dessert after Christmas dinner, but will have a variety of cakes and sweet stuff on offer for the boxing day buffet. If something has chocolate it'll be a favourite for me.
What is your favourite holiday tradition?
Have I mentioned the boxing day turkey sandwich of awesome?
Actually, while I was joking with that it ties into my actual answer a little, which is the boxing day buffet. It's something my family has always done and is casual in a way that I like. Sure it takes time to cook stuff and make sandwiches etc, but I love that we do that and then just graze for ages.
What tops your tree?
A pretty gold star made of wire, all swirly and lovely.
Which do you prefer: giving or receiving (gifts we're talking about here!)?
I won't lie, I like getting gifts, but I like giving stuff too. I've got James something that I'm itching for him to see. And while I know mam will look at her gifts and not use them/complain about them, I've enjoyed picking things I think that she'll like. Same for all of our family and friends.
What is your favourite Christmas song?
Fairytale of New York. I love that song so much.
Candy Canes: yuck or yum?
I'll say yum, but I wouldn't go out of my way to buy them. Maybe if they were made of chocolate, especially toblerone chocolate. Hmmmm, now that would be yum.
I should go finish cleaning the microwave now I guess.
no subject
Date: 2013-12-21 04:58 pm (UTC)Go you for finishing. That's always the important part. But yeah, better luck next year in finishing early. *g*
Go Kayleigh.
I hope James doesn't have to work too hard.
no subject
Date: 2013-12-21 05:33 pm (UTC)I need to have a serious talk to myself about actually finishing stuff early. Not just for me but my betas too. How anyone will still beta for me I don't know.
I was so relieved she passed her test. She's now at that just passed your test stage of driving everywhere, no matter how short the distance *g*
James has just phoned saying he's on the two hour countdown to finishing. You'd think he was eager to get home or something.
no subject
Date: 2013-12-21 09:56 pm (UTC)Congratulations to Kayleigh!
Tea towel headdresses sounds like fun. And I'm sure Corey would still make a delightful sheep ;-)
Ugh, hail, how awful. I'm glad we've at least been spared that. I hope your weather improves soon.
Is this the same yule meme that went round last year? Some of the questions sound very familiar.Answered my own question by looking through my journal and it was two years ago. My memory is getting worse and worse. In any case, yay for leftover sandwiches! Though mine are usually made with ham and not turkey. Also, the grazing on the boxing day buffet makes me imagine you as a herd of cows. It's quite a funny image :-)no subject
Date: 2013-12-22 04:42 pm (UTC)<333
no subject
Date: 2013-12-25 07:57 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-12-27 10:09 am (UTC)