turps | (no subject)

Christmas went well. It was lovely to have Corey home for a while, dinner was tasty and I got some nice gifts. Lush stuff from Corey, bits and bobs from James including unicorn slippers and the biggie, a new computer. Switch over from the old to new went okay, though started slow as I'd only got the computer part and not a full set up so no new mouse or keyboard, and neither of my old ones fit the new computer. Thankfully Corey had a keyboard that had the right connections in his computer graveyard in the spare room and has lent me his mouse until I can buy a new one. All my emails transferred nicely, but I lost all my tabs so I'm having to start fresh with that, and learn this new keyboard which is just that little bit different to the old one.

Missed mam though. So very much.

Boxing day I headed off to the Lush sale with Kayleigh. We decided to stay local this time and just went to Sunderland instead of Metro Center, which meant we were on the road at 7:30 and not 5:30 like last year. We weren't the first in the queue but were early enough that we were in the first group let in, so got the pick of the shop really. An hour later we both staggered out with two huge bags and a lot of money down. But, I have no regrets. I'm just coming to the end of last years Lush stash and it's stuff I love, so getting stocked up when it's half price is a no-brainer. There was a little bit of drama when a man queue jumped and just walked in the shop and wanted to start buying. At that point there were well over 100 people waiting outside and they were managing things on a one in one out basis. He thought he could bypass the hour wait and do what he wanted and when the manageress said no, there was a queue and it wasn't fair on the people respecting that queue if she let him stay he got belligerent, saying she couldn't talk to him like that, he had every right to stay and shop etc. But she stayed polite but firm and eventually ushered him out, and then got a round of applause from the people inside the shop for doing so.

Came home after that and Corey had to go back to Newcastle as he was working that night and James had to work so I tidied up and read a bit and then went off to sort out my new stuff and have a long bath. I did manage to send Corey back with a lot of random food stuff so left overs aren't as bad as they could be. Though there's still far too much sweet stuff -- and buns. James went to Costco on his way back from work the day before Christmas eve and bought a huge bag of buns and a giant cheese cake. No way would the three of us get through all of those. Some cake has gone with James for his work today, but I suspect the birds will be having a bun breakfast tomorrow.

I forgot to say in my last post. Our washer started to leak and I got a repairman out to check it over. He says the drum has a leak and as the washer is 5 years old it's not worth repairing it. It still works, but I need to put towels around the front to soak up water each wash. So, we'll be hitting the January sales when they start. Thankfully we'll have the money to do that, but goodbye savings yet again.

Crossposts: https://turps33.livejournal.com/1310881.html

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

shadowhive

Glad you had a nice Christmas! Yay unicorns 🦄 and ohh, yeah transferring to a new computer is a pain like that. Glad it’s going well though

*much hugs*

I’ve not braved the sales but it seeems you had some luck there!

Mmm sweet stuff is good to have though.

Aww no, bad washer! Hope you get a new one soon

From:

turps

My unicorn slippers are ridiculously comfy, and make me smile when I see then which is a bonus.

Thankfully Corey is great at computer stuff so I just left him to it. Having a computer that doesn't lag is such a novelty, but getting used to this keyboard is taking some time. I keep having to backspace and delete wrongly typed words.

I'd only ever go to the sales that early for Lush. Both me and my sister are addicted to the place. Thankfully it's right next to a Starbucks so we could wake up despite being out and about so early.

True, it is, but I always buy too much. We've still got two easter eggs on top of the fridge that nobody has eaten. I suspect all the Christmas chocolate will still be in the cupboard months from now.

I'll be braving the sales in the new year for a washer. I was considering a second hand one but it'll probably work out better in the long run to get something new. Until then, mopping up leaks it is.

From:

shadowhive

Aww nice., I got a unicorn plush for Christmas and it’s so cute, unicorns make me smile too!

Aww I feel you! When I used mum’s netbook I kept making mistakes because the keyboard was so small ugh. Glad you had someone there to help!

Aww that’s cool. 💜 glad you had fun there

Oh wow really? If I lived closer I’d pop round for noms

Aww good luck!

From:

wenchpixie

I'm glad all that could go well, did <3 - a new computer and lots and lots of Lush stuff sounds perfect.

I saw a thread about grief on Twitter yesterday - I'm not sure if you've seen it? Grief is a rubber ball inside the box that is us and we have a button inside which hurts when it's pressed. The fresher grief is, the bigger the ball so that button gets pressed all the damn time and it hurts all the time, too. As time passes, the ball shrinks, but it still presses the button every time it bounces past that way and it still hurts just as much. I don't know if that helps at all - it helped me a bit, so I thought I'd share it <3.

How utterly infuriating about the washing machine. UHRG. I hope you get a STELLAR deal in the sales <3

From:

turps

It's been a strange Christmas in a few ways. I enjoyed it, but things often felt flat. I guess it was a case of getting through it, and focus on the lovely things that did happen.

That does help. Mainly because it's a reminder that while it does get smaller grief always is there, and certain things will push that button. Like a first Christmas. So, thank you for that.

The washing machine situation is annoying. Especially as it does still wash, but I really can't keep mopping up leaks every time it's used. I've just had to pay to get one hole fixed, I don't want the floor boards going again.

From:

bettina

Missed mam though. So very much.

The first Christmas is always the worst. *hugs*

From:

turps

It was so hard.

Thank you <3

From:

sylvaine

I'm glad your Christmas went well! <3 sorry about the washer - I hope replacing it won't be too expensive!

From:

turps

I really hope I can find a decent washer in a sale. It's the one white good I couldn't do without.

I hope you had a good Christmas, too.

From:

brandywine28

I was wondering if you made it to the Lush sale! I didn't have much luck; almost all the online stock had been wiped out by the time I got around to checking -- and the website had already crashed. Like, twice. That thing makes people nuts!

From:

turps

They stopped doing an online sale here three years ago, so physically going to the shops is the only time you can get a bargain. But I well remember how frustrating it was trying to buy online on boxing day. Getting in an online queue you had to sit watching slowly tick down and inevitably, when you did get onto the site it crashed. So frustrating!

Have you ever tried Bed Bath and Body products ( I think it's that way around ) While in the queue this year I was talking to a woman who was raving over them and asked if I'd ever used them. Then casually dropped into conversation it was a USA only brand. And no, I haven't actually flown just to buy bath products, no matter how good they sound.

From:

nopseud

That sounds like an awesome Christmas. We also have way, way too much chocolate left over. There's so much than when we found out R's sister had left some behind we posted it on to them yesterday :-)

You should have a look online about the washer. Our eighteen-year-old washer broke a few weeks before Christmas and the washer repair shop estimated £450 to fix it. But we managed to get it done with £50 of parts from ebay, and it's washing away right now!

From:

turps

It was a good Christmas.

The thing about the chocolate was I deliberately told myself not to buy a lot as it never gets eaten. Then of course we were gifted it and the huge cheesecake didn't help.

Thanks for the washer tip. I will look as the washer itself is still working perfectly fine. It's just the leak that's the issue. The way the repairman reacted you'd think our 5 year old washer was a relic, so it's good to know yours is working and is much older.

From:

turlough

Sounds like you'd a good Christmas and got excellent presents. Hooray for a new computer!!

While hopefully things will get easier with time I don't think you ever really stop missing your dear ones more during the holidays. *hugs you a lot*

Yay for a fabulous haul at the Lush sale!

How very frustrating about your washing machine. I'll keep everything crossed nopseud's suggestion will help you get it repaired so you don't have to get a new one. (Seriously, five years is NOTHING for a washing machine! Silly repairman!)

From:

turps

Christmas was good, and the computer needed. It's so lovely to have one that's not lagging all the time.

Yeah, I think you're right. I still miss dad and nanna, though neither are as raw now.

It was an excellent haul, and will last for a very long time.

I really do hope I can sort out a repair. I didn't think five years was old either, but the repairman went on as if I was showing him something from decades ago.

From:

glitteryv

Oh, T., I'm so sorry about you missing your mother. <3

Boo to your washer springing a leak.

Also, I can't imagine how you cleaned up at Lush. They should've made you customer of the year, really. ;)

(Though I get your point about stocking up on the items you use the most/are your faves. At half-price, I would've gone OTT as well.)

From:

turps

It was hard. This year was the first year I hadn't spent Christmas day with her.

The leak is very annoying. Not as bad as a total break-down would have been, but still annoying.

Ahahaha, yeah. I did clean up. So did Kayleigh. She's only got a small car and the backseat was full of Lush bags.

But, they only do this one sale a year, and as much as I do love them I know the products are expensive. So I do go OTT.

From:

sperrywink

New computer, sweet!!! But yes, moving everything is a pain.

And Yay Lush!!

{{{hugs}}} about your mam.

From:

turps

Such a pain. I was glad Corey was here to do all the moving for me. I mean, I could do it myself but it was so much easier to just let him get on with it.

So much Lush stuff! Guaranteed bubbly baths for a year :D

♥

From:

frausorge

It's so hard on the occasions when it was most traditional to spend the day together. <3

I hope the new computer will prove itself once you have all the right peripherals and have gotten settled in with it.

From:

turps

It's so hard on the occasions when it was most traditional to spend the day together. <3

Yep. This was the first year I'd never spent Christmas day with her. She was a huge miss.

The new computer is going well, but I must get a different keyboard. This one is raised and on a strange angle, plus, for some reason two of the keys are swapped so dashes are pluses.