turps | (no subject)

Thank you so much to

castalie for the card, and very lovely message inside, and to

mickeym for the unexpected and very happy-making card, too. You're both fantastic for thinking of me ♥

I've been to see Little Women at the cinema today, and very much enjoyed it. Didn't enjoy the fact the screen was so full we were in the front row, though. I thought it wouldn't be so bad as it wasn't the iMax screen, but yeah. That screen was close. Thankfully it was at Durham so comfy recliner chairs which helped, but I'd rather not sit there if possible.

It was funny, going in they were taking down the Christmas decorations outside and when we came out everything was gone, tree, lights on the buildings, everything. No hint of Christmas at all.

Which brings me nicely to my visit to my aunt's yesterday. I've said before she loves Christmas and has an amazing display. I've got three photos behind the cut, but that's just a part of it. She has the dining room decorated, a little tree in the kitchen, a tree and light up deer on the landing, the garden done. I love it

The photos don't do it justice really, her Christmas villages are amazing and are created with all these incredibly realistic buildings/settings/people. She takes such care and her love of the season is shown with every little detail.

All my decorations are down now, leaving behind lots of uncovered dust and plastic pine needles I'll keep finding for weeks. It was a lovely Christmas, but I'm ready for the new year now, and some fresh starts.

Included in that is our self frugal Jan challenge, where we've decided not to eat out for the next month, and that includes going to Costa, too. With vets bills and Christmas, things are a bit tight and those coffee bills soon add up if you're not careful. Which is why I made my own coffee at home before going to the cinema today, and it worked just fine. My drink was still hot and we didn't need snacks. So, three days down, 27 to go.

Today the challenge at Snowflake is your fannish history, and I got into that yesterday a bit yesterday so I need to decide if I want to expand or not. Especially as I've gone over it a few times now in previous Snowflakes. We'll see, and with the new one challenge every two days schedule I've still got tomorrow if I want to ramble on again.

Crossposts: https://turps33.livejournal.com/1353661.html

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

sperrywink

Funny! I saw Little Women from the front row too. But I was being a Good Samaritan. An older couple had apparently come to the theater without buying tickets online since they didn't know that was now a thing. The woman was in the 2nd or 3rd row next to my seat, but the poor husband ended up in the front row. As he complained about not being able to see the entire screen as I was sitting down, I offered to switch with him. He was super pleased, and I reclined my chair all the way too to see the screen. *g*

I hear you about Frugal!January! We can save our pennies together. I have all this money going out, and nothing but paychecks coming in. It's going to be a balancing act.

Love your Aunt's decorations! So old-fashioned christmas-y.

From:

turps

You were a very good samaritan! I guess Little Women brought a lot of people to the cinema that doesn't normally as our cinema was full of people unsure how to get seats or to the screens, too. I also had to reassure a lady she actually was in the right seat in the couch next to ours. I think she was hoping she could sit further back.

But yeah, that close you really do have to recline right back, and even then the action feels like it's on top of you. Thankfully the film was so good that wasn't an issue, but I'd hate to be so close for something really action-packed and moving fast.

It's going to be a balancing act.

Yep, it really is. We're not about to starve or anything, but being careful will help a lot this month.

Old fashioned is the right description. None of my cousins like Christmas that much so my aunt said all her stuff may eventually come to me. Needless to say, she hasn't seen my decorations so doesn't know our aesthetic doesn't really mesh *g*

From:

wenchpixie

I've already done one vacuum post-decoration removal, but I can still see spare sparkly bits that escaped!

Your aunt's house is AMAZING - so festive!

From:

turps

It always takes me ages to hoover up all the glitter and sparkly bits from the decorations. I always seem to miss one thing too. This year it was a small stick-on snowflake on the window.

Isn't her house the best? She was taking all of it down this weekend and to do so needs my three cousins as it takes four of them two days to pack up and put stuff away.

From:

shadowhive

Yay cards!

I’ve seen ads for it but I’m surprised the screening was so full for you! It’s always sad when trees and such go down

It all looks so pretty!

That sounds like a good idea

From:

shadowhive

Ahhhh what does This mean?

From:

turps

I KNOW!

They're such teases. On one hand I'm thinking maybe a festival but on the other. I really hope it's a world tour that starts in the UK. That would be amazing!

From:

turps

I think a lot of people there for Little Women were infrequent cinema-goers as a lot of them had no idea how to find their seats etc. Guess the type of film pulled them in.

I still think it's a good idea to save money, even if it's so much easier to just buy a coffee.

From:

teigh_corvus

Ooooo! Your aunt's Christmas decor is marvelous! The fireplace is especially epic.

Once again, I didn't get any more into the winter hols decor-wise than putting out the ceramic tree in the kitchen and putting Krampus on the door. And Krampus was due to T-madre - she sent me a new one this year, one that's devouring knitted holiday donuts. OTOH, I put up the decorations at the Clanstead - the tree in particular is my responsibility, between fluffing it into shape and ornament arrangement, and that takes FOREVER. So, it's not like I miss out. Though the tote and boxes of tree supplies on the other side of the living room are something of a silent accusation. *side-eyes pile*

I've never read Little Women. Which bodhifox thought was tragic, so he got me a copy for Solstice. Everyone's had such good things to say about the movie, I kinda can't wait to read, then go see it.

Good luck with your self frugal challenge! <3

From:

turps

I'm in awe of my aunt's house at Christmas. Every single room is decorated somehow, even to hand towels and soap dispensers in the bathroom.

I like the sound of your Krampus and ceramic tree. I think you need to do whatever suits for the holidays, be that go all out or just have little touches that make you smile.

I do know putting up a tree can be a pain though. Half the reason mine is so covered in ornaments is so I don't have to mess on with fluffing branches until they're perfect. There's no point in doing that if they can be covered with a glittery snail etc *g*

I hope you enjoy the read and then movie watch.

And thank you for the good luck. 5 days in and all we've paid for while out in one lot of parking and some bird seed yesterday. So, it's going well so far.

From:

glitteryv

I wasn't going to go see LW 2019 because the only reason I'd even consider it would be Florence Pugh (who I've been a fan of since her starring role in Lady Macbeth). BUT I lost a bet with someone and, as the loser, I had my choice of LW 2019 or Bombshell. And there was NO WAY IN ANY UNIVERSE that I'd go see Bombshell (due to the script being written by two men + directed by another man. Given the themes in the movie, everything about it is like nails on a chalkboard.)

SO, I am going to go see LW 2019 tomorrow. Will attempt to be less of a sourpuss and give it a chance. (At least I'm going to go see it for free?)

ANYWAYS

Wow, your aunt went ALL OUT!!! I'm seriously impressed. The extent of my holiday decor means switching out some of the wall stuff for garlands and stuff. Which all comes down on the 7th. It's a Latinx thing. *hands*

Good luck on the frugal January challenge. Them bills really like to pop up at the most inopportune times, huh?

From:

turps

I'll look forward to hearing what you thought of Little Women. I enjoyed it much more than I expected going in, and the format it was filmed in worked for me.

Bombshell is about to come out here in the next week or so. It's a maybe atm, very much depending on whether there's anything else we want to see. But in better news, we're off to see JoJo Rabbit tomorrow, and because of you I'm eager to do so.

My aunt has Christmas central going on. Everywhere I was going in the house I found more stuff, and nice stuff too. Included in that were Santa soap dispensers in the bathroom.

Bills in January are always bad, and then comes Feb with the first birthday cluster of the year. Maybe in March I'll have spare money again.

From:

badfalcon

I can't make my mind up if I want to see Little Women. On the one hand, I love the story and I adore Emma Watson, but on the other, I'm getting really tired of remakes at the moment. I may wait until it's on streaming services to see it.

And oh, I hear you on frugal January... I'm at 'existing on vegetable pasta for the rest of the month', not sure where I screwed my finances up. But oof!

From:

turps

I really enjoyed Little Women and that included Emma in it. But at the same time, it won't hurt to wait and see it in the comfort of your own home.

Oof is right in terms of finances. I know where my money went, but knowing doesn't help when it's just not there.

From:

ephemera

Your aunt's decorations are *fabulous*

It's so melancholy, packing away Christmas - the tree came down today, but my at-home things are staying till the 6th!

From:

turps

My aunt goes all out at Christmas. It's like stepping into some kind of grotto when you go in her house. Before that even as she has the garden decorated, too.

It is melancholy packing stuff away. Especially the lights, I miss the garland twisted with lights that has decorated the mantlepiece for all of Dec.

From:

frausorge

Wow, those decorations are truly all out! It's lovely to see something that's been created with so much love and attention.

I haven't seen Little Women yet but I really want to. Glad to hear you enjoyed it.

From:

turps

My aunt loves Christmas so much, and I love how her house is so classy with the decorations. Yeah, she has loads but it feels cosy and not cluttered, which is impressive.

I enjoyed Little Women a lot, the time flew by.

From:

brandywine28

Your aunt's decorations! I'm especially loving the little Christmas village and all the miniature buildings and figures! That's the kind of thing you could sit and stare at for hours -- and I would. Yes.

No matter how old I get, I'm always sad when the decorations start to come down in early January. I'm pretty sure they're gonna be getting rid of the big Rockefeller tree early next week, and even though it causes a ridiculous amount of rubbernecking, I'm in denial. :(

From:

turps

My aunt is a serious bargain hunter. She was showing me one of those little houses and it cost nearly £80, I about fell off my chair. But she'll go around charity shops or end of season sales and get them hugely discounted. So her collection must be worth thousands.

Though of course, that doesn't matter to her. She just loves setting up her village, something that takes her days.

It is sad to see things come down. Yesterday the big tree outside of the cinema was in half, which was a pathetic sight. But yeah, once the decorations are gone it really does mean the holidays are over.

From:

turlough

Wow, your aunt's decorations are absolutely fabulous! I love the Christmas villages!! Is there a village underneath her tree too? That is such a cool idea!

I know exactly what you mean about those plastic needles! I thought getting a fake tree would put a stop to all those needles littering my home for weeks - I was so WRONG!

You're being so virtuous bringing your own coffee! If you're lucky you'll start liking your own much more than Costa's and will continue to save money even after January has ended.

From:

turps

She has a Christmas village and a working train under her tree. She's got some incredible pieces including working fairground rides and an ice skating rink. And every single one of them has been bought in a sale or from charity shops. Which is just as well as she showed me the original price on a house and all I can say is, ouch!

Those plastic pine needles get everywhere. I'm still finding them days later and having hoovered a few times.

If you're lucky you'll start liking your own much more than Costa's and will continue to save money even after January has ended.

That would be good as getting two coffees was over £6 each time. Which isn't terrible in itself but those little amounts add up.