Very cold and frosty here with some freezing fog when the sun goes in. Very slippery walk this morning.

Working from home is not all its cracked up to be!

Yayyyy - I just waved goodbye to the last courier so thats me finished work for Christmas. All my lovely eBay buyers have paid up instantly and I haven't got any more listings running so I'm now officially a lady of leisure until February. I've had some nice surprises today - the five different courier companies I use all sent me nice bottles of wine. :)

Just waiting for my Sainsbury delivery - can't wait to see how many items they substitute and with what! Last year we had Tescos do the Christmas delivery and it was awful - most of the stuff was short dated and loads of subs.

Euchhhh I don't like Baileys to drink (its okay in cooking) and the thought of it mixed with caramel is .... well........ :barf:

I had a couple of the white choc covered berries and found that the white choc didn't seem to be agreeing with me - just hope that DH is okay with eating all 7 kilos!!!! I found a little printed label on the bag saying that they had been manufactured for Julian Graves - aren't they a health shop? Can't think what a health shop would be doing with choc covered berries.

Nah Julian Graves sells loads of stuff like chocolate covered berries! I bought some white chocolate jazzies there! :lol: It's just bagged sweeties... I think they might do some nuts and seeds too, but nothing really healthy/supplements like Holland and Barrat.

Does anyone else start needing a brain transplant around xmas time.

So far I've taken 10 year old to swimming lessons on Monday night only to be told they had finished last week (I asked the plans twice the week before).

Last night I did the tree, put lights and all the tinsel on only to find the 2 new sets of lights I bought last year were the next thing in the box(I left it with the old lights on).

I've just been to the school xmas concert, came to get in the car only to find I'd left the lights on for 2 hours, managed to open up with the key, (the automatic unlocker would'nt work), and the car alarm came on, and I could'nt turn it off, just sat there as it was getting weaker and weaker, have just had to walk home half a mile in just a thin jumper and high heels.
Got to go back later when hubby comes home to jump start it and put the battery on charge. (If we manage to get it open and the people whose house I've left it beeping outside don't beat me up).
Why don't I like xmas again?

Carole

Ahhhh! Chunky Carole - it'll be alright on the night! I think everyone goes a bit doo-lally at this time. I kept losing my Christmas list so in the end had to do an excel spreadsheet of what pressies I had got and what I need to get!

Yup, Julian Graves have lots of nuts and dried fruit and seeds, but in chocolate covered varieties as well as plain. I do get a fair bit of stuff there, but I always have to remind myself not to touch the chocolate covered dates because I can eat a bag in seconds.

My boss has just been into work and given me a load of food for christmas. A HUGE container of Jaffa Cakes (recommended by sports nutritionists, but not 60 at a time ;) ), and some cakes and biscuits from Betty's. Why do people insist on buying me food???

(OK, it's probably what she got for everyone, what with having a 4 week old baby and no time for shopping, but still...)

Anyway, it's time to get changed and head off to PARTY! (In a sober, restrained manner...)

Ahhhh Carole - its something to do with the constant playing of Christmas carols - it turns your brain to mush.

Yayyyy - good for Sainsbury - I got my entire Chrimbo food order with only one sub and that was a good one (better than the item I ordered originally) AND they sent me a nice little paper carrier bag full of freebies. The poor little bloke doing the delivering looked very frazzled and got jumpy and upset when I tried to give him a tip - apparently they aren't allowed to accept them.

I just spent a happy half hour making patterns on oranges with cloves (piled them up in a basket with cinnamon sticks on the edge of the fireplace) and I also tucked cinnamon sticks down the back of radiators (tied on with ribbon) - my house smells very Christmassy. :)

:rofl: at Chunky Caroles imagination of being beaten up by people whose house she left her car beeping outside of... I'm sure you'll be ok luv... you sound like you've got it busy.... Christmas concerts and stuff, used to love it all when my kids were little... made it feel more like Christmas.

Sarah Ann, that sounds nice, cinnamon sticks down the backs of the radiators, and oranges and cloves, you are inventive :)

Glad you got your Sainsbury order all sorted...and that you've got a break from work until Feb....sounds perfect.

CG.. didn't book myself a massage or facial, bit too rich there for my blood, I'll find a different one with better rates.

Have been for a nice walk with Mum and dogs along to the fishing ramp... nice out in the sun, but in the shade you can def feel a lot cooler.

Baileys, love the stuff, over ice or in a coffee, got very piddled on a plane once drinking Baileys in my coffee, and then couldn't get out of the loo, the nice steward had to rescue me. They have a mint flavoured one as well as the caramel one, I think I'll buy one of each....

Ok, that's it for now....need to find Mum's glasses before we go off to be sorted in the faces.

I just laughed out loud at Chris being locked in on the plane.

I'm having an aggrevating day, one of those days where everything is just annoying. It started when I went to get dressed and found my cat resting comfortably on one of my cashmere sweaters. I know my sweater shouldn't have been sitting on my desk but......it was, and she was all curled up on it. Just now the little pain in the but just sneezed on me, I thought she was crawling on my lap but she walked over sneezed on me and then went to sit in another chair???

Then I got to school and a couple of kids who haven't been in for about a month showed up and just basically caused problems all day. Came home for lunch to do an errand and realized someone was parked in my parking spot. Had to call the tow truck because I rent my spot out during the day and my tenant couldn't park there. Dumb person will spend $150 getting their car out instead of $30 had they parked on the street and gotten a ticket, or $20 in a garage.

Then I head back to school in quite a foul mood and end up sending 2 kids home for their behavior......

Going for a run now and then to an xmas party which I intended to not drink at but I need one or 2!!!!!

Oh and the liquor store was closed this morning so I have to go tonight to find my Baileys.

Sorry for the whining, I need Christmas break BAD!!!!!

There was a programme on UK TV Food this evening - they showed the mint flavoured Baileys as a topping for ice cream. Bleughhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!! I don't like the texture and it ALWAYS tastes off to me - same as all those other creamy liqueurs. :barf: The only sweet liqueurs I like are flavoured schnapps - raspberry schnapps from Lidl is especially nice. :drool:

Chris - I can't take the credit for the oranges studded with cloves and cinnamon sticks - they are things I used to get to do as a kid.

Hello, parties survived without a mince pie ambush :D The work one was nice food, and the portions weren't too big, but the service was just SOOOO slow. I can cope with my colleagues for a while, but it just went on and on. In the end I left before coffee - and even that was an hour after I'd intended to leave. I managed to stretch out a single glass of red wine to last 3 hours though, which was good going!

Then running club, the good news is that most of the food was gone by the time I got there so I couldn't nibble. The bad news is that most people had finished eating so didn't want my cheese straws, so I've brought them home and ended up nibbling a few of them in the car on the way back. I'm trying to decide whether to throw them out or eat them.

I wish I was doing London. The club places went to a really nice group of girls it would have been nice to train with, all roughly my speed too. I'll try to co-ordinate my Edinburgh training with them as much as possible I think, although I'll be about a month away from them on my programme so my longest runs will probably fall during their taper.

I must brace myself for work tomorrow. The family size tin of quality street is due to arrive at lunchtime...

Helen - throw some of those cheese straws over here - I love 'em!

I was ambushed by a mince pie last night - completely unavoidable - it was Mrs Chav-next-door's first ever attempt and she wanted my opinion. It was quite funny - she'd used normal shop bought pastry and a jar of mince and had planned to put some brandy in it for that 'homemade' touch, but forgot. So after she'd cooked the pies she got a syringe and injected brandy in to each pie - I don't know how much she put in but they were very soggy and INCREDIBLY alcoholic. (And, no, I didn't ask what the syringe had originally been used for... there are some things its best not to know - I figured out the booze would kill off any bugs!)

Less than 24 hours in to my annual six weeks off and I'm already bored. :rolleyes: I thought I had so much to do but most of it is fairly last minute stuff. I might start spring cleaning.... or maybe not. ;) Can't wait for DH to finish work tomorrow evening - thats when Christmas for me will start properly.

Got talking about New Year's Resolutions last night - DH said he couldn't think of any because he's perfect already :barf: :barf: I can think of loads, but only a couple that are realistic - give up wine on weekdays and look for a job which involves leaving the house so I get to meet people. I'd also like to get down to my goal weight by my anniversary at the end of February but I don't think thats really achieveable. Anyone else got plans??

I want to walk the dogs but its still too dark! Never mind, today's the shortest day so Spring is just around the corner. ;)

Red Sox girl- Your sneezy cat reminded me of when I was at a bus stop and a strange woman (you knew from looking at her she wasn't all there) kept edging up to me obviously intent on coming right up to me - I did wonder if she had a knife on her. She looked straight at my face, sneezed right in it, moved away a bit and started chatting to me!!

:rofl: at Mrs Chav Next Door's mince pies. It reminds me of when I had to do cooking at school, I'd always forget to put the most important ingredient in. The highlight was macaroni cheese without the cheese... (I'm a bit better at cooking now, thankfully!)

I've got to work today and tomorrow morning, but I doubt much will get done tomorrow. The last time I worked "Christmas Eve" I think we ended up starting on the chocolate at about 9.15 and giving up and going home at about 11, so hopefully it will be similar tomorrow. Well, without the chocolate. I've got a fab plan for tomorrow (well, it is if you're a freak...) - I'm going to get the bus into work, then afterwards dump my stuff at the gym, run the long way home to get a long run in before my holidays and make the most of being out of work during daylight, pick up the car and get something to eat, drive back to the gym to pick my stuff up, and then go round to my grandparents to do my last UK present delivery.

I'm getting worried about my flight on saturday. I'm crossing everything that can be crossed at the moment to hope I get away.

:wave: Oh you lot! :lol:

If it's not sneezing cats it's 2 meters of Jaffa Cakes! :rofl:

It's STILL foggy, but I've made it to work since it wasn't quite as bad at my end this morning, but it was still foggy all the way here, rather than being clear as day like yesterday.

I have the afternoon off to go to M&S and kickboxing. :D :D :D I've got plenty of M&S vouchers to spend on yummy food so I intend to treat myself to some type of yummy sandwich for lunch and some good quality mince pies for Monday :T

DH has gone visiting his gran today and tomorrow. She's had a chest infection and won't be travelling down to Cornwall as usual so we won't get to see her when we go down at new year.

As for New Year's resolutions - black belt, 2nd Dan black belt, a tough guy race and -14lbs... that sound enough of a challenge? :lol:

Sarah, you're husbands can be to gain weight.... :)

I'm not making them...too much pressure, I'm skipping the weigh in today I was very good last night, only had a couple of drinks but I'm feeling bloated and have another party tonight....scale will do me no good today. Yesterday I think I ran about 7 miles and tonight I'm doing that SCARY bootcamp before the party. My friend is making dinner and she is a ridiculously good cook. I have to bring a birthday cake which I'll be buying since I'm not a fab cook.

The sneezy cat has one foot out the door back to the pound right now. She was doing sprints around my condo at 4 am, being all loud and crazy. This place is small, it sounded like there was a fight going on. I think her goal was to wake me up for food. She is lucky I'm so petrified of mice :) Kidding I do love her and her annoying ways.

Last day of school, thank you Lord...hopefully not many kids will show up today.

owwwwwww.... had the woman ring me from my interivew... on tues.. to say they havent decided yet... BUT .. could be a small ploy in helping them decide as the job involves being on teh phone.. with christmas they arent there etc.. so will get back to me on the 27th arghhhh

i had my little speach all ready n everything.. oh well.......


yup Spooky (we have finally got a name!) ... was playing last night lol... had to take his mice away.. he still found the rug amusing lol... fool..

Its a beautiful day here - now that the freezing fog has lifted - but very, very slippery underfoot. Ellie did another of her disappearing acts. One minute she was there and the next minute she was gone - so I just had to hang around and wait for her to show up - about 10 minutes this time - all the while my feet were turning in to ice blocks - then she just sort of re-appeared next to me. :dizzy: I think she must have been fairly close by because Fred wasn't panicking. George is loving his separate walks but I'm not - three hours walking is a big chunk out of my day. (F&E get about 1hr 45 and G gets 1hr 15).

I walked along for a bit with one of the old miners (flat cap and whippet!!!) and he started rambling on about another woman who walks the Moor also with a black Lab called George - then I realised that he was talking about me. I tried to tell him it was me but he was very adamant that the woman he was talking about wasn't me because she was a 'well upholstered lass' and I'm not. (I've been called a lot of things but never 'well upholstered' before!!) :lol:

I think I must be turning senile ... when I was flat out busy with work over the last few weeks there were loads of chores around the house I didn't get time for and I told myself I'd do them on my Christmas break - and now its my Christmas break and I can't think of any of the blummin chores! :rolleyes:

We've still got :censored: freezing fog :rolleyes:

Sarah - sit down with a book and cuddle Ellie. Give her a big hug from me :D :hug:

well i had a wonderfull fake christmas night last night with my boyfriend. I made a nice stir fry with chicken and a bit of bacon for flavour and then we had a mince pie each with brandy cream YUM
we then watched the cute penguin programme, swapped mini gifts, he got me a funny lil picture of a talking shoe and lady where a women is worshiipping a shoe, made me laugh.... and then we chatted about christmas memories for a long time, we then watched school of rock in bed with another mince pie and had a drink each. we then had some snuggles and tralked more about how in the future our christmases together will be come easier,..... but how nice this evening was anyway.......awwwww.......
:-)

I feel sick. Although I have a nice healthy homemade tomato and bean soup with me at work, for some reason I just went out and had a large hot chocolate with cream and a gingerbread santa. I'm really regretting it now...

I suspect that today isn't going to be a great example of healthy eating. My mid morning snack of mini cheddars wasn't much better, and the quality street are due to arrive any minute...

Ah well, this time tomorrow I'll be all finished and getting ready for my holiday.

Just got my Bruges photoes back. Some lovely pix of buildings and then, AAAARGH! A complete fat slob with multiple chins who thought she would look nice and slinky in her long denim skirt. Oh my Gawd! Whoever she is (and I am not naming names!) she will have to stick to her diet in the new year!! I have never seen such an awful photo of myself - er I mean of um someone. Actually my friend did not take a good photo. Yes that must be it....

Peacock - shame about that camera fault.... ;)

I've just been munching M&S luxury bikkies with the old dear across the road - (yes, the one whose mince pie made me feel a bit peculiar the other day). Nowt wrong with her choice of bikkies though - except that they had rather too many calories in them. :T

:rofl: Just heard that Victoria Beckham had her hair cut because it was coming out when her and David were getting up close and personal - apparently it was coming out in handfuls. OMG - can you imagine!!!!! :lol: :lol: :lol:

Well, even her hair looks 'thin' so she hasn't much there to begin with!


Free the Toys - glad the 'Mini' Christmas went ok. Sounds like just the kind of Christmas to have!


Sarah Ann- 'Well upholstered Lass' - sounds like a blummin' sofa!! The poor old fool had obviously been fantasising!

Lou - keeping my fingers crossed for you on the job front.

Spooky - let Lou get some sleep!

YP1 - I hope you get off alright. This blasted fog- where did it come from and where is it going? Is it going, in fact??


Finally - althogh I am in work tomorrow - in case I cannot get on the board -

Merry Christmas everybody and a Happy Slim New year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

No exercise for me for a few days. Football with the boys turned into a larger one knocking me down. I've got big bandages on both hands and 1 knee. I even had to go to our school nurse, he's male, I said had I known I would have shaved my legs :)

Ate too much junk today, one of my assistants made homemade truffles...YUM.

Hoping tomorrow to at least get in a long walk, won't be able to lift weights or do spinning for a while since the palms of my hands are all cut. Thinking to attempt a run Saturday but not sure if that is realistic.

Oh well, I've learned that a couple of days off is not the end of the world.

And a big Merry Christmas to you, too, Peacock. :xcheer:

Ouch, OUCH - RSG - That must have hurt dreadfully. I hope the larger boy apologised profusely!!! :hug:

:lol: @ telling the male nurse you should have shaved your legs - he probably hadn't noticed until you mentioned it.

Well, I'm in to my Christmas survival eating plan - porridge (oatmeal) for breakfast and Greek Salad and/or fruit planned for lunch depending on how hungry I feel. This evening I'm cooking this with broccoli - should be very windy round here later. :lol:

My christmas survival plan is basically enjoy it and don't be too bad. Because I always combine christmas with an actual holiday, where I know that my eating is worse than normal (my mother tries and meals in the house aren't too bad, but eating out can be a nightmare, and we eat out a lot more), I try not to worry about it too much. I've got a half coming up in January and probably another in February, so at least I'll be back into the swing of things when I get back.

Only 3 hours or so at work, then I'm free. I think I've worked out my run home, I live about 4.5 miles away if I run the short route, but I've been trying to pad my route up to around 10 miles (or possibly more if I fancy a detour at the end) so I can get a decent run in before my holidays. Then lunch, come back to the gym to shower and change (yes, I have a shower at home but my clothes will be at the gym from when I take them off between work and the run!), and over to see my grandparents.

I might treat myself to some mulled wine or Baileys tonight. Or maybe both :D

I don't think I'll get much work done today. I've not really got much left to do, and I've got something I need to sort out for my mum, she wants to complain about a flight that she booked on which has been rescheduled by two days (not a fog issue, it's next September). On the subject of fog, everything's looking good for my flight tomorrow, as far as I know there are no problems at Manchester other than flights to Heathrow etc. I've got my train ticket so I can get over there (and a reserved seat) and I'm all set.

Well, apart from packing, once I've seen how much room I have left in my case once my grandparents have given me another pile of stuff.

:yes: Only Heathrow is affected - even luton and Stanstead are fine! I was out that way last night and you couldn't see a thing! Everyone was still driving like a maniac, so I was glad I caught the tube!

I went to M&S yesterday and bought my Chrimbo goodies! I got the last cranberry and orange turkey :T and a huge tub of luxury custard and some luxury mince pies and some crackers for our Wensleydale and cranberry cheese and I got some real cranberries since they were half price but I don't really know what to do with them... :lol: I might have to google some recipes! I also got some Baklava :drool: There are TOO MANY calories in it, and I woke up at 4am this morning and ate a piece too :rolleyes:

Mr Frus is away in Manchester visiting his Gran, he's not coming back till Saturday and strangely I can't sleep without the snoring bed-hogging lump... :lol: You'd think I'd be glad of the peace and the space...

Last day at work here - not 100% sure of the arrangements, but I think we might all go home at lunch, in which case I shall go to the gym :D

Frus - this is the nicest cranberry recipe that I've ever cooked - and its dead easy.

Baklava - YUMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!

Helen - Good luck with the run but be careful, those pavements are a bit slippery.

I'm just back from a fab walk - I walked with a bloke who has got a beautiful young Dogue de Bordeaux called Arnold whose about the same age as Ellie - it was lovely for Ellie to have someone her own size to hurtle round with. When they ran past together you could feel the earth move! She was exhausted when we got home and now she's flat out on the hall rug snoring her head off. :lol:

We're off out this evening to DH's works 'do'. Its arranged by the 'Co-Workers' Social Club' and normally its just for the staff and their other halves - but DH has been invited (he's the only manager so has!) so we're going along for just an hour to say hello and show willing and then stop off for a drink (and maybe a snack) in our favourite country pub on the way home. Trying to think what to wear..... I need to wear something party-ish for the 'do' but the pub is very countryside-ish.

Good morning everyone

Well thank god its Friday its not been the best of weeks. My heating packed up Wednesday night, engineer called yesterday but eldest son sent him away long story!!! Just sat here waiting for him to arrive but the heating miraculously returned last night.

My brother has moved out but this morning my husband was woken to find my brother and his drunken mate in the outhouse. Last night my brother and his mate couldn't get a taxi so they decided to come back to mine. He still has a key anyway came in through the side door and since the door that joins my kitchen is locked and he doesn't have a key they decided in their infinite wisdom to sleep in the outhouse and not bother to bang the door and wake us up, they didn't have a phone between either the big eejits. Consequently this morning my hubby sees someone through the window in the outhouse and thinks someone has broken in for a split second until he realised it is my brother. Hubby says he thinks the big eejits were still drunk. My brother and his mate said they thought they would die with cold. Anyway I sorted them out with hot drinks and food this morning. Hubby says he is glad they didnt make it indoors as they were both so drunk!!! I think thats a bit much but there you go. Lovely to have our house to ourselves again.

Did I mention I have two coldsores they have been at me all week. I got this new cream called Fentisil instead of my usual Zoivrax and it was useless. I would try those little patches they advertise but the sores are on my skin rather than my lips. Anyway I am out tonight and I intend having a good drink
and dance loads.

I have a house full of goodies but I've been really restrained and just weighed myself and I am back to nine stone 7lbs and a bit.

Christmas blessings to you all


Michele

25 minutes to go... I've done no proper work all morning, I've just spent it reading a new case that's vaguely interesting.

The weather is looking good for the run. The pavements don't look too bad outside, and it's nice and bright so fingers crossed it will be OK. I'm currently taking on some energy for it in the form of mince pies and chocolate... I just want to get out there and start running now.

I'm trying to imagine 2 Ellie sized dogs running around, I bet that was worth watching!

Ooh, I just got an email from the woman at Eve saying "hopefully you've seen the magazine", not sure whether that means it's in the shops or that they've posted me a copy - I know at the shoot they had copies of the current issue a week or so before I saw it in the shops, so maybe they've posted them out. If so, fingers crossed that I see it before I go away. I'll look in the shops too just in case, although I'm sure it said 3rd Jan.

Helen - It was WONDERFUL! Arnold and Ellie were running around playing and boxing like the overgrown puppies that they are and it was so nice not to be forever yelling 'GENTLY' because there was no chance of them squashing each other. (My biggest problem with Ellie is her bouncing and jumping around and landing other dogs.)

The pavements outside my house look normal but they have a slight shimmer and are still slippery.

Michele - I'm so glad your heating sorted itself out but I must ask...why on earth did your son send the plumber away???? Your brother sounds a bit of a character! I find the Zovirax helps even when the coldsore has developed - it helps it heal quicker - so it might be worth your while to start using it now. I've bought those patches but :crossed: I haven't had a coldsore for about a year - actually.... just thinking about it.... I haven't had a coldsore since I started this diet! Strange. (Bet I get that tingle tomorrow!) Anyway - have a good time tonight.

Looking forward to seeing the magazine Helen. You look fantastic in the photos the men will be chasing you madly!!!

Sarah the heating chap came early hubby and I decided to get a bit of lunch in a local pub, literally a couple of minutes in the car left Conor indoors. Now my Conor is hugely academic doing AS level early in History he is 15 but dear god he lacks common sense. The chap arrived and quite rightly said how old are you Conor said I am 15 so the chap says well I can't come in and says do you want to ring your parents they might be nearby, so Conor says ohhh I don't know where they are you had better go derrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. Anyway
I manged to get today off work and here I am sat waiting for the bloke.

Enjoy your evening also Sarah.

Michele

Ooooooooooooooooh my house is now as warm as toast.

I'm back, it was just over 10 miles in the end. i almost went further, I wasn't tired at the end, I was just hungry :D i've had a lovely omelette now and back to feeling alive, so time to head back into town for a shower and some grandparent visiting I think!

no magazine behind the door here (although my certificate from berlin was), so I'll have to check the shops while I'm out.

:wave: They sent us home early! :D

I'm pooped though.

I'm going to snuggle up in blankets and pillows and watch Cars, and I might just have to treat myself to a mince pie and Baileys... But I'm a bit full, so maybe I'll save it for later :)

:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D I'm so happy I don't have to go to work for a while! :D :goodvibes:

Ooooh you must check - I would brave the cold again and pop to Smith's but it's BONKERS out there! The queue for Waitrose was about 3 miles long to get into the car park! :rofl: :crazy: SUCKERS! :rofl:

Crikey! Just popped to Asda with a friend for a couple of things I'd forgotten - what a BIG mistake THAT was. The store was crazy but at least this time everything was in stock. It was getting out of the car park which caused problems - it took 1hr 22mins from the time on my till receipt to actually driving through the gates in to the road outside. I phoned the store while we were actually still in the car park to complain and they sent out half a dozen young girls in Santa hats who just stood around shivering, smoking and drinking coffee. After nearly an hour of gridlock some of the drivers got out their cars and started directing the traffic!

Well... if I haven't got something now then I'm going to have to manage without it... I always forget something - last year it was loo roll.

We're going to the seaside tomorrow :)

I nipped into tesco for some fresh pasta sauce after going to the library :eek: horrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrible but I have to eat so it had to be done. I couldn't survive the festive season without arrabiata sauce. :p