Messymascot's faith in humanity and ginger safe haven

[Terrarian]

I'm off today so that's my excuse. I've actually done everything for Christmas. If we haven't got it now we are not getting it. Today is a do nothing kind of day. I'm back in work tomorrow but hoping to use the advantage of home working tomorrow on at about 5.30, do my day and still have an early finish. Our cat usually wants to go out around that time so I'll just stay up.

Living on my own I don't have to bother doing anything for Christmas, just another day to me. It'll be the same routine and same crappy food for tea lol

 

[Armaghtoffee]

This thread moves fast how on earth do you busy people have more time to post than me sat at home ffs lol

I’m sat here with a Fry’s Cream selection box on my knee trying to follow an old film. Ah Christmas is here ?

 

[Terrarian]

I’m sat here with a Fry’s Cream selection box on my knee trying to follow an old film. Ah Christmas is here ?

Nice mate, haven't had a fry's cream for years, must remember to try some when I get paid. I remembered garibaldi biscuits last month, what a treat. God I'm sad lol

 

[Armaghtoffee]

Nice mate, haven't had a fry's cream for years, must remember to try some when I get paid. I remembered garibaldi biscuits last month, what a treat. God I'm sad lol

Must confess I have never had the pleasure of a garibaldi.

 

[Terrarian]

Must confess I have never had the pleasure of a garibaldi.

I love them, just hadn't had them for ages, they're going to be part of my shopping list now lol

 

[larbert toffee]

Aye. Both heading towards 80 and still run rings round the rest of us. Mum has had a few scares over the years, breast cancer being the main one, but you would never have known, she never complained once and her positive outlook at all times was a real help to the rest of us in dealing with it.
Dad still chooses to work 3 days a week supplying the ships stores in the Freeport with their fresh produce, loads of heavy lifting and physical work. He loves it the madman lollol

Absolute legends the pair of them?

That is both amazing and brilliant that your dad is doing such a job at his age and your mum sounds like a great character as well, we can now see how you've been shaped ?

 

[Barnfred 55]

Morning everyone,

As Ken Dodd might have said...just 2 more sleeps before Santa slides down your chimney missus - always wondered how he gets into flats which don't have one - he must have some good housebreaking skills.

Anyway do we look forward to this time of year anymore, especially if you don't have kids?

Must admit in normal times it is lovely to have a big family gathering but even that's in the balance now.

Mum's 94 and lives with us. We have nephews who are teachers with young kids and tests or not I don't want them to mix with mum , particularly as another nephew isn't prepared to get vaccinated ( note to self ...if they come over on Boxing Day don't tell him he's a [Poor language removed] for not getting vaccinated ....he's a kopite so there's plenty to fall out over anyway ) so what do you say or do?

Fred I'm really pleased that you are spending Christmas day with your neighbour friends , I hope that you will be OK.

It is obviously a very poignant time of year and Mrs J will go to visit her mum and dad's grave with her sister today.

As for me I will go to the gym this morning and wrap some pressies .

What is everybody else doing?

I used to look forward to going to the pub for a quick pint on Christmas day but because of so many cancellations they have closed the restaurant and decided not to open the rest of the pub on Christmas day. Tough times in hospitality.

Well I hope everyone finishes their preparations for Christmas today and can enjoy a peaceful and restful festive break.

When I lived at home with my parents, I always went to the pub on Christmas lunch. We always had lunch around 2.30 so when I rolled in around that time there were no issues. But when the Sunday hours increased to 3, and I started rolling in about 3.30, my dad used to go nuts.

I'd also always go and get ratted after work on Xmas eve when Cal was slaving away at home preparing for Christmas lunch. That was until Cal fell over on the dance floor on her works Christmas night out, and broke her wrist. So she couldn't cook the Christmas lunch, so I had to do it (under her direction of course). Well up until then I didn't know how much work was involved, but the dinner was lovely and I got a real sense of achievement, even if Cal was like a parrot on my shoulder all the way through. From that year on I never went for a drink after work on Christmas even again, or just had the one or two. We prepared Christmas lunch together, prepping the veg, stuffing and prepping the turkey, cooking a ham, making our own cranberry sauce, stuffing, bacon rolls and pigs in blankets. and, most importantly, drinking copious amounts of port. Happy days.

 

[larbert toffee]

Must confess I have never had the pleasure of a garibaldi.

Mate, you're missing out, buy a packet and eat with tea or coffee, I guarantee you'll like them.

 

[Barnfred 55]

Thank you. You're right about calories. I love spices too. I had been calorie counting and going to the gym from Feb to Oct this year and had lost 33lbs. Then my Dad went into hospital in Liverpool so I was spending half my week there and half at home and my PT had a baby and took 8 weeks paternity leave. Good on him to be honest. The whole thing went tits up and I've put loads back on. And now it's Christmas! I've also discovered I'm an emotional eater. Stressed? Bored? My solution is always, what's in the fridge/ cupboards. So I'm writing it all off until New Year.

That's the problem as you get older Anj. It get's harder to get the weight off, and you put it all back on more quickly as soon as there is a relapse in your routine. It's maddening.

 

[tommye]

That is both amazing and brilliant that your dad is doing such a job at his age and your mum sounds like a great character as well, we can now see how you've been shaped ?

I defo get my work ethic and twisted sense of humour from my dad lol
Mum blessed me with being stubborn, never complaining about my lot as there's always folk worse off in the world and never hesitating to help anyone when they need it.
If I'm half the person either of them are I reckon i aint done too bad at this life thing we do

 

[Barnfred 55]

Bear with me on this. I made mushy pea curry the other night. It sounds vile but it is actually surprisingly good. And if the budget is tight not an expensive thing to make. Happy to share the recipe if you want it.

Mushy pea curry lol Don't know why but I found that hilarious for some reason.

But if you think about it why not. I imagine it would be a bit like a dhal. I can see it as a side dish. What did you have with it?

 

[tommye]

Nice mate, haven't had a fry's cream for years, must remember to try some when I get paid. I remembered garibaldi biscuits last month, what a treat. God I'm sad lol

You can get packs now in the shops with 3 in for a £1

 

[tommye]

Mushy pea curry lol Don't know why but I found that hilarious for some reason.

But if you think about it why not. I imagine it would be a bit like a dhal. I can see it as a side dish. What did you have with it?

The home leg would be OK but I can imagine the away to be horrendous

 

[anjelikaferrett]

That's the problem as you get older Anj. It get's harder to get the weight off, and you put it all back on more quickly as soon as there is a relapse in your routine. It's maddening.

Too right. Forgot to say I loved your story about you and Cal swimming off Elba! Really made me smile. Not swimming related but beach related. Mr F and I went to Ibiza a few years ago. Stayed off the beaten track in a lovely hotel run by an Italian family. We would walk to the beach each morning and discovered it was where all the elderly Spanish nudists hung out. Honestly there was about 8 of them and none of them looked younger than 70. They never batted an eyelid when we walked past, would wave and greet us with a cheery "Hola!" as we made our way further along the beach!

 

[Armaghtoffee]

I love them, just hadn't had them for ages, they're going to be part of my shopping list now lol

Have heard of them alright but never actually seen any.