We have nothing that we need to be up and ready for today for the first time in forever, so of course I woke up at 5:54 and couldn't get back to sleep. I at least did get to have a lazy morning and read for a bit before getting up. Main goal today is to finish up our shopping/wrapping for our holiday sharing family, figure out teacher gifts (ok, really just order Amazon cards!), and hopefully take care of the secret santa gifts for the kid exchange (adults do white elephant). Then we've got a holiday event at a local historic site tonight.
Errands this morning. This afternoon I'm taking DS(7.5) to a birthday party at a trampoline place. I'm supposed to attend a work Christmas party this evening. It's supposed to snow this afternoon & evening and the host lives out in the boondocks so I'm not sure if I'll be attending. Maybe.
We hosted a beer club at our house last night and it was super fun! There were about 14 people here and we didn’t wrap up until midnight. I am feeling a little rough this morning. Mixing beer types, especially heavy stouts, always leads to a headache for me but I took some meds and should be in good shape after I finish my breakfast sandwich and coffee.
My mom wanted to take DS tonight for a sleepover and some Christmas activities so H and I are going to get some shopping done and go to dinner at a new place, and then see a band at the brewery here.
Lots and lots to get done this weekend. I have got to take the time to get my work inbox cleaned out so I can start the week able to focus on all the other stuff I need to do. In addition to that, lots of Christmas planning and prep to get done along with the standard errands.
DS1 missed an entire week of school this week because of strep and a virus. DS2 has strep now too. I really hope they’re both well enough to go back to school Monday. We need some routine in our lives.
It's my kids Senior basketball year and he wanted pink lemonade sneakers so we ordered on GOAT and paid for expedited shipping and they don't fit! 😭
so we reordered the (hopefully) correct size and are trying to sell the originals on FB marketplace. What a pain. Everyone wants to trade. 🤣 we just want to recoop some money.
My condo is a mess and I have no motivation right now. I did at least get all of our laundry done & sorted.
I have to go to the school for a parent meeting at noon so I better get going. lol.
I know I’ll end up on some lists for this, but I am baffled by all of the love for the Pogues’ Fairytale of New York as a sweet Christmas song.
I mean, it is a great song, but it is not heartwarming, or sweet, or most of the other adjectives that I’ve read to describe it. The lyrics describe love turning sour and people who were once full of dreams eventually being horrible to each other and broken down themselves. I find it very sad.
Post by basilosaurus on Dec 9, 2023 10:58:39 GMT -5
It's the weekend, and I'm also on holiday. So last night I stayed out late (relatively as it's a sleepy town) and had some drinks.
I put up the do not disturb sign so I could sleep past daybreak.
They ramg the damn room doorbell (that I didn't even know existed). Twice. And while I'm trying to find clothes to shoo them away I hear "Ms basil. Mrs basil. Are you ok? Mr basil please let us know" (those are not typo,)
Post by mrsukyankee on Dec 9, 2023 11:00:13 GMT -5
Last night our neighbours hosted a very large gathering of their adult son's friends (and I think their friends too). My husband went over around 11.45 (on his way home from his office's Christmas party as I had complained via text) to let them know it was very loud as they were outside. At just a bit past midnight, I leaned out and very loudly asked them to go inside as it was very loud and I couldn't sleep. I guess a middle aged woman with an American accent and hair sticking out all over worked as they got quiet finally. Ugh. I don't mind them having a party and even being inside and loud, just not outside (our bedroom window) and loud past midnight. We always bring people inside after midnight and ask that if someone wants to smoke outside to be quiet.
I didn't fall asleep for a while after that and then woke up at 7.30am. Bah. At least I got dog and husband cuddles this morning. H also took Cooper for a long walk in the morning so I had time to decorate the tree and hearth. Trying to get in the mood for Christmas. I might have to bake some cookies.
I got a refund for an extended warranty on a car I traded in and it’s three times more than I was hoping for. Merry Christmas to me! It couldn’t have come at a better time.
Santa comes through my neighborhood on the fire truck tonight. My sisters and neighbors are coming over with their kids and everyone is wearing pj’s. It’s one of my favorite Christmas traditions. ❤️
Post by slbride2003 on Dec 9, 2023 11:05:05 GMT -5
I’m battling my 3rd round of pneumonia since August 😩. Seeing my PCP again Monday and have to find a new pulmonologist. H took DS to his hockey game which will be a mess because so many kids are out sick. Since I’m home I’m finishing up online shopping and hope to get some paperwork done. I need to get our house ready to host cocktails for my sister’s 40th next weekend.
Walked the dogs this morning and now I'm going to go meet a friend for lunch/brunch. Then I need to read one book (I have so many checked out lol) and I'm going to try to get myself motivated to make Oreo balls this evening.
Christmas markets are really not very fun. That's been a huge bummer.
My sister somehow let herself get talked into buying 4 pounds of halva. She thought it would make a great present for a gift exchange that has a $30 limit and she spent over 100€. She definitely pulled a wildrice 😂
Paris is the only place we have left and I hope I love it because Bruge and Lille were not the vibe.
Christmas markets are really not very fun. That's been a huge bummer.
My sister somehow let herself get talked into buying 4 pounds of halva. She thought it would make a great present for a gift exchange that has a $30 limit and she spent over 100€. She definitely pulled a wildrice 😂
Paris is the only place we have left and I hope I love it because Bruge and Lille were not the vibe.
Sorry the Christmas markets were a let down! Major bummer. That's a bucket list thing for me so that sucks to hear.
If I made peanut butter cookie dough last sunday, and it was sealed and in the fridge, can I use the dough today to make cookies? Or do I have to toss it and make new dough?
Christmas markets are really not very fun. That's been a huge bummer.
My sister somehow let herself get talked into buying 4 pounds of halva. She thought it would make a great present for a gift exchange that has a $30 limit and she spent over 100€. She definitely pulled a wildrice 😂
Paris is the only place we have left and I hope I love it because Bruge and Lille were not the vibe.
Sorry the Christmas markets were a let down! Major bummer. That's a bucket list thing for me so that sucks to hear.
Paris is going to be amazing!!!!!
I think Bruge and Lille both (but suspecting maybe all?) suffer from overtourism. It's killing their cities. Also, the markets are overrun buy cheap imported goods. I had hoped there would be small vendors/ local goods for ornaments, chocolates, knits, etc. Its literally Pikachu in a Christmas hat for 30€.
This was also a bucket list trip for me, so color me bummed, lol. I wish I had tried the markets maybe in the Alsace region, but I had been there before so I wanted to see another place.
DH hadn’t ordered one of my Christmas presents and now Amazon says it won’t be here by Christmas.
He was like “I didn’t know” and I said “we’ve had the same google doc for a decade dude.”
I mean, it’s a candle warmer, but I purposefully didn’t buy one so I had gifts on my list. I’m looking at others that will arrive in time, but I’m just sort of upset in the whole dropping the ball.
sproctopus, we went to Brugge in 2012 and they had tons of little chocolate shops there. Do they still have those? My husband bought like 12 boxes of chocolate from 12 different shops. I was amazed that he kept finding another one to visit and buy another box since it's so small!
Sorry the Christmas markets were a let down! Major bummer. That's a bucket list thing for me so that sucks to hear.
Paris is going to be amazing!!!!!
I think Bruge and Lille both (but suspecting maybe all?) suffer from overtourism. It's killing their cities. Also, the markets are overrun buy cheap imported goods. I had hoped there would be small vendors/ local goods for ornaments, chocolates, knits, etc. Its literally Pikachu in a Christmas hat for 30€.
This was also a bucket list trip for me, so color me bummed, lol. I wish I had tried the markets maybe in the Alsace region, but I had been there before so I wanted to see another place.
What a bummer! This is something DH and I really want to do, so maybe it’s better that we can’t afford it 😂
I’m sorry you’ve been disappointed, and I hope Paris turns out to be amazing!
Christmas markets are really not very fun. That's been a huge bummer.
My sister somehow let herself get talked into buying 4 pounds of halva. She thought it would make a great present for a gift exchange that has a $30 limit and she spent over 100€. She definitely pulled a wildrice 😂
Paris is the only place we have left and I hope I love it because Bruge and Lille were not the vibe.
We did not like Bruge at all but liked Lille and went to a craft show there that was fun. We weren’t there at Christmas though! I hear it’s very crowded then. When we went they were very shocked we were on vacation there and not visiting family lol
I hope you have better luck in Paris! There is a lot more to do there in general which might help.
I know I’ll end up on some lists for this, but I am baffled by all of the love for the Pogues’ Fairytale of New York as a sweet Christmas song.
I mean, it is a great song, but it is not heartwarming, or sweet, or most of the other adjectives that I’ve read to describe it. The lyrics describe love turning sour and people who were once full of dreams eventually being horrible to each other and broken down themselves. I find it very sad.
What weirdo is calling it heartwarming and sweet?? I thought people liked it because it was more realistic and sad.
I went to Sephora this morning to try the Sol de Janeiro Brazilian Crush spray before I get it for my niece and I think COVID is still messing with my sense of smell because I don't get the hype but my mom and SIL said it smells good. People with teens, which one is hot right now? I tried 62. I would have asked one of the 7000 teenage girls in there but DS was there and already pretending like he didn't know me and that seems too mom even for me.
sproctopus, we went to Brugge in 2012 and they had tons of little chocolate shops there. Do they still have those? My husband bought like 12 boxes of chocolate from 12 different shops. I was amazed that he kept finding another one to visit and buy another box since it's so small!
Yes, literally a chocolate shop every other store. To the point where I cannot imagine how these stores survive outside of the tourism season.
The towns are SO beautiful and there are local shops to shop in. But the markets themselves are really not anything special.
We have two events I really want to go to tonight. And the timing is such a can’t really make a drop in at one party work. Well, I could, but H is being all pouty that it’s my friends and he doesn’t want to go. But the only way it works is to go to one on the way to the other. It’s been ages (long before Covid even) since this has happened, and I have extreme FOMO.
rosiebear, I feel like you have described every Pouges song, maybe that whole Irish punk genre (folding in black 47 and Dropkick Murphys).
I went to Sephora this morning to try the Sol de Janeiro Brazilian Crush spray before I get it for my niece and I think COVID is still messing with my sense of smell because I don't get the hype but my mom and SIL said it smells good. People with teens, which one is hot right now? I tried 62. I would have asked one of the 7000 teenage girls in there but DS was there and already pretending like he didn't know me and that seems too mom even for me.
do you mind if I piggy pack off of this? H has a 17yo (18? I'm a horrible aunt 🤷♀️) niece and we have no idea what to get her. We actually haven't given gifts (other than cash) in several years. But she's graduated early from HS, so we both want to do... something. We've been taking turns making suggestions and shooting each other down 😂 my latest suggestion was nice makeup. But I don't wear makeup. Or scents. What are the youths wearing these days??
I sent my sister a package with Christmas gifts for her and my nephews in a paper padded envelope, and not only did it take a week to get there (USPS priority) but the package ripped open and the cards for my nephews that had cash in them are missing. I don’t think anything nefarious happened (it wasn’t even US currency), but rather it looks like the package was mishandled and ripped open, and contents fell out. It doesn’t look like I can file a claim because I no longer have the receipt, and I have no way of proving what was inside. I’ll still be able to send them something before Christmas, but I’m so mad that the original gift was ruined.
I tried to make some reusable cloths to replace our ridiculous paper towel usage in our kitchen. They did NOT turn out as expected, lol. I’m old and wise enough now to realize when it’s time to give it up so we went to the market to buy a set.
I think I was using a much too thick towel; the ones we ended up buying are only one ply (I was trying to do two-sided, with one terry cloth side). Hopefully we will be able to cut down on paper now.