Today I shall be Mainly...

[Big Kev]

...going for a walk to blow out the cobwebs.

[PanBiker]

We had friends round to bring in the New Year, we were still chatting and playing a rather good board game when we finally got round to the pudding at 02.45. May contemplate a walk but just need a bit more "quiet time" at the moment.

Happy New Year to everyone on One Guy.

[Stanley]

Hopefully watching the workers going back in..... Time we got back to normal!
Could be in the shed.......

[Julie in Norfolk]

Starting my 2nd week back after Christmas, (being one of the workers).

[Wendyf]

Taking advantage of the good weather and moving a stack of logs from the outside store into the barn.....and having a minimal eating day!

[Sue]

Doing some sewing. Claire's cape is finished now it's time for me. A minimal eating day for me too. We may go for a walk otherwise it's down with the decorations and onwards with the lounge decorations. I think the tiling of the hearth is next. Nearly there. The lights went back up yesterday. I shall send the curtains for cleaning tomorrow . Hopefully we shall clean the carpet by the end of the epweek and then we shall be finished

[Moh]

It is supposed to be unlucky to take the decorations down before 12th night!

[PanBiker]

Sally made a start on ours but always leaves some for 12th night, lit garlands and tree as still remaining. Sally being an ex professional Christmas decoration installer we tend to have quite lot of stuff to get out each year and put away, it is always themed and with a different look each year.

[Pluggy]

I think the Protestant reformers back in the 16th century should have consigned Christmas to where they put purgatory.......

The world would be a better place without the annual money pit.

Joyless soul ?, me ? nahhh

[Sue]

I have taken decorations down at New Year for the last 41 years. Julia, my eldest, has a birthday on the fourth. On her first birthday her cards were swamped by Christmas. Ever since then we took decorations down a few days before so she could have a special day on her birthday and not share it with Christmas. Old habits die hard so we have continued to do so. Also for over15 years Bob worked away during the week, it was convenient to clear up before he returned to work on the 2nd.

I don't feel I have had 41 years bad luck

[Sue]

The tree is still up as we have had work on the hearth all day....now done

[Marilyn]

I always take my tree down on the 27th, as we have two significant birthdays between then and New Year!

[Stanley]

I don't have Xmas decorations, only the cards and they get binned tomorrow and as it is Janet's funeral tomorrow they will be joined by the bereavement cards! I note that paper converters pay less for the raw material they buy from the councils after Xmas because of the difficulties caused by wrapping paper and in particular, glitter. So put them in the general waste not the recyclables.
Pluggy, I have some sympathy with you. I must drag some of my old Xmas articles out and bump them!
I shall be in the shed as usual. I'm having a bit of a change from fiddly watchmaking. Time for some proper turning!

[Marilyn]

(glad I didn't send a bereavement card then)
But I know what you mean. All rubbish at the end of the day.

Speaking of rubbish, His Lordship and I both cleaned out our underwear/sock drawers. One more bin bag bound for the tip tomorrow!

[Sue]

My daughter, once a recycling officer, said 'if it tears recycle' .

[PanBiker]

Not the only thing I will be doing today but I will be taking Sally and Ruby to the train station today. Time for Ruby to go home, she's back at school tomorrow, Sally is staying overnight and I will collect her, train time dependent sometime tomorrow.

[Marilyn]

It is so lovely that both you and Sally keep up the dedication to your Ruby, Panbiker.
Such an effort. I just felt it needed to be noticed.
I don't have grandchildren, but I would be driven just the same.

[PanBiker]

Thanks for mentioning it Maz, time is marching on and Ruby is growing up fast. She's eight now and it may not be many more years before she may not want to visit. She has the tall gene from her dad and is already about 8 or 9 inches taller than her cousin Isla who is only 11 months younger, she is already in an adult size 4 shoe. Apart from that we are not getting any younger so we do it while we can, you can never get it back.

As it is we alternate having her at Christmas or the New Year and have her for some time at most school holidays which helps her mum out with her job. Sally prefers collecting and returning on the train now to driving which can be a bit of a pain. 180 mile journey via the M6 or M1 can take anything between 3 hours on a good day and up to 9 when the road goes bad, it's £35.00 on the train with senior rail card so a no brainer really. I took them for the earlier train from Skipton, they should just about be in Leeds now where they have to change for Birmingham. They will have an hours wait as the later train from Skipton only gave them 5 minutes at Leeds for the connection which involves a platform change. OK if you are on your own but not with a case, rucksack, bag and a 8 year old in tow, much easier to take the 1 hour hit over a coffee in the station cafe.

Chief cook and bottle washer for me which is no problem, kitchen is sorted and I have vacuumed round after Sally's partial removal of the Christmas decorations. Now, what shall I have for tea, chicken and pasta is a main contender.

[Marilyn]

That is a huge effort. And I admire you both for it.

[Moh]

As Ian says you can never get the time with grandchildren back - they grow up so fast. Our three are 39, 29 & 27 with great grandchildren of 13, 10 & 5 - so it is great grandchildren now but obviously we cannot do the same with them that we did with their parents.

[PanBiker]

I have commented many a time that when grandchildren come along (providing you are active grandparents) it makes you realise why you had your own kids in your 20's or 30's. Especially when they stop over for days or extended periods. I mentioned in another thread that we took all three of ours to the panto last week over in Harrogate (Dick Whittington). Watching them getting involved and joining in with the mayhem was a joy to see, especially our Finlay who is not backward at coming forrad as they say. He was much taken on with the pop up rats in Sarah's shop that made impromptu appearances along the shelves. He nearly launched himself off the balcony pointing and shouting when they appeared.

We will keep doing stuff like this as long as we are able or are wanted.

[Stanley]

My grandchildren are all taller than me and buying their own houses..... Great grandson Alex is still bite size but 10,000 miles away.
Maz, you didn't need to send a card, like the others you did more good by supporting me over the last three months and I shall never forget any of you for your kindness. As I write they are having a memorial event at Pinnaroo where Big Harry is buried. Sarah, one of Janet's best mates is a big wheel in TV and radio and she has a production company there recording the event. When they have edited it there will be a DVD and I shall get one. (LINK) Have a look, it's a lovely place (apart from the Kangaroo Ticks! You have to watch out for them!



I had a funny turn yesterday and cleared that corner out! Looks a lot better now. Today I shall be in the shed as usual but then down to the surgery (5 minutes walk) to have Dracula take my blood for next week's diabetes assessment.

[Sue]

My eldest is 42 today, where has the time gone. Today I will be making her youngest a Cinderella dress, a special request. I also need to sort out my mobile phone contract which is about to expire.

[Stanley]

Good luck with both of them but I can't help with time's winged chariot, my two surviving daughters are over 50 and looking at retirement. If anyone had told me that I would see this I wouldn't have believed them!
I shall be managing my life, looking after Jack and doing good things in the shed......

[Sue]

Dress nearly made, and an excellent reduction on my phone tariff as I am not changing the perfectly good three year old phone.