General Chat

Morning my friends, and thanks for all my cards, and good wishes.

Had a very posh pair of slippers. New trousers, and a very expensive Shirt. from Ros. Will wear them on Christmas day. If I wear them tonight, I am bound to get things down me.

Had the boys on the phone, to wish me Happy Birthday. They will be coming about 5/6pm Will get dinner for about 7.00

Will be busy today, but will pop in and see you are allright.

Morning All

:-D :-D HAPPY BIRTHDAY FRANK, HAVE A GOOD DAY :-D :-D

Any easy & quiet day for me, apart from a trip into town to collect a parcel that arrived yesterday while I was out.
No builders , so no drilling or banging,
makeing up the last shopping list, Turkey , cream and all the goodies. will be going out tomorrow to get them ,as OH finishes work tonight,
I have a pile of ironing I need to do so when thats out the way I can get the back bedroom tidy for MIL when she comes on the 29th.

So I think I better put the kettle on for another cup of tea then , out to town while it's still dry , can't get to my umberella, as it's in the back cupboard where the new concreate has been laid.

BBL

I used to make the petit fours Jane and the marzipan fruits. Mum also did those every year. I looked at the fruits in the garden center food hall and they cost a fortune nowadays. As I have bought two packs of marzipan I may make some this year.

Morning All,

Just whizzing on before I go out to say.....


<3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3
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. B`*.¸¸.*´I`*.¸¸.*´R`*.¸¸.*´H`*.¸¸.*´H`*.¸¸.*´D`*.¸¸.*´A`*.¸¸.*´Y .
`*.¸¸.*´`*.¸¸.*´F`*.¸¸.*´R`*.¸¸.*´A`*.¸¸.*´N`*.¸¸.*´K`*.¸¸.*´`*.¸¸.*´
<3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3

I hope I put some writing in your birthday card!!!!!! lol :-D :-D :-D

BBL.......meeting OH....must fly.....

Im waiting for Alan to get in from work then we can get the last bits of shopping,

I remember as achild mum and dad buying Figs Dates sugar almonds Licquoice Allsorts..Then When my children were small I started the tradition..Only Alan and I at home now so dont bother so much.

They used to open the front room up (best room ) for Christmas and Birthday parties..

I have also been sorting the back room out it is used for an office lol ..My hubby will have to put the things where he will remember where they are,,I have given him a headstart ;-)

Lovely and sunny here at the moment..More washing on the line lol.. But not shining in the back garden yet...

Hello William and Sneeze, Merry Christmas to you and your families.

I remember parties and singing around the old pianola at the neighbour's house. The pudding hanging up for months and helping my mother put up the decorations. Wonderful days that meant something, going to midnight mass, not much in the way of presents, but lots of love <3

Been on my own today, family went down to Parramatta to do some shopping. Wrapped a few presents and pottered around. Our elderly neighbour brought up a lovely card and present for us. She is ill and needing surgery soon after Christmas. Hoping all goes well for her. She is very giving and always spoiling us.

Have caught up with Shirl the Girl on FB. Must be time for her to be up and about.

Pat have a great Christmas with all your family. It will be a really busy time for you.

Haven't caught up with all your posts, but enjoy your day.

Cheers 10.05 pm DST

Still no summer and very wet today.

Hi Kim

Have a nice Christmas yourself.
.Thats the trouble when all my kids live 2 hours drive from me and each other not counting the one in France lol

Have to see them at different times..very rare we are altogether..

But so looking forward to seeing my children and grandchildren :-) :-)

Afternoon everyone,

Just a quick look in to say
Happy Birthday Frank <3 <3 hope you have a lovely day .

Now off to see hubby's sister ,she is now in a home in the town as she couldn't manage on her own any more .

Will catch up later with all the posts .
BBL

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU
HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR FRANKIE BOY
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3
AND MANY MORE---BL.---- <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3

Have managed to get an appt for next Wednesday at Dentist
I think she will pull it for me.

Seasons greetings every one Happy birthday Frank

My Mother's birthday used to be on New Years Day <3

Hi, Still in my dressing gown. Been in the kitchen since 11.00

Ros has just popped to Tesc# to get some frsh flowers.

See you later.

Yes, Happy Birthday wishes Frank, have a good one.
Birthdays at this time of year should always have special emphasis as they can easily get snowballed with the Christmas holiday. My lovely granddaughters is December 20th so we always make sure it's a good one for her. Now she has her own two children, Christmas is even more delightful for her. I wonder if in years to come she'll be reminiscing in a thread like this???
Our co-grandmother has a birthday on Christmas eve too so here's raising an imaginary glass to Dot!
I love the little memories on here, we should all get together and write a book.
Mel, did your granddad smoke Old Holborn by any chance. My Dad used to roll his own ciggies at one time and I now remember that's what the wrapper looked like. Blimey, my grey cells aren't dead yet LOL
Anyone remember when you used to make your paper chains out of little loops of coloured paper linked together, then strung from one side of the room to the other. I think they'd be a health and safety issue with that today.
Must away now, be back soon. Keep on posting . . .
William

THE GREEN WELLIES
Some of my best past Christmas times have been spent at my late brothers house, with all the family, down in Hornchurch, Essex. It was always a time of good cheer, place seasonally decorated, my sister-in-law Chris could magic up lovely food from nowhere and everyone could be sure of a good time.
Part of the routine seasonal celebrations was the dishing out of presents after dinner on Christmas day. No ordinary event, no, Santa himself allocated the gifts as we had youngsters to cater for, my two nieces and youngest of all, my nephew Stuart.
Routine was this:- Just after dinner I would disappear on the pretext of going out for petrol. How the kids never twigged there was nowhere open for petrol is still a mystery – or is it? In reality, I went to the next door neighbours house, where a Santa outfit was waiting for me to change into. (That’s me in the photo) The ‘folks next door’ were in my brothers anyway, no secret there!
Having got myself into the suit, added some padding for the traditional ‘tummy’ I’d heft a sack of pressy’s on my shoulder ready to make my grand entrance. The last final piece of the outfit, not supplied, was the boots. I had to make do with a pair of my brothers Wellington boots, yes, the green ones . . . .
With plenty of ‘Yo ho ho’s’, I’d make my appearance in the front lounge and take up a position by the tree, where other presents were to be found underneath. Putting on a voice that would make Bryn Terfel proud, I would read all the gift tags and dish them out with great ceremony, still ‘yo ho ho-ing’ in the best tradition. The whole thing went down very well with the youngsters who lapped it up with glee.
Sack empty, tree bare, time for Santa to exit a room filled with ripped up gift wrap resembling an explosion in a paper factory. I’d nip back next door, exchange the Santa suit for my own gear and re-appear as a frustrated Uncle Will who’d been driving everywhere searching for petrol. Oh drat, I’d missed Santa’s visit once more, but at least I had a pile of pressy’s to dive into.
And so it went on for a couple of years until the third year – when the great secret was discovered. That year, the whole charade was repeated as well as any other occasion, except of course by now my nieces knew who Father Christmas was, but as far as we knew, my nephew didn’t.
This time, I was coming back into the house from my ‘petrol safari’ – and before I got into the hubbub of the front room, I was greeted by my nephew Stuart. He tugged me down to his level, then he whispered into my ear, afraid that others might learn the secret. “Uncle Will” he whispered, “I know it was you, not Father Christmas” he winked. “You had my Dad’s green wellies on”.!!!
After that it never seemed the same – and of course circumstances change anyway. But for me, those will always be special treasured memories – even the “green wellies”.
I’ve got a couple more tales like this that I’ve had in print (oh yes, they are TRUE), who’d like to share them???
Hope you all have a lovely Christmas.

Just popped in quickly to say:

Happy Birthday Frank <3 Hope you've had a good day

William I can't wait to hear all your other tales :-D :-D.You write brilliantly .Are you an Author by any chance? :-) :-)My dear old Dad would have been hopeless as Father Christmas .He was far too Skinny lol

Well done Liz for selling your things.A little extra in the pocket for you :-D

Well that is my Barnet sorted now .It did need a jolly good cut.Had a nice glass of wine too which was very nice.I came home to hear Carols playing and all the Holly decorating the pictures etc.Also a lovely smell of Chris's Italian Biccie things.PLUS a parcel for me (well for both of us ) but addressed to me.Two very nice Bottles of wine from Rachel's Brother and his wife.

Still haven't actually got around to wrapping Jame's presents :-S :-S.I need to muster up some enthusiasm .It looks like a clothes shop here . :-|
Poor Chester looks like Mr Grumps today.Not sure if he has pain in his leg or if he is just being a Bah Humbug because of all the Christmas thing going on here.

Chris spent a B***** fortune at Wait**** this morning.The fridges and wine racks are groaning under the weight of everything :-D :-D.He said the girl on the till said when the total came up said"That is my mortgage"!!!!!!
I got a few more odds and sods too while I was in town.No dates and no Petit Fours ..but Turkish Delight. :-D

Hi to everyone else .I really must get on and try and wrap something now. :-S

YES WILLIAM WHAT GOOD TIMES-- I MADE THE CHAINS -ALSO HAD REAL CANDLES ON TREE AND MADE DECORATIONS OUT OF MILK BOTTLE TOPS --STRING THROUGH MIDDLE AND PAINTED THEM ---- AND WHEN THERE WASN'T ANY GIFT PAPER OLD WALL PAPER WAS USED.
PILLOW CASES WE WOULD HANG UP ALWAYS HOPEFUL.ha.ha
SOME GIFTS RE-PAINTED AND RE-CYCLED ((DOLL-CRIB) WE OPENED
OUR GIFTS XMAS MORNING--AND WE WERE SO HAPPY ----LOVED THE SMELLS OF XMAS AND FRESH HOLLY.
:-) :-) :-)

One of the presents I remember from Father Christmas was a Bassinet .It was so pretty with all the lovely lacey material .Mum must have stayed up in the evenings after I had gone to bed to make it.We always had to be up,washed and dressed and had breakfast (dressed in our best clothes) before we had our presents.
I used to do the same when our two were little ,but then realised how miserable we were all dressed up to the 9's.Nowadays I don't mind if some are still in PJ's.It's far more relaxed :-D.

Frank are you dressed yet???? You need to get cooking ;-) ;-).I hope you have a lovely Birthday meal tonight.

What a lovely story you told William.Made it come alive..I have just come back from my freinds with some holly with Berries so have just found a place for that...

Just cleaned the bathroom so am having a look on here while I drink my tea.

I forgot to mention earlier we used to buy turkish delight to..

I have two granddaughters whose birthdays are in Dec One the 29

and the other the 30 ...Its a shame it so close to christmas..

David I have been refered to another dentist on the 10th...Im waiting to have a back tooth out as well...Dont think she will take it out on that day though..It keeps catches me as well...

My hair needs cutting Jane.. I might let my daughter practice on me when I see her...Clare is .In her second year at college..

Happy birthday Frank, I hope you are enjoying your day. That is a great story William, more please. I think it is always the adults who are disappointed when the littlies no longer believe in father christmas. My 9 year old Granddaughter really doesn't believe but is at the stage of hedging her bets, not believing but not really liking to be definite about it in case she is wrong. :-D

Ann (sparkling) .....3 Anns on here it get's confusing lol
I remember saying to my Daughter when she asked me if there really was Father Christmas (as friends of hers had said he didn't exist)If she wanted to believe in him ,then he existed.I said I liked to believe too.That kept her happy for that Christmas.
I do recall very vividly my friend Johanna telling me that Father Christmas wasn't real.I clocked her one with one of my stilts and said she was telling lies.I didn't speak to her for ages lol.

Pat ,my Dad let me cut his hair once.Wasn't he brave :-D :-D.I'm not sure he realised there was a chunk out of it.I didn't let on lol