well you might find a bargain - went into Kings Lynn this morning and a lot is 50% off in some shops  obviously depends on where your discretion takes you 

I need someone to shove me to the parcels and get wrapping but i am so cold today now I am back I cant get motivated 

hope Master Turkey enjoys his trip 

Baz will give you a shove. She needs company in her wrapping hell.

Yeah ... Get wrapping now Mrs H .... That's an order !!

I have sorted the stuff into order of when they have to be wrapped by 

I am gonna go and make my dumplings  to go with the smell that is wafting outta the slow cooker and then I am gonna ...........

sit by a roaring log fire tonight and wrap till I drop   this does mean though that I have to detach myself from my PC as that is the other end of the room to the fire 

I HATE wrapping 

I have only wrapped 2 pressies..     I know its gonna be the same old story.. I will be here.. at 3am christmas day morning... still wrapping.. 

This year is hindered by the baaaad kitteh though...    that's my excuse for not doing it right now...  

Loook..  she is watching me ... 

and yes...  that is a a checked shirt she had decided to crawl into 

Ditty the kitteh is no excuse.... though in the pic she's giving you evils allright 

she is always giving me evils 

@ Ditty - she is a bit gorgeous!

Is she a calico cat cos if she is, sucks to be you. They really are very naughty - renowned for it in fact.

I have no idea what a calico cat is ... 

she is a 100% moggy...    her mother is a beautiful panther like black creature with a white bib & white socks..   her father is... well, we dunno... but two of her littermates were tabbys.

She is black & white...   moo cow like 

Postman Pat had a black & white cat...  

His cat looked pretty well behaved 

OK...  I have googled... no she's not calico..     she's a "cow cat" or a "moo cat"

hahahaha...  

we were unknowingly correct 

Is there really such a cat Ditty?  

[I have a real soft spot for moggies like Ditty's little one. I can't be doing with posh pedigree breeds who are bred for looks and don't like to be petted] Give me a straight up moggy anytime 

well..   the whole reason we have her is because she is a moggy..    a moggy in desperate need of a home (second unplanned pregnancy for the mummy cat...  who, I am glad to say has now finally been neutered)..  

anyways... you have started something now...   we went onto "bicolour cats" on wikipedia... 

and were trying to compare her markings to the chart....

She is probably closest to "Mask & Mantle"...     

But it also says "Another type of black-and-white bicolor cat is nicknamed "cow cat" or "moo cat" (for a perceived resemblance to Holstein cattle)and includes the magpie, cap-and-saddle and mask-and-mantle patterns"

I had to take a photo of the expression on her face as we were trying to hold her up to the chart for comparison 

I will be locking my bedroom door tonight 

& sorry Aimee... 

Baaad kitteh has hijacked your thread 

Aww... mask and mantle seems correct.... thats a cute little cat.

[ Apparently however, black + white cats are the hardest cat to adopt - they get left behind at RSPCA / Cat Homes?]

Shame cos they're lovely  

awww... I am even more glad we took her now!

It was her moo cow markings that made us fall in love with her initially... 

Awww... good on ya Ditty .

My Aunt Lily had a little black and white [moo cow type ] cat called Beauty.

Ahhh  she was the sweetest + gentlest -she was shy but the minute you got out of your bed, she'd be right in there, sitting and purring on the warm spot 

Calicos generally are moggies but they have distinct colouring like this..

And they are VERY naughty

I count my blessing she is lacking the third colour... 

I couldn't cope with her any naughtier than she already is 

She does have that naughty look - it is also saying "oh yeah and what are you going to do about it?"

no worries i am the mad cat woman of our street, all the strays come here  she does look evil though 

Aimes - I bet young Aimee gets more pleasure from watching you open your presents this year ... it'll be just like the John Lewis ad in your house

I hope you both have a fabulous time

I cannot believe that Aimee's daughter is the anti christ like that child in that commercial

No silly, what I meant was that because young Aimee has been working and is spending her money on her mum that she will want to get up on Christmas morning and see her mum's reaction to her present ... and now you've gone and ruined it, because now when that door creaks open on Christmas morning Aimes will expect to see the devil incarnate and will be hiding under her duvet like a quivering wreck and it will be ALL YOUR FAULT 

Quite apart from that ... how are you?

No it will be fine because Aimee's daughter is lovely and clearly is not a creepy brat who peers into cupboards and out of windows and gulps his dinner down in a rude fashion

I am very well   Yourself?

pmsl at you two  she's just informed me i have 16 presents  she hasn't bought her dad one 

Or jiggles her knee relentlessley ... I hate knee jigglers

Am well meself ta

Sixteen  

Awwww Aimes, that's what I meant - she will be so excited at seeing your reaction

And, erm, shame about her dad eh? Heart. Bleeding. And all that

i told her too keep her money for herself  but i am excited too see what i've got , she's not backing down with the dad situation and i don't blame her too be honest, she's old enough too make her own decisions about him now 

A daughter will always stick by her Mum and Aimee from what I can see you are a smashing Mum and she knows it

oh that nearly made me cry  thank you, i've tried my best and too be honest he hasn't 

I've now just been told her boyfriend has bought me something i will really LIKE  i've only got him a body set from boots 

I have a recurring dream (a seasonal one) whereby I go to bed and realise it's Christmas the following day and I have nothing ready!!!!!!!!

Not too far from the truth TBH .................I bump into people around the village and they all say 'are you all ready' .........................i laugh (inside I'm panicking) my reply is always 'Nope - I'll be ready on Boxing Day'. Sad but true!

Aimee ..............they're buying gifts because they love you and want to do something nice for you. Don't feel you have to match pound for pound ..............it's a lovely feeling to give and know it'll be appreciated - that is what your girl and guy are trying to do. I've no doubt they kn ow your circumstances - a woman on her own doing all the providing!

They obviously really appreciate you .....................sit back and enjoy it. They will get a big kick out of spoiling you!

That advert gave me a lump in my throat the first time i saw it. what? ..... Oh.... OK! I'm a big wimp who blubbed a little bit

Aimee, how many times over the years have you yourself gone without to provide for your little girl? Well now shes a big girl and understands all the hard work you put in (and has obviously told her bf how much she loves you) so now she fully understands and is in a position to treat you to nice presents, what is there to feel bad about that?... enjoy it Aimee, as others have said seems like she is getting that buzz you get when your watching her open things, when you open yours. don't be riddled with guilt, be very proud you have such a considerate daughter who appreciates you!

There was a thread about it when it first came on the TV and everyone else was saying how good and lovely it was - apart from me I think it is no better than that awful littlewoods commercial to be honest - except that it is set in a nice white middleclass family house with this dreadful rendition of a Smith's classic.

LOLOLOL - I am a misery