Good evening all xxx

Hicky

hope you read the boss's hint correct and he comes up with a nice big bonus at work tomorrow.

I don't like the smell of smoke from candles or wood fires either. Think it aggravates my allergies. But I did fancy getting us some candles that run on batteries and look like real ones, that I saw advertised, but didn't get round to it. yes I agree with Emptybox, it seems you are well on your way to getting that forest now.

I bet you enjoyed your visit to the B and Q van, as you haven't called in there for awhile now have you?

Good to hear the littlies are still having fun in your garden.   I bet when they are old enough they will want to help you with your building/planting in the garden.

Frodo

Sounds like you got some nice stuff from Avon again.   Enjoy.

at your tale of the wee covered purse.

Yes you be careful lighting those canles, especially with pets around. I heard on the radio that the fire brigade have loads more call outs over Christmas down to more people lighting canles for Christmas festivities.

I never noticed the mice on Gogglebox.   When we went out for the Christmas meal I had bread and butter pudding for desert. It was lovely, real hot and creamy and served with a couple of scoops of vanilla ice cream. I had butternut squash and parsnip soup for starters and there was a turkey meat copy with cheese in the middle and veg for dinner. I am not keen on meat copies, so I didn't eat that, but loved all the veg and gravy.   Will probably only have veg and cranberry sauce for Christmas dinner. My fave veg now is honey roasted parsnips.

Good news on your rebate of £17, beats owing them money!

at your tales about the cat, sounds quite a character.

I think a lot of lads expect the washing/ironing/tidying done as if by magic when their mum is around.

Emptybox

wonder when you decide whether to award yourself a bonus or not? So funny that...

let's hope it is not too stormy for you to get to your brother's on Tuesday. It is a real bad stormy forecast here for tomorrow, people being advised not to go out unless they have to. It was terrible for awhile when we went out last night, rain poured down and wind gusts real bad. Not nice today, but not quite as bad. The windy storms this year have been awful.

Went to take dog out this morning and it suddenly started hailing heavily. It was so uncomfy for us and the dog that we had to turn back. Managed to take her out later inbetween the rain storms though. 

I am watching Top of the Pops Christmas show now.

Will watch the choir show on bbc2 after.

Have a good evening all xxx

And it is time for day 22 of our advent piccies...

Hello Mollie, Hicky emptybox

just turned 8pm brrr cold so turned the heating up ...I don't no where the advents come from Mollie(please don't tell) cos I'm enjoying them  pity they

can't go on forever...ah yes I am careful with the candles  Mollie last year the flameless ones were my Christmas presents to people

the dinner specially the pud sounds good ...pity there wasn't enough veggie options ,,,mmmm yes sons can be a pain ..he finds enough energy to cook the most delish meals to carry down to his girlfriends house though and make a lemon drizzle for pud  leaves none for me LOL .

See you later xxx      

Good Evening Everyone.

It's been rather cold today, forecast says warmer tomorrow then cold for weeks.

Mollie, yes, hope i heard boss right.

The little ones love building with the scrap wood, they also like knocking screws in with a hammer, not too well mind, have to watch them.

Love the advent pictures.

My Lad from Oz is going to Brazil with his GF for Christmas, his company has offered her a job on the staff.

Emptybox, with this bad weather you aren't going to get much done outside.

It's not looking to good for over Christmas either, hope it's ok for when you go to your Brothers.

Frodo, you do have some worries don't you, you and son not seeing eye to eye.

You just eat what you want, everyone is different, i just eat anything as you know, i have cut down a lot on Red meat, i know it isn't good in too large a quantity or too often.

I remember my Mother having little candles on a Christmas tree when i was a youngster, the tree was only small and standing on the top of a high sideboard in the living room, she had decorated it with cotton wool to look like snow.

We didn't have fairy lights in the 1940's.

I was lying in bed one day and thought, i wonder what the tree would look like in the dark with the candles lit.

I went downstairs in the dark and found a box of matches, lit a candle, wow, the tree went up i a blaze, had to wake mother to tell her.

It made quite a mess.

Hello Hicky

Its really cold here to-night ..I have the heating on at the mo  so  I'm watching telly upstairs I have sky up here and a video recorder so I can watch films etc ...

I do please myself ...so thanks  my son only thinks he rules LOL I have a daughter too ,who puts him in his place she Is the one who bought me the flowers...I tend to keep family out of my posts ...but like yours I'm very proud of them .

I have all these pretty candles and not one has been lit ...but I'm going to light them this year and of course keep an eye on them honestly I do .

I loved your story of the tree Hicky  and thankyou for you thinking of me x

but don't worry only one boss in this house LOL X

  LOL Hicky, I just love your tale of the candles and the tree. Bit of a shock to your poor mother when you woke her, I should think.

Fredo...cold here too tonight, had some more hail. That is nice that your daughter bought you flowers. Feel free to mention your family here, I am interested. (but not nosey). 

Bedtime for me now, I bought some nice Christmas mags to read in bed.

Goodnight all xxx

Hello Mollie

yes I have a daughter ..tell you more sometime ...my son didn't come back to take the dogs out to-night and I had to let them out one by one 

my garden Is huge AND I have fencing (the steel kind at the back ) but Its also double fenced from the flats behind as It slopes you can't see anything 'but small dogs can get out whatever you do...I tell you Mollie Its a nightmare trying to keep them in 

He my son has met this girl and If It was private I would tell .can't say more 

night all xx

Evening.

Not too bad day here. Much calmer and some sunshine.

Very wet overnight though. The road to the village was flooded when I got my paper, and I saw on the News that one of the nearest towns Jedburgh was flooded.

It's a bad forecast for tomorrow as well, but hopefully it'll calm down after that.

Fancy a young Hicky setting fire to the family tree? Bet it was panic stations at the time?

Hope your lad has a good Christmas in Brazil.

Hi Frodo. It's funny that your scrap of a cat is so nervous around people, but can obviously more than hold it's own among other cats.

Never heard of a flameless candle before?

Enjoy your Christmas mags Mollie.

A Christmas lunch of veg and gravy sounds a bit meagre to this carnivore. But having said that, if you put in some stuffing and some chipolatas I might not miss the turkey too much.

I watched Top of the Pops tonight as well, then watched the film 'The Whale'.

Really pleased for Sam bailey getting the Xmas No. 1.

Good Morning everyone.

Warmer today here

Mollie, have never read in bed, would just fall asleep, can't even watch tv in bed.

Frodo, don't envy you dealing with the dogs and your son, quite a handful it seems.

Emptybox, Floods again for you, there's always something isn't there.

Aren't flame-less lights just a flickering electric light.

I was a little terror when young, some of the things i did, wow.

I painted the toilet seat with old paint but it was the type that stayed wet, oh dear, horrific.

It was probably security paint that you put to deter intruders.

Had my Bacon & Egg on toast, the canteens are all shut as the factory is closed for production.

Hello all 

simply chucking It down ,wet and windy and cold ,still December 23rd and I refuse moan 

And yes Hicky my son Is a pain In the nether regions and his ears have been blasted this morning ,I totally respect not all folks welcome animals in their homes    but If you have them treat them well mine are not large (well his really) so night time they need to go out ...I live in a built up area but the spot I'm in fields all around and the gardens are huge ,there are no houses facing me ,and none at the back... but private flats further back ...very lonely at night ...and I might add this area isn't exactly posh... sorry rant over.

Sorry emptybox battery candles I meant and quite pretty to some of them and yes Hicky Is right just a flickering light

And yes the cat did seem to chase the other one off ..could be mistaken ,I am getting very fond of It ...Its all black with green eyes .

I hope you have a safe journey to-morrow Is It a small present for your nephews and then the cash lol ? wonder what Santa will bring you ,anyhow have a lovely time xx

Mollie these Advent pictures have been lovely ...more than that fantastic

Am I the only one to loathe parsnips 'roasted boiled mashed ..yuk and I love all veg one of my favs Butter beans ,peas you have to soak...cabbage ,cauliflower ,all except the dreaded one 

These are similar to the flowers I had bought although cream are mixed in and these ones are for a garland around the head

Good afternoon all

Hicky

that story about you painting the toilet seat is, like the other tale, also dead funny.   You little minx you, sounds like you kept your mum busy. Glad to hear you managed to get fed at work even though the canteen was closed. Wonder if you get news about that bonus today, and hope you get away from work early too. How nice that your lad is off to Brazil, he is certainly seeing some of the world, isn't he?

Emptybox

There is flooding round here too today, and lots of trains cancelled because of fallen trees and floods. Let's hope this wild weather dies down in time for you to travel to your brothers tomorrow. Wonder if you will catch sight of your nephews this year, or if they will spend most of the time in their rooms ?   How long do you intend staying there?

Frodo

letting the dogs out sounds a bit of a problem for you. We too have a big garden in this house, but OH rectified the problem by particioning part of the garden off by the back door, so we can put doggie out and keep an eye on her till she comes back in. As we rent, we only wanted something cheap and temporary, so we used the rabbit's old metal run, that we don't use now. OH just propped it up from one section of garden to the other, and we don't leave dog out long enough for her to try and jump it. It would be difficult for her to do as she is small anyway.

It is a bit like this, it folds away, then opens in one long strip, or you can fold it for small pets to put a ceiling cover bit on it.

http://www.deemillen.co.uk/met...sion-unit-p-958.html

The flower piccie looks very pretty.   Has your daughter left home now?

Had my Christmas food delivered by Sainsburys today.   Thank goodness I didn't have to battle round crowds for Christmas hols food for 6 people and 2 pets. Rain eased a little now, so going to our little town to get some more wrapping paper now.

Mmmm the ear bashing certainly brings results

bottle of vodka &and some wine (I can't take to red)   Is there something wrong with me ? bowls filled with fruit  and the fridge bursting ...who I might add Is going to eat all this stuff?   eeerrr food ..but a nice surprise anyhow 

Whats for tea ...nothing in when you need It (anyone else felt the same when everything Is in ?) chip butty anyone 

Mollie that sounds and looks wonderful for the dogs ...thankyou 

and yes my daughter has left home ...very protective of me 

I had a long talk with my son to-day ,I was going to make him leave 

hate washing my dirty laundry in public ...but even though Its open I don't think many people would look on here ....to-day has seemed to be a turning point ...If I have been a little sharp or snappy sorry  .

Lets hope to-day has been a wake up for him ...this Is why I don't post sometimes very stressfull ...but Its Christmas and I have some lovely friends who take my mind off things  to all xxxxxxxxxxxx

Afternoon.

Heavy rain again here today. I think it's the wind that might be a problem tomorrow? And debris brought down by the wind.

I'll have to drive carefully.

Yes Frodo, I've a couple of small token presents for the nephews, but the main thing is cash.

Mind you the oldest one is 18, and has a job now, so the days of a small money gift for him might be numbered?

He's working as a lifeguard at a swimming pool, but I think he's also applied to join the RAF?

At least your son bought some provisions for you anyway.

For the record, I love parsnips.

Hi Hicky. I suspect in some ways you haven't changed much from the little terror of your youth? I suspect the littlies like coming round because they know grandpa will allow them to get into a little mischief? Such as knocking screws into decking with a hammer.  

Hope you had an easy day at work today?

Hi Mollie. Yes probably a good idea to get your Xmas fare delivered. My Sainsburys was packed yesterday. Very difficult negotiating your trolley round the aisles, avoiding oncoming traffic.

I'm just at my Brother's for a day or two.

If it's too wild tomorrow I might put the journey off till Wednesday morning, but hopefully it'll be OK.

Good evening all

Frodo

at you with a fridge full of food and nothing to eat for tea...nothing wrong with a chip butty, mind.   Glad to hear the chat with your boy has done some good. Sometimes us mums need to have these serious chats with our kids because we care for them. Haven't noticed it if you were sharp or snappy, so don't worry.

I love parsnips, but they have to be the real nice baby ones, roasted is a bit of butter with honey.

Emptybox

wind has calmed down here now, but it is raining again.... so hope it has for you to get to your brothers. Difficult for you to buy pressies for your nephews now they are older, but I am sure they will make good use of the cash gift.

Take care whenever you go, and have a great Christmas.  

How was work today Hicky?

watching John Bishop now.

goodnight all

Evening Everyone.

Frodo, hope your sun has seen the light, they do want to rule the roost if given the chance.

Nice of him to get you some food and drink as a peace offering, i assume.

Mollie, The toilet seat was funny.

Not as funny as when mother brought a goose home and asked me to pluck it, had an idea, thought i could burn the feathers off, of dear, very hard to burn the feathers off, not too sure what happened in the end.

Got my bonus, will have to pay company tax on it though.

Will give my O/H £100 to get something for herself, the rest will probably go on the Gazebo.

Emptybox, hope the weather lets you get over to your brothers, pity you don't have a Landrover it might help you out.

Had a good day at work, a bacon & egg on toast and i could leave at 2pm

I'm off till Monday now.

day 23 of our advent calendar is a cute cat one.

and an extra pic for Emptybox of a nice young lady to warm him up on his way, before he leaves for his journey to his brothers.

  Hooray Hicky, so pleased you got that bonus. Nice of you to threat your OH, hope she finds a nice treat for herself.

  at you burning the feathers off that goose.   Sounds like you could write a book about your little mischiefs in your younger days.

Hicky....Didn't like to leave you out, as Empybox had a young Advent lady pic, so found you a young Christmas advent lady too.

Just popped in to say night

I have been watching Peter Andre his last show (family one I should say)

I have always liked him.

So glad about the bonus Hicky you deserve It

Mollie the advent pictures are funny and lovely ,no beefcake for the ladies

I have a set of drawers (can I rephrase that )that I keep medicines in you know plasters sort of first aid things and the TCP has leaked smells awful  will read back to=morrow as I have a mug of hot chocolate waiting.

Take care travelling emptybox ...night all 

I'll say Merry Christmas all, in case I don't get on again.

Just about to attempt my journey. It's windy and we've had rain and hail. I'll take my sat-nav in case I have to divert.

You're spoiling us with all these pics Mollie. I like mine a lot.

Well done on your Xmas bonus Hicky.

Hope the TCP smell has abated Frodo.

Aaaw Empty box 

have a safe journey xx I don't want to get sentimental on here  but honestly you three have been fantastic

I have family friends a nice If not posh house ..but sometimes when I need comfort I FIND It and a kind of solace here ...does that make sense ? bliddy hell telling you three my thoughts and maybe one or two more comforts me 

So  a great big smacker to you this Christmas Eve  my friends ,close your ears Mollie ..bought a Norfolk Turkey price £40 reduced to £19 and had to nudge the freezers up to make way and he says more to come 

loved this Site and thread ...l have had some real laughs 

happy 

 Christmas eve xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Good Afternoon everyone.

Happy Christmas Day Eve.

Love all the advent pics, wow.

Next door popped round last night, just to drop a prezzie off for me, and a card.

He was with his young lad, they love my Jam, he brought a bottle of Rose for us and a drinking Mug with a woollen warmer on it  to keep it warm when i'm outside.

Went to Costco this afternoon, wow,1kg of closed mushrooms 47p.

Got some Flank steak, a big jar of Peanut butter filled Pretzel Nuggets 1.47kg.

2LB of Cashew Clusters with Almonds and Pumpkin Seeds.

A box of 48 tubes of Smarties and a few goodies.

Still not got the Freelander Adventurer, they don't have the log book yet, with the  DVLA closing all the offices no way to get anything done, it's all postal, rubbish.

They have put my car on their insurance, well it's there's really anyway.

They said they will fill the tank with Diesel.

Emptybox, hope the weather stays ok for you and you managed to drive to your Brothers ok.

Merry Christmas to you as well, see you when you get back.

Frodo, doesn't TCP stink

Enjoy the Norfolk Turkey.

I saw Peter Andre, his GF is lovely, he's sure going to love the little one when it comes.

Thanks for the Christmas pictures, it's always a pleasure to have you on here

Roll on the 3rd for CBB and the 6th for DOI, final series.

Happy Christmas Eve to you all my dear special friends here. and it a pleasure to include you in that Frodo. I know we so enjoy having you here with the 3 of us and we enjoy reading your posts.

Aaawww sorry I missed Emptybox, but hope he has got to his brother's ok. And hope he has a good Christmas with his brother and family.

Hicky

well you are certainly well stocked up on smarties, if nothing else.   Never heard of peanut butter and pretzel nuggets. Let us know if it is yummy. Shame about the car being delayed for so long, good job they are making a bit of amends by putting some diezel in though. Yes Pete's Emily seems a lovely girl. Very intelligent too, can't be easy studying to be a doctor, I read in a mag she is only taking a year out of her studies for the baby, as she has worked so long for her qualification.

Frodo

I know just what you mean about finding solace here. I do too, I know I am among people I can trust, and if I am tired or stressed can come here for a bit of fun and unwind, or at times share my problems with people who understand. I am fussy where I spend my free time and this is one of my fave places to be.   I am so happy to have you here too. 

Don't be daft I don't need to close my ears about your turkey   my family are having turkey too, and gammon, I have found a nice posh quiche for me.

  TCP  smell, I remember it well from those endless days it took to clear from our bathroom when I dropped a bottle on the floor.

I have to admit I buy our doggie pressies for Christmas.   I'll tell you what I bought her after she has opened it. She loves tearing the paper off with her teeth.

This morning OH, dog and I ended up being storm chasers. I have never known anything like it. We took doggie walk on seafront and it started out bright, but very windy. It was high tide, incredible, waves absolutely huge crashing up the seawall about 50 feet high right over the light house. The sea froth covered the beach and seafront, like thick snow. There were quite a few people like my OH taking photos. When I get my new lappy (in the sales), I will join here and post some pics. When we got to the lighthouse it suddenlty started to hail heavily, then snow, and the wind picked up more. OH battled to walk back to car, whilst I sheltered with the little dog, who was getting a bit scared and cold by then. I had to towel and use the hair drier on her when we got back and OH was soaked to the skin. But we wouldn't of missed it, as one guy who was also sheltering next to me said to me, it was humbling to see. Amazing how powerful nature can be.

I am watching Carols from Kings now. Very traditional, but reminds me of when I was young and sang all these carols at school.

Then me and the family are doing a bit of traditional kareoke on the playstation.   One big row from me that is.

Well I will finish my rambling, by on this special night,  wishing you all a Very Happy Christmas Eve.

Big hugs to the 3 of you from me.  

And because it is the Big Day tomorrow, tonight it is time for our final advent piccie for Christmas 2013.

And it is Snoopy on Christmas Eve.

And, even though it is now 190 years since it was published, i still think this poem is lovely. I always used to read it to my children on Christmas Eve, when they were young.

By Clement Clarke Moore

Mollie

You must read my mind    just read this and was about to post 

Twas the night before Christmas ..can I say your version Is more compact and sweeter than mine  and great to think minds think a like your Advents have been lovely a joy and thankyou xx 

AWW don't make me cry actually I am must sign off for a while to let the tears flow

Evening Mollie & Frodo.

Here's Louise, what a lovely Santa, my chimney is waiting.

And Courtney.

Just a reminder from when she was in CBB last.

Just a quick post to say I got here OK, and am now replete after a lovely gammon supper.

It was dirty weather with wind, hail and rain, but at least there were no floods or fallen trees to contend with.

Have lovely Christmasses all.

Mollie.

The Peanut butter filled Pretzel Nuggets.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HK-A...rksid=p2054897.l4276

Evening Emptybox.

Glad you arrived safe.

You have a lovely Christmas as well, take care, careful coming back.

So pleased you arrived safe Emptybox  Gammon sounds yummy enjoy xx

Mollies advent and then the poem had me .

Loving your pictures of Louise and Courtney Hicky 

take care all do not get the tears going again ..had a blast with you all 

love and happy Christmas Frodo x     and thanks for joining me in your friendship xxxxxxx

So pleased to hear you arrived safe and sound, despite the awful weather.

and glad to hear you have been well fed.

HAPPY CHRISTMAS EMPTYBOX

Aaawww Frodo

you are such a sweetie.

I think we are lucky to have your friendship here, and I really hope you stay around here with us.

I hope you have lots of smiles and no tears tomorrow.

LOL

that really made me laugh.

Merry Christmas Everyone.

Aww Hicky  lovely pictures.... Mollie... emptybox

Happy Christmas

A very Merry Christmas to you Frodo.

Thats a lovely Twinkly Gif.

Hope you had a good day.

I went to my Lads for dinner, we cooked half he did the other.

Had so much fun with the little ones,

Great food.

The Rib Beef must the best meat you can buy, have a big joint of it in the fridge for another day.

Brought some back from my lads as he had so much, we bought a 4 Rib Joint, on the bone

o[e Mollie & Emptybox had a good day also..

Hicky and Fredo

what lovely pics for Christmas day Hicky Glad to hear you had so much fun at your lads and that the youngsters had a great time.

What a pretty decoration piccie Fredo.

HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO YOU BOTH TOO. XXX And I hope Emptybox is having a great day too.

Nearly time for our Christmas dinner now, as we went out this morning to see the Christmas swim, and to visit my mum.

enjoy the rest of the day.

Good Evening Mollie.

Enjoy your Christmas Dinner, don't fancy a swim this weather, not so bad if you are well built as it might shield you a bit from the cold, any slim person shouldn't do it really, their body temperature could drop too low.

Hope your Mum was OK.

Thank heaven that awful wind dropped.

Hicky

yes the water was very cold today, and very rough too. But the "swimmers" don't stay in the water long, just a quick dip really, but even then they looked frozen

It is a lot of fun though. Here are some press piccies of it taken this morning, me and my family, and our friends were in the crowds somewhere.   Some pretty girls in bikinis in the snaps, and some great fancy dress too.

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/n...undreds-turn-6445888

My mum was well thanks, but her memory was bad again, today she seemed to think my son was her son. So sad, it is, but I can't do a lot about it. But at least other days she does seem better.

Hope you all had an enjoyable day, just enjoyed watching Mrs Brown, now off to bed after I have tidied up.

Goodnight all xxx

hope Emptybox's family have looked after him well