What are you all up to
Comments
-
I've got a list and I'm checking it twice - and I think everything is accounted for - special requests included.
But they're not really special requests - just various family members ensuring I don't forget the things I do every year.
Top of the list for Grandson number 4 - potted shrimps. They're not very common in Leicester.
So, it's now time to relax. Nothing to do till the veg prep and sauces tomorrow.
1 -
The turkey has landed
Under its own steam? Some truth in turkeys voting or Christmas
David
2 -
Unfortunately not always practical for those of us who live in large urban areas. I will take Waitrose as a good alternative as they seem good at developing relationships with their suppliers and any profit gets recycled to the people that work in the business.
David
2 -
Thankfully I am done.. no more supermarkets for me..i'm staying far away from the madding crowd.
Talking about supermarkets.. I just read local news online that Aldi and Lidl are closed on Christmas day and Boxing day plus New Years day...well done I say, its good to give your staff a well deserved break.. who wants to go shopping on Boxing day anyway regardless of what shop it is.
Brussel sprouts
I can only eat 2 and they have to be soggy!!!!! 
1 -
Fowl now in fridge and many thanks to local farm shop for keeping it safe for me. We asked for a small one as only catering for 3 this year so they arranged for it to be kept separately. This is what happens when you shop at independents and are a regular customer. They were handing out chocolates to those waiting in a queue, not very long one at that, and other nibbles. Mind you I did see a turkey being priced up at over £120. I presume the staff come and cook it for them.
Wish Tescos hadn't have had such a devastating effect on greengrocers and fishmongers in town. We've also lost about 4 butchers shops in last 20 years but I now prefer to get my meat from farm shop if I can.
This is a Sprout Free Zone and long may it continue to be so.
2 -
We live about half way between 2 smallish places, just outside Glasgow, the locals like to call them "villages".
One place has the Tesco, the Waitrose, and a M&S food store of a middling size, there are no greengrocers left there, but there is a good butcher, a fishmonger and a couple of fancy bakeries.
The other place has only a small M&S food store, so still has a butcher cum greengrocer and a fishmonger.
However, the veg prices at the greengrocer are very high, the turnover of stock is slow, so often things do not look fresh. We see the same thing when we go to my home village in Norway, the veg and fruit do not look attractive due to the length of time they have been hanging around in the local shop.
It is a problem in remote or small places.
2 -
Took Rosa out for the last daylight walk at 1500, and saw what we have been told have now migrated to this area, Green parakeets ,have heard this strange call in the last couple of weeks but saw about 5 of them in one of the very old sweet chestnut trees we have, also noticed that the snow seems also to have brought down several branches from one of also very old Lebanon pines that with the Chestnuts were part of the original main drive up to the "The Big House" now all converted to into Apartments(flats) but still its own grounds
0 -
Went to visit Mum this morning she's not very well, the doctor paid a visit on Wednesday when my sister was visiting her. Bless her she has a chest infection, she isn't coughing but she sounds really croaky and her voice is very weak. When we arrived she was in her room doing some colouring. Didn't want to go down to lunch, just fancied a sandwich and a cuppa, so they brought it to her room. not very good on her legs today needing help to walk, unlike her
On the way home drove past Asda and Lidl but neither looked that busy seen it much worse.
Weather here but dull and drizzly but the wind was picking up.
OH hung the new mirror up in the living room, and put up a new curtain rail in the front bedroom. I've stripped the bed and washed the bedding, mattresses still to be turned and bed remade. Pan of soup on the stove and huge thick pork chops braising away in the slow cooker. Still got a basket of ironing to do and the oven to clean, tomorrow I think.
Grandaughter (eldest) also not well, bad ear infection and she has perforated her ear drum.
Car is filthy but I doubt if it will get a wash now.
Greengrocers, fishmongers what are those. We don't have either anymore in Perth, even butchers are getting thin on the ground.
We've noticed the latest trend, of small shop owners going into the supermarkets and buying up the fresh food cheaply, then selling it at a marked up price. Was at the next till to our local small shop owner, a few weeks ago while he was doing just that. He didn't see us at first but his face was a picture when he did. Cafes and small restaurants do the same, boxes of veg and dozens of loafs of bread and rolls. Cash and carries don't seem to be getting used like they used to.
Time to go and check the dinner, byee
0 -
Whoops we are having tuna jackets tonight. Just had to pop out to buy tuna
.that's cos we've been running down stock. Very surprised at the quietness in Lidl. (We had a street full of greengrocers, bakers and butchers but Tesco arrived killing the trade 20 plus years ago 😢. Then more self owned shops came back and street thriving and get vibrant again and Tesco got in with a small store and put them all out of business 😤😭).A nice bonus we bumped into our next but 4 neighbours who we haven't seen for a while so a bit of a catch up. She's an Aussie and her mum is over.
Heard from son - now have eta for tomorrow and know it's main meal about 2pm. But still trying to reschedule my timings, we leave house 5.15am on Thursday 28th, apparently future DIL arriving 27th to see us before we go 😲😲. And they have party with friends on 28th so will go over there late afternoon on 28th. So day the day allocated for personal tidy up 😉 packing, putting away Christmas decs etc now disappeared. Need to make a list of what son needs to ensure sorted before they lock up. They are not the tidiest of folks 😆. I'd planned on ejecting him on 27th 😂😂😂😂.
I'm not feeling in the least festive, our house is barely decorated this year 😢, but I'm sure it will all be grand 😆
0 -
No sun over the I.o.W either today !! Only 'mizzle' again.Warm though about ten degrees.Spent the day lazing !! Went to Cowes for a little shopping (chain ferry free to foot passengers !!) Otherwise it's £2.60 for cars each way.Off to see a pal entertain in a local pub tonight "John Wroath" singer etc .Probably eat there too.
.0 -
We have Waitrose/M&S/Sainsburies and Iceland in our Town centre all others are on the preriferies? but the nearest villages 2miles and 3miles ,both have butchers and today they were dishing out their xmas orders and the popular one, i was informed, had a queue at least 50yds long ,there are no longer any greengrocers but one of the butchers does a bit of greengrocery
0 -
Love sprouts, last year we got some reddish tinged ones on the stalks, they were sweeter and less strong tasting, even the sprout haters in the family tried them and were pleasantly surprised.
OH says she has not seen them anywhere this year.
We are out for Christmas meal, but OH has invested 19p at Aldi for a bag of sprouts for me.
0 -
Dinner cooking fine and soup now all divided up in containers to go in freezer once its cool.
Our village has a butcher, Spar, pharmacy and a small shop that used to be the post office come shop, they gave up the post office to the Spar to concentrate on the shop side, can't see them being in business for much longer as it was the post office that brought in trade, that and the fact that they cannot compete with Spar on prices.
In the city there are 2 Tesco Extra's, + a Tesco Metro. Fairly big Asda, medium sized Morrison and a small Sainsbury (I do mean small) 2 Aldi and 1 Lidl, oh and an M&S food store. All of them seem to do a fair bit of trade, you have to wonder how we and our parents ever managed with just the corner shop.
Bakers2, don't you just love your kids
I'm sure it will all work out for you in the end.0 -
The Iceland in the village shut down this year, but we have a Farmfoods nearby.
Lots of supermarkets all over and around Glasgow of course, and retail parks and malls on all sides. Not too far from us we also have a Morrisons and a Sainsburys, and an Asda even nearer, so plenty of choice if we want it.
The food shops are returning to the city centre as Metro, Express, Local and Simply Food stores, which is excellent for those who need to shop on their way home from work, lots of delis too.
0 -
Well Santa was duly delivered to the Children's Cancer Respite centre so that they got their presents. Unfortunately Santa was a bit damp as the weather was a bit drizzly and there was waves on the loch! The kids were really excited and enjoyed having time to chat with santa. really impressed that Santa's beard was firmly attached!!
Home to thaw out now!
1 -
TG, please send some of your boundless energy over here!
Today the kitchen project is finally finished, so OH can dust and clean the units and start moving in.
This afternoon I have been engaged in enforced tidying due to visitors coming tomorrow. Not sure whether what I have done will pass inspection later! Tomorrow some dusting and hoovering will be needed.
We are having M&S, Waitrose and Aldi Party Food this evening as today is Lille Jul Aften in Norway. Tomorrow I will see if I can get hold of the family in Norway when DD is here, so we can all have a bit of a catch up.
1 -
Kj - The bigger supermarkets do make life easier but I definitely don't rate their butchers or fish counters. Maybe seeing really good ones in France has had an effect.
We're not that badly served with a good greengrocers in town but the council still insist on parking charges so unless you are going in for something else it doesn't become cost effective. They've even increased the charge this year.
0 -
Bakers2, don't you just love your kids I'm sure it will all work out for you in the end.
I'm sincerely questioning both points at the moment 😲😲😂😂😤😤😭😭. But in the words from The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, if it's not alright then it's not the end. I'm just beginning to come back down so maybe my brain will get back into functioning mode. We may well pack everything tomorrow morning so that it's done and tidy giving us more space once its done and we can concentrate fully on it. It'll then be 7 days in the cases but we know what facilities we have on arrival - and then I can relax.
Tammygirl wish your mum and granddaughter better. I suffered with bad ears, as did my children, when I get earache I can still hear my parents lounge clock ticking so great was the pain and a ruptured eardrum is the worst.
Robsail well done, I hope you thaw out swiftly. Must have been very rewarding. Makes me wonder why I'm stressing over minor things 😲. Puts things into prospective properly.
0 -
Hope you have a great time Triky, our neighbours set off for the IOW this morning for Christmas too.
1 -
Got fed up with waiting for son to arrive, decamped to the pub to meet up with friends
Pub very busy but nice atmosphere. Had a text from son to say he had arrived , told him to come to the pub! 1
