Morning All BBrrrrrr it is so cold this morning I dont know who is up, or still up but I have read some

[Ginsing]

very interesting and cohesive posts from last night. Now we all need to face the new day with our Happy vim and vigor as how many shopping days are left......? It gets shorter by the day strangely as a big child at heart one of my passions is Advent and all it means. I love having advent calenders and being able to count the days away to Christmas day. I am very lucky I manage to have Christmas with my family around me laughing and enjoying our time together. Though this year it will be slightly different as my son has decided not to join us. I respect his decision but I feel slightly broken that he wont come to what will probably be the last time everyone sits together for a meal. His reason is because I have invited my good friends to join us as you can imagine I am incredulous that is the reason.

Still enough what will be will be.

I am on the station run at 8.00 so be back later

xxgins

[suffolklass]

Good morning Gins

I've been up for a little while. My 7 year old daughter was up at the same time, secretly think she'd been waiting to hear me, so she could jump all over her big brother who is 14 today! She was more excited than him.

We have a few birthdays before Christmas but it's good to start the countdown. My daughter has been asking for the tree to go up for the past month and has been practicing carols for a special schools service in the cathedral next week. My son is good and plays along and encourages her to enjoy it all.

I'm sorry your son isn't joining you. They grow up so quickly.

I love Christmas and children make it more special.

Have to get on with school runs, late as usual! Take care. X

[Ginsing in reply to suffolklass]

When you are back from the school run have a coffee and a hug from me keep warm my friend xgins

[suffolklass in reply to Ginsing]

Have just sat down with a coffee to get warm. For once you should be warmer than we are down here! The temp was -2 when I checked at 7.

I often think about moving back to Angus but don't think I could handle the cold anymore. I've been down south too long and have been acclimatised!

Hope you are cosy. Xx

[Cookie72]

Morning gins and Suffolklass, I was awake early bu got up 7.30am, just don't think of coming on my iPad I think I should in future, be nice to talk to someone if they are on.....I buy my grandsons an advent calendar every year and have done since that were 5 & 3 they are now 19 & 21, I wouldn't hear the last of it if I didn't get them one... Our Christmas decks usually go up the first weekend of Dec, but my eldest grandson girlfriend is coming to stay next weekend and she wants to help, as apparently there's nothing like that in her home, not even a Christmas tree, apparently Christmas to her family and relatives mean getting plastered and pucking up, shame isn't it, & told theres no such thing as Santa, ...anyway she will be coming to stay with us all over Christmas including Christmas Eve, so I joked with with her and told her to hang her stocking up for Father Christmas, infact we have bought her one lol....heck guess I'd better shut up I've just prattled on haven't I, sorry, .....hugs to you both .....Dee xx

[Hidden in reply to Cookie72]

Morning Dee that's really sweet and shall make the families Christmas special too it'll be like her first Christmas zebxxx huge soft fluffie hugs

[Ginsing]

Morning Dee,

Silly is nt it Christmas lunch started at 17 people and now down to 7 all quite understandable but silly me had hoped to entertain them all and my son throwing a wobbly was just too much. I blew it not like me. I am better now and i know we will have a lovely day. I think since my husband died \i have tried even harder to make it extra special for every body.

I should be like my dear friend the farmer down the road it is just another day to her

hugs to you too Dee xxgins

[suffolklass in reply to Ginsing]

Dear Gins, it is understandable to try to compensate when we lose our husbands. We try to make things normal, and as good as things were before for our children and family, even for us. I am always trying to do things and give things to my kids to make it up to them.

Maybe your son was frustrated and trying to protect you from all the work, as well as wanting you to himself a bit more. I hope you don't mind me saying this, I don't mean it nastily. I do have great admiration for you even thinking of entertaining 17 people!! X

[Hidden]

morning gins

Aw! its such a shame it won't spoil it too much for you because you're love for Christmas still exists and is very special my friend I'm sure things will iron out and a compromise made

I'll be there in spirit dropping festive fluffies over you that sing carols and also tell bad cracker jokes

Huge fluffie cuddles for you gins xxxzebxxx

[Ginsing]

Thank you all it has dwindled to seven because of family commitments and I quite understand I just hoped for one last glorious bash! What is nice they are all now coming over Christmas but more spread out better I think!

OH just in cold weather payments are in folks! So look to your accounts!

xxgins

[Cookie72]

Hi all been a busy cold day, went with Maureen to help her get her Christmas hopping, ....my husband died 2004, but he couldn't abide Christmas not even for the children when they were little, but me I loved it, my mum and dad always tried to make it special for us kids they had very little money , and in those days it appeared that the wife wasnt allowed to go to work, their role in life was houswok and look after the kids, but we had happy ties and Christmas was great fun, ..not sure i like it that much now, too commercialised .........Blythe way gins wat OH mean I keep seeing it...hugs..Dee xx

[Ginsing]

Hi Dee dear just read your post properly now OH is other half - not better half just other My husband died some 15 years ago and at that point I changed Christmas well the routine we did things in a different order drank more champagne that sort of things now I am facing change again and yes it is hard but I will love seeing my little one if not the other! I love Christmas when I had my shop for twelve glorious years it was christmas when it shone hard work but listening to people thinking about each other renewed your faith!

Today I am going for a belated Birthday tea very posh should be grand fun gigles and disappears pop!