Messymascot's faith in humanity and ginger safe haven

[anjelikaferrett]

Morning everyone,

As Ken Dodd might have said...just 2 more sleeps before Santa slides down your chimney missus - always wondered how he gets into flats which don't have one - he must have some good housebreaking skills.

Anyway do we look forward to this time of year anymore, especially if you don't have kids?

Must admit in normal times it is lovely to have a big family gathering but even that's in the balance now.

Mum's 94 and lives with us. We have nephews who are teachers with young kids and tests or not I don't want them to mix with mum , particularly as another nephew isn't prepared to get vaccinated ( note to self ...if they come over on Boxing Day don't tell him he's a [Poor language removed] for not getting vaccinated ....he's a kopite so there's plenty to fall out over anyway ) so what do you say or do?

Fred I'm really pleased that you are spending Christmas day with your neighbour friends , I hope that you will be OK.

It is obviously a very poignant time of year and Mrs J will go to visit her mum and dad's grave with her sister today.

As for me I will go to the gym this morning and wrap some pressies .

What is everybody else doing?

I used to look forward to going to the pub for a quick pint on Christmas day but because of so many cancellations they have closed the restaurant and decided not to open the rest of the pub on Christmas day. Tough times in hospitality.

Well I hope everyone finishes their preparations for Christmas today and can enjoy a peaceful and restful festive break.

I still look forward to Christmas even though my kids are well grown up. There is something very special about Christmas Eve. My kids, bless them, still indulge their crazy mother, by agreeing to play a board game on Christmas Day afternoon. Last year was the Liverpool edition ( city not FC) of Monopoly, this year I've bought the new edition of Logo. My Trivial Pursuit is so old it stil mentions the Soviet Union and is older than them so we're not allowed to play that. lol

You're doing the right thing with the nephew. You've kept your Mum safe through all of this so I would be telling him to do one as well.

I'm going to watch a rugby match on Boxing Day. Darlington Mowden Park v North East Barbarians. It has become a bit of a tradition but unfortunately borne out of sadness. Three years ago today my friend's grandson passed away. He was 8. He had neuroblastoma- the same thing Bradley Lowery had. They had been fundraising to send him to Barcelona to take part in clinical trials of a new treatment but sadly never made it. They set up a foundation with the money they had raised and it is now helping to fund research into children's cancer. His Dad plays for Darlington so this match every Boxing Day is a charity event
Hope you all have a lovely Christmas. It's been a rough old year for most folk but some far more than others I'll be raising a glass to Messy, I'll be thinking about you @Barnfred 55 . Have a lovely time with the neighbours. Love and peace to you all x

 

[Gwladysover]

My last day of working away from home tomorrow after having followed Mr Tebbit’s advice for about 28 of the last 33 years give or take. Maybe a couple of days in January working from home, then proper retirement. Have I got enough money, no idea, but as this thread has shown there is a time to say enough and live a little.

Enjoy your last day. Have a long and happy retirement.

 

[Armaghtoffee]

Morning everyone,

As Ken Dodd might have said...just 2 more sleeps before Santa slides down your chimney missus - always wondered how he gets into flats which don't have one - he must have some good housebreaking skills.

Anyway do we look forward to this time of year anymore, especially if you don't have kids?

Must admit in normal times it is lovely to have a big family gathering but even that's in the balance now.

Mum's 94 and lives with us. We have nephews who are teachers with young kids and tests or not I don't want them to mix with mum , particularly as another nephew isn't prepared to get vaccinated ( note to self ...if they come over on Boxing Day don't tell him he's a [Poor language removed] for not getting vaccinated ....he's a kopite so there's plenty to fall out over anyway ) so what do you say or do?

Fred I'm really pleased that you are spending Christmas day with your neighbour friends , I hope that you will be OK.

It is obviously a very poignant time of year and Mrs J will go to visit her mum and dad's grave with her sister today.

As for me I will go to the gym this morning and wrap some pressies .

What is everybody else doing?

I used to look forward to going to the pub for a quick pint on Christmas day but because of so many cancellations they have closed the restaurant and decided not to open the rest of the pub on Christmas day. Tough times in hospitality.

Well I hope everyone finishes their preparations for Christmas today and can enjoy a peaceful and restful festive break.

You are very organised Jazzy I must say.

One thing though, don’t you have a set of hounds you could release on that Kopite nephew?

 

[Armaghtoffee]

My last day of working away from home tomorrow after having followed Mr Tebbit’s advice for about 28 of the last 33 years give or take. Maybe a couple of days in January working from home, then proper retirement. Have I got enough money, no idea, but as this thread has shown there is a time to say enough and live a little.

Congratulations mate!

GOT 8 hours a day for you coming up in the New Year ?

 

[Daveysgingerlovechild]

Too late for you to change I suppose but I remember the first nail I knocked in and it bent before my father straightened it for it to go in .I don't think anyone has a special DIY gift ,there are some like me that won't give up and from that I will try anything .
If you don't get a sense of achievement then I understand and agree but you will find loads to do ,a friend of mine thought he would try bridge and ended up with another woman and a hobby he played almost everyday ,had no more time to garden and it changed his life .

You're probably right - I don't mind a spot of gardening and many of my frustrations with DIY come down to time. You can't rush it, especially if picking up something new, but currently I don't have the time to dedicate to stuff.

Having said that, I've still got loads of my working life left, so I probably need to figure out what to do with that to make it feel meaningful!

 

[tommye]

My last day of working away from home tomorrow after having followed Mr Tebbit’s advice for about 28 of the last 33 years give or take. Maybe a couple of days in January working from home, then proper retirement. Have I got enough money, no idea, but as this thread has shown there is a time to say enough and live a little.

Enjoy that last day today Tommy. Good luck for the future ?

 

[Daveysgingerlovechild]

It is strange as so many downsize at retirement age but we moved recently and given we wanted an indoor pool for my wife's rheumatiod arthritis we ended up in the biggest we ever lived in !

Sounds nice mate. Hope your wife isn't suffering too much, nasty stuff rheumatoid arthritis.

 

[Barnfred 55]

Last photo....I promise.

But here's the little fella that's causing me so much worry.

I've still got my fingers crossed for him mate. Playing hell with my cooking.

 

[jazzy]

I've still got my fingers crossed for him mate. Playing hell with my cooking.

Thanks Fred.

You take care mate.

 

[jazzy]

You are very organised Jazzy I must say.

One thing though, don’t you have a set of hounds you could release on that Kopite nephew?

Got 2 AT but they are both soft as anything

 

[jazzy]

I still look forward to Christmas even though my kids are well grown up. There is something very special about Christmas Eve. My kids, bless them, still indulge their crazy mother, by agreeing to play a board game on Christmas Day afternoon. Last year was the Liverpool edition ( city not FC) of Monopoly, this year I've bought the new edition of Logo. My Trivial Pursuit is so old it stil mentions the Soviet Union and is older than them so we're not allowed to play that. lol

You're doing the right thing with the nephew. You've kept your Mum safe through all of this so I would be telling him to do one as well.

I'm going to watch a rugby match on Boxing Day. Darlington Mowden Park v North East Barbarians. It has become a bit of a tradition but unfortunately borne out of sadness. Three years ago today my friend's grandson passed away. He was 8. He had neuroblastoma- the same thing Bradley Lowery had. They had been fundraising to send him to Barcelona to take part in clinical trials of a new treatment but sadly never made it. They set up a foundation with the money they had raised and it is now helping to fund research into children's cancer. His Dad plays for Darlington so this match every Boxing Day is a charity event
Hope you all have a lovely Christmas. It's been a rough old year for most folk but some far more than others I'll be raising a glass to Messy, I'll be thinking about you @Barnfred 55 . Have a lovely time with the neighbours. Love and peace to you all x

Oh that's so sad Anj

 

[Armaghtoffee]

Got 2 AT but they are both soft as anything

Yeah but he won’t know that as they leg him.

 

[Terrarian]

This thread moves fast how on earth do you busy people have more time to post than me sat at home ffs lol

 

[Barnfred 55]

Aye. Both heading towards 80 and still run rings round the rest of us. Mum has had a few scares over the years, breast cancer being the main one, but you would never have known, she never complained once and her positive outlook at all times was a real help to the rest of us in dealing with it.
Dad still chooses to work 3 days a week supplying the ships stores in the Freeport with their fresh produce, loads of heavy lifting and physical work. He loves it the madman lollol

Absolute legends the pair of them?

Your mum and dad will also be proud that they have a legend for a son.


What's your brother's name again?

 

[anjelikaferrett]

This thread moves fast how on earth do you busy people have more time to post than me sat at home ffs lol

I'm off today so that's my excuse. I've actually done everything for Christmas. If we haven't got it now we are not getting it. Today is a do nothing kind of day. I'm back in work tomorrow but hoping to use the advantage of home working tomorrow on at about 5.30, do my day and still have an early finish. Our cat usually wants to go out around that time so I'll just stay up.