Topic: Christmas Gardening pressies!

[redimp]

Thanks everyone - I am getting my chin up now - that is why I managed that post but it has been a right bugger of a year - the only highs being related to the lottie.  Anyway, did finally realise it was all getting too much for me and went to the GPs earlier in the week.  He has referred me to the head doctor and upped my dose of anti-depressants so with a bit of look the councilling should get me off the pills asap.

[terrace max]

I also find it hard cos the two eldest go to their dad's this year, I know they'll get the heart's desire, which is hard on the  2 youngest, but I know where their hearts lie.......

Ditto - except with one youngest (for now)...

[undercarriage plan]

I end up smiling and admiring all these wonderful pressies whilst gripping a wooden spoon very tightly behind my back, manic gleam in my eye and OH giving encouraging signs from across the room.... ::)

[Delilah]

Good on yer Clang, the first steps are always the hardest and all that......................... you know we're always here don't yer :)

UC - never liked merc's anyway ;D............. ;D

[undercarriage plan]

But would so love to fill one gardening tools, old compost sacks, dirty wellies and pig poo... ;D ;)

[wardy]

I wonder how people keep their cars so clean and tidy.  Mine is just awful - I'm ashamed of it.  My husband wanted me to take him and his mate into town tonight for their Christmas party but there's no way - it's full of wire netting, wellies, plastic bags with all sorts of crap in,plastic bottles, dog blanket, jumpers, rake, spade, hoe, the parcel shelf is on the back seat!  He suggested I cleaned it out.  I suggested he "drop dead"  ;D

[Delilah]

I have to keep mine quite clean unfortunately as it is full of work equipment during the week - it gets emptied out on Thursday night and a blanket put in the back for the dog and horse riding stuff to get deposited in without getting it too mucky ;D  Then on a sunday evening I have to clean it out and get reloaded with work stuff again ready for  Monday morning  :( a bit of a pain really

[wardy]

Clanger   On another thread we were discussing dried tomatoes which got me thinking that such things would make lovely gifts for Christmas.  There are loads of ideas for us lotty folk of things to make for Christmas and I only just thought about it.  Doh!  eg dried tomatoes in oil maybe with home made yogurt cheese balls (looks like Buffalo mozzarella), tarragon vinegar, raspberry vinegar, fruits in syrup, pickled onions and beetroots, picallili,  all done up in nice jars with ribbon and home made label, honey, home made biccies - savoury and sweet.  Some peeps on here are probably doing this already but it would be something to think about as a way of solving present crises and using produce.  Red onion marmalade, oh I'm off now, no stopping me.  I know you might not want to give them to your kids but you know what I mean  :)    Our deli makes up food parcels in wicker hampers all year round but loads at Christmas.  Afterwards he sells the second hand slightly damaged wicker hampers.  Mind whirring away now  ;D

[Derekthefox]

My car is simply a truck for moving around. It gets loaded with whatever is necessary - guitar and equipment, riding stuff (stinky), horse poo (less stinky), various tools etc. It gets a wash before its annual MOT. I am not ashamed of it, it does what I expect of it ...

Derekthefox :D

[robkb]

My car is simply a truck for moving around. It gets loaded with whatever is necessary - guitar and equipment, riding stuff (stinky), horse poo (less stinky), various tools etc. It gets a wash before its annual MOT. I am not ashamed of it, it does what I expect of it ...

Derekthefox :D

Well said that man! I was once told that a clean car was a sign of an empty mind, hence I am apparently a genius of Einsteinian proportions! :o

Cheers,
Rob ;)

[AikenDrum]

Like many of us on here, and I'm sure that can be multiplied by 10's of thousands across the country, times is 'ard in my neck of the woods as well. That brain devourer that sits in the corner vomits out an obscene amount of jealousy/sadness enducing fear into our houses, turning normally cheerful, easygoing people into twitching, self-loathing, quivering wrecks. So, this year EVERY prezzie I give is going to my either hand-made/cooked or bought (with thought) from charity shops. I'm buying myself a half pound of patience and two pen'worth of tolerance  ... and everybody else can bugger off.    ;D

[undercarriage plan]

I don't think the hospitals could cope if I started giving peeps hand cooked things......And Wards, had to take car to plot to empty!! Couldn't get anything in there!!! Had ladder, compost bags, old trellis, tools, spade, fork, mars bar wrappers  ??? most ladybirds, and an old Wisteria I'd cut back...... ;D though having shopped, wish I'd stayed at plot now! Blessed people shopping.....grrrr..... though did have some intersting convos with others in queues...MP3 saved my sanity I think..

[Delilah]

Think you need some rhubarb wine Lottie - steady the nerves ;)

[undercarriage plan]

Cheers me Dear!! ;D ;D ;D ;)

[Derekthefox]

Thanks Rob, I thought I was all alone ... but I don't feel particularly intelligent ...

Yup, Rhubarb wine again tonight methinks ... seeing as its Friday ...

Well said AikenDrum, stuff the commercialism and do your own thing, rock on ...

Derekthefox :D

[BAGGY]

That's why we do poundshop pressies for the family.  Even the kids (who I know, Christmas is for the kids, blah blah,blah) get cheep stuff and we try to buy a board game and all play together for a few hours.  Telly is banned and we have a great laugh.  Last year in the crackers we all got shoe horns.  My eldest nephew found that these were great for launching pickled onions from so we had a competition in the garden.  Only dad gets a worthwhile - £50 - pressie from his three girls.  Got a rather fetching outfit for him this year so he can go to the legion looking spruced up.  Shh ...... don't tell him.

[spacehopper]

((((Clanger)))) It's not the presents that make christmas. Last year my son spent more time playing with wrapping paper and boxes than anything else.  :) I can't remember any of the presents I got as a kid but can remember clearly the family, and the happy times.

[wardy]

Does anyone have the Vegetable PLot by Sarah Raven or the Soup recipe book (advertised at the top of these pages) The soup book is something to do with Hugh FW?

I ask as I fancy getting these but not if they're rubbish

Anyone? .....