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message 15851:
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Adrian
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Dec 16, 2018 01:17PM
Ah, so #1 gets a final trump card? We do the same in our family but with the last pick having best choice.
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Well, we allow #1 to be last because he had no chance to swap initially...
Terri wrote: "So what's everybody up to for the Holiday Season (irrespective of belief or how your culture enjoys it)?For me, as mentioned earlier in the thread, I celebrate Christmas even though I am not a re..."
That sounds just like our Christmas, and we’re on the other side of the world. Because of my daughter’s work, we won’t have a family dinner until the following Sunday, although our grandsons will probably demand an earlier evening visit to show off their presents. I have a deep suspicion that a new book about Robert the Bruce is one of my presents -eight year old grandsons are useless at keeping secrets - so once the main meal has been cleared away, that is going to be very tempting.
Good luck with your writing Terri. Out of interest, how many hours a day do you spend on writing? I try to average two hours, either before or after work, but it doesn’t always work out that way.
Hi Jerry. I try to do it like a job. When I am not doing work on the farm...I do 7:30am to 5pm. With an hour for lunch and two 15 minute breaks. One in morning and one in afternoon. lol. If I don't do it that way, I get distracted too easily. I think it works for me because I am a methodical type person.
Then I try and average over 1000 words a day. But mostly I do 1000-2500.
I don't know if that is a low word count, but I get a bit bogged down because I try and make it fairly polished for a first draft.
I tend to reread what I am writing throughout the day. Lots of rewriting and polishing going on. So word count would technically be more everyday due to all the editing and reworking. lol. It takes up a few hours of my day doing the reworking.
May wrote: "Each person brings a wrapped gift of the agreed upon price or theme. Then each person draws a number from a hat or bowl (totally # participating). #1 chooses & opens a gift first. #2 repeats the pr..."That sounds like you'd have a lot of laughs. As long as nobody involved is a petulant creature who gets sulky because they had a present they really liked taken off them. haha.
Terri, sulking, pouting & hollering “no, you can’t have it!” has certainly happened. But how long can one pout with the rest of us laughing out loud?? It is all in good fun... and occasionally you go home with a gift you can really enjoy!!
If the Prezzie amount is limited ($30 in our family), people can only get so pissed off...
$30 is a pretty good amount. Lots at Bunnings for that. :)We just spend what we want (within reason) in our family. And no limit on how many presents. We enjoy trying to find things that will make each other happy. The thrill of the hunt! haha. It's the way our family says thankyou to each other for support and love throughout the year. So we really get into the present buying thing. :)
Obviously everyone's family does things differently and has different traditions. It is interesting.
I know plenty of people who do Secret Santa. And just as many who buy what they want and spend what they are comfortable with spending.
I was talking to my husband last night about all the different ways people do gift-giving at this time of year. Told him about Yankee Swap.We know some people who only give handmade gifts to their loved ones at Xmas.
Then hubby said there is a woman at his work who said her husband won't give gifts. No Christmas gifts, no birthday gifts, nothing. He'll buy his young son gifts, but not his wife or anybody else.
That was a bit shocking to me.
Is he a Jehovah’s Witness? My understanding is that they do not believe in gifts. Not my preference, thank you... I love presents 🎁
I love prezzies too but it all got too big in our family for people to try and buy for everyone. Mind you, no problem for me... I always just got wine for the adults and cash for the kids. So, Xmas eve, a trip to Dan Murphy's, a trip to the ATM, Xmas shopping done in five minutes flat.
Terri wrote: "I was talking to my husband last night about all the different ways people do gift-giving at this time of year. Told him about Yankee Swap.We know some people who only give handmade gifts to thei..."
My husband is the same--no presents etc. but I chalk that up to culture as he comes from a completely different background. I'm the one who buys for grandkids but signs the card from Grandma and Grandpa.
Morning all. The whole of December is a sacred time to me, being a pagan. So I've been quietly celebrating. I spend a lot of time during this month in quiet contemplation.Tomorrow is my work's Christmas function. We are going out for a lovely lunch.
May wrote: "Is he a Jehovah’s Witness? My understanding is that they do not believe in gifts. Not my preference, thank you... I love presents 🎁"His credit card would be the only present I’d need 😁
May wrote: "Is he a Jehovah’s Witness? My understanding is that they do not believe in gifts. Not my preference, thank you... I love presents 🎁"We actually thought about that last night. The wife didn't say so, but maybe he was raised by Jehovah. He gives gifts to his child. Just not his wife or anybody else.
His reasoning his because gift giving is 'commercial'. Which is ridiculous, because you can make something yourself if being too 'commercial' is a problem.
I don't mind that gift giving has a commercial side to it. That commercial side creates jobs and income at so many levels of our society. from retail sector right back to the people in poorer countries that need work just to survive. I'm all for creating jobs while giving gifts of love to my loved ones.
Margaret wrote: "Morning all. The whole of December is a sacred time to me, being a pagan. So I've been quietly celebrating. I spend a lot of time during this month in quiet contemplation.Tomorrow is my work's Ch..."
This sounds like my Birthday week. Which is not pagan, just a forced week of celebration all about me that I make my husband endure every year. :]
Yeah, same here Allie. If he was my significant other I''d just say, give me the money, I'll gift things to myself.
Evening everyone! Long time no chat! Xmas for us is generally quietish, but heavily focussed on food! We will celebrate on Saturday with my sister in laws family, and then again on Xmas day with just 7 of us. It’s a small affair, but I’m sure we are still the loudest on the street. We try to give gifts that people really want, without spending like crazy, but we also have a bit of a “yankee swap”. We buy small weird funny gifts and it’s a bit of a lucky dip, that you can swap. It’s usually pretty funny. But then comes the food, and then lounging around like overfed lizards. This year though I did buy lots of books for gifts, so I’m excited about that. And Chris has bought me books so I’m verrrrry excited about that. I hope everyone has been well, and I’m looking forward to catching back up. :)
Lisa! Crikey. Great to see you back among your book family. :-DI shiver at the thought of books for Christmas. That would be nice. I'll love what I get of course, but books..I do love a book, as we all do.
Steve wouldn't know what to get me. And it would require him to 'internet shop' which he is scared of and completely hopeless at. haha. So, books will never eventuate under the tree unless it is the new Uhtred and he knows I don't have it yet.
Last Xmas he gave me Uhtred.
Food is huge here too.
Stev and I are doing the whole big Xmas lunch thing. Cooked ham, Roast pork, Roast Turkey, roast vegies and gravy, then Plum Pudding and Custard. Then for Boxing Day dinner when my parents and grandmother show up, we are putting on a Moroccan inspired feed. With a Za'atar Roast lamb, a Cherry and Pistachio Tabbouleh and a Chickpea salad with Coriander spice oil. Pudding I am making a Christmas Pudding Ice Cream cake.
(I'm sharing finer details because I am just working on the shopping list for all this now. I'm excited.
For the first time ever, the husband is going to try making a gingerbread house. That should be interesting. :)
Thanks Terri! I have missed the group! I’m so easy to buy for. Chris always rolls his eyes when I say just buy me a book, or wool, buy me wool! But they are the two things I always want. And vodka. I’m keen on vodka. I always leave things to the last minute though, I’m hopeless. So when I order bike clothing for Chris from the UK, I’m always biting my nails to see if it turns up in time! Thankfully they didn’t let me down this year. Safely arrived, wrapped and under the tree.
The food you are preparing sounds amazing Terri. I love the sound of your Morrocan feast! My sister in law is a great cook. I just don’t have any interest anymore. I don’t have a kitchen that inspires lots of cooking, so that makes it a bit hard. But one things for sure, we won’t starve!
Well off to bed for me. Chris goes into hospital tomorrow for knee surgery, and we have to be on the complete other side of Sydney before 6.00am! Night :)
Terri, I want to be at your Boxing Day feast!! Food sounds awesome... save me a plate??
Waves @ Lisa (Hi Stranger!) All this talk of food has moved me outta the Bah Humbug faze now we're nearly there :D - Our family has been moving further away from the traditional Turkey Roast of late (like the sound of the Moroccan feast Terri) jus found out we're having NO roast Tatties thou!!!!! on Xmas Day......... we're having Lamb Kleftiko (Greek) which actually I rather like the sound of.
And for the Pagans among us. I'm going along to watch the Sun rise on the winter solstice with a few other like sorts, maybe next year i'll make it to Stonehenge on the Solstice.
Good luck to Chris on his knee surgery, Lisa!
May wrote: "Terri, I want to be at your Boxing Day feast!! Food sounds awesome... save me a plate??"Absolutely. Come on over! :-D I can put a few tables together and seat an extra 12 people so plenty of room for 12 A&M friends. Lol.
Andy wrote: "Waves @ Lisa (Hi Stranger!) All this talk of food has moved me outta the Bah Humbug faze now we're nearly there :D - Our family has been moving further away from the traditional Turkey Roast of l..."
What?, no roast potatoes? Is there another potato famine? This just isn't right.
Seafood for Xmas is pretty big in my State. Mostly prawns. (I guess some countries will call them shrimp..big shrimp?)
My brother and his household usually steer away from hot food and do a prawn feast. That's not for me. I'm a traditionalist and likd my roast meats on xmas day. Prawns on Boxing Day is fine though.
As I consider it a major treat, Christmas dinner will be streak with potatoes and mushrooms.
May wrote: "Each person brings a wrapped gift of the agreed upon price or theme. Then each person draws a number from a hat or bowl (totally # participating). #1 chooses & opens a gift first. #2 repeats the pr..."So that is what it's called :)
We do that at my work party - while elephant gifts/$20 limit. With the extended family, the siblings (there are six of us) rotate names every year and give gifts to the siblings and kids under 18. The over 18 grandkids have there own pool and draw names for those who want to participate.
I've detailed our Christmas feast earlier in the thread - on the 23rd is my Dad's party with all the siblings - Ham/Prime Rib, scalloped potatoes, I do the prime rib so I also make a Yorkshire pudding, various sorts of vegis - including roasted broccoli and carrots, home made rolls, assorted pies and other deserts, etc
All the siblings are now local - we all live with in 15 miles of my Dad's home and everyone attending (there is upwards of 50) is assigned something to bring, so the demand on my Dad's kitchen is not overwhelming. It seems that my Scalloped Potatoes are well liked so I get assigned that every year along with the Prime Rib.
My immediate family's big Christmas feast is Christmas Eve and the menu is similar, but the scalloped potato recipe is different - I found one that uses Gruyere Cheese and is just fantastic. The other one is from the Betty Crocker Cookbook. We normally have 8-10 people.
Christmas day is just piecing and leftovers.
@Andy Hello! Hope you have been well Andy! I have a lot to catch up on. I was a bit sad about the potatoes until I saw the Greek food! I lurv Greek food! I’m torn between your place and Terris’s!@Terri, thank you! All done now and home and resting. He was operated on at about 7.30, so over and done with fairly quick. Excellent hospital. Nothing like a good anaesthetic to let you know how crap you can feel, lol. But he is resting now and the dr was very happy with it, so all good! :)
Oh my, I can just imagine what Uhtred would make of the Inquisitors!
So they sent him home same day, Lisa? Not a repkacement then, hey? Just a wee keyhole surgery?
Yep, just day surgery. It was cleaning up the cartilage and repairing a tear in the ligament. Apart from the anaesthetic reaction, he is feeling pretty good. His work closes for 2 weeks and so this was the best time where it would have the least impact. Apart from the owner he is the only qualified mechanic there, so they can’t do a lot without him. So he’s on the lounge with an ice pack today while I go off to work :)
Lisa,Glad to hear Mr. Lisa is doing well - may he have a speedy recovery!
Christmas Eve here in Australia. Lots of cooking and cleaning to do in preperation for tomorrow. May not get back on GR in time to wish everyone a merry Christmas. Soooo...to all those who celebrate Christmas/Yule....**********Merry Christmas to you all**********
I'll be away early tomorrow for a few days of festivities so a Merry Xmas to one n all
Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and may you find glorious books under your Christmas tree 🎄!!!
Merry Christmas guys, hope you have all have a great few days of food and family.
Merry Christmas everyone. Hope you all have a happy and safe break. Xx
Merry Christmas to all. My gift to myself was a new knee and i couldn't be happier. One night stay in the hospital to monitor infection and then home. Been walking on it since the first day. Should have done this years ago. Stay safe for the holidays.
Excellent gift, Bobby! Some of the best gifts don’t come in a box!! Here’s to a healthy Merry Christmas!!
Thank you May ....and cheers back to you!
Let me add my Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday to all of my friends here.We had my Dad's Party last night and there were 58 people there - almost no left overs, certainly not the beef or ham :) I did save the bones from the Rib Roast for the dogs and they are very happy.
We have all three daughters home right now and I cooked breakfast and will be starting on luncheon here shortly. The oldest is taking her kids home, so they can have Santa Clause at their home. Her youngest two were very worried that Santa wouldn't find them if they were not at their home.
In spite of the weathermen, it looks like we are having a White Christmas this year - It is snowing as I type this. The storm is both early (it was supposed to here Wednesday and the temps a few degrees warmer so we would have had rain in the valleys)
We will be opening some of the Grandkid's present here in a half hour or so - new tradition this year:)
Bobby - good luck with the knee and may it heal quickly!
Good for you Bobby! Hope all goes well with the recovery. I hope you got a little more than surgery though, haha.Oh Happy, snow!! That’s would be a wonderful way to spend Xmas. Air conditioning here today, not quite the same, lol.
Oh I got 2 books for chrissie! Graham Norton’s “ A Keeper” and Ken Folletts “ A Column of Fire”. Very happy, :).
Lisa wrote: "@Andy Hello! Hope you have been well Andy! I have a lot to catch up on. I was a bit sad about the potatoes until I saw the Greek food! I lurv Greek food! I’m torn between your place and Terris’s!..."
Stuffed! :) It were Gert Lush..... even managed to steal a few slices away for my sarnies this week lols
How'd we all go? I see Andy is out of his food coma. I am also out of mine today, although I feel hungover from it! I don't drink, so it is definitely just from all the food and sugar. lolI did end up scoring a book at Xmas. After an earlier post where I said nobody gets me books because they don't know what I want or I have already got what they would have bought me.
Hubby got me the newest Michael Connelly thriller. I haven't read anything but history for years so it was an interesting choice by him. But he did good. I used to love thrillers. Michael Connelly is my fave.
He bought it because he noticed I wasn't reading much due to the writing I'm doing. So he bought me a thriller because he had a hunch that maybe I just needed to get my head out of historical fiction for a bit.
He was totally right! I am reading it now and am enjoying it.
I am certainly not off Hist fic. Don't get me wrong. It is just that I am playing around with writing the stuff now and I have been pushing myself to try and write 5 days a week. It was hard trying to write it, mostly badly, haha, then read the genre at night after spending all day trying to write it. lol
Oh, and the book is
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