Personally never really notice that gap being excessive probably because there's so much going on with schools going back and suchlike.
Back to the grindstone for me as well today, although very quiet so far so won’t jinx myself by speaking too soon!
Sorry to read about the positive Covid @Loughc like yourself I’ve also avoided catching it over the last 3 years, although I had a bit of a scare yesterday when I got home from Scotland & my throat started acting up, did a Covid test yesterday evening when it started getting worse but thankfully came back negative ‘ seems to be regressing now so panic over! Wishing you & your wife a speedy recovery 🙂
As for Scotland, despite the heavy rain over there throughout the weekend including on New Years, I got to do & see what I was planning to see. I’ve included some pics from the Christmas market & fireworks.
Great photos @gidget
Looks great @gidget, glad you enjoyed despite the weather.
The weather is better as well so doesn't seem so bad and as you said is always lots going on. The old New Years to Paddies was a long slog, which will be a bit easier now with the 'free' day off.
Ordered these Christmas themed books from Amazon in the build up to Christmas, which only arrived when was away. I especially wanted to get myself a copy of “The Night before Christmas” & despite being an adult & childless, this copy felt fitting, which I’m going to make a Christmas Eve tradition by reading on the night.
At least we have the October one. Having spent over 5 years in the UK in the past, it was such a long time from their August bank holiday (end of the month) to Christmas with no more bank holidays to ease you through!
What a lovely collection @gidget!! That's it, I'll go and order a couple of these right now!
That's a great collection of books @gidget 🤗
Phew, day 1 of back to work under the belt. My boss is back tomorrow so I had a busy, albeit quiet, day just doing what I needed to do along with a quick call to all my team members for a quick chat to sé how their Christmas was and then left them alone after that. God knows, I'll be hassling them like a demon for stuff from tomorrow onwards.
Time for a beer I think. Darts final later as well. Oi! Oi! Oi!
Survived day 1 back. Laptop going off and going to have dinner with the kids and then let them pick a game to play or film to watch.
At least it's Wednesday tomorrow, I think!!
I hope it is!! 😮🤔
Well done everyone who survived Day One.
Brilliant photos @gidget and what great looking books. Wow!
I always assumed that Guy Fawkes weekend was a bank holiday- I remember being shocked to find out it's straight from the end of August right through to Christmas/New Year. Yikes!
Mad that there's a bigger gap between our Aug bank holiday and Oct bank holiday and the (previous) gap between New Year and Paddy's day- I would have thought January having 68 days would have made that considerably longer!
got thru the day ok but missing the festive buzz now.. so roll on Fri for Women's little xmas.. not touching a xmas treat till then.. the few decorations we have out (no tree.. just a few bits.. stuff you can light up etc..) will remain till then
@Posy pissing myself at January having 68 days in it. You’re not wrong!!
Day one done and dusted and sadly beginning to feel like I was never off. The wheels keep turning.
I got out for a 20 minute walk after work to soak in as much of the Christmas lights/atmosphere around as I can. Need to bottle it all to survive the off season.
Decorations are staying up here until the end of the 6th. My little tradition is to stay up til midnight and shut the lights all off one last time and take the wreath in off the door.
The signifies the end for me. I usually get up early the next morning and dismantle everything and box everything up again.
January 6th 2024 falls on a Saturday so that’s handy. A nice way to close off the season.
Packing our suitcases here for our journey home which starts tomorrow, felt weird packing away the Christmas jumpers and santa hats we wore for our first flight out on Christmas Eve... the sadness has started 😢
That was also my tradition. Lights off and one decoration off the tree at midnight at the end of the 6th. Last two years I left the tree up until the end of January as it was such a bleak time. Undecided about this year yet.
That's my tradition too, although last year, kind of like @Caranica I left my kitchen and hall trees up until Candlemas. Also undecided if I'll do that this year, might leave just the kitchen tree up because I just love it so much!!
Literally thought 'Jeez, Loughc is really planning his life out 😂 ' before realising that that's just next January. 😧
I really want to do a second tree this year. I think the kitchen could be a good spot. And if I’m doing a second tree it’s deffo getting the coloured lights treatment!
We have 4 trees to take down on Saturday...
And although we traditionally take all ours down before going g back to work we have a similar routine where I turn off the lights when we're going to bed and the Mrs removes the first tree decoration we bought as a couple that goes on our main tree. The rest comes down the next day.
The two main trees have had their lights on everyday from when I get up in the morning till I go to bed. We use them instead of usual lights in both rooms. All the lights will go on till the 6th and then the sad progress of taking them all down and boxing away will begin. Not looking forward to Saturday.
When I logged onto work this morning it was still dark but I could see 3 houses with all their Christmas lights on from the home office window, gave me a much needed lift.
Feel dreadful this morning, I think adrenaline got me through yesterday morning but chest and throat feel so sore and heavy from this poxy COVID.
Happy 10th day of Christmas folks - hope you are all getting the most out of the festive season :)
Safe travels.
Sorry to hear that. I know you said you are very busy now so I know taking the day off isn't a runner. Guess you'll just have to power through on coffee and Christmas lights!
Taking all our stuff down on Saturday which will inevitably lead to a house and shed clear out.
Ah Jude welcome back, I hope you had a lovely Christmas!
Same, always leads to an impromptu decluttering of attic and shed.
Hope you had a nice Christmas and New Year.
We'll start taking some stuff down tomorrow when the kids head to school. Nearly time to swap the mini potted Christmas trees we have either side of the front door with the flowerpots containing the daffodil bulbs.
Finding it very hard not to splash out on something on the Lego website this morning to cheer myself up 😅
have a safe journey home and i hope that ye all had a fantastic holiday.
