Home alone for Christmas - roll call

[Rufus Stone]

Me, me, me ...

No presents to open but a client gave me a bottle of Waitrose pink champagne on Thursday so I'm going to drink that. Lunch will be a self made chicken chow mein.

I shall hopefully enjoy reading the PH secret santa thread, and there is usually one for useless gifts too.

I'm moving home early in Jan 2024 so I'll likely get much of the packing done. Thankfully I still have all the boxes from moving two years ago!

Classic Agatha Christie on TV, Christmas wouldn't be the same these days without a bit of Peter Ustinov.

Hope you have a good one.

[Tango13]

Get up early'ish to open my PHSS gifts then down the pub for a few followed by an afternoon of total peace and quiet in front of the TV with a ham sandwich.

[Turtle Shed]

Rufus Stone said:

Me, me, me ...

No presents to open but a client gave me a bottle of Waitrose pink champagne on Thursday so I'm going to drink that. Lunch will be a self made chicken chow mein.

I shall hopefully enjoy reading the PH secret santa thread, and there is usually one for useless gifts too.

I'm moving home early in Jan 2024 so I'll likely get much of the packing done. Thankfully I still have all the boxes from moving two years ago!

Classic Agatha Christie on TV, Christmas wouldn't be the same these days without a bit of Peter Ustinov.

Hope you have a good one.

Hope you don't feel lonely, and not getting any presents makes me feel a little sad. Good luck in your home move.

[Hoofy]

One of the great things about the pandemic was not being able to spend it doing normal Christmas things. Christmas 2020 was probably the best Christmas I've ever experienced. Sorry for those who hated the pandemic.

[T6 vanman]

Sorry but not in the roll call,

OP .... If you have time early in the morning ... pop down to your local parkrun
https://www.parkrun.org.uk/

If exercise is not your thing ... they'll welcome you as a volunteer ... Just ask to be a corner marshall ... All you need to do is point left (or right) .. maybe bring a tub of quality street or something for the runners,

You'll leave having received a good 100 "Marry Christmas'ses.

Anyway ... Barr Humbug to all

[shirt]

Yo, ho

Meant to fly home for Xmas but risked a lot of visa issues if I did (long story). Bit miffed as haven’t had one with my folks for a few years, planning a longer visit in Jan instead.

Hence just been to renew registration on my Elise before they close for Xmas and will be giving the Ducati a once over tomorrow. One of them will get a good run out Xmas morning, then it’s a fry up. Meeting friends at a restaurant on the marina for Xmas dinner mid afternoon. Weather forecast is 28degC and clear!

[Douglas Quaid]

Tango13 said:

Get up early'ish to open my PHSS gifts then down the pub for a few followed by an afternoon of total peace and quiet in front of the TV with a ham sandwich.

At least treat yourself to a decent meal man.

[Tango13]

Douglas Quaid said:

Tango13 said:

Get up early'ish to open my PHSS gifts then down the pub for a few followed by an afternoon of total peace and quiet in front of the TV with a ham sandwich.

At least treat yourself to a decent meal man.

Proper gammon type ham in (not the N,P&E type gammon!) doorstep bread with sliced tomato and some home made apple chutney

I did push the boat out on the christmas pudding though, M&S fruit and nut wreath thing with loads of cherries

[Up and down Gears]

Well this year is different for me. Split with wife, so choice is be in my caravan that I currently stay in, or I've booked a hotel for a few nights in a city and go out for Indian. Choices.

[Ambleton]

Tango13 said:

Proper gammon type ham in (not the N,P&E type gammon!) doorstep bread with sliced tomato and some home made apple chutney

I did push the boat out on the christmas pudding though, M&S fruit and nut wreath thing with loads of cherries

If you're at a loose end I'd be making some bread rolls for your Christmas gourmet sandwich.

Super simple and really rewarding, I find making bread really cathartic and only has 6 ingredients.

360g Strong white bread flour
1.5tspn Instant dried yeast
250ml Warm water (body temp)
1.5tsp Sugar
1tspn Salt
Large Knob of butter (~20g)

Mix it all together in a large bowl with your hands, turn out on a floured worktop or glass board and knead for 10-15mins

Clean the bowl and put the mix back in and cover with cling film and leave it for 1.5hrs.

Turn out and form into 6 baps and pop them into a floured tray. Leave for another hour or so and pop them into the oven for 10mins at 200degC.

I like to add mixed seeds and chilli flakes to mine for an extra bit of texture and kick.

(Make sure you have a backup just in case)

[Philvrs]

Hoofy said:

One of the great things about the pandemic was not being able to spend it doing normal Christmas things. Christmas 2020 was probably the best Christmas I've ever experienced. Sorry for those who hated the pandemic.

I got a Christmas card that said something like “finally my Christmas wishes came true”

[Philvrs]

Turtle Shed said:

Hope you don't feel lonely, and not getting any presents makes me feel a little sad. Good luck in your home move.

Love it when people mention the loneliness….like the other 364 days days don’t count because they’re not some kind of made up special time of the year

[Rufus Stone]

Up and down Gears said:

Well this year is different for me. Split with wife, so choice is be in my caravan that I currently stay in, or I've booked a hotel for a few nights in a city and go out for Indian. Choices.

Crikey that's a bit grim. Hope it all works out for you.

[bloomen]

Philvrs said:

Love it when people mention the loneliness….like the other 364 days days don’t count because they’re not some kind of made up special time of the year

You don't want to argue with your pissed up aunt while some vague nephew pounds his new drumkit while Mother discovers the turkey she didn't really want to cook turns out to be rotten?

I find that mawkish stuff really weird. It's just another day surrounded by a cluster of extra boring ones. I might drop in one someone, I might not.

[Vasco]

Rufus Stone said:

Up and down Gears said:

Well this year is different for me. Split with wife, so choice is be in my caravan that I currently stay in, or I've booked a hotel for a few nights in a city and go out for Indian. Choices.

Crikey that's a bit grim. Hope it all works out for you.

For some men he's probably got the best present already.

[Randy Winkman]

I wont actually be home alone since I'll be having Christmas lunch with my elderly Mum. But since she is my only family in the UK, lunch with her is about it for Christmas when it comes to "mingling" so I thought I'd drop in on this thread and wish everyone all the best.

For Christmas I always say that since I get a few days off work and can watch World's Strongest Man I'm very happy.

[JMGS4]

Please think of all the homeless servicemen and women who have as usual, (happened in 1918, 1945, 1970 and after Afghan and the South Atlantic) been betrayed by the govenments(s) of this country!!!! Good enough to die or be wounded mentally and physically but not good enough to be given help, food and housing!!!

[cliffords]

Up and down Gears said:

Well this year is different for me. Split with wife, so choice is be in my caravan that I currently stay in, or I've booked a hotel for a few nights in a city and go out for Indian. Choices.

We did Christmas in a caravan once , there were two of us . It was on a caravan club site . I spent all morning politely trying to get rid of all the people who felt it necessary to knock on the door, or open it in one case, to say happy Christmas.

[JagLover]

Randy Winkman said:

For Christmas I always say that since I get a few days off work and can watch World's Strongest Man I'm very happy.

A Christmas holiday tradition

[loskie]

I'll go and pick up my old mum who's had to stop driving.

Bring her round for a late lunch with me and the dog then take her home again.


Not what I had planned for my life.