Reasons To Be Cheerful

TRS30

First full week of the year done, laptop going off and going to go play with the kids.

Have a good one folks.

Autosport

I have a wedding coming up in September and it’s in Italy, and a few of us are planning a little holiday around it 😊

Posy

Oh lovely, Italy is just the best. 😊

DvB

Italy is our planned holiday destination this summer, looking likely to be sorrento. I love Italy and can't wait to go back.

TRS30

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120109708#Comment_120109708

Did this for a friends wedding with the OH before we got married. Flew to Rome and travel up county by train, stopping in a few places, wedding was up in the mountains and then we traveled on to Pisa and flew home. Was an amazing holiday and wedding.

kinney

Some ppl practice everyday gratitude affirmations. I think it's very useful for everyone. Just try this and you'll see how many things make you happy everyday and you even don't notice this.

Loughc

Hotel stay this weekend and going to have a duvet day this Monday I think to recharge.

DvB

First training session of the year done, was absolutely baltic but the lads were brilliant. Great to be back.

A cup of te

I've been gifted a Christmas tree now from an aunt for this house I don't have. As I keep saying, all I need now is a few walls to put around the decorations :-P I'm getting there.

TRS30

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120122712#Comment_120122712

Important things first!!

DvB

That story reminds me of when I first moved out from the family home into my own place, it was early enough in the year & I had put little thought into christmas decorations or suchlike (the place was huge with a great bay window for a tree though) as I had loads of work to do on the place first. But it all came together & was finished around Halloween & I still remember going out & buying my first ever Christmas tree (it was artificial) and the decorations for it, most of which I still have to this day. The tree was only a 6ft green one and not that big or fancy and was binned after the Mrs moved in a few years later but I kinda regret having done that, despite it being the right thing to do really, rather than hoard for old times sake.

When I was selling that place & looking to buy my next house though it was bizarre how decorating any potential house for Christmas became a factor in my decisions, okay it was a minor one, but the fact it was there at all was a sign of the madness to come i suspect!!!

A cup of te

@DvB love that story! I've been thinking in a similar way that a bungalow would be great so I can reach the gutters more easily for the outdoor lights ;-) your first house sounds fab - nothing like a big bay window and Christmas tree in it. I've a very limited budget so in today's climate it'll be something small and cosy! The tree is more 5 ft but that'll probably be plenty big. I'd say I just about have all my decorations because I've been buying them for years and decorating the office and then storing them under my desk! I was asking my mam where her old baubles were and she reckons they're in the attic. It'd be a win win because I love the old decorations. I'm thinking this entire house will be 1980s/90s style if I get my way and tinsel everywhere! It's hard to get good chunky tinsel these days but I did manage in some random independent poundshops around the country.

By the way, here's a business venture guys, why don't we club together and open one of those all year round Christmas shops. I could do the cafe part of it. I make great mince pies, puddings and cakes :-P

dubstepper

@DvB I had something of a similar setup. Had my own place before herself moved in. I bought an artificial tree that I really loved. Great colour and real style branches. When my partner moved in she wanted a real one. I was against it as I thought the artificial was fine. Around jan/feb we started to hear scratching in the attic. Checked out and could see bite marks on wires on joists.. Laid mouse traps up there and eventually it all stopped. Looked at the traps but empty so never found the guest. Roll on Christmas next year and I was taking out my beloved tree. In a branch of the main part of it was a dried out body of a large mouse or rat!!! I thought about saying nothing but in the end had to bin the lot. Bought another artificial tree, but was never really happy with it...

Posy

Oh no!

My tree is just thrown into the attic now- I haven't put it in it's tree bag yet. Hope there are no unwanted guests in it. 🫢

Loughc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120127077#Comment_120127077

I wish I had an attic entrance wide enough so I could put my tree up into it assembled every year, would save so much time haha

TRS30

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120128320#Comment_120128320

Me too, would save my back as well 😁

DvB

At this stage I think I'll be needing a new storage unit in the back garden to store all our decorations, its crazy the amount of stuff we have now, attic is struggling to hold it all now.

Loughc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120128374#Comment_120128374

Since baby came onto the scene my attic is reaching capacity quickly.

TRS30

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120128374#Comment_120128374

We are the same. I struggled for the first time to get all our decorations into the attic space that we usually use. One late box (clothes that were drying) had to go into the other side of the attic.

TRS30

Last Friday in January done for another year.

Have a good one folks.

BK5

Today is the first day of the year when the sun sets after 5pm in the evening. A grand stretch 🙂

Loughc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120166438#Comment_120166438

Until the end of October!

DvB

Needed cheering up last week & something positive to look forward to, so we ended up booking our summer holiday on Friday night, so Roll on July 6th & Forza Italia!!! Shame Mr Visa will need paying again in 3 or 4 weeks though, the deposit was chunkier than I'd have liked but hey, its half paid for now already!!

Also managed to sort out the Mrs birthday present, even though her birthday is in March it felt good to have that boxed off early & other than footwear we have the kids confirmation clothes al sorted now too, so as long as they don't take a huge stretch in any direction we seem to be keeping 2023 well organised for now!

DvB

Logging off at home for the evening and realised I can change my christmas countdown wall calendar to February now... one small step admittedly, but an important one!!

Posy

We're into the last 78 hours of January. 😁

TRS30

Thank crunchie its February!

DvB

This day 4 weeks is March!!

Couldn't resist!! 😀

TRS30

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120186045#Comment_120186045

Gotha love February.

tscul32

Today I started a college course that marks the beginning of a path to a new career. Apart from a short Level 5 course I haven't done any proper studying since 1997. Will be a busy 3 years, but then I can (hopefully) see out my working days as a teacher😁

DvB

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120187876#Comment_120187876

Never to late to learn ( I did a masters at 45), go for it I say & best of luck!!!