It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas Off Topic Chat

appledrop

We had best fun building our snowman and the put Let it snow on and danced around to it!

Melting rapidly now but fun while it lasted.

Posy

Oh, that sounds lovely, appledrop!

mirrorwall14

I wish it had lasted a little longer. I adore the white brightness and the utter calm of the world when snow is falling

Loughc

mirrorwall14 wrote: »

I wish it had lasted a little longer. I adore the white brightness and the utter calm of the world when snow is falling

Same it’s so beautiful. I love how everyone was out enjoying it. Brought joy to a dull lockdown.

kitten_k

https://lovindublin.com/dublin/dublin-pub-leaving-up-christmas-decorations-until-the-end-of-lockdown/?fbclid=IwAR3CwqHDCdYdk97OkgFrRWFFRVOYEfmx0Bi4K-Q3A-yE5pn7FTeNKMXOnrU

Loughc

kitten_k wrote: »

https://lovindublin.com/dublin/dublin-pub-leaving-up-christmas-decorations-until-the-end-of-lockdown/?fbclid=IwAR3CwqHDCdYdk97OkgFrRWFFRVOYEfmx0Bi4K-Q3A-yE5pn7FTeNKMXOnrU

I'm a big fan of this, people still need a lift and what a better way to give them a lift.

Loughc

11 months to go to the big day!

AN icy start out there today so be careful folks. I had a feeling it was going to be a rough start to the morning when the snow stopped melting yesterday and started freezing again, so there's a mixture of snow and icy out there this morning.

The footpaths looked lethal and it was -5 when I was scheduled to go for my walk so I left it for this morning. Looks beautiful out there but absolutely deadly.

DvB

Happy Rudolph day y'all.

Agree with loughc, its bitterly cold out. Was up at 6am and when I went to put some stuff out in the car our external thermometer was reading -6!! glad I'm WFH as my car is basically an ice cube atm and I dont fancy defrosting it any time soon.

Decided to don the christmas socks and will have the latest Merry Britsmas podcast to listen to later this afternoon when all my morning meetings are finished.

Hope everyone has a nice day.

Loughc

In one way I feel like we've reached a mini-milestone today hitting our first rudolph day so that should be good news in another way I'm deffo down in the dumps a bit, Christmas feels a hell of a lot longer than 4 weeks ago, this Christmas feels every inch of the 11 months away it is and COVID feels never ending.

When I woke yesterday morning to see snow everywhere it was magical, I looked out the window onto a green area where families were out playing in the snow building snowmen, I seen 3 separate families building a joint snowman together and immediately I thought...they're not socially distancing and my buzz was ruined

I didn't want to go out while the crowd of people was out there. It just seems like everyone was on top of each other and all it takes is for one person who had it.

I already know of one neighbour who had it and didn't tell anyone and he didn't self-isolate either and he ended up passing it on to loads others so it goes to show people really are that stupid!

DvB

Loughc wrote: »

In one way I feel like we've reached a mini-milestone today hitting our first rudolph day so that should be good news in another way I'm deffo down in the dumps a bit, Christmas feels a hell of a lot longer than 4 weeks ago, this Christmas feels every inch of the 11 months away it is and COVID feels never ending.

When I woke yesterday morning to see snow everywhere it was magical, I looked out the window onto a green area where families were out playing in the snow building snowmen, I seen 3 separate families building a joint snowman together and immediately I thought...they're not socially distancing and my buzz was ruined

I didn't want to go out while the crowd of people was out there. It just seems like everyone was on top of each other and all it takes is for one person who had it.

I already know of one neighbour who had it and didn't tell anyone and he didn't self-isolate either and he ended up passing it on to loads others so it goes to show people really are that stupid!

Feel your pain. This lockdown is definitely impacting on me more than any of the previous restrictions. I suspect the good weather with the first lockdown helped massively, whilst the build up for christmas brought its own distraction, but this one just feels utterly miserable and is definitely just about being endured. There seems to be an endless feed of doom & gloom and very little positive to look forward to in the front half of the year. Even the sliver of hope that the vaccines brought seems to have been diluted by mismanagement and the warnings of mutations that may render them inadequate and us requiring restrictions for what seems like forever... We all know how the governments here like to drip feed bad news and theres a definite feel of that happening at the moment.
To offset that i've found myself breaking my cardinal rule for avoiding the post christmas blues by looking back at previous build ups, adverts etc. to try & cheer myself up, but its hard & I can feel myself starting to struggle mentally.
Just need to try & stay positive and reassure myself that there will be better days ahead.

SarahLil

Happy Rudolph Day guys

Belated Happy New Year to you all sorry I haven't managed to get on since the run up to the big day, hard to believe it was a month ago (I look forward to catching up on all the threads)

I hope you all had an amazing Christmas and New Year, ours was nice what I wanted just quiet at home not much different from other years if I am honest I like to be at home

Loughc

SarahLil wrote: »

Happy Rudolph Day guys

Belated Happy New Year to you all sorry I haven't managed to get on since the run up to the big day, hard to believe it was a month ago (I look forward to catching up on all the threads)

I hope you all had an amazing Christmas and New Year, ours was nice what I wanted just quiet at home not much different from other years if I am honest I like to be at home

You have alot to catch up on!

I'm like you, lockdown wasn't affected my routine too much, I do enjoy the home comforts too haha

TRS30

Had a great morning yesterday with the kids. We built a snowman in the garden and then another down on the green at the end of the road. We were out early so pretty much had the place to ourselves. I know what you mean Loughc, as started to get busy, lots of people came out so we went home. I am starting to develop a fear of crowds

We then had some hot chocolate and played games and watched a movie for the afternoon.

Day was nice and relaxing till finally turned on the news in the evening, went on social media etc and was all doom and gloom, restrictions for much of the year, schools potentially closed till Easter etc and put us both on a real downer

We watched a comedy to try and cheer us up however didn't really work. Went to bed early hoping to wake up in better form.

Forgot it was rudolph day till logged in so that has cheered me up a bit so going to try and stay in a positive mood today.

Loughc

And on another positive note, once we get to Friday we are essentially in February!!

DvB

Just to add, I wouldnt beat yourself up too much about feeling down at the moment, pretty much everyone we spoke to in the last week (spoke to most of both our families thanks to the kids birthday last week) is feeling it a lot more, with more than one having a cry when chatting to us.

Its okay to not be all positive and full of the joys so dont feel guilty about not feeling great. I suspect theres very few people not struggling these days.

TRS30

DvB wrote: »

Just to add, I wouldnt beat yourself up too much about feeling down at the moment, pretty much everyone we spoke to in the last week (spoke to most of both our families thanks to the kids birthday last week) is feeling it a lot more, with more than one having a cry when chatting to us.

Its okay to not be all positive and full of the joys so dont feel guilty about not feeling great. I suspect theres very few people not struggling these days.

Yea, know that a lot of people are in the same boat makes things a bit easier. Shared burden and all that.

jellybear

Morning all! Happy Rudolph Day
We managed to get out for our morning walk but my goodness was it slippy!
I hear you guys on the crowds thing. We only go out early morning and late evening as our estate is busy during the day.
We had a nice weekend...very chilled.
Woke up this morning feeling a bit down...not sure why really. Just not in the chattiest of moods, which is very unlike me!!
Hoping to have a catch up call with a friend while little man naps so I'm sure that'll cheer me up

Hope everyone has a good day!!:D
Oh and welcome back SarahLil

Autosport

Happy Rudolph Day!!!!

Too cold and icy to go for a walk this morning so I’ll leave it till later if it warms up

Welcome back Sarah

DvB

Tell you what, looking at the weather forecast for the next few days, make the most of the sun today as it looking wet & miserable for most of the week.

Always said January was a miserable month & i've seen nothing of 2021's one to feel any differently

Posy

It's amazing to think this time last year we were relatively blissfully ignorant of what was coming! :eek:

I think it was actually January 25th 2020 that I was first aware of this virus; I remember watching the Lunar New Year on the news and they were saying cities in China had been locked down and people couldn't travel or celebrate properly. I felt sorry for them, but honestly was watching it with a sense of detachment, with no idea what was coming to us!
It was only when it hit Italy that I was properly scared- I guess things have to be closer to home sometimes to have an affect.
Even in April, I thought everything would be back to normal by the autumn!!

This month is definitely miserable, but I certainly wouldn't have this time last year back- although if I did, I'd have spent Feb 2020 in the Canaries, then would have promptly moved to New Zealand. :pac:

I was watching a film on Saturday set during WWII and when you consider people losing years/decades to war- food shortages, rationing etc, having to rebuild bombed and ruined cities at the end of it, and we already had a vaccine 9 or so months after this began here, I guess we are lucky, although I know it's hard to look on the bright side during a cold, locked down January.

Fingers crossed that 2020/21 will be a horrible blip, and then we will hopefully have the rest of the decade to make the most of and be happy and healthy, all going well.

TRS30

Well said Posy.

freshpopcorn

Posy wrote: »

It's amazing to think this time last year we were relatively blissfully ignorant of what was coming! :eek:

I remember it was briefly discussed on the news in January. The attitude was shur we had Sars, Bird flu, Swine Flu, etc and it all settled down.
Then the last week or so in February people became uneasy.
I remember the day they closed the school. The attitude a lot had was they'll probably keep them closed until after Easter just to be safe.
However it began to set in what was to come as the days went on.
At least now we know how we are set up and don't have false hope about things.

Posy

I remember pubs with signs in the window 'CLOSED UNTIL MARCH 31ST.' Little did they know they would not open again for over a year, or for some, never reopen again.

tscul32

Posy wrote: »

I remember pubs with signs in the window 'CLOSED UNTIL MARCH 31ST.' Little did they know they would not open again for over a year, or for some, never reopen again.

I left work on March 18th with "we'll see you on the 31st". I didn't get back until August and there's a strong possibility that I'll be back on the PUP next week.

On a brighter note I have Christmas FM on for Rudolph Day. Still remnants of snowmen around and they're lovely to see. The roads looked treacherous this morning so I walked to work instead. It was so crisp. But my poorly insulated office was Baltic. One of the rooms off my office has a clock with a temperature gauge and it said the room was 2.9 degrees this morning. I'd seen it at 4 before but that's unreal for indoors.

Home with a warm coffee now though.

freshpopcorn

Loughc

To be fair that doesn't seem too long.

DvB

I need to stick to the weeks this far out, when we get into the 200's its not 'too' bad, but being in the 300's seems miles away so prefer to delude myself with the lower number of weeks

8000 hours seems reasonable though oddly enough.

TRS30

Loughc wrote: »

To be fair that doesn't seem too long.

Especially when you consider you sleep about 2.5K of those, it will fly by

Posy

Excellent.

Loughc

TRS30 wrote: »

Especially when you consider you sleep about 2.5K of those, it will fly by

And weekends make up 2.3k of them. So 2.3k weekend hours equates to one Monday.

freshpopcorn

6 days until 1st February.
20 Days until Valentines Day.
22 days until Pancake Tuesday.
35 days until March 1st.
47 days until Mother's Day.
51 days until St Patrick's Day.
62 days until the Clocks go forward.
69 Days until Easter.

Make the most of them.

mirrorwall14

I broke out a Christmas jigsaw at the weekend because of stupid lockdown. It was the only one I had. But it’s soothing making santa and I’m enjoying it

Happy Rudolph day folks. It’s nearly February!!

Loughc

It's a dull start to the day, most of the icy has melted out where I am, but the bits that remain, my god are they slippy, so be careful when out.

Thankfully it hasn't started raining yet, I didn't mind the dull morning on my walk it reminded me of the Nov/Dec morning walks that were very dark.

Loughc

We will be in the 320's this weekend and then into the 200's in 3 weeks after that.

February starts on Monday and that always feels lime a big milestone given January is 467 days long.

DvB

It really is a gloomy one out there this morning, sat here in my office at home & having to leave the light on its that dark outside. At least its not as cold, but the damp is a poor alternative IMO. Prefer it when its cold & clear myself.

Am out on site this afternoon in Bray & dreading the weather being wet & miserable, have gotten used to WFH & the thoughts of visiting a cold wet site in January is not the most appealing of activities.

Looking ahead, as loughc said, February is less than a week away now and hopefully that will be the last full month of level 5 restrictions we have to endure also...

Still, cant help thinking of that Greenday song atm, wake me up when september ends...

jellybear

No walk this morning...way too wet! It's gonna be a long day trying to entertain little man..pray for me!!:D Just realised he'll be 17 months tomorrow...where did that time go! Hope everyone has a good day

DenMan

The last of the snow sadly has gone and there's a steady drizzle coming down. The car looks nice and shiny.

Loughc

DenMan wrote: »

The last of the snow sadly has gone and there's a steady drizzle coming down. The car looks nice and shiny.

Drizzling here too, hopefully it stops by lunchtime I need to get more steps in!

DvB

DenMan wrote: »

The last of the snow sadly has gone and there's a steady drizzle coming down. The car looks nice and shiny.

My car is white, and its constantly being destroyed by ash from a neighbours fire, they have some kind of stove that spews black ash & soot constantly so when the rain comes it helps with that a tad. Its the one good thing about the rain in fact!

Neyite

DvB wrote: »

My car is white, and its constantly being destroyed by ash from a neighbours fire, they have some kind of stove that spews black ash & soot constantly so when the rain comes it helps with that a tad. Its the one good thing about the rain in fact!

They have to be burning rubbish? Even turf wouldn't spew out that residue and all coal is smokeless, isnt it? Environmental health might be interested.


Our snowman that we built at the weekend is now headless.

TRS30

Neyite wrote: »

Our snowman that we built at the weekend is now headless.

Our's is in the front garden which is in shade all day so is slowing melting. Horrible way to go :P

Posy

Poor snowmen!! You ghouls. :pac:

Caranica

In bed with a nasty chest infection, had THE test but thankfully that came back negative.

Tempted to take the tree down this week rather than leave it to the weekend, I think it's time. Just need the energy!

TRS30

Take care of yourself Caranica.

Weather is not great for colds, chest infections etc with the temperature being up and down.

DenMan

Get well soon Caranica. Leave the tree up.

Loughc

Caranica wrote: »

In bed with a nasty chest infection, had THE test but thankfully that came back negative.

Tempted to take the tree down this week rather than leave it to the weekend, I think it's time. Just need the energy!

Rest rest rest. The best healer of it all.

Wishing you a speedy recovery.

Cork Lass

Caranica wrote: »

In bed with a nasty chest infection, had THE test but thankfully that came back negative.

Tempted to take the tree down this week rather than leave it to the weekend, I think it's time. Just need the energy!

I had the test yesterday too (negative) as I’ve got a really bad case of gastritis and had to be hospitalised. Hoping to be home tomorrow as I’m making good progress. My tree is still up too but we’re letting it until 31st. It’s like an old friend at this stage :pac: Hope you recover soon.

Caranica

Cork Lass wrote: »

I had the test yesterday too (negative) as I’ve got a really bad case of gastritis and had to be hospitalised. Hoping to be home tomorrow as I’m making good progress. My tree is still up too but we’re letting it until 31st. It’s like an old friend at this stage :pac: Hope you recover soon.

Thanks. Sorry to hear you're unwell too. Glad we're both negative

Posy

Hope you both feel better soon, Caranica and Cork Lass. xx

Cork Lass

Posy wrote: »

Hope you both feel better soon, Caranica and Cork Lass. xx

Thanks Posy - how are you doing?