Good morning! It's still jolly cold ( by Essex standards, anyway) outside. It's cloudy so no frost, but it feels bitter and I'm not looking forward to later on one bit. We've had no snow and it doesn't look as if we will, not in the near future anyway. Just a little sprinkling would be pretty but it's not the sort of thing one can order from Amazon so not to worry!
Beth and Alex stayed most of the day yesterday, which was great. While we chatted, I periodically loaded up the washing machine, tumble dryer and drying rack and by the evening there was a mega pile of ironing (including bedding) which I dealt with while watching the festive University Challenge and Only Connect plus a few vlogs that I follow.
At the moment, the house is looking messy. It's all very superficial mess, caused by washing, ironed stuff to put away and an increasing amount of Christmas clutter on the dining table as I move it all from where it was, but it's getting me down just a little bit so it's time to take action! :-)
I have a mega job today which is to empty the chest freezer while it is too cold to defrost too quickly, scoop out the snowman's-worth of frost from the bottom, defrost inside properly (I love my fan heater), sort out all the food, discard anything that needs to go (hopefully there won't be too much) and make a list of what I have before getting the whole lot back in again. It's a big job and I've been putting it off until the first cold snap. So here we are - cold snap and a window of time.
Before that, I will put all the ironed stuff away properly and do the next lot while the last few washing loads rumble away. Tomorrow, I will get in the Christmas boxes and put away most of the decorations. The tree is staying up until the sixth but I'd like to get pretty much everything else sorted and packed away by the end of tomorrow
As I mentioned yesterday, there's a pile of candles to burn down. I will enjoy their light and colour through January.
Today's Twelve Days present is some flavoured coffees. They can be made in the cafetiere and there orange brandy coffee, chocolate coffee, Irish cream coffee, amaretto coffee, Columbian coffee and hazelnut coffee. I think each one is enough to use my bigger cafetiere but I will soon find out. Maybe three quarters fill it to start and see how it works out.
Time to stop and get some things out of the dryer and folded. Have a good day, everyone, and thanks for reading. What are your plans for today?
I really must do my tax self assessment; sorting out a chest freezer suddenly sounds very appealing!! LOL
ReplyDeletelol - I know exactly what you mean. TMA Avoidance in another guise! Good luck with either/both.
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Hi Joy, I'm an Essex girl too, living in Hampshire. Born and raised in Epping, and lived in Ongar and Willingale until moving away in 1984. My mum is in a home in Theydon Bois, and my sister lives in Stapleford Abbotts.
ReplyDeleteNot to far away from here then. Hi! I used to livre in Roxwell for a short while which, as you know, is right next door to Willingale.
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Indeed, I had friends a long time ago who lived briefly in Roxwell, Shelagh and Fred.
DeleteThe names don't ring any bells but I was only there for a short time, sadly. It's a pleasant village.
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I can sympathise with the messy house. I'm at the point of being torn between clearing everything away and having a good clean, or leaving things as they are to hold onto Christmas just that little bit longer.
ReplyDeleteI do know that I am definitely going to bake some gingerbread with the dough from the freezer. X
It's a messy place to be and a bit of consoling gingerbread feels just the ticket!
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I don't envy you having to be out in the cold to deal with the freezer. I hope it doesn't take too long! xx
ReplyDeleteIt didn't thanks. I'm back in and warming up now and most relieved.
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Cleaning out the freezer.... Brr! That is a bit of a cold task Joy...although I understand the need to do it in the mid of winter.
ReplyDeleteI just know that feeling Joy. I am seeing "messy house" too! Probably because I have sat back and enjoyed a bit of Christmassy laziness! I have mainly been ignoring the ironing(which I detest) which means I cannot even close the lid of the ironing basket now and Sr P is diplomatically hinting he wants a certain sweater that he likes which of course has to be ironed!! grr!! I can't start my Christmas clear up until 6th Jan which is the Kings Day. I can iron though so grin and bear as mother used to say...don't feel like grinning though! Keep well Amanda x
It was cold but all done now.
DeleteI quite like a bit of ironing. It's nice to see the creases all smooth out. Satisfying!
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I always feel rally sad when it all comes down but it has to be done! xx
ReplyDeleteThe beauty of my little freezer at the flat is that it only holds 5 or 6 things ... I knew I would appreciate it's dinky size one day ;-)
ReplyDeleteMy plan for this afternoon is to actually sit and plan out a weeks menu so I know what I'm eating out of my rations. I should have done this SO much sooner!!
I do like that I have a big freezer but it is all too easy to get it cluttered up and difficult to keep frost free.
DeleteHope the planning is going well. Now I have a definitive list, I can also do a bit of forward planning. No point buying stuff if I don't have to, is there?
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Hate the cleaning out the chest freezer job - always done in cold weather in a cold out-building. That's why I'm leaving it behind when I move!
ReplyDeleteAre you getting an upright one instead?
DeleteIt wasn't actually as bad as I thought it might be, thankfully. Cold though.
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Hi Joy: I took a walk today and have cleaned up the kitchen. Still need to do several loads of laundry and some cleaning about the house. A pleasant but busy day!
ReplyDeleteI think days like that can be quietly very satisfying. It's nice to get things done.
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I did a bit of decluttering (not much, but what I did made a huge difference). Reflected on last year, its trials and triumphs, what I learned about myself and what I learned about others (sometimes to their detriment).
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
Good for you. Seriously, a bit of careful and critical evaluation can be extremely helpful and grounding, I believe.
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I always take everything down and put it all away and do a good clean on New Year's Day. It usually feels so nice and neat and airy - but this year I'm really missing the lights of the tree in the evenings. Good for you, Joy, for getting that freezer taken care of!
ReplyDeleteI know I am going to miss them too this year. I'm hoping having a few candles about will make a difference but they won't be the same. Decorations have been important this year, haven't they?
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