Co-op meal deal

I often check out the Co-op meal deal though I don't often buy it.
I bought it a few weeks ago when it comprised a chicken pie, chips, carrots, jam rolypoly and ice cream.
The chicken pie did 2 meals each for hubby and I, the jam rolypoly and ice cream made a quick pud for one day when the DGC were visiting.
There are still chips and carrots in the freezer.

The current deal is shown above and comprises a turkey crown, Yorkshire puddings, parsnips, sprouts, roast potatoes, stuffing balls and a viennetta. 

We won't be eating this as our Christmas dinner, apart from the parsnips but all of it will come in useful over the next few weeks.

Sleeeep

Neither my beloved or I are sleeping well at present, hardly surprising is it.

I'm managing 5 hours a night and I feel like I need 8 hours, hubby is only sleeping for short periods at a time.

I downloaded some sleep music for him to listen to, it was eight hours to be played continuously, supposed to ensure eight hours of sleep.

Hubby seems to have found it helpful, unfortunately as he is quite deaf he has it playing rather loudly, for the whole eight hours!

I, on the other hand, couldn't sleep through the music playing, neither could I go and sleep in the other room or downstairs as I would normally do.

The loss of his mum has left hubby feeling very insecure and when he wakes during the night he immediately reaches out to check I'm still there, if I'm not there he wakes up in a panic.

Two more get ups

Sadly lacking in the sleep department at the moment, we had to be up at 5 this morning and we were both still awake at 3 am.

Two more get ups for me, I'm sure I can manage, just about.

Hubby is working until Christmas Eve and then has a 10 days off, he hates Christmas and would rather be working.

I've finished my Christmas shopping, such as it is, I have bought hubby a rose called 'Mum in a Million' I will buy a wooden tub to put it in and am organising a plaque with his Mum's name on it.

Family  problems have reared their ugly head again, FIL is metaphorically cycling round the family, alternately falling out and making up with them again.

We are currently in favour, so we are bearing the brunt of the telephone calls and other communications.

The black sheep BIL is threatening FIL and legal action is being taken over this.

Meal plan

Last week I was only feeding me so I managed with what was in the fridge  and cupboard.

This week hubby will want a meal each evening.

I have chicken thighs and minced beef defrosting in the fridge.

I have leeks, carrots, onions, potatoes and cabbage.

Some of the leeks carrots and onions are sliced and ready to put in the slowcooker with the chicken.

Once cooked some of the chicken will be used with some stir fry veg from the freezer to make chicken chow mein, the rest will be served as chicken casserole with mashed potatoes and cabbage

Some of the veg are chopped finely and in the other slow cooker with the minced beef, a handful of orange lentils and a tin of tomatoes.

This will make a cottage pie and then spag bol, I'm sure there will be enough leftovers to use for some lunches too.

Facebook status

I posted a photo on Facebook yesterday, not something I do very often, but I ended up having DGD Suzy for the afternoon whilst her dad took DGS to football. DGD Eileen was here too as she stayed Friday night.

All the DGC's love my hubby, he is very much their favourite, it's nice as he is their step granddad so there is no blood tie, just love.

Suzy is the only DGC who prefers me and won't go to my L&M, I'm not expecting it to last, I'm sure she will soon warm to him.

I noticed a post on FB posted by an neighbour, she posts the minutiae of her life on FB, mainly about how hard done by she is, on the SW group I belong to. 

She often posts the 'Hit like if you want a cure for cancer' or 'Hit like if you love your daughter' stuff. 

I love all my children and obviously I want a cure for cancer. I don't need social media to acknowledge this.  

So my neighbour had posted 'The one thing you need to know about me is that my kids come first.'

My neighbour is in her 40's and has two children who are 4 & 10.

Knowing her as I do that means:-

First, after whatever bloke she is currently shagging

First, after the bottle of vodka she is currently sinking.

First, after she has had three nights a week out drinking and brawling.

I could go on!

Loving someone especially your children means being there for them, helping them, supporting them. 
Posting crap on social media does not count as love!

Christmas insanity comments

Jill, no unfortunately is wasn't said in jest.
Sue, that made me laugh, we are all over 40, three are over 50 and I'm over 60!
Trish, to be fair all the staff that are leaving have been there a few years and there is no pressure to contribute. I will contribute to the collection for one person I know well.
I don't ave any problems saying no, I refuse to join in with most things, I find this helps some people who otherwise would be too nervous to refuse.
And as for the matching red Santa dresses, I have a plain red dress I will wear.

Christmas insanity

It can be an expensive time of the year this Christmas lark. 

We don't go mad, we buy gifts for the grandchildren between £10  and £20 a head. 

We buy extra food so we can feed the family when they visit.

We budget for all this and do it without using plastic or going into overdraft.

But then there is work, 5 people leaving, would I like to contribute £3 towards a leaving gift?

Two Secret Santa's, £5 would I like to join in? Yes to one, no to the other.

It's traditional to contribute to a gift for the line manager, £6.75 this year.

Two Christmas do's, would I like to go? One is £30, the other is £45, plus fares and drinks, no thanks to both.

The end of term buffet, could I please donate some cartons of fruit juice, just a couple of quid.

Lets all dress up on the last day of term, lets all spend £16 in Primarni on matching dresses that we will never wear again.

This comes to about £50 without the Christmas do's.