P&O Cruisers - What are things like where YOU are?

[ann141]

3 hours ago, Purdey16 said:

I see a group cruise coming on who’s going to plan one ?. 😎

You are all welcome to join me at Thoresby Hall next february!!

[grapau27]

5 minutes ago, ann141 said:

I have decided that because I have more free time at the moment and because I have not seen many friends for months that I will be sending more Christmas cards than usual and writing notes in each card(thats my aim)Normally I don't exchange cards with people I see regularly.I will also be hand delivering a lot of them (for the exercise!) However I have bought 48 stamps this morning for over £30!!

I have to confess that although I have made my christmas cards I will be relying on M and S for christmas dinner including ready prepared roast pots, sprouts christmas pud and even custard!

M&S for our Xmas dinner too.

Graham.

[AnnieC]

11 minutes ago, grapau27 said:

M&S for our Xmas dinner too.

Graham.

As there are just three of us here for Christmas lunch this year, we held a vote and a gammon joint was the lucky winner. This could be because I have form for massacring turkeys.😮

 

What's everyone else having, and I would welcome ideas for a different dessert (that can be made in advance and frozen) as none of us like Christmas pudding (and as for mince pies, 🤢

Edited November 28, 2020 by AnnieC

[grapau27]

I had to scrape ice off my car windscreen this morning.

I drove my car off the drive so I could get Pauline's car out of the garage enabling me to get our Xmas tree and Xmas decorations out of the garage.

Either today or tomorrow we will be putting all the Xmas decorations up.

Graham.

[Adawn47]

11 minutes ago, grapau27 said:

Pauline has seen a few amazing mediums who said things that was impossible to guess.

I'm sure your dear mam is with you all the time Annie.

Graham.

Funny thing Graham, I don't believe in mediums etc, but  I have to say that sometimes I can smell my dad's pipe and roses at the same time. He loved his roses and had dozens in his garden. He would wander around them daily, deadheading etc while smoking his pipe. I still have three left that managed to survive after being transplanted from his garden to mine when he died in 1991. Just saying🤔

Avril

[grapau27]

1 minute ago, AnnieC said:

As there are just three of us here for Christmas lunch this year, we held a vote and a gammon joint was the lucky winner. This could be because I have form for massacring turkeys.

 

What's everyone else having, and I would welcome ideas for a different dessert (that can be made in advance and frozen) as none of us like Christmas pudding (and as for mince pies, 🤢

We will get a Turkey crown and various veg plus Xmas puddings and custard from M&S.

I usually bring our niece to ours and she opens her Xmas bag of presents but as she is a key civil service worker working in an office it will be just the 2 of us this year.

[P&O SUE]

43 minutes ago, Dermotsgirl said:

Thanks Avril, that has reassured me.

 

I think lockdown affects us all - we’ve got more time on our hands, and it probably makes us think about things more deeply than normal.

 

I felt that I coped with lockdown 1 quite well. There was a sense that we were all in it together, and the weather was good - it helped me to keep a positive frame of mind. I was able to do lots of walking in the local area, and appreciated the natural world around me.

 

However, this time found, it’s more difficult. The country is more fragmented, and the late autumn/early winter weather has been dull around here. I was expecting to go into tier 3 - but, even so, when it was confirmed, it didn’t feel good - I think we are going to be in this tier for a long time, and I worry for all the local businesses that I use, it must be so tough for them.

 

Although I like to keep up to date with information, I think it’s possible to consume too much news, especially when the news is bad. I’m trying to step away from too much news for a while, and read more, and do more puzzles. I think this might help me
 

we will endure and come out the other side of this - but it might be a slog on some days 

 

 

I feel the same about the two lockdowns. Sometimes I crave the news other times I have to avoid it as it stops me sleeping.

The weather makes a huge difference too. John and I enjoy spending time off together going out and about lots but last week we had 3 days off together and I was delighted he went back 😂 I was ready to thump him, I’ve never felt that way before in 33 years of marriage!

I do envy those with their children or parents living with them.

Hey Ho, roll on Easter...

[AndyMichelle]

27 minutes ago, ann141 said:

You are all welcome to join me at Thoresby Hall next february!!

We loved Thoresby Hall, you are tempting us... 

Andy 

[AndyMichelle]

14 minutes ago, grapau27 said:

I had to scrape ice off my car windscreen this morning.

I drove my car off the drive so I could get Pauline's car out of the garage enabling me to get our Xmas tree and Xmas decorations out of the garage.

Either today or tomorrow we will be putting all the Xmas decorations up.

Graham.

Ours are up Graham, we were bored last weekend... 

Andy 

[P&O SUE]

10 minutes ago, AnnieC said:

As there are just three of us here for Christmas lunch this year, we held a vote and a gammon joint was the lucky winner. This could be because I have form for massacring turkeys.😮

 

What's everyone else having, and I would welcome ideas for a different dessert (that can be made in advance and frozen) as none of us like Christmas pudding (and as for mince pies, 🤢

We have a turkey crown too. Last two years it has been at my son’s. His partner is an excellent cook and her roast potatoes are amazing. I’ve told her I’ll miss them!! 
There has been talk of turkeys being in short supply, don’t know if it’s true or not but next time I venture to M&S I’ll be looking!

As for puddings, my sister and husband are not keen on Christmas pudding so we’ve often done a choice of two - pavlova is a nice light choice.

[Eddie99]

We’re having a rib of beef - a very rare treat, much more so than poultry.  Roasties, YPs and something nice in the green veg category

Ice cream & Guadeloupe pineapple rum, as before.

 

 

If you generally like the taste of Xmas pud but find it too heavy you could sort-of stay seasonal with either Xmas pud ice cream* or good vanilla ice cream with warm Xmas sauce** poured over

 

* Melt some mincemeat.  Allow it to cool a bit.  Mix it through good vanilla ice cream.  Re-freeze

 

** You’ve guessed it - melted mincemeat!

[P&O SUE]

28 minutes ago, grapau27 said:

M&S for our Xmas dinner too.

Graham.

My mum used to work there so she always buys there - still gets 20% off 20 years after retiring!

[AndyMichelle]

1 minute ago, P&O SUE said:

We have a turkey crown too. Last two years it has been at my son’s. His partner is an excellent cook and her roast potatoes are amazing. I’ve told her I’ll miss them!! 
There has been talk of turkeys being in short supply, don’t know if it’s true or not but next time I venture to M&S I’ll be looking!

As for puddings, my sister and husband are not keen on Christmas pudding so we’ve often done a choice of two - pavlova is a nice light choice.

Every year I ask for Black Forest Gateau for dessert... 

This year I get my wish. 

Andy 

[P&O SUE]

Just now, AndyMichelle said:

Every year I ask for Black Forest Gateau for dessert... 

This year I get my wish. 

Andy 

 
That was the very height of sophistication when I was a teenager. Actually I could fancy that 🤔

[terrierjohn]

32 minutes ago, AnnieC said:

As could I. Bit up and down this time, last time was fine. 

I think the late Spring and Summer weather, as well as the longer day light went a long way to making the first lockdown bearable, and of course the weather meant it was very pleasant to go out for some gentle exercise, without needing lots of warm weather clothing just to pop out and post a letter.

Anyway someone else mentioned  that it's only 3 weeks until we can look forward to daylight starting to lengthen,  and maybe even to cruising re-starting.

[Adawn47]

11 minutes ago, AnnieC said:

As there are just three of us here for Christmas lunch this year, we held a vote and a gammon joint was the lucky winner. This could be because I have form for massacring turkeys.😮

 

What's everyone else having, and I would welcome ideas for a different dessert (that can be made in advance and frozen) as none of us like Christmas pudding (and as for mince pies, 🤢

I always get a turkey crown, more turkey less waste. We always have Christmas pudding but for the two who don't like it it's either Baked Alaska, Melt-in-the-Middle Chocolate Puddings or a Semifreddo, and no kalos that's not a frozen frog before you ask😁

Avril

[grapau27]

7 minutes ago, Adawn47 said:

Funny thing Graham, I don't believe in mediums etc, but  I have to say that sometimes I can smell my dad's pipe and roses at the same time. He loved his roses and had dozens in his garden. He would wander around them daily, deadheading etc while smoking his pipe. I still have three left that managed to survive after being transplanted from his garden to mine when he died in 1991. Just saying🤔

Avril

Pauline is psychic herself and sensed her late mam and dad's presence on a few occasions.

She has seen several mediums since her dad died in 2008 and he came through every time.

When my mam died in 2011 she saw a medium 3 weeks later who said it normally takes a year for spirits to come through but my mam came through and the medium said I have a strong lady come through saying 

I only died 3 weeks ago.

A lot of things were said which was impossible for her to know.

My brother's daughters picture in her cap and gown was on my mam's living room wall and after my mam's cancer was confirmed she pestered my mam for £30,000 so she could emigrate to Australia.

The medium came out with this information plus a lot more which was true.

Graham.

[indiana123]

Turkey crown and all the trimmings from M and S and Morrisons here too. Xmas pudding for me (lots) but not for him!

 

Christmas must do is watch Love Actually..   again ..its on every year.... the first time I watched it I didn't really get it, then the penny dropped but every time we watch it we see something we missed!  Sad really🙃

[Adawn47]

3 minutes ago, P&O SUE said:

 
That was the very height of sophistication when I was a teenager. Actually I could fancy that 🤔

As well as Prawn Cocktail for starters. Still have that on a cruise if there's not much else to tempt me.

Avril

[Dermotsgirl]

I usually have a turkey crown from M&S, but this year I have a couple of smaller M&S turkey joints already in the freezer.

We normally collect the turkey crown a couple of days before Christmas, but decided to do it differently this year, just to avoid any crowds

[P&O SUE]

2 minutes ago, Adawn47 said:

As well as Prawn Cocktail for starters. Still have that on a cruise if there's not much else to tempt me.

Avril

I love prawn cocktail! It’s sort of a tradition I have it on the first night 😊

[Harry Peterson]

27 minutes ago, AnnieC said:

As there are just three of us here for Christmas lunch this year, we held a vote and a gammon joint was the lucky winner. This could be because I have form for massacring turkeys.😮

 

What's everyone else having, and I would welcome ideas for a different dessert (that can be made in advance and frozen) as none of us like Christmas pudding (and as for mince pies, 🤢

My wife suggests perhaps Delia Smith’s chocolate truffle torte. Freezes well and always popular. 
 

Sue suggested pavlova - equally good, and rather lighter!

[P&O SUE]

2 minutes ago, Dermotsgirl said:

I usually have a turkey crown from M&S, but this year I have a couple of smaller M&S turkey joints already in the freezer.

We normally collect the turkey crown a couple of days before Christmas, but decided to do it differently this year, just to avoid any crowds

Oh yes I’m not going near then! I’ll be looking for one to freeze. Last two years my almost DiL got her crown from a local butcher and we gave her the money.

[grapau27]

11 minutes ago, Adawn47 said:

As well as Prawn Cocktail for starters. Still have that on a cruise if there's not much else to tempt me.

Avril

Us too.

We got a few King Prawn rings from Iceland and will have that for starters.

[Eddie99]

19 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

I think the late Spring and Summer weather, as well as the longer day light went a long way to making the first lockdown bearable, and of course the weather meant it was very pleasant to go out for some gentle exercise, without needing lots of warm weather clothing just to pop out and post a letter.

Anyway someone else mentioned  that it's only 3 weeks until we can look forward to daylight starting to lengthen,  and maybe even to cruising re-starting.

Agree

 

... it’s only 2 weeks till the afternoons stop getting shorter!  🎉