Blimey, I nearly didn't get to post tonight, the broadband connection was playing up, it's been doing that just lately, ever since Orange has changed it's name to EE. I ask you, what a silly name. The letter I received says, 'it's the same great broadband you had before'. Same my arse, it keeps disappearing. I am supposed to have four green lights on my router, with a fifth flickering intermittently. The flickering stops when it feels like it and the only thing I can do to get it started again is to shut the whole caboodle down, leave it five minutes, and start up again. What a pain.
Anyway, I am in a mood, this is not the best time of year for me. I hate the countdown to the 25th, that Christmas thingy is so boring, same every year, the whole shebang is in your face whichever way you turn. Let's just get it over with and move on. It's boring, boring, boring, bah flippin humbug.
I thought I would tackle the spare room, it needs sorting, de cluttering, and re arranging. This used to be my warehouse for my Mr Puss business. At one time this room was full of stock, now it's full of mostly crafting stuff and other bits and bobs. I have sorted four boxes and two carrier bags full to go to the charity shop tomorrow. Stuff I don't want, stuff I don't need. I am sure I will feel better when I have finished it, it's the getting started which I have a problem with at the moment.
I had the rest of the veg stew for my lunch today and this was my dinner tonight. Salad leaves, mushrooms, cottage cheese, potato salad, and a large portion of my home made pea hummus. Couldn't be bothered to cook, need to eat the salad leaves, I have three bags of it. I'll be looking like a rabbit soon, ha ha.
My BT broadband comes and goes at odd times. Usually when I need it most.
ReplyDeleteOurs doesn't like the rain or snow sometimes....mind you, nor do I.
ReplyDeleteJane x
Looks deeelicious!
ReplyDeleteIf you're not going to celebrate Christmas why not just ignore it? Ok so we've got adverts for it on the telly - after Christmas there'll be adverts for holidays - what's the difference? I don't go on holiday so I ignore the adverts. Same can be done with Christmas.
ReplyDeleteThere's Christmas stuff in the shops but so what? It doesn't stop you doing your everyday ordinary shopping does it?
Live and let live - those who want to enjoy Christmas are welcome to, it doesn't affect my life. Why should it affect yours? Unless of course you feel left out of the celebrations?
I'm trying to ignore it Amy. I can still do my shopping in relative comfort as I go to Tesco at eight o clock at night. Town is busy though so I get what I want, and get out quick.
Delete'Left out of the celebrations', what are people celebrating exactly? Buying lots of stuff, or the birth of Jesus Christ.
I know I'm in the minority. I don't feel left out, it's just that I choose not to join in the frenzy. Unlike some who feel compelled.
I feel exactly the same about consumerism gone mad. So I stopped gift buying 2 years ago and will celebrate quietly with my small family and furry friends. Liberating really.
DeleteMidlands annie
Christmas does tend to be over rated at times. I like to read in bed also.
ReplyDeleteGill
Good for you sorting out your stuff and giving to Goodwill. I have about as much extra stuff as you do. Problem is I don't have an extra room like you do. I have to make do and find spaces/places that makes it look like it is supposed to be there, ha! I hate clutter but sometimes when you have hobbies and no space, that is how it is. Hope you enjoy the next while better than you seem to be right now. I love Christmas. Even if it is the same thing. I mean we celebrate birthdays every year. Why is Christmas any different. Hugs.x
ReplyDeleteI thought I was the only person around who had to keep "resetting" our modem by turning it off and waiting before turning it on again...you must have the same incompetent people we have in the US with our company! Welcome to my frustrating world!
ReplyDeleteI need to seriously declutter, too..I FEEL so much better with less around! Thanks for your enjoyable posts!
By the way, I enjoyed the Last Tango in Halifax...can not get BBC iplayer in US and could not find it on BBC iplayer, but I loved what I saw!
ReplyDeleteI love Christmas. If it is the same thing, that is a good thing. Traditions are how we define who we are, what group we are a part of. It gives us something to look forward to. We don't go though life wondering how to behave or where to go. Traditions are a guide to the future--we know what we will do at grandma's house, what cookies our mother will bake, etc. We all make our own traditions from the bits and pieces of our past, adding new elements to make it our own traditon. Over the years, we might drop the parts we outgrow or that are not so meaningful in order to add in other elements according to how our life is newly ordered (marriage, death, new births).
ReplyDeleteChristmas is a happy season, so I try to ignore the Scrooges. Oh, yes, even he was changed.
Hi Ilona I agree with you Christmas is so in your face these days. It all starts so early and it's getting that it doesn't mean anything any more. I would like it to be special ( like it used to be ) but we are making it something unpleasant and all abit of a con and letdown. If you get what I mean. Any way have a good day Kind regards Jean
ReplyDeleteI'm a BT customer and my internet has been utter rubbish since they have introduced that new infinity. They seemed to have slowed us on the normal right down in the hope of sheer frustration we convert to the expensive version! Money grabbing greedy gits (rant over)
ReplyDeleteYour spare room looks like an Aladdin's cave to crafting, wow nothing like a good rummage and a clear out to rid you of moody blues x
Hello Ilona
ReplyDeleteI think you are perfectly entitled to your feelings about Christmas and i have to say i generally agree. As a Christian its about church and church activities for me. As a human being its about catching up with friends that i maybe haven't seen for a while.
However, what Christmas seems to be about for an awful lot of people is buying LOTS of stuff. From numerous gifts for the world and his wife to ridiculously excessive amounts of food and drink.
I work in the centre of the town in which i live and i see people literally staggering under the weight of the bags they are lugging to their cars/bus/train.
I work in an advice centre and i see people in the new year, attending for money advice-they are depressed, overwhelmed and sometimes suicidal because of the level of consumer debt they have. And to be fair, it can (especially if you have children) be very difficult to avoid the immense pressure to buy! buy! buy!. In fact its one of the reasons i got rid of my TV a few years ago.
Christian or not, Christmas is not and should not be about spending excessive amounts of money.
Ruth
Ilona i forgot to say-do you turn your router off overnight? I used to do this (frugal like you!) until 2 engineers told me to never unplug it as it takes time (up to a couple of days sometimes) for your internet connection to get up to full speed.
ReplyDeleteSince i stopped turning it off, its been much better.
Ruth
I'm with you Ilona on the total Christmas-in-yer-face rubbish. I usually enjoy Christmas Day itself but the rest of it is nothing but a huge pain in the whatsits!! Roll on January 1st when we can all get back to a bit of normality.
ReplyDeleteYour're not alone in not being bothered about Christmas. My brother in law never does Christmas at all. He works on Christmas day, every year since I can remember. My sister has a shop which does very well with the Christmas trade in a popular tourist area, but this year she has said it has been alarmingly quiet. The last few Saturdays have been like ordinary shopping days. In Decemember she would normally be stressed out from the backlog of orders, and her suppliers being slow, but so far very, very quiet. I think there must be a fair few people out there that just aren't opening their purses this Christmas.
ReplyDeleteHi,Jan again.Bit bah humbug myself.Hate all the greed and sheer lack of goodwill that seems to spill out,must be just below the surface though.Season of goodwill should extend to all things,including poor turkeys and companion animals.Seems to be more of a competition to see who has the largest turkey.Poor dogs and cats discarded,victims of the awful consumerism we seem to be in the grip of.I do 'do' Christmas but in a way I can live with.Veggie meal for the family,gifts,many 'virtual' from animal charities eg 'you have been bought a well veted gift that will enable the charity to treat sick pets' etc.Also given a shade shelter that will provide respite for hard working horses and donkeys in Egypt or such like.Don't need more food or drink than every other day.The needs of my old girl 'canine' will be met first and foremost,like every other day of the year.Sorry if I sound a bit smug,but watching everyone run round grabing everything they can makes me happy to be a bit of a bah humbug.
ReplyDeleteI also hate all the consumerism surrounding Christmas. Although, every time I say that, people think I don't want to "give" or that I am cheap. That's not the reason for my humbug attitude. I just think people in general just buy gifts for others because they feel compelled to and maybe it's really not coming from their heart. I see people shopping and looking miserable while doing so. I buy gifts for my family but it's because I want to, not beacause I "have to".
ReplyDeleteI also dislike Christmas. I am not religious and I hate the fact that so much is expected of people. I wonder what is the best way of educating people that time spent is better than money spent? Could it be done in schools, do you think?
ReplyDeleteI make presents for many people, although it's not always possible for some. I hope husband will not insist on buying me something I do not need nor want.
Christmas was nice when I was a child and we had little thought out presents, often made or something I needed, or something Mum and Dad had refurbished like once I had a dolls house, which was a wreck and they renovated it, just like people now do to houses, although they did it in a very frugal way.
I hate that when I want to go to the shopping centre, to buy food, just for eating now, you can't find anywhere to park. If the weather wasn't so dire and I hadn't been suffering from some virus for over a week, I would cycle down there.
I hate Christmas as well. Too much consumerism. When I go food shopping all I want are the basics and have got to fight my way through all the crowds, with no room to park. Yesterday there was almost a fight between two OAP's in Aldi's car park, probably due to the rising tension!
ReplyDeleteI've just remembered I intended to add, I have a spare room worse than that Ilona, because it is smaller. I am making a real effort to part with things, Ebay, charity shops, Freegle etc. It's hard to part with things that 'might come in handy'.
ReplyDeleteMorning Ilona from House Fairy
ReplyDeleteChristmas , not my favorite. Now it is all about giving gifts of expense. I think the season should be more about people and families being together.
I see some houses have fancy lights in pictures on the front of their houses... How can they see wile sitting inside?