I think they're going again, rather than still, if you know what I mean. They were/are touring with Nick Kershaw and Carol Decker from T'Pau. And they were all fab, but the best bit was the drunk woman who was DESPERATE for Mr West. She was practically climbing out of her dress.

Anyway, I'm back home after an interesting flight. We had three goes at landing. Well, the pilots did, I wasn't involved at all. After the first attempt didn't go so well this lovely and very terrified woman who'd been sitting alone dashed over to sit next to me and grasped my hand firmly, so that took my mind off the second failed attempt, and by the third time I was in full 'everything will be fine' mode, trying to keep her calm. We both did very well under the circumstances... and Batman being Batman thought it was just par for the course.

Obviously landing attempt number three worked just fine - yay! - so it would have been a very good day had I not opened up the post. Lovely cards - more yay!! - but also some stinky stuff to deal with after Christmas. Boo.

But the really good news is that by coming back tonight I have a whole two days to do Christmas. I couldn't have coped with doing it all on Christmas Eve - is that even possible??

Woo hoo all

What strange weather there is here

Crikey BG, I'd have been clinging to you like a limpet THREE attempts? Bet they all applauded at the end, right?

Sorry you've come home to more poo. Ignore it until the new year at least

LL - a bunch of mates and Mr Sad and I go to 80s Rewind in the summer - it's fab seeing all the old bands rocking up there. I've also already got tickets for Let's Rock London in July - the line up is pretty good and you get a lot of bands for your money. Tears for Fears have also started touring again (bandwagon jumpers abound - someone told me the Bay City Rollers are reforming but that's 70s, ffs!!!) so I'm secretly hoping they might headline one of the Rewind nights. TFF that is, not the Rollers.

In other news... I'm feeling rather glad to be alive. Had a catastrophic wheel bearing failure on my car today, which, if I was the sort of person to turn the radio up when I heard odd noises, might well have been the end of me. As it was I got it to a lovely little garage in Grantham (which was where I was visiting an old friend) in the nick of time. Given it was serviced at the start of the month I will be having words with my usual garage - according to the alarmed chap who replaced it, they don't generally just go without warning so it should have been spotted... by the time it got to him, it was literally hanging off, apparently.

Had I ignored the racket and gone back down the A1 at the speed I came up it he reckons I'd have lost my wheel before Stamford...

We'll gloss over the part where I left the handbrake off when we arrived and the car rolled into the fence post on the garage forecourt leaving a gouge in my front bumper. Adds character, doesn't it?


It's been one of those days - I am so glad to be home

Madness... blossom out, daffs flowering, grass needs mowing. WTF??

Yes, lots of clapping. I probably would've too, had I had both hands free.

And yes, I've put everything away until early January now. Hope you manage to do the same. And I'm sooooooooooo glad to hear the car got sorted out in time. xxxxx

Weather here - very, very windy. I've no chance of getting out on the bike today, not unless it drops significantly towards the evening... but I'm likely to be on a sofa with a glass in my hand by then.

Glad you are ok sad x

Thanks snowbes - here to play another game of scrabble

Wow, sad - bit scary!

Big festive hugs all round - laura, hope your house is still dry!
Poor Appleby where we had out hollybobs has flooded AGAIN!

I'm cleaning. Honest, I am...

Just the vestibule affected thank goodness
Grump alert Went to m&s and tesco for gluten free food what a waste of time the Latimers must have bought it all.
Hope all grumpies are good and all set for the festivities, love and hugs

Aw love n hugs back at ya

Nearly there grumpies! One more dash to the shops and I'm ready for Christmas! Didn't think I'd manage it, and some of the prezzies are a bit random, but we have everything we need and I'm really looking forward to putting my feet up for a few days. We've very little planned, just some extended family stuff and two social but very casual thingies, but that's it. Bliss.

Oh is on late shift today and earlies tomorrow, so just another day with a posh dinner hehe
Well grumpies have a great day whatever you are all up to Merry Christmas love and hugs all.

Not sure where the last few days have gone. In less than two hours we are out for the evening and I have yet to wrap pillowcase gifts and do the ironing (yes - my annual ironing stint)

Merry Christmas to all grumpies, near, far, MIA, wherever you are. Hope it brings you everything you deserve xxxx

I hab had two days of nasal drippage, hopefully I'll be snotless tomorrow. Head hurts.
/grump

Here's hoping Plum gets sunshine, Laura's Christmas dinner agrees with her, Sad gets a rest after battling on, handy's kitchen scrubs up, snowyboy looks after Mum, me@h gets spoiled, Amica's new job/retirement (vague on details here) works out, mal's doggie gets leftovers, and BG drinks Poland dry in 2016. If I left you off you're happy and not grumping enough!,

I asked MsKJ to wrap Mum's pressies for me (I was never much good before becoming left handed ) and she said yes, so am chuffed.

Kitchen is clean, bathroom ditto.
No presents wrapped yet though...

However you spend your Christmas may it bring a little joy to your life.
Warmest love and biggest ever Grumpy Hugs

((((((((((((((((((((((((((GoW)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

Happy crumble all

Lots of love and light to you and yours xx

Ironing abandoned. I'm such a rebel, but after 4 glasses of rose I can't handle the heat.

Presents are wrapped, and timings are currently being calculated for the meal tomorrow.

I know I've forgotten something Merry Crimble you lovely lot xxx

Merry Christmas my darlings.

I'm the only one up so far. How times have changed. Oh for the days I was woken up by excited shouts of 'he's been!'.

Merry Christmas to you all !! Just checked and it's still xmas there - phew!

Hope you've all had/are having a wonderful day YoungPlum and I had a great day - I haven't laughed so much for a long time. It was actually a grey and somewhat rainy day for most of the day which was good really because it kept the heat down! We had lunch outside on the patio because we dont have an inside table yet and the outside table is too wide to fit through the doors. This was lovely, although the downside is that if the neighbours didn't already think we were bonkers they will now after all the racket we were making It all started with taking selfies and videos and went downhill from there.

I've never seen Destructo look quite so happy as she did yesterday evening - after a day of food - she had a full xmas lunch with us - and games which ultimately she brought to a close because she gets over-excited and hilarity.

YoungPlum says I did a most excellent job with her gifts, so I'm moderately pleased with myself. We're off out to the shops later mainly just to get out of the house for a while and to go for a coffee at our favourite coffee place - well I'll have coffee, YoungPlum no doubt will go for hot chocolate with cream and marshmallows.

For now, i'm going to make a start on one of my Christmas books! SantaMe knew exactly which ones I wanted - uncanny that! Although to be fair YoungPlum did get me one too and was spot on in her choice!

Thank you for the xmas card Batty - it arrived safe and sound in time for Christmas and was a lovely surprise!

You're very welcome Plummy.

We had a hilarious Christmas day, mostly because we've run out of things to buy for one another so had to try and be entertaining. Amongst other things, I got pink tassels for my bike.

*waves to Plummie*
Glad you two had such a lovely day!

We had a fab snuggly time here and are planning on more of the same for today.
Bought Melony a second-hand Galaxy Tab 2 for 50 quid off e-bay and she is ECSTATIC with it - and her furry hat and spotty fleece banket. She's in the sitting-room now playing with her Furby and the app on her tablet - and my phone/laptop/tablet are all mine again!

Christmas love and sprinkles to GoWs everywhere...

Hello all in grumpyland.
Glad to hear that so many of you have had fun this Crimble - via this and that FB thingy.
After a traumatic and very busy end to my last job I am currently preparing for the next - things can only get better. The location should mean that I began to get a life back - although I have already had to spend some time these holidays preparing and I have written nothing yet - well no plans at least. My new school have no schemes to follow for anything which is a bit of a worry, I have been revising what's on the National Curriculum - although they have changed it again quite recently . I have also started to learn German which seems to be a necessity that was not explained to me before I signed up. I think it might have influenced my decision somewhat - but then how hard can it be? Millions of very small children speak it every day...
Christmas was very relaxed - wore a festive onesie all day- and watched a cheesy film before Downton etc. A big change from last year's escapades in the UAE and Oman but actually a good one. ( No stressing about local customs and the stray hair escaping from the back of my scarf which earned the attention of the security. Nor complex and confusing thinking about the conspicuous consumption and gaudy Christian decorations. )
I have a whole week left yet to prepare for my new future. Help!

Happy Inbetween Week - it's a strange time these next few days...

Well glad that's over with
Sleep fairy where are you
Hope grumpies busy and not flooded it's terrible
Love and hugs to all

Amica - love your approach to German.

LL - how are things looking your way as far as flooding? The batcave is fine but some friends haven't been as lucky so we're gearing up to help out once the water goes down.

Thanks for asking Bats been luckier than a lot of people, its heartbreaking seeing all the pictures.

Managed to get a couple of hours went back to bed at 3 alarm went off at 5, got up went back to bed 6.30 alarm neighbours went off at 8 so gave up then the joy of going to bed at 11 and waking up at 7 must be heaven.
Love and hugs grumpies