The more I read this board the more I believe I need a....

[Sassy]

Holiday... so anyone else feeling the same.
Might head off to Edinburgh in late November beginning of December for some ME time and a little Christmas shopping therapy with a few of the girls.
I am taking daughter for more bloods this morning and it certainly feels like Autumn now.
Started my Christmas shopping has anyone else. Hope all have a good day..

[Gonnagle]

Dear Sass,

Christmas, bah humbug!! did you know Jesus was not born on the 25th of December, apparently we stole that date from the pagans, also Christmas trees are pagan and yule logs, what else!! oh yes!! Easter eggs, pagan

Only XXX days till Christmas, tis the season to be jolly and other words ending in olly.

Dear Sanity Clause,

I would like a gorgeous brunette who owns a pub for Christmas, yes I know I asked for that last year, did you deliver, no, socks again

Gonnagle.

[Outrider]

Holiday... so anyone else feeling the same.
Might head off to Edinburgh in late November beginning of December for some ME time and a little Christmas shopping therapy with a few of the girls.
I am taking daughter for more bloods this morning and it certainly feels like Autumn now.
Started my Christmas shopping has anyone else. Hope all have a good day..

Sass, if you feel you need a holiday, you go for it: no-one is beholden to the board, and apart from perhaps a few apologies here and there, nobody owes anyone anything. It's a voluntary board.

You've a lot on your plate, and if the board is feeling more chore than joy, then take as long as you need.

O.

[ekim]

Dear Sass,

Christmas, bah humbug!! did you know Jesus was not born on the 25th of December, apparently we stole that date from the pagans, also Christmas trees are pagan and yule logs, what else!! oh yes!! Easter eggs, pagan

Only XXX days till Christmas, tis the season to be jolly and other words ending in olly.

Dear Sanity Clause,

I would like a gorgeous brunette who owns a pub for Christmas, yes I know I asked for that last year, did you deliver, no, socks again

Gonnagle.

Hello Gonnagle, Santa here.  If you want that, you will have to hang up a pair of black mesh stockings so that I can fit her in.  Thigh length boots will be provided as standard.

[Gonnagle]

Dear Ekim,

Santa Ha!! I don't believe in Santa, but I do believe in the Sanity Clause.

Gonnagle.

[ekim]

Dear Ekim,

Santa Ha!! I don't believe in Santa, but I do believe in the Sanity Clause.

Gonnagle.

You don't believe in Santa??!!  Here's proof... http://tinyurl.com/omn5cg3

[Owlswing]

Dear Sass,

Christmas, bah humbug!! did you know Jesus was not born on the 25th of December, apparently we stole that date from the pagans, also Christmas trees are pagan and yule logs, what else!! oh yes!! Easter eggs, pagan

Only XXX days till Christmas, tis the season to be jolly and other words ending in olly.

Dear Sanity Clause,

I would like a gorgeous brunette who owns a pub for Christmas, yes I know I asked for that last year, did you deliver, no, socks again

Gonnagle.

Definitely!

I didn't ask for a lot last year!

All I really, really wanted was a 93 year old nympho with a body like Angelina Jolie, a brewery and a whisky distillery and an advanced heart condition!

What did I get?

An addition to my Monster High doll collection - the shape was right but everything else . . .

[Rhiannon]

I'm asking Santa for a buyer for my house.

[Rhiannon]

Holiday... so anyone else feeling the same.
Might head off to Edinburgh in late November beginning of December for some ME time and a little Christmas shopping therapy with a few of the girls.
I am taking daughter for more bloods this morning and it certainly feels like Autumn now.
Started my Christmas shopping has anyone else. Hope all have a good day..

Sass, if you have the opportunity go for it!

[Hope]

Christmas, bah humbug!! did you know Jesus was not born on the 25th of December, apparently we stole that date from the pagans, also Christmas trees are pagan and yule logs, what else!! oh yes!! Easter eggs, pagan

Gonners, can you tell me of any religion that hasn't adopted the holidays of previously existing religions?

[Gonnagle]

Dear Hope,

It was tongue in cheek old son, we have this discussion every year, and every year the Christians take the bait.

Gonnagle.

[Hope]

Dear Hope,

It was tongue in cheek old son, we have this discussion every year, and every year the Christians take the bait.

Gonnagle.

I was aware of that, but just thought I'd get folk thinking beyond the obvious.  Matt, for instance, likes to tell us that Christians have stolen the Pagans' celebratory seasons.

[Gonnagle]

Dear Hope,

Carry on old son.

Gonnagle.

[Owlswing]

Dear Hope,

It was tongue in cheek old son, we have this discussion every year, and every year the Christians take the bait.

Gonnagle.

I was aware of that, but just thought I'd get folk thinking beyond the obvious.  Matt, for instance, likes to tell us that Christians have stolen the Pagans' celebratory seasons.

. . . and the Christians strenuously deny it!

[Dajjal]

Yes, I have started my Christmas shopping. I like to have a years presents in hand so as not to have to struggle to find something at the last minute. As for a holiday, I gave up work years ago and life is one big holiday for me.

[Owlswing]

Yes, I have started my Christmas shopping. I like to have a years presents in hand so as not to have to struggle to find something at the last minute. As for a holiday, I gave up work years ago and life is one big holiday for me.

I retired in November 2013 - I am still bored out of my mind! Retirement is a crock! I hate hate hate it!

[Leonard James]

Yes, I have started my Christmas shopping. I like to have a years presents in hand so as not to have to struggle to find something at the last minute. As for a holiday, I gave up work years ago and life is one big holiday for me.

I retired in November 2013 - I am still bored out of my mind! Retirement is a crock! I hate hate hate it!

Then get a job of some sort, even if only part time. 

[Owlswing]

Yes, I have started my Christmas shopping. I like to have a years presents in hand so as not to have to struggle to find something at the last minute. As for a holiday, I gave up work years ago and life is one big holiday for me.

I retired in November 2013 - I am still bored out of my mind! Retirement is a crock! I hate hate hate it!

Then get a job of some sort, even if only part time. 

Do you think that I haven't tried that! I have. The only downside is that I have, working part-time, to work for nothing because every pound I earn is deducted from my pension! Plus the fact that the pressure is on employers to take on the young unemployed to reduce the benefits bill!

[Rhiannon]

It's a shame employers are so short-sighted. Could your skills be used in the voluntary sector?

[Gonnagle]

Dear Matt,

Ah! The old retirement issue, we should have a thread with a sticky on it for this Forum, we have enough old foggies on this Forum to offer some insights.

I myself have four years to go before I reach sixty and the thought has crossed my mind, what am I going to do with my senior years.

A new skill, you are never to old to learn, I have never made anything with my own two hands, so I have been thinking that this could be one answer.

But there are so many avenues to explore and with this internet thingy, well the world is your mollusc.

We can't all retire to Espana like our Leonard and have young tanned lads peel us grapes all day.

Gonnagle.

[Rhiannon]

Or teach the stuff you know to others?

Gonners, do you still have evening classes up there where you can learn to make your own stuff? Ours went west under the last government and any remnant this one's finished off. Private tuition is a lot more expensive. The internet offers lots of free stuff though.

[Gonnagle]

Dear Rhiannon,

Aye!! The bloody government tell us we should aspire to greater things but are shutting down further learning centres.

And Matt is right, it can seem that it is all geared towards the young but there are avenues still available, trouble I find is that a lot of courses are about computing, I want to be happy in my old age not bored.

Gonnagle.

[Rhiannon]

Tell you what we do have round here, local history group with monthly lectures, they often get volunteers to archive stuff or help in the museum and you learn on the job. Local Wildlife Trusts too offer voluntary opportunities to learn hedge laying and vole protection. Even the Stately Home will reach you how to tell people about the magnificent Adam fireplace although the uniforms a bit naff.

And we do have a U3A but I'm too young for them...

[Gonnagle]

Dear Rhiannon,

What Glasgow has in abundance is charity shops, I myself volunteer for Barnardo's and that is a great learning experience.

Only a couple of days ago I had a young customer who was over the moon regarding a pair of old jeans, apparently they were designer jeans and should cost a fortune, he went away very happy with his tenner purchase. 

Gonnagle.

[Rhiannon]

Yeah, we have a lot of charity shops too, vintage is very cool these days and I love searching through them. I'm a self-taught upcycler and always look out for things that can be painted or remade into something else. I can't pass up old fabrics and lampshades. Quite a few younger people I know buy clothes from charity shops and restyle them.