What are you doing this weekend before Christmas week 2021?

fasting and imodium.

ah, so you have holiday plans r1!

I put up a Christmas tree and decorated inside and outside. I hadn’t had a Christmas tree since the Sandy Hook elementary school massacre.

I didn’t bother this year.

recovering after exhausting holiday office outing yesterday...so glad to be done Christmas shopping. Im shopping online for myself and not doing any social shit for the next week...

Cooking, cooking, and more cooking for 23 on Christmas Eve. Cookies tomorrow, and then shopping for the fresh food. Beef is astronomical right now so I expect to spend an absurd sum when it’s all said and done.

23 is very over achieving r5! I hope you love them all if you are doing all that effort.

I am now eating the loaf heels with butter and blueberry jam my boss gave me (I think it's from Wisconsin?)

listening to hubby and his family FREAKING THE FUCK OUT about his brother bringing covid and DEVASTATION to everyone

Wishing I had the energy to just leave for a month. Maybe the Caribbean. Maybe Hawaii. Not giving a damn and not really wanting to pretend to give a damn about Christmas or all that it is supposed to be about.

Of course travel is a pain in the ass probably right now. So bitter reverie is just as well.

This is my cue to plaintively bleat "Silent Night" and remind you all of the reason for the season.

Opening a vein. JUST KIDDING! Pop came by today around 0700 so I was up all night making my place look spiffo. I'm going to have a bath and then make like the stock market and crash. I remember in 1998, the Sat. before Christmas we had a big snowstorm here in Ski-attle. I was sweeping off my deck because I was expecting guests. I saw volcanic ash falling and realized it was snow. Just about all festivities were cancelled that year because it was real snow, not just flurries.

Or the Hooville song, r9. Do Hooville.

oh wait, it's Whoville, isn't it. Damn, ruined Christmas again!

Who de ville

cooking for about a dozen people and making cookies. I have a much needed therapy appointment on wednesday. i'm done shopping

Shopping. Christmasizing

Cooking, shopping, watching Christmas tv and movies, oh and celebrating my birthday.

Bottoms and Imodium

Not much and have the rest of the year off. Hope to catch up on home and personal stuff. I used to purposely travel somewhere over Christmas, even by myself, to keep from getting blue but haven’t been motivated the past few years. If I get down, I just go for a several hour hike around town.

Flying to NYC.

I’m naked

Smoking copious amounts of pot and forgetting about the holidays.

Watching Charlie Brown Christmas and drinking whiskey. Going to bed soon, hiking in the morning.

And all this time I thought Quentin Crisp was dead, the OP with his silver-lilac hair has restored my faith in humanity.

I boarded a Metro-North train out of Manhattan to spend the next two weeks with the folks here in CT. I did not want to attend the office Christmas party, first in two years and hear the fake Holiday greetings from certain staff members I cannot stand. I will spend my holidays thinking of two married co-workers, Tom and Ray.

The reason for the season is the winter solstice, which in my time zone happens Tuesday morning at 10:58.

Today I made homemade Chex Mix for probably the first time in 20 years. I just had a craving for it, and the store-bought kind is too bland.

I also worked on painting the cement floor in my basement. We've been trying to get the house ready to sell in 2022, (if we don't all DIE of COVID) and making the basement cleaner and brighter is part of that.

I had my booster (3rd) shot a couple of days ago. I felt exhausted after my 2nd shot, so expected to be exhausted this time as well. I did some cooking (for myself) and feel exhausted again.

Wrapping gifts for my sister, who is 'developmentally delayed' or 'special needs' or whatever the latest moniker is. She's just my little sister to me though, and I do love her dearly. She's the only one I buy gifts for. I'm a huge figure in her life now that our parents are gone. I look after basically everything for her. She has friends though and has a good life. I joke with my friends that I'm exactly the last person on this planet that should have a child, but here I am....

I'm delighted that our holiday bacchanal at work Friday was canceled, so I have been off since Thursday and will be until January 3. I put up a tree for the first time in fifteen years, finished decorating it a couple hours ago, and I feel accomplished. Generally, I'm lying low this weekend.

R28 That is beautiful.

R26, how do you make your version of Chex Mix?

Baking a Victoria’s sponge cake for family brunch tomorrow. Visiting grandma Monday. Seeing Nightmare Alley with the guy that I’m dating Tuesday. I’ll swing by the glory hole Wednesday. After that, hot chocolate and Xanax.

Was gonna make cookies but fear they’ll be stale by Xmas. Maybe make the dough and freeze that. Fearing my Xmas party is going to be a superspreader event, even with all vaccinated guests. Cookie issues seem trivial, in that light .

Just found out my husband has to work on Xmas eve, the day of our family holiday party. oh well. i guess i'll be alone. This year has sucked.

Such a bummer. We went to a party last weekend and I think they squeaked by timing wise. It’s everywhere right now. I have a test Dec 22 if We’re all negative we’ll have xmas eve with friends. I have a feeling it will be cancelled.

I was supposed to be doing work on my new place and getting it ready to move into before the end of Dec, but fucked up the tendons in one of my forearms/wrist so am now limited. Also still not feeling well after my Moderna booster Wed night. Almost better but still a huge knot on my arm and sluggish. But it will be ok. I don't have to work until Jan 5th and maybe I just needed a reminder to slow down for a while and enjoy at least a few days of peace. Also sometimes this time of year it's good to reflect on all the positive things I have in life despite all the bad things that have happened over the year, and truly appreciate it. All things considered, I have a lot to be thankful for in life and sometimes just need to get over myself and my own drama.

Peace and love for the holiday season, fellow DL'ers! I am glad you're here.

I'm quarantined with Omicron. Watching Christmas movies and ordering contact free delivery. Finally mustering up the energy to shower this morning.

Playing golf, bet I'm the only one here doing that....

R37 Feel better soon!

R31 I either double the amount of seasonings called for in the full recipe (swapping in Red Hot sauce for some of the Worcestershire), or use the full seasonings on half the amount of solids. I always use a higher proportion of Wheat Chex because I like it and it soaks up the sauce really well. Then for the mix ins it's whatever strikes my fancy. I don't really like pretzels, so I used a tex-mex snack mix from Target that has sesame sticks and nuts, plus some cheese Goldfish crackers. Classy!

Testing my edible gummies, so far they're as good as my edible brownies.

For anyone wanting to eat a homemade Chex mix, but too lazy to make it, try Utz brand Pub Mix. It's savory, not sweet. I love it. They may contain those sesame sticks, which I can take or leave. All the other ingredients are good, though.

I have seen it at Costco, but not sure if they still carry it.

Dreading the holiday, used to be a florist. It ruined all the holidays

R42, if you *used* to be a florist, why do you dread the holidays now?

My mother died earlier this year. Christmas was her favorite time of year so it's just really weird this year. So I've been hooking up with randoms and posting on DL. Just don't want to think about Christmas.

I told myself that if I shoveled this morning I could make myself an egg sandwich. Bacon, egg and cheddar on naan bread, under the broiler for a minute and then pour hot sauce over it. delicious

What kind of hot sauce, R45? I've got several hot sauces in my fridge door. Each serves a purpose. For egg, I'd probably go with Tapatio or Tabasco.

tg it only snows a bit where i live!

shovel snow?! i never!

Tabasco r46!

Going to the gun range to shoot off my new Glock 19

This weekend has so far been one long nap, punctuated by brief periods of alertness in order to eat and hydrate. Got my booster several days ago, then had the company Christmas party. Guess it wore me out.

This means I'll be scrambling to get ready next Thursday to prepare for leaving town to visit the crazy family. But I should be well rested for it!

What I'm really looking forward to is the long New Year's weekend. Just me, myself, and Freda the cat snuggled up at home under the electric blanket with a couple good books. Paradise!

no pete and miley?

Admittedly I was pretty lazy - spent the day watching biathlon and swimming and after doing 4th Advent (as in drinking glögg and eating lussekatter) I realized I needed to do a quick cure on the salmon I am hot smoking tomorrow. Since I’m in the kitchen I decided to make some cookies too - Levain choco chip and spritz.

Now I think I will spend the rest of the day watching metal documentaries on tubi. I do need to put laundry away but maybe not today.

I’m wrecked already. I haven’t been drinking at all since the summer. And I recommitted to the gym at that time too and cleaned up my diet. So I thought “now that I feel awesome and I’m in the best shape of my life, I’ll cheat a little and get buzzed at a couple of holiday gatherings!”

Big fucking mistake.

I feel like a steaming pile of llama shit after boozy dinners the last two nights. I literally want to be a ghost right now, released from my pain-wracked physical container. I’m typing this under the covers, as I vibrate with anxiety, shame and dehydration.

I had fun though. It was good to let loose a little, if only to remind myself how not worth it is. OMG and expensive! I forgot how muthafucking pricey a cocktail is these days!

Thankfully, my husband is cooking dinner and decorating the tree tonight. We’re going to the Hudson Valley on Thurs to spend Xmas with his fam so I’m going force myself to wrap gifts later. That’s it.

Btw - does anyone have an extra Vyvance?

R43, after all the years, can't shake it. But i do get a thrill when i am not working on val day and mothers day. When i first started in the industry they told me it would ruin holidays and of course i didnt believe them. Silly me.

O! I forgot, I got a$10 credit from google play and bought the ebook of House of Hilton so I am reading that too.

I kept meaning to go and see Nightmare Alley but it's freezing cold here and the thought of crossing a huge parking lot in sub zero weather then sitting for 3 hours in the cinema wearing a fucking mask made me change my mind. I spent most of the weekend laying on my bed and looking at the usual sites online. I have zero Christmas spirit as usual and certain things happening in my life right now are making things feel just horrible. Lat year around this time I left my b/f of 10 years and the year before that my mom passed away a few days before Christmas after a 6 month horrible battle with cancer. I really haven't recovered from either of those thing and I spend my time online just trying to keep my mind occupied.

Last night I made Moscow Mules and ordered a white pizza. Did minimal holiday prep during the day (decorating my door, packing gifts.) Pretty lazy overall.

^ I am an orphan but not Darfur Orphan.

Nada. Zip. Zilch.

I fractured my humerus on Dec. 6th. Nothing humorous about it.

My sister, friends & neighbors are fortunately sending lots of chicken soup and hot meals, and homemade cookies & treats. They've all been a great help and I'm very appreciative.

Tonight will be a Charlie Brown night.

🌲Happy Holidays, Data Lounge !

Speedy healing to you R60!!! 🧑‍🎄

Sitting on the sofa with a purring cat and snoring dog. My husband died 3 and a half years ago today, and it’s been difficult.

So Sorry R62 :(

Ate my very first slice of fruitcake ever, Claxton™ Fruitcake from Georgia, and I actually liked it ! Great with a glass of cold milk. Next, I'd like to try Eggnog with rum.

OP How did you accidently die your hair silver lilac? Did a bucket of it fall on your head?

Haha, I was going to use a demi permanent color toner to 'blur' my roots (I bleached my hair almost white a few weeks ago) until I wanted to bleach the roots. Then I pulled the color down to refresh the rest of my hair color. I used a different brand than I usually do in the same color as my normal brand (matrix) and it deposited WAY more color than matrix does.

Which is cool because I will use this brand frequently now, but I will get a color that doesn't have purple in it (which gets out brassiness).

It's all good, I like it well enough to wear it for a few weeks and now I have an even better toner/color brand for white hair than matrix.

although r65, I love the Carrie reference! Don't think I missed that 😉

Yesterday I put up 5 security cameras in the icy wind. Today lazy. I will pick up my brother Christmas day from his nursing home and take him to my mom's house. I asked him what he wants for Christmas dinner and he said pizza. That will be easy.

Ordering or homemade r68?

well, make one with turkey, dressing, and stuffing to freak him out!

I’m eating corn with lots of salt and butter

I spent today arranging for my neighbors body to be collected by the undertaker, he'd had a heart attack and I found him dead..

Jeez R72.

R72 Wow. You win the thread.

(R28) Now that is truly the meaning of Christmas.