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[Random Bystander]

How goes it here?

Reasonably fortuitous, and aided by a mutual decision made years back to, in general, spend about $20 on a present, and no more than $40; and to not overspend on the children.

We are financially able to provide for ourselves, and frankly, expensive gifts are soon forgot. The children also have allowances, and Steam accounts.

That is not to say that we or the children don't have expensive things; just that that is not the focus of our Christmas celebrations. We're far more likely to contribute towards something expensive at some other time of year, or simply purchase it ourselves.

The only downside is that most of us have trouble coming up with a list of things we actually want for Christmas. It generally boils down to chocolates, a ceremonial (if humorous) exchange of money in envelopes, or something we want and would appreciate in wrapping paper.

The tl;dr, if you want a summary, is that expensive things are not Christmas gifts here; nor do we delay a year's worth of purchases to "the holidays". Both seem like too much stress. It is far more relaxing to open a few nice things, drink eggnog, eat too much turkey and stuffing, and sit around being *comfortable.

* Generally in front of a computer, the TV, or around a tabletop with miniature figures on it.

 

[trappedslider]

[video=youtube;HqNa6CAMsEY]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HqNa6CAMsEY[/video]

[video=youtube;horNBDUkckc]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=horNBDUkckc[/video]

 

[megamania]

Holidays B crazy. Relatives B crazy.

Yup. Had my daughter's in-laws over today for X-mas dinner. Ran late so I went straight from large dinner to work at Wally World.

 

[megamania]

Reasonably fortuitous, and aided by a mutual decision made years back to, in general, spend about $20 on a present, and no more than $40; and to not overspend on the children.

We are financially able to provide for ourselves, and frankly, expensive gifts are soon forgot. The children also have allowances, and Steam accounts.

That is not to say that we or the children don't have expensive things; just that that is not the focus of our Christmas celebrations. We're far more likely to contribute towards something expensive at some other time of year, or simply purchase it ourselves.

The only downside is that most of us have trouble coming up with a list of things we actually want for Christmas. It generally boils down to chocolates, a ceremonial (if humorous) exchange of money in envelopes, or something we want and would appreciate in wrapping paper.

The tl;dr, if you want a summary, is that expensive things are not Christmas gifts here; nor do we delay a year's worth of purchases to "the holidays". Both seem like too much stress. It is far more relaxing to open a few nice things, drink eggnog, eat too much turkey and stuffing, and sit around being *comfortable.

* Generally in front of a computer, the TV, or around a tabletop with miniature figures on it.

Much the same here. Going from 19 dollars an hour with many benefits to minimum pay part time with a "What is a holiday attitude" has been hard. We, as a family, have agreed on one simple gift apiece. Considering my health and the job situation, we are blessed just to still be together.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

On prezzies front, we more or less went practical. I bought my Dad some sheepskin slippers because he's almost killed the ones he has. And Mom will be getting Amazon gift cards so she can get some stuff from her watched list. I wanted to get her something from a particular artisan, but he seems to have gone out of business.

She got me a Matfer Bourgeat Carbon steel skillet- many of the benefits of cast iron, but @1/3 the mass. May yet get an electric knife sharpener.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Having fun: my bathroom sink plugged up Friday, and resisted all my efforts to clear it, so I called the plumber. It's a busy time so they couldn't come until today.

It is now apparent this is no ordinary blockage.

The guy has been here 3 hours, stopping only to go to the store to replace a part for his rotary tool that got bent in the process.

Nothing is coming out. He says he's hitting something hard, God only knows what.

If his current attempt on its existence is unsuccessful, he says he's calling for reinforcements to try going after the from another angle with more manpower and different tools.

 

[RedSiegfried]

I once had a toilet in my house that plugged up randomly. It didn't matter how much or how little went down it, about 10% of the time you used it, it would plug up and require extensive plunging.

I graduated on to using chemicals to clear the blockage to one of those metal snakes, and I still couldn't clear whatever was in there. I was on the verge of calling Roto Rooter because I was beginning to think the blockage was in the pipe going out into the street and not the toilet itself. But one day as I was snaking it out (again) I almost thought I could hear or feel the snake scraping against some object up inside the toilet.

So I finally decided to take care of this once and for all. I completely removed the toilet and took it outside and flushed it out thoroughly with a hose. Nothing much came out but I could hear the water hitting some object wedged up in there. So I reached in, wishing I had smaller hands. I oould feel a plastic object of some sort in there but couldn't grab it so I resorted to a bent wire hanger and finally fished it out.

It was the plastic clamshell case for a camera lens. Whenever the water flowed a certain way during a flush, the case was opening and blocking everything up ... then at random it would close and water would flow through. Mystery solved.

Now, I won't get into the time I unplugged a toilet for a neighbor and removed six shotgun shells. No one claimed any knowledge of how those got in there.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

I'm thinking something has been down there for years, perhaps since we built the house 18 years ago. That bathroom has always had issues with drainage.

He's left: coming back later this week with more machines & manpower.

 

[Darkness]

Now, I won't get into the time I unplugged a toilet for a neighbor and removed six shotgun shells. No one claimed any knowledge of how those got in there.

Most likely, they just didn't feel like talking about the incident with the albino sewer gator.

 

[Dog Moon]

Hmmmmm, been a while since I've been here. Was searching for "Interesting Fey Adventures" and found a link that brought me to EnWorld. Unfortunately all of the useful stuff in that thread had been deleted by the author. Which brings back memories... Raven Crowking deleting all of his posts, though I can't remember why anymore. All I can remember is that he seemed to be blowing things WAY out of proportion, but sadly that seems to be a common reaction people have towards way too many things.

Anyway, just thought I would pop in and say hello.