Welcome to December, feel free to post away. It's our daily chat.

I have not got the chrissy tree up yet! I hope I am not the only one.
Had a great visit with Hubby today. At this time of year it is harder for me to walk away. I did not want to leave today.
We have a girls night tonight so hopefully that will take away the heartbreak I am feeling.

Have been busy with the kids, helping with the last minute assignments for their school reports.

Had 2 job interviews this week, one to move up in the company I work for and another for a council job. I hear back about them in about 2 weeks. Why does it take so long??

How is everyone else?? Hope the chrissy fever is making you all smile.

I haven't put my tree up yet either Em. Don't think I'll bother. I can't be bothered just for me and there's noone else here.

When I first moved in with DH he wasn't much fussed about Christmas and didn't even want to bother with decorations and stuff. I went out and bought some anyway and when I put the tree up and decorated it he loved it.

As each new year came and went he got more interested to the point where (a couple of years ago) he wanted to come shopping with me to buy new decorations. We decided we would make a tradition of it. Each year we would go out together and buy at least one special thing to add to our decorations.

This year it just won't be the same without him.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not sitting here feeling sorry for myself but I think it's a waste of time putting everything up just for me and the thought of taking them all down again is even more depressing.

I'll get all excited about it when he is home again.

Our Tree went up the other day and we had our christmas parade on Friday. I have got some of the kids presents but I dont want to do too much with out hubby. My eldest is really into Christmas this year and I am looking forward to that :) That in it self makes Christmas fantastic :)

We put the tree up on friday. I didnt even want to. I felt so guilty to be honest. It just didnt feel right without my bf. :( But i guess we are lucky for those of us on the outside, that this time of year is always so busy. It will make the time pass quicker in a way, but it will be very hard too.

This time of year can be harder without them, the range of emotions are like a rollercoaster.
Wissy & Gem, I understand what you mean.
Kellz, it will be good this chrissy the kids understanding all about chrissy and you having the extra money, also if he gets parole.

The girls night turned out alright. Turned out they all brought their partners.

hugs and Smiles.

Em, I know what you mean about the visits getting a bit harder at this time of year. I actually went up Saturday and today because I figured, if our visits are going to be shorter at Christmas, I want to get to see him as much as I can before hand.

He was so pleased to see me on Saturday. It's going to be very difficult not being able to see him on Christmas day but we will just have to accept it.

I too was going to go up on Sunday as well as the Sat visit. Its just to expensive for me to do that, with all the chrissy things going on.

He would have been so wrapt to see you on both days. Yeah Wissy the visit days are going to be getting hetic from now on. As long as I am in Hubby's arms for some of the visit I dont care!

Well we are waiting to find out with my man will be allowed home for chrissy. Last year I really stuggled with him gone but as surrounded but lots of family and kiddies trying to distract me! With him having weekend leave now, we are waiting for NSW DCS to release the dates of weekend over Christmas. Last year it was extended for 24 hours so that the inmates got all of Christmas Day with family and returnen back on Boxing Day. We are hoping for the same again this year.

I haven't put the tree up yet but have wrapped most the pressies and have just got home from putting all the lights up at my mother-in-laws house. She full decorates the whole house and it lights up the whole street.

Em, he knows me so well he half expected me to turn up on Saturday so it wasn't as big a surprise as I thought it would be but I'm glad I didn't disappoint him. You are right, he was thrilled that I went both days. I can't do it often because my finances won't allow it but when I can I make the effort.

Sticking by him, i hope your man gets to be at home for Christmas, that would be just lovely.

Kellz, i hope you get some answers soon, fingers crossed he will be home on the 17th. Let us know what you find out.

Putting up the tree and decorations is so hard, i knew this time of year was always going to be difficult, but i was overcome with emotion, something i hadnt expected:( . Its only going to get worse too. My mum is right into the lights everywhere and all that too.

Well, we finished of the mother in laws house tonight and I must say, it looks FANTASTIC. I managed to write "HO HO HO" in lights across the roof and the kids love it! I'll take a photo and see if I can post a picture of it so you can all see my work of art! I've been doing ok so far this year, but I don't think I would have made it last year if it wasn't for all the kids in my family. I just get so caught up in their excitement.

Sticking by Him I would love to see the photos of your lights. I use to get into all that but got lazy! Kids are amazing, they can keep you going. Hopefully you will hear good news about him having chrissy at home. Wow that would be great.

I am still yet to put the tree up.... Kids will nag me soon... surprised they have not yet.

I hear back if I have a second interview 2morow so fingers crossed! So want to win lotto!!!! Can quit working then!!

We all should be proud of ourselves, we have all made it so far and it shows we have what it takes to make it through to the end.
Hugs and Smiles to all.

:D Em your so right, kids make Christmas. Sticking by him, i too would love to see your art work.

Hey all, Hope every one is safe from the fires and the smoke is not affecting you to much. The fires are not close to me but the smoke is thick around here.
How is everyone??
We are doing fine. Putting the tree up tonight!!
Oh and I need air con as it so hot 2 days of being in the high 30's!

Em I don't envy you not having airconditioning. It's so uncomfortable without it. Glad it is going to be cooler tomorrow.

I drove up to visit DH today and the smoke was unbelievable. Visibility on the Calder Highway was down to about four to five car lengths. What surprised me was the number of drivers who didn't think to put their headlights on. Thankfully much of the smoke had cleared by the time I drove back.

I am just so glad he isn't at Fulham anymore. I am not sure I would have driven down there. They are asking people not to travel down to Gippsland unless absolutely necessary.

The firefighters must be exhausted. I take my hat off to each and every one of them.

Your so right Wysi, the firefighter's must be had it, i had heard on the news they are all working 12 hour shifts. Poor things, and lets not forget their families who would be sick with worry too. Cheers to all the firefighters and their families:beer: .

:thumbsup:

Have to love the fireman, doing an amzing job. Can I mention the uniforms too heheh.

Still have not put up the tree, would you believe the kids keep telling me they dont want to yet.
This is the first chrissy without alot of family. My siblings have moved interstate recently and all the my kids are thinking of is, in January we are flying up to see them. To them that is chrissy.

I will hear back about my interviews hopefully this week. Fingers crossed!

Hope everyone is doing well. Hugs and Smiles.

HI all,

We finally put up our chrissy tree last night! Have 1 more item to buy for Chrissy and we are done, this item is proving hard to find. How is everyone with all there Chrissy prep???

The kids are not that excited about chrissy coming up. They found out what they were getting so I am dissapointed about that. Teenagers!!

I am up late waiting to hear back about my close friend. She was taken to hospital due to a suspected heart attack. I am so worried!!!

Hugs and Smiles to you all.
Em77

Hey Em, i hope everything is ok with your friend. Thinking of you at this time.

Thanks, she is having more tests done and yeah I have nearly moved into her house to make sure she is ok, she was realesed from hospital.

Hi Em, what a rotten time for anyone to become ill. So close to Christmas. I hope your friend is ok. She is lucky to have you.

I've done nothing for Christmas this year. I've managed to find an inexpensive present for my mother and sent that off but have bought no other presents. I just can't afford to. Fortunately I don't have young children so it's not as bad as it could have been.

At least I'm not running round like a chook with its head off at the last minute like I usually am. LOL

Hey all my friend is doing better now. Wissy you can relax this year, I love having a relaxing time on chrissy day.

I will be poping on and off over the next few days. Be here on Chrissy day after our B'day party.

Visited Hubby today only allowed a few hours today luckily we knew this would happen so I have organised to visit again on boxing day too. Santa came out again to visit the kids and give them lollies.

Chrsisy eve I am going to my in laws - going to need to consume alot of alcohol to survive that time! :)
Chrissy day also holds my little sisters B'day so we have a B'day party for Lunch and for tea we do Chrissy. Our aunty is allowed out of her nursing home for most of chrissy day to visit us.
Chrissy Tea is at my place and I planned the Bbq, it was going to be warm when I planned it. Yeah I am stubborn and will still have the Bbq!
The kids are not very excited, they are counting down til they get to see their cousins in Darwin. Thats the one thing they want, yeah they are excited about that!

Hugs and Smiles to you all hope you all have a happy and safe chrissy holiday.

We have not had a response for a time to have the Chrissy chat room, so we have not organised a time on the chatroom just for Aust & NZ members on Chrissy day please post away here on the daily chat thread.

Hey wissy in relation to your post in the Christmas Hamper yeah they get locked up at 5.30pm on chrissy day, and yes we have the same problem with the phones as some are broken in Hubby's area and Hubby is not sure if he will get the phone 2morow.
Remeber we are here for you. A few of us will hopefully posting away here 2morow. I will.

Thanks Em. DH says he is probably better off being locked in early as some of the guys get a bit miserable. Fortunately DH enjoys his own company so he'll be OK. I'm spending the day with friends and staying overnight so I won't be online tomorrow. At least I'll have company as I won't be seeing any of my family.

I'm going to go back and see DH on Boxing Day on my way home.

Em I really hope your hubby can get access to the phone and ring you tomorrow. It's hard enough not to be able to visit them on Christmas Day but not to be able to speak to them either will be even worse.

DH says he will do his best but it just depends how many others want to use the phone as to whether he can get a time slot. I have my fingers crossed.

Em, so pleased to hear that your friend is o.k. now.

Merry Christmas everyone!! :) Hope you all have a wonderful day and that Santa is good to you.

Wow Santa came here, Hubby called first thing at 8am. Now I am missing him so much all I keep doing is cry. Have to get myself together as I am meant to be at my mothers for lunch.
Hope everyone is having a good, mine will get better.

Hi to all, hope you had a lovely Christmas Day and the jolly fat man in the red suit was nice to each and everyone of you. :)

I have been offline for a while now, life has been hectic.

I had a happy and relaxing Christmas day at home with my beautiful kids and some of our family. The phone rung off the hook all day with warm wishes from friends all over the country except from the one person I desperately wanted to know they are ok and let them know how much they are loved.
So I was a little sad to not be able to say hello, love you and everything else I try to jam into six minutes.
I hope everything is ok and even though I didn't get the chance to say it he knows it in his heart anyway.
Its a hard time of year for our loved ones inside, our families and friends best wishes to all of you and thank goodness you mob are all here.