All set
Why do people insist on asking me if I am all set for Christmas?
What do they think I am?
A jelly?
A slab of concrete?
What is there to be set about? I have the basic essentials of life, and enough of them to last me into the middle of next week – tobacco, whiskey and bread. What more do I need to be set?
Usually when they ask I either say “of course” or “not at all” depending on my mood. Mostly it the women who ask the question, and it’s irrelevant how I reply as they will invariably launch into a tale of woe about how unprepared they are and how much they have to do yet.
The term “all set” is a colloquialism for “ready”, but somehow the question “are you ready for Christmas” is never used. If someone asked me if I was ready for Christmas I would say of course I am, bring it on, but somehow that reply doesn’t settle well with the “all set” version.
So how about you lot?
Are you all nearly solidified for Christmas?
I’m in quite a liquid state since last night, not sure if I’m gonna reach solid yet!
Bah Humbug!
Not Green – Starting early? Fair play. Or is this just the end of last Christmas’s boozing session?
Brianf – Couldn’t have put it better myself.
I have been told that I and “set in my ways” so I guess I am set for Christmas, New Years, Saturnalia, and all of the regular days that people attach some type of importance to.
Ready, of course I’m not ready, I’m a woman, we’re never ready we just cope anyway!!
….or as everyone seems to be saying “Keep Calm and Carry On”
I’m not set at all because I can’t stop shivering since I landed back in freezing bleeding Wicklow yesterday. I will just have to wander down to the Grove Bar later and partake of copious amounts of black stuff and maybe that will help.Maybe a noggin or two as well. As you do !
I shall heave a heartfelt sigh of relief when the whole feckin’ pantomime is over ..
and we reach the important bit .. my Birthday in early January .. 😉
Niece and nephew taken care of courtsey of the Intertractor. Christmas cards sent to the minimal list of immediate family. One visit to supermarket and returned with, and only with, two very decent bottles of claret to accompany the steak dinner for Christmas Day. Bugger bird. I prefer steak. At least three days of silence for reading, contemplative smoking, and only a ‘phone call to the militant wing of the family to do on Christmas Day. Christmas actually does become something to look forward to when you strip away the unnecessary crap. Bliss.
We do say “ready for” and not “set for” here in the good old U S ofA. Fact is it’s a load a shit and I can’t wait for it to be over and done with for another year.
“Keep Calm and Carry On” If anyone said that to me they’d get a smack in the teeth.
Mossy – Wicklow is always bleeding freezing apart from the two days of summer. You should know that. At least I know where to get a free pint tonight……
Haddock – You fishing for a present? Hah! You’ll be lucky.
Con – Now that is my kind of Christmas. May I join you? Mind if I bring Herself, the daughter [and husband], three grandkids and two dogs as well? We can all have a very nice quiet day together.
TT – Since scribbling this piece I was down in the village. At least five times I overheard the question “are you all set for the big day”. At least they had the sense not to ask me.
“Yes- been making explosives since Hallow’een” is the recommended answer. Neighbours are best kept nervous I always feel. Sorry Groandad all other humans are verboten from tomorrow afternoon until the 27th. Zere vill be no exceptions.
booze? check
snacks? check
house empty? check
all good to go here bring on christmas i’m looking forward to time without my family indulging in the above and several back to back movies.
Thats the ticket Cat- the secret to a successful Christmas is standing aside with some comforts. Probably one of the few people I know who genuinely regrets the end of Christmas hols. There’s a poor mate of mine who has a new babby to drag down to Gloucestershire to the in-laws and then has to drive family plus dog to Kent and somewhere in the mix is a drunken schizo aunt, a small house with two families in it and a bunch of stressed women. He’ll be lucky to make it out alive and/or sane the poor bastard. Why do people do it to themselves?
Yup I’m set, however the Misses will be zoomin’ about like a looney doing things she has already done…….for the 1st time in YEARS I have a prezzie I’m looking forward to opening Sunday next. Very quiet tomorrow and calm enough sunday, if the ma in law does’nt go into bourgoise mode………
I’m nearly over christmas at this stage. Every year it’s the same.
Start off around 7:30 a m in the big hotel by the beach having an all in breakfast with champers, couple of hours.
Then across the road, have a swim. Float there for an hour or so. Pissing and farting. Wonderful.
Home them for a nap and whatever happens… could be good.
Afternoon, off to the neighbours, BBQ lunch, plenty of beer, bit of a laugh, piss and fart again, Great.
Bail in home as the fancy takes me.
The end.
fuck it. Same old same old…
Christmas is like a blind date. You get all worked up for it. Afterwards, you wish you’d never gone!
12 days of Christmas by Frank Kelly,
good present ideas.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbejNNCTr7k
meanwhile Christmas is all set here in China, all Santie and Christmas trees.
I know exactly what you mean, GD. I had no idea you were interested in slabs. If you’d let me know earlier, I could have supplied you with your very own Christmas Slab.
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_6OUrpU-RgZY/TPikeP7QwFI/AAAAAAAAAak/5AOWApyNFOE/s1600/shadehouse_slab.jpg
They are great for keeping unwanted Politicians, Bankers, Developers and annoying Neighbour’s kids under.
Have a Good One.
@snookertony my god man how do you make it through..
@jefferson davis HA *snork* beer came out my nose on that one
All we had to get this year was the booze for the fridge. My meds can go to fuck for the next couple of days. No kids so no migraine inducing worries there. I managed also to avoid the in-laws’ and their Derry style piss-ups/rebel sing-songs so far (sigh of relief there!). Mind you, I’ll have to make a BRIEF appearance later on to her parents gaff to spout the annual best wishes and all that shite. Small price to pay since we’re spending tonight and tomorrow night at my parents place in Ennis.
Tomorrow; we’re all heading to my brother’s gaff in the rural heartland to sample his wife’s Silly Season cooking (luckily she’s a chef by trade! ). Plenty of gargle on hand I hope. Then on Monday it’s back to ShannonShiteLand where my only solace will be a get together of a small group of friends at my mate’s gaff. (Hair of the dog night?!)
So anyways; enjoy it folks, or if like me try to get pissed enough to forget it/make it pass more quickly……..