Soops kitchen extension 2

Hello soop you sound great now. It's good to see you pottering around and back on form. I've brought some stollen slices and a pot of coffee with Baileys.

Icy I hope your little one has recovered now. They must have been so worried.

My little grandson took his first steps this morning and a few minutes later I watched a video of him as he wobbled towards his mum and grabbed the Christmas tree - it's coming down today ha ha!!

Alie I hope you're able to decide what will suit you best. It's a tough decision. I know I would not want to lose independence and friends, but being close by my family is important, too.

Thank you when I am partial to stolen cake, and a coffee laced with Baileys sounds perfect.

How lovely it is to see your grandchild's first faltering steps. A very special occasion.

I will be pleased when this year is over but I would like to skip a year and jump to 2015 because next year will be horrendous.

I have an aunt in Eire in a nursing home with ca trachea, all chemo and drugs have been withdrawn. It is a matter of time.

My 97 year old frail, slightly demented aunt, living on her own, was to be discharged from hospital on Christmas eve with the bare basics of food, eggs, butter, milk, cheese.

The caring NHS had a change of heart after my verbal intervention and she is coming out tomorrow. I discovered yesterday that a cousin in Eire has been diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour. I do not think that it is cancerous but he is having severe epileptic fits.

Difficult when one can do zilch for anybody. My apologies for the gloom and doom.

Come and sit down with me and we'll ask someone to look after us Charley, it's horrid to feel helpless isn't it?

I'm feeling fraught and would be glad if someone could ply Charley and I (plus anyone else who needs looking after) with something nice to eat and drink. This is the first time I've managed a sit down since Christmas Eve.

We had a big family party yesterday and decided 'one last photo', on the window seat in the kitchen, would be good. That was when we noticed the two year old was missing and the front door was open just a little bit. Grown ups scattered everywhere - up to the High St, round the corner to the cul-de-sac that has a jitty to the railway, up and down drives, calling his name. I was left at home with the other children and, in a quiet moment, I heard giggles coming from the downstairs loo. Bertie the B****r - strikes again.

I hope everyone is feeling well. Good to hear your news about DGC Icaya

Charley and Kitty you need some TLC, so here's some lovely soothing music, and this here young man is going to massage your feet and hands with calming oils whilst you rest your heads and relax. There's some tea, biscuits and a few strawberries dipped in chocolate when you feel like them

soop I cannot tell you how pleased I am that you are "up and about" . We had no internet for nearly a week and the ferry to the island ran on Christmas day, first time ever, so people could get home. I thought about you over the holiday, knowing your local airport was closed, which made me think you must be having bad weather. enjoy your sunshine

Had to do a shop, but here I am. Still thinking.
soop I am so glad you are back and better than ever!

Thanks for responses...I am not going to decide for months, probably.
Charley and kitty, how are you doing?

Do I gather that there's a party planned here too for NYE?
If so, can we arrange a wormhole between the two venues? Then we can pop to and fro at will!

Yes, somebody was organising a pyjama party but I do not possess a pair.

Not even a virtual pair?
How about these? www.missimo.com/new-offers/just-in-grey-marl-mickey-mouse-diamante-vest-long-pyjamas-sizes-8-16.html

These should be ideal. I will have so many layers on top as I am well aware how cold it can be in soop's neck of the woods.

......but then how do I recognise you and the PJs?

You'll have to recognise my headwear.....

Is bags ok at the moment? I'm assuming she's visiting relatives but am a bit concerned because the last time I'm aware of her posting was to say her daughter wasn't feeling well. Hope everythings ok with her.

Alie I agree it will be difficult because I will be covering the bottoms until I get indoors. I will ring your bell once I recognise the house next door and by your description that will not be difficult. I know that you do not live in Oxford but it is the nearest city and fairly close to London. No worries. We can organise time later.

Hi all - I have missed you but it's been a bit manic here and I am stomping round the kitchen muttering under my breath about DHs who do sweet FA.... Himself took the remaining meat off the turkey carcass this afternoon and you would have thought it was 6 hour brain surgery - judging by the number of implements I had to produce, the cups of tea I had to make, the C mas cake (latter left untouched) and then of course who did the clearing up? In the meantime I was trying to iron my way through just about every sheet and duvet cover we possess having used 5 sets over the "festivities" - and I still have to change our bed, but want to do that for NY (I do do it at other times too!!!)
So apologies for feeling sorry for myself, will stop grumbling now. It is probably post Christmas depression - let down after all the hard work in the build up, trying to get the place looking its best, getting as much as possible done in advance, not I discovered so that I could relax with the family, but so that I could do (even) more!!!
BIL in Canada sounds as if things are not at all well, treatment for prostate cancer 10+ years ago damaged his bladder which keeps developing cysts which won't heal. It had got to the point where he was supposed to have his bladder removed last Saturday (a week ago) but his bladder wasn't up to it. I think what they have said to Sis amounts to "there is nothing more we can do", but she is in denial and that is hard to deal with. We have not been close for many years but I do feel so sorry for her as she is very isolated, doesn't drive and has also lost about 2/3 of the sight in one eye.
I wish I could feel more optimistic but another year fills me with fear as to what it will bring
Gosh, very very sorry this is ridiculous - better go to bed.

Soutra Sleep tight, hope you feel better tomorrow.

(When) Re Toddlers and trees, we put our Christmas tree inside our adjustable fruit cage frame and covered it in white paper and garden fleece to look like a snow drift.
DGS was very good and didn't touch it at all! I was impressed, but I will never really know, if it was because we had "fenced him off" from it or not! I did have visions of him trying to pull it over or climb up it.
He is only a short fellow for his age and it might have just put it out of easy reach for him.

Nellie I don't know how he resisted trying to climb over to get to it. One of my toddler granddaughters has removed or crushed every bauble within reach on their Christmas tree - that also came down today! It was placed safely in a corner and trapped in by two sofas at right angles, but that didn't deter her. As soon as she caught sight of it, she made a beeline and has managed to get up close to it several times. The twinkling lights came off on the second day as she tried to drag them off to play with them!

Soutra sorry to hear things are getting you down. You sound exhausted and in need of a long lie-in. Hope things look a bit better after a good night's sleep.

To Soutra, Kittie, Charley and Allie sending you and others who need them some particularly big (((hugs))), just to let you know we care.

13 year old granddaughter was taken (slowly) to hospital yesterday with suspected appendicitis, they obviously didn't see her as an emergency but it was the best way to have her checked by a doctor!!! Fortunately it turned out to be a virus so she is back home and feeling better. A little too much Christmas fare too I suspect!

I am leaving a box of chocolates here, I hope you don't mind. If I keep them at home then I will just nosh them all.

Tegan I have also been missing bags but am hoping she is just busy with a not so well DD and another DD + family visiting or perhaps she has had her power off? I am sure that Soop would have let us know if there were anything wrong.

Just making myself a cuppa whilst listening to the rain drumming on the window. This wet weather has meant I've been unable to get out in the fresh air much over the holidays, may just have to risk trench foot today as cabin fever is setting in.

Morning everyone, I too need a little respite! Lovely to see you better, soop.

Two small boys and their parents are still here (watching Granny Murray - I do not care for that woman!) it is, as we all keep saying, lovely to have them but....I feel all peopled out.

I'll just sit for a while, if I may, before thinking about breakfast. Mmmmm, nice.

Oh, and I think bags is OK - I have "seen" her on FB quite recently.