Soops kitchen extension 2

Date slice please Soopand as I'm a greedy besom I would love some of your walnut cake too Glam. I don't have a sweet tooth but anything involving nuts and fruit, yum!

Agus I replenished my supply of mixed nuts this morning. I find them tantalisingly more-ish. May need to ask MacSporran to squirrel them away.

It's time to dismantle the tree and tidy the living room. Rory will watch. He's a very intelligent cat. Who says? MacSporran says. Back a little later.

Fresh baking?? No, No, it's not allowed until all the New Year Dundee Cake, Sultana Cake, Black Bun, Clootie Dumpling and Shortbread have been consumed. Maybe I could deposit some here and take some to Ancient Uncle. I really came to drop off a couple of Everly Brothers CDs and see if Soop would like to dance?

Granny23 I had to bake unfortunatly as the supplies where running low due to DS2 helping himself to a couple of cake tins full of goodies for his own house,I am very partial to a friut cake though and wouldn't mind sharing a few slices of Dundee Cake with someone,bet Uncle is very appreciative of some goodies with a or two.

I'm not the best of bakers, although folk seem to like my pastry, but have made a batch of millionnaire's shortbread you're all welcome to share.

Plump up the cushions! Just been reading about poor Galen going in a nursing home! No, no she needs to be here in Soop's comfy kitchen where we can all look after her.

Get better soon Galen

I wish I was there

Lona that is something I missed, where did you read about Galen please.

Oh hallo Galen didn't mean to talk behind your back hope you are bearing up

Sort of,,at least I seem to have stopped feeling sick

Now you're talking Granny23, I'll have some of everything please, especially Clootie Dumpling and whilst you two are dancing! I'll just float about enjoying the Everly Bros.

Oh Galen didn't know a thing about you being unwell. I'll follow your progress and wish you a very speedy recovery hoping you return home soon.

Poor you it must have been so painful. If there is anything I can do let me know..... Meanwhile here is a blanket for your knees

Get well soon dear Galen...we're rooting for you.

Dragonfly1 MacSporran is partial to a piece of millionaire's shortbread. If there is a slice going spare, he would be mighty grateful.

Granny23 I'll take to the floor. First things first...I adore Clooty Dumpling. What is Black Bun? I guess it's full of dried fruit. I like "stodgy"...especially puddings: roly poly, spotted dick, bread and butter pudding. Sigh.

Agus When I was a teenager at the convent, during the lunch hour we were permitted to play records on a Dansette record player. There was a nun who loved to watch we girls jive. She was the only nun who had a sense of humour. Good for you, Sister Marie Therese

The wind is gathering force. Friends of ours who live beside the harbour in Tarbert suffered from the floods at high tide. Today, there will be further flooding. All their carpets ruined. I hope that my Granspals are safe and sound. The ferry to the Islands has been cancelled - again.

I am not a fan of clooty dumpling and I hate black bun. I err towards the savoury and I just adore black and white puddings. I live in London and I have never seen white pudding here.

It is dull but dry and there is no wind but that I know will change later.

I cannot believe that there are so many idiots around putting their lives and more importantly those of their rescuers at risk, ie on the whole the RNLI. Those fools should be forced to pay for their rescue.

As soop knows, Tara is like Rory and is never given fresh water indoors. At present she is licking every drop off the glass garden table.

Charleygirl Along the coastline here in Kintyre, the storm is gathering momentum. I echo your feelings regarding folk, some with young children, daft enough to test themselves against the power of nature. Totally barmy.
Rory sends purrs to Tara. He's had such a busy morning. He has stretched and turned around in circles...eaten some chopped chicken and washed his face. Tara will understand that he now needs to recharge his batteries.
Should we have power failure [it happens frequently] I may not be back this afternoon.
Please, dear Granspals, stay safe and warm.

I once made a black bun and was the only one in the family to find it delicious. For those not in the know, it's a very dense fruit cake, inside a pastry case, traditional at Hogmanay. Not to everyone's taste, I know. In the subsequent 50 years, I haven't bothered to make another one. Any requests?

Link to Black Bun recipe here :

http://www.deliciousmagazine.co.uk/recipes/scottish-black-bun

Soop did you not see the Black Bun I left last night? Was it all gone by morning?

Charley What is this 'no fresh water indoors' idea about. Our new cat Cassidy is given fresh water daily but seldom takes it. OTOH he will lap up as much milk as we can spare + 4 pouches of cat food + scraps daily.

Actually, we have a bit of a cat relationship dilemma ATM and would appreciate any advice from cat people. I reported before how Cassidy a big, three legged, tortoise shell cat hung around for a bit and then just swanned in one day and has settled in very quickly. There are another two cats, with blue collars like Cassidy, who have been visiting the garden for a few months and one of them, same markings as Cassidy but with four legs (we call her Jake the Peg 'with the extra leg') and much smaller, has been sitting at our back door for the past week crying piteously until DH caves in and puts some food out for her.

Now Cassidy seems quite happy to interact with the smaller cat in the garden. They rub noses and do that thing where they walk past each other, over and over, rubbing sides as they go. However, when Jake attempts to come into our house, Cassidy blocks the door and is obviously defending his territory against her. So far we have kept Jake out and she does not seem to be able to use the cat flap but we think our resolve may falter if/when the snow arrives. What to do for the best??

Soop, I got a Dansette record player for my 14th birthday! My Mum was taught by nuns and told me one particular story whereby she was giving a friend a piggyback (or as we call it, a coaxie), in the playground and one of the nuns separated them and told them to stop their filthy goings on!

Anno now that I have scoffed G23's black bun which was delish., I must of course have a generous portion of yours, just to compare you understand. I'll also take Charleygirl's portion!

Granny38 it is a joke between soop and myself. Our cats, Tara and Rory get the best of everything but Tara forages outside for yucky rainwater when there is a large bowl indoors for her. She frequently brings home takeaways, to play with first of all and then consume at her leisure, usually when I am in bed trying to sleep. Again she has plenty of food here.

Agus if I never saw a black bun again it would be too soon!

Well then, not much support for black buns. I wouldn't mind a taster, just to be sure.

Granny23 You are funny...your dilemma reads like a letter written to an agony aunt. However, I do understand that you must be concerned for Jake's welfare. I would want him to join the family. It would sadden me to see him outside, especially in bad weather. What to do? I wish that I had the answer. It's a tricky situation. Rory's wife [a very pretty cat that we managed to have spayed] has been missing for some weeks. Two nights ago, she turned up and waited on the roof of Rory's upmarket kennel. When I spotted her, I took a dish of food outside. She waited under the hydrangea bush. As soon as I closed the door, she leapt on to the roof and ate her supper. Not long after, her kitten [also spayed] came into the garden and waited on the roof of said kennel. She was also fed. Rory remained oblivious to the fact that members of his family were close by. There are certain times in the early evening when he sits beside the kennel and stares off into the forest where the other cats live. If he ventures as far as the opening in the fence...that, in his mind, is an adventure. He stays out for all of ten minutes. After which, he barges back into the kitchen with a look of deep satisfaction on his face.

Agus I have no other fond memories of nuns. My time spent in the convent, was a most unhappy experience. Had I been happier, I would have progressed to the sixth form and would, I'm certain, have gone to university. Hey ho! As bags would say. All part of life's rich tapestry.

Tomorrow is going to be a busy day. I shall not be able to join you in the kitchen. I hope that those who seek a cosy corner in which to enjoy companionship, will do so. I shall return on Wednesday...hopefully all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed.

Charleygirl Cats are wonderful creatures. Tara and Rory know how to manipulate us. It's what cats do.

soop I would not be without Tara for the world. She has been sleeping on my bed since 5am this morning. I would not get up then so she had to "slum" it sleeping with me.

She is most active when I am sitting down eating my supper, watching TV. She prefers me to open the front door, rather than use her expensive catflap. Only she can use it which is a bonus, I no longer get strays in enjoying the warmth.

Agus, you're welcome to a taste of my black bun, but it is 50 years old.

Charleygirl Rory is snuggled up against MacSporran. If anmals can love a person...Rory loves my husband. As do I

anno Is that so? Is it a family heirloom?