Soop's Extended Extension.

The sea is very lively today. The islands are barely visible. It has stopped raining.

MacSporran is listening to Mahler's 1st symphony. One of his favourite composers.

I may watch the ice skating early afternoon. As a child I was forever drawing ballet dancers and ice skaters. I could roller skate well but only went on an ice rink once [in Birmingham] and discovered that I couldn't stop - finished up flat on my face with a badly bruised nose. Had to be helped off the ice.

Bellasnana Yes indeed...Zim is a very beautiful cat.

Well, goodness gracious me! Haven't you lovely lot been busy.

Gaga a big hug for entertaining my Granspals with your merry music making. The rugby match was a complete walkover. The best bit was the singing of 'Flower of Scotland'.

Oldgreymare Thank goodness you checked the hospital re the 'clearing-out' stuff. I dread to think what you'd have gone through had you taken all four large sachets. Doesn't bear thinking about. Sit yourself down on the chaise and enjoy a and one of bags delicious apricot and fig slices. Go easy on the figs

anno The Loch Lomond song was taught to the primary school class way back in 1946 in a wee school in Northamptonshire. Bet your version was amazing. newist ditto the Skye Boat Song.

Galen We sang the songs you mentioned at the convent. Kathleen Ferrer and Joan Sutherland were great favourites of Sister Gabriel. I was instructed not to sing...tone deaf, apparently.

Bellasnana I'm about to take a look at Zim She was fortunate to adopt you. Cats really are canny. They have an instinct for finding good people who are willing to share a home.

I think I just woke up....this is a good place to be when things at home are generally irritating!
soop so glad the results were good.

bags that sounds yummy. I will make some coffee, if that's ok?

I've just made a variation on the date slices using some apricots and figs that I found kicking around in a cupboard. Help yourselves. I put a little cinnamon with the fruit.

I love those Noel Coward and Cole Porter era songs.

Just dropping in to catch up, great news about MacSporran.
Soop I phoned the hospital re the 4 LARGE satchets of 'clearing-out' goo and was told I don't need to take them all..... phew! It seems I will know when to stop A week to go!
Another wet and windy day here, just the day for curling up on the sofa/chaise and gossiping with friends.
Do you think collective positive thoughts will bring the sun out?

Oh what a lovely evening! The playlist alone is enough to make me relax, Gagagran, just lovely. Please could you squeeze in any Fred Astaire /Ginger Rogers songs for next time? Putting on my Top Hat and I Won't Dance would be great.
Thank you bags I shall have a go at those tomorrow, they sound amazing and I actually have the ingredients in (real ones, not even virtual).

Just writing that down, anno so I can commit it to memory. You can do a turn at our next N-W meet-up

I once, with a skinful of Sangria, remembered - and sang - the whole of Loch Lomond - on a Ramblers' Holiday. Fortunately everyone else had had just as much to drink.

Skye boat song, is lovely

Nymphs and shepherds?
What is life to me without thee? (Eurodyce)

Go for it Gagagran I could do with a sing song.
Boogie Woogie bugle boy from company B.
Come on everyone lets sing! We must remember some of the words between us.

Thought I heard some music! Can I come and join you for a bit? Not watching rugby....I don't do sport much. but I could just lie on that chaise and listen, and if I fall asleep ......

My fingers are itching - anyone up for a serenade? Is the piano available tonight soop? I am in the mood for some 1940s music. Suggested playlist:

A Nightingale sang
Chatanooga choo
Don't sit under the apple tree
As time goes by
We'll meet again
Lilli Marlene
White cliffs of Dover
Boogiewoogie something boy (Don't really need the words when I'm in full flow on the piano!)

Requests ?

I have also brought a tin full of butterfly buns with home-made raspberry jam so tuck in everyone!

P.S. GNHQ - any chance of a musical notation emoticon?

Thanks,*Charleygirl*. Zim is actually a girl. She was a teeny, scared feral kitten who used to hang around the restaurant we owned. Her mum was found dead and it took me ages to catch her and take her home. She is now 13 years old and quite the boss of the household! Even our poodle knows better than to cross her after he has come off the loser in their confrontations!

Nellie Do you use Gmail? I find it the most annoying layout, I'm always losing things or can't find old emails when I know I've saved them under a heading!
I think it's very badly designed!

Rant over, I feel a bit better now!

I'm sharing a plate full of chocolate eclairs today, just because I fancy one oozing with cream! is brewing and the mugs are clean, all welcome

I think I might watch some rugby too, I love those huge thighs thundering down the field

I am dropping in for a break. After doing some cleaning this morning. I started a long overdue email to a friend. I worked on it with a few interruptions for over an hour. I thought I had saved it once. I moved the cursor and the whole thing disappeared without trace!

I looked in every possible computer location. The air was very blue!! * I was nearly in tears and ready to throw the computer out of the window. I have just now finished and posted it off. I need some peace and quiet and flap jacks so I can recover. I am off to knit.

Well, I've just cooked B's slices and they are now cooling. Can't find chopped dates here, so used apricots instead. Only white flour in the larder, so used that. Not enough butter, so added a bit of olive oil. I did have oats, lemons and brown sugar though. Adapt and survive, I say.
Had better go shopping.

Bellasnana, Zim has obviously found a comfortable place to rest his weary body! He is gorgeous, very handsome.

Hello soop. I took your advice and contacted Lara about my problems uploading images. Still having problems but have put one of our cat Zim for you. As you can see, she likes Facebook.

Definitely the chocolate digestive, soop!

MicesElf That certainly was some hail storm. I can recall just one such storm many years ago in Lee on Solent. I thought that the windscreen of the car was about to shatter. 'Newgate's knocker'...I shall remember that.

Charleygirl Rory surfaced fifteen minutes ago. He ate his lunch and after a good grooming session returned to bed.

anno I shall be thinking of you during the match. I do tend get very vocal when rooting for Scotland. However, when it comes to being really excited in sporting terms, Wimbledon and Andy Murray take the biscuit.

Windy even in the heart of England, soop. The big conifers are thrashing but so far it isn't raining. A good afternoon for sitting in and watching rugby. I shall be neutral for the Wales - Ireland match, but 40-odd years in England haven't made me an England supporter when it comes to the Calcutta Cup. I remember those good old days half a century ago, on the terraces at Murrayfield, wrapped in my warm red duffle coat, yelling my head off!

I will definitely not be watching the rugby but I do want Scotland to win. You, MacSporran + Rory, can watch it and relax knowing that MacSporran is fine healthwise. Rory will be pleased that his routine is no longer disrupted.

Tara does not like kisses so has retired to bed for a rest as I cannot cuddle her and type at the same time, especially with her body lyiong across the keyboard. That is the life.

Thanks for the recipe bags. I need to try it like a hole in the head! I will blame you if I put on more weight!