Soop's Extended Extension.

Lona It's good to hear that you have had an enjoyable time with your friends. I have a recipe fro a carrot and turnip cake. It's in today's Telegraph. I prefer banana cake. Have saved you a slice. Enjoy!

I've been screaming for Scotland to beat Italy in the Six Nations. By gum, they played a blistering second half. The winning drop goal was the cherry on the icing on the cake... I'm thrilled to bits for them.

Same here soop. I need a lie down apart from shouting at the screen, I'm worn out trying to keep a friend's 60th surprise party a secret between myself and his daughters. Thank god it's tonight and I can relax in his company without putting both feet in it!

Can I sit down for a minute?
My brain is aching from trying to decide wether to have pasta puttanesca, sausages,or a prawn stir fry for supper!
I've got a steak and ale stew I've just started for tomorrow in the crockpot and feel quite exhausted from so much domesticity.

Must put my candle in the window as well. It's thinking day today!

I've just been thinking about having a glass of wine Galen will that do?

I'll sit beside you for a while as you decide what to have for supper and please do join me in a glass, it's six o'clock somewhere

Hmm, now got to make another decision, red or white? And if white sparkling or still!
You people are wearing my brain out!

Galen We're good at that! I like the sound of the steak and ale stew. Pity you'll be scoffing savouring it tomorrow. Can't wait that long. Saturday evening is always roast chicken night for us. Why? Because it's Rory [the cat's] favourite. MacSporran and I are as daft as two brushes.

I shall have a large G&T with ice and a slice of lime at six o'clock on the dot. The gin is a special one...Tanqueray Export Strength. I enjoy a double at six and another double at eight thirty. That's my lot. Same again on Sunday evening. Then, for the rest of the week [unless there is a special occasion] we're both tea total. If there should be cause for celebration, we enjoy a wee dram.

Enjoy the party, Agus. I'm still grinning over Scotland's wonderful win. Even MacSporran left his piano for the last ten minutes. He leapt from his chair when the last minute drop goal closed the game in our favour.

Bye for now to my Granspals. Until tomorrow.

Is it too early for a white wine? Have no idea what we're eating this evening, must go and get some inspiration in the kitchen.
Roast chicken tomorrow, I am not totally disorganised.

Sluts spaghetti sauce gently cooking.
Vodka and cinzano poured.

It all sounds lovely and I wish I could join you especially for a g & t, but I have to help at the local Am Dram performance tonight - I'm on the bar . However, having seen the productions last night I am prepared for misery. First play is about the onset of Alzheimers and the second is Harold Pinter's The Room which left me not only depressed but completely bemused! I shall have to plan something jolly for tomorrow to cheer myself up.
Well, both my teams won today (I sit on the fence)

Can't go wrong with olive oil, garlic, anchovies, tomatoes,capers, black olives and few chilli flakes.

Galen I think you've made the right choice with puttanesca (my favourite) and the vodka!

Gally It sounds like you will need to pour two drinks for them and one large one for you!

Just got to cook the pasta!

Well I've recovered my composure - what an exciting climax to the match!!
Have been watching the Bendor Grosvenor programme on the Allan Ramsay portrait of Bonnie Prince Charlie! Fascinating.
"Bonnie Chairle's noo awa, "
My wee secret is about the length of my pinkie and about 13 weeks old.....

Soutra It won't be a 'wee' secret for long

I've come to soop's for a soothing hot chocolate before bed. There seems to be more threads for 'bickering' every time I look
It's getting quite tedious.

I shall sit in a corner for a while and then I'm off

I agree lona why is everybody so grumpy?

Just popping in with a tin of date/fig/sultana/raisin/dried cranberry slices. You'd better hide them from mrBags. He says they are the best "that kind of thing" he has ever eaten and is having to pull out all the stops to ration himself to one a day. (His decision; I don't ration myself).

PS Wish me luck. Heading to Milngavie (pronounced MillGuy) for the start of my archery coaching course shortly. It's blowin' a hoolie out there so the driving won't be pleasant. Hey ho.

Have a good time thatbags. Do you shoot the arrows in the gale? That must make it tricky.

Lona Soutra do you think all the bickering threads may be Seasonally Affected? They make me feel uncomfortable - at least here in soop's kitchen all is calm and supportive and people don't snipe at each other. It isn't sentimental-ised (I'm sure that's not a word), but comfortable and comforting. Long silences between amiable interchanges. Clever soop.

Thanks for the delicious slices, thatbags and drive carefully.

Good luck with the coaching course, B, and thanks for the multi-fruited sliced.

..slices even

I quite agree, I cannot cope with all of the bickering going on one specific thread. It puts me off giving my penny's worth and have stated that I will stick to soops kitchen, decluttering and threads like that where I will not have my head bitten off for reading the "wrong" newspaper and voting for the "wrong" government.

soop I did laugh when I read that you had a roast chicken on a Saturday evening because it was Rory's favourite. If I have curry, I always leave a small amount for Tara as she loves it. Luckily I only like red or white wine, not sparkling and certainly no spirits.

It is a cyclic thing, that happens every so often. It all goes smoothly for a while, then there is a disagreement on one thread and people start to be tetchy about something else and have a go about it. A few get carried away and turn it into a fight, there are tears before bedtime and then it all settles down again. Until the next time.

Join in (cautiously) if you have strong feelings on one side or another. Keep clear of flying missiles if you would rather preserve all your teeth.

Meanwhile there are oases of calm like this. Pass me the soothing simple carbohydrates please.