Soop's welcoming kitchen!

Hello again everyone. Just popped in for a catch-up. I haven't had the chance to catch up on kitchener's news lately and it seems a cheek to pop in just for a without being up to date.

Bella, you are having a tough time at the moment but your husband's latest result is a positive.

Alie, i have been reading about your problems and feel for you so much. Bad neighbours are a real curse.

soop, good luck with your painting. With your talent I'm sure it will come good. With my talent it would not even look like a dog

We have had a very hectic ten days. DD2 and her 2 under threes came to give 'support' to DD3 who is currently living with us having left the idiot (I think - but she isn't talking yet!!) The only problem was that DD2's Dh is having real problems at work so she was really stressed! With two stressed daughters and 4 under 3s life has been great!

Added to which, DD3 has had a wedding cake to make and 'ice' and a 'Night Garden' cake to do too - all in my kitchen. There is icing sugar everywhere and I have no idea why we bothered to have all the carpets cleaned (approx 2 months ago)

All minor stuff compared with the things some of you are going through, so I apologise for the rant but I feel much better for it.

And, all this talk of midges is making me itch like crazy But, I have my outfit for DN's wedding in July. I've also bought Mum some clothes WHICH SHE LIKES

Anyone like a strong cup of builder's with lots of sugar?

for all of you suffering from real problems and not little moans like me!

A cup of builder's with milk but no sugar, please Kitty. And absolutely NO CAKE thankyou, I am hoping that I can get into some of my summer clothes. I blame all the cake, scones, cream etc in soop's kitchen or else the tumble drier for making them shrink.

Just wondering where I could get hold of some Sin Skin so Soft these days - haven't seen an Avon lady in years. The only place I have ever been to a Tupperware party as well is when visiting Down Dnder - they are still going strong in Australia (at a price).
Talking of Down Under - all houses over there seem to be fitted with screen doors and windows to keep out the mozzies, flies etc. Obviously no good when you venture outside, where I have to cover myself with as natural mozzie repellent as I can find. One of those midge kagoules sounds a good idea, but could be too hot.

The Thai Pig typig is still on the run, his four legs are faster than my two.

Best wishes to all kitcheners, hope the extension goes well, and for everyone who is going through a tough time right now.

Here you are Rosequartz. Avon is on line these days!

Thankyou annodomini, I had no idea! I will order some, midges and mozzies love me and I am not keen on using deet based repellents.

Good morning all. I am just popping in with my cup of coffee to sit a while. Have been washing floors and need a short break before I go up to hang the laundry on the roof.

Last couple of days have been full of worries. My dear sister went for her CTscan and they did another on her neck as it seems it has spread to a lymph node there. She is scared stiff.

Visited dear sister-in-law twice in the hospital. She is skin and bone and looks like a little girl, bless her. They are operating on Saturday and have told her she may need a colostomy as it seems it has spread from the ovaries to the colon. Just so sad, and my poor DH has enough on his plate without having to worry about his sister.

DH had his PET scan on Tuesday so results should be out today or tomorrow. Then we will know what's next for his treatment.

On a brighter note one of DH's other sisters (he has four) is to become a grandmother to twins! Nice to have some happy news

Right, back to the housework. Love and best wishes to all, especially those with problems big or small

Bella You can only take each day as it comes (((hugs)))

Bella I hope you can keep your spirits up through all your difficult times.You must think you need a season ticket to hospitals. I hope the news is good on your DH's scan and that his treatment,whatever it is, can be started soon. Best wishes to your sister and sister in law they are going through very difficult days. for you all.

Bella. (((((Hugs)))))

Bellasnan ((((hugs))))

Bella, in my thoughts. X

Just looked in for one of my infrequent visits to catch up on the news.

Bella you are amazing. You have sooo much to contend with, but always with good humour
soop it's good to know I'm not the only dotty one around here!
Kitty don't envy you all your house guests - lovely though it is to be surrounded by family
Alie I have been following the saga of your neighbours with, erm, interest. Sounds a nightmare..... Hope you make some headway very soon. Congratulations on your new GGS.

All this talk of itchiness reminds me that here on the East we will soon be invaded by Berry(bury) Bugs; luckily we have few midgies, but the berry bugs which arrive along with the soft fruit, do literally bury themselves in your skin and itch like hell.... I think you can get skin so soft on the Avon website - got some a couple of years ago.
DD2 is arriving from Australia on Tuesday for a very short visit with her youngest who is 22 months old. Great excitement in the camp as the sisters haven't been together since J's funeral so hopefully it will be a happier experience. There will be much catching up and meeting of new children and she also wants to visit her great Aunt who is nudging 99. As usual, I have come to a standstill and won't be able to do any organising or preparation until 24 hours before ETA when I will go completely mad and be fit for nothing by Tuesday - t'was always thus

I have perused the Avon web site myself and confess I'm bamboozled by the proliferation of Skin So Soft products. Do they all repel insects or is it one particular variety? It would be a great idea to combine it with a sunscreen.
Marmight I'm a last-minute person too. Right now, I'm putting off emptying the dishwasher.

I have some in-laws who live in Orkney who say that the original Skin so Soft which worked a treat is no longer available or certainly doesn't work like it did a few years ago.

Bella you are an inspiration, you are coping so well with enormous troubles just now. Have a very british

to all of you who are going through difficult times.

rosequartz I don't know if this is authentic. Might be worth investigating.

Bella...may I echo baubles...you are, as she says, inspirational. I, together with a host of Granspals, admire your fortitude. Troubles have been heaped upon your family and still you manage to keep yourself together. An entire arm-full of and wall-to-wall (((hugs))) By gum, you are one fantastic lady.

As for the rest of you lovely lot I'm so very thankful that we get along famously and can in some small measure comfort and support each other. I usually log on late morning. Whenever I do, I love seeing all the familiar visitors to the kitchen. Wouldn't it be fun if, just for one day, the kitchen could be real and not virtual. We would blether and chortle make a right mess of my kitchen

I must busy myself with dog portraits for an hour or so. Both are looking promising. Best advice I can offer myself is...when satisfied, put paints well out of reach.

Dearest soop and all you other lovely kitcheners , thank you all for your kind words. I can assure you I have times when I don't feel very brave at all, but the support I have had from all of you has certainly helped me to buck up and soldier on with a better attitude. Many of you have faced worse than this and come through it, so I am hopeful we will too.

Yes, wouldn't it be lovely if we could have a real day in the kitchen? Although soop might not think so as there are quite a lot of us

We are off to visit dear sister-in-law in the hospital now. She is only allowed liquids until her op on Saturday so there isn't going to be much of her left as she's already tiny and hasn't been able to eat whilst having all these tests over the past week. Hopefully we can cheer her up a bit.

Good luck with your dog portraits soop

Bella loving thoughts winging their way across the miles.

Anno I have just dug out a bottle of Skin so Soft which I used last year and it was still effective. It is a white bottle with a torquoise rectangle on the front and called soft and fresh replenishing dry oil body spray. Certainly would be a good idea if this could be incorporated with a sun barrier.

Have a lovely time with your daughter visiting from OZ Marmight, you lucky thing. . DD2 in Brisbane is trying to make plans to come home in December. Haven't seen her for 2 years now since she moved there. I am desperate for a cuddle but try not to dwell on it and as she is happy and healthy I keep reminding myself it's all I had hoped for her.

Bella'hope your hospital visit did manage to cheer your DSiL. It must be so painful for your DH to see her so ill good luck for the results of DH's scan.

Hope you have recovered Kitty. I am busy training both GDs to tidy up now before they go home. Think they are getting the message that "I'll do it in a minute" is not the response Granny wants to hear

Wouldn't it be lovely Soop if we could all meet up in the kitchen although I doubt a day would be long enough with all the blethering we enjoy. Hope it goes well with the painting you are working on at the moment. Sounds a difficult one given the description of the photograph you are working from.

Well, it's that time of day again. Gone round in circles today and wondering what, if anything I managed to accomplish. Och, there is always, mañana. Slainte kitcheners

Thank you Agus and soop. We had a lovely visit with SiL and I think her spirits are raised as much as possible.

I'm afraid the results of my darling husband's scan showed there is a spread into a gland near his neck. This means surgery is not an option and they can only offer him chemotherapy. I'm so sad, so scared and not sure how to face up to this new blow, but will try to hold it together so we don't waste any of the time we have left. Easier said than done, I'm sure

Bella

Oh Bella, my heart is breaking for you. I can only imagine how you feel and that has brought tears. A day at a time. Remember we are here for you x

DEAREST bELLA

I am here in your favorite Country , and thinking of you and wishing things could be better for you and yours .

Love to you.

xxx

Oh, Bella, how sad for you, your DH and all your family - there are no words are there? Try to be strong but remember we are here if you need to off load and do take care of yourself. Huge (((hugs)))

I came in for a chunter about the state of my house with DGC here but who cares about that at a time like this?

Bella There's nothing we can say that will make things more bearable for you, but I'm sure that we are all thinking of you and sending our love and best wishes.
and (((hugs)))