*Soop's kitcheners*

Shingles can occur anywhere. Usually in the distribution of one nerve. Men tell me that when it happens to their genitals it is very painful.

DS1 had it in his eye, Galen, and one friend had it in her rectum where it became infected.

Must be good to have DH home again Bella - take care of him and yourself.

Sounds as though you had a good send off Grannyknot. It's a good thing there are lots of projects on the horizon - you won't get bored!

Galen Shingles is certainly a very painful condition. My late Nana developed a rash on her eyebrow. It was the start of shingles on her face. Her eyelid was stitched closed during the illness. She had the most awful head pain for a very long time.

It is a marvellous day in bonnie Kintyre. Bright sunshine and the air feels fresh, just the way I like it. Yep, Magnum chilling in the freezer. Countdown to the match I've been waiting for. Such a pity that Andy isn't a contestant.

I would so love a glass of Pimms. Any offers? I shall return later, once the trophy is held aloft. Take care, you lot...

Don't think you would welcome the Pimms on offer at Wimbledon Soop. It was analysed last week, £8 for a plastic cup of watered down small content of alcohol

I will leave a freshly made jug for you, not a tipple of mine so I hope the mix is acceptable to your palate. Slainte

I actually made a huge amount so please help,yourselves Granspals. Happy days

Agus you, my dear, are a star. Slainte!
What a marvellous match...two masters of the game...I thought that it was stunning from start to finish. Well done, Roger. Well deserved, Novak. Time for a large G&T and a breather. I'm absolutely exhausted.

AGUS
Why thank you, very kind , will you join us for a "small one"?
xx

You have twisted my arm Nonu. Your very good health.

At present, whilst sitting in the garden, DDs cat presented me with a baby thrush. I have now put it in a small ventilated propagator with, bread and milk saps, bird seed,and some water. Did cross my mind to hunt for a worm but that means killing the worm!! I'm sure we all know the outcome in the morning but it's the only solution I could think of as a safe haven away from blooming Poppy.

Sadly I doubt it will survive long Agus[the baby thrush.]That's the problem with cats isn't it?If my dd's cat had a 'coat of arms' it would be a mound of dead shrews with 2 blackbirds rampant.

We rescued a sparrow years ago, it seemed to be doing OK, and was actually singing, but in the morning it was a gonner, poor little thing.

It didn't even survive overnight .....Poppy's reaction when I told her this morning?
Are you going to put my breakfast out now? !!!

That is a shame, poor little thing!

I'm sad to hear that the wee bird didn't survive. You must believe me, because it happens to be true that Rory sits on the back doorstep mat and the birds continue to use their feeders and graze on the ground. In all the time he has lived with us, he has never killed, let alone disturbed, a bird. Does that make him special? MacSporran says so.

Oh dear, no tennis! I shall have to rally and do housework. Hey ho, as bags would say.

Doing the ironing now no tennis and I'm not into bikes not even with all that lycra!

That is very special Soop I've never known any of our cats do that but then, I agree with McS, Rory is quite special.

I have always fed the birds but more and more I,am getting quite fed up,with the pigeons and seagulls, don't mind too much that they muscle in on the smaller birds feed but oh my goodness it's what they deposit after a good feed! No manners at all!

Off to,pot up another red geranium. Enjoy your day everyone

It's me again in hand, I have plenty more if anyone would like a glass, although I'm aware it's an hour later here.

DH is still doing well. A little tired but still got a good appetite and no nasty side-effects (fingers crossed).

My dear sister in law is back in hospital though. I've just come back from visiting her and am very concerned about her. She is so lovely and we still managed to have a laugh despite the awful circumstances. She sees the oncologist on Thursday but I don't understand why it has taken so long.

I am having withdrawal symptoms from the tennis being over, too, but have had a busy day one way and another.

Sorry about the little bird,*Agus*.

rosesarered I chortled at your 'coat of arms' for the cat

Off to Skype with my DD and DGD in the US now. The highlight of my day

Love to all Granspals.

Love to you, Bellasnana May I join you in a delicious beverage. Thank you for keeping us updated. Enjoy skyping.

Agus a red geranium can make me smile. A beautiful flower in so many respects. Such a clean perfume.
We've been putting a cut-up slice of wholemeal bread out every day for the many years we've lived here. We place it on a large rock in the garden and the crows [one waits on the telephone wire until MacS visits and then it calls to others in the family] they then pick up the bread and hide it away on the beach, tucking it between stones. The crow stone, as it is known, is hidden by very tall foliage. The crows have always claimed the spot as their personal space. Lately though, the gulls have been canny enough to discover it for themselves. MacS is not amused. He says that we'll need to re-educate the crows and find a new drop-off point.

Lona You are a tyke. I'm missing the tennis. Decided to turn out the bedroom drawers and wardrobes. It has taken three hours. I've a rotten back-ache from lifting the full drawers and plonking them on the bed. When will I ever learn! It has been a beautiful day. I could and should have sat in the sun and watched MacS and Rory busy themselves himself in the garden.

rosesarered Yes, the 'coat of arms for the cat' also made me giggle.

Yes soop, you should have sat in the sun with the 'boys', you are very norty!

I don't know how my house got so covered in dust...........it was only two weeks

Pass the bella xx

Just dropped in for some hot coffee [that's the great thing about Soop's kitchen, there is always hot coffee on the go.]OOOOH! I have just spotted a large tray of Cornish pasties cooling on the farmhouse kitchen table, think I may have to indulge.
On the subject of rescuing baby birds, the best thing to do is leave them somewhere in the garden [under a hedge or something] and bring the cat indoors for a while. The bird will sometimes recover from shock and fly off.They never recover from shock if brought inside into an alien environment.Glad Rory doesn't hunt, my last cat never hunted either [or he was rubbish at it!]Never saw him catch anything, and he never brought anything in.Cats do vary in their hunting skills, some aren't all that good at it and others could get full time jobs with the Mafia.
I am sharing one of these Cornish Pasties with Angus, as he was lurking under the table and licking my knee hopefully. Aww, see how he yums it down!Why do dogs eat so quickly? They don't call it wolfing it down for nothing[ although you should see my Dh with a sirloin steak!]

Tara, when in the mood can bring home 3 mice in one evening. Recently a neighbour 2 doors away found a dead rat outside his patio door. He said that he did not think that the 3 local cats, Tara being one, were capable. I did not dare tell him that all that stopped Tara from bringing her spoils home were two 6 foot fences to negotiate and she could do that with a mouse in tow but not a rat. She loves her takeaways and even better if I am sitting down enjoying my supper and she comes with a takeaway and sits down beside me to savour hers. It puts me off mine somewhat.

Hello my darlings. First things first. I'm late, thanks to Broadband being out of action for most of this morning. I have done an inordinate amount of cussing.

MacS had appointment with the doctor mid-morning. The GP who has been dealing with his problem since early June, was off duty. He had a nice lady doctor who had to read through reams of notes in order to acquaint herself with all the gory details. She told us that two weeks is no time to wait for virology test results. Confirmed that it could easily be another week or so before we'll be any the wiser. She did linger over the fact that MacS had been working in woodland. He's still far from right, physically, but upbeat as ever in spirits.

When we returned home, Rory went out to play. MacS called me to watch something very amusing. Rory was sitting on the paved area in the back garden and right in front of him was a baby mouse, no more than 4cms long...it was hoovering up some bird seed. He simply sat and stared. Then, along came what could have been the parent mouse. He continued to watch and made no move whatsover to chase and play and kill. We could hardly believe our eyes. Eventually, both meeses disappeared under the hydrangea bush. Rory stretched [nothing too taxing], cleaned his whiskers and sauntered away to sit in the shade. What a character! Takes after MacS

Have just googled re the fledgling. Apparently I kidnapped it and it died of shock!!......pass me some of that wine please Lona. I'll have a large one!

Fingers crossed results come in soon for McS.

I just assumed all cats were hunters because our lot were. Amazed that Rory just sat and watched the two mice. What a cool cat.

Goodness soop, how did he manage to survive for so long before you took him in eh? Must have been the treats you left out for him and his wives

Good wishes as always to you and MacS

Soop I hate to ask, but..... Rory isn't blind is he?Or very old?

Agus never mind, you thought you being kind [and you must be if you won't even kill a worm.]

You have been such a good influence on Rory, soop and McS. Perhaps you were lion tamers in a previous life.