Soops kitcheners

Hello to my dear kitcheners Sorry to be late calling in to catch up with you all. A sunny day...mixed emotions. Thanks for allowing me to share with you...
Yesterday afternoon we received a phone call that made us both very sad. A good pal, who was diagnosed with cancer just one month ago, had died at breakfast time. All so sudden. He and his wife were planning their retirement and now...those plans have been shattered. Because he was such a good and popular man, the little local church won't be able to cope with the numbers who wish to pay their respects. The funeral will therefore take pace in Campbeltown. I can see his grinning face and hear his chortle. Our memories of him are good memories.
We visited Claonaig this morning. It is a beautiful spot from which the Kintyre ferry crosses 5 miles of water to the amazing island of Arran. The sun was shining. People were camping on the beach. A couple were snorkelling. The view of Arran's peaks is stunning. We have promised ourselves a day out on the island. We haven't been there for ages.
We returned home to some special images of our granddaughter Hannah's graduation. I shall add them to my album in a few minutes time. She is lovely...both inside and out. Her brothers look so pleased for her...as does her boyfriend of five years. In fact, I had a wee blub. Happy tears...

soop heartfelt condolences on the sudden passing of your friend. What a sad time for his poor wife and family too.

Lovely photos of your granddaughter's graduation. You must be so proud of her.

Yes indeed, Bella the good news and images of our lovely granddaughter have lifted our spirits. The sad news makes us even more determined to treasure every moment. My thoughts are with you. Every day I hope that you will have some precious time with your husband. Just being together in the same room is special. In my mind's eye, I can see you nodding in agreement.

Bella when does your DH return for more chemo? Hopefully he has at least a week to recover from the last lot

soop that is very sad news. The good thing is that it would appear that he did not suffer as it appeared to happen so suddenly.

There have been flash floods today where I live- a part of the small cul de sac was under water. It was 2 householders who cleared out a gully because with more rain imminent their houses may have been flooded. I am lucky I live at the top of a small slope.

I'll be missing from the kitchen for the next month - unless I get access to free wi-fi at the caravan sites in France. I will be thinking of you Bellasnana and your DH - what a nerve-wracking time you are having. And you, soop. This is a sad time for you at the moment. I hope you get some kind of diagnosis of McS's mystery ailment and also a nice wee trip to Arran, It must be about 50 years since I've been there, though every day of my youth I looked out on it from our upstairs windows and even from some of the windows at school. Ah, well, I'll have to make do with Provence.

Soop sorry to hear about your friend. We had similar news a couple of weeks ago about a dear friend too. It certainly makes you think about treasuring times you spend with family and friends doesn't it.

Your descriptions of where you live make it sound so peaceful and beautiful soop you have a lovely way of describing things. I am quite relaxed just thinking about it (never been there, just in my imagination). I

I am still laughing about the prospect of Galen crocheting the Beatles albums what a thought.

I`m so sorry Soop, to hear about your very good friend, so sad too for his wife and family.
I hope you manage to get over to Aran, we`ve never made it yet, had a good gaze across there from Skipness Castle, another lovely place to visit, Skipness is a pretty village.

Sorry to be tip-toeing in so late but it has been a very busy day, unpacking, washing, collecting Cassidy the Cat from his holiday home, picking peas, the last of the raspberries and 6 monster courgettes, whilst replying to a backlog of e.mails and fielding innumerable phone calls and visitors. Phew

Following on from the theme on the thread today, and having just returned from a perfect+ week on the heavenly Barra, with DH, 2 x DD and 3X DGC, I can only agree that, at our time of life, we should 'seize the day' and make the most of every moment. This was the holiday that I thought we would have to forego, due to DH's infirmities but thanks to his determination not to spoil it for the rest of us, and DD2's forward planning, we were able to make the journey uneventfully and have a wonderful time in the most glorious weather. Even had DH paddling on Traigh Mor (the beach with the Airport on it) in the warmest sea water we have ever encountered, as the tide came in over the baking hot shell beach and roasting rocks. Just relaxing and chatting on the terrace overlooking the harbour was a joy. I have put 3 photos on my profile - more to follow when I discover how to get them out of my phone

Granny23 What a beautiful beach, it looks heavenly! Glad you had such a lovely holiday

soop so sorry for the loss of your friend.

We holidayed on Arran when I was about 8 or 9....stayed at Corrie with a family called Paton, such nice people.
My dad and I climbed Goat Fell. My parents cycled all round the island.
- and I played with a little girl called Avril Paton, who I find is now a well-known artist!

soop, I'm so sorry to hear of the loss of your friend, sad for his poor wife too. I'm glad that you have such happy memories of him.

What lovely photographs of your pretty granddaughter, they all look so happy don't they. You are right to be proud of her.

Pleased that you were able to get away for your holiday*Granny 23*. I'm must have lifted the spirits of both you and your husband. That beach is beautiful.

It must have lifted your spirits.

Well the darling daughter and DGDs are on their way home!
I've got my iPad back from toddler and returned the Dinosaur Train to the video holder. I reckon when I go into Tribunal tomorrow I'll be singing the dinosaur train song and pretending I'm a therapod!
The carpet is covered in dry grass from dinosaurs and the cushions are everywhere except where they should be?
I presume the settee will recover from being a trampoline and if I have to read the tale of the snail and the great big blue black humpbacked whale once more, I'll scream and I'll scream until I'm sick!
The joys of grandparenthood

Galen Think yourself lucky you've not had Peppa Pig in the swimming pool a hundred times!

Yes I suppose there are worse things in life

Soop after reading about your DGD's graduation, I've just scrolled through the pic's of your lovely family. I recently posted my first pic but you've inspired me and I will make an effort to post more!! Congrat's to your DGD.

Galen big What fun!

Thank you for your kind message Crafting and I'm so happy that your wee holiday was so successful Granny23. I've heard such glowing reports of Barra. I was told that the beach has to be seen to be believed. Your description makes me want to visit. I shall show MacS your pictures. He says...good for you xxx

mcem I shall take a look at your album in a moment. It is not too difficult to add images providing you've plenty of free time, but I still get flustered when my additions tend not to be in sequence but rather random.

anno Provence sounds heavenly. Enjoy the treat. MacS is taking some brutal antibiotics. He has a list of "not to do's" but isn't grumbling. He has to take the medication whilst standing and isn't allowed to go into sunshine...not that we have any at the moment. It is very overcast. He was terribly sick this morning. Poor Rory couldn't understand why he was being petted one minute and hastily abandoned the next.

number We both like visiting Skipness. A good friend of ours had a Hoff house [spelling?] built just as you enter the village. It is extremely modern but somehow it sits comfortably alongside it's traditional neighbour. Our friend who died on Sunday was the brother of the gentleman who owns the Muasdale shop. I wonder if you've ever met him. He was a very jolly and popular character.

Bella Lona Charleygirl Dustyangeland AlieO big hugs. Yes indeed, we really must make the trip to the beautiful island of Arran. The scenery is very varied, isn't it? We saw a basking shark just lolling in the sea not that far from the ferry terminal. So many folk taking photos. We have a good one tucked away in one of our many albums.

The albums of yesteryear of full of wonderful images. Now that we have digital photography I tend to store them on the computer. In a way, that seems sad. What if, when we "pass on" the family wipe the computer of it's memory. Oh dear...must do something to insure that doesn't happen.

Glorious scenery Granny23 truly stunning and the rest of your album is a joy. Your image is lovely too, mcem You can make the images larger if you follow the blurb when downloading. It took me ages to master it. I look forward to seeing more of you and your family.

MacSporron should go back to his quack by the sound of it.
Why don't you ask for a second opinion? You're entitled to one!

No Soop, we never met your friend, but if he was anything like his brother, he must have been a smashing fella to know. Have just looked at your photos, they`re lovely, you must be so proud of your family.

Thanks soop I'll try that. Hadn't thought of it as I 'stretch' pic's on my tablet but lose the resolution. That seems like a better way to do it.

Good morning to my Granspals. It's a little brighter today. The warm sunshine has abandoned us for a wee while. Off to Campbeltown. I need a passport photo in order to renew my drivers license. Tesco has a photo booth. Must tidy my hair in readiness...

MacS has to give another blood sample this afternoon. We'll call in to the surgery on our way back from Campbeltown. He wasn't sick this morning. He believes that taking the antibiotic together with another regular medication may have upset his tum. Dear Galen he has already been given four opinions from the four practice GPs...all say that his ailment is most probably viral. Then they add...viruses can mimic other conditions...some of which are bacterial. And so we all go around in ever decreasing circles. If MacS was not showing positive signs of recovery, [his appetite is back and he sleeps well] I would march him off for a fifth opinion in a trice.

The sun is breaking through the grey clouds. The ferry is making its way back from the regular visit to Islay. It looks beautiful...red/black/white on a teal green sea. On the rocks sit a pair of Oyster Catchers...they too are beautiful with black and white plumage and curving vivid red bills.

Home again. The nurse who took MacS's latest blood sample says that it will be in Oban hospital by tomorrow. The result should be known on Friday. Once again, it will be tested for Lyme disease. Apparently the doctors in Kintyre have been asked to carry out this particular test, due to an increase in the number of tick-borne incidents this summer.

The sun has disappeared. In fact it's a little chilly here in bonnie Kintyre. I'm off to cube some chicken for the resident cat called Rory. He was terribly put out at lunchtime. We were all of an hour late with his fodder. His expression said that he was not amused.

Pleased to hear McS is showing positive signs of recovery despite a final diagnosis as yet. Sorry to hear about your neighbour though Soop

Spent many happy childhood holidays in Arran and go back ocassionally. Great place to unwind. Barra was on our to do list this year but we've had a couple of set backs. However, we might make it yet but failing that, definitely next year. Glad you and your DH managed to get away for a well deserved holiday G23.

Soop I might have to visit you to cool off a bit. It's now 9.12 in the evening and still really hot here. We have all the windows and the patio doors open and I'm still melting. Had a lovely day today with DGD's lots of fun and games but worn out now. Sitting here watching the world go by with a nice glass of unwinding and.... Oops! Sorry nodded off for a bit there. Night night