Soop's Kitcheners

I'm a good bit inland from soop but we have very dark skies, heavy hail battering the windows and the house feels as if it is about to take off with each heavy gust.

Just hoping there won't be any storm damage.

Thankyou for those links Elegran. I hope all in the storm's path are snug and safe indoors. Weather stops being exciting when you are worried about storm damage and leaks in rooves. That includes you too Agus. I'm glad you got to hear your GD sing, but a bit . O Holy Night is one of my favourite hymns/carols. it is lovely to sing as well.

Galen I hope you are going to get the replacement part quickly. It must be very inconvenient and difficult without it. I think that Cunard should definitely pay for it. When are you getting to Lisbon? My weather app says that it is fine there for the next two days but there might be some rain at the weekend. I wouldn't have been able to meet up after all as we have had to come back to England for what would have been a funeral but as my BiL left his body to science has become a celebration of his life instead.

I heard a John Rutter arrangement of O Holy Night recently Dusty. Can't explain what, but for me, there was something missing.

I'm sure it must be lovely to sing but I don't know if I could hold it together long enough to make it to the end

We've been to have coffee and ginger cake with pals in the village. It was a nightmare battling against the wind as we walked from our car to their front door. The cottage is on the brow of a hill and therefore very exposed. All along our stretch of beach are deposits of thick white sudsy deposits. We're fortunate to be part protected by the mountains on the island of Jura. We understand that the islands are without power. Certainly no ferry boat operating today.

Rory is wearing his "I'm not amused" expression.

soop are you close enough to the sea for it to be a problem?

Our sunny day here in NW London is going to change later I believe. I doubt if the winds will be as high as in your neck of the woods but I still prefer it sunny and calm.

Tara has decided to have another rest, that is what Rory should do- it may take his mind off the howling gales.

Too hot on the balcony, had to come in for a nice cool champagne!
Part has Rrived and should get crutch back from engineers this pm.
Gibralter tomorrow!

Oh, rub it in Galen. Too hot

Pleased to hear the part has arrived and you will be up and running this pm.

Enjoy Gibralter tomorrow

Charleygirl MacSporran tells me that the sea is 30 metres from our front door. It has never reached as far as the verge and I doubt that it ever will. It has come close. On one occasion when winds of over 90 mph hit the coast, the sea seemed too close for comfort. I'm wondering how much debris will find its way to the shoreline. On the occasion I've just mentioned, it took a whole gang of local people an entire weekend to fill black bin bags with "stuff"...mostly empty cartons, plastic bottles, old rope and much more.

Rory doesn't like the sound of the wind. It is howling at the moment and big hail stones have bashed away at the window...still there is a lighter patch in the dark clouds. Every so often I'm treated to a glimpse of watery sunshine.

Beware of the apes, Galen let them know who's boss. US lot would hate you to be taken advantage of...hang on to your crutch.

Rory would love the weather down here but I doubt if Tara would share any of her many beds. He could have the sofa all to himself, suitably covered because Tara is not allowed on it.

It is disgraceful that so many bottles, plastic containers etc land on the shoreline to be cleared up by the "locals".

Look after yourselves, this weather will not last forever.

soop the fire is crackling nicely just in case you need to sit by the firelight, and I've put some crumpets and a toasting fork next to the butter dish. Homemade apricot jam if you'd like some too.
Have a large wee dram and keep cosy with MacS

Stay safe.

What a lovely lady you are dear Lona We shall follow your sensible advice to the letter.

We may need to do the Friday shopping tomorrow (when a lull in the storm is predicted)...just telling you lot in advance. If I'm not able to pop into our kitchen early afternoon it will be due to a power cut.

In the meantime, keep cosy and dare I say...be good!

The horrendous weather forecast seems worse when you "know" people in the front line. Stay safe and warm Soop. Hope the power stays uninterrupted

soop I do hope that you got through the night okay and that you have power in your neck of the woods.

if I can cope with you lot a Barbary ape is chicken feed!

Have a good day in Gib.

8Galen* sounds lovely wish I was somewhere warm although I must be grateful we only had cold winds and today is very bright and clear. EX DH is holding on but was lapsing into a coma last night DD" has got it together well this morning and has gone off for more visting- she said the ward is nightmare busy with only 2 qualified nurses on duty.

Galen Go easy on them apes.

It continues to blow here in bonnie Kintyre. We saw waves close to Westport beach that were eye-poppingly wondrous. I did hope to take a photo but our wee cheap camera that lived in the car had flat batteries. We bought new batteries and stopped at the same place on the way back home. New batteries failed to make camera operate.
The computer is misbehaving. I shall close and return later.

Teetime You are in my thoughts.

thank you Purpledaffodil So far we have had very brief power cuts. One winter we were without power for five days. We were also "snowed-in"...we born-again Scots are made of stern stuff.

How are you doin', bags?

I'm just back from meeting the researcher who was looking for volunteers/ victims about women's experiences of ageing. Enjoyed myself and it was worth the travel to get there but I could do with a and to revive me from Southern Trains and the underground.

Brendawymms Well done! You deserve a freshly baked mince pie and a glass of mulled wine. We rarely use the tube...maybe twice a year...and I hate every moment.

The wind is howling and every so often the hailstones hammer on the window. It's time to make ourselves comfortable and cosy. I'm wishing all our kitcheners to a peaceful evening.

Oh how annoying. I just typed a long message to my kitchener pals only to have it disappear into the ether

Sorry I haven't popped in lately but have been looking after DGD who has Nana firmly under her thumb. Ironically, I miss her so much when she goes back to DD2.

We had a horrible storm with power outage the night before last and yesterday was non-stop rain all day. Today the sun was out again but it has been colder than of late so have had a jacket on for the first time this winter.

Went shopping with DD3 and even this old Scrooge felt a bit of Christmas spirit at the lovely lights and decorations in Valletta. Of course it could have been the brandy I had in my coffee to warm me up

Goodnight dear granspals

No power for five days Soop? That sounds pretty awful, obviously running your kitchen as you do, you must be a domestic goddess and prepared for such outages. and hope that doesn't happen again any time soon.

Bella I've been wondering how you are. Yes, a wee drop of brandy in one's coffee works wonders. You are being a very special Nana at the moment. I would so love to spend just a few hours with Torben. He's such a long way away. However... I'm getting used to the fact that this is the way things are and likely to remain so. He's thriving. That is what matters most to his Nana and GpJ.

Purpledaffodil At the time we lost power, the wind speed was recorded at 90+mph. We used a camping stove (one ring) and thankfully we had a store of gas canisters at the ready. Soup (lots of it) and toast by firelight and tinned rice pudding...all very nourishing. When I remember how easy it was for us to cope compared with homeless people living rough, it makes me feel very humble and privileged...as indeed we are.

There was a rainbow dipping into the sea this morning. I took a photo through the window. I shall put the image in the album right this minute.

Lovely photo soop. Isn't nature wonderful when we have such images as this to see?

It is indeed all relevant when you think about some poor souls who don't even have a roof over their heads, more so at this time of year.