Soop's Special Kitcheners

I think, at least I hope she'll be fine-SIL is going to be Pippa's godfather which he is really chuffed about and as her "due date" was going to be April, I hope there are not too many memories or "might have beens". They are (at last) having a well deserved week's holiday with their dog in the Brecon Beacons so that should blow a few cobwebs away!

Sooty!! Where did sooty come from? I'm sure I typed sorry

Soutra I've found some lost pounds too . They seem to find a comfortable home around my middle and have no desire to move out. Christmas was my downfall.

Soop sooty to hear about your toothache. Hope the cloves and wee dram helps till Monday.

I hope it is a joyful occasionSoutra and not emotional for your other DD. I hope she is now looking to the future.

Well like the Archers, Soops Kitchen doesn't change! I can't think what has kept me away (apart from sobbing over the rugby, "we wuz robbed ") but it is so nice to find you all there, knitting, crocheting and wool winding in between slices of .
I have some sad news,(don't worry, not that sad), you may know that I lost 9 lb in the Autumn, well, I've found them all again and they've brought some little friends to join them!
Could it possibly have anything to do with our party 2 weeks ago and the cheese and the wine and my very good fruit cake which I have been whittling away at? Or going out for Friday fish and chip lunches at our village pub(with of course a small glass of red wine)? Surely not?

I had better give something up for Lent, maybe food? But until then, it is Pippa's christening next Sunday and as long as I can fit into something , shan't care!!
Hope all are keeping well?

I bet that poor woman was in need of more than clove oil. I feel daft now. I make so much of my own herbal remedies for small ailments, and things like lavender oil in huge quantities for baths and massages, but it never entered my head to make my own clove oil.

I would use this kind of system, but I do understand that you may be in need of faster aid!

www.wikihow.com/Make-Clove-Oil

I would suggest at least boiling it for a while and allowing it to cool back down before straining.

I chew cloves sometimes, they help to sweeten your breath. If I have eaten garlic before choir, for example.

soop, I'd use the malt as anaesthetic, if I were you. I once removed a crown on a slice of flapjack, so a sticky sweet would do it. What bad luck. Talking of heavy babies - my late MiL had twins - each 8lbs, though one was stillborn. And she was a petite lady.

Ouch soop, rather too close to home for me! Recent dentist visits over past few months have left me awaiting dentures.......
Do hope the cloves therapy works, wish I'd had some to hand before Christmas.
On totally different note apparently biggest baby born naturally was 24lb 8oz......[eyes watering emoticon] , how the hell did she manage that!

Hope it works- good on you McS (hey, I just can't be wrong, can I- not after today's epic post). Bonne chance.

MacS has found a pot of cloves. I'm off to do as granjura suggests.

annsixty I've just read that a woman in USA has given birth to a child weighing 14lbs. The birth was natural and lasted 18 hours. Good grief!!!

granjura I'm about to look in the cupboard. I just know that the pain is going to get worse and no hope of seeing the dentist until Monday. I may need to resort to holding a swig of malt in my mouth. That will certainly help to numb the area.

I now realise that it's all my silly fault. We picked up a pleasant young man yesterday...he was thumbing a lift. Once he'd settled in the car, we realised that we had in fact given him a lift a few weeks ago. He has a very broad Scottish accent. He is also knowledgeable and talks umpteen to the dozen. MacS nods and shakes his head in order to appear to participate in the 30 mins of dialogue monologue. Because I could not make sense of most of the blethering, I fished out some sticky sweets and we all had one. I chewed mine and I was vaguely aware of a something amiss when I'd finished. So, you see, chewing on a sweet in order not to have to say too much, was not at all clever.

I'm away to feed Tortoiseshell cat. After which, I shall settle down and read the newspaper. At 5.00 Scotland plays rugby against France. I hope for a happy conclusion. Until tomorrow, and

Sympathy for you both.My DH has this persistent cough which is troubling so many people and boy do I know about it. Like some women who are the only one who has ever been pregnant(I expect you have all known at least one) he is the only one ever to have had a cough.

Ouch- tooth pain is so debilitating.

Have you got cloves and a little oil- you can crush them together in a pestle and mortar, sieve in muslin or hankie, and use - I did this for sil at Christmas and he said it really helped. Poor you.

That was thoughtful of you, granjura

I have just this minute swallowed some hot tea and a pain shot through the back upper tooth. Having inspected it, I'm afraid that I have lost part of the filling. I need some clove oil. Oh dear! What a bummer!

I used to be very photogenic, and people always said I looked like Julie Christie. I've not aged well physically, and due to sensitivity to light, always blink in photos.

Talking about light- just been out for a bracing walk in our winterwonderland. Very very bright sunshine against the snow, blue skies and very cold. Gatsby, our 16 year old big mutt, just loves the snow. Slinky, the blind 16 year old dachshund we adopted from DD2, came with in his pram, and loved the sun and fresh air on his face, having been stuck inside all week. He had a little walk of his own when we got to the Church car park which was clear of snow.

Just had coffee with DH who has 'man flu' - feeling a bit better, and the rock cake I made yesterday really cheered him up. As said, I rarely bake these days- but I could feel he 'needed' some cake.

Thank you soop, you warm my heart x

Galen...I'll indulge if you will too.

jane Angles "all wrong"...rubbish! Who cares. A face is a face is a face and each and every one has a unique character, which I believe is far more important than correctness (for want of a better word).

It is a lovely, calm and sunny day in bonnie Kintyre. I am enjoying painting a portrait of a Pomeranian, who goes by the name of Lachlan. In fact, I'm enjoying myself to such an extent, that I've purchased a new box of paints from an eBay outlet. The paints are of good quality and the price is most definitely fair.

loopylou I wore my hair in the "Elfin cut" for many years. Short and spikey and sooooo easy to manage. My face was plumper at that time. I can image that yours looks very chic.

I have never been photogenic, so those 'good' days are rare at the best of times. The only good photos of me have been taken by professionals. I have had friends in the past quite shocked when they see how my face comes out in photos. I have had people say to me 'Oh, you so much prettier in real life!' A photographer explained that the angles of my face are all wrong lighting-wise.

I did wonder if deliberately unflattering lighting is used! At least I can take comfort in my face reflecting 61 years of living!
I cringe when I see photos of obvious face lifts, lip plumping etc -am somewhat needle-phobic when it comes to having injections so the thought of Botox .....
Will take photo on a 'good' day!

Buttery shortbread! now if I could just summon up the energy----
NO ITS FATTTENING!

Galen It happens to all of us. A fact of life that cannot be ignored. Feet up and relax. If I could, I would make you a pot of tea and give you a thick wedge of buttery shortbread.

Couldn't get to sleep until 5.30 am. Shipper did the trick. So I stayed in bed listening to the wireless. Now up and dressed and thinking of all the things I ought to be doing,
But frankly my dear, I couldn't give a damm!
Still exhausted after yesterday's tribunal and thing that perhaps it's time to retire. I have to in 2 years and one month anyway.
The trouble is because of the delays caused by the new system there haven't been any and I've got used to being at home.
To think I used to manage 3-4 a week!
I can't have aged that quickly could I?

...that's how I feel, nannieroz111 x

Yesterday afternoon, we had a visit from our pals who live in the village. We blethered away for a few minutes and then, to our great surprise, we were given a boxed Remembrance ceramic poppy. It is beautiful. We've looked out a slender tubular vase in which to display it. When it's in situ, I shall take a photo.

Talking of photos...I've sent the mounted pussy cat portrait off in the post. Returned home and realised... I did NOT take a photograph. Oh dear, a proper Soop senior moment. Yikes!

loopylou I can well imagine that you returned from the pampering session feeling uplifted. Yes, looking at my own image in the mirror when wearing specs is a moment. I really don't mind that I have lots of creases. They are as a result of living for 73 years and that's that. Even if I could afford Botox, or whatever, I wouldn't go down that route. I would love to see your new hair style. Could you add a pic to your album, please.

Purpledaffodil...like you, I often need a boot up the bum...just to get me started. I'm already into another pet portrait. I find that, once I prepare the "studio" (desk in the computer section) a wee spark of energy inspires me to be creative. I fail many times over in the course of a painting session...but, I never give up. Keep going, that is the key.