Soop's Special Kitcheners

Hope all goes well for your DH number and you can get back to something like normal.

I have just this minute lost a good 15mins worth of messaging and I'm a bit cross.

I love you lot...

Bella I was horrified to read about your ordeal. What a shock. I'm so happy to hear that there was a happy ending. Feet up and relax.

jane your milkman story made me chortle. As for Galen's two-timing Casanova...all I can say is...you are well rid of the bounder.

All creatures have a tough time in the cold weather. A deer was discovered on the beach a few weeks ago. It may have been eating seaweed. It had a broken leg and was in distress. Our neighbour called for a vet but nothing could be done for the poor animal. Thankfully, it was relieved of its suffering.

The birds are ravenous. We feed them every day with nuts, seed, fat ball and chopped fruit for the blackbird and his mate.

number Will you be driving your husband to hospital? If so, take care as the road surface will be icy early in the morning. I send good wishes for a successful outcome to his procedure.

My mouth is watering at the prospect of sampling a freshly baked tea cake. Oooooh! What I wouldn't do for a thickly buttered on right now.

I've uploaded 2 new images of a red fishing boat. They are sitting somewhere near 5th or 6th position.

Sadly I can't eat many of them as I have to limit the amount of gluten I eat per day. One teacake means no other gluten all day, or my tummy complains. So I tried out a recipe new to me, of toasted chickpeas as a snack. Apparently they are 'very tasty, crunchy and incredibly good for you'.

Well, maybe they are good for me, but even with added salt, pepper and Cajun seasoning they weren't very crunchy despite giving them longer, and I didn't like them much at all. After the first initial crunch you end up with a mouthful of coarse floury stuff. I think they are far nicer just plain boiled. Or in houmous.

jane

I am sure you lot of Domestic goddesses will be able to give me an answer.
I was ironing today with the stream going full blast when I wondered if you could put a drop of essential oil or something to impart a Lovely smell to the washing. Any brilliant ideas lovely ladies.

It might clog up the works of the iron. I think you can get stuff to spray on the clothes as you iron.

I would never put anything in the iron, but I have been known to water down old perfume I don't like and keep it in a spray bottle, spraying the ironing before I iron.

You can buy scented ironing water, but it can be expensive. I love lavender, so pick loads of it and make lavender water.

designsbygollum.blogspot.co.uk/2010/04/how-to-make-lavender-water.html

I've brought half a tray of flapjacks in for everyone. I forgot to reduce the sugar so I thought they would be a little bit sweet for me, so why can't I stop eating them? DH is as bad, which is why there is only half a tray left. It's bags' recipe, I wish I could be like her and only eat one at a time.

soop I do love looking at your photos. The mountains and the sea are especially beautiful and the little red boat looks as if it is cheerily battling against the elements.
granjura, you are lucky to have a beautiful view from your doorstep as well. The lovely photograph of the church reminds me of a classic winter Christmas card. Do children in Switzerland build snowmen as well, or do they take winter snow for granted?

Bella I am really envious of your holiday in Rome. It's on our list!
Thank goodness you noticed the pickpocket and started shouting. In the summer months we get warnings to be careful in crowded areas and I think I am but we have a friend acquaintance who sometimes in a supermarket creeps up behind me and pretends to rifle in my shoulderbag. It always gives me a shock. And I feel like hitting him with the bag.

Brenda I'm only speaking for myself of course but domestic goddesses? I do fancy making the lavender water though.

Number I hope the operation goes well for your husband

No Soop, I won`t be driving him to hospital, I can`t drive, daughter number 2 is taking us.

I agree, those flapjacks are lovely and I only really make them for DBH, but stole one last night when I got in from choir.

The downside being, that I suddenly had so much energy that I couldn't get to sleep!

Good afternoon to all our lovely Kitcheners

A mouse called at 3 am and MacSporran yet again took it to the car - which had a frosted windscreen...hence he took the "soft option" and walked across the road, along a bit, and released mouse in the thicket. Ho hum!

Thanks for the delicious flapjacks dustyangel. I really fancy one right now with my cup of tea.

number I remember that you've mentioned in earlier posts that you do not drive. Thank goodness that you have your daughter on hand to give you support. I send good wishes. Will your husband need to remain in hospital for a few days, or will he remain overnight?

It is another bright and cheery day in bonnie Kintyre. We walked through the grounds of Balinikal this morning. A carpet of snowdrops put a smile upon our faces. Such fragile, perfect wee flowers. Discovering the first clumps of violets on the mossy bank along the lane, is a joy to anticipate.

I'm Having completely reorganised what was a right old mess of files containing all our precious images, I'm about to upload 60 so that they can be printed by an online outfit. So far, I'm rather confused. It's a time like this that I would love to ask Elegran's advice. She is very knowledgeable.

Sounds as though you are doing fine with your images on your own, soop (well, with MacS's support)

Hi all,

Dustyangel- kids are used to snow here, but even so, its arrival always brings lots of excitement anyhow- and yes, lots of snowmen made, sledging, and all.

Bright today, but no sun as there is high cloud above- minus 3.5C, so 'warm' for the time of year. The Valley next to us is called little Siberia and has a climate all of its own. Record temps were minus 42.8C - now THAT is cold. Cold here is always dry though, and it never feels as cold as the damp cold we used to get in the UK, I have to say. And here we have thick walls and excellent double glazing- not like in the UK in our 1920s single brick house with YE Olde Kritter windows- I used to close the gaps in the metal with rolls of white tack in Winter to stop the wind howling in.

Soop, he`ll probably be in hospital for about a week. I`ve just rung, he`s just back from theatre, awake, all seems fine. I don`t envy them coping with a deaf, grumpy old bugger! Especially as he`ll think he`s in more strife than anyone has ever been!!
I think that little mouse likes your hotel!

number I'm pleased to hear that Mr number is back in his bed on the ward. I would think that the procedure must be uncomfortable, to say the least. Does he have a hearing aid? I know how frustrating it can be when a conversation becomes very trying because certain words become lost in the ether.

As for the wee mouse. I believe that MacS has located a small cavity through which it is gaining access to our home. He has said that he'll buy sand and cement tomorrow.

Elegran I've managed to upload 60 favourite images that are to be printed and placed in an album. The cost (inc postage) was unbelievably low. MacS sat with me for about 20 mins and then excused himself as he had "things" to do. He was in fact becoming exasperated. As he left to make some tea, I realised what it was that we were not doing correctly. I pressed a few keys and hey presto...we had lift-off. I shouted for him to come and see how successful I had been. He did say...well done! And so he should. I had been struggling with the blasted process for well over an hour.

Bella Do hope that you are having a most enjoyable break in the gorgeous city of Rome.

granjura It is a dry, crisp cold here at the moment. I love it when the air is zingy. My nose drips...that's the only downside.

Tortoiseshell cat ate an entire tin of food yesterday evening. There I was thinking that she'd share with Mother cat. Nope! No way! She scoffed the lot. A short time thereafter she returned with Mother cat (who always lurks under a nearby shrub). I'm able to see her if I shine a torch in that direction. A pair of glinting eyes give her away. I then went out into the garden with a fresh dish of food. Tortoiseshell backs off (having already eaten) and I place the meal within a couple of feet of Mother. We look each other in the eye. She doesn't spit or show signs of distress. When I close the door she runs out to enjoy her meal. The two cats, having dined and groomed themselves, leave our garden and walk side by side into the copse.

Another wet day here in Rome. We went in search of Galen's centurion today but I am sorry to report we had no luck

There were two damp looking specimens neither of whom, with the best will in the world, could have been described as 'dishy'

DH did take a sneaky picture of them (they charge 20 euro if you are not careful) but I doubt if I will be able to upload it. As I have said before, I don't have any luck putting photos on.

numberplease I am glad your DH has come through his op ok. My sister had the same op five years ago so I know it isn't pleasant, but hope he will soon be feeling the benefit of it

soop - well done for sorting your photos out. Your album will be lovely.

I really think you should write a book about your Cats of Kintyre. I love your descriptive writing about them, and what lucky pusses to have found you and MacS to tend to them so lovingly

That reminds me, I hope DS is tending lovingly to our Zim who has been left home alone. Max the dog has gone to kennels, but our puss prefers to stay at home, with DS popping in to ensure she has sufficient food and water.

TTFN

Thank you, Bella it is a treat to hear from you. As for Galen's dishy centurion...I wouldn't be surprised to learn that she smuggled him through customs...who knows what capers those two have been up to since she returned home.

Sounds like you'll have 2 more lodgers moving in soop! I too love hearing about your Kintyre cats, very lucky felines.
In all the years I've been going to Bath I've never seen a centurion, dishy or otherwise...... Clearly I need to keep my eyes open!
Hope in the nicest possible way that mouse get thwarted soon, poor Mr MacSporran must be getting a bit fed up with the nocturnal evictions. I wonder if mice have some sort of secret sign they use to summon up reinforcements once they find a 'friendly' venue?
Many years ago a friend of my mother made a gypsy a cup of tea and for a considerable time was regularly visited by gypsies hoping she'd buy pegs or sprigs of heather or whatever. Apparently they left a 'sign' that she was friendly for others that follow!

I wish!

Congratulations on being so resourceful Bellasnana and for having the nerve to challenge her so successfully! Number good wishes to your DH I am glad to hear he has had his op and wish him a speedy recovery. I know what you mean about early starts! We have to be at DH's London hospital by 9 on Monday for a camera endoscopy trial( basically a tiny camera in a pill which goes in at the top end and all the way through your body until expelled at the other, but because of scar tissue and complicated surgery he had after his transplant there is a risk that it might get stuck and would have to be removed surgically, so they do a 'dummy run' with a capsule which would dissolve if stuck!) They are investigating the bits colonoscopies and gastroscopies can't reach. 9 doesn't sound too bad but it's a 50 mile train journey then a taxi in the rush hour so dreading it a bit. Just don't do early starts and he is very slow in the morning so we will have to be up before 6 to catch a train before 7.30 . Soop, have I missed when McSporran starts his treatment?
What would these men do without us?

Good luck Soutra for tomorrow, I'll be thinking of you both as I drive to work, I hate the dark early mornings, to me it seems a bit easier when it's lighter.
I wonder if Rory's lack of interest in your mouse visitor/s is because he is bringing them in?! We had a cat who would do just that and sit watching disdainfully as we scrambled around trying to catch them ....

Good luck for Monday Soutra. Hubby was complaining of a lot of pain tonight, but a nurse put a drip up containing painkiller, and he felt better within minutes. He says he feels worse than the other 2 operations, but after those he was in intensive care, under a lot more medication, so therefore felt better than this time. I know he loved it on intensive care, because of all the attention, when he was moved onto the wards he moaned because he said they were ignoring him!
Bella, sorry it`s still raining in Rome, and sorry that you haven`t been able to locate Galen`s centurion.

So am I ! He really was a gorgeous hulk, and judging by the tourists swarming round him, I wasn't the only one who thought so!

Loopyoo I remember when I was about five, a gypsy selling clothes pegs saw me at the door with my mother and told her I would be a good dancer.

I have never ever been any good at dancing at all, no real co-ordination.

When about 13 I had a resounding D for dance in my report with the words "Unfortunately Nellie is very slow at learning steps". I could not even manage line dancing when I was 50ish.

I have never beleived predictions etc by fortune tellers at all.