Soop's Special Kitcheners

Galen, the haggi that live under our garden shed have started romping about the garden again, now that Burns' Night so over.

I have been having a busy time recently helping DD1 paint some of her furniture, knitting that should have been finished ages ago and trying out some new crochet stitches which Galen recommended a link to. The days are flying past which I have convinced my self is a good thing meaning, spring will be here in no time . I'm just ignoring the snow blizzards happening on and off today which are supposed to last for a couple of days but at least, the snow isn't lying.......yet!

Thinking of all GNs up there!
Just had a terrific hailstorm but now the sun's come out, and the wind's dropped.
I wonder if there's any link between lack of wild haggis and dear Rory & co (perhaps his injury was inflicted by a haggis?)
Fingers crossed for all of you x

Keep safe and warm janerowena Our sea is mighty at the mo'...no ferry service.

Good luck with the power - we have just had hail, thunder and lightning and strong winds, not at all pleasant but our power situation is not as precarious as yours must be.

You are right about the prettiness of that area. I spent a few days with a friend who lives 20 mins from Derby, an area I had never visited at all before, while DBH was competing in Loughborough. It was beautiful. We drove around and she took me to the most beautiful garden centre, in a big walled garden. Staunton Harold. Also lovely little artisan shops and a marvellous sculpture exhibition and a very good tearoom. It was so nice there that I made DBH take me back there soon after.

Good blustery morning to all my Granspals. We were without power for about three hours today. It's a bit "iffy" out there. Rory refuses to vacate his new over-sized cushion. He's such a canny cat.

I had better make this a swift visit because the lights are flickering. I may get part way through my message only to be cut off.

Yes! Leicestershire and my home county of Northants have much in common. I love the pretty villages of mellow-stoned thatched cottages. I love the peace of the rolling countryside. It is an under-rated part of England.

Clarendon Park is where one son lives, granjura. MacS lived in Knighton, in Leicestershire, long before we met in the county of Cornwall.

Galen We discovered strange footprints in the mud...could have been Haggis...they are very elusive creatures and shy away from human contact because, over the years, they have been hunted to near extinction.

Colin Green, of course.

Done very many of the Leicestershire round walks too- all over the county. I worked as a wildlife volunteer for many years with the well-known Leicester radio specialist, Colin ??? memory fails me just now, later of Severn Trent. We were based at the old Murphy Home in Birstall.

Have any of you Scots grannies spotted any wild haggis recently? I'm worried that the wild variety is becoming extinct A!

Can't remember that far back, kitty. That would have been around 1977 - 78 I think. However, most of the walks were also available in hard copy.

I love the diversity of Leicestershire! We line in the North of Leicestershire and, while not as undulating as granjura's East Leics, we have, as she says, fabulous 'bits'. My bit of Leicestershire is very honest and work-a-day and, for all that, is very special. And, we butt onto Derbyshire - where I was born. It's all good.

Anno, was it your ex-husband that broadcast his walk around the Leicestershire Round? DH is doing that in fits and starts, and guess who drives him to all his starts (and finishes!!)

We really liked Leicestershire when we lived in Hinckley for five years in the 1970s. Ex researched and broadcast a number of country walks for BBC Radio Leicestershire. I was happy there and reluctant to be up-rooted to Norfolk.

We have wild otters back again here (can't say where) - I haven't seen them yet but a neighbour has.

loopyloo- chamois are so common around here, so sight of large groups in Winter and Spring is quite 'normal'. There is at least one GNeter who regularly drives past the 2 castles near us- where they often congregate- bet she's them often.

We lived in East Leicester for 30+ years soop- and loved it. Oakham is a favourite too- and I used to visit 1x a week as I went to the gym and pool at Rutland Water. People have no idea just how pretty East Leicestershire is- rolling hills and lovely stone villages. Of course the North-East is also gorgeous, with Bradgate Park and its ancien granit rocks and oaks, magnificent bluebell woods and Bradgate Park, the home of Lady Jane Grey.

By pm if you wish, which part of Leicester does your son live in?

granjura Market Harborough...two sons live not too far away...one in Oakham and one in Leicester. How amazing to see otters in the middle of town. Wow! MacS almost missed the bus for which he was waiting, (it stops by the verge close to the beach) because he was so enthralled by a pair of otters cavorting in the surf, that the bus almost passed him without realising he needed it to stop.

The otter is known to use the burn that runs close to our property. We believe that it may have been the creature with whom Rory had a massive "falling out". The vet's bill for correcting the damage done to Rory's ear and leg was around £115!

As for you, janerowena I have NEVER heard of another person having so many awful mishaps. Dear girl...I'm speechless. (hugs)

Galen Us lot like Graggy cake. Enjoy time spent with your family. They will be pleased to have your support.

loopylou Back to otters. When we were thinking of building on a wee plot near a burn adjacent to a farm, we had to employ the services of a man whose job it was to protect the habitat of Lutra Lutra (otter) He and his mate went looking for spraits. He didn't locate any, but we still couldn't build on the plot because of some legal hitch. It was, at the time, a "low" period for us. Thankfully, we were offered a much nicer plot...and here we hope to remain.

kitty Have fun with the new mop. I would love one. My son has a robot cleaner. He and his wife programme it, and when they return from work, it will have cleaned the floor surfaces...even in the corners and under stuff that isn't too close to the ground. I think that they call it Rosie. My daughter-in-law is thrilled with it. It doesn't cook or wash the dishes...yet!

Time to log off and wish all a pleasant evening.

I hoped to catch a glimpse of Chamois when holidaying in the Italian Alps but no luck Granjura, but did get close to some marmots, very comical- looking creatures when walking in the Dolomites 6 years ago.
How amazing to see otters in Market Harborough, magical indeed!

Otters are so wonderful. First time I saw some in the wild was on Mull- it will stay with me forever. And another time on the Ardramuchan (sp?) peninsula. We've visited the sanctuary in Devon and the one at Bungay in Norfolk- but it is just not the same.

But the biggest surprise, and I wrote about it here last year- was seeing them right in the middle of town in Market Harborough (where we have our uk flat)- by Argos and the market- every day for a week- a apir of yearlings, diving, rolling, posing, even- it was just magical.

Today coming back from shopping in France, saw a big group of Chamois digging the snow to get to grass, just by the side of the main road.

'So long'? Meant solo....

janerowena you're not safe to be let out accompanied or so Long!
Seriously though that is an impressive catalogue of injuries, do hope no more will be added

We have otters in Bristol, but I've not seen them. They're dgd's first port of call at Slimbridge when we go there.
I've got to make a Graggy cake (banana) as I'm going to visit tomorrow. Both DGDs and darling daughter are suffering from nasty colds and coughs. So I'm going to entertain the little angels (I wish) while darling daughter has a rest.

Today however the highlight is the broken-down recycling lorry outside my house, preventing immediate neighbours from leaving their drives, a little unfortunate as DBH wanted me to run a whole stack of stuff he had forgotten over to school.

Not strictly a breakdown, it had a fire. How, I have no idea, but there was an awful lot of smoke gushing from what looked like a small chimney, built for such a purpose. The driver even had a water supply. Then he had to wait until it all settled down, as it turned to steam. Then he had to wait until he got an all-clear light. It was all very annoying because he had to keep the engine running and flashy whizzy lights turning. An hour ago a neighbour went out and asked him to drive down a nearby track, which he did, so all is quiet again but I have lost all desire to go to Sainsbury's and besides, I have now got another batch of teacakes in the oven. DS is eating two or three a day, I can't keep up with the demand from him and DBH. I only had one from the last batch!

We occasionally get otters on our little river, DBH was lucky enough to get a photo one morning. We were so excited!

Soop broken toes - the first was from stepping out off a pavement, a car jumping the lights and running over my toes.

The second was DBH needing driving lessons when in charge of one of those huge flat-bed loading trolleys in B&Q. It was laden with gravel and slabs and he was not as good at steering it as I was...

The third was really embarrassing, it was when I had just got off my stepper and removed my trainers. I stubbed my toe against it as I walked past - and it broke. Six weeks later, all nicely healed, I did exactly the same thing again.

Then I got my left foot caught down a rabbit hole walking through a churchyard after a funeral, broke the ankle and most of the toes.

And more recently, last October, broke my right ankle, three toes and damaged my left knee (for about the fourth time, poor thing) as I fell down a new step that I had thought was a continuation of the patterning on the Plaza. One of those patterns built into the stonework that gradually become a step, but I couldn't see shadow from the direction I was walking from. Toes are (currently) fine, ankle and knee still recovering.

Just popped in to check everyone is ok especially soutra and bella. Hope things are going well for both of them.

Can't stop - ironing calls, unless you want to pop down and do it soop [hopeful emoticon]. Then I 'm going to play with my new steam mop.

Take care everyone!

'Spraits' not sprains, ruddy spellcheck on iPad!

Oh soop how envious am I of you having otters so near! Beautiful amusing creatures- I've loved them ever since reading 'A Ring Of Bright Water' when very young but never been fortunate enough to see one.
Otter sprains can be seen by a stream near us but nothing else and SIL has a small river near her when otters have been filmed.
I do hope weather won't be as bad as forecasters say, time to batten down the hatches again.....