Soop's Special Kitcheners

Another foot os snow overnight- thank goodness we have a snow-blowing machine- took OH over an hour to clear the back of the house (garage/entrance) (was teaching, hey, what a good excuse).

I have been doing some snow clearing too. Clearing some areas under benches to leave fat balls plus bird seed and fresh water on a table. Quite exhilarating......and the snow is falling heavily again.

Hope you shared the sunshine we had earlier, enabling you to get on with your portrait soop.

A warm welcome to nannieroz111 Make yourself comfortable in our Kitchen and we look forward to getting to know you better. In the meantime

Thinking of you Soutra

Crafting There is plenty of snow on the mountains. Kintyre is clear at the mo'. There have been heavy flurries but nothing settles. Thank you for sharing the chocs. Are there any hard caramel centres going to waste?

Agus wasn't the match a thriller...poor Rory must have thought that I was about to lose the plot, especially when Andy missed a ball...which was not very often. Ooh...Sunday morning's final promises to be a nail-biter.

jane (((hugs)))

I shall return to the portrait when I've finished lunch. With a black cat, it's a matter of 'she who dares...may well be rewarded with a likeness'. If I pussyfoot around, I shall over-work the features and so ruin the freshness of the portrait.

I shall return to report on whatever progress I've made.

I have managed to botch the black cat painting. It is in pieces in the bin. Hey ho...as bags is known to say...onwards and upwards. Back to the drawing board.

Could one of my Granspals please explain why it was that one of my favourite actors, Dominic Cumberpatch, needed to apologise for using the term coloured persons...or something like? I've been asking friends in the village. Like me, they too are uncertain and completely baffled. Benedict C most certainly would not deliberately cause offence...and yet it appears that he did. PLEASE enlighten me. What is the wrong and what is the correct expression? Until I have an answer I shall be fearful of saying something that can be construed as being "offensive".

There's a thread It's the Thing that counts' on which several of us have been verbally battered..... I'm retreating to your wonderful kitchen with a plate of egg and nut- free brownies for anyone else seeking a peaceful refuge, joyfully made by BF's 3 & 6 year old GSs and me! The kitchen may take longer to recover
Do hope weather not threatening to blow you off the coast....

loopylou I'm about to make a pot of tea. I would really enjoy a nut-free brownie. Thank you.

So, I may take a look at the thread you mention. I'm pretty tied up with re sketching the pussy cats right now. I'm at a loss to know what all the fuss is about. Nothing new there then...

Very cold and extremely blustery but still without snow.

I think it is less that BC caused offence than that a few people took offence, soop

It is quieter in here. Just had an email from HMRC telling me that they owe me money, and I don't need to send in a tax return from now on! Must be a first.

to celebrate Elegran.....beware- I got a demand then a refund and am now thoroughly ! Phoning them didn't make things any clearer...

Wow! A time for celebration Elegran x

Have completed drawing two pussy cats. I dare not commit paint to paper until tomorrow. I shall feed the real pussy cats and snuggle close to the fireside. Still snowless but bitingly cold.

Bye for now to my lovely Granspals.

and hopes for a quiet evening soop

Fantastic match soop. I am always left feeling wrung out after watching Andy......fingers crossed for Sunday

Although a sad ocassion for you Soutra I do hope your catch up with family and friends has some pleasant times too. . It's a sad fact that many of us only manage to see each other at weddings and funerals as we no longer live nearby.

Well another foot overnight, and it's been snowing all day, so another foot on top! The sun is just coming out, and it is a winterwonderland. Our patio, part of which we clear regularly for the dogs, is like a fortress, surrounded by 5' walls

It is a sunny, chilly, snow-free day in bonnie Kintyre. Our pal has left and is driving home to Andover. I'm wishing her a safe and uneventful journey.

Yesterday's portrait painting session was a total disaster. I have cleared the decks and am about to try again...I am determined not to give up.

I'm not certain, but I expect that Novak has won his match. If so, we are in for a thriller of a final. Agus feeling "wrung out" after an Andy battle is how I feel. Such emotional tension leaves me as limp as an old lettuce leaf!

granjura keep warm and stay safe.

Thanks, but we are so well equipped- and prepared here- snow is not a problem for us. Take care all those of you who are in snowy areas without proper equipement for it.

Another unenlightened misuser of words here. I think maybe you have to live in an area where lots of 'dual heritage' people live to be fully aware of correct and PC terminology - and the eastern coastline of the UK has a very low population of ethnic minorities. (is that allowed?) Kent, Lincs, eastern yorks, Suffolk and Winchester are not areas where you tend to come across much more than the odd Chinese or indian takeaway. I have had quite a few friends of 'dual heritage', but as I never used any word at all to describe them the problem never arose, so was completely unaware that I was using the wrong terminology, something that those who live in more built-up areas seem to find hard to believe.

Maybe if I had liked gritty soaps more I would have been less ignorant.

I bet there will be another new word out next year and I shall be in trouble all over again. Apparently 'Native American' is also out of fashion. I had only just stopped using 'indians'!

& and join me in this wonderfully peaceful kitchen..... Kindred spirit me thinks

I may need two cups! And two cakes....

I have had and still have several friends who are not standard white british, but they are just friends. What shade they are never comes into it, until the other week when I was trying to describe one of DS's best friends to another villager and I realised I was going to have to be more precise! As I have heard our 'archaic' terminology used several times with reference to that lovely family (the children were child models until they were about 11) I can only say - if you take offence easily, do not move to a village in Suffolk.

And... relax!

jane I'm still unenlightened. Many of a pals in the village too. We do have a lovely friend who has black skin. He won't mind me asking what the correct term is. He's away on business in Edinburgh right now. As soon as he returns I shall contact him. He will know beyond a shadow of doubt that I am not being disrespectful. I made a mistake and I should have said...Benedict Cumberpatch and not Dominic. He's a super actor.
I was told just the other day that "Eskimo" (which is, I think, a very pleasing word), is no longer politically correct. Why?

loopylou sit yourself down, and I shall put my favourite tartan rug over your knees. I fancy a crumpet oozing with real butter right now. Sadly, I haven't any in the cupboard. Ah well... best not and say we did...

jane Okay...I shall join you. Are the cakes home baked? I'm in the mood for something sticky and squidgy. However, a tartan shortbread will have to suffice.

About to start painting pussy cat portrait. Watch this space...

Methinks you are possibly on the wrong thread janer Not to worry.

I'm already wrung out thinking about Sunday soop

Thank you soop and janerowena, blessed voices of reason and sanity....
A large tray of double choc muffins for us to demolish nibble in a ladylike fashion me thinks....

I know you may be getting bored with this- but still snowing heavily and about another foot this afternoon!

I bet it looks really picturesque granjura, I wouldn't mind snow here if only the country was geared up for it [sigh]
Where I live we have very steep narrow hillside roads, with springs running across them so a trip out in icy weather is more like a heart-in-mouth luge run! Cowards like me just resign ourselves to staying put. Never see gritter lorries let alone snowploughs!
How deep can the snow get? You did say on one thread that you hadn't had any, now seems to be on overdrive!

I've taken a good photo of gathering clouds. Later, when I have made a wee bit more progress with pussy cat portrait, I shall add it to the album.