Soop's Special Kitcheners

A bit low today, I do so miss DS when he goes back to Uni. I sent him off with a bag of teacakes and home-made pizzas for his freezer, so had to make more teacakes for us today. They are very comforting on cold wet windy days when you are missing your children. So comforting that perhaps this had better be the last batch. Well, maybe one more...

Soop, I did find myself musing upon your problem. I wondered if you could upload your photo to this site

www134.lunapic.com/editor/

I use it a lot, and you can upload a photo to it (where it says 'browse', you then choose from those stored on your computer) and then go to effects. You can turn your photo into a drawing or painting. I realise that may seem like cheating though! But a quick look at what the editing software picks up may perhaps be used as a check for your own painting.

Cheer up jane take heart in the knowledge that you have a loving son who will be absolutely fine back in halls. Give yourself a pat on the back for raising such a lovely boy.

DD2, my ray of sunshine, lives in Australia; healthy, happy and with someone I would be proud to call my son. She knows how much I miss her, as she does me but she also knows I want her to live her life to,the full. I just try not to dwell on how far away she actually is.

Thank you, Agus. I shall be fine in a couple of days. I just need to concentrate on how nice it will be not do have to do as much cooking or washing, and that the top will be back on the toothpaste. And he forgot to strip his bed.

But he wrote this

https://soundcloud.com/mooglemusic/it-begins-again

to celebrate being back at uni. The ungrateful little beggar. It should have been something sad and mournful to show how much he will miss his everloving Mummy, I thought!

What an exciting piece of music jane. With this kind of talent I will be looking for his name in the credits as the composer of the film score at least.

It's playing in my head now

The little hamster wearing a green hat is his drawing of a little fluffy toy he had for many years. It's probably still around somewhere.

Feeling so smug, finally cleaned out kitchen cupboards!
Chucked out loads of rather ancient spices, and elderly jars of miscellaneous pickles and dubious jams....don't even know where some came from. Plenty of jars etc in recycling bin so must warn DH before he ruptures himself lugging them out for the bin men tomorrow!

Good early afternoon to you lovely lot. I have been reading through all your messages. I shall click on the links after I've had my coffee. You are a thoughtful and delightful group of Granspal Kitcheners

A humorous incident to share with you. I was asleep when I became aware of MacS tutting as he stood by the window. I asked...what are watching? He replied...Rory...he's walking through the forest. Do you think he'll be okay!
I went to the window, and sure enough our homebody cat was tip-toeing through the thicket. He was retracing the tracks of Mother cat and Tortoiseshell kit. He has not left our garden since the brutal encounter with a nasty beastie (somewhere in the forest) well over 18 months ago. He disappeared from view. MacS pretended not to be anxious. Knowing him, as I do, I knew that he was terrified for Rory and wanted to yell out to him to hurry on home...or I may need to come to your assistance.
After fifteen minutes (seemed much longer) a certain black cat retraced his steps and was in view of the house. He was busy shaking his back feet as he strolled. He hates having wet and messy paws. Into the garden he sprinted. Through the open back door to the sounds of ..."good boy...did you enjoy your adventure..." Rory walked into the utility room and used his litter tray. He is fast asleep on a very large cushion. His feet twitch from time to time. MacS tells me that it's because he's dreaming of this morning's escapade.

I remember how I used to feel about mine when they were kittens, reading that. The first time you saw them teetering on the garden wall and knowing that there was no way you could get to them before they took that first leap, and wondering if they could make it back home again safely.

Cats certainly know how to test and frazzle their 'master/mistress' nerves !

jane thank you for sharing your son's stirring music and together with the delightful drawing of the wee hamster with us lot. He is very talented.
I have almost completed the pussy cat portraits. I did look at the lunapic website. It looks very interesting. I may return to look at it in more depth sometime.

My three sons and families live way back in England. As long as they are healthy and thriving, I am totally comfortable about the distances between us. We are the lucky ones. The boys have turned out well and, in turn, have brought their children up to be kind, caring and thoroughly decent individuals.

I'm sure I will be fine, my DD lives three hours away and left home 8 years ago. I know I was devastated at the time, but it must have worn off gradually as although I miss her, I wouldn't really want her back again even though I love her dearly! I don't miss DS half as much today as I did yesterday - for a start I was able to take my coffee back to bed and read as I don't have much on today, instead of chasing him up for his washing etc. I shared his music as part exchange for your lovely photos.

A composer friend of mine listened to it and said that he interprets it as 'Going into battle happily because I know I have my mum at my back', which is how I shall try to view it.

It has finally stopped snowing- so put a few more pictures here.

jane

granjura Still no snow in bonnie Kintyre. A glorious, sunny, calm day. I shall take a look at your photos.

Now that's what I call having proper snow granjura, spectacular photos, though very happy it's not here! We'd never get out of the house!

Lol it was quite sunny today- but now snowing heavily again- that heron will be gone by tomorrow!

That`s what I CALL snow! Beautiful, but you can keep it.

Hope you are sharing the beautiful crimson sunset along our way soop. Another lovely sunny day to cheer us up

Agus Our most spectacular sunsets are between June and October. The sun sets behind the island of Jura and floods with sea with amazing colour.

granjura I agree with your Granspals, your snow is extraordinarily special.

Our neighbour rang to tell us that either a fox or mink has taken five, plump hens. All that remains is a pile of plucked feathers. That is such sad news.

I'm away to sit quietly in my favourite chair. Have been feeling nauseous for a couple of hours. Ironing duties in the morning. I shall pop in to say hello early afternoon.

Take care and much love from me to you.

soop hope you feel better soon xxx.

Take care, Soop. There are a lot of nasty bugs around. I seem to have had a succession since early November! As I came north by train today, I saw no snow until after Stoke when I looked up from my Kindle and noticed that the hills were white and there was still a covering on the fields.

Do hope you will feel better soon soop, feeling nauseous is horrible x

Soop, yes take care and take it easy, hope you feel better soon.

The top photo of the bronze heron by the pond was 3 days ago- and the second photo was this morning. Caption for first one is: does my bum look big in this? Who can come up with the best caption for the second picture of heron almost disappeared?

Amazing pics granjura. Thank you.

Hope you feel better soon, soop and are not coming down with anything horrible

Maybe it was something you ate at lunch time soop, I hope you feel better doom.
You reminded me of our lack cat with your tale of Rory shaking his paws, they almost seem to wrinkle their noses with distaste at the same time don't they? It is very sad about the hens though.

granjura that certainly is 'proper' snow. They are beautiful photos.
There's a very cold wind here today and with all the almond blossom being blown around with cloud in the background I could almost believe the legend about it is true.

Jane , I have only just listened to your son's composition, he certainly is talented. You must be so proud of him.