Soop's Special Kitcheners

That's what makes an enormous difference Granjura, we never see a gritting lorry here and get cut off because of the hills.
Would be very different if could still get out and about

Lots more snow overnight, which is fine as we are very well equipped here. Soop- do you know I've never visited Jura- been to Mull and Skye- but not Jura- even though I am a born and bred Jura girl- from... Switzerland.

Am hopeless at posting pictures- maybe I will learn one day. Would love to see yours though, thanks.

Like the 'must'. My DGD says 'I really need a -'

Hours and hours of entertainment!

Hello everyone! Sorry I have absent for the past few days - had a bit of a domestic crisis when Mr Gaga exceeded his DIY skills and almost flooded the house. Normal service has now been resumed and he has been forgiven.

The furry girls are brilliant! Both have stopped running and hiding at any strange noises or sudden movements. Both have found the best seats in the house. Both come when I call them and have so much fun when they have their daft half hour every evening. Belle is the sensible girl and although the more nervy to start with is now calmer and my little shadow - she has to be near me wherever I am. Tinka is an intrepid explorer who likes climbing Mount Bookcase, sitting on my keyboard and showing us how to kill her catnip filled toy mouse! DGD loves them and they seem to return the favour when she keeps calling round to see us them. So much so that she has persuaded DD that they really MUST get one of their own!

Sorry I can't put pictures on as I am not blued and don't want to be. Belle is all black with big green eyes and Tinka is a little sandy tabby with a very pretty face,

I can honestly say that they are a joy to us both.

A good crispy cold afternoon to all our lovely kitcheners.

What time is it with you dear Galen? My late father had three long-case clocks, each telling a different time. On occasions when we stayed at his home the clocks were chiming at the most irregular times. It made us laugh. He maintained that he preferred one to be 20 mins fast, another to be 10 mins fast and the third was that ancient, it was past caring!

Although it is bitterly cold, we have no snow. The islands are sparkling white and look very dramatic when the sun shines on them.

Agus and jane I love the forthrightness of small children. That was such a darling thing to say to you.

Crafting It's true that certain medication can leave one feeling totally shattered. If you continue to feel this way, please return to your GP. There may be an alternative treatment that hasn't such dire side effects.

granjura I'm about to take photos of the snow-capped peaks of Islay and Jura from our window. Later, if I'm able, I shall upload an image to my album.

hilda I'm hoping that your father is in good spirits when you visit him. You are in my thoughts. (hugs)

Gaga what news of the girls? Please keep us updated. I cannot tell you how delighted I am that you were selected to adopt. It is a very special privilege.

Snowing here too at last- and we just could not wait. I know it seems perverse to many of you, but we love snow, and love to play with it and on it. But luckily we are well equipped. Tourism in the Alps and our Jura mountains has really really taken a big hit- so hope snow is here to stay.

Night, crafting! Hibernate until it stops snowing, is my advice.

I took it as a wonderful compliment jane although it wouldn't have bothered me in the slightest if they had agreed Granny is an old lady, we have lots of fun together.

I find it hilarious that GD5 is still at the stage when, like your DGS, say exactly what they are thinking.

Hello everyone. Just popping in to wish you all a happy weekend. I have been following posts but not posted anything this week due to new tablets GP has given me which are working but making me very tired (in bed and snoring by 9 most nights!). Hoping the tiredness wears off soon but for now night night

You should take it as a real compliment, because they can be ruthless!

I felt wonderful when, at the height of my flueyness, DGS asked why I wasn't the same age as his other grandma, and why she was always tired.

We are the same age!

I went to our local small shopping centre around 2.30pm, lovely sunny afternoon did some shopping, bumped into a friend and we had coffee and a blether, when I left at 4.50 I had to scrape heavy snow off my car. It is still snowing....gritters have been out and the roads are fine. All very pretty.

Must add, at DD1's yesterday I asked GDs x 2 to shuffle up a bit and let an old lady sit between them. GD2, aged 5 protested indignantly that I was not an old lady, I just had some folded skin. Love it

I feel very guilty that we have had such wonderful weather. It's been very windy and just above freezing at night, but the days have been beautiful and 10C.

Here's hoping the elements are starting to calm down especially for you lot up North! You have been having a hard time and the pictures have been dramatic. Hope you are all keeping safe and no damage to houses or gardens?

Blimey janerowena, must try that!

Have a quiet (?) evening soop x

You lot have made me chortle. I can imagine a strip cartoon relating to your stories. It could be named something like...the true experiences of a harassed husband housewife.

We've had sunshine and hail and thunder and lightning and gusts followed by lulls...all appropriate for this time of the year.

Time to log off and feed a hungry black cat. He's giving me the evil eye.

Keep yourselves warm and safe. I shall return tomorrow. x

I have trained up DS spectacularly well, so that when he finally meets someone he really likes they won't be able to spend all their time blaming me for his housekeeping inadequacies. I have to say, he rarely offers but does at least instantly jump up and do whatever is asked of him, with a smile. When he does meet someone he wants to live with, I am going to sing his praises so that he will have to just get on with it. Ex said vile things like 'you don't buy a dog and bark yourself'. DBH never does anything unless asked first, and then about 50% of the time has a mild grumble. Even when on his long summer holiday. So I have worked out that it is best to give him two choices of tasks, the one I really want done has to be the lesser of two evils to him. It's easy - he loathes washing up. I do have a dishwasher but there are always things made of wood or plastic or fine glass and china that can't go in it, but he would rather fetch in two loads of wood and one of coal, empty the bins and vacuum the stairs than do one bowl of washing up!

In 1979 when my parents were both very ill, I took 3 months off work to go to Scotland to sort things out. When I returned, the bed linen had never been changed- it had not occurred to my ex to do it because it was always done for him. I hate to think what happened to shirts etc. He had been in the SAS, not that one would notice re caring for himself. I would think that he had a takeaway every night because he needed a map to find his way to the kitchen.

At least he tried janerowena, poor fish though, how sad.
Sometimes think DH does feign helplessness - he put beautiful Aran sweater in washing machine on 60 degree wash so never touched machine again....
Can't really moan though, he does all the washing up (to stop me buying a dishwasher!)

loopylou I missed your post! Yes, similar things happen in our house. DBH moved ahead of us once, by some months. The day before he was due to come back up for xmas I (jokingly) said 'you have remembered to keep on top of all the bedlinen washing, towels etc., haven't you?' Because we were moving down at the beginning of January and I didn't want the first task to be trying to find clean sheets and towels.

We arrived with the removal men two weeks later to a sea of sheets, washed duvet, washed pillows, curtains, the works, all spread over every available sofa and chair and table, he didn't use the tumble dryer partly because not enough time (thank god really, heaven only knows what he would have done to the poor things) partly because he was turning the power off while he was away - which also killed the tropical fish...

Hospital food! Indescribable!
My longcase clock which had a few mad minutes on Wednesday when it tried to go on to be a 24 hour clock, then finished by striking nonstop for 10mins until the chime wound down,has now been repaired.
I'm lost without it and it had only just come back from the restorers so I wasn't very happy.its main problem is wear and tear ( like me) but as its over 200 years old ( not like me) I suppse its only to be expected.

soop it is an outside catering company and I am certain they have been told not to provide/serve eg rice pudding apple crumble etc. Thankfully I do not like them, I prefer a yogurt or fruit but I did not have enough to eat and one slice of bread made into a sandwich for supper was the end.

loopylou darling girl, I didn't know whether to wince, laugh or cry when I read about your experiences regarding leaving your husband to help around the house in your absence. Bless you. Family planning matters well and truly "sorted" in your case.

jane I cheated when it came to a nicely knitted cable sweater for Torben. I went to eBay and found a beauty that had been hand-knitted by a very capable lady. Apparently, Torben thinks it is a good as it gets.
I've a scarf knitted (by me) in beautiful Jaeger wool...it must be well over 6' long. I knitted it in my 30s and, at the time, didn't know how to cast off the stiches. However, it did get finished, and it is still going strong.

My pal, who is a fine knitter and a member of a 'knit and natter' club, has been making 'prayer shawls'...to give to people in need.

Charleygirl I can well imagine how much you appreciated and enjoyed dining with your friends in a fine restaurant. I love the rice puddings that are served in hospitals. Oban hospital staff gave me double portions...because I used to put a wee note of thanks on the menu to the kitchen staff.

Hot thick toasted bread, butter and Marmite are pretty high on my list of comfort fodder. Also, crumpets. I cannot recall when I last feasted on one.

I'd have done the same. I mentioned to a nurse I'd only pee'd twice after 4 days, she was horrified! I pointed out that I was NBM admission 3pm Thursday to 8am Saturday, again from 10 am Saturday to 8pm Sunday then again from 6 am Monday when they eventually operated.
Was also so drugged up for pain I could barely open my eyes and on bed rest too....
Being in a side room meant I was virtually invisible too!

When I had my knee replaced over 2years ago in the same hospital, I lost 8kgs in just over the week I was admitted because the food was almost inedible. They have now changed caterers.

Unfortunately when I came home yesterday I stuffed myself with chocolate biscuits and coffee because I was dehydrated, having missed the mid morning and afternoon coffee/tea rounds.