Soop's Special Kitcheners

Oh numberplease that is a step in the right direction! Maybe this road closure could be a bit of a silver lining, in that if you can't get in to visit, maybe you can have a bit of a rest yourself-recharge those batteries?

Did the family enjoy Pippa's celebration, Soutra

Pleased to hear your DH is making progress number. Take care of yourself too. You have both had a worrying time and I know how exhausting it can be running back and forth to visit.

Well, rugby result soop. What a shame but we can still hold our heads up, 3 points isn't too embarrassing . Well done Wales.

What a handsome boy Torben is. He really does have a strong resemblance to you. I do hope you can make it to his birthday in April.

Hope all goes well with MacSporran's tests

Agus The game was extraordinarily exciting. I would have danced a jig if our team had been victorious. You are right...the Scots played a very competitive game. If only...
Thank you for your kind comments regarding Torben. Sometimes I can see myself in him. He is very like his beautiful Mummy.

Ironing duties tomorrow morning. I shall therefore not be able to pop into our kitchen until early afternoon.

In the meantime...lots of love to our Kitcheners

Oh it was lovely! Pippa chuckled and gurgled her way through the whole service while Will and Toby tried to kill each other without their parents seeing them (we were in the row behind) and were often exiled to opposite ends of the pew!
Lovely happy family occasion and so glad it wasn't a week earlier as DH would have really struggled. It was also first time we had seen DD2 since they got engaged too so double celebration.
Very lucky Mum and Granny.

Torben is growing up so quickly, so handsome and he does look older than his years in that photo. He always has a smile on his face but I am sure that even he has the odd tantrum.

Friends of mine are visiting London from Falkirk for a week and this awful rain greeted them- they must have been thrilled. Still, it could be worse, snow and ice.

number I think Soutra has a good point about you having a break from visiting while the road is closed. You could do with a rest before your dh comes home

Soutra it sounds as though you had a delightful day with your family

I had a sleepover with my littlest dgd on Saturday. She came complete with pop up castle (from "Frozen") which she filled with a beanbag seat and lots of balloons!
Tomorrow I'm taking her for her first cinema experience, to see Peppa pig!

I can't wait

Sounds like a lovely day Soutra.
Recharge my batteries? Scrap them and install new ones might be a better idea! He`s been out of bed and in a chair today, so more improvement.
Soop, hope all goes well in Oban.

Best wishes from me too, soop and macsporran I know how tiring and trying these visits can be!
We are having a second attempt at the Royal Free tomorrow as DH wasn't well enough to travel to London last week, but I have also arranged to meet "littlest" DD (33) briefly at lunch time so it is a bit of a treat for me!

Oh that will be a treat Soutra. Enjoy your meet up and a cuddle from your 'baby' . Hope this second attempt is more successful for your DH.

number, it's good to know your OH is on the mend. I agree - take advantage of the road closure to put your feet up and draw breath. Soutra - good luck with the Royal Free this week and enjoy your lunch with DD. And soop - hope MacS doesn't suffer from losing an armful of blood. I got rid of some last week, painlessly. The Health Care Assistant is so much more careful than any of the nurses at our surgery!

I love Peppa Pig!

I have just finished a brief lunch break, our timber was delivered today and we are putting down membranes and clearing away turf before DBH can start positioning the raised beds. It's a very long process for me - two pairs of socks against arthritis, plus ankle support and knee support, strong painkiller, several layers of clothes so as not to bring on arthritic grindings in my hip. It takes a very long time to fit wellies over that lot. Two layers of gloves to protect against arthritic fingers. It takes so long to go to the loo when I come in that I think I shall adapt a long hose and a funnel.

Advice please as I know there are cat experts on this thread. A black and white moggy has been hanging round our back garden for several days. I've just found it asleep on some potato sacks in an outhouse. It looks very thin and scragg.

Do I feed it? Ring the RSPCA? The CPL.? Leave it alone?

It isn't wearing a collar and it seemed reasonably friendy, if a little wary? No one new has moved into our road but the old lady round the corner died a couple of weeks ago.

Anya I wouldn't be surprised if the cat belonged to the lady who has died. Could you leave a little food out for it and call the CPL. If it has lost it's carer, it must be very hungry and feeling lost and alone. Do your best with the cat and, if you're not wanting to offer it a home, get help as soon as possible. It could wander away and be involved in a road accident, it needs you to intervene. Please keep us updated.

Soutra the family celebration sounds perfect. I'm really happy for you. I hope that your husband manages to keep the hospital appointment today, and that you enjoy the lunchtime treat with your daughter.

I envy you the sleepover. Have a super time at the cinema. Such fun!

jane Do take it easy, please. If you overdo things, you'll suffer the consequences. Never worth it. Once the raised beds are in situ...that's when your skills will be needed. I suggest that you act as supervisor in the meantime.

I've borrowed some cat food from our next door neighbour and it gobbled it up soop. Didn't want to give it too much at once so will give it some more in an hour or so.

Aw bless,it sounds like it was looking for someone to care. Good on yer, Anya.

Anya Thank you for being kind to the stray cat. I would love to be able to help you to care for it. Will you contact the CPL? They will be the best people to advise you. Poor creature, if it's owner had died, it needs a proper home. If you're unable to provide one, then someone else may well do so and all will be well. Please keep me updated. I'm feeling anxious, especially if the weather worsens. A big bouquet especially for you. x

I'm away to feed Mother cat and Tortoiseshell (her daughter) after which, I shall attend to the boss of our happy homestead - Rory .

I shall check in tomorrow to learn of any developments regarding Anya's wee lodger.

It does sound like a stray, or the pet of the old lady, how very sad. How kind of you, Anya. I think I'd rather take in an elderly cat than a kitten, I can't be doing with finding puddles!

*Soop I only managed five hours in total, I spent much of it hacking back raspberry canes and digging out dock roots. I levelled ground and re-arranged membrane, picked up smaller 12" slabs and did lighter work generally. I'm determined not to do anything that would make me worse than I am, but need to get some exercise!

I was interested to see that my horrible neighbour has added turkeys to his fowl collection, and the neighbours next door but two have acquired a few sheep to add to their pigs. DBH laughingly suggested goats - tempting... but they would have to be pygmies! I don't think I could cope with anything bigger nowadays.

Anya I am sure that you have not forgotten but the little mite will need some water and maybe an old rug or blanket to snuggle up with to keep warm.

I would definitely contact the CPL and if the cat is microchipped they will know where it came from.

What a kind thing to do Anya poor thing must have been starving and so cold being out at night at this time of year.

Cats don't do,puddles jane not if they have a litter tray or access to come and go outside. They are very fussy where they 'perform' and are very clean.

I second the, please don't over do it with such heavy labouring in the garden. I know you are very keen to prepare the area but you must look after yourself too otherwise, I may have to have words with you

Kitty update. I went back about 5.00pm with more food and next door neighbour and a big blanket. Kitty looked pleased to see us, and came to us to be fed. After s/he has eaten, she was quite happy to let us stroke her. Then we managed to bundle her up in the blanket (in case she scratched) and took her next door.

Plod (next door's cat) wasn't too happy at the visitor, so I fetched my Petzden dog carrier and she was put in that with water and dry nibbles, and the blanket.

I've just been back in niw and she's still in the dog carrier, but with the top open (it has a zip door on top and one at front). Plod has stood on his back legs a couple of times to look in and they've sniffed through the front door mesh. Plod seems less hostile and more curious.

Kitty seems worn out and exhausted, and with a full tummy just wants to sleep. As it's half-term next door neighbour isn't working this week. I've arranged to go in tomoorow for a coffee and to reassess the situation.

I can't keep her as my dog is old and crotchety. But at least Kitty is warm and safe for tonight.

PS I haven't contacted the CPL as I have a sort of plan.

The plot thickens...

Maybe not puddles as such, But I have reared a few litters of kittens and once let out of their bed/basket they were inclined to ignore the litter tray at first! One particular kitten liked to wee wherever I was. On ME. Others preferred my pot plants. One was rather fond of the kitchen sink, another, the bath.