Soop's Kindly Kitcheners

Thanks Lona.

soop guess who appeared for an early lunch and settled down for a very long snooze? You have got it in one- the part time lodger. Admittedly the heating was on so the house was very cosy. With luck this is her coming back to normal again but I will not hold my breath.

Nobody wanted to adopt her, even with that amount of free food. Amazing.

To all the Scottish gns and especially to you soop and MacS, a very happy St Andrew's day!

A very happy Saint Andrew's Day to all our Scottish Kitcheners ...including the likes of me, who just happens to love this land.

Alea and so it is. I'm still floating on air...sort of

anno I felt that euphoric when Andy played the winning point all manner of aches and pains disappeared in a trice.

Isn't it lovely to have something to celebrate.

Have we all recovered?
What a wonderful way to celebrate St Andrews Day, I bet your neighbour's saltire is flying bravely!

I hope no injury was incurred, soop. You must have given Rory a bit of a .

Oh anno I fell from my chair when Andy won the final point. I am OVERJOYED for the entire team. So much hard work and commitment has paid dividends. The trophy is splendid. I need to quaff a glass of Champagne. Sadly, it has to saved for the festive season. A G&T at six o'clock will be raised to the team GB.

Youngest GS has just informed me on the phone that he's the next Andy Murray. I wish....

What a great match that was! The Murray boys are stars! And so are all the others who took part in the earlier rounds. Yes, it was noisy but good-humoured and, after all, the TV has a volume control! I've been dividing my attention between the tennis and hemming a shower curtain - my bathroom has a sloping ceiling so the curtains always have to be shortened. Gave up on my small sewing machine because it kept jamming with the threads tangled. It has no light on it so that I can't see to thread the needle. Finished it by hand and now have a headache. That machine is going on Ebay or possibly to a charity shop.

Tegan I so agree about "wimpy"!! So far so good here, but I share what you say about emergency vets, Grace's cut pad set me back a few hundred pounds last January , happening of course on a Saturday evening. Vets are expensive enough at the best of times, even the non-emergency appointments Glad Hattie is OK , but how scary for you.

The racket between the points is doing my head in. Heaven knows what it must be like to be there- I would need ear plugs.

Oh the stress of the match. I wonder if I am actually helping Andy by watching?? He seems to do better when I don't

Happy birthday thatbags- how does it feel being 29 now?

I do hope that Gracie is back to her normal self but not racing around like a 2 year old.

My eyes will be glued to the TV also soop - Andy has set his heart on winning and provided he does not go into one of his strops, he should do it. That will be a big feather in this country's cap as well as his.

Alea like Tegan I know how you must be feeling. Grace may well have sprained a ligament...especially as she's been racing around your garden. Bless you...and Grace. We feel equally anxious whenever our Rory shows the slightest sign of being "off colour". Animals matter to kind-hearted peoples (as Torben would say).

loopylou Glad that the lights were a joy, especially for your dear grandson.

I hope that all our Kitchener tennis fans are ready and waiting for the match. I shall be in bits if Andy loses. He and the team have set their hearts on winning the Davis Cup back for GB.

Today, it is thatbags birthday. HAPPY BIRTHDAY dear pal. Enjoy!

A few months ago I thought Hattie was having a stroke; her back leg was moving in what seemed an involuntary way and she kept falling over. Rushed her to the vets and she was fine. Think she'd pricked her paw when out walking and kept trying to lift it up at the same time as another leg but didn't seem to realise that she couldn't stand on only two legs [dogofverylittlebrain]. Had my vets not stayed open a bit late to see me it would have been a several hundred pound emergency vet appointment. Hope everything goes well at the vets next week for her.Strange things, sighthounds; incredibly stoic in some ways yet very very wimpy in others.

Oh that is encouraging number!! My 2 previous hounds died at around 12, one had a brain tumour and went blind and the second literally dropped dead in the kitchen early one morning after running in from the garden. Dreadful shock, but easier in a way. Sorry to be so everybody, but that is the thing with pets isn't it, unless you keep a tortoise!

Alea, I hope that Grace continues to be alright. We had our greyhound, Heidi, until she was almost 15, she was the most beautifully tempered dog imaginable, also quite lazy.

Wonderful time this evening, no rain or wind , don't know where it went but it wasn't in SW London!
The lights were spectacular, DGS didn't know where to start looking, bless him.

Alea such a worrying time for you. She looks gorgeous and so content.

Bless her!

Hello all, I am recovering after an awful night when I was convinced Gracie was on the way out. She couldn't weight bear on one back leg, (or only with difficulty )enough to stand and her foot was turning over the wrong way. So I slept(as if!) with the door open ready for any little whimpers and coaxed her outside (on the lead) every couple of hours for a wee. It was jolly cold in PJ s and a fleece too! The rest of the time I was anticipating the worst as greyhounds' back legs and/or spine can often be the end and she is 12. Anyway this morning as I was on the point of ringing the vet , DH said he was glad I'd told him the dog was poorly as he wouldn't have guessed! Albeit a bit shakily, she had got up and out of her bed and gone to the door to be let out. I think she must have pulled or strained something when she was tearing round the garden yesterday (silly dog) but touch wood and with a dose of Metacam, she is doing OK . I will have to get her to the vet next week just to be checked over and hopefully for some more Metacam (doggy ibuprofen) for her aches and pains.
Oh the worry and grief these lovely animals put us through. I know the day will come but every day before then is a bonus

Charleygirl I like your post.

loopylou I really hope that the weather doesn't spoil the evening for the Kew Winter Lights ceremony. It certainly sounds promising. As does the pub meal. Campbeltown's winter carnival and switch-on of lights was held last evening.

The gathering in the village kirk to pay tribute to our deceased friend, Willie, was fitting. He was a modest and hardworking man. He was described as being totally contented. A lover of nature, a gifted artist and a kind husband and father. His final wish - to be taken home to be with his wife, and to die peacefully, was granted, thanks to the support of the Macmillan nurses.

The afternoon of tennis was a huge treat. Well done that Andy and Jamie.

That sounds like a very pleasant evening loopylou and I agree, so far no sign of the dreaded wind and rain and even the T has risen although I am snug here with the heating on.

It's dull, grey and chilly here in London; we're at DS's, going for a pub meal early evening then to the Kew Winter Lights tonight
Been keeping fingers crossed it doesn't do what the forecasters said and rain and blow a gale...... Should be really spectacular!
All's peaceful at the moment DGS asleep and his parents dozing.....

soop on paper Andy and Jamie should walk through this march but who knows- especially if Andy has a bit of a strop although he is more likely to do that alone than playing with his brother.

We had sunshine here all morning but it has been very cold- my heating has been on for hours. It is dull and miserable although dry at present.

One black and white cat, affectionate when it suits is up for adoption- any takers? 6 months of food supplied.

I took advantage of Black Friday and late at night I ordered Tara's prescription diet, getting 15% off. I also ordered another pair of shoes for myself with 20% off so I was very pleased. They are shoes from Hotter and I keep ordering the same type so I am more than happy.

There were bargains but I do not need anything else so why waste money?