Soop's Kindly Kitcheners

I am not speaking personally (for once!) but reading what many of us (if not all) have to cope with, do you ever wonder how much more you can take?
Of course you do cope and life goes on, but I have found on occasion that there are moments when I have thought "How much more can I take?"

If it weren't for the support and friendship of people like you, the Kitcheners, it would be even harder.
Just saying.

Hear, hear Alea. I quite agree. You kitcheners have helped me so much and I know there is always someone to turn to when things become overwhelming. Thank you all xxxx

(Now, wish me luck! I'm off on this Hospice walk so let's hope my creaky bones don't let me down )

Bella, that's so sad to read. It's unfair that life has doled out two lots of sadness for you so close together. Its good that you have been able to spend some time with your sister in Kent and hopefully you can hang on to those good memories.
I hope Zim has stopped sulking by now and is back in harness. If not, that's yet another worry for you. Do keep us posted and chin up.

Oh and good luck with the walk. At least it will be cooler at night !!

I do hope that the walk is not too long because it sounds as though a soak in a bath or a hot shower and an early night would be preferable but it is for an excellent cause. At least you have company.

I am waiting for my 4 legged teenager to return home and then I can shower, go to bed and read my Kindle.

Bella so many people are thinking of you. So sorry about your sister. What a lot you have had to put up with. We have never met but you are in our thoughts. I wish you some comfort and peace and a rest from all your troubles. And I wish that darn cat would come home! ((Huggs))

A soggy good morning to all our dear Kitcheners.

Alea your post is very touching. Thank you.

Bella* please keep us updated regarding your walk for the Hospice. I know that you are very grateful for the compassion extended to your dear husband. A very worthy cause. Well done in anticipation.

Charleygirl Your four-legged friend is taking advantage of you. I know! I know! We go through much the same shoe-shuffling when Rory goes from one end of the path to the other...all of twenty yards.

The watercolour portrait is almost finished. Next Friday it will go to the art gallery in Lochgilphead and left in the capable hands of the expert framer. After which, it will travel to Rutland and be hidden away until Christmas. Phew!

That is a beautiful doggy portrait- he is almost alive to me.

Tara deigned to come home before 10pm last night so I was able to have a shower and go to bed to read the new book on my Kindle. I would love to attach a camera around her neck to discover where she goes.

She still manages to use her litter tray so the great outdoors is not all that it is made out to be it would appear. It must be nice to know that 5* service awaits whenever she returns unless she blots her copy book and the arrival is after 11pm. Grrrrr!!!

Charleygirl Tara could not wish for a more pampered lifestyle. Rory is sitting on the mat. He slept all last evening. Had a very light late supper. Returned to sleep all night through. Had breakfast and returned to his bed until about 30 minutes ago. How on earth do cats manage to spend so much time asleep?

soop your dog portrait is another masterpiece. I love it

DD2 and I completed the 9km walk ( think its about 5 miles). It was hot and sticky but we made it feeling somewhat achey. No lasting ill-effects, though, we are back to our usual selves this morning.

Had someone to view the house, but don't hold out much hope. Then had to get my car battery sorted out. Needed a new one so that was 90euro. DH used to deal with all these things, so I really don't know if that is the right price or not. Anyway, good to be mobile again

Still no sign of Zim.

Thanks for all your kind words. I'm still finding it hard to get my head around my sister's diagnosis. Doesn't seem possible that DH and two of his sisters all died within eight months of each other and, with no time to process all that, another sadness looms large. However, I mustn't wallow. Everyone has their trials and tribulations, it's just life, I suppose.

janer I can well imagine how much you will miss your DS. I cried buckets every time one of mine went away. They are still our babies aren't they

Alea your question wasn't intrusive at all. To be truthful, I am in a quandary as to when I should return to my sister. I will see how things progress but am poised to go at a moment's notice. At least we have said everything to each other while we had the chance.

Sorry I have rambled on. Am going to put the kettle on now, although the temp is 32C so don't ask me why I still drink hot things! I've no cake, sadly, but am sure if I rootle through soop's cupboards I might find something

Bella Us lot are mighty proud that you completed your walk. Excellent!

I am wishing with all my heart that Zim would walk through your door. You need her right now.

As for the viewing...maybe right now is not the time for you to be faced with yet more stuff to concern yourself about. You have had more than your fair share of uncertainty and now need space in which you can adjust.

90 euros sounds about right, and yes I did have a little sob or three this morning - not that I let him see of course. If you sell your house, are you hoping to stay near to where you live now? I often wonder if I would stay here, where I have so many good friends, or nearer to my DD, where I also have a couple of good friends but life is faster and more expensive down there.

I know what you mean about your sister - I am poised to shoot down to my mother, should the need arise, yet know she doesn't want to be fussed over. My stepfather will let me know if he is starting to struggle. One of my friends lost her DH last year, and her sister is currently undergoing chemotherapy. She takes her there every week, then stays with her for a couple of days afterwards while she recovers from it. I see her every week and can see the strain it is putting on her. All I can do for her is give her garden a quick weed every now and then.

The plus side of this very close village is that everyone helps to care for everyone else in times of need.

The minus side is that you hear about every tragedy and ailment, and start to feel that you are surrounded by death and illness, which often appears to outnumber the happy stories.

soop - the picture is lovely. I wish I had some better photos of past pets, that pictures could be done from.

Well congratulations Bellasnana!!!
Hope your muscles don't give you too much gyp and hope you have had a good long soak. (No, not in wine]!)
I wonder if your little cat has not just "adopted" another family on a temporary basis, a sort of "holiday home"? Do hope so. Just something you could do without at the moment.
Anyway, take care, take courage , take heart.
xxx

PLEASE go home, Zim...your Mummy is in need of a furry cuddle.

It is 'bye for now. I need to tidy the studio and look as if I've been busy with housework. bags gave me the idea of leaving the vacuum cleaner out... MacSporran will not fall for that one (again).

I wish all our lovely Granspal Kitcheners a peaceful and restful evening. Thank you for your company.

The painting is lovely Soop, he/she almost jumps off the page!
Bella, well done on completing the walk, and I do hope that Zim comes home very soon.

Bella I'm thinking of you and think you have done so well in your walk for the hospice.
One of our cats took against us when she was spayed and disappeared for about three months. Then calmly mewed at the back door in the middle of the night to be let in. (DH said he had never seen me jump out of bed so fast) After that she never disappeared again.

Alea I'm very glad your husband is safely back home again, it must have been a very scary time for both of you. Thank you for thinking of me.

I've been feeling absolutely exhausted. I've got fibromyalgia but it has never hit me this hard for this long before. Stress obviously.
The family have gone home, having enjoyed their break despite everything. We managed to fit two visits to A&E as well.
We had to wait until Friday to speak to the coroner, he was unable to find any definitive cause of death and has sent samples to pathology. This will take 4 to 7 weeks before any results. The coroner has issued a temporary death certificate so that at least we can have a funeral.

soop I completely forgot to mention your lovely doggy portrait. I couldn't see anything wrong with the first one but the second is absolutely fantastic. Your friend will be thrilled.

Dusty that must feel like unfinished business, no wonder you aren't well. I would want to know Why.

Well, today is our village fete and normally DBH plays a huge part in the proceedings (being in possession of a very loud and clear voice and firm manner! ) but his normally extrovert personality has disappeared with his depression, so apart from delivering 20lbs of damson jam just now, we are both at home twiddling our thumbs. I know I could have gone up and helped out on a stall, but I think he would have felt thoroughly left out if I had gone without him. I had a quick whizz round while I was there to say hello and see if anyone was lacking anything, so at least I have shown my face. I shall find something for him to mend shortly. Fortunately we never seem to be short of that sort of occupational therapy.

dustyangel janer is right. Until you have the full facts regarding the cause of death, you cannot begin to fully accept and recover from this recent awful event.
Snap! I also have fibromyalgia. There are days when sweeping the floor almost finishes me off. And yet, I was always 100% active...full-time job, hill-walking, looking after a near acre of land as well as the garden. Isn't it a complete and utter bore to come to this?

Alea I hope that your husband continues to improve, albeit slowly.

janer I appreciate how difficult it must be for you to enjoy such events as the village fete. Depression is a truly awful and debilitating illness. I am sending you a comforting hug. I so wish that I could do very much more. x

number xxx

dusty no wonder you're exhausted! Look after yourself, and you too soop!
This getting older thing is a pain in the proverbial! So frustrating when you can't leap about doing stuff that used to be easy.

and and a big slice of to all of us, because we're worth it!

Lona You are so right. We are all worth it. Thank you xxx

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I am late. Sorry! It was such a gorgeous day we decided to go to Lochgilphead with the portrait. It will be mounted and framed and ready to collect ten days from now. We then bought rolls and date slices and apple juice and had a picnic overlooking the Crinnan Canal. Rory was still fast asleep when we returned. How on earth do cats manage to sleep for such long spells? It's not as if he's been out on the razzle. Those days are a very distant memory.

Any sighting of Zim, Bellasnana?

soop what beautiful photos! I can well understand why you chose to live in such an idyllic spot.

No sign of Zim. I fear she isn't coming back

On a happier note, DGD begins her long journey back to Malta today! She and her Daddy don't get here until Wednesday which can't come soon enough for this excited Nana

Take care, everyone

Bellasnana I have a sneaky feeling that Zim will most surely return. I know how much you've missed your granddaughter. You now have something on the horizon to warm your heart and lift your spirits sky high. .

The engagement gift to our granddaughter and her lovely Dutch beau gave them great pleasure. They sent the following photo.