Soop's Kindly Kitcheners

If asleep I would not hear thunder and lightening but I would hear a whimper from Tara even if she was in another room.

I do not envy you entertaining indoors for all or most of the day today- very exhausting.

You and I will fighting over a cuddle of young Flynn. I love his outfit also. I hope that his parents are getting some sleep now.

Charley I hope you left her with a flea in her ear and sent another email to the head office! How stupid.
I've just used my Henry in the bedroom and it made a terrible stink. On opening it, the bag was damp and covered in fungus/mould!
Last time I used it, about 2 or 3 weeks ago, I cleaned it out and put a fresh bag in it. (I use my Dyson Animal usually)
I can only think that I must have vacuumed the mat in the porch, which is very clever at disguising the pool of water it sometimes sits on!
How lucky that I didn't leave it longer and ruin the motor.

Your experience Charleygirl reminds me of my incredulity that anybody trying to secure a sale should think they will succeed by putting the customer's back up
More customer service training needed methinks. Worth tweeting though.
I once had a cold caller snap waspishly at me when I demurred at her using my Christian name as she and I did not know each other, saying "well you're not my teacher are you!"
When I said that I had certainly not requested the contact she again snapped sarkily "well how did I get your name then? Did an angel fly down from heaven and drop it on my desk?"
I found out which company she worked for, found their head office number and rang with a very "disgusted of Tunbridge Wells" complaint!

lona I don't use a bag in my Henry, you can just wash it out if dirty, it vacuums better without a bag.

What rain? It seems to be avoiding us and I have got the sprinkler on as I put fertisler on the lawn which needs watering in.

Can you please stop tempting me with cakes etc, I am trying the low carb diet. I don't miss bread or pasta but cakes ......

Whizzed in while the little one is having a much needed nap. Well, we need it? The scones are lovely, thank you ggran, just what I needed. Soop your hospital saga is unbelievable, hope you are keeping a record of it all, a formal complaint might help others. Charley what a nightmare, hope it resolves soon. Fortunately no heavy rain here so with luck a walk this afternoon will keep the little one happy. It's been fun, but relentless is the word to describe him. We're off duty this evening then back home to welcome our friend tomorrow. Not bored at least . Alea, nearly forgot, beautiful photo, he looks as if there will be mischief to come, he has that glint in his eye.

My garden is bone-dry , near York. I'm just getting round to planting the summer bedding, before it's too late. I don't know why I'm so behind with everything this year. We usually have lovely hanging baskets but they still hold the shrivelled remains of last year's plants together with some pelargoniums which have made it through the winter. I shan't be posting any pictures of beautiful flowers this year!. We could do with a nice heavy shower or two but not of the Biblical proportions that some people have been receiving.

We envy you a little oldgoat !!

We're not usually restricted by the rain, coats and wellibobs all round but quite frankly this mornings downpour defeated our best wet weather gear!

Although what it is about a puddle and a small boy?

Everytime they jump in I do expect a replica of that scene from the vicar of Dibley !!

I'm feeling normal (for me) today.
Before I read all your messages, thanks for listening to my rant and rave.
At 8:30 this morning, a lady rang from the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. She works in the department that deals with all the consultants' patient lists. She spoke with a broad Scots dialect.
She agrees that the waiting times for certain surgical procedures is far too long. Just two surgeons carry out such procedures in the afternoons. The rest are coping with morning appointments. It was decided some time ago, that because we live so far away, an afternoon appointment would be more suitable. She and I have agreed that I would be seen sooner if I could be more flexible. May mean we stay in a hotel over night. That's okay. The lists are choker block, Insufficient staff and beds. I understand now that I will be contacted by phone when the next cancellation occurs. We agreed on two days notice. The lady was more than helpful. I felt, at last, hopeful that before the end of August I will have been repaired done away with Having lived with the rectal/vaginal prolapse for a very long time, my frustration has subsided.
Now to read all your messages.

At last you appear to be getting somewhere but it has taken forever. Also good that somebody realises that it takes longer than an hour to get there so you cannot be on their doorstep for 9am unless you stay overnight close by. What a performance but with luck the end may be in sight.

I have the opposite problem, I do not want my surgery Aug/Sept because I have to think of Tara, difficulty boarding her and also her injections are due early October and I will not be able to drive or carry her for may weeks. The person who would take me is allergic to cats. I would prefer my surgery done early November but pigs will probably fly first. By then boarding will be easier, not for Tara but me.
Others have offered to feed her etc but she would rip this house apart, especially as I was away for 8 days the last time. Decisions, decisions.

kitty your post and Lona's made me chuckle.

GandTea We do not row in this 'ere kitchen. As well you know. There's more than enough room on other forums for a ding-dong. Join me in a coffee and virtual flapjack?

annsixty I feel heaps better for having stuff explained to me. At heart, I'm a reasonable old person.

NanaandGrampy The sun is shining. We need a light shower. I feel very sorry for all our Granspals who are having to cope with yet more floods and ferocious thunder storms. Next week's forecast looks more settled. In time for Wimbles.

Alea Your wee grandson's face made me go all gooey. He is soooooo beautiful. I love his outfit.

Gaga Yes please to the offer of a freshly baked scone and all the trimmings. Yes please to a little soothing piano music. It's always a pleasure to have your company.

anno a doctor friend of ours moved from Scotland to Australia. Our small practice may need to be combined (in the near future) with a more distant group.

Charleyg You are a hoot. You have a terrific sense of humour. Loved the bit about having to deal with a plumbing emergency. You could, if you felt up to it, write a blog concerning all the incidents that you have dealt with recently.

That's good news soop, let's hope for sooner rather than later.
Tizliz thanks for the tip I shall give it a go.

soop I resort to these fibs if only to get these demanding folk off my back. I do not want to be rude. Thank goodness I did not meet up with her face to face- instead of buying a pair of curtains for the French doors and the window at the other end of the room- I would find myself buying curtains for the 3 bedrooms upstairs and replacing x3 blinds also.

The best was many, many years ago, just divorced, bought my own house and was replacing the windows. The fellow wanted a second signature- I put on a mournful face and said that would be difficult because my ex had been cremated-(in my dreams). He was in Spain with a life threatening illness. The salesman looked suitably abashed and accepted my one signature. I was paying cash so I have no idea what the fuss was about. Maybe a woman should not be allowed to be in charge of a wallet or even worse a credit card.

I loved your jungle but I could see that invading your private space in no time if you do not keep a check on it. You need me staying there for a couple of weeks- I would put the kiss of death on it and it would slowly fade away. Little grows here except weeds.

soop has just texted me to say that her internet connection is on the blink again. I'm sure she'll be back as soon as she can.

Is there any flapjack left? I've been potting up a couple of tiny hawthorn trees for a friend, and yanking out weeds. I don't know what I or the garden has done to my splendid patch of ox-eye daisies but this year on three teensy, peely-wally specimens have showed up. Humph. I love ox-eye daisies.

only three

Soop - I do hope they'll be able to arrange your surgery soon.
I have a friend who had a similar problem and eventually she was fitted with a sort of internal net which supported the prolapsed organs. I know she was in a lot of discomfort before that. She had had 5 children.
Your photo looks as if its in somewhere like the Carribean!

soop at The Raigmore hospital in Inverness there is a hostel for those who live too far away which seems most sensible.

What is your plant? Is it part of the rhubarb family? Think there is something similar at Dunrobin castle. I'm sure I have a photo of it somewhere, will have to do a search.

I have a DREADFUL confession to make
I have discovered honeycomb Magnums.
Sigh.

Are they crunchy?

tizliz The huge plants in soop's garden look like gunnera, to me
We've seen them in Inverewe Gardens. Aren't they massive! Would make great emergency umbrellas

Alea you and I are going to have a stand up fight if you introduce me to any more naughty ice creams. That is the second one, the first being from Waitrose, I think something with orange- I have forgotten what.

I think I was fortunate in my neck of the woods this evening. Around 6pm it was so dark it was almost pitch black outside. There was some rain but not the deluge I was expecting and no thunder and lightening. Tara popped home soon afterwards, her paws were wet but she was dry- how I do not know.

Lona I loaned our son our vax carpet cleaner when he was trying to clean up the student house he and his mates had been living in.
We picked him up with the vax and his belongings. They had not thought about washing out the hose etc the stench from that was dreadful.

I wonder how people are feeling this morning, I honestly didn't think we would come out. DH woke me with a early cup of tea (my birthday today) and we put bedroom tv on. I think I am gobsmacked, in a million years I didn't think the British people would vote that way, but as someone just said "the British people have spoken". What it will mean for the future remains to be seen. I suppose it's the start of a new era.

Happy birthday millymouge I'm afraid it is going to be overshadowed by today's events.

Please. let's try to keep the kitchen a politics free zone.

My new magic dance shoes worked last night

Happy Birthday, milly. ??