Soop's Kindly Kitcheners

DaphneB. I've only just seen the earlier, good news post. That's great. Pace yourself gently though

soop Rory is lucky he does not need a cat flap having 2 willing door people to attend to his every need.

Last night's sunset is just gorgeous- we never get anything like that in London!

I have decided to forget about the measure at home curtains. I will do my own measuring and will buy what I fancy, maybe on line, maybe in a store. My cleaner has offered to hang them for me. It took her 2 minutes today- I did envy her standing on the top of the two step ladder without a care in the world. It will be well worth it giving her some extra dosh for her kindness and help.

In less than two weeks we will be on the move yet again re our kitchen.

and to all those feeling blue. I wish I could send you all some real sunshine as I think that it genuinely can lift the spirits and just sometimes stop that awful slide into clinical depression.

Ann best wishes for tomorrow, good advice from everyone. (shows how right you were to have "a rant") it can be very liberating to tell someone when they have hurt, upset or annoyed you.

Random is a good word soop, our garden is even more random than usual this year as we have been expecting builders to be trampling over it for weeks/months now. I was aiming more for "artistic drift " myself.
A spot of good news from me too. We have at last got the letter giving us permission to rebuild. Still small bridges to cross but I hope it might actually start by soon.

Nellie I'm from the south east of England and a lot further south at the moment, in the Algarve. I checked on the Welsh Poppy's habitat and it says shady and damp so I'm not likely to see real ones in the near future.
We try to go with mostly native plants and try to water as little as possible between about March to October. Fortunately I like a natural look that suits the house and surrounding countryside as well as our backs and health.

Charleygirl A good idea to for what you really want. Your cleaner sounds really helpful.

To go for what you really want.

dustyangel you want some California poppies

www.thompson-morgan.com/flowers/flower-seeds/hardy-annual-seeds/californian-poppy-sun-shades/6278TM?source=google-prodex&gclid=CM23kpbJ3M0CFdS7GwodigoHoQ

They like full sun - certainly not suitable for Scotland at the moment, sitting watching the tennis wearing my fully fashion fleece ???

NanaandGrampy Good news for you and dustya I'm happy for you.

Charleyg Wouldn't it be lovely to be able to climb steps and not get vertigo. Once upon a time, I was fit enough to take on any job, in or outside the house. Lately, I often feel unsteady when stationary.

I have a date for the medical procedure. Mid August in the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Glasgow.

The sun has got his hat on...remember that song from way back when Terry Wogan had a morning slot on the radio. He was a good man.

I shall ask MacSporran to take another photo of the gunnera. The tallest specimen is way up in the trees. The leaves are spectacular. Ain't nature grand.

Glad you've got a date soop and I hope it doesn't get moved again.

I've had a frustrating day. Barnsdale was rubbish - more weeds than our garden, lots of nibbled leaves, the food was disappointing and we saw nothing that we fancied putting in our front garden. And we had to pay £7 each for rhe privilege.

So we went to a local garden centre (one I know G&T likes) and got everything there. Plus a bird pooed on my new top. I hope that it's good luck because it didn't feel like it.

Thanks for the welcome. The banana cake is ready, it has icing on top too. Had to have a taste, sorry if you're doing the low carb diet.

soop I am delighted to hear that at least you have been given a date. I only hope that it will not interfere with the family reunion and that you are going to be up and running for that.

My little ladder only really has one step for me which is sufficient for changing a light bulb but there is no way that I could stand on the platform, I would be a heap on the floor. I never did have a head for heights and I am ten times worse now.

Tara will be slightly befuddled with yet another change to her cat flap. Luckily she is bright enough to work out how it works each time. She only has to be shown something once.

Afternoon all.
Soop, wonderful to hear that you have at last got a date!Hopefully it will not be changed.
GandT, please accept my best wishes, and try not to stay away too long, and don`t come in disguise again, I`m not too bright in figuring these things out!
Hello Nana3 and DaphneB!
Went out to the garage with Himself this afternoon, to help him lift the tumble dryer from on top of the washing machine that`s going, in time for the new machine being delivered tomorrow. When we`d removed the tumbler, there was a thick layer of horrible muck on top of the washing machine, so I said I`d get some water to wash it. The reply? "Don`t know why you`re washing it, they`re only going to dump it." He just doesn`t understand that I don`t want them seeing it so filthy.

Oh, and out beautiful white(?) cat is getting a bath later, she`ll sulk afterwards, but she`s got 3 patches of oil on her from going under cars. She seems to go for about 3 months staying clean, then BOOM, in she comes all oiled up!

kitty £7 each to visit the garden. Daylight robbery. We've not visited Barnsdale. That was Geoff Hamilton's patch before he died. We've several of his books. A lovely personality. It sounds disappointing. I believe that I know the garden centre from which you chose plants for your garden.
So...a bird "soiled" your top. Never mind...could have been so much worse. At least cows can't fly.

Nana3 I doubt that many of us lot are on a strict diet. Anyway, here in the kitchen, we pretend that all the good things in life are virtually sin and calorie-free.

Charleyg Tara - befuddled - no way. She has an extremely high IQ...as has Rory.
The phone call from the hospital came as a result of a polite email that MacS wrote regarding the missed, so-called, guaranteed dates. He sent it yesterday. Didn't have to wait too long for a response. The dates do not clash with family gathering. The time of the wotsit is 8:am!

Our friend who is in Oban hospital is continuing to receive treatment. He's far from well but has shown a little interest in his surroundings. The bladder infection was full-blown. He became delirious. We've no idea when he'll be transferred to Campbeltown hospital. It's such an awkward journey to Oban. His wife is needing a few travel-free days.

Time for me to log off. Wishing you all a pleasant evening. Bye for now.

Sorry number, our posts crossed. Men! Who'd have 'em? It's common sense that the muck needed to go. You are a self respecting woman. You have standards. An oily white cat on the other hand. How on earth do you manage to bath her? Rory would behave disgracefully if we tried such a thing. Anyway, being black means that he almost always appears to be reasonably well presented. x

soop I have a provisional date for my Op Aug 15th so we may be in hospital and "under the knife" at the same time.

Number Our ginger ex tom got tarred up when the landlord tried to fix the roof tiles.
Poor Frank came in with tarry toes and tail and any other bits which had been in contact with the roof. Considering what we had to do to clean him up he was very well behaved. He was by nature a very gentle cat.

OH provided the swarfega and kept changing the water. By the time the poor cat was clean he looked like skin and bone.

Delighted to hear that there are dates for ops Now you just have to -*keep well* between now and then -no climbing in through wee windaes, Soop, and annsixty likewise - behave!!
Yesterday's tennis match between Andy and Kyrgios (sp?) made me very cross, what a spoilt brat that young man is, great talent but no discipline. Andy was positively the elder statesman by comparison.
Here it is two steps forward and one step back. DH is looking and feeling much more relaxed after a night in his own bed and my cordon Bleu cuisine ( )home cooking but a blood test before he left hospital showed his haemoglobin had dropped to the level where he automatically gets a 2 unit transfusion. A subsequent test today for cross matching showed it had dropped further so he goes to the Planned Care Unit first thing tomorrow for 3 units. Good that he was home though as the PCU is much quicker and more efficient than the main hospital ! Hopefully it will be like recharging his batteries.

soop I am so glad to hear that you have a date for your operation, not before time. Good old MacS, he could charm the birds from the trees ?

I'm delighted to tell you all that I am moving into the flat on Saturday, and I shall be on the balcony on Sunday morning with tea and toast, if anyone feels like popping up!
My stress levels have plummeted thank goodness.
Thank you all for your support, it really does help.
Just in case you can't manage the balcony opening, here is a whopping great lemon drizzle cake and some very nice bubbly for soop to share with you all. ??
Daphne hope your dh is soon perked up!

There's a lot going on, I'm running to keep up. Pleased for soop and ann, dates certainly help manage expectations and with luck allow for some planning. I'm with daphne, keep well, don't give them an excuse to postpone. Hope your husband's batteries are re-charged, daphne, it sounds a worrying time. lona - definitely not long now, pleased the stress levels are back down. Your balcony sounds just right for Sunday morning, would love to come along, can I still be in the kitchen cake queue, please? . I'm with you number, it essential that things destined for destruction are clean, even those from a garage. Mr C wouldn't see the point either, definitely a gender thing. It's the same as dusting before we go away, just in case the burglars are offended by the dust . I'm intrigued by the lives of all the cats, I know little about cats but what I hear in the kitchen is just fascinating. Real characters. I've just found some scraps of cake nana3, it didn't take long for it to disappear. I've had a really ordinary day, nothing to talk about really, other than I have definitely eaten too much real world cake, oh well, the diet starts tomorrow. .

Luckily oil and Tara do not mix. She came home early and retired to my bed around 7pm. If she sees her cat basket in my hand or it is downstairs- Husain Bolt would still be at the blocks and she would be at the finishing line to get away from me. She knows that it means a trip to the vet- it is never good if she sees it.

I also would clean the washing machine or whatever was being picked up. I agree, it is a gender thing.

ann I do hope that you have sufficient help at home when you are discharged. It is bad enough looking after yourself but having your DH there who will not realise what has happened will not be easy.

Lona you must be looking forward to the move, a sunny Sunday and I will be joining you. Coffee only for me please.

Daphne I must be losing the plot because I did not realise that your DH was home again. Grace must be happy that her family is/are together again.

Lona fantastic news about your flat. Glad you are feeling better. As you know,I love your lemon drizzle so I shall just sit here with a whopping great slice small piece and a glass of bubbly and toast to your new home.

ann and soop glad you have dates for your ops. Hope all goes well for you both.

GandTea please come back soon as yourself. We need you. I am sorry you feel down and you too ann. Nothing worse. I think most of us who visit the kitchen have had some bad times and that is why it is so great to have the kitchen to cheer us up.

Things will get better. You know that. It is just really hard to see a way out sometimes. Hope your spirits lift soon all of you

Apologies, DaphneB, it`s taken till now for me to realise who you are!
Nelliemoser, bathing Mia is no mean feat, indeed I got a clawed chin tonight, you`d think she was going to the execution chamber! She may also have to be "done" again in a few days, as I couldn`t find the Swarfega, so used washing up liquid, can`t really tell the effect until she`s properly dry. For some reason? she seems to be "off" me at the moment, but will probably forget about that when her treats come out very shortly.

cornergran picked, topped and tailed the blackcurrants this evening ready for jam making tomorrow evening. You can have first dibs with fresh crusty bread.
Plenty for everyone

Good luck with the move, lona!

Good Morning all!

Hope those who are feeling down feel a little better this morning. Its sunny here and that's always a treat( well in the UK it is )

Loved the night sky soop , I have decided against moving up to live with you as I am sure I would NEVER get anything done with the ever-changing views !Wonderful to hear your news about a new hospital date !!

Good solution to the whole curtain thing * Charley* . Your house will be looking lovely with all your recent work and curtains just finish it off. We don't actually have any , going for blinds instead but in the lounge I have 2 'curtains' to frame the view when the blinds are open and they make a nice touch.

Tizliz I have kept the link for the Welsh poppies and will be putting them in my new garden wherever it is

So pleased for you Lona !!! Enjoy that first coffee ... and thank you ---I don't mind if I do have a slice of cake

Nana3 did someone say homemade jam?????

Back to our old routine today and we're picking DGS3 up for swimming after preschool. He assures me that we shall be swimming outside - I can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to that !!! I asked Grampy if he would be joining us but he declined bizarrely !! Luckily the little man and I are made of tough stuff

Sam is off for a bath and a haircut. I do love our dog 'of very little brain' as he willingly trots off with total strangers . They collect and return him to us so it means we don't waste a couple of hours. I shall take a picture of his new 'do' later.