Soop's Friendly Kitcheners and pets...

It's a beautiful autumnal day here in bonnie Kintyre. I should have been able to read the long list of updates before now. Only, as we wandered through the village, we met with folk we know. What should have been a 40 minute wander turned into a full hour and a half. Blether...blether...blether.

We met the lady whose husband died suddenly last Sunday. He was preparing to go blackBerrying and died before he set foot out of his garden shed. As G doesn't drive, a neighbour had given her a lift into the village. A throng of villagers came to her side. Her husband's funeral will take place on Tuesday. G says that she's overwhelmed with the amount of support she's received. She considered leaving the village to live nearer family in England. Now realises that she has a second family here in the village and cannot imagine moving away.

That match was a nail biter. Andy lost. By George he played with every ounce of his energy and resolve. Later this afternoon, he may be playing in the doubles with his brother, Jamie.

Galen Read my lips...*DON'T YOU DARE THINK ABOUT WALKING DOWN THOSE RUDDY STAIRS*. Rant over. Call the police if you have to. You cannot remain upstairs until Monday.

Nelliem I like the sound of your big sister. She is a true friend.

number from ear to ear. I also agree with the rest of us lot...once a day is enough time to spend in the hospital. Long may your husband's grumpiness continue. It's a healthy sign (of sorts)

millym keep rubbing in the Voltarol. You are so lucky...I have to traipse back and forth from the bathroom almost at two hourly intervals. I'v possibly had half a dozen uninterrupted sleeps in my entire life...weak bladder.

corner Sod's law! You have a roof and the rain ceases. We've had good weather throughout the last week. No storms, floods or wotnot. I'm sorry that so many people have had to deal with some dire conditions.

Crafting I symathise with you. Cameras taking a looksee up the unmentionables isn't my idea of a fun way to spend an hour or two.

We were told yesterday that if we mention to the hospital that we live in "in the sticks" it's possible that we can take a cheap flight from Campbeltown to Glasgow airport. Flight + 20 mins in the air. Car = almost three and a half hours on the road. We shall look into matters.

It's a very nice upstairs.

Tegan the new loo looks positively royal with it's blue ssatin sash. Of course you're pleased. I think that we all 'put up' with managing stuff that doesn't work as it should. It's a joy when the time comes to replace it. I can think of about five wotsits that need replacing. From time to time I discuss such matters with MacSporran...

Bellanonna I'm hoping that your mouth feels less tender than it did immediately after the extractions.

DaphneB That is one handsome young man in the photograph. Such a lovely open face.

NanaandGrampy Did you take a photo of Cooper curled up in Sammy's basket.

annsisty you, my dear girl, should be awarded a solid god medal. Well done on every level. you are a star.

Galen have you binoculars? You could do a spot of neighbourhood watching.

I need to wash the dishes. Empty the washing machine. Change the bed sheets. Have a wee. Flop in a chair to watch some tennis. Laters...as the young folk say.

Blow those tasks, soop. There's a lovely doubles match on the tele at the moment. The Murray brothers are a great partnership and have won the first set 5 - 1. Wonder what they had for breakfast. Blink and you'll miss it, soop!

Silly me - that should read 6 - 1 of course.

I agree anno it is tennis at its best. My bed linen changing can wait until later. I have put washing out but I have to keep an eye on it as it is really windy.

Glorious weather here today, I think we've been extremely lucky this summer even with the odd torrential downpours!
It's been a sad couple of days, one of my oldest friends, has a son who is a long term diabetic, who hasn't, for reasons I won't go into, looked after his health as well as he should. This week he ruptured his oesophagus and was given only 24 hours to live. He is 48, I think. Anyway, he is now in an induced coma while hopefully, healing slowly. My friend is of course, distraught. We have tried to lift her spirits a little this morning.
My son is also a long term diabetic, although he does live a healthy lifestyle, so of course, I feel a bit jittery.
Yesterday, we discovered that my eldest granddaughter has a small hole in her heart! She is now waiting for an MRI. I'm sure she will be ok, but my dd is now worrying herself silly.
I really hope things don't come in threes!

The tennis has become thoroughly nail-biting - a habit I don's have - as Del Potro suddenly discovered how to play doubles in the second set.

Oh dear lona , "when troubles come, they come not single spies, but whole battalions" what a worrying time for you and for your friend. Sending you what comfort I can and a huge {hug} in the hope that your next news will be more encouraging

I like this one too, soop DH and his brother and 2 sisters round about 1956-ish
L-R
DH and youngest sister (63 last Saturday) his other sister whose 65 th birthday is today and his brother who is 66

soop I see too much of that dam mural anyway

The tennis was scintillating. What a result. I'm so chuffed for the Murray brothers.

Lona Diabetes is a devil of a disease. It's essential that sufferers abide by strict rules, as does your own son.
Your granddaughter's hole in the heart may well be perfectly manageable. Our granddaughter was diagnosed with a hole in her heart about 24 years ago. She is extremely fit and active. One would never know that she has the condition. My best wishes for your granddaughter to have a positive diagnosis.

DaphneB There is something magical about old black and white photos. The children look almost as if they have stepped out of an Enid Blyton book.

Galen I've always liked your sense of humour. Are you still upstairs or have you shimmied down the drain pipe? You could get a handsome fireman to call by and carry you over his shoulder and down his ladder.

The great Gary supervised my descending. It's tomorrow I'll probably be marooned.
Could be worse. I've organised biscuits to take up and I have a tassimo machine, TV and radio up there.

...don't forget to hold on to Gary. He may be useful x

I'm orf. Haven't been over zealous today. Keep thinking that it's Sunday. Hey ho...I shall now enjoy a G&T with ice and lime. It's been a good day.

Night night to all Kitcheners back with you in the morrow.

Sending hugs and [flowers[, lona, hoping for some good news for you and yours. Pleased you for down Galen, good luck for tomorrow, no abseiling .

DBroon, corner and soop thanks, I'm sure dgd will be fine, she's extremely fit and athletic which is why they discovered the hole. She kept collapsing.
Galen good luck tomorrow. Have you tried sitting on a large tin tray and sliding down?
Maybe not then

Lona sorry to hear about your friend's son, hope he improves soon. Hope your DGD gets her scan done soon. It must be a worrying time for you all.

Lona ( sorry Galen but the thought of you tobogganing down your stairs!)

Hope your stairlift gets fixed soon. How is Gary at giving a fireman's lift

Galen, which company are you with for your stair lift? Acorn come within 24 hours, but that can change on bank holidays.
Annsixty, I`m so sorry, last night I meant to say that you are a second Wonderwoman! You`ve done so well.
DaphneB, love the photograph, lovely wholesome looking children.
Soop, that would be great if you could fly from Campbeltown, is it very expensive? It`s such a long, if picturesque, drive to Glasgow from your bit of Kintyre.
Hubby is still pretty much the same. He was taken to theatre last night to have a line inserted ready for the food substitute bag to be put up on Monday. It will be 2 weeks tomorrow since he last ate, his tum must be feeling pretty empty by now.

Goodness number such a long while without food, hope your husband feel more comfortable, and less grumpy, soon.

Looking forward to hearing the outcome of your flying investigations soop, would surely be less stressful. Shame there isn't a handy helicopter, be there in no time.

Daphne your lovely photos have had me re-visiting those I inherited from my parents. Not so many of course, pre digital was expensive for them. The clothes and backgrounds are so different, some of the activities the same though. Scooters and playing on the beach seem ageless. Seeing my grandfather in his suit and tie on a beach with me brought back memories of a wonderful,summer. I tend to reflect on the not so good, it's good to have reminders of the happiness.

Wondering about today's descent, Galen, tray or abseiling? . Seriously, keep safe.

number I did feel you are in for a long haul , I hope you and your family are looking after YOU. You will be warn to a shadow with worry and visiting and then you have getting him home ........
We have so few photos of early days including mine, a handful only, my mother remarried and my stepfather developed dementia at the end of his life and burnt as many photographs as he could.
My mother never told me, it was a friend of hers who mentioned it thinking I
knew.

Autumn has arrived!

corner, I definitely think you need to take on board Ann's advice and build yourself up for when your Dh comes home.

Lona, you must be worried about your DGD but the medics are in the case now and your DS is being very sensible - it's having things shifting a bit that is unsettling.

Galen, I was going to suggest a tea tray but Lona beat me to it - in evening dress and pearls of course.

We don't have many photos from DH'S family as one of his brothers took them to the dump while we were clearing out their parents home.

I'm feeling much more human now but we have no food in, so a Sunday trip to Sainsbury's looms.

Lona, kitty I cannot imagine Galen sliding downstairs on a tin tray. Surely it would have to be silver plate at the very least.
Lona, I hope your GD will do really well now that they know what her problem is. You hear about many people reaching adulthood with a hole in the heart and nowadays these repairs are pretty routine.