Soop's kindly kitcheners and pampered pets...

Popping back in looking for sympathy but realise that my problems are nothing in comparison with what so many others have to put up with on a day to day basis. Must tell myself to (Wo)man up and get on with it. Mine will be over this afternoon (upcoming sigmoidoscopy)

and to everybody feeling upset for whatever reason.

Good Morning all from a misty part of Essex !!

Congratulations on your grandsons success soop its lovely to share that good feeling . Yes we were busy with the grandchildren...it was out turn to go and pick up Laura from Scout Camp. When she got home her Mum and Dad had redecorated her bedroom with all new furniture as her 10th birthday gift...such delight over new wallpaper had to be seen !!

Everyone needs a friend like you Corner ! I'm glad your ours

Daphne I was so impressed by your photo that I showed Grampy who laughed at me for the rest of the day !! I was taken in

There certainly has been a plethora of new names I have not seen before pop up and so many of them start harshly and just get worse. Not sure what's happening...but I have a theory its Halloween so all the witches are coming out ( and before anyone accuses me of thinking the other threads cant see this...I say that because I KNOW you can [laugh]

Happy Holiday WB

No one will judge you here ann . I don't know how you stay so positive generally and you have such a lot to bear . You know you can always come and tell us anything and we will ply you with virtual cake, wine and a lot of sympathy . I just wish we could do more.

I'm a Hampshire girl Gaga and always will be no matter where I end up so I know what you mean about that view ! Your trip sounds lovely .

Today we are prepping for Trick or Treating. Here if you have your lights on and/or a pumpkin visible you're game for some fun. We do get an element of older kids but they are all good natured and the little ones are a joy.

Our lot will come over tonight and Trick or Treat us then we are having bangers and jacket potatoes and there will be apple bobbing and doughnut dunking going on !!

They are little for such a short time so we intend to take advantage of every moment !!

Happy Halloween one and all !!

Good Morning folks, relax and enjoy the kitchen. Just for a change I seem to have missed all the unpleasant threads and I don't propose to go looking for them. Th twenty questions thread has me hooked ATM, fun and mentally taxing.

Morning all - another seeking the refuge of the kitchen. Where have all the scratchy unpleasant posters sprung from? I was on the verge of giving up on GN until I read this thread and realised that it was still the best and safest place in GN land!

We had a visit to Winchester yesterday and it was very busy with tourists everywhere. We couldn't go in the cathedral as there was a service on and I have to say I was underwhelmed with the outside of the building. My local cathedral, Chichester is much more impressive and the one I love best of all is Ely cathedral.

We had a gift voucher to use for lunch at a restaurant called by the unappetising name of the Black Rat. It is renowned for unusual ingredients and it certainly lived up to its reputation but I prefer to know what I am eating without having to ask the waiter!

The journey home across the beautiful Hampshire countryside with glorious autumn colours and breathtaking views from the top of Old Winchester Hill was a highlight of our day out.

We had tea and toast later on and Mr Gaga looked at it very cautiously until I reassured him that it was only butter!

Ann, no judgment here either. I hope you have some contact with the Alzheimer's Society. As you probably know, I have started volunteering for them and I am amazed at the things they can access/put in place. The staff are fabulous, highly knowledgeable and totally non-judgmental. You can ring them yourself if you don't want to go via your gp. Please get some help/respite. You must look after yourself too.

It's lovely and safe in here isn't it jud?

Enjoy your hols Wb. Let us know how your daughter is.

Anyone else feeling sad about what is going on in certain threads on GN?

Ann wishing you strength to deal with your situation. It must be so difficult. I watched my FIL nursing MIL through the last difficult years as she left us in spirit if not in body. At the end he was totally exhausted. It took him years to recover some vestiges of himself. He refused help feeling it was his duty to be the only carer. Everyone who has urged you to look for practical support is right. Please do for your own and your DH's sake.

Ann; love and hugs. .

Ann60, listen to people and look after yourself.
Wobbly, have a lovely time.

Hugs to everyone, heading for an early night, off to Warners tomorrow morning.

No judgement here ann and there surely could never be judgement from anyone who has had contact, no matter how small, with someone experiencing dementia of any kind.

I suspect many are embarrassed by contact with people with dementia, but that's their issue to overcome. daphne is totally right please seek some support. Your surgery should have you on their carer's register and so there will be no surprise, no matter which GP you see, that you ask for help with respite.

We live in a retirement development. A number of neighbours have dementia and their partners receive respite from their caring work - and it is work. I have seen the difference just two hours makes to people. Most have first requested help via their GP or asked advice from Age UK.

First rule of caring is look after yourself. You can't care for another of you don't.

You deserve some support, please ask for it. No one is going to judge you.

Wish I could be of some practical help.

Sending [hugs], and a hope for some rest.

Oh Ann60 I really feel for you. It is no consolation to you that your family and other people must simply be full of admiration for how you cope. Although I suspect they do not know the half of it.
Easier said than done, but you must get some help/support/care to stop you cracking up, both physically and emotionally.
Nobody with half a heart would judge you, believe me.
Your D will have a clearer idea of what you are going through and perhaps she and you can talk to SS or your GP to involve carers. It is appalling that people who are perceived to,be "coping" are left to,do just that. Some respite in a Day Centre or somebody to,sit with your H to give you a few hours off - the least you should be entitled to.
Can you bear to make a fuss, be demanding, put your foot down, shout, kick or scream to make your case?
There is (slowly) an increasing awareness of the problems of coping with dementia at home, but there is still a long way to go.
I wish I could offer more concrete help

ann60, join us in the twenty questions thread.

This is the only thread I feel comfortable posting on at the moment. Too much contention and ill temper. My H is "losing it" increasingly now. He is already asleep, it is just after 8pm, last night it was the same time. His memory span is less than 5 minutes. He does nothing at all and I am so tired of doing everything. He hasn't got over my 3 nights in hospital which is now 12 weeks ago and was put off his stride by our D and GD being here last week. He is following me about from room to room and I face this for the foreseeable future. I just needed to say this to people not involved and who won't judge me for my thoughts.

It will be the one who can hobble to the wheelchair first !

As the gentleman, wobbly surely you should allow your lady to choose?

I'm sorry CG, I didn't realise I should address you as Ma'am. please accept my humble apologies.

I think the biggest mystery of our holiday will be who gets the wheelchair and who gets to push.

That's my plan tomorrow, daphne. We haven't had trick or treaters (is that even a word?) here but each year I by some sweets that I like - just in case you understand. Given up with the scales .

Daphne being a mean Scot, I intend to watch TV tomorrow evening in semi darkness. The children warned me they would be tricking and treating but I said I never open my door after dark so that disappointed them. Apparently they are off school tomorrow and have their costumes sorted out.

A 5 year old and 8 year old, brother and sister, both hate school and only like swimming and table tennis. An odd combination of sporting activities but that school does not have the grounds that my schools had. It is opposite a tube station and in the middle of a residential area.

Daphne may I hire Pippa for a couple of hours please? She is so good for a child so young, Flynn will be next.

The fireworks have been going off for ages but they do not appear to be too close- yet.

Maybe not ALL about wobblybit's' romantic holiday? Leave them a little mystery?
Scones and jam - heaven. I made the mistake of baking scones last weekend and despite freezing them .... well most of them...the result was a 1lb gain instead of loss, when I hit the scales this morning
I had another lovely phone message from little Pippa this morning, she has really got the hang of this phone thing (poor mummy and daddy) . Apparently she attempted to FaceTime me too which would have been fruitless as we were on the landline. How does a 2 year old get to be so techno savvy? Maybe I can get her to programme our video?
I have walked Grace while it is still light and am keeping my fingers crossed there are no fireworks this evening. So far so good.
"Trick or treaters " no doubt tomorrow. We have 2 charming little boys next door, William and George (5 and 3) so I have stocked up on Haribo Minions. In our village if you want the children to call, you put a pumpkin with a candle in it on your doorstep, and they will leave you alone if you do not. Very civilised.
Of course, I could turn all the lights off and scoff them myself .....

The time has come for me to log off and read the Sunday paper. It's a time that I enjoy. Light the fire, no and a thick Sunday Telegraph - with, if we're lucky, the Sunday magazine.

Rory and Bracken have shared the utility rug for a good part of the day.

I've missed NanaandGrampy's usual daily message. I'm willing to bet that they're busy with the grandchildren.

Until tomorrow, thank you for your company. Enjoy the evening. x

I posted a long message about a couple of hours ago. It isn't here now.

In it, I mentioned that MacSporran and I thoroughly enjoyed Elegran's auction activities. Priceless! Made us

corner I was very embarrassed when I realised that I'd "cocked up"...no, I was angry with myself. I felt that I'd let our friend down big time. As you say, not too long afterwards, the better deal came to light. I was extremely thankful for a happy outcome.
In the message that went AWOL I had invited you to share some a freshly baked scone with me. We also have a pot of bramble jelly waiting for something equally delicious on which to ladle spread it.

Charleyg I wish that I could introduce you to eBay. It can be fun. I've been very fortunate with all my "bargain purchases."

Wobbly have fun. Us lot will be looking forward to hearing all about your romantic interlude.

soop you are so lucky to have redeemed yourself and so quickly! At least your friend appeared to get value for money and everybody is now happy. Ebay is like a foreign language to me but I have not really given it much thought.

Wobbly I am amazed that there is anything friendly going on outside the kitchen! Because I live in the SE and London no less, I have been stereotyped with eg my smart foreign holidays. Considering I can walk around 100 yards that will not happen anytime soon. You may as well all call me dame- you will eventually get used to it. I do not know if duchess is next?

Pleased it all came good in the end soop, you must have known .

Sadly I agree there seems to be tension elsewhere on GN. Not sure why. Not feeling so robust today so stopped reading the threads. Sometimes just best to metaphorically walk away. It has been a difficult time for daphne.

What I have done this this morning is far more productive, I made some scones. Gluten free and amazingly a success, look like scones, taste like scones. Usually they look like digestive biscuits and taste, well, odd! So here they are with bramble jelly and some cream. If anyone needs a quiet corner please help yourself.

soop We went to an auction many years ago, when we were making wine and we needed a few demijohns to brew it in. A hairdressers who made their own shamppos and so on had closed down and all their stuff was to be auctioned. There was a room with shelves and shelves of gallon jars, far too many, so we asked the auctioneer to put up a lot of ten of them.

At that time, they were 4 shillings each new in Boots. The bidding for the ten went up and up - someone else clearly really wanted them and went up to 3 and six each - our next bid would have to be 4 shillings, so we gave up.

My attention wandered, so when DH nudged me a few minutes later and said "Are you bidding?" I said yes - and found myself the owner of 78 gallon demijohns for a couple of pounds the lot. No-one else was bidding. It took two car trips to bring them home. DH mentioned it at work and several people shared the booty - in total they gave us more than ten times what we had paid for them so we came out in profit.