Soop's welcoming kitchen...

Whoops! I mean Black Forest hot chocolate!

We had Charbonnel and Walker hot choc when we got in yesterday evening.

I've enjoyed today. I've had notifications on Facebook from a variety of younger family members. Their antics have made me smile.

Daylight is fading as I type. Log fire waiting to be lit. Newspaper wishing to be read. G&T waiting for the stroke of six. Chair reserved ready for the tennis match not too long thereafter. I'm soooooooooo easily pleased.

Granddaughter's sister's baby due in February.

Forgive me if I’m being particularly dense this evening Soop but isn’t your granddaughter’s sister also your granddaughter?

Perhaps it’s one of those riddles

Ahhh Baggs yes we do have a Patisserie Valerie nearby. In fact we bought our youngest a subscription for her birthday and every month for a year she goes and gets 2 slices of cake of her choice and a sweet treat ( usually macaroons for the children). She swears it is the best gift ever!!

Loved the picture of the Mum to be - I hope she enjoys every moment before baby arrives !

I wanted to post a picture here that is one of the reasons we move...this is my view !

I hesitate to say this but are they quite convinced there is only one baby in there?
She looks very bonny and they both look so proud and happy.

Hello everyone. Just popping in to say please excuse me at the moment, not feeling very chatty, a year of life’s buggerations catching up with me I think. I’m reading away though, so keeping an eye. Afraid the thorn in the side is prickling away, he’s being kept at bay most of the time thank you n&g, with luck he will get bored soon.

The mum to be looks happy, soop, lovely to see. Shame about the saucepan though, dont we get attached to them? Daft really but we do.

I didn’t see the issue you had. ann, but sorry if you found yourself caught up in flack. Hope your family get together works this time galen. We’re lucky enough to see Littlest later this week, looking forward to it so much.

Would love some kitchen Christmas decorations. I love all the lights. We have loads, as soon as December gets here. That will lift the spirits.

Take care everyone.

Sorry you are feeling down Corner - wish we could help. Everyone was lovely to me when I had a down day last week and I'm sure everyone here wishes that your buggerations would all bugger off. We could send the grans round to see off the persistent pest. Say the word and we'll collect legs of lamb, get on our broomsticks and sort him out. (((hugs)))

That is one very large DGD soop, as Ann said - are they sure there is only the one in there? I bet you can't wait for the two arrivals.

I can quite see why you would move for that view N&G. Hope you have recovered from your travels.

Galen, I hope your get together works this time.

Bertie and Persie both have earache today so we are on standby to step into the breach if needed tomorrow. Is it very wrong to hope it still hurts a bit tomorrow? They are with the Idiot today so will need extra special hugs when they get home.

We did some Christmas shopping today [showing off emoticon] and had a pit stop at Carluccio's where I discovered a Gluten Free Panettone. I'm beside myself with joy. It drives me mad when DH toasts his and I can't have any. I just hope it is worth the faintly extortionate price I paid.

By the way - yes please to lights!!!!! I bought all the families (very traditional!!) advent calendars today, as per usual, and I bought one for us!

I had the same thought as you, ann, when I looked at that photo. Looks can deceive though. It was thought I might be having twins with DD1 because my bump got big quite quickly but by the end of the pregnancy they were worried she was too small ?

She was on the small side (6lb 1oz) but by three and half weeks old she weighed 9lb 10oz and has continued in robust health all her life.

corner sorry to hear about the buggerations and hopefully they will vanish soon. As for that git who keeps ringing you, I will happily visit, it would not take me long to say a few choice words- you are too kind. Could Mr. C not take over and say a few words or would you be afraid that like me he may say too much?

I would not like your electricity bill in January unless you are plugging in to one of your neighbours!

I bet nobody is as clever as me. I apparently used minus £26 of electricity this last month. I obviously misread the meter. I have told the company that I need help and they were to send a man every 6 months but nobody has appeared to date.

I cheated, I know who was eliminated from Strictly but I do like to watch the professional dancers.

Talking of electricity bills and fairy lights , by coincidence, we are sitting in almost complete darkness experiencing our first power cut for years. Used to have them all the time when we were children.
Thank goodness we can boil a kettle on the gas or there wouldn't have been any tea tonight. The only lights in the room are from our mobile phones - not as romantic as candles though but at least it's giving me chance to catch up on GN.

I did an over night babysit last night. A lovely drive over to the other side of the Peak District. (It always is).
Took them to the park to get rid of more energy. Had dinner then mum and dad went out I was left bathing the two of them.
That was great fun, get a small kitchen funnel push it down quickly into the bath of bubbles and it shoots foam all over Grandma. Very Funny.
I was wondering if the littlest might make a fuss but no.
I ignored the requests for more stories and tucked them up. They chatted for a bit and went to sleep easier than I thought it might be.
I did present DD with the headlouse I found in the little ones hair. She has not find any more so far. Been there done that.

The first time I looked after DGS1 (then 11mnths) by myself I felt quite worried about how I would manage. It does make me realise that you rarely forget how to do these things.

A glorious journey back with the autumn colours. The sun is now low and it lit up the hills of the Peak District beautifully. Didn't have my camera or anyway to stop on the way though.

Oh charley, I’m ashamed of you, fancy cheating

Thank you kitty and charley, the thorn in the side is bound to get bored soon and move on. He’s obviously very upset and angry. Mr C would love to deal with the phone calls charley , I won’t let him, my skills are better in this case. Professionally I was often with angry and verbally aggressive people, I put work head on and bring out all the techniques. It isn’t work though, so there are no boundaries which does make it harder.

The next tine I see or hear from him I’ll visualise kitty and you all on broomsticks wielding legs of lamb. I’ll be laughing too much to listen to him. .

On his own he wouldn’t bother me but it’s been a year of ongoing buggerstions of one sort or another, so the proverbial last straw. Bring on the lights and blow the electricity bill, that will sort me.

Not sure if I dare say this but Christmas shopping here is complete other than one son and a top up for a granddaughter. Smug? Me? Never.

Right, having eaten best do some clearing, the kitchen looks like the children have been cooking

Take care all.

That is quite a large bump for a January baby soop .

What a great photo of a stunning view n&g no wonder you were so keen to make that move!
soop you’ve the promise of some exciting and happy family times ahead with new babies on the way.
cgran I hope life gets easier for you and yours. I have to confess that I’m in awe and slightly envious of your festive progress, I can’t quite bring myself to say the C word. When the chikdren were all small I always managed to write all the cards by the end of November and present buying would be well in hand by then too. So how come that with just us two in the house now I’m always faffing around at the last minute? . I suspect that the tasks that need to be done somehow expand to fill the time available, nothing at all to do with spending too much time on gransnet etc that’s my excuse anyway!
maw I’m so glad you popped in to say hello and that you have had some of your littlies around you. Like others here I’ve been thinking of you a lot these past few days
Nellie the autumn colours are stunning just now, it’s a pleasure to drive with such a backdrop even if it’s not always possible to capture the images on camera.
kitty there’s nothing wrong with wanting to scoop up your precious little ones and squeeze a bit of extra loving into them, to compensate for deficits elsewhere!
The rumour is that the decorating man will start a week tomorrow I’m not convinced this will actually happen but there’s a fair bit of clearing, sorting and decluttering needs to happen first. The whole house will be in a muddled state for a couple of week as we move things from one place to another. I just need to stop procrastinating one of my special talents honed to perfection with years of practice and get on with it!
Wishing you a restful night, especially for those with troubling situations to cope with

Psst <whispers>
Can I with an absolute lack of modesty direct you to the Seven Ages of Woman thread - something which occurred to me on my journey to and from London for DD’s birthday today ?

Just come back from there maw: anything in my head to say feels so inadequate. Wonderful writing, thank you so much for sharing it, there’s a damp eye here and much thoughtfulness. I think lack of modesty is allowed. .

Good Morning all !!

Don't worry about being chatty Corner just pull up a comfy chair and enjoy the peace and quiet. As you like lights too you can be part of our Ninja Christmas Team ! Super impressed by your Christmas prowess.... now...you can be the kitchens personal shopper !!

I chuckled at your post kitty , how ARE Bertie and Persie this morning?

Hope the powers back on this morning Oldgoat!

Nellie I think although fads and fashions change in childcare over the years, the basics remain and once you have them you have them. Sounds like you had a wonderful time ( minus head louse of course).

I'll pop off for a read maw !! Just got to get dressed first as we have a man coming to quote us this morning for our new conservatory/orangery/garden room ( I am not sure what the difference is but suspect I will know by the time he leaves !!)

Back later !

Now I really am getting paranoid.
I have been picked on again for expressing a very honest opinion on another thread.
The fact that others expressed the same opinion seems not to matter a jot.
I really think I have had enough now.

I recommend Teflon shoulders ann, they let whatever it was slide off. Sorry it’s happened again. A hug if you need one and a . x

Was the picker anyone whose opinion matters? If not, let 'em say what they like. you know that you are right and so do the others who said the same thing.

Thank you Elegran I needed that voice of reason to restore my equilibrium.

Maw beautifully expressed Seven Ages of Woman. I can't even find words good enough to express my feelings on reading it

That's the perfect way to think of it Elegran !! Don't let the buggers grind you down ann as my Grandad used to say!

Yes, lovely , lovely poem Maw . I'm in awe of your talent x

The size of the 'bump' isn't an accurate predictor of the size of its occupant. I was immense with DS2 but my sister, who was then an obs/gynae registrar, prodded me and said he was about 8 lbs. Turned out to be 8lbs 2oz. On the other hand, I had reached 14 stone.