Soop's very welcoming kitchen...

I am a very happy nanny. DD2 gave birth to her second and my 5th granddaughter at 15.39 today. She weighed 7lb 10oz and from her picture looks just like her sister when she was born 9 years ago !!! No name as yet.
My DD was found to have an infection and given antibiotics so new baby was taken to special care so she too could be given antibiotics.
The hospital has an outbreak of Norovirus so no visitors apart from partners and siblings.
Hopefully she will be home by Saturday so I can go and have cuddles.

kitty they are- they both look as though butter would not melt in their mouths!

N&G that hare is a beauty- lovely that you are surrounded by so much wild life.

Sam will be so much happier staying with people rather than being cooped up in kennels. When I broke my ankle and had surgery etc. Tara was in a cattery for 7 weeks and looking from the expression on her little face when she came home she could not believe her luck that it was [her] house and her mum. I am dreading having my knee replaced in the near future but she would not tolerate somebody popping in x2 a day- my house would be wrecked.

soop it sounds as though you have lovely new neighbours. Typical if you were not dressed to the nines.

kitty Welcome back. Those two darling girls look like angels.

Marelli We would give a king's ransom to have our Rory back with us. Neither of us has ever felt so besotted with an animal.

ann I like to hear that you are to spend time with a friend this afternoon.

N&G When my son was young he had a rabbit named Snowdrop. Snowdrop escaped fro her hutch and went awol. Sadly, we discovered her lifeless body after a thunder storm. We were told that she possibly died from fright. That made us feel a whole lot worse.

The decorations are back in the loft. The room looks very much roomier. And very much tidier. It is getting dark and the rain appears to have stopped. The road to Campbeltown was awash. Some fields appeared to have lochens in them. I felt sorry for the cattle.

I must wash my hair and prepare my outfit for the funeral. No black! That's good. Our friend was a colourful character. He spread sunshine wherever he went.

I may not be home in time to pop in tomorrow. I shall therefore leave you with a huge hug and a .

Hi everyone, you might remember me!! I used to come in the kitchen quite regularly until we had various influxes (is that a word) of DGC whose parents have gone back to work. We can see the light at the end of the tunnel - only one more day and we are done for now. Wonder when half-term is?

I've kept up with everyone's news whilst not having much time (or energy thanks to the blessed bug) and have enjoyed all the photos etc.

Any news sar53, exciting times.

I was informed today at DD3 has had her coil removed! I wish she has told me a couple of months ago before I sent all the baby stuff to Oxfam!!

N&G, I think all men test for sharpness on their thumbs. DH does it to check whether he should sharpen his carving knife - presumably, if he doesn't bleed, it needs sharpening. Bless.

You must have made your new neighbours feel very welcome soop, as we all would expect.

Just adding a photograph of our two youngest DGD - Persie on the left, 5 in March, Lottie on the right, 4 last September. They are cousins. And, obviously, gorgeous!!

Theres been a distinct lift in mood here after a very pleasant lunch in a small and very warm cafe. Mr C was very relieved.

I know that feeling very well sar53 as I suspect many of us do. The hours seem like days. Cake often helps I think. Hang on in there. Hoping for news from you soon.

Mr C is currently attempting to renegotiate our broadband and phone package. There is a mighty scowl on his face. Please keep your fingers crossed for us. Why oh why is it all so difficult and tedious? I promise to remain calm not so sure about Mr C

Need to scoot away for a wee while. I shall return as soon as...

Fennel If you can send a good, clear image of Uddi, I shall paint you a portrait of her. A gift for 2018.

Good afternoon dear Soopers

Sar53 I'm all od a dither on your behalf. Updates please.

Yesterday afternoon we decided to dismantle the festive decorations. I was in my tattiest clobber and the room was a heap of boxes and such when, the new neighbours came calling. The time was 4:45. We sat chatting and had a wee dram or two and they left at 8:10! I have never before entertained people in such a dishevelled state. We two had soup for supper. Then, this morning, we had to go care home visiting and tesco-ing. Back to all the clutter and now needing to finish yesterday afternoon's clear-away.

Tomorrow we go to Helensborough to attend our dear pal's funeral.

callgirl1 we called into two outlets that we hoped stocked the calendar you're hoping for. Neither had one. Our friend who will be motoring us to the funeral, may well know where we can buy one. Hang on. We shall ask her tomorrow.

Love the photo of the hare.

Super exciting Sar53 !! Can’t wait to hear of the new safe arrival !!

Sar53 the tension must be unbearable, but so so exciting, what a wonderful gift of a brand new grandchild for a brand new year!! How lucky are you, hope all goes well and you don't have to wait too long

Hope you’re not worn to a frazzle with worry Sar53, my memory of being in your shoes is that it all seems to take much longer than you expect when you’re at a distance waiting anxiously by the phone. I hope you get some happy news before too long.

Hello everyone. I am on tenterhooks, my DD2 is in labour with my 5th grandchild, her second. I don't know what to do with myself. I don't live close by so I am at home, on my own. Had to be up early for a delivery which has now been and gone, popped out for some shopping and am now sitting with a cup of tea willing the phone to ring.
Oh the tension !!!

Do moods match the weather greyd? I suspect mine do. It’s grey and still blowing a gale here, I’m stomping around like a caged tiger. Please everyone have sympathy for Mr C who simply smiles and sits it out. Apparently the wind will drop over night, tomorrow may be calmer.

It’s an odd time of the year. Don’t wear yourself out ann, tomorrow is another day, keep some energy for your afternoon out.

Oh dear, hope grampy wasn’t in need of stitches. I agree n&g, sometimes sense is remarkably lacking. Good job we love them. Your photo of the hare brought back so many memories of living on farms as a child and early married days living in Norfolk. I really enjoy going back to visit friends.

Take care everyone.

Hares are my favourite countryside animal. We had at least one pair in the valley the year before last and saw them regularly while out walking, but last year not at all. I was talking to one of the local farmers about it and he said that in his father’s day, they were thick on the ground, and were shot for the pot, but not in large numbers. He equated their subsequent demise to the increase in badger numbers in the area. Badgers, apparently, will eat baby hares (I thought they lived on worms and things, but, it seems, not exclusively). I had no reason to disbelieve him - his family have farmed there for generations. The valley is now overrun with badgers but there are very few hares. It was, therefore, a privilege to see them.
It is a very grey, wet day here today, matching my mood. I will have to snap out of it because we are going out to lunch at a friend’s house. I would rather stay here and catch up on my second night of lost sleep.

Marelli snap! I have to do that later to day with my cocker spaniel, first problem getting her in the door, then the tantalising aromas in the waiting room, cats, rabbits, hamsters etc, it's almost too much for a spaniel, then a mortgage to pay! Wouldn't swap her for the world

It’s the time of year, I think, annsixty. The things that are going on at home seem to magnify when we have no-one popping in to help take our minds away from the things that make us fed up....more than fed up sometimes!
We’re just back from taking Daisy (cat) to the vet for her booster and checkup, and also for a 6-month supply of flea/tick treatment - also for the administration of a worm pill, for which the vet received a swipe and a shredding of her latex glove. ? Total cost of this pleasurable start to the day? £110.?

What a lovely picture of the hare, N&G. They are such attractive creatures. It makes me feel sick to think of their being hunted. In a previous life I used to drive daily between King's Lynn and Wisbech and loved watching the hares 'dancing' in the orchards around West Walton.

N&GI just love the way you are embracing your new life and obviously enjoying it so much.
Have you lived in the countryside before?

It is damp and dull here again, yesterday it was so dark for much of the morning and then early again in the afternoon.

I am going out with my good friend this afternoon, hooray.

Apart from her taking me to see her friend last week I have been to the shops a couple of times in the last 3 weeks and have spoken to no-one ,it is so very wearing.

My cleaner rang last night quite late to say she could come today after all.
I'm afraid I put her off, I hadn't changed the beds as I usually do and the decs , whilst down , are piled up in the spare bedroom ,waiting to go in the loft. I just wish she had rung earlier to give me more time, I now have to do the jobs myself. Ah well, such is life, at least it will keep me off the streets as my late mother would have said.

Morning all !!

Newsflash : Snowball has been sighted and despite enjoying the treats left out did not go back in her cage ( surprise surprise !!) Plan B : Daddy is staying up all night to catch her !!

We have decided Sam will not go back into kennels. He is very attached to Grampy and the anxiety of being put in an outside kennel is just not for him. So we have joined Holidays4pets on a recommendation from here and are off in a week or so to visit a very nice sounding couple who lost their elderly dog and miss some canine company. It sounds like a much better fit for Sam.

Yes Grannie a bit like Fimo but very lightweight and doesn't need to go in an oven or anything. Its no good for real tinies because its a bit 'gloopy' but our granddaughter enjoys it.

Do you think men get clumsier with age or are they just complete muppets.? Picture this if you will.... I am in the kitchen , stood at the sink. Enter Grampy. He selects a very large knife from the knife block and tests the blade against his thumb ( why would anyone do that ????? )

Anyway, he then leaves . I then see him marching across the garden with the said blade. He picks up an old hose that he's doing something pointless with and walks over to the new orangery wall..... he then proceeds to try and saw through the hose with the knife.....

He reappears in the kitchen with his thumb wrapped in half a toilet roll bleeding copiously.......

My question to you is.... the hose is reinforced ...the knife is sharp , the wall is wet and slippery....would you in those circumstances try hacking through the hose or would you go and get the proper tools from the garage 2 foot away and do the job without removing one of your digits?

I don't even need to ask do i?

men grrrrrrrrrrr

I've got a new picture for today !! Look what was in the field today!

My hamster got out, chewed up my school scarf and took it back to bed with him! Mum’s house always was cold!

Thank you so much Soop, you truly are an angel in disguise!

Very windy even in Cheshire which often seems to have different weather from everywhere else. There didn't seem to be anything amiss in the garden or the immediate neighbourhood. Trees aren't so likely to blow down when they're not overburdened with leaves. I can't seem to find a hat that protects my ears in the wind but doesn't leave me looking like a clootie dumpling. So I'll settle for painless ears.

Glad it’s not just me who has the “one that got away” Christmas decs issue, no matter how hard I try it happens here every year. It’s my job for tomorrow, wish me luck
We too had a Houdini hamster incident, we never did find him but he left large holes on a school bag and various dressing up clothes in the children’s bedroom so hopefully he didn’t die hungry! We had our suspicions that he went up the bedroom chimney, but who knows. Another one of ours disappeared when he was “on holiday” with an elderly friend of ours. Poor soul (the friend that is not the hamster!) had a week of angst wondering what to tell the children, then on the evening before our return it turned up looking plump and content......in her sugar bowl!
Poor grampy I hope you don’t let him have power tools!
That clay sounds interesting, n&g is it a bit like that Fimo stuff, our youngest dd used to love making things with it many moons ago now.
My house is full of sweet treats, still as yet unopened but calling me seductively. My resolve is low and my will power puny but there are the extras seasonal lbs to deal with.....only a couple mind you but I don’t want to lose that gold star the Practice Nurse gave me last time I visited her! So with that in mind I’d best pass on the tea bread gd, though it is a favourite of mine......
It’s still wet and a bit wild here, hopefully tomorrow will bring a welcome change in the weather. Wishing you all a peaceful evening and a restful night. x

Chewed through the Kevlar did he? They’re buggers for that!

? I had a hell of a job getting the Q to give me a new flak jacket Grey !!