Soop's very welcoming kitchen...

Greyduster I like the snowball on the end of your nose. Most becoming.

Do any of you lot wince when the Christmas advert of a couple of carrots is shown? I loathe it. Bah! Humbug! And, while I'm on the subject of annoying/stupid/ adverts, can I add those that attempt to seduce us into purchasing posh perfume. Bloody barmy!

I shall love you and leave you until tomorrow. It's time to log off.

Thank you for putting up with my tales of woe. Yesterday was a difficult day in many ways. It is comforting to have other people to share one's troubles with. So, once again, THANK YOU.

Thank you Nannandgrampy Crafting and soop for the welcomes.

So sorry to hear of your bereavements soop. maw I feel so much for you and hope you are surrounded by family and friends at this time.

It was a very chilly but very pretty outing kitty, would you believe my feet were warmer once I was out? Hope your eye is settling. Useful things are eyes.

Love those photos greyd: ‘tis not the season to be sensible.

We saw so many homeless people during a recent visit to Cardiff soop, saddened us. Isn’t it hard not to have the sight put a dampener on our outings?

Wondering about charley, think she said she had germs.

Hope today has seen calmer seas maw, hugs for you and anyone in need of one.

Granny detail on the horizon, best find the megaphone.

Thank you soop I have a weakness for flapjacks!

Great photos of the Edinburgh meet up and as others have said it’s lovely to put names to faces.
I feel for you with sore eyes kitty, it’s so hard not to rub itchy and irritated eyes but it just makes it so much worse. Sadly I’m rubbish at heeding that myself!
Great pics of the Santas at your house gd, I’m glad to see Christmas has arrived in your neck of the woods
I know what you mean about seeing homeless folk soop, it just tugs at your heartstrings and it’s hard to know how best to help. We’ve two chaps sleeping rough, in our little town, which is unusual here. They both appear to be really nice guys, it seems they have refused support from official sources and prefer to stay where they are, in a tent on some waste ground by our town bypass. They’ve experienced a lot of kindness from local people but they must be so cold living as they are. But they must have their reasons for staying, at least they’re not suffering any abuse from other homeless people as they may do in a hostel in the city.
maw you could just do without the added frustration if I pad stuff right now, but like you I’ve found the helpline people incredibly patient. Hope your trip to London isn’t too demanding and you don’t need the tissues too much. It’s hard to feel at the mercy of unpredictable tears which can wash over you unbidden and actually no matter whether you go with the flow so to speak or try to keep it all together it’s so exhausting. I hope you’re managing to get a bit of sleep. Talking of which, it’s tine I hit the hay myself. Sleep well all x

Good morning to you lovely lot.

First things first...I have apologised to Jane10 who has been kind enough to inform me of the great lengths that a number of organisations go to in order to support the homeless. Her message cheered me greatly. Thank you, Jane10

Now what to do next...choices are - dress the sparkly twigs - write more cards - finish the stag painting. I shall do the latter and return to the other stuff later on.

corner Do you have an announcement to make? I've just seen photos of our pregnant granddaughters. A matter of three weeks to go for one. Seven weeks for the other. Eeek!

Maw More (((hugs))) from Kintyre to you.

Guess what? The tree lights are damaged.

That’s normal for xmas

Amazing production of The Tin Drum at Shoreditch Town Hall, yesterday, it was honestly like nothing I have ever seen before.
And a lovely family meet up for lunch in a Vietnamese restaurant beforehand . Just what I needed!
I realise that on bad days I may have to take a few deep breaths and recognise that the way forward is not necessarily to “push through”, but rather like when you are on cough medicine which warns you “do not drive or operate machinery” there will be times to hunker down and wait until it passes!
If anybody is interested I have added a link to the production.
So proud of DD’s talent
www.theguardian.com/stage/2017/oct/06/the-tin-drum-review-kneehigh-everyman-liverpool-gunter-grass

Maw Thank you for the link. You obviously have a very artistic and talented daughter.

I've finished the stag portrait. Am away to dress the tree (minus lights) and be thankful for small mercies. The twigs already have a wee smattering of lights built in. They have escaped damage. The additional lights have lasted a good number of years. Hey ho! As Baggs would say.

You are indeed a brilliant Artist soop. All our decs were up yesterday, and lights all ok so far

I am awaiting arrival of granddaughters, and then we are off to the Bonded Warehouse, for a canal boat trip to see Santa

soop I do like the stag portrait.

It is raining here and one of the builders does not fancy the food I was offering him, prawn linguine- he cannot be that hungry is all I said to him. Admittedly it is not McDonalds and he appears to dine off that almost daily. His boss is bringing him a late lunch. Fine. I never want to see another builder again, that is official.

Don’t think I’d better come into this haven of light and peace today! I’m in a grumpy, argumentative mood.

Galen Grumpy! Argumentative! Nah. You just a wee bit knackered. When do you board that boat? Sooner the better (for you). Us lot will miss you.

Charleygirl When will the builders leave for good? Don't tell me that there's a lot more bishing and bashing to deal with. You have the patience of a holy person.

NannyJan53 I cannot help feeling a little envious. I would so love to be waiting for our youngest grandson to join us for the canal trip to meet Santa. It sounds like great fun. Enjoy every moment.

Charleygirl as your builders/plumbers seem to be in residence for the duration can we assume you will be hanging stockings up for them on your mantlepiece?

I am beginning to get suspicious -is the builder --in residence/in question— tall dark and dishy and are you keeping him prisoner?

Maw Tyke!

soop Tuesday of this week was definitely the last day, as were Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and now today.

I shall now clear the painting stuff away. The next "work of art" will be for one of the expected great grandchildren. I have finished one painting of a fawn but need to have two completed by February.

The festive display of ornaments, including mementos that belonged to my own Nana (one such being a cardboard angel with a painted plastic-like head and features) - possibly from Woolworths when it first opened - countless years ago, now hang from twigs with tiny lights, like dewdrops. All very poetic. It's a very simple display. Suitable for the size of the sitting room.

I am wanting a . At this point I shall log off and return tomorrow. We'll be taking a friend to Campbeltown airport very early in the morning. She's to be assessed in readiness for surgery to replace her worn out hip, at a Glasgow hospital, sometime in the new year. She'll be returning later in the afternoon. It appears that the weather may be okay for the scheduled take-off. It has been known for flights to be cancelled if the weather is inclement. The aircraft is propeller driven, certainly not a 747!!!

I hope that you all have a pleasant evening.

Charleyg X

Take the usual mix of a king with a very crooked hat, an angel Gabriel who downed tools wings halfway through, a little girl who’d forgotten to come to the practice having a melt down and a toddler wannabe angel wailing. Add a few carols, old and new, and mix with a crowd of adults with misty eyes then stir in a handful of teenagers portraying a contemporary reminder of what Christmas is all about. Result = a really meaningful and good fun church service this morning.
galen it sounds like you’re in pre holiday mode, hope the next few days go smoothly and you get some well earned r&r on the high seas.
Dd4’s lovely man has returned from his African adventures, a couple of days earlier than he’d led her to believe, and turned up on her doorstep unannounced yesterday as a surprise. Fortunately she was all dolled up ready to go out to a fictitious social engagement (her best friend was part of the plot), she’d have been mortified to have been looking less than her best for the occasion!
Glad yesterday was good maw, it looked like an interesting production. soop the stag is beautiful! A few years ago I resolved to get in touch with my artistic side..... maybe I would.... if I could ever find it
I’ve been trying to get ahead of the game and bake some a few things to put in the freezer ready for next week. There are some mini quiches and little mince pies that are fresh out of the oven. I’ll keave them on the side, please eat them up and save me from myself!
cos at this rate none will reach the freezer

We had a really enjoyable Santa boat trip, my 9 year old granddaughter said it was 'great fun'

Yes, grannyqueenie I have long been searching for my artistic side!

Tomorrow I am off to see 6 year old DGD4 in her school Christmas play. Tissues at the ready!

Have a good evening everyone.

Trying to ice my Christmas cake without making a hash of it. I am no good at doing anything decorative without spoiling it! I'm full of admiration when I see the elaborately ornamented cakes some people make. How do they do it?
The brownies I made yesterday are safely in the freezer for the GC - sorry, but I couldn't spare any of them for the kitchen - maybe next time! Now I have to marinade a lot of dried fruit in rum overnight for my special boozy ginger cake - there might be a few crumbs for you tomorrow!

Maw no- the pair here at present are both knee high to a grasshopper. I tower over both of them.