Soop's very welcoming kitchen...

I am also still in bed, girding up my loins for the same conversations, at the same approximate time that we had yesterday and the day before and ..etc etc.
The current obsession is that I haven't bought a new calendar. It is just one of those things I forgot to do, and actually I haven't been at all well since a couple of weeks before Christmas,my visit from family wasn't as I'd hoped, not them I hasten to say, but me. When I don't feel well my stress levels go through the roof. Who will look after us, what will happen to H if I die , so stupid but there nevertheless.
I hope the New Year is good to us all, special thoughts for Maw in her new and different life and I echo N&G
in thanks to everyone for becoming a virtual family ,here in the kitchen.

I too need to get Hattie to kennels then get on the road to Somerset to spend NY with DD1 and family, so WHY am I still in bed?
Thank you ALL for your friendship, support, dare I say love over the recent sad times.
I am not quite ready to let go of 2017 yet, too much like drawing a line, but
“Weep if you must
Parting is hell
But life goes on
So sing as well”
Wishing you all health, happiness and continued in our Kitchen xxx

Good Morning all !

A very flying visit as we need to get Sam to kennels and pack the car( how much can 2 people need for 2 nights ?).

Looking at my blood sugar results this morning - we have also packed ALL the leftovers( even the unopened ones)!!

So I just wanted to thank you all for your company in 2017 , for your kind words and thoughts, the giggles we have had and the giggles yet to come. I wanted to send warmest wishes to all , with a hope for better times in 2018 for all who have struggled or have had sad losses in their lives.

I'll be back to catch up in 2018 !!

Happy New Year xx

A quick late Hello. I have been having a dreadful time with my laptop connection over the last few days.

It has been dreadful, but today it has managed an almost full day with an internet connection .
I am not holding my breath about it's health though.

Oldgoat, when you see GeminiJen on 26th January, ask her about that trip. She has done it very recently.

I really fancy this Norwegian boat trip crafting. It's with Hurtigruten so it's not really a cruise, more a journey on a working passenger ferry but that will suit us fine. We don't want evening entertainment and the like. Our anniversary is on rather an auspicious date : 29th March, 2019 (B*** Day)
The company say that they will refund your money if the Northern Lights aren't seen during your trip. Mind you, I bet that means seen by somebody, possibly in the middle of the night, not necessarily by you.
It does look beautiful though and I was actually going to do the booking on-line tonight but had problems with the website. Will have to wait until after the holidays now. I might get some of those special bracelets which press on an acupressure point on your wrist and stop you feeling sick. Like callgirl I also have a fear of drowning...

oldgoat I am not a man!! Stupid iPad. Not that there's anything wrong with being a man (in case the PC people are about)

oldgoat i a man a poor sailor (and can't swim) but DH and I have enjoyed a number of cruises. We buy sea sick tablets, take them at the right time as advised in the instructions and after the first 24 hours we are fine. Norway is a beautiful country. If you do go I hope you enjoy it.

When Jackson is big enough, he will enjoy a supercar driving experience. My DGS had a Lamborghini experience for his 12th birthday and was very happy indeed. I think the height of the child has to be taken into consideration. B is quite a tall, lanky lad. Start saving now, nanandgrampy.

Ah a Tesla , that meets his approval. They have a Tesla pop up shop in Bluewater and Jackson likes nothing more than to investigate them inside, out and underneath !!

They are very tolerant !

Misread your post, Maw. The Ghibli is just another Maserati.
To digress, I found myself wondering recently what happened to Izabella who seemed to disappear from the kitchen quite suddenly earlier this year. Anyone know if she has popped up anywhere else? Likewise Judthepud.

I have heard of a Tesla but that is my entire knowledge of it. It could have 3 wheels and I would be none the wiser.

Not a Ghibli, then? Hmm! ?

The inclusion of Cooper might just swing it
I believe the proposed car is a Tesla (no, me neither!)

I am not having a very good afternoon! I intended to go to the library to drop off a couple of books and then shop until I dropped today while DH was at the footie. As he was about to go out, he said “I’ll give you a lift to the bus stop” and as we got onto the main road the bus was coming up behind us, so he rushed to the bus stop, I jumped out, he sped off to get out of the way of the bus, the bus doors opened and - I had left my bag in the footwell of the car! No bag, no purse, no cash or cards, no shopping....! Fortunately I still had my house key in my pocket, otherwise I would have been sitting on the doorstep for several hours until he came back! So I came home, got very grumpy and ate half a box of After Eights and then washed all the floors (no, I don’t feel virtuous!). You can’t make it up can you? It merely reinforces the premise that I am not meant to shop, because I do not like shopping - usually.
Oldgoat our DiL has made it her life’s mission to get us on a cruise, and I must say, I like the sound of the fjords. Someone I used to work with went on that one and she said it was breathtaking. Sounds just the thing for your special anniversary.
Gq you have had a busy time with your family there! Good isn’t it? You are right about my grandson and I - we are very happy in each other’s company and I am making the most of it because the time when he will be busy doing other things is rapidly approaching. He is Grandad’s boy, though, first and foremost. Think ‘me and my shadow’!
N&G there had better be some inflation brought into play from the tooth fairy if Jackson is going to reach his goal! Tell him if I ever have all my teeth taken out, I’ll ask the TF to contribute the wherewithal to his fighting fund! That photo is definitely a keeper!
Maw you are right about the time between Christmas and New Year being strange. The older get, I always feel as if I am staring down a long dark tunnel - it would be nice to be able to see the other end!
Right, I am off to stir my sausage casserole and make some mashed potato to go with it.

Lots of lovely messages. Time for me to log off. Until tomorrow

Just nipping in during a quiet lull here, ds and family have popped off to see dd2 who’s not far from us, but they’ll be back later this afternoon. We’ve had such a nice time with them here with us for the last couple of days. Our troubled teen gd has been on surprisingly good form, less anxious/grumpy with even a smile or two. We know nothing is really sorted for her but feel very relieved to have seen her look a happier soul and not giving her poor long suffering parents the complete runaround on a minute by minute basis as she often does. Yesterday’s snow was exciting and both the girls had a lot of fun just messing g about on the sledges. They’ll go back south again tomorrow. Giving us just enough time to change beds etc and tidy up before we go out for a late lunch with dd2 and family. They’ll all come back here to stay overnight and see in the New Year with us, a real treat.
I’m so far behind with all the kitchen coming and goings I’ve no chance of catching up this year!
Lovely snowy photos greyduster, that looks like a lovely lad! You both look so happy in each other’s company. Don’t you just want to pause the clock sometimes, they grow up so quickly.
Great photos from your new location n&g and of course of the gorgeous Jackson (does he know he has an online fan base albeit of old grannies?) who always looks so smiley.
Our visiting ds always brings the dog when they come to us but for holidays they use a house/pet sitting agency with great success. No money changes hands, but both parties pay a fee to the agency who manage it all. It seems to work very well for them, they’ve had a variety of people, mostly older, from all over the uk and abroad come to look after the dog and cat and enjoy seaside life at the same time. I realise not everyone would be happy with a stranger in their home but worth a thought for anyone who could cope with it.
Right then I’d best get off this sofa and start thinking about the next meal! Apologies to anyone I’ve ignored, and I’m sure their are a few, not intentional at all. Wishing you all a good rest of the dayx

N&G I think that package is a very good bargain for a Maserati and Maw's SiL should give it serious consideration. I am not 100% certain if he would be willing to take Cooper because Cooper's parents I think would have serious objections unless he was having a meltdown and then he would possibly be hand delivered.

Maw I have spoken with Jackson and he MIGHT be tempted with the Maserati. He can offer all his savings, 2 hardly used Bugatti books AND his little brother in exchange ( as he informed me babies arrive ALL the time)!,

More importantly - I am to ask - what sort of electric car and will there be pictures :-) ?

soop no date as yet. Tara would love finding hidey holes in the forest with a comfortable home to return to afterwards. You would never have another lie in beyond 8am! It is such a pity that all the animal lovers live so far a apart. Each would have a ball being petted and cossetted by a new friend.

N&G you should tell Jackson that my SIL is selling his Maserati in January and getting an electric car.
He MAY be open to offers but will understand if Jackson wants to hang on for the Bugatti.

callgirl1 All you need is a lifebelt (when on the water). We were on the Waverley paddle boat when it hit a sandbank shortly after leaving Campbeltown harbour. The life boat was launched. We didn't need it but it escorted us back to harbour. I do have a life saving certificate and I noted that MacSporran became awfully clingy at one point.

Charleyg Do you have a date for your knee op'? If you lived nearer, we would offer Tara a comfortable home-from-home. Now that our beloved Rory no longer rules the home, she would enjoy a whole lot of pampering.

oldgoat You do realise that it was you to whom I was referring. Dear oldgreymare is as innocent as the driven snow!

Lovely Jackson is on a mission, N&G who knows what delights the future has in store. Hoping for a Bugatti at his tender age is perfectly acceptable. Us lot will continue to dream on his behalf.
My nana gave me either a sixpenny piece of it may have been a shilling for my first tooth. A princely sum!

N&G the Bugatti fund is growing but I have a suspicious feeling that Jackson will be many thousand pounds short and that is not taking insurance into consideration but we must allow a little boy to dream!

Poor Sam, I do feel for him and as with Hattie, if I lived closer I would be happy to move in for a few days so that he did not have to change his surroundings- he has done enough of that this year.

Tara also hates going into a cattery and unfortunately that will happen when I have my knee replaced hopefully early next year. I cannot trust her not to wreck my house if I paid somebody to visit x2 a day allowing her to stay here. I would not have peace of mind.

Oldgoat, we went on a Fjords cruise at the beginning of April, the sea wasn`t bad at all. I don`t get seasick, but am terrified of sinking because I can`t swim! But once we arrived in Norway we were in the fjords, not around the coast, so not sure what you can expect really. Not much help, am I, lol?