Soop's very welcoming kitchen...

Love the photo of your very happy family N&G surely what Christmas is all about.
I expect you are resting now with something soothing.
I went out this morning to see a friend of a friend, with my friend, whose H died 6 weeks ago today.
I had met her shopping just before C'mas and she was very down, however she really wants and welcomes visitors and we allowed her to talk about him and the circumstances and she was very relaxed by the time we left, she had a few laughs about memories and is keeping busy.
This afternoon my S called round with his young son Bobby aged 6, we don't see much of him but he is a lovely boy and was excited to tell us about Christmas.
I think my S will be back tomorrow, he just went for the children, a very unsatisfactory situation but a grin and bear it for us.
I have been trying to decide what I am coming back as next time, definitely not a wife and mother.
Is one allowed just to cut out the middleman and come back as a gran?

Lovely family pics N&G, the little boy on the extreme right is the image of you!

Three days of being totally cosseted by my wonderful daughters (along with their husbands and the grandchildren) have made this a Christmas in which we shared many tears, but also much love.
Particularly poignant to receive communion from DD1 who had been drafted in on chalice duty at Midnight Mass at the last minute.

Oh for goodness sake, three quarters through a post and the flipping page reloaded. Why oh why does it do it?

Good to hear from you maw, you have a family to be treasured.

Heating is fixed. We drip no more. I could be in love with the plumber. .

Slipped and slid to family in the snow belt this afternoon, lovely time, left early though as their street resembled glass. The happy afternoon was worth my anxiety about travel.

Don’t you think grinning and bearing it gets wearing ann? Necessary I know, hard work though. I’m sure Bobby’s excitement was infectious. Like the thought of cutting out the middleman. It could catch on.

I wouldn’t be popular in your home greyd, have never got my head around any board game. Snakes and ladders is too complicated for me. Our grandchildren despair and sigh a lot if I am bullied into playing.

I’m sure both fawns will be fabulous, soop, you are very talented and I remain .

Your Christmas hats made me smile n&g, you all look so happy. More memories made. Oh dear, leftovers. We seem to have so much food that doesn’t make a meal. We’re determined to eat it, malnutrition may follow.

Take care all.

Your response to games sounds very similar to mine cornergran, I put it down to having been a only child. Pleased to see you are drip free, it’s easy to fall in love with a good plumber!
I’m glad to hear you made it to meet your friends
Ann, hope tomorrow is an easier day at home.
It’s good to hear from you maw, I’d been wondering how Christmas went for you all. Sounds like it was the best it could be, surrounded by folk you love and who loved paw too.
Lovely pictures of family fun in your new home, n&g, those youngsters look a very happy bunch indeed. Love them as I know you do, sometimes a nap is just what’s needed afterwards. But then I find that the silence and tidy space, although welcome, feels a bit eerie. there’s no pleasing me!
soop the smallest treats bring the best happiness, especially when shared with someone you love. I know what you mean about window shopping, I always say just walking round JL is an aesthetically pleasing experience. Mind you I have been know to succumb to a purchase just to complete the experience!
We’ve had a day to ourselves today, a bit of catching up on housekeeping jobs, a lot of doing nothing much at all and a chance to think about food for ds and his family who arrive tomorrow, our 2 gd are veggie thank the Lord the vegan phase has now passed so that’s always more of a challenge. I’m so looking forward to seeing them all but at the same time slightly anxious too. How our troubled 15 year old gd is can make or break the pleasure of any time we spend with them. Please save me some of your chocolate n&g, I suspect I might just exhaust my own stash in the next day or two!
Wishing you all a restful night with sweet dreams!

Morning all !

The sun is out and it looks a whole lot nicer out there than yesterday!!

Thank you ann , yes, you're right , we totally collapsed yesterday afternoon and grazed our way through the considerable leftovers. I know I was bad ( my blood sugar reflects that this morning ) so I need to be pretty strict today despite the goodies.

Sounds like you were a wonderful friend yesterday - sometimes those are the people in short supply ! You are indeed allowed to cut out the middleman and come back as a gran. I shall be coming back as Sam - who lives the life of reilly!!! ( where did that phrase come from? i shall have to google it !!)

Poor little chap* Corner* I do hope he grows out of it lol . He is my eldest grandson, named after Grampy and if he does not become a UN negotiator when he grows up I shall be surprised !

Maw it sounds like your family did just what you needed and saved your Christmas from dissolving. I am so glad, I did wonder how you were getting on.

Corner we too are eating things that don't add up to a meal ( see my comment about my blood sugar) but what else to do with the darn stuff ?? I cannot bring myself to throw it away yet and Sam is practically waddling from leftovers( bit like me really!!)

Grannie i know just what you mean, it was loud and mad and there were tantrums AND smiles but I miss them the moment they leave . No pleasing some people eh? . I hope your 15 yr old is in good form ( you can never tell can you? ) or at least is feeling just a little Christmas cheer !

Today I really must strip beds and tackle some laundry and household stuff -- there goes MY Christmas spirit!!

But I took a picture of an early visitor !

Happy days all x

Soop just to say how much your response to my random posts is appreciated.

Terrific photos, N&G...wall to wall laughter.

Fennel You, my dear, are one of us lot. Always have been. Always will be.

N&G That photo of the fox is delightful. I may paint a water colour of it. I happen to like foxes.

Maw Your message has put a smile on many Granspals faces this morning. Good! You and the family were together to share all those emotions that bubble to the surface and need a means of escape.

granniequeenie In Kintyre, we have no department stores. Whenever we visit a city, I'm always impressed by the window dressing skills that catch the eye and invite one to take a step through the revolving door. Having said that, my tin in my knicker drawer, in which I save my ironing wages, (no big deal) has remained untouched for some long time. I no longer feel the urge to spend on eBay fashion bargains. I guess that I've matured at long last. I have enough. Nice!

annsixty Love cut out the middleman. Wise words.

corner icy pavements terrify me. Do take care. With two hip replacements, I cannot afford to tumble.

callgirl1 Here is a photo of the snowy-capped islands taken just this morning.

bellasnana

Hardly wild and wicked!

Galen Thank you for putting our minds at rest. Bellasnana appears relaxed and refined. I wish that us lot could all hop aboard. Just for an hour or so. We would do our best to behave in a lady-like fashion.

As promised - two paintings of the fawn. Awaiting the linen frames and then the arrival of the babes.

They are lovely soop how thrilled your GD's will be to have those heirlooms for their children to enjoy and then pass down to their own children. A precious gift indeed.
Avery cold day here as I expect it is with you all.
Curried leftovers for tonight ?

annsixty Many thanks for your welcome remarks. I've had to start the entire painting process over and over. There are over half a dozen rejects. Anyway, 'twas well worth the effort.
Your curry will help to warm the cockles of your heart. We're to have a chicken casserole.

Fabulous pictures soop! I do admire (and envy) people with artistic talents. I'm flipping hopeless. Your DGGC will love to have those on their wall having been made with love by a lovely lady.

I have read all the thread but, as we about to go to a neighbours for a 'leftovers party', haven't time to comment. Isn't that a brilliant idea for this stage of Christmas - though Lord knows what we will be eating. I'm taking two varieties of GF nibbles and a bought Eton Mess that I had 'just in case'.

DD2 took all the turkey remains and pigs in blankets with her - not that there was much to speak of.

Back tomorrow - have a lovely evening and a peaceful night. Back tomorrow.

In fact, I'll be back tomorrow!!!

kitty Now that's what I call a very good idea. Enjoy the companionship of others, as you savour the extra treats. Eton Mess. Now you're talkin'

soop I love the paintings of the deer and a painting of that handsome fox would be superb. He looks fit and healthy- unlike the emaciated animal that skulks around here.

It is so cold here today at times I have wondered if my heating is still working. Would anybody like to pay my bill?

N&G seeing those gorgeous boys warms the cockles of my heart. They are at the age where they believe (I think!) and they always look so happy- we in the kitchen are lucky, we do not see the tantrums!

Charleyg I am very tempted by the handsome Mr Fox.

That fox is a beauty.
Thank you for the photo Soop, I`ve only ever seen the paps in summer. By the way, what is the food like at The George?
I was going to stay in the warm today and not go out, but my friend`s widower called for a cuppa and a chat, and left his hat behind, so I took it round to him.
I`ve never tried Eton Mess, always thought it looked a bit sickly, but I`m probably wrong.

callgirl1 The George has a lovely atmosphere and the food is delicious. When we meet again, we'll sample it together.

Until tomorrow. Stay safe, and do take care on the icy pavements.

callgirl, if you and soop are talking about the George in Inveraray, here's another plus about it. When elegran, baubles and I went there to meet soop we had a lovely lunch together and then E, B and I set off to Knapdale in search of beavers. We overshot and it wasn't until we got near the Crinan Canal that I thought hmmmm. We turned around and eventually found the site of the beaver colony. We had a lovely walk even though we saw no beavers. I then drove us back to Inveraray where E and B were booked into an hotel. We stopped at the George enquiring about food and even though the chef's shift had finished, the waiter found us two plates of spag bol and a salmon roll. We were very pleased about the going above and beyond attitude on display .

maw sounds like your loved ones took good care of you this Christmas. A difficult time for you to get through but helped by having such a caring family.