Soop's very welcoming kitchen...

Maw I think that it would be worth it to get the new one up and running.

The builders left last night- I was in full flow for a lot of the time because I objected to heating the surrounding area. They left at 8.45pm, they and I had had enough. The blinds still need to be hung and my outside drain is blocked. I did say that cement does not really have a home down that drain. I am hopeful that all will be sorted tomorrow. The plus side is that over the days, my bagged garden rubbish, at least 4 black bags has also been taken.

My new kitchen has had several cleans and will need a few more because that plaster dust gets in everywhere. It is looking so smart now and would sell my house if I was moving. After tomorrow I do not want to see another tradesman for many months. I believe that Christmas is just around the corner- I have rather missed out this year.

Galen - Groan!
Yes N&G there is an Apple store in MK . Question, can I face all those 12 year old staff?
I will certainly come out feeling my Years!

Lovely picture of a car made of cake on Facebook with a notice saying

If you see this car report it to the police as it’s stollen

Maw do you live within reach of an Apple store ? Because it might be easier to go and let their ‘Genius bar’ set it up for you while you sit and admire their work :-)

I`ve never tasted Stollen, maybe I should try it.
Maw, let `em barney on, just let it flow over you you know you`re better than that.
Well, my tree may well be up before Christmas, my eldest son came to bring it downstairs for me, plus it`s table, so that`s tomorrow sorted.
Last 6 presents to wrap later, PHEW!! All cards sent or given, another PHEW!

Maw Bleddy h*ll indeed. I'm totally frazzled. Best not ask why. You'd be here until next Christmas once I get started.
Good news re iPad.
Yes please...let's gobble a few of those Stollen bites. I'm rather partial...even though I should be a tad more careful with my waist line. But then, I think, yes pleas. Bring it on.

Night night. Sleep tight. Back with you in the morning.

Bleddy h*ll I think I am ready for the hash brownies!
There are too many people “out there” who seem to delight in a barney for its own sake with a moan thrown in for good measure.
I’m outta that.
On the plus side, the insurance company are replacing my dropped iPad - the negative side is that I have no idea of how to set it up and if I spend much more time on the phone to the Apple store, I might be asked to be godmother to somebody’s first born! Still don’t know why the insurance chap didn’t laugh when I asked if this one bounces
I have brought in a box of Stollen bites, but you’d better be quick as being tiny, they are distinctly moreish

Good afternoon to you lovely lot. The care home visit was strangely pleasurable. M was in good spirits. The staff were jolly and the decorations, both indoor and outdoor, were a work of art.

Oh those two boys! N&G I love seeing their photos. I also enjoy reading accounts of Cooper's words of wisdom.
Glad that the orangery is already underway. The builders sound like a good bunch of chaps. Just keep plying them with refreshments of hot, sweet, strong tea and decent biscuits for the dunking of . One of our builders had a liking for Earl Grey tea. He was "classy"...
I shall be painting a fawn portrait for each of the babes. I'm happy with one thus far. The stag painting is to be boarded and mounted this afternoon. It is a gift for a dear friend who lives in the village.

Charleygirl Think Zen...I quite often "switch off" and hum...it helps to clear the mind.

Greyduster Sanp! We've loved the series from Chester zoo. The kindness and compassion of the keepers is something special.
You, my dear, have a voice. You can sing (in tune) whereas I am tone deaf. I was singled out from the rest of the class in the convent and asked to keep quiet. I've never got over the humiliation.

anno there is yet another nasty bug doing the rounds. Our friends are both poorly with it. As MacSporran should avoid infections (due to Leukaemia) I shall be picking my pal's ironing up from her home, and doing the job here, at home. Makes sense, methinks.

Maw and galen, what made you think I was making hash brownies? These are for the children, though mind you.... Anyway, if I did make such confections, I'd save them for myself in the current circumstances. Knee is killing me today. I was feeling a bit poorly yesterday (queasy) and slept a lot, so I have a lot to catch up on today. Any presents left to buy will be vouchers!

Good morning all !!

The builders arrived at 0715 this morning and its freezing out there !! Grampy has been very good and kept them supplied with tea and biscuits !! I would not want their jobs for anything but they are cheery lads and really cracking on with removing the deck before doing the rest.

Well Jackson is with you Charley he says the inside of a mince pie looks yukky !! :-)

Luckily its all outside work, the only one affected is Sam who now cannot just exit the lounge in the garden but has to go out the front door and in the back gate. He does not seem to mind. I fear he will mind later as he will be spending his first ever night in kennels as we are away early for the whole day tomorrow. In out old house he had a doggy door but we have not had one installed here yet so cannot leave him for over 12 hours.

The lady at the kennels seems very nice and has assured us he will be fine . We'll see what Sam says on Thursday !!

I hope your builders get done quickly!! Its been a long year for you.

There will of course be an opening ceremony Grey , as we get nearer completion we'll arrange a charra ..... :-))

That sounds like a wonderful evening Grey very festive and Christmasy!

Well I am off to make sandwiches for the poor half-frozen men in the garden !! Have a wonderful day one and all!!

Hello, the kitchen! I didn’t get the chance to look in yesterday. It was none stop here - for a change!
N&G those lads certainly look as if they had a smashing day out! The photos are great. I love a day at a well run zoo. I’ve been watching the series of programmes from Chester about the keepers and their animals - fascinating stuff. And your orangery is under way too! That’s good news. We’ll all come down for the New Year opening ceremony. Where did we order the last charra from?
Soop you have found your mojo again - your painting of the stag is fantastic. I’m envious but will never improve if I don’t get off my a**e and pick up a brush again!
Charley when on earth are you going to see the back of your builders and get your house back? I would be prostrate with despair by now!
We went to a superb concert at the cathedral last night put on by the Music Hub which sponsors music for youth and schools here. GS’s year and two other schools were taking part in a newly commissioned piece along with the virtuoso violinist Lizzie Bell (who has played with Nigel Kennedy among others) and the city’s Senior Youth Orchestra. It was pretty fantastic. Then the orchestra played the overture to Hansel and Gretel, and Leroy Anderson’s A Christmas Festival. There are some very talented youngsters playing music in this and many other cities, I am proud to say. Pity they are having to do it on a shoestring and a begging bowl! All the juniors taking part were very good; on stage throughout, even though doing nothing most of the time except listening once they’d done their bit, the urge to fidget must have been enormous, although towards the end of what had been a very long day for them, there was a bit of a Mexican yawn going on! It closed with us all singing carols. I found that I still have a voice!
I will look in later. Himself is grumbling!

N&G are you sure that your DD has not lost 2 sons as they appear to have joined the zoo? Rather different from the circus! They are as happy as ever. Jackson is the only person I have heard of who like myself does not like mince pies.

I hope that the start of the work is not going to put off your Christmas because of the disruption.

My lot keep telling me that they will be finished here tonight. I can see at least 3 hours work to be done and apparently I have to go out with the boss to buy more grout. Why the fellow grouting did not have his brain (if he has one) in gear when we were out hours ago, I do not know.

I would prefer that they left soon and returned on Wednesday because my cleaner is booked to work extra hours tomorrow and we do not want any interruptions.

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Evening all!!

Time flies as they say! Just a quick catch up on all of your comings and goings !!

Loving the artwork soop are these for your new arrivals? They'd make a lovely set in a nursery.

Take care of yourself Charley those coughs can be so draining.

We have been all go this weekend. Took the little boys to the zoo where they were most impressed by the SIZE of Santa's gifts ( wrapped you'll be pleased to know so they passed the Jackson test!!) . Santa was lovely although he seemed very young( or maybe that's my age !!)

At lunchtime he exited his grotto only to be surprised by my 2 putting on their shoes- he made a speedy recovery with a cheery' Off to get a mince pie and hot coco ho ho ho' ! Jackson looked at Cooper and said' I could NEVER be Santa'. Cooper looked at him with his whole 3 years of wisdom and replied' no, you cant grow a beard yet!!' !! ( I think Jackson was alluding to his dislike of mince pies but whatever !!)

The work on the orangery has started ...we are surprised as you I suspect!! They had time to kill so have started the foundations and walls.... in fact I am so surprised I shall have to pop out tomorrow for extra teabags and biscuits ( and Grampy kindly took tomorrows lunch request for them too !!!)

Safe journey tonight soop and I shall pop in , in a more timely fashion tomorrow.

Ill leave you with a picture or 2.

We're preparing to return to Campbeltown airport to meet our pal from the plane. She says that all went well and she had the support she needed throughout her journey and visit to the hospital for assessment.

I shall be visiting the care home tomorrow morning. However, on my return, I shall call in to say hello and catch up with your latest news. Take good care of yourselves.

corner I'm willing to bet that Littlest will have you wrapped around he little pinkie. Enjoy!

I've been laughing over certain antics on display during nativity plays. There is a riotous excerpt filmed by a parent at one such event. One of the sheep (standing close to the manger) decided to take the baby from the manger and rock it back and forth - much to the amusement of the audience. Mary was very put out. Joseph attempted to reclaim the baby and - you've guessed it - all the children went into meltdown.

Oh charley. soop is exactly right, you truly don’t need the cough to develop. Hope they sort it soon. One thing after another gets very, very wearing. Look after yourself.

We’re in charge of Littlest today, well maybe he’s in charge of us .

Lovely sunny day so a good start to our week.

Dear Charleygirl That nasty hacking cough could so easily develop into bronchitis. You do need to keep warm. Who has been fiddling with the stopcock? Has the builder been anywhere near? You need to get the wretched thing fixed pronto. (((hugs)))

The sun is out here but I am finding it very cold. All of my precious hot water has been drained and I have no heating. It is doing my health wonders. My cold itself is much better but I have a nasty hacking cough. I was told today that I sounded "rough". I sad I have been feeling like that for the last 2 days.

My stopcock is leaking for how long I do not have a clue. What more could go wrong here other than a tree fall on the roof.

Long ago, my son was features editor of the Daily Mail. He didn't do gossip or character bashing. His features were travel orientated.

LONG ago, when in his teens and a Goth, he and a fellow Goth attended a concert in Plymouth. We met the two guys in black (with the obligatory dusting of talc standing in for real dust) as they came out of the concert hall. Before we set off for home, they hastened to inform us that - the weird smell (hash) was because a few concert goers had shared a joint.) Naturally, they were totally innocent.

maw my goodness yes I can . That would give them something to write about!

annsixty
A couple of weeks ago my S suggested I might try "hash" to help me cope when I was losing it with my H
If you are really making hash brownies anno I will be in the market ?
galen
at this rate so will I

Can’t you just see the Daily Mail headlines???

Evening All.

No soop the megaphone isn’t for announcing, it was for order keeping and greatly needed. Our lot (adults and children) are in manic pre - Christmas mode, much very loud laughter, the grumpy one trying to keep order was me. Suspect I could out grump galen, especially as I don’t have a cruise to escape to.

The stag painting is just fabulous, a little green with envy here. Oh the Christmas lights. What does happen to them in storage. A mystery as big as the mystery of the disappearing posts.

Love the sound of your boat trip nannyj and the Church Service gannyq: both properly Christmas-y.

That was a better day maw, pleased for you. Think you are spot on, recognise the days which are not for going out and stay safely inside. Sending hugs.

Oh dear charley: think you have been blighted by mathematically challenged builders. As well as builders with dubious food taste. Please tell us they,will definitely be gone this week. Hope your cold is settling and doors can be closed.

Right, off to sleep with luck. Mr C has been snoozing for an hour now, guess I should at least try to emulate him. Keep warm and well everyone.

At this rate so will I

A couple of weeks ago my S suggested I might try "hash" to help me cope when I was losing it with my H.
If you are really making hash brownies anno I will be in the market ?

Anno are they hash brownies?