Soop's very welcoming kitchen...

Many congratulations on the new babies, Sar and Soop, lovely times ahead. Also my condolences to MacSporran and Soop over the sad death of MacS`s cousin, so, so sad.
Soop, you`ve got so much on at the moment, please don`t rush to send my calendar, an extra few days won`t hurt, I`m just so grateful to you for finding it for me.
I`ve had trouble getting on Gransnet over the last few days, I`ve clicked on the link, but not been able to get any further, then miraculously, late last night it just worked as normal, and I`m back!

PS, I meant to say, what a lovely photo MawB, it reminded me of our Heidi, she was another one who was good at what greyhounds do best!

Soop so sorry to hear of your family bereavement. Lovely news and very sad news all at once.
Well I have driven a 100 mile round trip today to have cuddles with my newest granddaughter Charlotte. What a darling she is, petite and so perfect. Very, very like her sister Amelia was as a baby 9 years ago. Amelia was poorly today so I had cuddles with her as well. A long way to go but oh so worth it.
OH is away til Wednesday evening so a couple of days on my own.

WELCOME MesMopTop...lovely to have you join us. I like the word 'Ridley'. Shall use it myself in future.

Welcome back Galen and Bella...it's been a bit too quiet without you.

Once again, thank you for all your kind messages with reference to the new baby. I've had a cracking day. Lots of stuff to do. Have parcelled up the paintings. Will post tomorrow en route to the care home.

When I return, I hope to goodness that I'll have time to read through all your messages. If you wouldn't mind, could you lot take pity on a poor old greatNana and slow down a tad. That's most unlikely. I love you all to bits.

Nightie night for now.

Reactions- I hope I have never been guilty of this, but I am sort of getting a feeling that bereavement is not seen as such a big deal once you have grey hair, just one of those “things” that goes with the age group.
Comment today at my Art history class from an otherwise nice lady -“Lost your husband, oh dear. I expect Christmas was a little sad for you”.
Sad???? Little bit?
I cry for Paw every day, feel as if somebody has ripped my heart out and just feel my heart sink when I come back to an empty house.
I know I am not the first and I won’t be the last, but do I really have to grin and bear it?

Sar53 Charlotte has had cuddles with you. How perfect. We've to wait until April. MacS's mother was an Amelia. If I had had a daughter (most unlikely now!) I would have named her - Amelia. Such a pretty name.

Maw No! You do not have to do anything that doesn't feel right or comfortable. You are grieving. We are here to listen whenever you need to offload. An enormous (group hug) and there are many, many more to share with you. xxx

Thank you soop I am sorry for my wee rant, but it’s a bit like big girls don’t cry!
Funnily (well not really) a lovely French lady I met at lunch yesterday, friend of DD’s in laws, we’ll, I heard her expressing her condolences to DD in the kitchen - but did she not put two and two together and realise it was MY husband?

Maybe the woman at your class just felt awkward, maw, perhaps is clumsy with feelings

Oh maw, some people eh? I think sometimes the dismissiveness comes from embarrassment or their own fears for themselves or their family. Not an excuse of course. Soop is of course exactly right, be as you are, why wouldn’t you miss paw as much as you do? Hugs from me too.

Quite a round trip sar but oh so worth it. Aren’t the tiny ones just scrumptious? Sorry big sister is unwell but lovely to spend time with her too.

It’s been a funny old day here. Got on with the boring stuff, a real sense of achievement from it then down to earth with a bump. Took a recently bereaved neighbour some soup to hear she was off for emergency eye surgery. Likely to lose the sight in one eye. Hard not to worry about her and it surely made me county my blessings.

Fancying some mince pies and cream for tea. Not healthy but hey, sometimes it’s necessary. Off to organise them. Mr C is delighted .

Keep warm and well everyone.

Morning all !!

What a lovely picture of your new great grandchild soop. Are you itching for a cuddle? I know I would be. I'm sure they will love the painting, something to treasure as she grows.

And sorry to hear of your loss - always sad when so unexpected.

Had to laugh at your story Tippy I clearly remember our daughter firmly telling us to ' Take it back it cries ALL the time' !!

Love the picture of Hattie Maw that dog has settled firmly in hasn't she ?

MesMopTop you are in good company here for a little squidliness ( soop is an expert ).

Welcome home Galen and Bella hope you had a glorious time.

Worth every inch of the 100 miles eh Sar . I can hear those knitting needles clicking from here !!

Maw that was an understatement if ever I've heard one - plainly from someone who has never experienced a love like yours and Paws. I feel immensely sorry for her. Next time burst into loud , noisy sobs....she might get the idea then !!!

We spent a happy evening with the plumber getting a quote to refit the bathroom ( I think Grampy will be less happy when it comes in of course !!) We seem unable to even forecast the cost for these big projects.

Other than that , Grampy is still snivelling sniffling and I have not yet thumped him! Progress I think.

Took this picture last night at sunset.... I'm still filled with wonder at how beautiful the place is I now am lucky enough to live in !!

Happy days all !!

N'n'G Who is the photographer in the family.

Another well composed pic today, Its just the weather for such scenes!

‘‘Tis I Jollyg . It’s something I started on retirement . That’s why moving here is such a pleasure, in our previous home we had a few coughing sparrows and one delightful robin but here, even from over the fence I’m treated to glorious sunsets ( I’m too lazy for sunrise) and creatures galore !

I’ve just decided to join a local club and enrolled on a course to help me improve :-) so be prepared to be my examiners !

Morning all. Lots of congratulations on the arrival of new babies. Your very articulate Maw your description of your feeling for Paw are really moving. Perhaps baggs is right and she was just clumsy in her response. Your photo is lovely N&G where was it taken? Thing here are just about normal as they can be in the current circumstances. It’s a relief after the recent turmoil. I wrote on another thread that my son suddenly decided to open up about things. A week later his poor wife did the same to me. It’s so sad that they (she in particular) are so unhappy. I felt sick listening. Powerless to help. I requested a secluded table at a nice resturant and sent them off. My son told me they had a proper talk and ironed things out and felt better for it. They certainly seem happier so fingers crossed. My youngest son has just gone back to work after 9months at rehabilitation centre in Hedley court. So hopefully he’s on the mend now. He used to come and see us every few weeks on his own. It was lovely I’ll miss that but happy that he’s back we’re he wants to be. He’s been neglected a bit by us because there’s so much focus on our oldest family. weather here is dull and grey I’m pretty sick of it. Hope it’s better where ever the rest of you are. If not hope you find somthing cheerful to do. Ps still not managing to keep up with this thread. I best read the inertia thread for advice.

Great picture N&G, as was the previous one you posted. It’s lovely to hear how happy you are in your new home. Definitely a cup half full lady!

Is there an inertia thread morethan? Why haven’t I seen it I’m very good at inertia! I’m glad to hear your Son and DiL are easing their ship back onto an even keel. What an awful lot they have been through. The restaurant table was a lovely thoughtful touch on your part. A mum in a million!
N&G come the spring I will expect you to be on the marshes photographing avocets, egrets and reed warblers for our GN calendar. I might even join you there but I am no photographer. I just adore the Norfolk marshes. We have a couple of burgeoning reed beds close to us here, so I prowl about with my binoculars and pretend I’m in Norfolk, but we don’t have the tidal creeks, vast horizons and even vaster skies that send me into raptures. And the lovely pubs, and the seafood shacks at Salthouse and Brancaster Staithe, and samphire growing wild and......
I am nursing a cold today which came out of nowhere in the way that they do. Someone told me that cake is a good cure, so I am curing myself like mad! DH has had to go to the eye clinic as his eye condition has flared up again, so I am waiting for him to come back, hopefully with some medication. If it’s not one thing it is another.
Welcome home Galen and Bella - a bit of an anticlimax now I expect?
The boss is back, so I will look in later. Apologies to anyone I have missed.

Good afternoon dear Soopers.

I've been to the care home and the photo of the new baby has done the rounds to much "oohing and ahhing and isn't she bonnie!" Her father is Dutch. May have mentioned this before. Babe's middle name, Johanna, is with a soft J. Name sounds more like Yohannah.

N&G Your photography is superb. I can visualise some of your images included on a wild life calendar.
Our cuddles are booked for April. By which time the second great grandchild will be on the scene. I'm a patient person. I can savour the expectation of the visit. We shall all be supping Champagne.

corner I am at long last resisting the temptation to consume anything remotely fat making. Dare I say that I'm beginning to feel lighter? Well, it's true. I am not aiming to lose a lot of weight. A loss of a mere half a stone, would enable me to fit into my favourite jeans without a struggle.

morethan Your kindness may well have enabled your son and daughter-in-law the space in which to relax and discuss their problems honestly, and without rancour.

greyduster Nurse that cold. Such things can turn very nasty within a short space of time. I'm hoping that your husband has been prescribed the appropriate medication for the problem with his eye. Our eyesight is so very precious.

Soop be assured that the only thing likely to turn very nasty in a short space of time is yours truly!! . Everything else is usually manageable.
What a shame you have to wait until April to see the new baby! You’ll be like a cat on hot bricks until then!

Himself has a new - stronger - lot of eye medication. Hope it does the trick.

I best read the inertia thread for advice morethan2 best not
That was a wise move on your part re booking a table, well done.

Maw, some people just don't know how to respond; some will even cross the street, others feel they don't want to upset someone by saying something and others just have no empathy. But you know that so many on here just want to give you a big hug.

soop I like Johanna pronounced with a soft 'J' - we have some soft 'Js' in our family iyswim. (however, Jalima is pronounced with a hard J!).

I am trying to fight off DH's virus - as well as not wanting it I don't want to become that grumpy although he is feeling better today.

Great picture N&G - worthy of National Geographic

Afternoon all.
Galen and Bella, I forgot to welcome you back, so, WELCOME BACK!
N&G, another beautiful picture, Norfolk is so photogenic.
Morethan, nice to see you back.
Last night the funny square light bulb in the bathroom conked out, so today I rang eldest son to ask him if he`d get one and put it in for me, which he has done. Nearly £8 for a flipping lightbulb, daylight robbery!

Finished my stack of ironing. Tomorrow morning I clock in to tackle my pal's and her Mums. I really do know how to live dangerously.

I'm wishing you lot a peaceful and pleasant evening. MacSporran has a committee meeting in the village hall. The business of trying to raise funds for the much needed refurbishment, continues.

Back with you early tomorrow afternoon.

Beautiful photos n&, I’m so glad your new locality is so inspiring. Have you heard of the BBC’s Big Picture? Check it out on Mr Google, a good amateur photographer from my town had one of his photos featured this week.
gd we holidayed in that area of Norfolk for the 1st last time year, it’s a photographer’s dream. I’m hoping to persuade the old boy to make a return visit sometime. Feed a cold and starve a fever is my rule of thumb. Since I more often have a cold than a fever that will explain why I won’t be fading away any time soon!
maw pay no attention to those who underestimate the strength, depth and longevity of your huge sadness. It’s frustrating and disappointing to exprience such reactions (or maybe lack of reaction!) but you know just how much and for how long you’ve loved your paw. Be guided by that rather than the foolish and unrealistic expectations of others who just don’t “get it”.
morethan, it sounds like your family are lucky to have you as a sounding board, a keeper of confidences and a wise and thoughtful one at that. I hope it all leads to better and happier times for them. x
callgirl I know what you mean about pricey replacements and I often find they go one after another in quick succession - almost like it’s catching!
A damp, cold and miserable sort of day here but a few outstanding jobs I’ve been putting off got done. That and a catch up coffee and a bit of a laugh with a neighbour has saved the day really. That and the window cleaner tackling the inside of the conservatory windows. Previously grubby with small children’s paw prints they’re now sparkling like new.
Well it is leftovers for tea tonight so an easy one to sort out. Wishing you all a pleasant evening x
ps does anyone know if Charleygirl is ok? I haven’t noticed a list from her lately

My lit class starts tomorrow and like a bad pupil I have not read the book (Mansfield Park) so I am watching back to back episodes of the BBC broadcast of 1983, who would have thought it could be so long?
I’m onto episode 4 out of 6 but in danger of nodding off!
Loving it though, costume drama is something the Beeb did and still does very well.

Gq I understand from a separate thread that Charley is having internet problems, but that happily she is fine.

I meant “ long ago” NOT “long” !