Soop's warm and welcoming kitchen...

*soop8 the snowdrops are gorgeous. No matter where I have lived I have never been able to grow a snowdrop.

I have revised the number of spare keys I will need because of cost. £30 for the first and £15 for any other. I have decided that two will suffice giving me a total of five.

I visited the shop beside Sainsburys yesterday and there was nobody working there. Thank goodness I am semi computer literate and found an email address for the company. They took my comments on board and sent somebody to man the place today and the poor fellow came from outside London. The company was totally unaware that there was nobody there yesterday until I informed them.

Anyway my keys will be ready for pick up in a week. What a palaver. Still, if somebody kicks in my UPVC door, the singing and dancing lock will be intact. My insurance company should be ecstatic.

Charleyg That's what I call sensible. You have done the right thing.

soop I have peace of mind.

Tomorrow off to M&S foodstore because I am running out of coffee and that would be a major disaster.

Charleyg Peace of mind is priceless. I can smell the coffee. Isn't it delicious? I recall, as a child, passing by a coffee shop and seeing and smelling the coffee beans being roasted in a sort of tumble drier (only it wasn't a tumble drier!) Does any of that make sense...

Mine comes out of a jar- I do not drink anything else and "proper" coffee would not be good. As it is my GP has persuaded me to use decaffeinated so I now do 50/50.

Yesterday's locksmith, in his own time, was supposed to fit CCTV for me today-he has not appeared and obviously cannot be bothered ringing me so I have saved myself some money.

The good thing is that my kitchen is very clean and tidy so maybe I should thank him for making me do some work. I can now switch on the washing machine in peace.

Good afternoon all.
Talk of M&S brings home the reality that my local one in Stockport is closing soon.
I have been shopping in it since 1968, it is in a precinct next to the empty BHS and a few doors from where Woolworths was . Opposite was C&A.
It all makes me very sad, almost like losing part of my early domestic history. Is that too stupid.
We still have a Simply Food which until a couple of years ago was a 15 min walk for me, now I have to take a taxi, oh dear getting old is a "bother".
I have lamb in slowly roasting, my GD is coming for dinner, it is her favourite, but she is on a diet so no roast potatoes or parsnips for her
It has been a decent day though cold ,enjoy your evening all .
( if that is possible).

Thanks Soop for the chair I'm sorry but as you can guess there in no wine left. ?
George is a blenim cavalier king Charles (don't tell him but he's my favourite) calm and loving and Cookie is a cavachon. He is so naughty but funny he jumps on the kitchen counter, tries to escape, pinches George's food if he can and anything else he can get away with.

Charley girl that's so expensive for keys, I hope 5 are enough.
We don't have any snowdrops but have plenty of crocuses.

Must go now and put the kettle on for a coffee. I have a new cafeterie which DH doesn't think it makes good coffee so I end making one for him in a cup and I will make mine separately. Such a palava but i want to use all the filtered coffee up.

See you all soon x

Ann that is not good news for you because a Simply Food does not hold the stock that an M&S food store does. It is sad to see so many large stores closing down. Nobody has taken over my local BHS yet.

I can smell the lamb- I would happily eat the roast potatoes that your granddaughter does not want, but no parsnips for me thank you!

Welcome Nanawind are you Nanawind or Nanawynd?
My D has a cavachon, he is just over 12 months old ,also very mischievous, but so adorable and so funny.
He lives with 3 cats who are definitely in charge of him, they gently swipe his nose with their paws when they have had enough, but 2 of them will happily share his bed when they feel like it.

Nanawind Photos of the boys - please.

Charleyg I was told that decaff tea tastes like cat's wee. I wouldn't know if there's any truth in it.
Isn't it strange how the very idea of a possible visitor inspires us lot to dust and polish and sweep (even in the corners).

ann If I lived a lot nearer, I would join you for the roast and eat any roast potatoes and parsnips (going spare) with relish.

There is a stunning sunset. I've photographed it especially for you lot. Back in a mo' Need to upload it.

Soop those snowdrops are beautiful and reminds us that Spring is just around the corner.

I opened the fridge this morning to find that a bottle of fish sauce had sprung a leak. I spent a long time emptying the dam thing and washing all the shelves and storage bits with hot soapy water but it still smells awful!

Just back from a stroll and we saw a murmeration of starlings fill the sky. It was quite a sight.

Goodnight dear peoples. I shall join you all again tomorrow.

The snowdrops and sunset are just beautiful soop, a lift of my spirits followed each, thank you. Your new doggie painting is very gentle, Not sure if I should own to this but we only drink decaf tea and coffee at home, used to it now. Interestingly people don’t comment when given a cup, maybe they don’t dare . Mr C has the ‘full fat’ version when we’re out, I never do. Maybe that’s why I get so sleepy. .

Peace of mind is worth every penny charley.

Oh goodness, arty, I can imagine the mess, how lovely to see the murmuration. We saw a few the first year we moved here, we talk about them as our welcome to the area as none in subsequent years.

We’re all prepared for the decorating to begin tomorrow. If I don’t get in here I’ve probably been painted over .

cornergran and N&G my heart hurts for your youngsters too. Please tell them one of my DS was the same. So shy and lost looking. He is now married with children of his own and has a number of really good friends which he has made over the years. Good friendships do come along but sometimes they take a while to be found. There are lots of children out there struggling. How I wish they could all meet up.

https://signal-corridor.live/uploads/talk/201802/medium-535999-fb-img-1517762791488.jpg%3C/span%3E https://signal-corridor.live/uploads/talk/201802/medium-822671-fb-img-1517762843878.jpg%3C/span%3E

These are the only photos I have of the boys on their own(all the rest have DGC in and I never share the photos of them on any media). They are not coming to stay until April after we have been away.

Annsixty I am Nanawind it seems there was a song a few years ago and this is what the DGC call me. (It seems as though I broke wind one day) Me never I'm a lady ha ha.

Cornergran and N&G I'm sure your DGC will make friends soon it just takes a bit of time to find the right mates.

Nanawind what a beautiful little dog.

The keys cost so much to cut because they are ADS and only specialist key cutters are allowed to do it. Each set of keys has a code and I did not need to take the key, just produce the code. I also took proof of address and my driving licence. I expect the two cut keys to be gold plated at the very least. The task is not done at the key cutters, it is done at some specialist place so I can pick up the keys in a week.

I had no idea of this palaver before I had the lock fitted or I may have chosen a less up market model. Somebody may kick my UPVC door in but the lock will remain intact.

Soop I have not tasted tea for over 50 years but the decaffeinated coffee. M&S variety is not too bad.

Is the Blenheim Cavalier the liver and white colourway nanawind?
We used to have a Tricolour when I was a child. A lovely little dog ?

What a pair of cuties Nanawind!

Yes Mawbroon George is a liver and white colour. We have had a number of cavies ourselves while the children were living at home, but now we make do with grandogs as my DH plays a sport all over the north and Midlands so we are out a lot in summer and going to places dogs are not allowed. So it's not fair on the ?. When he stops we will then get another cavie. Which could be a few years yet.

Morning all (said with a George Dixon type rocking motion!)

Welcome Nanawind!

It is a HUGE mistake to miss a day in the kitchen - you lot never stand still.

I'm so sad for the children who appear 'friendless'. It has happened on odd occasions to different ones of ours but it does seem to pass. It breaks your heart at the time though.

Good luck to all those with decorating afoot or planned. It will be worth it in the end - honest!!

Smashing photos soop and I'd like to adopt the little dog - if DH would let me.

Yuk, artyfarty - good job that was your real kitchen and not this one.

We've had a funny few days - and not 'haha'! DS2's sort of step son is behaving as 17 year olds sometimes do, DH's 2 older brothers have massive problems of different kinds and my sister in law is not coping too well with the death of her mother. Why these things happen all at once, and why everyone feels the need to keep us in the loop all the time, is a mystery to me.

Still, DH has at long last and after much nagging gone to get his hearing sorted and my Christmas Roses have suddenly appeared.

And, we had some fabulous news yesterday that I have to keep to myself for a while as DD3 has had quite a few miscarriages previously.

That was pretty quick work kitty it seems like only yesterday she had had her coil removed.
I will keep everything crossed for her that it progresses without any problems.
I have been keeping quiet as well but not that sort of quiet.
My D has been seeing a new " friend" and it is going ok.
They went away for the weekend and it went well.
Neither of them are reading too much into it, they both want companionship and meals out, days away etc.
My D has children still at home and a second marriage is the last thing she wants, but she seems happy with the way things are going at present.

Kitty you may want to adopt dogs, the owners of Hattie and Sam have to keep their dos on a tight lead if I am in the area or they would be coming to this home! Those dogs are gorgeous- I am not sure if they would get on well together and there would be a fight for the one sofa. Tara would not be impressed and would possibly pack a suitcase and look elsewhere.

It is really cold here but bright and sunny. Snow is forecast for later today, I will be indoors by then.

Ann I will keep my fingers crossed for your DD's new friend.

Hello, the kitchen! I agree, Kitty - the kitchen moves along at such a pace! We will all pretend we didn’t see the news that you have to keep to yourself for a while, but I am sure if it were ‘us lot’, we would be champing at the bit to tell someone too!?. My DS is also having stepson problems, and he is very down at the moment. I suspect that as usual, the root of his sadness is that he is not getting much, if any, support from my DiL. It is keeping me awake at night - that and a dozen other things!
Corner our decorating is, thankfully, now finished and we just need a carpet to go in there. He is now talking about “refreshing” the paint in the living room. I have told him what he can do! It’s too big a job for him these day so we’ll get a decorator in, if and when. I hope Mr C manages to see you before you end up the same colour as the wall! I just kept out of the way!
Soop your painting of the little dog is really lovely! You seem to get the look in the eyes spot on. My attempt at eyes always look like they belong to something or someone who has been stuffed!
Well, we are back in harness - picking GS up from school this afternoon as DD is now working a couple of days a week again. I say picking him up - he actually walks home with friends now so we wait for him at home (not cool to have the ‘grands’ collect you anymore!) and stay until his parents get back. We are supposed to see that he does his homework this evening before tea - watch this space ?!
We had a flurry of snow this morning which put the wind up me somewhat, but it soon stopped and the sun is out now. I have baked the first half of GS’s birthday cake and will bake the other half tomorrow. He is eleven at the weekend. Where has the time gone?
I will look in later.