Soop's warm and welcoming kitchen...

You deserve it morethan: sounds wonderful. You’re right, a little bit of lovelyness for us all would be just right.

Just surfing through your posts to catch up. Well done Maw for tackling Paw’s study it must be very hard, heartbreaking really. It was hard enough doing the same for my MiL I can hardly dare imagine what it’s like for you.
It doesn’t seem fair to say that I’m having a lovely time in Norfolk looking after my two grandsons. They hardly need looking after really the youngest is 10. We have breakfast together. Once their off I take their dog for a little walk. Get the bus into the nearest town using my buss pass, explore a little. Buy them somthing nice for dinner. I have them all to myself. I have been able to escape all the angst back home. It’s just been well, lovely. I wish the same for all of you in the kitchen just a little bit of lovelyness (I know it’s not a real word but we’re in the kitchen so grammar doesn’t count)

Cheers maw. Vodka and tonic here .

A very productive afternoon in what I still think of as Paw’s study.
Books no longer double banked and I have filled 2 black bags for “secure”shredding plus 4 pink bags for regular recycling.
Earned tonight’s glass of slightly pétillant rosé ??

Thanks for all your good wishes. Had phone call from the consultant this afternoon to say she doesn't think it's urgent so we can go on our holiday in March first. Bit of a relief as DH was so looking forward to it. Poor man has had so many operations he looks like he's got a zip running from his foot right up his leg, stomach, chest and neck! But I am well aware how blessed I am to still have him with me.

Hope Macs's head is not too painful Soop.

callgirl glad your DD has got some respite. Hope a long term solution can be found.

annsixty nice of you to spare a thought for my DH when you have such a problem with your own. Hope you can get out a bit again soon. You do need some time out to re charge the batteries as they say.

I'm happy to report that our friend's visit was a huge success. Her husband's expression on seeing her walk into his room with a broad smile on her face, was a gift. We took our leave and had a coffee and went shopping in Tesco. She's safe and sound at home. The sun shone throughout the afternoon...and now it's raining and the sky is looking decidedly grey and grumpy.

Mac's head looks angry, but "the thing" is no more.

callg Do you ever get the feeling that there are folk who are not as honest as we'd like them to be? I'm pleased that your problem has been fixed.

ann Didn't your late mother do well, bless her cotton socks.

Crafting The NHS is a wonderful thing. I trust that your husband will get the care he deserves. I've had nine operations. Hospitalised on thirteen. Every time I have come away mended or attended to. I feel most fortunate.

Ironing duties in the morning. Doesn't time fly when you're enjoying yourself.

Stay safe and keep warm. Bye for now. Back again tomorrow afternoon.

My daughter has just rung me to say that her husband was moved into a local care home yesterday. It`s just 2 weeks respite care so far, for which she has to pay around £115 a week. Then he will have to return home, unless she can get POW, as she doesn`t currently have access to his money. But at least she`s getting a much needed break.

There’s a result callgirl. If you have any influence then please use it with Open Reach who somehow can’t seem to reach us. You never know, tomorrow may be the day. Always hopeful. That’s me.

Hope the visit was all you hoped for soop and macs has a comfortable head. I went through something similar with my Mum crafting, she tried for alphabetical order, hope your husband has a positive outcome.

Flipping freezing here, heavy clouds, about to venture out on Granny detail, the painting progresses without too many grumbles from either of us, could be worse.

Stay warm and well everyone.

Ah, Galen - those early days of Gransnet when we had that Halloween party on Pendle Hill; and those souped up motorised broomsticks. Wouldn't mind a go on one of those again - perhaps I have one in the deep dark depths of my garden shed! I wasn't the one who got arrested. Far too crafty, that's me! Couldn't have been Baggs, could it?

Well Corner, the gas fire man came at 11.30am, so not too much waiting. I had someone to the fire for the same problem last week, it wouldn`t light. He hovered it out, said it was the battery, inserted new battery, still wouldn`t light. So he said it was one of the micro switches underneath that had gone, and it would be as cheap to buy a new fire, but that I could light it with my gas lighter thingy, charged me £20 and left. Today`s man gave it a quick hoover, put in a new battery, and voila, one working fire! Cost, £30. They`re onto a good little earner these people. He asked who came before, I told him, he said it was his nephew and he shouldn`t have charged anything.
I hope that MacSporran`s bonce isn`t too sore, and that your friend enjoyed her visit to the care home Soop.

We can joke but all the best to your H Crafting
My late mother never spent a single night in hospital in nearly 102 years. She died in bed at her RH.
I have had 7 operations so obviously didn't inherit her genes.
It has drizzled light snow all day here and is very cold and very grey. I have cabin fever, it will only get worse as the forecast shows more of the same.

DH is doing his best - cardiology, haematology, audiology, dermatology, respiratory medicine and the district nurses for dressings. And he is still st work!

Thanks maw. We like to think of it as keeping them occupied ?

Good luck Crafting you realise you are probably responsible for single handedly bankrupting the NHS!
I used to say the same as you -cardiology, haematology gastroenterology, hepatology, nephrology, ENT, Stroke, Audiology.............
Thinking of you though

DH supporting the NHS again with yet another unknown illness. Over the years he has been in almost every hospital department except gynaecology but he did visit there once when I had my hysterectomy ?
Now we are heading to haematology. Can't complain about the NHS, they've kept him going so far. Never a minutes peace is there.

Hope all with problems or worries are having some lighter days. Have brought in some chocolate dipped marshmallows if anyone would like one.?

Galen fancy you going to that sort of party (even if it was virtual)

WOW Galen there is life in the old dog yet.

Fiesty old git, {with apologies]

Just been playing the suffragettes anthem. This bought to mind our first GN meeting in Birmingham where we wore suffragette colours so that we could recognise each other.
Also reminded me of one of our first virtual parties. Someone chained themselves to a railing and put the key down her bra. She then complained of the (virtual )policeman ‘s cold hands when he tried to retrieve it

About to put my tidy face on. The sun is shining brightly. The roads are clear. Friend is readying herself for the visit that she's been hoping for...pain-free and a surprise for her husband. I'm all excited...as Torben would say.

oldgoat, I also loved that programme about the 'Puffers'. I'm old enough to remember them puffing up and down the Firth of Clyde and, in my teens, I devoured the Para Handy stories. So lovely to be reminded of that time.

Thinking of Annie today

Maw You are right. Our kitchen is for us to visit to share whatever it is that needs sharing. That's what friends do.

Look 'ere, you lot...how on earth am I supposed to play catch-up? I am sooooooooooooooooooooo out of touch and feel awful as I cannot, in the time I have, do any of you justice. You know what...I do care for you and I'm not one teensy weensy bit happy when I neglect you. I shall sit in the naughty corner and await a big wedge of sticky cake.

Well now, hereabouts it's not too snowy or icy. MacSporran is possibly on his way back from having "the thing" that keeps coming back, removed. At the same time, he's sussing out the conditions in Campbeltown. It's usually much snowier there. He's anxious to inspect the drive-way into the care home. If it's not icy we're to take our pal to visit her husband this afternoon. It's wise to be cautious. Should our friend slip, all the good work could so easily be undone. As I type, I see him coming along the path.

"The thing" has been removed for the umpteenth time. The roads are clear. The care home pathway is also clear. We are collecting our pal at 2 o'clock.

You realise, I'm sure, that I shall be absent this afternoon.

corner I have a neighbour who taps quietly on my front door- it is not even a knock. I have a perfectly good call bell and even he would hear it ringing indoors.

I really do not understand why you were not giving away a single mattress as they are so much lighter but possibly too much for these petals.

soop Sorry to hear about the colonoscopy and I hope that Mac S gets his head zapped quickly and painlessly.

Maw a lovely photograph of the two loves in your life- so difficult for you still.

I hope that Hattie can rest her eyes in peace!

maw ((huggs))