Soop's warm and welcoming kitchen...

I’m sitting here watching a lovely sunrise over the fields, with a clear day in prospect and nothing much to do. We had some snow flurries while we were out yesterday afternoon at the finals of the South Yorkshire Schools cross country. The year 5/6 team, in which GS was running, came third overall which is not as good as last year but still very respectable. The year 3/4 team loped in with the whole team of five boys in first place. They made it look so easy they didn’t even break sweat. The school will be very proud of all the boys and girls who took part. Our girls did well too. Parents and grandparents get very involved in the life of a junior school, and then, when they move up to big school, I expect all that will be a thing of the past. This year may be the last year we get to join in his triumphs ☹️.
callgirl I sometimes wonder if these so called gas fitters know what they’re about. We had our relatively new gas fire serviced a couple of years running and it was never quite right, so in the end we stopped using it as it seemed to be giving off fumes; though it was checked out and proved not to be. Then the plumber who put our new bathroom in had a look at it, did a routine service on it and hey presto, it was right as rain! He said they probably didn’t clean the coals and the burners up properly.
morethan I’m glad you’re having a nice time with your grandsons. It all sounds very relaxed ? and you deserve a bit of relaxed! Once they reach double figures they’re certainly a lot easier to deal with, though can still be pesky at times!
Well, now I have bored everyone rigid, I’ll go and make my first coffee of the day. There are sounds of stirrings from Himself, who is still abed. I shall look in later.

Never boring Greyduster! Have a good day.
More than it sounds so lovely in Norfolk. If it is sunny like here, should be a good walk with the dog today.
I had a video call from a very excited little boy whose plants are growing - daffodils we planted in the Autumn. Please can you bring more plants next time Nanny? I think I have a convert to gardening

The best kind of convert, Jane! Bless the boy!

Good morning all.
Just a little reminder to me reading of Jane's bulbs, 2 weeks ago I bought a pot of hyacinths in Aldi for £1:99.
That are magnificent, mid pink ,very strong and full of scent.
I have them in the kitchen windowsill , they make me smile every time I see them.When the kitchen door is open ,the perfume fills the hall and as we have open stairs, the landing as well.
Stay warm and safe today folks, it is bitterly cold here.
Anòther day in for us.

Very cold here also-Alexa tells me that it is minus -1 C so that is too cold for Tara to go out. I would not mind if she went out to sniff the air but I would not see her for 12 hours. She is happy slumbering on the back of my chair.

I am expecting a Morrisons delivery in an hour so I must at least be dressed.

It was frosty this morning when we woke(mid Cheshire) but now the sun is shining but cool in the shade. DH and I have just been for a very good walk. Tonight we are going for a meal with DS, Dil and 2 of our Dgc to celebrate Dil's birthday.

Hope everyone is having a good day.

It’s very cold here today too. I decided this morning on the dog walk that the cold has frozen my one remaining brain cell - as I lifted the lid on the Poo bin and promptly dropped in the dog’s ball!
DS2 is coming in a couple of weeks as it is 40th birthday next week. We said we’d take him out for a meal. What started as just 3 of us has now reached 12 as both his brothers are coming, some of his cousins and a couple of friends. Now I’m struggling to find somewhere to go!

Sorry, it is his 40 th.

Nonna you will be looking for a job to pay for it! Maybe fish and chips from the local chippie?

The poor dog not having a ball to play with- poor little thing.

It is still cold, my feet have not warmed up today. I must check that Tara did not creep out when the Morrisons man came and the front door was open for ages. Tara knows how to sneak past without me noticing,

Here I be, back home and loving the peace that greeted me as I came through the door.

NonnaW When our youngest son hit 40, we all opted to pay for our own celebratory meal. It made sense. Enjoy your family celebration next week.

Nanawind I hope that you will also enjoy a celebration this evening.

ann There is something very special about the heady perfume of hyacinths.

JaneD3 I echo Greyduster's comment.

To be fair, most people will pay for themselves. We have a tendency to pay for my offspring and often my sister, maybe we should just restrict it to the birthday boy!

I have made a Command Decision this afternoon. I am not making GS any more birthday cakes. In future I will foot the bill for whatever they want to buy. I have just spent nearly three hours on my feet, making butter cream, fiddling about shaving slivers off the top and then using the spirit level on my phone (yes, that again!) wrapped in cling film to check that it was level!! Then it had to be crumb coated which is an absolute pain in the rear. I use to enjoy doing it, but I’m sick of the sight of it and I’m not halfway there yet. DD has ordered a cake topper which I have got to try and make fit, and do you know what? I don’t think it will! Aargh!!! I need a large malt and a lie down, but I’ll settle for a cup of tea and a biscuit. It has been a beautiful, if cold, day today and we have been stuck in doing stuff. Not on! Added to which, I found a dried out wishbone in the utility room (don’t ask!) and then promptly dropped it on the floor and stood on it! I am peculiarly superstitious about wishbones. It doesn’t bode well.
Have a lovely evening, chaps and chapesses all!

And breathe greyd. All will be well, the jinx of the wishbone will not visit you, honestly .

I do sympathise about the cake. I used to make all sorts of celebration cakes, can’t ice the flipping things now because my hands haven’t the strength. I mourned the lack for a while, now I must own to being sort of pleased. Might have a go at something for Mr C later in the month, see how brave I feel. It won’t need a spirit level that’s for sure!

Well, Open Reach reached us, a very polite and very young man who seemed to know his stuff. He did his best, not much improvement, so when the BT person phones tomorrow it looks as if we will be seeking a tariff adjustment. If they can’t give us what we are paying for that seems a more than reasonable request, no, demand actually.

The birthday meal sounds as if it will be fun, nonna, we also tend to pay for our own these days, we have an aberration and foot the bill sometimes but usually it’s shared.

Snap ann, we’ve also got a pot of pink hyacinths, ours from Lidl, they are fabulous. Ours are in the bathroom, doing a sterling job . You’re right, the perfume is wonderful.

Cold here too, haven't ventured out. The decorating is finished other than the window ledge which needed sanding again - don’t ask - bits and pieces are back where they should be, all is relatively well in the Corner world.

Stay warm and well everyone.

Glad your decorating is finished, too, corner! And what is it about windowsills? Ours had to be done twice also. I have stood a vase of flowers on it today. It must be dry by now. If the vase sticks to it (again!) my head will be on the block!

Greyduster You have my respect. A photo of your latest creation is called for. Bless you. Feet up and chill...that's an order!

corner We have only good comments to make regarding the many visits we've had from Open Reach. Every individual has been courteous and helpful.

Although it is cold here in Kintyre, it remains almost snow-free. The peaks tell a very different story.

I've my own ironing to attend to. I shall therefore say farewell, and return again tomorrow. Take care.

Day off tomorrow. (Breathes sigh of relief)
My tribunal appointment expires the end on March due to advanced senility. ( age 73 ) and I still haven’t heard if I’m being reappointed! I think they’re cutting it a little fine.
What do you lot think?

Galen, that is a bit fine!
Grey, we call them chaps and chappesses too! Always have

Indeed it is cutting it fine galen. Also not very valuing or respectful of you.

Apparently gloss paint takes longer to be totally dry in the winter, grey. Do I believe that explanation ?

Onwards to the carpet shampooing tomorrow. Then we go out for lunch. .

Evening all!

Sorry I’ve been absent and haven’t had a chance to catch up. Snow and family buggerations have caught up with me.

I’ll be back tomorrow after catching up !!

Thanks, corner, I’ll pass that on! Baffle them with science; always good!

Way out of touch with kitchen business I’m afraid. Just nipping in to say hello before sleep beckons, well I hope it will anyway. In the last month we’ve had several episodes of the burglar alarm going off in the night, the smoke alarms doing the same and last night my mobile rang at 1am. Good job I’m not at all superstitious and don’t believe in poltergeists! The burglar alarm has been fixed, the smoke alarms disconnected and due to be replaced later this week and hopefully my mobile will play the game and let me have a decent nights sleep tonight! Wishing you all the same, chaps and chapesses (love that turn of phrase), night all x

What a result! I lost 15lbs yesterday!!!
DD suggests my scales may be faulty ...

I had a cup of coffee, reweighed and found I had put 11 lbs on. It wasn’t a bucket, only a cup! New scales perhaps?

I think your D may be right Jane, if not can I have the details of the diet you are on ?
Well I have managed to get out at last, a neighbour rang yesterday morning to invite me for tea and biscuits in the afternoon, which was a lovely change, only marred by the other participant who is a friend of mine who was strangely quiet apart from heavily critising her H ,which is not like her.
Poor chap is 84 and not in the best of health.
I must see her today to "winkle out" the problem. I don't think she liked speaking in front of the neighbour.
I am out again this afternoon for a trip to a garden centre for coffee and a setting the world to rights with my regular Thursday friend.
I shall be getting a reputation for never being at home.

Enjoy yourself Annsixty!