Soop's friendly kitchen

Maw, I'm glad you are enjoying your visit to Cheshire. You are about 20 minutes away from me! I have been thinking about going over to Tatton to see the apple blossom. It's a wonderful estate and the National Trust restaurant is one of the best. The Hall has a magnificent staircase. There are lots of good things to be seen around Cheshire. Dunham Massey is another. Come again and NW grans will take care of you too!

Oh Greyduster how I remember walks with one of my children who would grizzle all the way round! The others would stride forth with joy.

It sounds as though everyone managed to take some advantage of the lovely weather of yesterday - and beautiful again today!

I have no news of my dear friend - I am not family and feel I cannot keep phoning. Maybe tomorrow.

Recovering from GS's birthday party yesterday and plan to nurture some new plants; make bucket of soup for family for lunch; and go to a concert at 3.30.

Maw - you are within a stone's throw of DD. It is lovely there - glad you are enjoying your stay with family. New step each day.

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Good morning the kitchen. I am kn******d this morning. We were out all day yesterday walking in blistering heat and I found it very hard going. It is one of my favourite walks, with stunning views, but very exposed. And the return leg back onto the edge is all uphill. Fortunately we found an ice cream van half way round - like an oasis in a desert! GS, whose idea it was in the first place, moaned and groaned all the way (which we knew he would) about having to wear walking boots, about having to wear a hat, about having to have sun cream on, about not being allowed to look over the edge to see where the climbers were ?...... and then when we got home, he said “that was lots of fun - we should do it again!” Here are a couple of photos. I will look in later - if I can get out of bed!

Beautiful garden Maw I hope your long drive isn't too warm or stressful

I love B and Sis-in-law’s garden- lovely “secret”paths which wend their way round , and a retreat at the end!

Exhausted!
My B and Sis in law are making me feel so at home here.
We spent the morning going round the gardens at Tatton Park, a quick snack lunch then did the house in the afternoon.
Then prosecco in their beautiful garden, an early supper and off to the Green Room Theatre in Wilmslow to see a production of “Mrs Warrens Profession” which was well done. Gentle stroll home on a wonderfully balmy evening
I hope everybody else is enjoying their BH weekend too!

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After yesterday’s excitement of the Tour de Yorkshire passing by today was a day to be out and about a bit further afield. So a walk by a river followed by an amble beside some Abbey ruins, both in glorious sunshine then later on a bit of a garden tidy up in the cool of the evening. Phew no wonder I’m tired now, albeit in a satisfying sort of way but enjoying sitting in the conservatory watching the bats dart by.

soop I very much suspect that you are one of those women who look elegant with any hairstyle! Hope your paintings are progressing as you’d hoped.

It’s annoying when that happens charleygirl and so unnecessary too when something can fit through the letterbox anyway. I hope the book was worth waiting for!

Hope you’re journey went smoothly maw. Someone I know used to put a photo of his late wife on the passenger seat if he was doing a long drive. He said it helped him feel less alone.

Lovely photos, greyduster I do love a nice woodland walk, especially at this time of the year. Actually if I’m honest, at any time of the year! It wasn’t nearest my reservoir, this is a bit more of a drive but always worth it as it’s a good walk. Don’t think they fish on it as there’s a sailing club there so lots of boating activity at weekends.

callgirl and alygran for you both.

Right I’m off to scrub my hands yet again. I’ve a selection
of gardening gloves of various sorts but do I ever remember to put them on before I start grubbing around? No I don’t, hence the mucky mitts.

Wishing you all a restful and refreshing nights sleep. x

soop I do not think that the delivery man even bothered last night at 6.30pm because tonight the fellow dropped the slim package through my letterbox. I was pleased it had arrived but cross I had lost two days. It is very difficult to get through to Amazon and I doubt if anything would be done- until now I have been lucky.

The weather has been glorious and I was stuck indoors- never mind many others are worse off.

Until tomorrow...my best wishes to all our Granspals. Enjoy your evening.

Harri Is your throat responding to the ice cream prescription? Typing the word ^ice cream* has made my mouth water. I must remember to buy a few of those special choc ices - the name of which escapes me.

Charleyg If I were you, I would tell Amazon that I was peeved. I'm willing to bet that the delivery man was in a hurry to get home. Not good enough!

kitty Ref the hair. MacSporran likes it whichever way I wear it. Such a gent.

Maw I also hope that your visit is going according to plan. The weather is most definitely improving. I shall spend some time sitting in the garden tomorrow.

callgirl1 David is never too far away. In fact, his spirit lives on in you and his girls.

That's an entire afternoon spent sketching the two collies. I am hopeful that when I take a look at the sketch tomorrow, I shall feel suitably impressed and confident enough to apply the first wash.

Luckygirl Your friend is obviously very fond of you. Her pain will be expertly managed. I wish her peace. So sorry that you have to go through this saddest of time.

Sorry that I cannot stay right now. Grandson-in-law has asked me to paint a portrait of two dogs - they belong to his best mate who has a special birthday coming up. Naturally, the sketch is not going as planned. Par for the course. I shall return to the drawing board and hope for inspiration.

Back again a little later.

Oops soop I did not realise that was young Mila.

I stayed in all day yesterday waiting for a parcel from Amazon, a book, which I am sure would have fitted through the letterbox or the cat flap. I received an email mid evening saying that they could not deliver at 6pm. I was indoors watching the local election result and the doorbell did not ring so I do not know where the fellow attempted to deliver. I was not happy.

How sad, Lucky!

Callgirl an understandable slip to make but it must have upset you.

Lovely baby soop and lovely soop too. I envy your hair. I can't grow mine at all and it's a straight as a die. What does macS think?.

Sending love Maw - I'm not keen on going very far these days. Enjoy your visit.

Hope the throat is feeling better Harri.

soop -love that baby! - and the hair.

Dreadful day here - in between looking after DGS all day and fetching DGD from school, I had to fetch a very dear friend to take her to the hospice for her first appointment there - she has had cancer for 7 years.

Last week she had a major haemorrhage and was in hospital for several days. Today I arrived at her home and she was not there - door open, TV on etc. I searched the house in great trepidation, worried that she might be somewhere bleeding. No friend there. After a complicated saga of trying to get through to her OH and son, they rang the hospital and she had been taken in by ambulance shortly before I had arrived. She is very poorly with severe bleeding.

I am torn between wanting her to get better and not wanting her to go on suffering. She calls me "the sister I never had." Very sad.

Lovely pic of you and Mila. Soop, your hair is lovely as it is, it suits YOU and your face.
I had a moment earlier, Lynne said someone where we used to live had posted a photo on Facebook from their schooldays in the 50s, and it was David`s old primary school, about the time he was there, but he wasn`t on the photo. Lynne was reeling off the names of those in the pic, and I said "I don`t recognise the names, ask your dad if he knew them."
Last time Mia went to the cattery it was for a week, and she didn`t eat for the first 3 days. This time Dawn took her, and said she went to the food and started eating straightaway.

It's time for me to log off until tomorrow. The weather is improving steadily and I have high hopes of a sunny weekend for most of us. Thank you for your company. I shall return tomorrow.

Fennel You are kind. I'm trawling through suitable hairstyles for over 70s and almost all of the styles are cropped. I like Judy Dench's pixie look. I wore the very style in my twenties and thirties. A bit too drastic perhaps!

Yes your hair is lovely, Soop. The curliness lifts it and it still looks bouncy.
Bonny babe too.

Charleyg That is Mila Johanna.

Hello Pittcity* I am dithering about whether or not to go for a more manageable hairstyle. Thing is, the hair, 'though plentiful, is extremely fine. We women do fret about such matters, especially when the wrinkles put in an appearance.

He is looking so pensive in that photo- as handsome as always.

soop Tara does not have much choice as there is only me!

What a face! (the baby, not you soop).
I think your hair suits you as it is.

a photo to share. Our granddaughter sent it just today.

I really must have a decent hair cut.

callgirl1 Not to sure about adding video. Ask the management. Said hello to David. The campsite is packed and the sun is shining.

Alygran and Maw Your feelings are perfectly natural because there is no right or wrong way to feel. You feel as you do...for as long as it takes. A comforting virtual hug for both of you.

Charleyg Tara is a mummy's girl just as Rory was a daddy's boy

A sunny good afternoon to you lovely lot. I've been printing pics of the family gathering. Two lots of ink have run out. Bah!!!

harrigran A sore throat is a miserable thing. Keep eating the ice cream. You know that it makes sense.

Thanks for hint with ice cream, I had two lots yesterday and jelly. I had triple action Strepsils which helped with the soreness, I now feel as if there is a large pebble lodged in my throat but I am okay. Endoscopist would be better suited to working for Dyno-rod, for a little woman she heavy handed.
Been to GD's school for a guided tour, lovely experience and nice to see where our money is being spent.