Soop's friendly kitchen

I think you lot know I'm busy on Tuesdays and Wednesdays and do all sorts of things just to give me loads to catch up on (with which to catch up? )

I have warned Leicestershire and Rutland Councils and I think everything is tied down and ready for the invasion. I'll assess the damage after the weekend!

The baby photos are gorgeous and the Grandmothers are very glamorous! I can't wait for our next, and probably last, baby due in flipping October - DD seems to have been pregnant for ever already. She is going to find out what variety it is next week. Her partner wants a boy, she's convinced it's a girl and I think Bertie would love a little brother.

The weather is being a real pain round here too, GD. I went out with just a big jumper on this morning and shivered my way round Sainsbury's. Enjoy the football - I don't think I ever remember one when I wasn't frozen - or a cricket match either. The things we do.

N&G, I have that slogan on a mug given to me by DS1. I think he is fairly awesome so I must have done well!!

Anyone seen Ann?

We are redoing a bit of our garden and have just bought a nice new bit of trellis which was too big for our car and, therefore, needed to be delivered. As it was coming today, and Dh and I are both in and out on Thursdays, the instructions given to the driver were to leave it under the carport. Both of us were home for lunch, DH went out to do his stint of volunteering and found the trellis just leaning against the FRONT of the house.

Anyway, now I've got that off my chest, enjoy your trip to my bit of the world soop and I hope your journeys both ways are uneventful. Give us a wave as you go through our village!

Charleyg Yep! I have shown our friends where the hoover and dusters live. I'm not silly.

I've been stranded in the bath for what seemed like an age. Still no pump fitted to enable the water flow to the shower to operate efficiently. Dared to believe that I could easily manage getting into and out of the bath. Wrong! I couldn't get out. MacSporran had to strip off and tried to reassure me that he could lift me into a standing position. I was in a panic fearing he would hurt himself. At one point I slipped and banged the base of my spine. Eventually trusted MacS to assist me and not damage himself. It was awful. I did tell someone that I didn't need grab handles on the bath...because...wait for it...I was not elderly. Serves me right.

kitty I call that a buggeration. Do some folk not have any common sense?

I hope that you will all be taking good care of yourselves (and each other) in my absence. Should you need a new kitchen, please will the last caller do the honours. I shouldn't think so BUT you lot never stop for a breather.

Our house-sitters have arrived. Sun is shining for them. I shall show them where the hoover and the strimmer live.

Big hugs all round. Especially for ann and those with stresses to deal with.

Hello all.
I am not coping very well, it is very hard work, my D has come today until Sunday, she was really upset at the change in her Dad, she saw him the week before Easter and she is shocked at the change.
She doesn't believe I will cope for much longer, we need a
Plan B.

Oh, ann! What can I say except to pray for a Plan B? I'm glad your daughter is there. All the best

soop, have a smashing time! I know you will ?. Oh, and "safe journeyings" ? ? ?

I’m so sorry ann, I feel more than sad for you. Sending love and hope.

ann I am so sorry for all you are going through. I know it's not much help but seeing my dear SIL go through the same without any help all I can say is it will pass. Peace will come and happy memories of your time together will come back to you when the troubles you are going through now have been overcome. Please consider that Plan B should be a care home for your DH. My dear SIL was totally against the idea until it became apparent there was no other choice. It was not easy (she and my DB were very much in love and she felt she owed him to care for him at home). In truth, life was better for them BOTH when he went into a home. The care home was fantastic. They cared for my brother and gave him all the time and attention he needed leaving him and my SIL to spend quality time together (which they did). No one can tell you what to do ann but I hope a solution is found for you all, including your DH, where you can all have some peace. I am still praying for your family and all you are going through, I hope life is better for you soon x

soop hope I am not to late to wish you a lovely time. Get there and home safely.

My heart goes out to you Ann, hard times and even harder choices to make. I’m glad your dd is around to offer some support. Stay strong
I know what you mean about babies looking “finished” n&g. Yes we had a few fairly grim years with two of our dds, I’m amazed and proud of the responsible, conscientious and thoughtful young women they eventually became! Also how strict they can be with their children, hmm!

Looking at those photos of the lovely Max remind me of our girls who all had a mop of dark hair at birth, our son, who now keeps his hair shorter than short, not so much...is there a connection there I wonder?
Yes it is indeed the south coast callgirl in my photos, the coast near Seaford and the gardens are Nyman's.

I’m away to watch a bit of diversionary tv, after a teary conversation with youngest dd, she of the broken heart, I’m feeling a bit sad myself. Whoever it was who said a mother is only as happy as her unhappiest child got it spot on in my book.

Oh dear Ann60% I am sorry to hear this but not entirely surprised. Hoping it might have been a bad day talking rather than every day though.
As you are self funding, why not buy in more time?
More visits, not just getting up and bedtime, but a “OH sitting” break for an hour an afternoon or two a week, more domestic help, or a rota of family to keep OH company. If residential care is Plan B that is a pricey one unless your OH qualifies for Continuing Care I.e. nursing care rather than personal. There should be more “post stroke” support too, not just dementia care.
Try the Alzheimer’s Society as well as the District Nurse service at your health centre for pointing in the right direction.
Thinking of you.

So sorry that things are still not good Ann, hopefully your Plan B won`t cost you an arm and a leg, but you definitely need a Plan B, and soon.
Soop, hopefully you`ll take a quick peek before you leave tomorrow, so may I say, please DO have the most wonderful time with your family. Why not get them all to come up to Kintyre next time?
Mia has been ignoring and avoiding me for the past 8 hours..............I trod on her tail, so I don`t really blame her, all my weight on that poor little appendage!

Just a quick visit to give Ann a big hug and to say please listen to Maw - she has been there!

And talk to your gp about you and get the Alzheimer's Society on-board.

Enjoy your trip soop - the weather round here is not good so bring wellies!

callgirl Mia obviously needs a warm, loving home where she will not be trodden on. I did this once to Tara who was sleeping outside the bathroom door and having a black back coat I did not see her. She stays well clear of me now.

Afternoon all !

Sorry I missed you soop , safe journey and enjoy your wonderful get together. I'm looking forward to the pictures !!

The ultrasound was completed in amazing time. I got there about 30 mins early, didn't even sit down in the waiting room , whisked through and was back in the car 10 mins BEFORE my appointment time !! That's what I call service.

So sorry things are not going well ann - I hope you can find a way forward that works for you both.

I got the dreaded letter this morning telling me I needed a PIP assessment. It looks like a minefield and I am not looking forward to it one bit. So if anyone has any words of wisdom please drop them my way.

The weather is now chilly and wet !! No fun at all....so if anyone has some sunshine please send it my way xx

Sitting on the seafront at Margate - new territory for me.! DD’s hen party tonight

Jane sitting on the seafront at Margate? I am indoors in London having just switched the heating on. It is perishing here.

Perishing here in Cheshire too! I've had to put my vest on again!
Ann60 I really hope you get a solution to your situation, asap. Unfortunately sometimes it takes an incident before proper help is forthcoming.

Perishing here too! Good thing I kept some winter woollies out.
After I had waved Paws sisters and brother off early this morning on their way to niece’s opening at Tate Liverpool I read the paper and then went back to bed
Didn’t wake up until 11 and felt so much better for it.
Honestly this weather today just makes you want to hibernate! I had hoped to go to Castle Ashby arboretum and orangery but the rain was relentless so drank tea at a friend’s instead.
Please, please may the ☀️ come back.
Hope Soop and MacSporran have had a safe and uneventful journey and have a wonderful time.

It was warmer outside our house than in it today. Outside max/min thermometer said max temp in the shade was 12.4°. Warmer in the sun, natch. This means summer has begun. It may well get cold again—probably will in fact.

Our boiler has conked out. We'd already booked the boiler man to come and replace it but he isn't coming till June.

Just as well it's summer then ?

Maw I do not think we are likely to see any sun for at least a week. I did not think that I would be switching the heating on during the day- it is almost May.

I did a fair bit of de-cluttering today- I only hope I am in the mood again tomorrow.

Every year on May Day the village schoolchildren dance round the Maypole on the village green which we overlooked in our old house. Before we moved in , the vendors had sent us a picture of the Maypole dancing, presumably to whet our appetite and to a man/woman, the spectators (Mums and Dads I expect) were swathed in raincoats, ponchos, scarves and umbrellas. The poor little children wore cagoules over their shorts or dresses and it was only the fact they were moving which presumably prevented hypothermia!
In the 30+ years we have lived here I can remember some, but only a few, warm sunny mornings for the May Day celebrations ?
I realise that this year the BH is a week later, but nobody told the weather ☔️☔️☔️☔️

Evening All. Tipping down here for most of the day too. Pain that’s for sure. We were minding a neighbours very edgy adopted dog this morning. Hasn’t been mistreated but is understandably anxious about being away from the familiar. He enjoys a walk, so off we went in a veritable monsoon. The dog loved it .

Then on to a somewhat scratchy meeting before Granny detail. Guess who fell off the edge of the path and landed in a heap in the doorway scaring her unsuspecting grandchild witless? Fortunately Mr C was summoned to provide the necessary crane. Few bruises but no major harm other than to my dignity.

I’m due a foray into the loft tomorrow, watch this space .

We’ve also had the heating on today, charlie, well the dog was cold after the walk in the rain . Hope your boiler repair can be brought forward, baggs, no fun being cold.

My Mum would have said ‘if you slept you needed it’ maw, suspect it was one of the many things she was right about. Agree with you, wish the sun would return.

That’s the sort of hospital appointment to have n&g, sorry can’t help with your PIP assessment. Someone will soon I’m sure.

Best get some sleep, I do need to get in the loft tomorrow morning, no chance once the day gets going. Safer after sleep I suspect.

Take care everyone.

Well corner if you can fall off a path the mind boggles what can happen to you in a loft! I hope that the loft is floored so that you do not put a foot through a ceiling.

The first tidy place in this house is my loft which is empty and then my garden shed which is so tidy I am so proud.

I was in the mood yesterday to de- clutter so my living room is like a minefield today.

Judging from the weather forecast you will not be sunbathing in your garden anytime soon but of course you could wield a hoover around and do some spring cleaning. Do it gently, a little each day and the month of May will flash by. You will then be in the mood to have a go here- that is two months sorted!

It is raining and cold here so I am about to switch on the heating I think. At this rate I will be looking for work to pay the bills. Still, the longest day is not far away!!!

Right, here is the reason the weather is so bally awful at the moment. We have just bought a barbecue! Or at least, we have a box with bits of barbecue in it (I hope). There doesn’t seem to be any rush to put it together until, say, mid August, the way things are going!
My son is coming to lunch today. We are having chicken curry - if he gets here on time. If not, they will be rushing off to the football and I will be having chicken curry (why did the iPad just interpret that as ‘children’ curry?? No children were harmed in the making of this curry!!). After that I have the luxury of an afternoon to myself and as it doesn’t look as if any gardening is on the cards I will couple a visit to the library with a little retail therapy!
Corner I hope you don’t suffer any delayed effects from your slip off the path - surprising how these things can come back and bite you on the rear!
Charley our heating went back on this morning. I refused to get out of bed until it did!
It has to warm up soon - I haven’t been fishing yet this year. I shall have forgotten how to do it!

I’m so glad you’ve bought a barbecue, gd. I ordered a new table and chairs for the garden last night and felt slightly concerned that I’d be held responsible if this b****y awful weather doesn’t clear up.....but now I know it’ll be all because of your barbecue purchase I feel much better! Now children and curry....that’s taking things to a whole new level!

Charley I have to admit that I share your concern about corner and her loft activities! We shall wait an update with interest.

Off to see dd2 and her crew this afternoon to hear all about their holiday in sunny Spain Enjoy the rest of your Saturday everyone.