Soop's comfortable, cosy, friendly kitchen...

Thank you for the extra greetings x
My meal out with the family tonight was lovely, but whilst we were there the heavens opened, and so I think did the pub roof, water was POURING in! There were 3 poor beggars rushing around with mops and buckets. Methinks they`re going to have to sink some of their profits into having a new roof.
That looks delicious Maw, hope it reaches it`s destination safely and in one piece!

Morning all! Just popping in to admire that healthy looking baking Maw - enjoy your day today. Enjoy you theatre visit too. How strange that anno is going too!!

I'm sorry your meal was interrupted call. I hope it didn't spoil things for you. Last night we went to a highly acclaimed Italian restaurant with my brother and his wife and the service was appalling. We didn't sit down until nearly 45 minutes after our booked time by staff who were fairly bad tempered about having to be reminded. We complained and got a third off the bill so felt somewhat vindicated but I doubt we will return.

Glad you escaped from the botanical gardens, gd! It is Bertie's tournament - a sort of end of season jamboree and fund raising event. I thought I had done with that particular experience but it appears not!

Hope you are doing well panache and have more information.

C’mon Kitty you know you love it, and he’ll play ten times better for having you there ?!

`Morning my fellow kitcheners,an absolute beautiful day here around our western coastline,perfect blue skies...........I think it fair to say summer has arrived in all its glory!

Whilst yes, so have those darned tractors with farmers busily catching up with their sileage.

Very frustrated as we still have not managed to contact the Surgeon who completed this operation, so now a few irate letters have been written and sent off.
There are some uncomfortable and weird “happenings” within my body and of course, although guessing they are the result of this E.R.C.P.........I need evidence that this is so,if not........ then indeed I have other problems!

Whey!........... Isn`t life one big question mark?!

Loving hearing of life in our kitchen, whilst stand thrilled with both the garden pictures and the edibles that keep me licking my lips!

Whilst admiring your talent soop,I was reasonably good at art when in school (and that was soooooooooo long ago I can hardly recall!!) I wonder am I still capable of giving it a go?.
I certainly need a few new hobbies and please kitchen friends..........DO NOT mention anything with a needle!

As for all those works of art in forms of cakes, you really do make me so ashamed.Yes once upon a time I too was a sort of hostest with the mostest,and we entertained friends quite a lot, but somewhere along with the passage of time, that got lost on the way...........Whilst actually my DH and I rarely eat anything resembling a cake nowadays
Were I needing one, yes Ann60 I too would be following in your footsteps.

I no longer have the expertice or patience..........perhaps in plain English I am just too darn idle!!

Gardening was an absolute joy from the design,the creating, to the day to day care..........I can honestly say I have been there,done that and worn out many a T.Shirt in the process!

However our almost acre here has us almost beat, sad to say, now that my man has also developed a life threatening illness.
So as soon as I am truly back on my feet this place goes back onto the Market yet again and already I am in dread of the place being invaded by those viewers looking through every nook and cranny.
However common sense has to prevail.

My personal "garden" at the moment consists of a window box and 4 urns of bedding plants...........just to keep my fingers “in the soil” and we have some sweet peas that my man is nurturing just like a young babe..............
Whilst the grass is lush and ever growing as our many hedges that need their trim.
So whilst living here we cannot really afford to be lazy that is for sure!!!

Time I was not here and made way for all of you as you troop through these hallowed kitchen doors.

Am counting down those days for you Ann60,and my word............... I hope you will sap up the peace and rest to your heart`s content.You know you have our every blessing.

Sending blessings to all,may the more "fragile" find new strengths and for the hale and hearty ?............. may your day be a delight,made up of all those things you enjoy the most.......
See you soon. and for all.

Panache if your man is nurturing sweet peas, you do realise they will indeed be his ‘babies’ until the last fading flower. Last summer, DH ‘won’ a lavender growing kit at a church fete. It was, basically, just a little bag of compost and a packet of seeds! I was quite scathing in my disdain when he said he was going to grow them. Wrong time of year; didn’t know how long the seeds had been kicking around, no chance, blah, blah. But he went ahead, and sure enough, this year we had thirteen lovely healthy plants, now all in individual pots. He got very excited this week when they produced flower stalks; came running in from the garden like a new father, I fully expected him to hand out cigars!! I gave two of the plants to my daughter, who is notorious for killing every plant that falls into her hands through benign neglect! “She’d better look after them! If she doesn’t, I’ll bring them home. I will be checking!” he said. Hmm! ?

Thanks Greyduster.............. to be forewarned gives me the opportunity to "fight back" as it were, for true enough already he treats these fragile growths as if they were new born babes!!

Mind you that gives me "free time" to do my thing!!

Before I catch up...the latest photo of the great grandchildren. Awww!

Facial expressions
One says Great, lets go for it!
The other, Well, I'm not so sure.

Seems pretty quiet in the kitchen. JOKE! You lot never seem to stop for a breather, I'm worn out trying to play catch-up.

Thank you for all your news and views. You brighten my day, together with the sun that is shining and encouraging every living thing to bloom after the gentle rain that fell overnight.

The sea is flat calm. There is barely a breath of a breeze. I can hear the low throb of the engine of the ferry as it travels towards Islay.

My afternoon will be devoted to painting a portrait of a Highland coo. I love the moment when I'm presented with the pristine paper and the creative juices start to flow.

Aww indeed soop. How adorable are they?

Summer still seems to be in Somerset, miraculous after all the grey weather.

Trying to get my head around some legalese, woke at 3 thinking about it so head like mouldy cotton wool. Just had a sit in the garden, cool breeze, lovely sunshine. Good just to relax a bit.

The rose is scented soop, not overpoweringly so, just right.

Hope you can get some answers panache: sounds as if you need to rest a bit. Your comment on tractors reminded me of my Dad putting his head around the door to tell me he was just off down the lane I travelled to work and if I wanted to go I’d best go - now. There was many a breakfast-less morning for me . Isn’t it odd how memories are triggered?

I’m hoping bertie is having fun and kitty has found enjoyment in her day. To be fair not one I would relish, but then things we don’t expect to enjoy often surprise us.

Your lavender description made me smile grey. I’m about to attempt basil and parsley from seed, but I truly don’t think they will be overly nurtured. I’m also of the benign neglect school of gardening.

Take care everyone.

Soop those two are gorgeous!
Panache you are always a joy to read

Panache I do hope you get answers from your surgeon very soon

I suddenly feel quite unwell this afternoon. I had two aural migraines today and seem to be getting them regularly. So I am ordered to stay still. Himself is in the kitchen making soup and I can hear a lot of grunting and ouching going on, so there might be bits of fingers in the soup. Bacon, bean and finger end soup. Could catch on. Not.....
soop the babes are lovely! Young Teddy already has that "women, eh?" look on his face!
I thought I would post a picture I took yesterday in the BG rose garden. The statue is called "Pan, spirit of the woods" and when GS was small we used to walk round and round it looking at all the mice, frogs, rabbits, birds, squirrels and myriad other creatures on its base. I love it. Wish it was a better picture. Off to shut my eyes for a bit.

Greyduster I can almost hear the water slashing from the fountain. Beautiful photo. This garden must be a haven of peace and calm.
I do not like the sound of your unwellness. Please rest and return to give us an update a little later.

That should have been splashing.

Those babies are lovely soop
Teddy is going to be a real character, it shows in all the photographs you have posted and the gorgeous little girl ,whose name I have forgotten, will be at his side , egging him on but playing no part.

Thank you, Ann. The wee girl is Mila Johanna (Dutch father) pronounced Meela with a soft J for her second name. She wears a huge grin on every photo that I've seen of her recently. Edward has a different expression to suit the occasion.
I'm hoping that you are with your friends. Time for you to relax a little in readiness for your husband's forthcoming short period of respite care.

The weather is wonderful. We are about to venture into the garden with a cup of tea. Yesterday's attempt was thwarted within moments. The midges were on their worst behaviour.

I shall log off now. I hope to return in the morning. Please take good care of yourselves.

What a great pair of infants, soop. Nice that they can get together at this stage and hopefully they will grow to be great companions. Hope you're able to watch the French tennis, soop. I'm watching Djokovic playing against Verdasco whose name always reminds me of some kind of sparkling wine, but need to go out and get the bedlinen off the line. Isn't it lovely to have had so many days when the washing could go out in the sunshine!

Afternoon all !
I am guilty of being absent due to the return of super sunshine here !!

Lovely pictures soop as always !

Sorry to hear you’re not feeling so well Grey ! Hope that passes quickly !

We had a small complaint about our room here so we needed to change . The process was lengthy and we lost a few hours holiday !

I’m obviously a great complainer lol because we were invited to dine at their award winning steak house , they gave us $400 to spend and when we returned to our room after dinner they had left us champagne and chocolate covered strawberries !!

We haven’t stopped celebrating yet :-)

Well done n&g. Be careful or we will all be seeking complaining tactics from you. .

Pleased you have sunshine. I’ve retreated indoors, too warm out there. Not that I complain

Take care everyone.

Hello everyone - I’m back! Here is a box of baklava - just don’t tell Panache that I have developed a taste for it with vanilla ice cream. Don’t think I will be visiting the diet support thread for a day or two!
Anyone remember Joan Armatrading? I am listening to her new album which is great and is taking me back to my heydays ?

Welcome back janed I will help myself if you don't mind Lovely cuddly babies soop. Lovely photo
panache hope you are getting better today
? Hello all the kitcheners. We have had sunshine all day now just had a torrential downpour. Hope no one has their BBQ ruined. ?

What gorgeous babies Soop! Just delicious ???
Sorry you are poorly Greyduster get you to bed and do nowt and that’s an order!
I hope everybody else has had a lovely day. I went down to London to have lunch with my wee boyfriend who was in entirely top form, charming the pants off DD’s godmother as well as me.
Then he stripped off and messed about in the paddling pool looking like a wee cherub.
A bit hot and frazzled after the motorway home but cooling off nicely with Hattie stretched out at my feet.
God is indeed good ? ?

Pleased for you Maw

After all the rain we’ve had here you won't find me complaining about the sun either Corner .

I’m a ‘kind’ complainer as I find you get more action with honey than vinegar?

Pass the baklava Jane ...I won’t tell!!

Sounds like a lovely day Maw. I can wait to see our lot!

We’ve started our pack and are stunned to find we have some space ,so you know what that means don’t you?

I’m off to the shops!