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

Thank you annsixty. You are in a total rock/hard place situation and the only advice that can be of any use to you is the practical sort. As for the rest? Bon courage!
Sorry we didn’t get to meet last week but I hope there will be other opportunities.

I`ve been absent from the kitchen quite a bit recently, apologies, but between us my eldest daughter and I have had a good few medical appointments and district nurse visits, I always seem to be waiting for someone or getting ready to go somewhere. I have read all the posts, but haven`t got the memory power to comment on everything, so please forgive me.
Firstly, there`ve been some beautiful photos, scenic and baby wise. Mila and Edward John seem like very happy babies, and Jackson and Cooper look their usual, cheerful selves.
Annsixty, you deserved your respite so very much, so I hope you`ve enjoyed the rest, despite missing your husband.
MawB, I`m so sorry that you`re feeling so down, things will get better, I promise, but the feelings don`t go away, just recede a little into the background. Since I got a 7 year backpay on my pension, I decided to have some much needed work done on the house. I`m pleased with it all, but then I get such feelings of guilt because David is never going to see or get any pleasure from it all. So all my best to you, chin up!
Now, to end on a happy little note, here`s Max, aged nearly 8 weeks.

Morning all. Just popping in before the children get up.

Have a huge hug, maw, and be gentle with yourself today. Love to everyone else who is missing someone today. And of course Ann.

The kittens are feeling well!

I'll try to call back later - if I'm capable.

Good Morning to our lovely kitchen people.

I too seemed to have been “missing” or perhaps giving you all a rest from my long monologues...........take your pick!!!
Needless to add I have now caught up with all that is happening..........I dare not blink or I shall miss out!

It is only by reading and taking to heart other`s writings and the way life is dealing with them that it strikes home how most of us need to count our many blessings,life can change for ever in a flash,and you then have to carry on........ but never in the same way.

I am particularly touched by your account Maw,I have not been in your position so I won`t add I know how you are feeling,because I don`t.However I have a strong sense of these odd moments..........and much longer than mere moments...........when you feel your heart breaking all over again..... for the great loss you have suffered quite recently.
You come over very staunch and brave and I am sure those are descriptions that fit you like a glove,but love and loss can change you or perhaps add that extra dimension of that softer edge, and yes I feel very much when I hear you are having those very sad moments... with just Hattie comforting you.
But please remember you have all of us lot thinking and caring for you too.

Ann60 you too, are again in a very dubious position right now, and it takes great courage and willpower to force yourself to deal with a situation of, yes, having your H,but he is not exactly the H you married and so of course there is a great deal of pain............in being with him as a carer ............and again being without him.,when you think you should still be there at his side.
Tough times indeed.
I take my proverbial hat off to you ladies and I only hope I too could find what you both have, if ever I am faced with a similar position.

On to pleasant pastures.
Although the weather sent us rain yesterday actually by the time our viewers arrived, the rain had stopped though still rather grey.
A delightful couple whom have travelled and lived in most areas of Britain, though the wife is originally from a farm just miles from here.
They once lived in the Mull of Kintyre soop................and had a mooring for their boat .......they were overawed with the scenery, but found they were just fair weather sailors!!
They now live in Lincolnshire.

Very impressed with what we had to offer though of course they have a week of viewings so no immediate news...........they are themselves in the fortunate position of having 2 purchasers for their property!!!

However we were in luck for our own afternoon viewing of this Apartment in a Retirement Complex in Tenby..........the sun shone and the town was fairly bustling with sun tanned bodies!

The apartment is everything we want at this stage,lovely in fact and in good order..... set back in its own manicured grounds, just a hop and skip from the beach and most amenities.It has no forward chain either.

So I think it is time to truly start praying!!!

I am absolutely bushed this morning,all this activity and thinking is really taking away any little strength I have!!!
So to all of those whom I have not mentioned, please know I wish you a very pleasant weekend,hope that life is treating you all kindly.......... and as a bonus the weather is “playing ball!!”.

See you soon.

That’s what I call a “Bonny baby” Callgirl - he’d bring a smile to anybody’s face! ?

I do love the baby photos.

The nagging has definitely worked. I had pieces of lovely spicy chicken for lunch and for supper I had prawn Bhuna, both courtesy of M&S. The last dish is one of those which is too much for one portion but insufficient for two. I did enjoy it.

Today it will be an egg sandwich for lunch and the remainder of the prawn Bhuna for supper. I know it is not much but it is a start. I cannot cope with toast for breakfast also but that should improve with time.

A friend came yesterday but I am not sure what good it did me because all I heard were her aches and pains and she even half stripped to show me where the latest one was! Not quite what I had wanted. Anyway she did make the effort to get here.

Another GN is popping in today- I am really looking forward to that visit. It is handy that she lives fairly close by.

I had to laugh at your visitor “stripping off” to show you her poorly bits Charleygirl!
Nothing like a captive audience, is there? Pity the vicar didn’t choose that moment to drop by! Seriously though, a bit insensitive of her.
I have to admit I am totally squeamish about other people’s wounds/scars/bruises etc - never have made a doctor or nurse.
Glad you are eating properly, or at least starting too. You have inspired me to get a pack of “flatiron steak” out of the freezer . Not sure what it is, but if I don’t like it I know somebody who will.....?

callgirl, your wee Max is a fine little boy. Funny how soon they stop looking like little babies, isn't it? He has a magnificent head of hair!
soop, you must have been consuming that 'shrink' potion from 'Alice in Wonderland'. You are completely dwarfed by that lush vegetation in your garden. Mind you, in my wilderness, my three roses have climbed very high to avoid the clutter of the rest of the garden. I have to crane my neck to see them. Drastic pruning will be needed this autumn.
It has gone quite calm here today. The weather app on my phone tells me that thunder may be expected, but so far the clouds are high with a hint of brightness above them. There's even a bit of blue sky but is it enough 'to patch a sailor's pants'?

Been thinking of you charley and sharing healing vibes! I really believe decent food helps the mending
process.
Last night was the first I 've spent alone since my accident which means DD and DGD are backing off a little now that they finally believe I can cope with most things.
I am still using the walking frame but putting very little weight on it. It has become a very useful trolley and had enabled me to carry things to and fro.
Next step (literally) is mastering the confident use of a stick and getting outside.
Hoping that grannygravy is also on the mend.
Ps (Predictive text just changed grannygravy to heartbeat. That's a good one!)

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Morning all !!

Had a lovely day yesterday when our eldest daughter and the two big kids came to surprise Grampy for an early Fathers Day surprise !!

A good time was had by all !

Maybelle our trip to the garden centre resulted in 2 new planters, some veggie pots on legs for me to grown stuff and a lot of trailing petunias and geraniums. I think we've left it a bit late to be fair as there wasn't much choice but with our holiday being long we didn't want to buy stuff to die !

I don't think its moaning *maw, I think its being honest about how you feel rather than the standard , British , stiff upper lip response of ' I'm fine' ….so moan away :-)

N&G doesn't sound bad Ann when you say it fast...sounds like energy !! LOL

Its not all the time *Charley but when he gets hot and bothered on a long walk he does dribble a bit so the bandana has come in useful. He's feeling much better at present and send you his best wishes !!

Loving the photos soop , radiates happiness doesn't it?

Jackson would LIKE to be a Fortnite devotee Grey but his supervised visits are few and far between . However Stevie is allowed to play with various caveats and I made him a tshirt so obviously Jackson had to have one too !!

How did the kitten cuddling go ( or not go Kitty . I don't know much about kitten litters but puppy litters are handled from the get go , dog mums are generally tolerant .

I'm so sad that your few days respite reminded you of how things could be and that you don't sound as rested as I would have hoped. Such a sad dilemma Ann , we think of you often and hope there are at least a ray or two of sunshine still brightens your day.

As it is Fathers Day here. Grampy will be cooking dinner !! It is mild payback for a Mothers day comment when I asked where my card was , and was told 'I'm not your son'! Ergo...He's not my Dad :-) . I'm a firm believer in what goes around comes around !!

So Grampy is extending the garden today Ive sent a before and after picture...

Wow in the time it took me to write my post loads more were added...back later to catch up on those !!

Here’s another one who isn’t eating. I’ve had one meal since returning on Sunday. That was just cold chicken and I had violent diarrhoea after it!
I’ve lost 11bsin the last few weeks.
I just have no appetite. If I try to cook my back kills me.
Well, at 13st 9lbs I’m hardly wasting away!

My lounge. Guess who’s visiting?

OMG Galen in my present state I will not be popping in as I would probably break a leg trying to negotiate my way to a comfy chair.

I am assuming that the bombshell took around 5 minutes to achieve! How do they manage it and I doubt if the darling will clear up!

Like you Galen I have enough adipose tissue to keep me going for a while. I also will not waste away overnight.

Looks familiar!
Hadn't realised how much I 've missed the GC mess over the last 3 weeks.
For us, that's a long gap between visits!

Thank you, corner

Maybelle Would it be rude of me to ask...any strawberry flan begging for a taster? If so, I volunteer.

Maw aggie and ann May your day be filled with simple pleasures. If I could call by and offer you companionship, I surely would.

Hello Marydoll, I often think of the friendly chat we shared in Edinburgh. Sending you my good wishes.

I have left everything until the last minute, I was going to achieve so much.
In the first week I cleared out the " junk wardrobe" ,the one holding files, briefcases, holiday souvenirs which all seem a good idea at the time, now gone.
That was the sum total.
So today, 2 days before he comes home, I have changed H's bed, washes the linen, cleared out his temporary bedroom (the dining room) and it is now all shipshape.
I then cleared out 2 kitchen cupboards, in the process dumping 5 useless salt grinders.
I just started thinking about getting some lunch when Sainsbury's rang to ask if it would be convenient to deliver my grocery order almost immediately instead of between 2 and 3pm , so that is delivered and put away.
I may now have a nap instead of lunch.

callgirl1 It's lovely to have you back with us lot. Max is a beautiful, bonny baby. He has a fine head of hair., as is yours.

Thank you, Panache your posts are always thoughtful and kind.
Although we live on the Kintyre peninsula, we are about forty miles north of the Mull. Our view looks towards the inner Hebridean islands of Jura, Islay and Gigha. On a good day we can see Mull.

Charleyg You are doing well. No need for a gentle nag today.

anno The plant that I'm overjoyed to have growing in our garden is the Burdock. I'm 5' 1" and it towers over me. There is a second magnificent specimen in the woodland at the rear of our home. Both have been given TLC as the wild wind of late was bending them alarmingly. MacSporran* climbed the fence to reach the plant in the woodland. We were having an early morning brew and I said that I feared the stem would snap. MacS reacted accordingly. Bless him.

mcem Well done. I find that an elbow crutch gives me the best support. My crutch is a royal shade of purple. Very classy.

Loved reading your post, N&G.

Galen Your room looks like child heaven. It's fun. It will all be tidied away in the fullness of time. I'm sorry to hear that you are feeling off colour. Remember to keep hydrated.

Our great grandson with his adoring daddy. I shall print and frame this.

Sorry soop the flan was doing well, completely untouched and I had plan to send it to the cafe this afternoon, then the family turned up and it is very much depleted !
Scraps and a dab of cream is that remains and DH was muttering about that doing nicely for supper . . .
anno used to love drinking dandelion and burdock when I was younger, much younger.

Maybelle Okay, I'll settle for the crumbs and dabs of cream. Fair dos, family come first.

They’ve gone. To be fair everything is almost back to normal ( one chair is askew and the cushions need placing rather than throwing on the chairs, but that’s my OCD showing!)

Galen

We were invited to DD's for a Father's Day Breakfast at 9.30am and it was a really enjoyable one. There was a box of chocs and a selection of mini-whiskeys plus a really well worded card for him too.

Managed to chat with "adolesc-ing" 13 year old DGS who still likes a big hug and cuddle with me even though he is now taller than me (to his delight!) He is a bit monosyllabic with everyone else but will still respond to me so I am well chuffed about that!

DGD proudly showed me the dress and shoes she has in readiness for the school prom on 5 July. How did she get to be so grown-up so quickly?

So a happy and enjoyable morning even though today is the anniversary of my Dad's death in 2001. I hope that some other GNs also managed to have a good day.

Thinking of Ann60 and Maw especially and anyone else in pain or sadness for you all.

Gaga A Father's Day Breakfast...what a good idea. It all sounds perfectly appropriate. It's delightful when a teenage boy enjoys a hug. I do believe that young people are far taller than they were a few years ago. At 5' 1" I am the almost shortest member of our family. Torben is eight and catching up with me at an alarming rate. Naturally the babies have a good bit of growing to do...however, as I'm sure that I'm shrinking...

Hello, the kitchen. The house is a haven of post grandson peace and quiet - and I hate it. It was such a pleasure to have him here. We went swimming, he watched football with grandad, we made a card for his dad and a painted pebble for him with a footballer on it (I think that’s what it was supposed to be anyway - he is no Leonardo! Might be his cubist period!). He volunteered to peel the carrots for dinner last night and I supplied him with some reasonably chunky specimens and left him to it while I did something else. When I came back we had a bunch of orange pencils and a huge pile of peelings, but at least he was willing! His ma and pa came to pick him up this morning and we all had a big Father’s Day breakfast (smoked salmon and scrambled eggs for me and DD; a cholesterol overload for everyone else) before they went off to a junior football tournament. I like the card that DD gave her dad - it is very apt!
N&G looks like Grampy is having his very own Day of the Triffids there, but he’s done a sterling job. Horrible things, nettles. My garden is going into it usual midsummer lag phase. It looks pretty spectacular during May and June and then there is a hiatus until about August-ish, when it gets going again. The rockery, particularly, looks dreary at the moment.
Ann I’m glad, like others, that you had this chance to wind down. I hope that when your DH comes home, you will cope better on recharged batteries.??
Callgirl and Soop the babies are coming on a treat. I would love a cuddle. One of the football mums has an eighteen month old daughter who is now just finding out how far her legs will take her! She kept us all amused with her antics on Friday. A great joy.
Galen I hope you will be back to top dietary form soon - that much weight loss in such a short time would worry the hell out of me.
To all I have missed, please forgive. I’ll try and keep up next time!