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

Morning all !!

Glad to see you here Ann and sounding much more relaxed. Sorry to hear about the whole trip/rug thing...maybe what you need is one of those wonderful pavement artists to come and draw a rug on the floor for you ;-). Hope all goes well this morning and the transition back home for your H is good.

I love the ram watercolour too soop , you can almost see the twinkle in his eye as he decides whether or not to give chase to you :-)

Hope your physio apt is not as gruelling as you imagine Charley but have to say you are sounding more like yourself thank goodness ! Good luck with it !!

Ha! You made me laugh out loud Baggs !!

Corner , oh how I know what you mean, we love to see them / have them but boy are we happy to see them go too :-) !!Our youngest has just got a new job , just a few hours during school time but obviously will need childcare for the 2 days a week she will do in holiday time so we are currently synchronising diaries to see where we can help.

Panache I feel for you , we went through the whole move thing very recently and I do feel like I list a year of my life ( and sometimes the will to live also!!). Hope the next viewing produces a buyer.

Callgirl well now what can you put on that shelf then???? :-) that's what I call a ray of sunshine !

A day at home looms today playing catch up with laundry and such with maybe a bit of crafting thrown in for good measure !!

The little boys watched their first World Cup football match last night. 5 mins in there was a roar from the crowd and Cooper asked ' Is it finished now? Did we win? ' !! He obviously hasn't quite got a handle on it yet . Jackson though was very excited and I was sent a video of his victory lap of the garden when we won ! I wish I could share :-) , instead I'll share the pre match picture !!

Happy day all ! x

Especially for little boys everywhere (and big boys and girls) ⚽️ ⚽️ ⚽️

www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/entertainment-arts-44477201/kicky-kicky-kick-kick

Sent that to the little boys Maw .....I can see that being a hit lol !!

A Quickie to you all.

Just as well I am NOT into footy in any form or shape as both these Medical appointments and Viewings are taking up my life these days!!

Still no feed back from our Evangelist viewers, though the couple on Saturday have said they loved this place and their only concern is the upkeep of the grounds in later years (much as we had deduced on hearing the gent has had 2 heart attacks) however the message was... NOT to rule them out until thet have completed their viewings ........and made a final choice.
Then on the 30th we have yet more viewers pencilled in............
Indeed Nanaandgrampy........you certainly know the score.

What great young lads............you all have such lovely families,I just can`t keep up with them all!

Thoughts very much with you Ann60..........just hoping that you feel up to this day.....

Weather grey and damp, but it won`t halt my hospital visit though!

Sending you sunshine and happy thoughts.

I love this Maw but never thought about posting a link to it! Isn't it brilliant?

I actually popped in to say that I am thinking of ann who, I bet, is approaching this day with mixed emotions. Come on here and talk to scream at us if it gets too much ann and try to fit in more respite as often as possible. I think Maw had a cunning plan!!

Loving all the photos but especially loving the paintings soop - although I will find it fairly difficult to cope if you are an accomplished poet as well as a gifted artist.

callgirl, an empty shelf is a shopping opportunity in my book! Enjoy. Please send Dawn here when she has a gap in her schedule.

Try to keep the noise down charley you might disturb the football fans! I hope you escape relatively unharmed.

Panache, I hope someone buys your house, and fast, as it is so stressful being on tenterhooks the whole time. That can't do your health any good at all.

Bertie stayed up to watch the football but is apparently rather tetchy this morning.

His sister had an appointment for a speech therapy assessment yesterday from a referral about 4 months ago. They decided that she was fine and it's true that her speech has improved loads lately. In fact, DH was heard to mutter about seeing if they could find the off switch!!

Our new arrivals are doing well but we did I have a panic when one of the kittens wasn't latched on (if you'll pardon the expression!) quite as well as the other two and had visions of night feeds etc and we are definitely too old for that lark!! DH has named them Tom, Dick and Harry whereas I went for Flopsy, Mopsy and Cottontail!

I have a little Victoria Sandwich left over (or jam cake) as Bertie calls it and some lemon creams with raspberries and they all need eating up - please help!

I'm volunteering this afternoon so might not be back till tomorrow - so please, Kitcheners, consider becoming boring!!

Ta dah! I'm home. the care home visit was a cheerful one. M told me that her dear husband died at the age of 35...sixty years on and she loves him as much as she did then. I think that is lovely.

You've all been extraordinarily busy. Nothing new there. I've yet to return to the kitchen to find it unvisited. You are indeed a lovely lot and industrious with it.

My thoughts are with Ann and her husband. I'm thinking that if he remained relaxed during his stay in the care home, then perhaps Ann will feel more comfortable should he need to take further breaks in the future.

N&G Lovely, giggly, happy boys. They are treasures.

Charleyg I'm hoping that the physio is gentle with you.

Panache You are a very caring lady. In spite of problems of you own to deal with, you remain supportive and mindful of the needs of others.

Andy will be playing his first competitive match after a year recovering from surgery. He may not win the match but he will feel that he's back where he belongs.

Hope all goes well today ann.

I have finished my first cup of coffee for hours. The physio was mainly asking me questions about my medical health and the proper work will start next week. I think that I am useless but the physio thought I was exactly at the stage she expected me to be. She has even persuaded me to try hydrotherapy although the waiting list is long. I used to love swimming but I am fearful of slipping around a pool.

I have the house to myself tomorrow- only moaning Minnie wanting me to let her out around 5am- fat chance. I can now go 12 hours + without painkillers so there is definite improvement.

I had a lovely supper last night - I must start to add vegetables and eat more fruit but I do not feel like it. Today I had half a bowl of cereal but I do not want any lunch.

That’s good charley, sounds as if you have recovered far better than you dared to think. A result

Our Littlest is having his afternoon half an hour of tv so we are sitting very quietly. If he detects movement we’re lost . Phew.

Sounds a good visit soop, yes those boys are so cheerful n&g, I must acknowledge my football awareness is about the same as Cooper’s. I have always been grateful that Mr C is equally disinterested.

Don’t despair with the move panache, you only need the right person and all will be well. It’s a stressful time that’s for sure.

Hope the new arrivals will continue to flourish kitty, I know nothing about raising kittens but from your description all is well.

Oh well, just time for a quick cuppa before it’s off with the tv and the activity (and noise!) increases. We’ll sleep well tonight .

Charleyg You are getting back to normal and it will take time and perseverance.

corner I grinned when I read your post saying you would sit quietly...once we were pushing Torben's pram (long time ago) if he fell asleep we were duty-bound to keep on walking. I remember needing to stop for a wee. No chance. Hold on and keep a stiff upper lip.

Well done charley. I have just returned from a walk accompanied by DD1. Out of back door, down steps, stroll round corner inspecting garden, up front steps. One stick. No pain. No wobbles. Physio visit later in week but no idea what to expect.
You've gone through more than I have so I 'll treat you as a role model!
If we were closer, we could prop each other up!

Guess who has just been on a trampoline and survived to tell the tale .

Come on Andy!

Well done, mcem.
corner Tyke!
Maw Come on, Andy. You can do it.

Back to the match. I shall call in after ironing duties tomorrow morning.

Maw please make sure that you do not raise you voice, I would not like to think that Hattie will be disturbed!

corner I can picture yourself and Mr.C sitting quietly while the young man watches whatever without any adult interruption. I agree, you will sleep well tonight as will I.

I am having to whisper come on Andy

Hello, kitcheners. I have surfaced again after a bit of a steep decline Sunday night and Monday, laid low by some very mysterious aches and pains. DH had to do the school run himself on Monday as I kept falling asleep and he wasn’t much better, as I had kept him awake most of the night! Fortunately GS was quite happy to watch football with him until SiL came home. Grandad was bemoaning the fact that I wouldn’t let him fly an England flag on our car. GS said “Would you like me to have a word with her, Grandad?” Even though he could charm a smile out of a cigar store Indian, it would not have worked on me, but I may relent and let him have a sticker. We could stick it over the scratch that someone has thoughtfully put on one of our car doors ?!!

I hope, Ann, that you are coping if your DH is now home. I hope the rest did you good, and that you have enough mental and physical reserves to see you through.

Hang in there, corner; little ones can detect fatigue and are liable to attack without warning . And trampolining??? Respect! I have not tried that since I was a college student in the early sixties!

Charley I’m glad you are starting to feel better - Tara is obviously a good nurse! Hope you benefit from the physio.
N&G I like the idea of a pavement artist’s efforts instead of a rug. I have two large ones and they are a damned nuisance. Much better to be able to rub them out if you get fed up of them!

kitty I expect Bertie was watching purely in the interests of future tactics and methodology ?, but I’m glad both he and my GS saw a victory!

Maw, Hattie and Soop, enjoy the tennis!
Panache hope the viewings keep coming - bound to be a buyer out there somewhere!

I am off to water my garden as we don’t have much rain in prospect at the moment. Goodnight all.

Maybe Tara thinks that her nursing duties are over but the minx has not returned home yet. I am going to bed in a few minutes and unfortunately the door to the hall will be left open so that if she fancies going out during the night she will be able to do so. I have checked that the cat flap is working properly.

I did tell her this am that I wanted an extra early night- I only hope that she is okay and not caught up somewhere.

Try not to worry, Charley. She’ll turn up when she’s ready I’m sure. My last cat was a stayout, too!

Madam appeared just as I was getting ready to go upstairs to bed. Not a care in the world.

Two can play her game- I did tell her I was having a lie in this am and I eventually got up at 8am. She ran out of the cat flap at the first opportunity. Where does she go?

A dull day today- I had a lovely cheese omelette for supper so the naggers may rest although I have now run out of eggs. Never mind, I do have 2 freezers full of food so I doubt if I will starve.

Sorry you have felt so groggy Greyduster I hope good health will soon be restored.
Charleygirl Tara must learn to do as she is asked, you must be firmer!!!

Suffice it to say that I have already booked H in to the care home for another week, but can't get one until the end of August.
This is at my expense and as soon as I get the go ahead from the SW I will be booking more throughout the year.

I will also be booking him in privately, he was obvious fine while he was there and within an hour didn't know he had been away.
He is exactly as he was before so my guilt and worry was for nothing.

I now have to sort out all the clothes he brought home which weren't his and try and retrieve the stuff he left..actually I am not fussed at all, he was happy and safe and that is all that mattered.

It is very windy here although the sun is struggling to come out, I am tired of watering pots every day. I did enjoy the home grown courgettes last evenings so perhaps it is worth it.

The way forward Annsixty there was no need for guilt, he was happy enough and you had a break. Just what you needed.
Shame you can’t get another one before August - maybe they keep a cancellation list?

May I share a tiny moan here please? It doesn’t apply to anybody in the kitchen, but given the convention of writing usernames etc in bold, I have yet again had to explain what (/who) Paw is/ was.
Of course I understand, that there are newcomers etc but it is not always a cheerful thing todo.
Just like getting bl**dy junk mail and emails for him particularly with this GPDR(?) GRPD(?) GRDP (?) stuff.
It was particularly annoying to get one from our Drs surgery, they should have know better and I am afraid I said so.
It is the reminder that he is no longer here, like picking at a scab (sorry if you are drinking your )
Anyway, moan over.

Hope that your cat has turned up now charleygirl Our cats used to enjoy catching moths in the summer evenings.
Sorry that Andy was knocked out of the tournament at Queens soop I went to hear his mother Judy speaking at an event in York on Sunday and thought she was so different from how she has been portrayed in the media. She is a great mum and has given her boys so much support and encouragement and came over as a very witty and intelligent woman.

I agree, that was very insensitive of the GP surgery and I am pleased that you told them so. I would have thought that the vast majority of kitcheners know the background by now and I also think it is rude writing to you to find out who Paw was.

Ann I am pleased to hear that the worry was for nothing and H appeared to enjoy himself there- as much as he could anyway. The staff appeared to understand him so you are half way there. Hopefully there will be a cancellation earlier.

It is supposedly warm outside- I am sitting here shivering as usual. I know naggers, some hot food inside me would help!