Soop's comfortable and friendly kitchen...

After enjoying a morning`s "deluge" it cleared up nicely yesterday and there was this lovely fresh smell,my DH had made a polythene canopy to cover our windown box and urn, thus saving those magnificent geranium blooms a little longer!
Today started rather dull but is already brightening up,I have a feeling the scorching days are past...... and to that I say Bravo

You have the right attitude dealing with H Ann after much practise of course, but knowing he is in good care must be such a relief.There you must leave it and concentrate on relieving all those painful areas so that you can experience some pleasures in these respite occasions.
You must put your self first,the house will remains....it is essential that you ease your mind and really learn to relax again.

Whilst Charley.....it is almost like going back to school again! I know that feeling of utter bewilderment out there facing the big wide world again after a long period of confinement......hope all goes well........and you will remember that seat belt!!!

You are one always on the trot it seems Corner......and it looks as if those kiddies enjoy their time with you,they quickly sense who really loves them,naughty or not!!!
This cooler weather is truly a blessing...............we are on that same wave length!!!

I have never tried my hand at fruit picking Anno.......we do not have those orchards here on the coast,but as a great lover of cherries you really made my mouth water at the thought of picking them yourself!
I doubt more would get popped into my mouth than the basket!!!

My man is in "danger zone" this week,a very big trimming of one paddock hedge, which must have many a tale to tell with the vast amount of growth there........today`s mission is trimming back an overgrown,sprawling holly tree..........and my heart is literary in my mouth.....he forgets he is no longer young and fit!!!

I have the odious task of sewing hems..........and believe me, a needle is not safe in my hands!! I positively dislike anything requiring a needle, but must show willing!!

Hope the day will be kind to one and all........I suppose I shall return!

I've left a lemon and almond cake just out of the oven on the side if anyone is peckish. There would have been scones but they resemble digestive biscuits

Must be my lucky day .......thanks Corner I shall certainly "dip in" as sewing is VERY peckish work!!

I really shouldn't go on I know but I have had the wind taken completely out of my sails this morning by a very formal letter and report from the SW this morning saying now that everything is sorted and we are fine, her involvement with us is now at an end.
The report states all the things my H cannot do which is everything and my care is informal but 24/7.
It also stated my care plan which includes the 6 hours a week sitting which is just shy of £90 A week.
That cost wasn't mentioned when she rang up with the offer.
It actually costs more per hour than the personal care which we get every morning.
There is talk of involvement by our GP and a CPN, we don't have one, I feel somehow abandoned.
I am not going to let it spoil my respite, it is too important to me.

Ann Would it be a good idea to return to your GP asap and discuss this latest development with him? You have some precious time to yourself and your husband will be well cared for. You are right to not let yourself be burdened with yet more stress.

corner as I came into the kitchen I followed my nose the freshly baked lemon and almond cake. Being virtual it appears to have fed five thousand with huge wedges to spare. I shall therefore indulge without the slightest twinge of guilt.

Panache A man with a hedge trimmer is a very worrying sight to behold. I sympathise with you.

I would like to share this morning's visit to the care home. It's was extraordinarily uplifting.
I visit the residents living with dementia. I sat at a large round table with M and we sort of talked about whatever came into her head. A new-ish resident - also an M, wandered over and started to sing the 'Eriskay Love Lilt'. Her voice was superb. Within a few minutes other residents joined in. One lady in particular is usually very agitated, she too joined in when M, (the singer), took her hand. A few songs were enjoyed by all. As I left, M was singing "Oh Danny Boy..." and I couldn't help but have a wee tear in my eye. It was just lovely and totally spontaneous.

Soop I know exactly where you are coming from and yes incredibly touching..........it gets you right in the mid section and you cannot avoid those wet eyes!!
We visited this certain gent whom had a stroke which not only left him bed bound but he could not speak.
We used to visit on Sunday late afternoons and "Songs of Praise" would be on the T.V in the background........My own dear man could almost hold a conversation with him by various hand signals, and it invariably brought peals of laughter!
One day a well known welsh hymn "Calon Llan" came on and the next minute this gent who could not speak suddenly started singing,in perfect tune,and word perfect through out the whole hymn.
It was the most uplifting experience and one that made a deep and lasting impression on us.
Apparently it never happened again.

Just goes to show the wonders of our makings.

I can well understand this was something that you too will not forget.These experiences are so precious.

Whilst yes, a man with all manner of cutting tools is indeed in grave danger! and my man will probably need a masseur after this stretching and lifting............it is NOT for a man of his age for sure..........but will they listen????
You know that answer as well as I do!!

Evening all !!

How lovely you came away from your visit feeling uplifted soop we all need a little more of that in our lives.

I don't like the sound of that ann , surely that cant be right. I think soop might have a point of discussing this with your GP. Please try and enjoy your respite time , you so deserve it.

I love a bit of fruit picking anno . I am very proud currently of my mini veg patch where I have peppers, chilli's , tomato's and courgettes growing .

Glad you got out and about Charley , put your seatbelt on !!

Men and cutting tools are not a good match. Grampy had a fall 2 years ago now that put him out of action for 3 months and he is currently eyes our 12 foot hedge ….. I have explained the error of his ways !!! FIRMLY!! Now I will call the lovely young chap down the road and he will do it whilst Grampy wrings his hands and 'helps' !!

Its been a cooler day here and much needed to be sure. I am loving the sun but the temperature yesterday was stifling. Grampy has spent most of the day in bed with what he has described as a hangover achieved with no alcohol. I suspect one of the small chaps brought a bug with them at the weekend and all that kissing and cuddling passed it on.

Time to go and rustle up the lettuce leaf that passes for dinner in our house on a diet regime !! Its no fun being fat you know !!

( Worse than that - Jackson pointed out I had chubby knees ……. my life is over...I always thought I had nice legs !!)

Happy days all .x

Thank you for letting me "bang on" about the care home visit. It was the best ever in three years and five months. A red letter day.

N&G My knees were chubby as a baby, a child, a teenager, a woman and they still have dimples in them. MacSporran calls them "pretty"

Ted's latest photo has made me smile. His daddy has taught him to do the following...

I'm logging off and will return for catch-up after ironing duties in the morning.

Love to every one of you.

I just love that baby, please may I have him?

Ted's daddy is very naughty. That baby is gorgeous.

I’m also smiling at Ted’s photo soop, his Dad may live to regret encouraging him

You’re right not to let the letter spoil your week ann, good for you. A firm reply and a chat to your GP seems more than sensible. Not sure where common sense has gone with the SW.

What a lovely visit soop, sometimes wonderful things come when we least expect them.

Mr C is delighted at the drop in temperature here today. He has had what he describes as a ‘proper meal’ - that means without lettuce and requiring the oven to be on for what has seemed an unreasonable amount of time. . Oh well, it’s warming up again tomorrow so he’d best make the most of today .

Hope Grampy is soon recovered n&g, the little ones do so like to share their germs. I find it both frustrating and interesting that they recover so much faster than us more mature folk. Must be a reason I guess.

We’re currently on Grandparent detail. The young ones have been catching up with chores which gave me time for a check in here but now they are chatting to their Dad on the phone. Now why do I think some help will be needed with finishing? Feet up time later with luck.

I was up early - before 6 and found we had no internet and it has been off for most of the day. Apparently the cause was roadworks on a nearby main road which severed the fibre optic cable in 7 places. It seems to be back on now hence this post!

It has made me realise how dependent I have become on having instant access to the world wide web. I have been quite on edge waiting for it to come back on. Does this mean I am addicted?

Ah corner I was thinking of moving in because I really do fancy the cakes you bake but if Mr. Corner is being fed lettuce leaves on a daily basis I will not be coming. I, like him prefer a proper meal. The fact I read that you lived close to the sea was another selling point but it would be too busy for Tara, you have had a lucky escape.

Gaga you are, you have hit the nail on the head.

https://signal-corridor.live/uploads/talk/201807/medium-227246-c2e694b8-9869-463f-a389-95d918d8f710.jpeg%3C/span%3E https://signal-corridor.live/uploads/talk/201807/medium-716147-72d67332-5679-436b-bea9-3a30a9d1d75d.jpeg%3C/span%3E https://signal-corridor.live/uploads/talk/201807/medium-707195-9883c8a3-c106-4089-ba4e-8893524d7c5b.jpeg%3C/span%3E

Gaga, I spent a happy hour last night looking at a well know womens’ magazine, a holiday treat. Then I realised I’d actually stopped reading every few minutes as I’d felt the need to ask Mr Google’s advice about various things from cosmetics to cooking ingredients mentioned in the articles I was reading! Addicted me? Surely not!

Like you corner we’ve been eating salads, albeit nice interesting ones, for weeks now and we do both enjoy them. But I have to say that my old boy positively salivated last week when I produced a humble cottage pie, one I’d had stashed away in the freezer and needed using up.. Who’d have thought such humble fare could be so applauded!

soop your care home story and yours too panache brought a tear to my eye. I remember years ago when working as a church community worker visiting a man who’d had a severe stroke. He lived in sheltered accommodation with massive support from carers but felt very lonely and cut off from his friends. I sang the 23rd psalm to him and despite normally having no speech he joined in - we both cried!

Ann I do hope you can get the benefit of your husband being away, maybe a quick call to sw /gp to clarify these care plan details would allow you to switch off a bit from it all for a day or two.

Get well wishes for grampy, I know I’ve said this many times but I do suspect he and my old boy share some dna! Now on the matter of eating sensibly I saw something at Alnwick Castle Garden yesterday that was a salutary warning for me about the dangers of overeating, it may keep you on the straight and narrow!

Enjoyed a visit to NT house and garden today, beautiful woodland walks, tranquil reflections and colourful flower borders to enjoy. It was a good way to spend a cloudy day that promised, although did not actually deliver, intermittent rain.

Well it’s off to bed for me, apologies to anyone I’ve unintentionally ignored.

My DGS 1 who is rising 6 was asked to do some writing practice, He wanted to choose what to write.
Beware of small boys. This might not be legible
The transcript is. .

The Poo was going to the toilet (?only it) fell in wee @@@ splash!
He is certainly not yet over toilet humour. His uncle still enjoys such things.

Morning all !!

Love that Nellie !! Very descriptive. My grandson used to think when you flushed all poo went to Benfleet ( no idea how he came to think that !!)

LOved the picture Grannie , Alnwick is one of my favourite places and we always visit if up that way.... I am now throwing out all treats having seen your picture !!

Grampy is also a fan of cottage pie and would happily eat it every day if allowed.

He's feeling much better but the little boys Mum and Dad have gone down with the mystery bug- the only common denominator is me or the little boys - and I think we can safely say its the small 'germinators' !!

Aren't we addicted gaga ? Its just so convenient. I swear I am more knowledgeable because of the internet. I can simple source an answer to any question immediately . I'm a huge fan !!

Where's soop when you need her, I have an ironing mountain to tackle...… :-(

Tiptoes in quietly hoping no-one has done anything exciting since my last visit. Silly idea!!

We have been really busy one way and another lately and I have been popping in to keep an eye on things (and to see whether there were any [cupcakes]) but you will have to excuse me from commenting on everything you have all been doing.

Initially, I hope you can get something sorted Ann - as usual, I recommend you talk to the Alzheimer's Society who should be able to give you some help. And, I hope you are enjoying your freedom and having a lovely companion around. Just take it easy with the cocktails - you know the rest of us don't drink!!

Er, how did you come to photograph my undies gaga?

DH and I had a bug about 10 days ago - and it can only get worse as we have lots of DGC visits lined up.

Off to do the last school run for a few weeks and then my life will calm down, won't it?

It's gloriously sunny in bonnie Kintyre. Hello to all our dear kitcheners.

Ironing duty done and I'm relishing a relaxing afternoon back in our home.

granniequeenie Those are a splendid pair of drawers. The other photos are bonnie too.

N&G Children are first class bearers of bugs galore.
Whenever we visited Torben, way back when he was wee, we invariably returned home in a sickly state. Mind you, we never complained. He was far too cute.

Nelliemoser Wonderfully, colourful and totally predictable writings of a six year old. What's not to like.

Nelliem Here is a photo of a six year old, Torben, encouraging his Nana to read "a rude book."

soop may I ask who gave Torben a "rude book"?

Charleyg Not guilty, m'lud. I'm guessing that his Daddy did. It was extremely funny and Torben watched my reactions with total commitment. He almost turned the pages for me. I can still remember his laughter. A happy memory.

My son had a 'naughty' body book by Claire Rayner. Being open-minded parents we asked why he thought it was naughty.
He giggled and pointed at a page which showed a little lad weeing against a tree!
Nothing to do with the baby-making bits!

That was a brilliant book - or appeared so in the 1970s. We now have one about a mole who is trying to find out who pooed on his head!

Time I made an appearance although with all the lovely dialogues and super pictures I doubt I have been missed!!

What an eventful day and just when I did not feel like anything exciting after another of my disturbed nights.
Mid computing this morning alarm bells rang loud and clear,plus warning messages across my PC.......I had been viciously attacked by not just one virus but three........and believe you me it stopped me in my tracks.
With DH shopping I had to chew my thumb,sit back and wait.We still do not know if this is one of those nasties trying to get in or if really the Trojan and others have actually attacked.
My machine is undergoing a top to toe full scan.............meanwhile thankfully we have a back up,hence here I am........however feeling very wary and uncomfortable until we really know what we are dealing with.
Frightening stuff indeed.

So lovely to walk through the kitchen and get a breathe of fresh air.......piping hot again out there.

What is this about teaching the young to to naughties,surely this is something they pick up all too soon anyway!!! But they are so cute with these sayings......lovely Torben........and was that young Teddy? Super pics.

Also the woodland walk GQ, the treats we thoroughly enjoy.

Rabbit food,I think I have seen enough for one season!

Must also add my signature to the ones that tell Ann to pay little notice of these certain people whilst on this break,those issues must be left to the times when you are back hands full
Now its time for treats,and the odd glass ........or three.

Not my usual chatty self as I am worried about this virus upset, though like a lot of things in life.......not much I personally can do.

However dear folk I sincerely hope you are all well and enjoying the day,weather not too hot..........although there is this universal cry for rain.......have a lovely peaceful evening.