Soop's comfortable and friendly kitchen...

Please Miss, I am lolling!
In fact I have lolled all morning in my pj’s and have just exited the shower
I thought I should be dressed to watch either the tennis or the football, in case they can see you through the TV.

soop I’m watching Rafa too. Wimbledon starts at 6am here (I’m in Minneapolis at the moment) so I am getting up very late.

You lot have taken the breath out of my sails. Do you never ever loll and consider the meaning of life? If we could, in reality, all gather in the kitchen and talk amongst ourselves, I might just about catch up.

ann First things first. You sound less stressed. Your husband is hopefully responding to the antibio's that do take time to get on top of nasty infections. Best wishes for a day with which you can not only cope - but enjoy.

granniequeenie You have a very good eye for photography. The tranquil scene is truly beautiful. I can almost hear the sighing of a gentle breeze and the soothing sound of water.
The best thing that you can do for your new friend with cancer, is be a good listener.

N&G Enjoy World Chocolate Day. Save some for me. Would be a pity for it to melt for want of someone to share it with.
Galen I'm waiting for a huge dollop of your ice cream. Couldn't find a suitable dainty dish. Have opted to use the pudding bowl, just to be on the safe side.

mcem Your daughter made a wise decision. Today will be difficult for her. She will, however, overcome her heartache, and I'm wishing her a brighter and better future.

corner the very thought of having to deal with a computer specialist, is enough to put MacSporran into a trance. Having said that, Panache, on the occasions when telephone engineers have camped here because of "blips" at the local exchange, he has considered them to be buddies by the time they leave. Good luck!

Son number three who has taken part in the Chambre Open paragliding competition finished 25th out of 125 overall (plus 6th in class and 4th best competition Rookie). He's "dead chuffed" after five weeks hiking up mountains and hurtling like an eagle from one station to the next.

MacSporran has alerted me to the fact that Raffa is about to play an important match. For a wee while, I shall be officiating from my umpire's chair.

I think Panache the money was spent , and changing your mind wont get you a refund. AND my family like a good party :-)

She took it all in her stride, and when she found the love of her life unexpectedly at work it was worth it all x

Our posts crossed ann , lovely to hear things have improved a little.

Sorry Grey …. but its out of my control...chocolate éclair anyone ;-)

`Morning all.

Things are certainly looking better Ann and I can feel your sigh of relief so lets hope the match keeps your H happy,which means your load will seem a lot lighter.

Can well understand your day of trepidation mcem........most unpleasant and a difficult day to cope with all round.However quite frankly although an extremely painful situation,it is true that these days more folk meet a prospective partner in their 50`s.......and it stays a good one......than ever before so I think patience is the key...........after coping with this day of course.

Like your style in coping with similar N & G ...........that took some real courage!

I rather think you are enjoying your GS there with you Greyduster and I hope you all truly "make hay whilst the sun shines!!"

We are housebound,awaiting one BT Engineer who will hopefully sort out our on going problems before it gives us a fit or worse!

I will toddle off wishing you all the joys of sunshine (and shade)........not a footie fan but of course cheering with the rest of you!!!

Oh for God’s sake, N&G!!?‍♀️

That does sound more hopeful ann. Keep H well hydrated and hopefully he will not be in the same state as a few days ago. With luck the football will keep him interested for a while even if he does not know who is playing.

It must be so difficult for him sleeping and staying asleep at night because it is so muggy everywhere.

Morning all !

I feel for your daughter mcem , our eldest cancelled her wedding in Florida with 2 weeks to go ( best decision ever!!) and we all went anyway LOL .We even held the reception ! BUT it had been her choice so a bit different. I agree with you , living without a man will give her a chance to be herself and love does find you when you're not looking for it !

Lovely picture grannie . I think your friends will value your support , its too easy to say I don't know what to say and avoid bad news. So all credit to you . Im sure your friends will have been thrilled to be able to gain some support from you .

Glad you're feeling better Kitty , best you relax and not do too much this weekend...are magnums available on prescription I wonder?

Charley Sam cares not a jot for a walk, its all about being close enough to cuddle !! He was terribly excited at his visit to the sitters. They were very sweet but it turns out they cant do the week we needed. So we will test them overnight in a week or so and then they will be a good back up.

Congrats on 'coming of age' Maybelle ! Enjoy your celebration.

Sorry to hear your tale of the jobsworth ann . What is it that makes people behave like this . I wish they would take a moment to understand most of would rather do anything than trouble a GP unnecessarily. I hope H is feeling a little better today and you're doing ok.

Well---- todays the BIG day !!!!

Its World Chocolate Day !!!!

I feel we all ought to celebrate in the kitchen , so I will kick it off by leaving some delicious Death by Chocolate cake here with fresh cream and strawberries....dig in !!

I hope your D's day is not too upsetting for her mcem
There are more fish in the sea, it is being at the right place at the right time.
My D, 53 next week, and separated for 4 years has recently met a nice man and they see each other regularly now, but neither want marriage again.
Things are better here today, I must admit the carer and I both panicked yesterday as we didn't want a recurrence of the week before.
H is looking and acting better today and his incontinence pants are not so soaking wet ,so I think although the ab*s finished on Wednesday ,I believe they carried on working.
We are looking forward with hope and trepidation to the match this afternoon.

No such thing as a “last chance” especially at 42, but I do feel for her (and you)
Hopefully she will come to realise that the world is full of interesting and attractive (?) men that she just hasn’t met yet.
She can have a lot of fun with the frogs before she settles on her Prince, if you see what I mean!

Thanks maw. With her ongoing health issues I think she felt this was her last chance ( compounded by the fact that next weekend she'll be 42 ).
I have said that living independently has many advantages but she isn't ready to see that yet.
Lots of hand-holding still needed.

Every sympathy Mcem.
We had one of those in 2005. The rat had an affair/fling and the wedding was cancelled with only three weeks notice.
Dark days indeed, (ironically Charles and Camilla’s wedding took place on the day our DD’s should have.)
In hindsight though, it was by far the best thing that could have happened.
SIL is worth a million of the last one, the DGC are perfect and she is better off in every possible sense of the word.
Nothing will ease the pain but I wish your DD the happy future she deserves.

I feel this will be a 'treading on eggshells' day.
If she hadn't found out about fiancé's affair and thrown him out (at Easter) my daughter would be getting married today.
After the initial shock, distress and anger I have taken the line that she had a lucky escape but have listened and supported as much as possible. She's had ups and downs and hasn't found it easy to cope.
Her closest friends are taking her out tonight but we've a long day ahead, I feel.

Good morning, the kitchen. It is going to be a hot one today. We have GS here this weekend as his parents are away for a couple of days. We are hoping to go for a swim early this afternoon before they settle down to watch the football and I try and find somewhere cool to hide from the football!
Ann I hope you manage to get some attention over the weekend. You were not treated at all well by your surgery. My daughter suffered the most appalling rudeness from a receptionist at her surgery recently. I would have complained to the practice manager but she didn’t. The irony is that she is herself a medical receptionist and would never have spoken like that to a patient. She can’t understand why so many of them have an “attitude” when they are supposed to be there to help.
Lovely photo Gq. Our rivers are so low at the moment; we really need that rain to refresh them. I am so sorry about your friend. There are no answers in a situation such as that. All you can do is give them your company, listen and support.
Good morning Panache. Hard to sleep in this kind of weather, I know. Have a peaceful day.
Good luck with your techie bloke tommorrow, Corner! Don’t let him see your eyes glaze over! Wear sunglasses!
Well I had better go and see whether the child of my heart and his grandfather are planning to get up yet. One was reading a book and the other was scrolling through his phone when I last looked! I will look in later.

What a peaceful picture GQ,you never fail to bring us pleasure and I am certainly appreciating this restful scene at this rather unsociable hour..........cannot sleep.
Always tricky inviting someone who has recently had bad news,even a little harder when fairly new acquaintances,but a listening,supportive pair of ears will indeed be very much appreciated.
Often people tend to avoid folk who have experienced a recent loss,simply not quite knowing how to respond,the same with a cancer diagnoses I found to my horror.

Yet just being willing to talk normally,listen and yes have a laugh.............all the ingredients for the troubled couple to leave thinking what a lovely evening.

Perhaps it is not quite the time or place for a long post..........so a good night and sleep well to all,I HOPE to join you sooner rather than later!!!!

Lots of lovely things to see in the kitchen these past couple of days - stunning sunsets, beautiful garden planters, handsome young men, clever artwork, and doubtless many other things I’ve forgotten.
Hope you have a better day tomorrow kitty, feeling rotten on a warm sunny day is very tedious indeed. Ann it seems to me that every GP surgery has its quota of jobsworth types, I’m sorry you had the misfortune to have to cope with such an unhelpful person when you’re already hard pressed and feeling so stressed. Let’s hope next time you have to contact the surgery your call is taken by someone like doodle who understands your situation and acts accordingly.
We’ve had friends round for a meal, hence the late night visit to the kitchen. She has been diagnosed with a nasty and hard to treat cancer so is waiting for waiting for a PET scan before a decision can be made about exactly what extensive surgery is to be done.. The outlook is not good long term but she is being very stoic, her husband is much more emotional and obviously very worried about the way ahead. They’re newish friends so knowing how to best support them is that bit more tricky, but we had a relaxed and enjoyable evening together as we always do together.
Well I’d best get to sleep, we have to be up at some ungodly hour tomorrow to get to dd1 to spend the day with them at a local street festival.
I’ll leave you with a peaceful reflective photo I took on a favourite walk yesterday.

ann, you were very unlucky with that receptionist who needs to be taken down a peg or two! If things get any worse - as if they weren't bad enough already - over the weekend, try ringing 111 and explain the situation and tell them how worried you are - lay it on thick. Perhaps a doctor will come out from the after hours service and prescribe an antibiotic for your H. Such things do sometimes happen.
It's gone really hot and sultry this evening and I've been sitting with the fan on, trying to keep cool.

No no Galen I would love it. Honestly, please leave some in the kitchen fridge for me it sounds delicious. Hope you are feeling better.

ann having worked in a doctor's surgery for many years I know lots of staff who would always go the extra mile to help anyone with a problem. Unfortunately, there were always those to whom it was just a job. Sorry that was the response you got today. One day those staff will have problems of their own and I hope they then realise that sometimes people need their help. It does sound as though your DH has still got a UTI. Shame you have to wait over the weekend.

Glad you are feeling better kitty

Phew. It’s been warm. Big computer has been to the Apple hospital today so we’ve had a day out. Computer is sorted (no charge ) but we will need to completely restore our data. Do I know how to? Well, no. Apparently a techie whiz with oodles of patience will phone on Sunday and remotely hold our hands. Help!

Take is easy kitty, it takes time to recover. We also have a brown wasteland panache, Keeping the roses going but the little plants are struggling.

I could scream for you ann. Compassion and thoughtfulness would go a long way. I can only hope the weekend is less of a trial than you anticipate. Remember the duty Social Worker. Scream at them if you need to.

Your feline visitor sounds very special indeed soop, I wonder if he will return.

Your ice cream sounds womderful galen as does your robin. They are inquisitive creatures.

I share your pain gaga, I managed to stain a new top the other day which of course was just the right colour and the store has no more in my size. Someone’s law.

Hello maybelle, pleased you are better, afternoon tea is a good celebratory meal.

Busy weekend ahead then gaga, fun though, cricket sounds good with shade. Wishing you much weekend energy.

Sadly no Magnums here but there are Cornetto look alikes that are calling to me. Feet up time, it’s Friday, indulgence is essential.

Young robin came and perched on the patio chair while I was sitting out there! First time I’ve managed to get out between work and injuries!
It’d only just begun to get its red breast feathers.
I’ve never had a magnum, but I intend to make peach and ammoretto ice cream this weekend.
I’m sure you Kitcheners would hate it!

Pleased to have you back in one piece so to speak Kitty but it sounds as if you are more than a little "washed out," these illnesses have the habit of taking the good out of life but thankfully you are back on the up!!

Whilst Ann there are sometimes these little smart people sitting in the back ground, enjoying a rather cushy number truly gets up my nose...........as if you do not have enough to contend with, without now hanging on until Monday to hopefully sort out pooor H`s newest problem.
Whomever penned "Life`s a bitch" certainly felt as you do.
Wish there was a magic wand,but please know you are very much in my thoughts.

I get very worked up with some of these stories .......it brings back the best part of half my life dealing with them I suppose!

The sunshine stayed all day and we can see on each day everything getting more brown and barren.......my two hydrangeas for instance have joined several others by limping badly,in fact the flowers are disappearing!.......just not enough washing up water for everything!

Hope you all enjoy some peace and rest,whilst I am about to partake another magnum !!

ann No wonder you feel well and truly jiggered and fit to explode. Reading your latest post made me wince on your behalf. It sounds almost certain that your husband has either a new UTI or is still battling the last. Oh for a little compassion and it would make a huge difference if someone was to put themselves out and deliver a sterile pot and wait for the wee sample and get it tested before it gets worse over the weekend. I could sink to my knees and throw an almighty wobbly with utter frustration. So very sorry that you are having to deal with so much stress.

kitty It's good to have you back with us. I shall a Magnum with you...providing I can find one. Wishful thinking.

Just a wee story that I wish to share with you all. Last night MacSporran mentioned that a black cat was nosing around Rory's outdoor chalet. It was a lovely cat. Almost a younger version of Rory. It looked in fine shape. It stayed a wee while before going through the gap in the fence and up into the forest. We both enjoyed the visit, 'though brief, it was special.

It is very, very hot. I had a cup of tea in the garden but decided to come into the cool of the house. A little Wimbledon and then I shall maybe flick a duster hither and thither.

In the meantime, love to all those of you who are continuing to go through a tough time. I shall return in the morning. x

Glad you are a bit better Kitty, even if you are still not on top form. So frustrating Ann - doctors’ receptionists can be very difficult.

Well, I felt really good this morning and went to the butchers and to Sainsbury's. I'm now jiggered. So sitting here doing a little gentle posting.

The kitchen does seem to be more like a recuperation area and I hope everyone is feeling better. But you all really need to sit still!

I'll be back later if I survive!!

Did someone mention Magnums?