Soop's comfortable and friendly kitchen...

Good Morning all Kitcheners! A few quietly busy days here, just getting on with jobs and sitting quietly in the corner, keeping an eye on you lot! Everyone seems to be on an even keel at the moment, so keep it up girls.
Apricot and almond cake by the kettle. X

Good morning the kitchen! Just looking in before we go off to fry at a school cricket tournament. It is already horrendously hot, but we have lots of cool drinks and good hats, sandwiches and CAKE ????. (That should be a slapped wrist emoticon not a thumbs up because I am supposed to be on a diet). The hip is a marginally better this morning, so hopefully lots of sitting about will be a good thing! Heat exhaustion will take my mind off it!
Must dash. I will look in later.

That’s good news about your granddaughter ann, delighted the provision of a sitter will allow you some time out of your home. I never thought I’d be pleased there is so much football on tv, but I am more than pleased if it keeps your husband relaxed.

I understand from the breakfast thread that kitty is still poorly. Rest if you can, hope you are better very soon.

Catch up day for us today plus what will undoubtedly be an acrimonious meeting to attend. Oh well, on with the dusting, we seem to have lost the sunshine so at least it’s cooler.

Morning all!

Hope your hip continues to improve Grey enjoy the cricket ( and the cake !!) .

Get well soon Kitty - no fussing here over you :-)

Hope your GD is feeling lots better today Ann and the football continues to captivate your H. If you recorded the matches and replayed them , would he know?

I'm with you Corner I have seen no football and I am hoping to keep that up !!

We are taking Sam out later to meet a possible couple of dog sitters. They lost their dog last year and feel they are too old to get a pup but are happy to dog sit well behaved dogs. So Sam is getting a wash and brush up this morning and I am hoping he will be on his best behaviour while we visit them.

Watch this space !

Got back from the early supermarket run and had a call from the GP surgery to say the blood tests I had yesterday re my swollen left leg had come back and Dr wanted to see me this morning.

Stomach churning (always does when I am nervous or apprehensive), off I went, chauffeured by DH as I was not in the best frame of mind to drive.

Apparently there is a possible DVT in the left calf though Dr is still not convinced. He thinks I could have been bitten.
It is still red and sore below the swollen bit.

He prescribed immediate Apixaban to thin the blood and made an appointment at the local hospital for me to have a scan on Monday morning. If they say there is no DVT I can stop the med immediately Tum has calmed down and I am less worried now but I do wish I could stop having one thing after another.

That's the update you asked for Soop!

`Morning to you all,yes the scorching heat continues and we are both rather like a limp lettuce!!!

Quite a bit to relate..... such as sadly two very respectful no`s from our viewers,the first saying it does not fit their requirements but most gracious,whilst the second have debated rather a lot it seems,husband winning out because he would need the car to collect daily paper etc........understable of course,but extremely praiseworthy and obviously a closely run thing..........however still a NO!!

Amidst Royalty this week with visits from Prince Charles & Camilla now residing in their summer Welsh home in the next county.They visited our main town,a Village just miles away, which has a big community spirit,then is now off visiting another similar Village to the north of our County.
Our Counties florals were truly impressive and I am sure the Prince would have something to say!!

Good hearing your hip has decided to improve Greyduster hopefully it stays that way.

Thinking of you Kitty and sending you both healing vibes.

My word Gagagran you certainly need to return to your GP ASAP,and I hope it all gets sorted.
Sounds as though you too have a multitude of these ailments.
You make me wonder now about my own very swollen legs, but since I am such a perpetual visitor to our Surgery I tend to leave it to the last minute.

I am elevating them Corner........please note!!

Good news about your GD Ann and hopefully she is now making a really good full recovery.Hoping too it is one of your better days.

Hi to all the many whom come and go through our favourite kitchen........may the day,the weather and most of all,your health ......be kind........have a lovely day.

Yes it is a better day for me, Thank you all.
My lovely cleaner has just gone and my home is respectable again, not that we have many visitors now as H can't cope with them.
My GD is waiting for the docs to do one more aspiration of her throat but then hopefully she can go home.
Today is the 70th anniversary of the NHS and they have bunting out and there is a celebration tea, but she hope she is home by then, but nice for the patients.
It is extremely hot again and I have done just a bit of watering with a watering can, I cannot let veg and tomatoes die.
Have a good day everyone and good luck with that leg Gagagran, I had to self inject into my stomach when I had similar. The scan showed a ruptured Baker's cyst behind the knee.

A very good early afternoon greeting to you lovely lot. Wow! This weather is amazing. We had our usual stroll and here I am drinking coffee and some of JaneD3's virtual, scrummy tasting cake. I note that it's calorie free. Yay!

ann Your granddaughter, bless her, has had a ghastly experience. Than goodness for antibiotics. What on earth would we do without them?

Gaga I was afraid that the GP might suspect a DVT. Thank goodness that he was on the ball and didn't delay getting a diagnosis. Leg up! It's an order. Rest and relaxation and tender loving care from hereon.

Thank you, Panache for your lovely, kind words.

N&G Sam will look like top dog. The prospective dog sitters will fall in love with him at first sight.

Greyduster find a shady spot, if you can. The sunshine is at it's peak right now. It would be seriously bad to have too much of it.

kitty Get well vibes fro Kintyre. We hope that you'll be back with us lot before too long.

I intend returning this afternoon. I've some birthday gifts to wrap in readiness for posting tomorrow.

A painting that I did for one son's birthday gift.

Have you thought of opening a gallery soop? Your paintings are beautiful and I am sure many folk would be pleased to see them.

Keep elevating panache, I’ll stop nagging soon. So sorry about the outcome of your viewings. Hang on in there. It only needs one person to be the right person. It will happen I’m certain.

Sun is out here now. The meeting was as acrimonious as anticipated, where people get the energy to argue for the sake of it I will never know. Food shop delivery due later then we hope for a walk by the sea. All a bit flat here after yesterday’s news, we’ll be more relaxed if we go and just watch the water.

Sounds a good day ann, you surely deserve some good days.

Ouch gaga, sounds more than uncomfortable. Delighted you have some treatment and with luck no dvt. I do know how one thing after another can be exhausting. Any chance of a treat to lift the spirits?

I’m sure Sam will wow the potential dog sitters, n&g, hope he and you like them.

DH has been in Scotland since Saturday on a music summer school and I have to confess to having loved my time alone with just the dogs for company. Of course, I can’t tell him that, when he returns tomorrow! I’ve eaten very simple meals, indulged in too many little treats, and had a lovely time this morning wandering round the shops on my own. That all makes it sound as if he is a hard taskmaster, which he isn’t but all the same, it’s been lovely having my own company.

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Indeed NonnaW it is very true that to some of us, that little spot of seclusion does seem like a rare treat... and of course one must oblige by doing all those things you might not dream of with your loved one!!!
,
I am elevating Corner but it does not do much, save I then get a whole lot of pain when lying in bed of a night,I shall have to have these legs seen too in the end......especially after hearing of Gaga`s troublesome outcome.

That sun is a scorcher and I am losing yet more weight by all this perspiration,its impossible to do anything outside...........what a good excuse!
Mind you our bamboo is the latest sick looking plant,all 14 ' of it....lack of water of course....as for our palms we have lost too many this year(due to the earlier beastly weather) but hurrah, lovely healthy new shoots are coming through .......a sigh of relief.
I have halted my man from all his tree and hedge trimming,far too hot out there.

I think just a quiet spot indoors supping a cool drink may well be the order of the day............and may you all enjoy a peaceful late afternoon and evening.

N&G I am so sorry that I do not live closer or you would not have to go and find a dog sitter for Sam. He and I would get along just fine- a bit like Hattie really. Provided he does not want long walks which I could not do, he would get so much love and attention he possibly would not want to return home.

Many years ago when I was married, I looked after two dogs for two weeks. My H was working in the USA and the dogs did not want to let him in the house on his return.

When their owners returned, one dog wanted to stay with me because she had had such a lovely time. She was an old English sheepdog.

Tara came home drenched last night- the heavens opened and she must have been on her way home.

More lovely photographs. Thank you. x

I am logging off right now. An afternoon of dashin' away with my smoothin' iron, has left me well and truly bushed.

I shall leave you with the sunset that I photographed last night. Wishing you all the peace that you deserve.

Lovely sunset, Soop!
Hattie is enjoying the tennis as you can see.
But oddly enough her human doesn’t seem to be sharing the Mini Magnums.
Odd that

Still hoping for a Mini Magnum, but not letting me get up and fetch it!

It's too hot for a mini magnum maw. This weather requires full size cooling

kitty sorry to hear you are feeling poorly. Hope you feel better soon.

Glad to hear your DGD is well enough to leave hospital ann.

soop like your painting. Lovely photos as usual.

Hello the kitchen! Shaping up to be another hot one, but not, I hope, as hot as yesterday when we were chasing the shade around the cricket ground and eventually ended up under a lovely old weeping willow tree, it being the nearest to the wicket our boys were playing on. It was all very enjoyable, though. I was discussing with another grandparent why it is that the game seems to be in decline in a lot of schools these days, except those with a predominantly Asian intake, where it is their sports mainstay and it certainly shows. We agreed that it is probably because there are so many other sports on offer in schools and cricket is just not popular now.
Charley we could do with a bit of that rain that gave Tara a drenching! I thought we might get some last night, with looming dark clouds, but no.
Panache your window baskets are a picture! I am confining my watering to the pots and smaller garden plants now, and using all the waste water I can muster, but everything is suffering and the grass is crunchy!
Glad you had a better day, Ann, and wish many more for you.
I had better go and get cracking. I have been up since half past five - it already feels like an age! I will be falling asleep this evening when GS comes for the weekend and demands all my attention - which of course, he will have!

Greyduster, DH and I think that losing most of the cricket from terrestrial TV means that many children don’t see it. We miss it!
Warm again here! Still watering my pots but the lawn has great cracks in it.

Hello all, not been around for a while, had a (thankfully) minor health scare. But all is well now. I had an endoscopy yesterday and got the all clear. Well nearly all clear as apparently the source of the problems is a small hiatus hernia which led to an inflamed throat.
Other reasons to be cheerful is I finally officially become a pensioner today ! At the grand age of 64yrs 8mths and 1 wk . . .
So to celebrate we are all going out for afternoon tea.
Wishing comfort and peace to all

I decided I really ought to follow all the recommendations from kitcheners and sample a much-lauded magnum. So yesterday afternoon, from my leg-elevated seat, I did and it was yummy. Unfortunately I dropped an unseen bit of chocolate on my new white t-shirt and despite soaking overnight I haven't got the stain out.

So a costly treat! I don't think this is my week!

Oops Gaga........yes it happens and have you noticed it is ALWAYS a favourite or expensive garment that gets stained.............still as the saying goes "Worse things happen at sea!!"
Hope the elevation helps............you have scared me now but I am still so reluctant at attending the Surgery yet again.

Hello Maybelle.......nice to meet you and wish you a warm welcome back..........nasty things those hiatus hernias.......however being a fully blown pensioner beats all that sort of thing!!!!.......perhaps a glass of to celebrate?

Our garden is looking a bit of a forgotten paradise now Jane........everything is going brown although the florals are blooming beautifully......washing up water providing a drink!

Thanks Greyduster..........its a big job keeping them pristine this weather.Hope the hip problem has vanished.

Indeed Charley Tara has stolen the water we badly need!!!

No sign of our Kitty..........sensing my best and hopefully you are feeling at least a tad better.

Magnums at the double I think..........have yourselves a lovely day IF you can find a nice spot of shade and a breeze!!

A sunny good afternoon dear peoples.

I shall catch up after a spot of tennis umpiring. A girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do...

Maybelle I also have a hiatus hernia. Went through a lot of nasty tests as you have. I was coughing blood. Thoughts were cancer of the throat. All very scary. All's well now that I take Esomaprazale daily. Sorry about the spelling. I'm too bushed to get off my backside to check it. Take care. You will begin to feel very much better as soon as the medication kicks in.

Maybelle Esomeprazole. x

Back a little later for proper catch up.

Sorry to go on again but I am so frustrated.
H obviously is not over the UTI, he is weeing for England again and it is dark and smelly.
He is doubly incontinent today, I am finding him hard to cope with.
I rand the surgery this morning and they said I had to send another sample.
I managed to get one and my friend came and took it up.
They have just rung to say it was useless as it wasn't in a sterile bottle.
It is now too late to get one and get it back before they close.
I have to wait until Monday
This was made worse by the Secretary saying but it was only to check that he had been prescribed the right antibiotics and that the symptoms hadn't returned.
When I corrected her she was very unconcerned.
I could beat my head against a wall if it would do any good.
My stomach has churned for days I am so stressed.