Soop's comfortable and friendly kitchen...

Families are very funny - did I tell you about my mum. Yes kitty, far too many times.

It is sad though, knowing you will never see him again Eilyann - it's the 'what might have beens' isn't it.

The uncle of my favourite son in law died earlier this week in Zimbabwe. He had taken in his sister (DSiL's Mum) and her sons when she left her violent husband and DSiL had an enormous soft spot for him. The whole family was thrown off their farm and my son in law and brother and step father came here leaving the uncle behind (his choice!) but they think the situation there is now so volatile that they daren't risk going for the funeral/memorial service. His children couldn't even reach the hospital to see him before he died.

Ann, congratulations on your diamond anniversary. You deserve a huge diamond for all your worries at the moment. You are definitely sticking to your vows. I hope you get a satisfactory outcome from your visitors.

corner, I hope your news isn't as bad as you fear.

Must garden - I hope to be back soon but we have someone coming to choose one of the kittens later - they are not having mine!!

Eilyann I feel sad for you to have had this unexpected news. He was your brother, and you grew up together, so it’s not easy to hear of his sudden death. My condolences.

Eilyann I sympathise at this sudden shock of hearing about your brother, and send you my condolences.
Families......yes I can sadly vouch there is none as odd as some families, with mine probably taking first prize......even so, being bitter helps not,but hinders much.
Hope you feel better as the day pans out and the hurt is less raw.

They certainly are.
Condolences to you, don't feel too sad, it was his choice.

Sad today. Heard this morning that my brother, 72, had a heart attack yesterday and died. Haven't seen him for 17 years since he moved to Phillipines with his new (young) wife. Never came home to see our mother before she died, though they managed a few trips to Australia to see my 80 year old sister, who is now in a nursing home. Trying not to feel bitter - funny thing families.

`Morning all.......and seemingly already feeling the great meltdown...........as long as you keep your canine and cat friends cool then you have a friend for life in me!

Truly hoping your special day yesterday Ann ended in a better way than it began,and you must know how much we all here truly admire and love both your staunchness and humour........this is a shining diamond that gleams from its innermost heart.

Can feel your trepidation Corner and I can but sincerely hope that your dear friend finds her surgery not as ominous as first thought but again please know my favourite saying.......There is life after cancer......I and many of our friends here can happily vouch for that.

Am envying our GreyD..........visiting "The lost gardens of heligan" today,a treat she will long remember.

What busy young children....lovely pic again N & G

Very hot and muggy overnight,then slightly grey and moist earlier but already clearing .........the greenery is returning .....but also growing!

Me ?..........resting,what else??!!

Have a pleasant day folks.

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n&g...they are Charlie & Lola.
The horrible hounds!
Love them to pieces, despite the trails of mud every winter! and the holes they dig!!

N&G how do you keep Sam's "blanket" cool? Do you pop it in the fridge overnight?

I am about to face the heatwave and it is not 32C here yet, 10 degrees cooler. I do not want to do or eat much- the latter being an asset I think.

Tara has decided that half way through the night sleeping on my bottom sheet is the in thing but she hates it when I move. She was perched on my pillow when I woke up this morning.

Like his style n&g, get him together with those girls of mine, I think between them they could change the world!

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Morning all !!

Vintage fizzy fixes most things Ann , hope you enjoyed every drop!

Hello Norman !! He's lovely Chaos , what are the other 2 called ? Sam sends a wave! He sat comfortably last night in his new cooling blanket - I took a photo !

I love the biscuit tale Grannie !! A few years ago Jackson set up his lemonade stand at a family bbq and( conned) sold £10.48 worth to friends and family. Ever since he has felt McDs could benefit from some of his sales expertise !!

Grey , you're loving every minute of it...but I see a quiet week when you get back !!

It is very warm here this morning so I am off for a cool shower before deciding what the day will bring !

Oops.my apologies chaos I obviously cannot read but those three dogs have found a super home for life.

Ann those of us who "know" you appear to have known you for ages. I could not tolerate a quarter of what you put up with on a daily basis.

Hello the galloping kitchen! I haven’t a hope of catching up, but just wanted to add my good wishes to Ann on a milestone anniversary and I am cheered that it turned out to have some joy in it - and good champagne to boot!
This holiday is very strenuous and I want to lie down in a dark room (oh, wait a minute! I am lying down in a - fairly - dark room!). I will catch up with you all eventually.

So many thanks to everyone.
Your kindness is very much appreciated.
My virtual friends are now as meaningful as my friends in RL.

cornergran.....I'm sorry you have such a nervous wait. Is the friend local, or are you worrying long distance?

Probably charley and also daring to comment on their inability to communicate. Yes, we were nice, honestly we were . Just bad luck they all turned up today with the same attitude, suspect they knew well enough they were in the wrong. One would have been amusing, two possibly overlooked, three impossible to ignore. I’m definitely not saintly enough.

Norman has found a good home chaos, he’ll soon be off with the others. The dogs are lucky you found them.

I’m edgy tonight. An old friend has surgery tomorrow, there’s a suspicion of cancer in lymph nodes. There are far too many friends struggling with health, makes us count our blessings.

Late to the party even more so than usual, and feeling just a wee bit weary. We’ve had 10 year old gd here since Tuesday and today she was joined by two more gds, 9 &11...it’s been a very enjoyable but rather busy day and I am now well and truly cream crackered! They decorated biscuits, the ones I made late on yesterday evening, played in the garden, climbed trees and enjoyed a walk to the local swing park, all ate like there was no tomorrow and mostly didn’t have a cross word all day. They were determined to to set up a stall outside the house to sell their biscuits to unsuspecting passers by, but then decided it would be kinder to give them away for free! I managed to convince them that not many folk walk along my road so off we set to offer them to various neighbours of mine, finding a rather surprised postwoman + a man decorating the outside of a house along the way, as well as a very pleasant neighbour I’d never met before. Fortunately all biscuits recipients entered into it with good humour! Dd2, mum of two of the girls, was just the same at that age, funny how these traits come down the line, so I’m not unused to this malarkey!
Any way enough of all that nonsense. I’ve only energy to say hello and congratulations to Ann, I’m glad the day was better than you feared. If anyone deserved a good bottle of fizz it’s you! Good night all x

Charleygirl....the blind guys are mine and, excluding rehabilitating Norman from a past life in "commercial" breeding, they are just like any other dogs ?
I am a bit of a crusader about blind dogs not being raised as disabled
My little cocker (eyes removed at 13 weeek old) could chew a shoe as well as any other puppy, and is one of the fastest spaniels you will see running a field - once he is given the all clear to run free.

I agree, I do hope that you enjoyed your evening Ann. Lovely that your GD could visit and enjoy the evening with you.

Panache looking after 3 blind dogs must be very difficult especially when the gorgeous fellow in the photo is so frightened.

Corner I do not know what to say re the tradesman- was it that attitude because you and Mr. C are over the age of 30 and they thought that they could get away with anything?

Tara is having a moan, she does not want to go to bed by herself so I must oblige I think.

Hope you enjoyed your celebration dinner Ann

Ann xx

annsixty, I don't often venture into the kitchen, but I noticed a couple of weeks ago that you said it was your anniversary today, and I thought I'd find you here. I do hope you have had a nice day. You must have many memories of the happy times you and your husband have shared along the way. Many congratulations and best wishes to you on your 60th anniversary. Enjoy your champagne!

What a landmark in your marriage Ann. Well done. You never know, maybe it registers with your husband at some level. He must have played a major part in your earlier years together.
And Panache - I do hope you get someone really interested soon. We had our last house on the market on and off for a few years. It always had to be fairly clean and tidy just in case someone came. Finally they did, after we'd dropped the price a lot.

Congratulations from me too ann, enjoy that champagne you truly deserve it.

Love both photos soop and baggs, you’re both too slender to worry about an expanding waistline.

I empathise with the weapon worries n&g, my reaction was similar on being told our Littlest helps empty the dishwasher by putting the knives away. Knives???? Why not the spoons??? Madness.

Well, the good news is the tradesmen/repair person have finally all turned up. I know I should be happy but I’m seriously levitating, a bunch of sarcastic, smug, patronising, sarcastic, condescending and generally know it all men. We’re determined none will cross the threshold again.

Oh well. It’s all done, so no more moans, or not today .

Take care all. Wishing you all a good evening and a peaceful night.

So pleased to know you have good company this evening, ann.

How lovely to see real faces, soop and Baggs! you photograph well.

Personally I ruin a good photo, so thought that I would offer one of Norman, instead. He is the latest (and last!) addition to the crew, and completes a trio of blind dogs. He is a very scared little guy but is slowly learning that people can be nice.
The challenge now is to get him to the point where he can run freely in the fields, with the other two....but that looks like being a long way off.

Ann I wish it could be a diamond celebration for you both but as anno says you are a true diamond and so many GNs are thinking of you and admiring your courage, fortitude and loyalty to your husband. He would not have chosen this situation for either of you but your "grace under fire" is an example to us all.

Try and remember the happy times and maybe have a glass of something to toast them! .
Congratulations on 60 years of marriage.