Soop' s warm and welcoming kitchen.

Wow! Such a lot of activity. My mind boggles as it tries to process all the latest comings and goings. You LOVELY lot deserve a pure gold star medal. For tenacity, courage, upbeatness in the face of personal adversity and selfless consideration for those who are dealing with a variety of buggerations. I salute you. (((group hug)))

My back passage feels sore and bruised. Well, it would, wouldn't it! It isn't natural to have it poked and banded and whatever else it was subjected to as I lay on my side and held tight to a nurse's hand. However, I'm so relieved that the procedure happened without too long a delay. So far...no sign of the dreaded bulge. Only five weeks and six days to wait until the next visit. The procedure is the least invasive treatment that was deemed necessary. At the tender age of 77, it was a sensible decision.

I intend returning a little later.

Soop you are far braver than me going through all that with no sedation - no wonder you felt a bit fragile and hope you are feeling a little better today.

Welcome Ormond.

Synonymous glad Smokie is home - it's amazing how they manage to stay dry and make you think they've been out in all weathers! What a problem with the car but at least you're mobile now.

Ann it's an awful way to realise you have done the right thing with the care home - did they provide transport back? My mum was taken in for an x-ray when she was in the home - told the ambulance would pick her up around 6pm - it was 7.30 when it came - after 4 hours in A&E we were told the service had finished at 9 so they couldn't take us back! I had to ring my husband to come and pick us up. I hope you have a better and more restful day today.

Dragonfly thoughts are with you - it will be a stressful time until you get the results but at least a lot of people have given you reassuring posts. My husband's niece had breast cancer and has just had her 4th annual MRI which was clear. They are making great progress with treatment these days so I'm sure there will be lots they can do.

Panache thinking of you too - it's a relief there is some support forthcoming but I know more is needed. The recommendations for putting everything in place is sensible but very frightening to contemplate. Do you have someone to advise on the legalities?

I am rushing today as I'm now going out to visit the primary school I left 53 years ago before they demolish it. I've no doubt it will be very nostalgic though I doubt the wringer is still there that we used to wring out our swimming costumes in the freezing cold!

Apologies to those I've missed who are feeling so unwell at the moment - this is definitely the place to come and have a warm and unburden.

So many of the Kitcheners dealing with heart rending problems, I take my hat off to you all! and 5 gold stars! ☺


I hope you will be able to 'loll' for long enough to feel comfortable dear soop!
ann I hope you are feeling rested and can have a 'day off' today.
Panache just spending love and prayers for you both.

Smokie is keeping a watcful and close eye on the woodburner.
I have some energy today so we have been using whatever I can find 'lurking' in the fridge to make culinary edibles of whatever ilk that I am inspired to whip up. Himself is the wielder of any necessary knife and similar implements and is enjoying us being together in the kitchen. Joy days can come unexpectedly and in strange forms!

Doodle we both love anchovy stuffed olives which we have with our preprandial canapés (served by the butler of course. Well he puts them in the suite ready for us)
The gravy is a 50/50 mix of brandy and Cointreau which we use to dilute the champagne aperitifs.
We need to fortify ourselves before the 5 ( including coffee and little truffles and things ) course dinner.
I suppose considering there’s breakfast, elevenses, lunch,afternoon cream tea as well available, it’s not surprising I may gain an ounce or two on a cruise.

Galen I know that you will have a lovely time - and no washing up!

Quite!?

Just a quick dash in and out - a jar of just made lemon curd. I hope to pop by later. I need to sort out an ESTA as mine only has 4 weeks to run Sadly I fear an unscheduled trip to the States may be in the offing.

Galen, are you trying to make us envious ? You are certainly succeeding as far as I am concerned!

Galen Go girl! Sounds enormous fun.

The Eddi Reader event in Clachan was a great success. An audience of 250 at £20 per head. Proceeds to help towards the village hall fund. Eddi has agreed to return for a future two night event. We were sorry to have missed it. Perhaps next time.

Echoing what Synoymousand annodomini say, while you may wish to be there if your OH is take to A&E, surely you cannot be expectedto turn out and take responsibility?
What are you paying the care home for then?
(It seems to me they are “passing the buck”)
What about your own health and welfare?
Rhetorical questions I suppose, but the situation needs to be clarified.

Maw my feelings also. Are you expected to go to A&E if H falls out of bed at 3 am every second night? I am sorry but you pay to have him cared for there and if it means supplying staff to escort him so be it.

If this continues you will not enjoy a night's sleep at home because you will be waiting for the phone to ring.

I am popping in to wish you all a pleasant and peaceful evening. And please may Ann not receive worrying phone calls. I'm looking forward to seeing a photo of your feline friend. Bet he/she is adorable.

Tabitha lurks in the forest just the other side of our garden fence. She must know how to time -keep. Just recently she puts in an appearance within a few minutes of the freshly aired mat and food being placed inside the wee chalet.
We lurk close to the bedroom window (in the shadows) and watch her. Not a lot to see. But, for us, it's special.

Please take very good care of yourselves. You are all VIPs.

Maybe the care home who are supposedly looking after Ann’s husband should actually be looking after him properly and making sure he doesn’t fall over. This surely is what they are being paid for. Ann’s peace of mind must be shot to pieces.

soop if anyone deserves a medal it is you.?Not only do you have an uncomfortable and unpleasant issue to deal with you still manage to keep the kitchen wheels turning with a kind word and thought for everyone plus maintaining a sense of humour. You are a wonder and we are so lucky to be able to share your kitchen with you.
galen you really had me for a minute. I thought you were really taking some Bisto on the cruise with you, only to find it's alcohol gravy. I might have known ? Hope you and bella have a great time.

Doodle your message put a smile on my face. Bless you. X

Nicely put, Doodle, and so true. She’s a star!

I’ve nipped in a couple of times this week but haven’t had the chance to draw up a chair and relax. So many big things going on for so many kitchen folks. Sending good wishes to all who are coping with the big stuff of life. I surely won’t remember everyone and don’t want to leave anyone out so please don’t take it personally and just include yourself in this group hug! Welcome to new kitcheners too.

soop just the thought of what you’ve had done brings a tear to my eyes. I do hope you’re more comfortable today and the long term treatment brings a positive result. panache I can’t imagine how you and mr P keep going with all the trials and tribulations you’re experiencing these days. Like others I wish could help in a real way but please accept a virtual but very gentle hug. Ann i hope you have a break from going back and forth like this with your husband. After so many months of stress you need and deserve the chance to sleep undisturbed in your bed at night and yes as others say this is what you are paying the home to do. I bet its nice, though, to have a welcome home meow from your new little kitty when you do walk through the front door.

I’ve had a funny old week, at a routine check my BP was randomly much higher than normal. My GP surgery is not the best these days (all singing, all dancing but run by a private company) with a complete turnover in staff and many dissatisfied patients. It was suggested I check my blood pressure myself in the surgery “pod” to see if it stabilised over the next few days. I did this a couple of days later but it was even higher, as I’d been given no guidance on what to do if this should happen I scurried off home and worried myself silly. I checked it again yesterday and it was as good if not better better than normal, I even did it twice to make sure! I’m aware that family concerns have been playing on my mind recently, so who knows if thars whats caused the spike. I’ve been on the same medication for 12 years and really don’t want to change if it can be avoided. I’ll check it again nexr week, it’s probably just as well I had no opportunity to check it today. I spent the afternoon at Advent Messy Church where 66 of the small children present massacred iced and decorated the Christmas Tree biscuits I’d made, as well as enjoying all the other activities on offer. Not surprisingly this evening has mainly involved sitting on my bottom, with a G&T, doing as little as possible.

Wishing you all a restful nights sleep. x

grannyqueenie my DH has had high blood pressure for years and also has white coat syndrome (blood pressure through the roof if anyone in hospital GP surgery takes it. He now has his own BP machine and does his own readings. Advice given with the machine is to sit quietly for 15 minutes before taking BP so hope this advice may be of help to you.

ann, panache and MrP hope you all have a good night.

Yes that’s me too doodle, after seeing her for 10 years I’d got to know the “old” nurse well and in recent years even got a decent reading 1st time around. I should invest in a decent monitor to use at home, I had a cheap one years ago, If those readings had been true I’d have been long gone by now!

Evening all. The blood pressure thing resonates with me as mine was unusually sky high in the surgery this week. Was sent away with instructions to monitor for a month. Not much better so far but a little lower so I’m hopeful. That will teach me to get agitated.

Hope ann has a peaceful night and all poorly and worried Kitcheners can rest if just a bit.

Take care all, back when I can.

Can anyone explain to me what is “chlorinated chicken,” and what’s wrong with it, considering that our tap water is chlorinated?

I can't explain, galen, having only recently heard of the stuff. I presume it is chicken that has been rinsed before being packaged. There was a thread on Gransnet some time ago about how unnecessary, and in fact possibly silly as you might be spreading salmonella germs around your kitchen if you wash your chicken before cooking it, washing chicken is.

However, if chlorinated chicken washing is common in the States I've yet to hear of there being any health problems associated with it.

Enjoy your cruise! ?

I have (I should say had as I'm now taking medication to reduce it to normal) high blood pressure. No reason for it other than ageing has been suggested since my lifestyle and general health tick all the low risk boxes for heart attacks and strokes. My attitude is shrug and take the pills. The only side effects I've noticed are thst I've stopped having regular nosebleeds and my feet swell a little bit towards the end of the day. This also make them warm which I'm not going to complain about as I'm usually fighting (two pairs socks, one of which is thick hikers, ankle warmers, etc) to stop them feeling cold.

Shrugtastic. We worry too much ?‍♀️?‍♀️?‍♀️?