Soop`s superbly supportive,caring and fun loving Kitchen.

So very sorry to hear the news about your friend Soop. I hope it didn`t detract too much from your enjoyable time with your family. Safe journey home tomorrow, and all my very best wishes for the week to come x

baggs thank you so much for informing us. I am so pleased that soop had a great weekend with her family but so sorry to hear about her friend.

soop I know this sounds rather harsh but you have to think of yourself for the immediate future. Wednesday is a momentous day for you.

I have been quite pensive all day. Mr A has been my rock since we met when I was 16, and still at school. I had not imagined that so soon after I retired, we would have worries about his health. Now we also have the sad news about both Soop’s friend, and those of Ann, and so many of our kitchen friends have worries too. Although I know I must plan for whatever the future holds, I also realise that we must live for the day, and enjoy life to the full. None of us knows what is round the corner.

A sad end to the day, but I’m thinking of all of you who have worries, and especially of our dear Soop for the week ahead.

Me too Anneliese, I’ve been mulling all day about various things in my own life and family. For me it’s a balancing act between acknowledging the hard things, managing the potential worries of tomorrow but still managing to notice and enjoy the good things of today. So much so that I’ve started a conversation about it in “chat”, not like me at all! I’ve attached the piece of writing that triggered my musings.

I’ve not seen that piece of writing before Grannyqueenie. But very true, worrying solves nothing!

I've just caught up with all the posts. What a sad place the kitchen is at the moment.

I'm sorry your happy weekend has ended so sadly soop but as lots of people have said, you have to think about Wednesday now. Difficult for you. We are with you though!

Thank you baggs for letting us know.

Ann those must have been very difficult phone calls for you.

I think events like this loom large as we get older and we see the fragility of life more clearly.

Your holiday sounds wonderful corner. Just revel in the happy memories for as long as possible before real life intrudes.

Your post some it all up really queenie - thank you.

As Kitty, says this is a sad place just now.

Queenie, thank you for posting your piece of writing.

You think you are alone with your troubles, then you come on here and so many have great sadness, but there is also so much kindness and compassion.

For all those who are suffering, especially Soop .

Thinking of you Soop and sending you a big hug

Just echoing the thoughts of everyone Soop .

So many worries on here at the moment, kind thoughts to you all.

I am still struggling to read all the posts on this thread but am so glad that it was recommended to me and that I'm here.
Thank you to Charleygirl5, Greyduster,Doodle and Cornergran for your welcome.
My DS and Dil went to Finland and Norway to see the Northern Light but didn't see them. Then they and DD went to Iceland a few years ago and a no show there too. They were so disappointed, I'm so glad the that you saw them Corner.

Soop, I wish you well for your forthcoming operation.

Soop so sorry to hear about your friend , we do miss our good friends as much as family xxx
I am rooting for you on Wednesday

Morning all,

Just catching up with all the to and froing here !

Welcome 1inamillion , great name by the way !!

Grey I love the way our children become our parents !! Could you hear yourself in your daughters reprimand? :-)

Glad you're back Izabella , I still have beach envy from your picture.

So sorry to hear your sad news - not what you needed at all. Glad you had a smashing family time and expect to see some pictures in due course. Now its time to focus on you !! We are all with you ! xx

Are there pictures Corner , sounds wonderful .

Lovely words Grannie , I work on 2 principles , 1...don't sweat the small stuff . and 2.... pick your battles. I was talking to my friend about the mess her children, both teenagers make in their rooms and said my answer is to shut the bedroom door ! Its their room and they must deal with the consequences of not having a clean school shirt or not being able to find things. I'm a big believer in 'bought lessons' you can moan about the mess till the cows come home but until they feel the pain and see the consequence then nothing will change. These were older kids of course but to a certain extent I think it can apply to little ones too.

We spent a lovely weekend with our family although the grandchildren were not in good form. The age spread from 12- 4 was evident and they were all out of sorts. I took my camera as I didn't get a picture of everyone at Christmas but there was no hope this time either. I shall try again at Easter.

But ill leave you with a picture of the little boys doing Pilates before breakfast!!! Teaching good habits maybe lol ?

I forgot to add Soop to my sad news line lol and Ann too !

Soop I am so sorry to hear about your friend; a body blow for you. I hope that the support of your family and the good wishes of your Gransnetters will buoy you up to face the rest of the week. ??. Thankyou to Baggs for keeping us in the loop.

Gq we could do with making that our daily read. It must speak to many of us I should think.

Corner what a wonderful experience you’ve had! Lots of lovely memories for the future. Any photos for ‘us lot’?

A gentle day for me today. I was extremely tired all day yesterday for some reason, and by the time dinner was finished and the family had gone home, I couldn’t keep my eyes open. So, no cooking today; we are, apparently, eating out!

I will look in later. Safe journey home, Soop.

Oh dear Soop, the loss of a dear friend takes a little bit of us with them. You must try to think of the good times, the giggles and the joy your friendship brought to you both ???

Please put yourself first for a change and focus on Wednesday and your recovery thereafter.

Remember your virtual friends will always be here in your kitchen waiting with coffee and cake ☕️?

Kitcheners keep safe,

On Saturday I received a returned Christmas card. I always put my house number and postcode on the back of any card I send. This card was sent to a friend I met at work in my mid 20's and we have stayed friends ever since. I used to visit her in East Sussex but what with rising train fares and me unable at one stage to get on one we communicated only at Christmas.

She was not computer literate. I think she must have died, having lived in that house for 30 years+ Her husband died about 4 years ago and I know she would not have moved without informing people. I suppose it is what I have to expect now that I and friends are 75 or thereabouts.

A sunny but chilly day here.

N&G how do our posts always manage to cross? The little boys could teach me a thing or two I think, but if I was flat on my back on the floor I would never get up again! It’s a shame the younger members of your family were not playing ball this weekend - unusual for yours, I think! I remember when we had a family photo session booked on a day my two had a furious falling out - it showed in all the photographs, which were almost singed at the edges with their ire ☹️!

N&G. I bet those little boys jump up with alacrity from their prone position, whereas I struggle, but I do manage in my own way. If I gave up pilates now I think I would lose the ability to get up from the floor.

Bellanonna I cannot remember the last time I could get up off the floor easily and two knee replacements certainly have not helped.

Pilates interests me but it is a no-no. I even have to make sure I do not sit in a chair which is too low or I would be stuck. Who introduced me to old age?

The same sneaky b****r who introduced us all Charley, and then stands back sniggering as we struggle with it!

So true- it is not something I would have signed up for if I had known.

I enter a rather sombre kitchen this Monday morning and having read of Bagg`s message telling us about this very sad and sudden death of a dear friend to our Soop ......just at this moment when she really needs to be concentrating on the way she meets Wednesday, and her own recovery time. This is a hard hitting blow she could well have done without.Especially as she has put on such amazing shows of inner strength.
I send my deepest condolences indeed.
Whilst dear Soop, as sad and hurtful the news, it is imperitive you try to consider your own being and health at this point in time,you must think of your Macsporran and your beloved children whom are banking on you making a full recovery, so although extremely difficult and extremely sad..........please concentrate on your self.........for now.

I am enclosing a poem I wrote on the very eve before my first Mastectomy (it has been published in The EdenPress Book of Praise by the way)............and these words certainly spoke to my heart and I sincerely hope they will to yours.

His Hand.

As I walk in the valley of the shadow of death,
yes,many are the fears that abound,
But thro` the grey and shadowed mist I see
The love of my saviour -all around.
I know I never walk alone.
He walks with His Hand on mine
He will never leave or forsake me.
These are His promises divine.
Oh! yes I hurt and I fear within,
my eyes maybe filled with tears,
but I know that by walking with Jesus,
He will allay the worst of my fears.
He hears my cry from deep within,
And reaches out that Hand
That uplifts us from this troubled world,
to his own precious heavenly land.
Although we may suffer here on earth,
God`s Son has suffered more
Just to form a bridge for us,
So we may abide on His promised shore.
His love is all around us,
His heavenly light shines bright,
His wealth of caring reaches us,
what ere maybe our plight.

We simply have to lean on Him,and trust with all our heart,
One day we`ll be with Jesus - never again to part.
It is this age old promise,that keep us holding on,
Just to be in Heaven,with God`s most treasured Son.
Lord Jesus, we praise and thank you,we glorify your name
We are a grateful people,that to earth you came,
I thank you Lord Jesus for reaching from above
And filling my heart with your bountiful love.
I treasure the feeling of your nail-scarred Hand
Keeping me above the wealth of sinking sand.
Help me now Lord Jesus,in all that lies ahead,
And I promise always to walk -where ere I am led.

Whilst thinking of you all with a troubled mind and I hope this speaks some morsels of comfort at this time.

Panache,your poem is beautiful.I have saved it to share with friends and family,I hope this is ok.The kitchen truly is a place of caring,calm and love when times are troubled.?to you all.

Such sad news this Monday morning for Soop to contend with on top of her upcoming operation on Wed. Panache your lovely poem will I'm sure help when she reads it.

Charleygirl we had a similar thing happen with Christmas cards and we think the huge time lapse is all to do with the dearth of letter writing nowadays. In our own experience their young folk tend to just bin the cards and you only hear ages later when the next occupants of the property have the nous to put the card in the post box so the PO returns it to sender. Horrible to be left dangling and not knowing in that way especially if you have known the whole family a long time.
soop so sorry about the loss of your friend. Safe journeying home and we will be keeping you in our thoughts and prayers on Wednesday. We are all rooting for you!
So pleased Mr & Mrs Panache are back home together again.
N&G those boys are very imaginative - and I expect they keep you all going!
Grey D and Bellanonna That is why I had to stop doing exercises on the floor! I keep thinking I will try and do exercises at home but haven't got past the thinking stage yet

Beautiful day today and hope you are all enjoying some sunshine.