Soops Kitchen , kindness and cake served with love. Come on in !

Just been catching up a bit and smiling at all the beautiful photos. Had a lovely day with the family yesterday - they picked me up at the crack of dawn (9.30am ) and we drove to a lovely beach just to the west of Southend, where we had our picnic lunch. The sun was hot, the water was warm and there was a wonderful mix of ages and water activities being enjoyed by all. DS and DDIL dropped me and DGS at my house while they went home to prepare a meal. We walked down later and I was greated with a delicious Pimms before we ate. We were all a bit sunburned (except DGS who'd been frequently sprayed with suncream) and I for one had a brilliant night's sleep.

TOYA and hoping all your troubles go away quickly

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Morning all !

We've had glorious weather all weekend and it continues today. Survived a weekend with the littlest grandchild although it was touch and go when rounding a corner in the dinosaur park we came face to face with a T Rex bumbling along. Who knew Cooper could run so fast ? LOL

Max is as cute as a button callgirl , glad you enjoyed your birthday get together.

How nice to have thoughtful neighbours Anneliese sometimes its just the kind word that's needed.

Yes the weight loss is really detectable on Grampy Soop I don't really feel or think I look any different but then I have only lost half of what he has. Weigh day tomorrow and we MIGHT have been nobbled by a packet of Wagon Wheels !!!

Molly is lovely Ann , quite a beauty.

We took Sam with us when we returned Cooper home yesterday, everyone was sitting in the lounge with the patio doors open when suddenly Nibbles ( the rabbit) hared ( forgive me I couldn't help myself !!) across the lawn with Sam in hot pursuit !!! Cue chaos as everyone tried to get out in the garden at once and Sam was doing his best greyhound impression !! Luckily peace was restored before he actually caught Nibbles who didn't look too put out by the pursuit but it could have ended quite differently !

Well , I shall leave you with the rest of the wagon wheels and couple of pictures and say happy Day all.

callgirl Max is having a great time and you cannot possibly be his great grandma.

The weather is glorious here in London, beautiful sunshine.

that is a lovely cool bar Urmstongran and with weather similar to London, you are in a good place.
TOYA

Morning kitcheners - I love peeping and reading this thread. I especially love all the fantastic photographs!

The weather in Malaga is glorious right now. I do think May is my favourite month of the year here. Sunny but with plenty of fresh air - not the sticky humidity of the late summer months.

I’m off to spend the afternoon with my ladies - I do love Mondays!

This photo was taken last week at our favourite local bar where we usually meet.

Callgirl Max is lovely! He’s certainly losing his baby looks and is quite the young man now. I hope he doesn’t lose his healthy appetite!

It will certainly freshen The Lady up and bring the fish up to the top, Izabella. You have reminded me I need to renew my licence this week! Glad you are relaxing and enjoying California sunshine!

Just popping in. All this talk of curries, bread and such while I gorge partake of wonderful Californian hospitality, enjoy sunshine, butterflies and birdlife. Feline company in the form of two gorgeous black girls, and fine friends and family

Greyduster sorry its raining there but am sure Ladybower will be pleased. I note the various buggerations and trails continue for many so TOYA.

It missed the last pic I posted, along with the blurb!
Me and daughter 2, Max`s grandma.

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2 pics of Max from today. The dinner plate between the drinks is Max`s, AND he ate most of it!

Thank you for all the birthday wishes. I enjoyed my Sunday dinner out, I had the roast chicken dinner. I gave away the Yorkshire and the stuffing, but the rest was lovely. Max had a whale of a time running up and down (we had a large room to ourselves), one of the waitresses chatted to him, with the result that he followed her back to the kitchen!
More lovely photos today, love the yellow irises Soop. A lovely grandad and grandson pic GreyD. Ann, with that tail, are you sure that Molly isn`t half fox?
All these beautiful gardens that you all have! I love to see a nice garden, but the thought of all the work that goes into them makes me cringe and feel so glad we don`t have a garden.
NannyT, I`m so glad you had a good holiday, especially with all the hard work you`ve got coming up getting ready to move house.
Weatherwise, today began hot and sunny, clouded over mid afternoon then rained, but not too much, but still warm, then turned extremely windy.
Furniture looking good MawB.

Oh bum! Just lost my post ?. Here we go again ...
Lots of lovely photos! My irises are flowering one by one - this is a prolific flowerer. I shall be potting some once it has flowered for the new garden.
Off to see my poorly big brother - the December new hip is infected. The implant has been removed but he is still in hospital. I fear all is not well - the last 18 months have been one thing after another, starting with a Whipple procedure. He is only ten years older than me but it feels much more.

A mixture of showers and sunshine here, but as it’s still warm, it’s good for the garden. The unexpected cold and windy spell a few weeks ago was not at all good for our runner beans, so hopefully this warmer weather will help. Still quite windy at the moment though.

We are very lucky that both our immediate neighbours are so nice. They were concerned when DH started to have problems, and saddened and supportive when we got his diagnosis. Yesterday one brought round a parcel delivered when we were out. He said he didn’t know anything about MND so had looked it up. He asked some thoughtful questions about it and how difficult it must be for DH. Then he said that he realised it must be very hard for me too, and that I should go round for a coffee if I needed a break. How perceptive for a young man! That’s exactly what I need at times, just a short break when I get stressed or find myself in mother hen mode!

I’m trying to keep up with everyone, but for tonight TOYA! ?

It got perceptible colder this afternoon. I went upstairs to get a jumper and found that I'd left the bathroom window open and the wind was blowing straight down the stairs. No wonder my feet felt cold! And it was raining. The forecast for the week is not great, so I have to think hard about what to pack for a few days in Dundee - I am keen to see the new V&A.

Sorry soop but I am moving in with N&G- the boys are cared for so well I thought N&G would not notice if I took their place.

“He has also baked a handsome loaf”! Soop this is another reason for me to fall immediately in love with him, but unfortunately I love another who wouldn’t know where to start making bread! Does MacS give lessons?

Charleyg Homemade chicken curry! Wow! We would be round in a shot if you lived nearby and had some to spare

corner That is a stunning rose.

It's been sunny today. MacSporran has cut the grass. He has also baked a handsome loaf. See pic. Me... I've done some ironing and have spent hours enjoying the ongoing match between Wawrinka and Tsitsipas. Where on earth do these players get their unbelieveable energy from? The match is already four hours old, in blistering heat on a clay court. What's more, both players also had long matches just yesterday. I am in awe of their tenacity and skill.

Greyduster I would love hollyhocks in this garden. I'm wondering whether they would approve of salt air.

TOYA and wishing you a pleasant Sunday evening. I shall return tomorrow.

GreyD and corner I do not know which part of the country you live but it sounds to me as though you should be thinking about moving.

When I crawled out of bed at 8 am today it was 20C with wall to wall sunshine. We rarely "do" rain in London and then it is frequently during the night. My washing dried in no time at all and although I have a cardigan on now it is really too warm. I wore one because Waitrose air con gives me hypothermia.

One of my neighbour's daughters originally from Sri Lanka presented me with a homemade chicken curry just made by her cook!!! All this for giving the telephone number of a grass cutter! My sirloin steak will keep until tomorrow.

N&G I may be later than stated.

Beautiful photos of Molly, ann and such a tail ?
callgirl hope you have a happy birthday. Sorry you are so tired. Those nighttime loo trips are a pain. DH has the same problem.
Your garden looks lovely maw. Must be nice to sit out there.....especially with a nice drink ?

ann, when Molly chases her tail, as most cats do, does she manage to catch it? The cats I had in the past could never quite manage it!

Sounds as if we're in good company with the rain. Both ours have much larger gardens than us greyd and enjoy taunting their aged mother with their successes - I note they keep very quiet about the less than successful . Children eh?

Seriously miffed here. Its not stopped raining, even though the weather forecast shows sunshine now. , no chance of doing anything useful outside. Your furniture looks good maw as does the restorative drink. .

Just the weather here for your soup ann, sounds delicious. Mia looks both regal and contented.

Lovely images as ever soop, I managed this of my favourite rose before the downpour began - just in case there are no petals left later. Its a bit delicate but was a gift on one Mothering Sunday so I try to nurture it.

The sorting bug has seriously struck here, jumble sale removed I am now on to paperwork and actually enjoying it. I worry about me sometimes

TOYA and be good.

Lupins!

Lovely photos Soop and MacS is definitely the prize specimen in your garden - though I am fond of gunneras and other large imposing plants. I have no room for anything larger than hollyhocks here, sadly. I am always complaining that lupine will not grow for me, and my son has been rubbing salt into the wound by sending me photos of his splendid specimens. My responses have been terse and not at all worthy of a good mother?!

Inertia has set in at Chez Duster this afternoon. It is persisting down at the moment and so gardening will have to wait. I hope it dries up by tomorrow as, with luck, the patio is due to be finished. Then we will have a trip to the tip with the old garden furniture and order some much needed new! Exciting! (it doesn’t take much to excite me!).

Maw you deserve that enticing looking drink after all your hard work but it is hardly fair as it has rained on and off all day here.
No chance of a drink in the garden.
Your furniture looks really good.