Soop's welcoming and supportive kitchen for kindly folk...

Baggs I went marginally more upmarket than a mop and bucket but I did not want one at great cost which sprayed the cleaning liquid onto the floor. It was a minefield trying to choose something simple like a mop that did not cost a fortune and did not need a degree in engineering to put together. It is arriving on Saturday.

Oh what terribly sad news regarding Hattie , her mum must be in pieces

Charley a 2nd Vacc., AND a mop!? Are you insane? That's certainly far too much excitement at once . Don't mop too soon - you don't want to risk an aggravated arm.

Brook what a photo. Terrific colours. We had Kingfishers in our garden in the North, puzzler. Wonderful to watch them fish, like little jewel colours flashing through the air. One day one flew against a big window of ours and I was really upset. He survived though and I put him in a little open box filled with grass on top of a hedge. He stayed there for a couple of hours and then clearly had a strong word with himself and flew away. I thought of him today as I rummaged through some treasures between the pages of my Garden Plant Encyclopaedia and found one of his wonderfully coloured feathers.

Soop, you're so kind. Just a small chance HQ will find it in their hearts to acknowledge your request and M's pain. I do hope so - it would be lovely to include her again. Dogs are very naughty - they are with us for such a short time . Just long enough to break hearts, it seems.

Nice and easy hair, Jax. Very pretty. That product is terrific - no excuse for any of us to be wandering about feeling drab in the 'barnet' area. A box which is so easy to use is available for all - especially those who are currently rather desperate! Buy a box and make the day brighter is my motto.

Anno so good that people are being professional and caring with your trees. Bet you'll be thrilled to have it all done.

Muse you're obviously very stoic, but I still think you are doing too much - I'm a Sciatica sufferer. However, I'm pleased you put on your glad rags and went off for a jaunt with her Ladyship. Doodle - hi to you, hope you and Mr D are doing well. My cat is French so what on earth do you expect her to know about 'elf and safety' ? ?

Urms so glad you've cheered up a little - in spite of your awful news about Hattie. It's so miserable feeling down and if it's because of health worries, it's doubly miserable. Please pass on warm hugs to our old friend with the thin dog and say how we feel her sadness. x

Take care all, so lovely to take part in Kitchen chatter. I've just treated myself to an ice-filled glass of Baileys Salted Caramel. Sometimes a sweet tooth just has to win. Keep safe.
Hugs ?‍♀️

Soop you have my backing 100% in asking Laura if we can have our friend back. Even if she can only be in the kitchen with us that would be a start. I hate to think of her in this current position as we all know how much she loves Hattie.
Hoping so much they relent and let her come back.
Charleygirl good to hear you’ve had your second jab. Ours are due mid April. Oooh a new mop. You know how to celebrate. ?
Take care all

urmstongran. This is such devastating news for the Lovely Lady and the Thin Dog. I only made their acquaintance latterly as a newcomer, but I know what they mean to each other❤️
Please will you pass on my thoughts to them both?
Thank you

‘Evening All’

Firstly, a good day here. My stepfather had his cataract op follow up appointment and then a routine eye test. All good & new spex on order. We dropped him off home ... and we’re invited in for a wee dram to celebrate. Well it seemed rude to refuse, I think you’d all agree.

Secondly, an update about Hattie this evening.

Apparently our dear friend IS able to look into the kitchen (just not respond) so she DOES read all your messages and thanks you - Everybody is so kind.

It seems that Hattie is staying in hospital, they have fitted a drain so that the pressure doesn’t build up which will help with her breathing, but that’s just a temporary measure.

She is just not well enough to be discharged and her Mum can’t face the thought of bringing her home just to “drown” and die. It’s very like Covid lung failure in humans - but no, she doesn’t have Covid, I did ask!

Better to go to sleep peacefully if it comes to that.

Our pal says she is strangely calm this evening - until she sees her collar or her bed ? and then she goes to pieces and wants to shout ‘SHE SHOULD BE HERE IN HER HOME.’

It so very hard isn’t it?

Good luck soop asking Lara. If anyone could persuade her to allow this it could only be you. I hope she has a heart.

I wish everyone in this comforting kitchen a peaceful night ahead. x

Please can the Lovely Lady come back, if only to the Kitchen, so that we can give her ((hugs)), a friendly ear and tea and cake?

I do hope the 'Lovely Lady' can come back and join the kitchen. It is good that she can read the messages so I send her love and strength xx

I don't know the 'Lovely Lady' but would like too. Good luck soop.

Joy of my day was seeing the first flower on the magnolia stellata my daughter bought me for my 70th birthday.

MrM and I have been busy all afternoon getting the 2nd line of irrigation up in my polytunnel. Tube needed heating to get the joiners inserted.

A dram sounds a good idea to celebrate Urm. I'm now fancying trying that Baileys Salted Caramel grandmafrench. Love anything and everything that Salted Caramel.

Hope to get a good nights sleep. Had to get up at 4:00am for painkillers. Suspecting the mattress is not helping my sciatica.

Thank you for the update Urmston its good to know that Hatties mum can read our posts. Keeping everything crossed that Hattie improves soon. Hopefully a word from soop will help Lara to be kind enough to relent...Good news about your stepfather too and pleased his recovery from the eye surgery has gone so well.
Well ... Baileys salted caramel sounds delicious grandmafrench that’s definitely on my shopping list!
Hope you sleep better tonight muse

Phew, I’ve only just caught up with the old kitchen thread and found this one. Thank you all for your lovely birthday good wishes. It made me feel all warm and cosy. I will catch up properly and come back tomorrow. ?

Hattie's mum asked Lara & co a couple of weeks ago if she could return and was told no. They really do not care.

Grandmafrench my new mop does not arrive until Saturday or Monday.

My local pharmacy is offering free Covid tests. When Covid started they were very naughty and charged well over the odds for masks and sanitiser- 3 or 4 times too much so I am amazed they are doing anything for free and even better no appointment necessary.

dustyangel sorry it’s very late. Hope you had a good birthday ?

Thanks for the update Urms. So pleased The Lovely Lady is reading. We miss you so much. Many of us will understand how you feel tonight. Praying for you and the lovely Hattie.x

Maw??

soop, you must be kidding. My tree climbing days ended at least 74 years ago!
Charley, enough of the one-up-granship. I have a mop too though not too sure where it is. Maybe somewhere in the garden, or the shed. When I was staying with my DS2 and family I commented that what they needed was a mop. The next day a mop arrived in the Amazon van and DS said, 'Here you are, Mum'. Why had I opened my mouth?
Second vaccine dose next Thursday. Something to look forward to! Everybody who is anybody will be in the Civic Hall that morning.

So sorry to read about Hattie, much love to her Mum.

What’s all this talk about mops? Not sure I’d recognise one .

Apologies for missing your birthday dustyangel, I seem to have been extra busy doing not very much the last couple of days.

Good night everyone, sleep well.

Apologies for not having read back all the pages I`ve missed, I`ve spent most of the time staring at the CCTV and willing Mia to make an appearance.

To the nice, pleasant lady with the thin dog, I`m so sorry to hear about poor Hattie, I do really hope that she pulls through. Also, you are missed x

The other night a lady who lives a few doors away came frantically knocking at 10pm, saying she`d found Mia, well, seen her. I went outside with her, and eventually she reappeared carrying a white cat. I said "If it was Mia she`d come home, not hang around the bank all this time, I think its the one from further down, it looks a lot like Mia", but she was convinced it was Mia. She brought it into the house, and between us we managed to open it`s mouth, to find all fangs present and correct, Mia had one removed the other week. That poor cat is probably traumatised now!
Yesterday I went to Nottingham City Hospital for an echocardiogram, getting myself smothered in jelly.
Best wishes to all, TOYA

So sorry Mia is still not home hellogirl, hope the outcome of your echo is positive.

It seems Mr C wants to go to a garden centre, fine by me but I’m wondering why, not his usual request with cafes closed.

Have the best day you can everyone. TOYA.

I’m still hoping Mia will come home hellogirl.
What a beautiful magnolia muse we are behind you as in the ones I’ve seen are still in bud but won’t be long.
Today is a bit wild and windy so they should stay curled up.
To the poorly dog’s distraught Mum - I’m sending positive thoughts and a hug. Vets are amazing these days and hopefully they can make her comfortable enough to return home and be with you. I’m so glad you can read all the loving comments that are being sent from the kitchen to you both and find them comforting.
Wishing you all a peaceful day. ?

I have sent a brief email to Lara. Asking her to please reconsider allowing Maw to revisit the kitchen. In all the time she was a Kitchener, she not once caused any one of us to be offended. In fact, quite the reverse.

Baggs Old-fashioned did the job it was meant to do. Old-fashioned lasted, sometimes for an entire lifetime. Today's world is not happy for anything to survive for too long. There is no profit in stuff that doesn't need replacing at the drop of a hat.

Thank you soop. I do hope HQ will consider hard what you have said. ?

I have read through all your lovely messages. Right now, I've a parcel to unpack, in which is a Shoe Ottoman complete with a "how to construct" manual.

Mr Soop is having the sun damaged skin on his scalp zapped at the local hospital. He'll be a couple of hours. If I can construct the ottoman in his absence, I will be chuffed. If not, he'll be welcomed home to a lot of panels and screws.

I shall give it a whirl. Before I do, I need to empty the entrance hall of a shoe rack that has collected layers of grime, and polish the floor in readiness for the smart new gizmo.

Fern remains awol.

Oh dear missing Mia and Fern along with a very poorly Hattie ?

We have the 14 month old GS today, he had four routine vaccinations yesterday he is a bit fractious, I know how he feels!

No chance of a nice long walk with his pram as it is overcast, windy and threatening to rain, so the little imp is currently throwing all the cushions on the sitting room floor.

Fingers crossed GNHQ will find it in their hearts to let our nice friend return.

Hope all goes well for mr soop and good luck making the ottoman soop??

Sorry to hear Mia is still missing.Thinking of maw today and hoping for better news of Hattie??

GrannyGravy, we have Henry today who has also not been his usual cheery self so I completely understand how you feel.We leave to get the divine Miss M from school in fifteen minutes, I popped upstairs to get changed, came downstairs and H and grandpa both fast asleep??‍♀️

TOYA and will pop back later to catch up.