Soop's warm and welcoming kitchen for friendship...

That sounds a really lovely evening, Urmstongran.
You are right, family & friends are very special indeed. x

Sounds uncomfortable for MrSoop. It's good that you both have your family get-together to look forward to.

Great photos Llfl of Kew Gardens.

Windy here today, leaves flying!

We were at the eye clinic again today, my DH still needing the dreaded injections. It does mean that I have to drive home.

Our heating boiler has been leaking on & off, but suddenly got worse, so we've had gas engineer out twice , he's now ordered a part, hopefully that will make our boiler last a bit longer. ( we had thought we would have to replace, probably we will wish we had!!).

Warm thoughts to you all.

So pleased you had a lovely date night Urms, so right about family and friends 💕
A big well done to your DGS Jax
Hi 👋 SueD
Enjoy lunch out tomorrow nannytopsy
Sleep well all x

Urms if I could just “like” your post I would. So ending instead x.

‘Evening All ‘.

‘Hats off’ to you Grandmabatty! You do a sterling job with your little boys. Your love (and tiredness!) shines through.

We are home and cosy in bed after our ‘date night’ at our favourite Italian restaurant round the corner. We were joined by a couple who are very dear, old friends. We haven’t met up all year for obvious reasons. It was wonderful to spend a couple of hours with them. I ate delicious beef cheeks and Himself enjoyed tender lamb cutlets. I can’t tell you all just how very grateful we are for these special times.

Simple pleasures, once taken so very much for granted, now take on a whole new resonance. Life, family and friends are very precious aren’t they? The rest is just ‘stuff’.
x

Evening to the kitchen. We are watching Masterchef while planning Christmas shopping tomorrow. DH has offered lunch out! Just hoping that Black Friday doesn’t mean our little town will be packed.
GrandmaB your GSs make me laugh. Our DGS2 is just starting to make his feelings felt, usually if it involves a no.
Eg no, you can’t climb the stairs!
Sleep well everyone. 😴

😂 GMbatty. That reminds me of my ds2. He was very slow to talk, he has just a few words. I’d asked him if he wanted bread or toast for his breakfast and he said ‘Toast!’. I forgot and gave him bread. He looked at me disdainfully, as only a toddler can, and commented ‘Said toast, not bread!’ That was his first ever sentence, he immediately realised he’d been busted and then there was no stopping him. He speaks for a living now!

I love all the autumnal photos. It’s been very windy here so all the leaves are now in the North Sea, I suspect!

I’m just doing a quick visit to the Kitchen to say hi to everyone. It’s been another busy week here, plus a migraine, the days have flown by.

TOYA. Xx

Hi all, phew Grandmabatty fancy you not knowing how to cut toast 🤣🤣
Granddaughter did her mocks a couple of weeks ago Yia hopefully all is fine and our Grandson, 10, had an excellent parents evening today. Not only on target for SATS, but attitude and behaviour also got a big tick, big kudos to my daughter.
A busyish day, car washed, a rare event and the inside given a token clean, awaiting a quote for picket fence replacement, walk done and plumber shouted for a dripping tap.
MrJ is at bowls, I’ll be sorting out layers as the temperature starts to drop tomorrow.

Oh grandmabatty that did make me laugh! I too remember the tantrums when the toast wasn’t cut the right way, or heaven forbid beans on toast when it should have been beans and toast! Even now when making the school packed lunches I need to check, butter or not, triangles or squares, or in the case of DGS his sandwich just cut in half but it has to be diagonal- I could go on! Well done though after your week of childcare, hope you get a wee rest tomorrow
Gorgeous pictures Llfl I’d love to go back to Kew Gardens one day
Sounds like you had a lovely family get together Yia, precious memories made. Hoping your DGSs exams go well and he’s not too stressed
We dropped DGD off at school first thing, these days she just wants to jump out of the car when she sees her pals, no fuss or bother - I still sit and watch her walk into school though for as long as I can see her before driving off …

I enjoy reading your adventures with your grandsons Grandmabatty, Dgs2 is so typical as you say and desperate to keep up up with his big brother as well.

Lovely pictures LLFL. I used to travel past Kew Gardens so often when we lived in England but I have never visited and I really regret it now.

My sympathies to Mr.soop, as I’ve said before DH has something similar but his seems to be responding to treatment at the moment. Having had skin cancer on the tip of my nose I know how unsightly and indeed painful it can be though.

Soop could it be connected to sinus issues? Poor Mr Soop. It sounds painful. Yiayia well we survived! Dgs2 was more fussy today and a bit whingy. He didn't want to go out for a walk. Mind you, it was blowing a gale and wet, so I'm not surprised. This afternoon he did want to go out but had a conniption when I wouldn't go where he wanted because his brother was in the house and I wasn't leaving him alone for long and out of sight. Anyway we survived as I said. I'm heartily glad I don't do it all week, every week, much as I love those little boys. Today's word was 'sun'. He was very proud and so was grandma. In between howls of rage, I managed to order coffee and more Christmas presents. His first scream was because I cut his toast into triangles instead of squares. 😂 Typical toddler. Bolognaise for dinner. Have a good evening Kitcheners

What a pain for poor Mr Soop.I hope it’s not too painful.

Nice pics LLFL.

Hope your day went well Grandmabatty and you can now have a restful weekend.

We had a nice celebration for DS3’s birthday last night,a very good Chinese takeaway and nice talking to DS2 on FaceTime.
Also good to see Gs2 and 4 although DS2 is quite stressed as he’s doing his mocks,I’m sure he will be fine.DS4 wants to come and help me dress the tree he loves Christmas and at 9 years old it’s still magical.
The horrible injection I had last week seems to be helping, not sure for how long but it’s great to be a bit more mobile.

Rest up Blossoming and get well soon.

It’s turned very cold here in Surrey,no more sightings of our deer.Have a good evening everyone and stay warm.

Loving the photos of Kew really good!!

A blustery good afternoon from the West Coast. The waves are crashing on the shore. We've been watching the gulls as they soar on the thermals. If only we could do likewise.

Thank you for the beautiful photographs.

Mr Soop kept his appointment. He has been referred to another doctor who will carry out some fairly serious scraping of his scalp on Tuesday next. This problem is due to long standing sun damage going back several decades. The lesions on his scalp erupt, bleed and eventually crust over. They can be unsightly. There is no cure. He will need to return regularly for treatment. He doesn't make a fuss. Bless him.

I'm wondering whether any of my Granspals experience the weird sensation of something (like ants) tickling the face...it always occurs as I lie down before going to sleep. I'm a strange old thing.

Much love to you all. Stay safe and warm. I hope to join you again tomorrow.

Thank you for the lovely Kew pictures, LLFL, many years since I visited but always a delight. I remember when as a child it cost an old penny to go in!

Have just comet back from a shopping trip with my lovely next door neighbours. She has Altzheimers and has few filters now so it is always an adventure. This time she cadged a biscuit from the next table while having coffee, fortunately causing laughter rather than afront, but you never know quite what will happen so having another adult is helpful for her patient and long suffering husband. We did however get everything we went for plus one or two things we hadn’t planned so it was all a great success.

And another

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Kew Gardens this morning.

Pleased you’ve got a plan, soop. Always good, you can relax and look forward to it now. Hope mr soops appointment is helpful.

Thank you all for your sleep suggestions. Think I’ve tried most on top of a regular routine. I’m sort of used to it as it’s been a regular factor since a fibro diagnosis over 30 years ago now. This one is the longest lasting for a few years. The ironic - and embarrassing - thing is (I’ll whisper this) when I worked one of my roles was to teach sleep management techniques. I know, I know. No hope is there? Wish me luck with the GP. She’s new to the practice, I’ve not seen any GP face to face for myself for five years. The most recent engagement was a referral to muscular skeletal services for my knee and spine during covid times.

You deserve several medals grandmab, it all sounds so organised.

Good luck with the surgery appointment jax, sometimes they appear out of the blue.

Saw our Wonder Woman on the way home today. She looks so much better, a way to go still pain and energy-wise but so good to see his well she looks.

We’ve enjoyed a couple of nights away, so pleased to be able to visit Avebury again yesterday, it’s a very special place . The Manor is decorated beautifully for Christmas and the stones as calming as ever. A couple of hours chatting with an old friend over coffee this morning. A good if tiring day

Quiet one for us tomorrow. Just the GP appointment and some laundry to process. That’ll do

Look after yourselves everyone. TOYA.

Good evening, Soop and lovely Kitchen people.

Your road trip sounds the best way to get to your family reunion, Soop, you can stop and start when you wish. I hope MrSoop gets help for his poor head and you get help for your hernia soon.🤞

Jaxjacky, I hope you get word about your surgery soon, and dont suffer too much while you're waiting. . DH now has an appointment for the Day Hospital for 19 December.

Well done, Grandmabatty, you're nearly there! Plan yourself a nice relaxing day for Friday. Great to hear how well your DGS1 is doing at Nursery, and that DGS2's speech is coming on well.

Cornergran, I hope your sleep improves. I tried the Sleepio app last year, it's got lots of helpful hints and tips, you may find some useful.

Enjoy your DGD's sleepover, Brook. Special times, I remember them fondly.

It's been wet and windy here today, but I managed a wee walk with my sister and her baby granddaughter. At one point the raincover on the baby's buggy blew up like a balloon, we nearly took off but the wee one, well wrapped up, thought it was great fun and just laughed! She's a very good natured wee girl.

Savoury mince for dinner tonight. Face to face GP appointment tomorrow about my sleepiness. 😴

Thinking of you all, especially those with illness and worries. Wishing everyone a peaceful Wednesday evening. NNGB

Hello kitchen people!
Well, I’m in Kew. Granddaughter is reading in bed. Her mum is teaching fitness somewhere and her dad is on an army residential. OH is back home preparing a rabbit stew for himself.
After I’ve dropped granddaughter at school tomorrow, I’m going to pop into Kew Gardens. Apparently there’s a new exhibition. I’ll also see if the shop has any honey marmalade, which I love. Possibly the odd Christmas present too.
My son and his family are coming for Christmas which is good. I now know how many to cater for. Should it be three Guinea fowl between seven, or a Turkey?
Have a good evening all of you.

Sounds like a really lovely family get together to look forward to in the spring soop You’ll be able to stack the car high and take everything you need 😀
Another good day grandmabatty well done to you and to your DGS too, he sounds like such a lovely little boy
I’ve had a busy day, a couple of classes at the gym, a bit of gardening in between showers and then out to pick up DGD from school as she’s staying over tonight. She’s polished off chicken and pasta bake and just gone through now for a soak in the bath. Hopefully bedtime about 8pm.
You sound very well organised and busy nannytopsy well done with all the cooking and Christmas prep

Good reports for both boys Grandmabatty thé final hurdle is in sight!
Busy, busy Nannytopsy I’m not a baker, so I’ll be calling in for a visit.
Decision made soop, poor Mrsoop, I hope his consultation is fruitful.
A quiet day, it’s been cooler, but dry.
I’ve tracked down small gifts bought ages ago for our family lunch out on Sunday, they were in a ‘safe place’! MrJ says the pre Christmas gifts may escalate to pre, pre Christmas gifts next year.
Enjoy your evening all.

Well done GrandmaB - it’s lovely when you get a good day!
It’s been a getting-ready-for-Christmas day today. Quiche, sausage rolls, mince pies in the freezer. Tomorrow it’s more sausage rolls, breadcrumbs, Christmas pud and Delia’s Parmesan crusted parsnips. That list may get shorter, as I am on standby for the school pick up and swimming.
I do so hope you can get help with your hernia soop.
Have a good evening everyone

Good evening Kitcheners. It's Day three in the Big Grandma House. It was a horrible day weather wise, but dgs2 and I went out for a walk that lasted an hour. He was a happy boy. Today I got lots of cuddles and generally he was good natured. Dgs1 got a sterling report from his nursery teacher. We are all so proud of him. He is so kind and caring towards other children. I am having a quiet evening. One more day to go. Enjoy your evening all

Jax I've had both an inguinal and femoral hernia operated on. I trust that you won't have too long a wait for surgery. The parastomal hernia presents me with a problem that, once the consultant reviews the scan, may be something that has to remain "unfixed".

Grandmabatty Have you room for another gold star.

Mr Soop is having some nasty problems with the lesions on his scalp. He has an appointment with a consultant tomorrow.

The family gathering will take place in Rutland. Reason being, the great grandchildren are all very young. Their parents have jobs. Middle son has room to accommodate the influx. It will be a journey that we'll almost certainly take in the car. We can stop over, en route, in Carlisle. Motoring enables us to be flexible (including the means of taking gifts etc in the boot). It won't happen until spring. Something we shall greatly look forward to. Thank you for all your kind suggestions.