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

It’s bedtime but just a visit to give a group hug to all of you! I think a few folks need it.
NNGB

Good morning all from a dry but chilly Stockport.
I didn’t visit the kitchen yesterday as I went out with my friend across the road.
I don’t like complaining but I really am getting to too tired to be out as long as we were.
I was shattered when I got home and was in bed by 8:15, the only problem with that was that I was awake by11:30.

I also think I am loosing it slightly, while we were having a toasty at lunchtime my mobile rang, it was my hairdresser who was standing ringing my doorbell ( and getting no answer).
I was very embarrassed but she was fine, we have known each other many years and she is coming tomorrow as is the BG engineer and Sainsbury’s, all in the afternoon, I must get my coping head on.

All I bought were a few personal Christmas cards and some stocking bits for myGD.

My D and GC from the South of England are not coming up before Christmas as they usually do so we are tentatively making plans for me to go to them in the New Year.
I don’t know if I shall make it, we shall see.

My friend is one of the most generous people you could meet.
Through her church she is filling two large boxes with household good for Refugees who have been given permission to stay here.
Part of her shopping yesterday was connected with this.
I estimate that we are talking £400 to£500 .
She can afford it but so can many others who still don’t however I admire her enormously.

My Charity cards have arrived this morning and I ordered the stamps from Sainsbury’s so I will do them this weekend to post early in December.

I send my very best wishes to poorlies and their carers, and all those with worries.
Have faith and keep your spirits high if that is as all possible.
I have been in lots of situations where that is very hard so I just send kind thoughts.

Don’t worry about forgetting your hairdresser ann. Someone here who forgot she had offered to collect a neighbours child from school - and that was 40 years ago. I did remember, half way home, and did a swift about turn. Fortunately he was the slowest child in the world and had just emerged from school. Phew.

Cleaning accomplished this morning we’re heading for a shopping centre (with a roof!) after lunch. The constant rain has kept us indoors. A stretch and a look at Christmas lights will cheer me.

Yesterday afternoon was sunny. We’d hoped to venture forth but instead waited in for someone to collect books linked to a volunteering role that just didn’t work out for me. No sign of her. Such a shame but as she’s had a recent close bereavement I don’t want to moan or nag her about it. I imagine other things took over. I’ll give her a couple of days and make contact again. I’d happily take them to her but she’s insistent she will collect.

Thinking of you all, especially folk who are finding life tough at the moment.

I missed last night’s post Urms, just want to send you a big hug [flowerx]

Last weekend we completed the closing for the winter of our little holiday home on the Norfolk coast. Each year, as we get older, it seems to take a bit longer! Roll on next spring!
I've almost waded through all the laundry we brought home. .

I'm pleased that you got help with your painful foot, soop, I was concerned when you said that your ankle hurt & calf was swollen. Hope that you & your DH don't have lasting after- effects from the jabs.

I hope you are all having as good a day as is possible.
Special thoughts to Urmstongran x, & any of you with added worries.

Good afternoon, Soop and lovely Kitchen people. I hope Soop's insoles are helping her sore leg and foot. Fingers crossed 🤞 that MrSoop is soon recovered from his vaccine reaction.

I hope things are a wee bit better today for Urms and Himself, sending love and prayers. 💕🙏

Annsixty, I agree with you about late nights/ long outings, I find these quite difficult nowadays. I prefer to meet friends for lunch or early evening catch ups.

Cornergran, I'm glad that you and MrC are getting out and about more now, and he's managing driving again. Very good for his confidence.

Gillgran, Snap! Anything I do takes much longer now. Yesterday, I ironed the winter curtains for upstairs, but I haven't worked up the energy to clean the windows and hang them up yet....

Thanks for the group hug, Nannytopsy, I'm passing it on ( virtually) to my poor friend in hospital, who had today been diagnosed with Covid. She's been in hospital for over a week so looks like it was acquired there. She's managed to avoid it for over 3 years...she is now approaching the anniversary of her amputation, she could have done without this. I'm hoping and praying for her speedy recovery and return home.

I'm off to have my nails done at 4pm, so I'm drinking a big mug of coffee ( I'm a tea jenny at heart) so that I don't fall asleep 😴 mid manicure 💅 like last time!

Wishing you all a peaceful Thursday, thinking of all with worries, illness or sorrow. TOYA

Hi to all kitchen pals, it’s been grey and misty all day here, not actually raining but it seems very wet. I’m pleased to get into the kitchen for a catch up
We dropped DGD off at school first thing, I think we just about remembered everything. This afternoon I enjoyed a volunteering session at the hospital with some quite new medical students, as always they looked so young but they were really good. DH has just gone to take DGS to his football practice, so it’ll be a late dinner for us tonight.
I expect you’ll miss visiting your little seaside holiday retreat gillgran but look forward to opening it up again next spring
Easily done ann to miss your hairdressers appointment, these days I find I’m always checking and double checking the calendars. Hoping you get your boiler fixed tomorrow afternoon. How kind and generous of your friend to do the boxes too, I’m sure they’ll really be appreciated
Hoping your friend is feeling much better soon grannmarie, what a shame to have avoided covid for so long and then get it in hospital

Big hug from me Urms always thinking of you.🌹

Good afternoon dear Kitcheners. I left it too late to call in last night. MrB took me out shopping yesterday, I wasn’t looking forward to it but needs must. I managed OK but it was a great relief to get back in the car afterwards. I struggle with the fluorescent lights and of course now all the Christmas stock is out things are not in their usual places.

Hope Soop’s foot is improving, sending a virtual hug to you all x

Friday morning greetings to you lovely lot.

The foot is less painful. Mr Soop has weathered the blip that the double vaccine helped to create. He is not a good patient. He is one of the most supportive carers.

My love goes out to the poorly Kitcheners among us.

I would just like a wee moan regarding the extravagant and somewhat ridiculous Christmas advertising that M&S, John Lewis (and others) are bombarding the public with. Many people can ill afford to celebrate Christmas in the ways suggested. I would respect these companies so much more if they rallied and gave support as opposed to scrambling for profit. That's it. Rant over.

A group hug for every one of my favourite Granspals.

As usual, I've been reading rather than contributing.

Pleased that your foot is improving, Soop and that Mr Soop is feeling better.

I couldn't agree more about the advertising. Most of it is tasteless in the current economic circumstances and actually makes me feel less inclined to buy.

Thinking of everyone who needs a bit of moral support (more likely to be immoral in my case!).

Hello kitchen people. So glad to hear that Mr and Mrs Soop are feeling so much better!
I’ve just got back from a brilliant Study day. An excellent tutor gave three illustrated lectures on Tate Modern and Tate Britain. A delicious 2-course hot lunch was also included. Probably around 60 people, three quarters of whom were women!
OH is still fitting new shelving in the garage.
Have a good evening, especially those of you who are feeling low.

A late, darkening good afternoon all, after yesterday’s rain we’ve had a sunny day, certainly chilly in the last 24 hours. Called into the farm shop today after lunch out with a friend, a small, potted Christmas tree just fell in my car 🙂 said friend bought me a beautiful bunch of white chrysanthemum, they smell lovely.
Good news from the soops I hope there’ll be some more later from other kitcheners.
Pub for us at about 5, we’ll stay a couple of hours, then home for oven f&c.
Ttfn.

Afternoon Kitcheners.Good news Mr.Mrs Soop.

I’ve had a quiet couple of days and not feeling quite so stiff so fingers crossed.DS now has the cold and cough virus not ideal but GF is looking after him well.

It’s that time of year again just started the diamond art Christmas cards that should keep me busy.I want a small Christmas tree for our terrace Jax is it going in your garden?
Have a pleasant evening everyone.

By the front door Yia this year, I’ll pot on as it grows.

That is a lovely little tree JaxJacky a nd should last you many years.
My GD has threatened to start decorating our house next weekend, over my dead body, was my reply.
Three weeks this weekend is early enough for me.
I think she might be winding me up actually as the Sainsbury’s delivery man said they have theirs up already and I was suitably horrified when he had left.
My lunchtime rush all worked out, the BG engineer was early,he sorted the programmer out, it didn’t need replacing just sorting, a button had become stuck.
Then my lovely hairdresser was early and Sainsbury’s delivery was on the last 5 minutes scheduled so nothing overlapped, I was very grateful.
It is dark early tonight and the curtains are drawn for cosines.
I am pleased the soops are feeling better but really feel for Yia fretting about her DS, I have been there and know just how it is.
Kindest thoughts to Urms and Grandmabatty
My hairdresser told me today her H has an appointment at the memory clinic next month.
He is forgetting things and worrying over simple things he forgets how to do, he is 58, I just pray it is not bad news.
I send my best wishes to you all.
Have the best evening you can manage.

That’s a lovey tree Jax
Hope your feeling a bit better Grandmabatty it’s a horrible virus.

Good evening Kitcheners. Thank you Yiayia and "Annsixty* and others for your kind words. It has been a nasty virus. Definitely not covid though because I tested. Dd has been particularly hit hard and is still coughing lots. Soop better news from you. Brook your dgc obviously love having sleepovers at your house!
Today I still felt grim but had promised dd I would watch dgs2 for a couple of hours. His speech is coming on now and we had a lovely time,he and I. Dd brought me a raisin and cashew loaf from Tesco which both of us are fond of. After they left, I had a long nap on the couch. I obviously needed it. Now I'm awake, I feel a bit better. I've just made macaroni cheese with added fried onions and tomatoes. It's baking in the oven and will definitely do me two days, or I might freeze a portion. A good evening to you all

‘Evening All ‘.

Ooh Grandmabatty please could I share that mac & cheese with you? It sounds delicious.

I’m having fresh goats cheese & pesto tortellini. 5 mins in boiling water. Then pour over some arrabiata sauce from a tub.
#lazygran

We’ve had a walk out to the Macmillan Centre for coffee this afternoon. It did us good. To be with others in the same awful boat. Support and kindness. I cried. I do that a lot these days. I well up at the slightest kindnesses.

Urms support groups like that are so important for our wellbeing. xx

Urmston I have half of it left. My dear, if I lived nearer, I would be round with it for you in a heartbeat. I'm glad you got some solace at the Macmillan centre. Blossoming I hope you are feeling better tonight.

Thank you Grandmabatty, I’m feeling OK in myself but any exertion leaves me tired and wobbly.

I have just purchased part 1 of an academic Gaelic course and workbook on Amazon. They’re in kindle format so should be easy for me to read and follow. I have been struggling with the changes to Duolimgo, the lessons are noe in a different format and some seem to contradict the original lessons.

Hi, I'm fairly new here and wondering what Soop's kitchen is all about 🤔

Hi Fairy cakes. It was started by Soop as a gentle, kind antidote to other more combative threads. We share the every day activities we get up to and offer kindness to each other. Mick's Good Morning thread is similar.

Well said soop I completely agree about the advertising. Thank you for the group hug, much needed and sending a warm one back to you and dear MrSoop
We’ve had yet another very misty grey day, no rain but just grey nothingness and cold too. I warmed up a bit in the jacuzzi at the gym and then went over to Costa with my pal. Afterwards some food shopping and now back home to chill out on the sofa
Love the little Christmas tree Jax I had the same idea a couple of years ago and it’s now got quite big. It’s in my winter garden and I’ll be hanging some decorations on it soon 🌲
Good to hear you’re feeling a bit brighter grandmabatty you’re so busy so it’s good to have a wee rest once in a while
Gosh there’s some nice sounding dinners in the kitchen tonight, we’re having baked salmon and roasted veg
Urms thinking of you and your DH as always ❤️
Blossoming take it easy - I’m seriously impressed with you learning Gaelic, can’t be easy so a very big well done
Hi septimia lovely to have you join us in the kitchen
Yia I remember some of your diamond art pictures you shared with us last year, they looked amazing. I hope you enjoy doing the cards this year