Soop's Friendly Kitcheners and well behaved pets.

Thank you for the red ribbon and bottles of fizz. I would love to raise a glass to you lot yet again. You bring yet more into my life. Soppy old mare...me!

wot I like your joke. It's the type that I can remember and pass on.

Oh no ...... I missed the closing of the old kitchen!!

Off to catch up on that , see you later !!

Whew !! Found it !!

Very belated birthday wishes Charleygirl !! I hope you had a nice day and enjoy your birthday lunch !!

soop ah the thank you thread ..... Let me summarise it for you ( not a thread about a thread)....

There was some flouncing, I got reported for saying * bugger* ( not directed at anyone !) , there was discussion about flouncing, GNetters were put firmly in their place as bitchy nit pickers, bit more discussion on the appropriate wear to flounce in , Galen put up some pictures of frocks to die for ( and probably flounce in) , our very own Daphne did some well deserved straight talking , *Phoenix came under fire but held her own with a closing salvo.

the End .

Whew !!

It's a lazy Sunday here but Grampy and I might practice flouncing later ???

Welcome to the new kitchen NanaandGrampy The previous kitchen was humming away with activity and suddenly, the door had to locked. New door opened, and hey ho...here we are yet again. Brand new furnishings. freshly laundered blankets (for those who feel the chill around the knees) to suit all tastes. A cosy place without fear of bust-ups. Suits me fine.

Galen has donated numerous bottles of bubbly. Wouldn't it be amazing if we able to pop the cork and spend an afternoon in each others company. I would be well delighted.

NandG neatly done!
Charleygirl sorry I missed your birthday too! Hope it was pleasant and you enjoy your lunch today ???
Kitty Enjoy your lunch too! I've had paté on crackers
Not much cake in this new kitchen soop so here's the usual Lemon Drizzle. None for me though (just call me chubs)

Have I?
Well known for my pearls ( of wisdom) but bubbly?
Fortunately, as usual I have about 3-4 in the fridge!

NanaandGrampy I don't belieeeeeeeeve it. I use that word often sometimes, to register dismay or disbelief. Thank you for the update. It all seemed a bit disorganised; I couldn't work out who was doing the flouncing and why. Ah well, it seems that I should stay in the kitchen. On the rare occasions when I stumble into another thread, I invariably end up with lots of egg on my face.

Lona your Lemon Drizzle cake will, as if by magic, feed the five thousand. I always wondered how Jesus managed to make the loaves and fishes go such a long way.

Galen Stop being coy. Get that fridge door open and I shall find some freshly polished flutes.
By the way, I did see a photo of you wearing a strikingly beautiful blue dress. You looked almost regal. Almost, because your tiara must have been in the wardrobe.

NanaandGrampy really, how could you possibly use such language!!! I have been following that thread closely and put a few pennyworths in. If they do not like it, fine, I am happy to stay here with Rory.

Got to the restaurant 15 minutes early to discover it was closed and a JCB digger digging up the car park. I have no idea if they are tarting the place up or the next time I look it may be several blocks of flats.

My friend was also early ans by sheer accident I saw her car. It is a very busy road. We drove in hers to the first place we saw where we could park. It was okay, more expensive and I prefer fish and chips unadulterated. Mine had been dipped in lager and if that was a large piece of fish I would need a magnifying glass for the smallest. My friend's pork was swimming in gravy and she and I both like a small amount or preferably be able to choose ourselves. Anyway it filled a hole.

I also missed the closure of the last kitchen so I must catch up.

Just popping in after a bit of an absence to see the new kitchen and bring an apple tart made with the windfalls from our garden. Hope you all like it.

The Thank You thread was deleted, I see. Probably just as well. It was getting a bit bad tempered. Good to be able to retreat to the warmth of the Kitchen.

Happy Birthday Charleygirl! Pity about your restaurant of choice being closed and the next choice not being up to standard. At least you know where not to go next time.

Right, got to go as DGSs are back from a PokemonGo session with long suffering DH. They will be hungry as usual! Enjoy the rest of your Sunday everyone.

The tiara was in the safe!
I didn't wear it because it was black tie not white tie!

Lovely day here. This afternoon between us we have cut the grass, picked up loads of leaves, strimmed down the side of our shared road and tidied it up (our neighbour cuts it with his sit on mower, so we try and do other bits). Now cooking a ham for lunches next week - though we also made a side trip to Lidl where we bought various German delicacies. Did all the ironing yesterday. Feeling very virtuous tired now but will resist the wine until dinner is cooked or there will be none .

OH said we would have dinner on 25th Dec (can't mention the C word yet) at our local restaurant but we have just cancelled after receiving the menu and price, £65 each and that only includes one drink . Will have our usual steak on our own.

Lots of us had birthdays in Sept must be a good month. Happy birthday charleygirl

Charleyg What...yet another "buggeration"...oops!
To arrive at the restaurant to find it being pulled down modernised was tough. Especially as it was to be your birthday treat. Isn't it sad that some more up-market and expensive restaurants tiddle about with good, wholesome food. I agree...fish and chips should be straightforward and unadorned. Mushy peas are an asset. I also appreciate a side plate of nutty bread and real butter. Simple fare but delicious with it.
Rory is searching for a lap on which to loll. Come on in and put your feet up. It's good to have your company.

Judthepud I picked blackberries earlier today. They are slowly simmering together with a Bramly apple to which I've added a large dollop of blackcurrant
conserve. Your apple tart will add the finishing touches to the Sunday supper. Alas, I've no custard.
I salute your husband for joining your grandsons in a PokemonGo session. What happens? I have no idea.

Galen I thought for one awful moment that you said...'The tiara was in the sale'...I really do need to visit Specsavers.

Tizliz You have made me feel totally inadequate. Why not feel virtuous. You deserve to. What have I achieved...sucks in breath... not a lot, is the truthful answer.
MacSporran and I have been labouring over a red hot printer. We recall that it's possible to put a photo into Photo Shop and add a frame. Two hours have passed. Zilch! We do however have a good number of prints for the next photo album.
The cost of a meal out on the 25th is outrageous. To add insult to injury, the price includes one drink.

The sun is shining and there is blue sky at long last.

The time has come for me to log off the computer. The cats will be anxious should I delay the high tea feed for very much longer.

I'm pleased that we have a new kitchen. It's a special place thanks to some extra special Gransnetters.

Oh the C issue! I know restaurants have to pay their staff double or whatever, but £65+ for a meal with possibly only one glass of wine and presumably a strict time scedule to stick to is just a RIP OFF.
But making plans for the "festive season". How to upset the maximum number of people the maximum amount?
Last year's C in Somerset when DD and SIL spent a LOT of money renting a luxury lodge house for us opposite the one they own so that we could all spend C together so misfired. DH was misery personified (mystery pains in his side which COULD have been gut/liver/muscular and about which we could do NOTHING, DD fell down her own stairs on C morning and cracked 2 ribs so spent the next couple of hours in A&E, I was worried (and rightly so) about Grace in kennels with her poorly tail , DH developed a reaction to the bedding (prob biological powder) so DD and I Washed and tumbled every stitch including towels, it was not at all what DDand SIL. had planned and should have been lovely. So this year we needed a plan B.
I think (hope) we have it, we are spending C Eve in Birmingham , lunch with the family then going to a C concert in Symphony Hall (their present to DH for his birthday) , but not staying overnight . C Day I just did not feel like another long drive so we have invited DD2 and SIL and Flynn plus SIL's parents as they would have been on their own (her MIL has early dementia) and they can all stay overnight. B Day we will have EVERYBODY and hope a cold buffet will suffice or maybe soup and bread. Just have to work out how to fit in DH's 2 sisters,(both single) 25 year old nephew and maybe niece from Singapore as well, as the sisters have been known to get very upset if not included in "whole family" plans. It would not occur to them to do their own thing, but they are sweet and good at washing up. However I have decided that as we are away all of C Eve, I will NOT be doing a trad C dinner, but a venison or pheasant casserole which will be IN THE FREEZER plus some bought puddings. I really aim to make it as labour saving as I possibly can .
I can't believe I am planning C already, but it will be a relief to know that Grace, if we still have her, will be in her own home as will DH because much as I love going away he is really only happy in his own bed.
Anybody else like that?

Going to get my hip x-ray tomorrow morning, in some way I hope they do find it knackered, then there will be no problem getting it fixed.

We don't really do C. No cards, money only for GC, no visitors as we are too far away for a quick visit. We don't want to visit elsewhere as we like our own beds and don't put dogs in kennels.

soop I am too tired to be virtuous but it is satisfying to look out over neat lawn to the last of the sun in the valley below

Never mind C...... lunch, 5 pm go into the kitchen to take the foil off the chicken, raw chicken smiles back at me , in its tin, from the side of the oven. I have never done anything like this before. As I don't like eating late, I had to abandon a dinner but at least I have tomorrow's meal prepared. H not impressed but then just lately he seldom is.

I've planned (and paid for) mine.
Cunard Queen Victoria, Canary Islands for C-- and New Year.

All this talk about C... I thought I was on the wrong thread. My goodness Daphne you have C... Organised already. My DH would thoroughly approve. As far as he's concerned, there's no place like home.

Yet another kitchen. Despite the odd comment from some about it being in lala land we roll on surprisingly well, thanks to Soop and her kindly ways. Thanks for the lemon drizzle Lona. It wouldn't be a new kitchen without it.

Hope all goes well with the X-ray wobbly. You need to be in tip top shape for the C....Panto.

Do you get full C.... Dinner Galen and crackers etc.

The cost of that C lunch to me is astronomical. I know that they have to pay their staff extra but do you get anything extra? I doubt it.

Daphne I think that you are making the best choice for this year after last's mini disaster. There is nothing like your own bed and I include Grace. I only hope that you do not find that you are overwhelmed with work around the house- even the shopping for that number can be a nightmare.

Ann maybe you have too much on your mind at present?

wobbly good luck with the xray.

Tizliz reading what you have achieved today has worn me out reading it.

Galen that is an excellent idea- everything sorted, only the pearls and dresses to sort out.

Thank you all so much for wishing me a happy birthday, I only have cousins in Ireland now and I doubt if they even remembered that I am still on this planet never mind a year and a few days older.

I have C on my own, well planned in advance eating something I enjoy. I will stay off that subject now I think.

My lodger is still out- I am hoping that she will appear fairly soon.

soop she is not a lap cat when she does appear- she prefers the back or the arm of a chair or better still she will slink up to bed thinking that I have not noticed. I would love Rory on my lap with him being stroked- he I think would be in heaven.

That is three times what we will pay for our C*******s meetup (admittedly it doesn't include any drinks, and is on 5th December, not 25th, but it will be a jolly good lunch)

We get crackers and hats!