Today I've been.....

Notso Edinburgh is my favourite city. [smiel]

sorry...

... falling over! I feel such a bloody fool..I was walking briskly having been to DDs first thing so she could go to physio appointment without boys (her DH at work). Decided to walk as lovely day and I am trying to add in opportunities for exercise! I tripped and in trying to stop myself falling flat on my face landed on my knees! Unusually I was wearing a dress and not jeans so impact was direct on skin. Grazes and bruises! Had to stumble home trying to look composed. So but luckily no-one else around to see!

Oh dear.

Best wishes to Mr soop that is rotten luck.

Hope things settle comfortably for Mr soop. If it's not one thing it's another - poor lad. xx

Soop - I wonder why your neighbours are so nice to you - could it be because you are a lovely lady?
My daughter won't have her huge incisional hernia repaired because she is terrified of further surgery but it is too large to become strangulated. Best wishes and commiserations to Mr. Soop. Did you pay for your hotels with a credit card? Mine covers me for cancellations due to illness.

It was beautifully warm and sunny here today and I noticed an interesting looking lane on my way back from the supermarket. I drove to the far end, parked, and then walked for two hours by the side of a wide, fast-flowing river, under very tall trees. Now I am watching Strictly - for the first time I knew most of the contestants, apart from the ones who were in Boyzone and Girls Aloud, although I had heard of both groups! No wine yet, just several cups of tea.

Just said goodbye to my dear, dear friend. Drunk just a little too much, and am quite sad maudlin. Going to bed, but probably back about 3.00 a.m. Oh dear....

Oh, dear - I have just succumbed to an e-mail from Amazon and ordered more books. I decided to buy some I had read in the past, so they are by Edgar Allen Poe, Doris Lessing, Nathaniel Hawthorne, John Steinbeck and Ernest Hemingway
I will add them to the twenty still waiting on my bookcase to be read. I need more hours in the day- I usually read for an hour at night, but there are too many other good things to do during the day. (Gransnet is addictive, but I can surf whilst listening to Radio 4).
Sunny again here, so I am off for a long walk after The Archer's Omnibus.

I have quite a few books to get throughgreatnan but my problem is that when I get to about 4/5 pages in the old eyelids start drooping and I go off into the land of nod.

nanaeg I'm hoping that you're now fully recovered from your nasty fall. I know what you mean about feeling silly. I walked into a concrete lamp post once upon a time. I was being nosey and not looking where I was going. It really hurt. I saw stars and felt dizzy. After a wee stagger, I carried on my way with an enormous egg-like swelling on the bridge of my nose.

Thank you for asking after Mr soop. He slept well and is continuing to take things easy. No heavy bags allowed for our wee trip. Doc will call by tomorrow. Providing he's happy, we shall not cancel. Mr soop has been told that, if the hernia gets worse during our visit, he's to go directly to the hospital. When we return home, he'll have the repair done in Oban hospital. Greatnan yes, we paid with a credit card. Thing is, we booked at the very cheapest rate. In order to benefit from the Premier Inn deal, there is NO cancellation refund. It's a rule. The error was down to us. Hey ho...as Bags would say.

It's a very grey, damp day in Kintyre. Have just serviced Rory's apartment. He has now got it into his head that, on Saturday evenings, he sits in the canvas chair at the front entrance. It takes a downpour to shift him. Hence, the canvas chair is drying off in the shed! He is such a character.

Glad Mr soop's doing ok, *soop . It's a nuisance about your hotel, but nevermind - worse things happen at sea! A damp, dreich day here in Fife, too.

Oh, poor Mr. Soop! I've only just caught up with this news. I'm sure you'll be taking great care of him.

Ouch nanej! - Hope your knees are feeling better today.

Thank you Marelli and Butty. Mr soop has been tickling the ivories. A Chopin etude being practised at the mo'.

It's the custom to take each member of the family a 'wee minder' whenever we gather. I'm grappling with wrapping paper and cellotape. The room is in utter chaos. Have a lovely Bigjigs engine with three sleeper compartments and a little extra track for the wee man. He's building up a fine assortment of trains and track, and spends a lot of time pretending to be the bossy station master.

That should read - 'wee minding'

I had to cancel a booking at a Travel Lodge which was also one of the 'saver' rooms so no refund was due. I sent a heartbreaking lette to the CEO (found the head office and rang to find his name) and I got my money back! It is also worth asking your credit card provider if you are covered for a non-refundable cancellation caused by illnesss. Don't give up,Soop!

soop, that Rory must be a remarkable cat if he can distinguish Saturdays from every other day!

anno we're thinking that it may be because we always roast a chicken on Saturday eve. We open the kitchen window [to let out cooking smells]...and, on a couple of recent occasions, we've sat outside with our drink...and he joined us. As the weather hasn't been as sunny, we've missed the outdoor drinks session. However, Rory has taken to sitting on the front step.....where the chairs would have stood. I looked through the window again last evening, and there he sat...looking rather soleful. I put a canvas chair outside and although it was getting dark and damp, he jumped into it and settled down very happily. Yep! He's a mighty bright cat

Greatnan thanks for the advice. Will pass on your message to Mr soop.

Lovely sunshine here, tee shirt weather, so I have had a very long walk over the ski slopes.From the very top, you can see almost 360 degrees, North towards Lake Geneva, with the Jura mountains beyond, and South towards Mount Blanc. Still a little snow on the higher peaks.
On my way back to my car, I was passed by about forty Porsches, all going very fast indeed. I did not envy them - I just thought how sad it was they were racing past some of the loveliest scenery in world and would notice none of it.

Just got back from a lovely Autumn walk across the fields and through the woods with DD2 and her two terriers.

Now I've got to prepare the home grown green beans for supper later tonight.

We are planning to watch an episode of George Gently and then listen to the new Carl Jenkins composition.

Ah, soop, so you are the creatures of habit and Rory is just following you!

Have celebrated DGS's second birthday with a party. Another chance to see DD's friends all grown up and some with children of their own. The creation of the birthday cake (joint effort between DD and me) is over and we survived, although we came close to killing each other on Friday evening! In fact the cake is no more - it has been cut up and eaten and praised by all. Phew! I can now put my feet up and have a nice

Amazed at the skills of 7 year old GD on the computer and teaching her younger sister how to play games on it. I thought I managed quite well as I am self taught but she puts me to shame.
Why was she on the computer ? because she had her Nintendo DS confiscated for playing games late into the night the night before

anno That's right. Rory is one of us. Nothing would please us more than having him live with us. Although he is very gentle-natured for much of the time, on rare occasions, he makes it known that he has never been too close to humankind. We therefore respect his right to remain feral and benefit from the little luxuries which we're happy to provide.