soop's kitchen

LizG Good to have your company. Yes, the decorating is proceeding without a glitch. We may be able to get books back in situ and everything more or less as we like it by tomorrow. The make-over for the sitting room is a 25th wedding anniversary gift to each other and our home. I'm excited about a tartan chair and a smart linen sofa that are on order and should arrive in November. Gradually, we're giving our wee hoos the TLC it deserves.

How lovely for you to have a new desk. You will no doubt spend many happy hours being creative with words. Writing is a marvellous hobby.

Rory has been amazing, all things considered. He has taken a real liking to sleeping on the bed [since the sofa is covered in a dust sheet] curled up on his special tartan blanket.

Phone call from the decorator...something's "come up" but he'll be along this afternoon. I'm well practised in the art of patience.

A beautiful crisp and sunny day in bonnie Kintyre. About to enjoy a lovely large mug of coffee.

Oh I love salmon and cucumber, thank you. Fancy having time with all your hard work at the moment. Hope the decorating is going well soop what a wise cat Rory is curling up in the tartan rug.

OH bought me a new desk for my birthday and it was delivered on Tuesday. Have spent happy time getting my workplace ready in the hope that I might start writing again. It's only a hobby, very rarely published but I used to find it very therapeutic.

Nice to have been able to sit and relax for a bit but I'd best get back, got some chores to do before bedtime.

Yes, welcome back dear ffinnochio. You've certainly had a very hectic time of late. It's good to know that all went well and you have lots of happy memories to savour.

Lovely to see you making yourselves at home in the kitchen, when and annodomini. Popped in for a wee spot of relaxation. Have been tidying the wardrobes. Got into a guddle but now feel that the effort was so worthwhile. Rory remains asleep on his tartan rug. Mr soop out in the forest. He's lopping a few stray tree branches [encroaching over the fence] in readiness for the high winds of winter.

Aggie, the decorator, is continuing to make good progress. It will be wonderful when we get to move everything back into the sitting room. However, no pain, no gain...isn't that so!

I'm just back from and Italian lunch, soop, so won't avail myself of your delicious sandwiches (great though the temptation may be), but a would go down nicely.

Good to see you back, ffinochio. We missed you.

Thanks soop! I'm back again from more travels - this time a fabulous wedding in Brighton. I'm exhausted and very hungry, so I've kicked off my shoes and put my feet up in your kitchen (I know you won't mind), and am now hoovering up your delicious sandwiches. Bliss.

Thank you, soop. They will go down very nicely

I'm leaving a plate of smoked salmon and thinly sliced cucumber sandwiches for you lot to tuck into at lunchtime. There will be a pot of freshly brewed tea. I have work to do elsewhere around the house. Decorator still busying himself in the sitting room. Rory has taken sanctuary on the tartan rug over the bed.

It is an exceedingly breezy day and much cooler. The waves are wonderfully wild. The gulls appear to hang in mid-air before swooping at great speed across the gunmetal clouded sky. All very dramatic.

Enjoy your day.

kittylester Seventeen frilly dresses bet you felt that you had really achieved something special, when at long last you finished the job. You're such a trooper.

bags TYKE!!!

Gally It's good to hear you sounding positive and upbeat.

LizG We have very happy memories of Porlock. Remember a quaint inn close to the harbour.

I've been ironing all morning. Returned to find that Aggie, the decorator, is making excellent progress. Rory is such a good boy. He wanders around the sitting room [which is in a state of organised disarray] and checks the progress. Last evening, Mr soop and I appeared to be camping, as the furniture, covered in dust sheets, is being stored in the centre of the room. We each had a chair and Rory sat between us.

My waistline is ok with chocolate - the bits above and below seem to spread though!

Our daughters, who all have daughters, pass clothes backwards and forwards between them - usually via us! Now I know why!! DD3 sent some to DD2 via us and, as they had been sitting around, for a while I thought I'd wash them before I handed them on. This I duly did, tumble-drying them to get them done in time. Unfortunately, there were 17 lovely frilly dresses that were not suitable for tumbling but also needed ironing. Why

Still not baked but more tea and toast would be lovely. Thank you soop, I really needed that!

Mines arrived, but I pass them to DD as I find waistlines and chocolate don't mix very well!

I've just received the Excellence Elements box, bags! I'm having the Peanut Pie and Caramel and Co bar with a florentine in the middie, but please hand round the rest. Irresistible!

Have a chocolate with your nightcap everyone! I've got a Chocolate Tasting
Club year's Excellence selection. I've scoffed the Feisty Jägermeister (voted best "off the wall" choc) and the Crème Brûlée Brownie (best Textured Praline) already. Tuck in now. No fighting!

Hope your DD soon feels a lot better Gally very upsetting for you.

We have just returned from a very pleasant long weekend in Porlock. Took the motorhome so home from home really but with relaxation thrown in. Tired now but just wanted to look in and say 'hallo'.

I'm off to see mine at the end of the week. Filling the car with stuff I have de-cluttered from the house in order to clutter theirs . Also taking the C word presents as this is the last opportunity to get them to their recipients before leaving for Oz at the end of November. I have never bought, wrapped and delivered so early in my life - I am quite 'ed.

The GC who lived nearby has now migrated south in search of a career and I am missing her! Going to see them all at the weekend.

Definitely not wonder woman and very definitely exhausted. The giddy limit was DD2's parents in law as we don't know them well and, obviously, wanted to do things properly for them. They came early but coped with the bedlam, so they must be alright.

Ditto, annodomini If all my grandchildren lived nearby, I would be over the moon.

I am veering between unbounded admiration for you, kitty and envy that you have so many of your family living close enough to visit. OK - I can feel both at once!

Gally Wobble away, she's your baby and she's hurt

kitty You must be Wonder Woman

Oh dear Gally... No wonder you feel wobbly. It sounds very painful. I hope that your daughter is made comfortable and will soon be on the mend.

kitty Wow!!! You are a wonder woman. Here's a comfy chair to relax in. I shall make you a nice cup of tea...or would you prefer something a little stronger?

I wouldn't have minded Charley if they had all come at once but no sooner had one lot gone than some more turned up.

Next weekend we are hibernating! We might not even get out of bed!

If I had to cater for that lot Kittylester i would have left the country temporarily. It is beyond me now.

Tea, with a splash, coming up Gally, hope your DD feels better soon.

DH fell off a skateboard once and I had to take him to A&E. It was a Saturday night and A&E veered between being a very menacing place and the biggest laugh we have had in ages.

This weekend, DD2, Sil, DGD2 and new baby came to stay and were 'at home' to visitors. So, DD3, Sil, 2 DGC (aged 21months and 6 months), DD1, Sil, DGS1 (aged6) DGD1 (aged 4), DS1 and a few friends and neighbours turned up. We had also made the error of inviting DD2's inlaws, who were in the area for a funeral, for lunch on Sunday.

I just need a sit down down now as I've just finished tidying up. No time to bring any offerings but I promise to bake before I come again.

Poor thing, Gally and poor you. It's at times like this that you want to be there to console her. No wonder you feel shaken.