Soop's welcoming kitchen!

Hi everyone, I've not been in the kitchen for a while due to the -flipping- visitors. It's lovely to have them here really but I'm sure I used to have a life of my own!

I hope everyone is well - it all seems quite calm and sedate.

I am so soop of your ability to draw and paint. I have two really artistic daughters and often wonder where their talent came from - not me definitely!

If it's ok with everyone, I'll make a big pot of tea for everyone and then retire to the chaise

On turning 73, I had absolutely no problem renewing on line, but if you are asked to provide a new photograph, you will obviously have to do it by post.

Hi Soop. When hubby got his letter and application form to renew his licence at 70, he wanted me to do it online for him, but my daughter assured me that it was a horrendous task online, so we did it the old fashioned way, on paper through the post.

I'm dashing in and out again this morning. Have been shouting screaming with frustration over a red hot computer. Informed that its simple to renew driving license on-line for over 70's...is it really! Nope! I've reached the last few questions and answers at least half a dozen times...to be informed that I cannot proceed but will need to produce this that and the other at the post office. Drat! Hell's Bells! Then, I try to send an email to MiceSelf. Notified that there is a glitch. Try again later. Mortified! I must apparently try that again later. Attempted to send a couple of emails to family. Still no progress. Tearing my hair out and spitting tacks.

Right...back to finishing touches of Bawbee the Pomeranian...which is pleasing me no end.

Deep breath...shoulders back...chest out...coffee and a choc biscuit. (((hugs))) to my Granspals.

Been around soop, checking out the action in the kitchen. Sometimes I need to retreat and just sit quietly. It is nice to be missed though.

Thank you xxx

HymnsElf has just come in and is very admiring of the pictures. He says BC is a perfect likeness.

What a gifted woman you are.

Wow! Yippee! Have just sat down after Tuesday morning's ironing marathon. When I read the email messages from Agus and MiceElf and then read the comments from my Granspals I burst into tears. Daft bat! bags knew how manic uptight I felt about the portraits. I so wanted not to disappoint. As I'm feeling mighty chuffed, I may need to celebrate with a wee dram this evening.

Rory understands the meaning of cat expressions. He wears one [the same one] for all occasions. It suits him.

Gaga how did you know that I have a fondness for eccles cakes? Do you know any of the music from Les Mis? If so, tinkle away to your heart's content.

hello again ffinochio. Where you bin? I've missed you.

Right...brushes and paints at the ready. Fresh water...nice clean cloth at hand. I'm in the mood for Bawbee's portrait. The practice I'm having is paying dividends. I feel more at ease with taking a few risks with wet-in-wet technique.

The weather is both hazy and blustery. The midges are miffed, as they loathe wind as much as we loathe them.

Great excitement today as the portraits of our two departed puss cats arrived. They will be a present for DD in October. A wave of nostalgia swept over me as looked at their two furry faces, mother cat looking motherly and her daughter with her usual quizzical eye which Soop has caught perfectly. I am so impressed with your talent and your ability to capture expression. They both lived to be twenty years old and had a good (spoilt) life and were the repository of all the children's secrets. They didn't answer back or argue at all.

HymnsElf says cats don't have expressions, but they do. Soop knows and so does Rory.

Sorry Gaga that was rude of me to just pop in to acknowledge Bags' post. Just trying to do too many things at the same time

Now though, I will relax with an Eccles cake and coffee for a break whilst I listen to anything you choose to play. Bliss

Medley of Lloyd Webber just fine, thank you, gaga.

Oh I had forgotten that you had seen Bobby's portrait Bags and of course rightly knew I would love it.

Hope minibags has thoroughly dried off now but coming home to a hot bath, cosied up in her onsie having dinner certainly makes up for being drenched. Lovely.

Greetings to all escapees to Soop's kitchen. I have brought some freshly made eccles cakes - help yourselves. I am just going to sit and play the piano for a while to get my fingers in gear. Is a medley from Lloyd Webber alright or shall I stick to some folk songs? Happy to oblige with either/any!

Oh - and I forgot to say - smashing smiley photos of you and B.

I can certainly vouch for soop's talent, our GN resident artist. A beautiful painting of Lucy has pride of place in our new granddaughter's nursery.

I'm not surprised you're so delighted, agus.

I think they were worrying that the flowers could bloom too early with the warm weather and were wrapping them up and trying to keep them cool!

We have quite a lot of flowers open in the garden at the moment, peonies, irises, clematis, and the poppies and roses are well on the way. After this month it is all a bit dull, I have tried to plant some that bloom in July/August/September but they don't seem to like our soil for some reason. Perhaps I need to get out there a bit more and talk to them.

At least Minibags could come home and get warm and dry; it would have been worse if it was on the way to school. No rain here so far, but still cloudy.

Must go and talk to DH, he is feeling neglected.

I'm retreating, too. I love those gardens - they must do a full day searching for weeds and snipping off any leaves that are out of place.

A nice cappuccino and some of Bags' date slice would be heavenly right now

Watching the Chelsea Flower Show on TV. Why can't my garden look half-way decent? Do these designers ever have battle the weeds? I need to retreat to the peace of soop's kitchen!

charleygirl and roseq, Minibags did get soaked – utterly drenched! – but she enjoyed the excitement of the thunderstorm! Went and took photos of puddles and streamlets coursing down the hill. Then she got in a hot bath and ate her dinner wearing her onsie and fleece dressing-gown. Her school shoes are resting on a rack above the Rayburn drying out for tomorrow.

It has actually been a lovely warm day, if midgy. The thunder didn't start until nearly four o'clock.

agus, I knew you'd love the portrait of Bobby . soop is a very talented artist, whatever she says!

The portrait of Bobby by Soop arrived this afternoon! Bobby died last year and opening his portrait was a very emotional moment as our dear Soop has captured him in such detail! His soulful eyes which follow whichever way I look at his portrait. It is nothing short of a masterpiece by our own extremely talented Granspal.

Thank you dear Soop, I will treasure it always.

Pimms and strawberries sounds delicious, thank you Lona.

It has been a lovely day here until about an hour ago when there were a few loud claps of thunder and some menacing black clouds. The sky has now clouded over, so it looks like the end of the for a while. That explains the annoying headache I've had all afternoon.

Hope Minibags didn't get soaked, at least she was on her way home.

Oh dear thatbags sorry to hear it. At least minibags is on her way home and can soon remove the wet clothing. I hate to say it but it is nearly 6pm in NW London and 24C. The rain is coming tomorrow but I believe showers to start with. I am enjoying it because who knows when the sunshine will return.

Heaviest rain (thunderstorm) I've seen in yonks, just as the school bus is due to deposit Minibags at the bottom of the hill. She won't have a coat with her. Hey ho.

Thank you for your welcome cheerful messages. I've been chuckling out loud. MacSporran knows me well enough not to ask," why the chortles?" The Pimms sounds delicious. Would you believe that the sun is shining here. We've not seen much of it for several days. I may be tempted to leave the portrait of Bawbee, the Pomeranian, and hope that the Kintyre midges are too busy to suck my blood.

I shall return tomorrow afternoon. Ironing duties tomorrow morning. Enjoy a peaceful day. You all deserve it.

Hooray, my car has passed it's MOT, so I'm not quite skint this week!
Just going to sit in the sun with the papers from yesterday, and listen to the birds.

I'm leaving a large jug of Pimms, with all the accoutrements, and a dish of strawberries if any of you fancy some.

soop MacSporran is very welcome to enjoy some too xx