SOOP's kindly Kitcheners

Alea

I am so pleased for you. I remember your thread or posts a short while back and I sincerely wish you all continued love and support for each other.

You might rember I wrote how I will never know who my grandfather was, not in a sad way but I like to hear good news from those lucky enough to trace each other.

Interesting meeting my half brother and his lovely wife yesterday. They are very nice people and very genuine. The story of his adoption is a sad little one but as he says, he actually had a very loving and caring upbringing with parents who were able to send him to Grammar School, encourage his love of music and send him to university, something his young mother in London probably could never have done.
What struck me as odd though was that there is a family resemblance so the OUTSIDE looked familiar, but the person INSIDE was of course a stranger(albeit a friendly one). Does that sound silly? I hope and plan to keep in touch and also did my best to "flesh out" the man who was our father for him.
Unlike Davina McCall, (Long Lost Family) I did not feel a strong kinship or connection just because we are who we are, but we had a fascinating and quite emotionally charged 3 -4 hours of talk, photographs, documents and, from me, as many anecdotes about my father and his family as I could remember.

I never used to believe in co-incidence, but my mind has been changed today.
We happened to be driving around Leicestershire looking for a nice garden center/cafe to have lunch. We just happened to get a little lost and found ourselves sitting outside ""The Guitar Workshop" in Ibstock. I went in just to ask if they knew a good cafe, and amazingly the had a Ukulele hanging up that had been recently reviewed and got a great rating. As they were so hel[ful in suggesting a great cafe, I felt it only polite to at least try the ukulele out, and as I had just been eating some rather old humbugs (yet another coincidence, I found that with my sticky fingers, I was unable to let go of it. Amazing how many co-incidences there were. I can't imagine why Linda thought that these events were contrived. We can thoroughly recommend Sunnyside Garden Centre, Ibstock

Oh happy day! pompa has dropped in and may well play us a tune on his ukulele.

anno How lovely that you were able to join in the NW lunch. I am looking forward to a gathering on the 28th. Inveraray had better beware. There will be an lot of noisy banter and laughter happening in The George.

loopylou Being a back seat passenger in a car is something of a nightmare for me. When we picked relatives up from Glasgow airport, I sat in the back for the three hour journey home. Whenever the front seat passenger made conversation, I was totally unable to participate. The engine noise and voices merged and became akin to low-pitched din/hum.

Charleygirl Good news! You are doing remarkably well. Us lot are proud of you.

POGS A happy, knackered nanny is worth a huge hug and

Check out this site
www.gotaukulele.com/p/ukulele-clubs-and-societies.html

It is a comprehensive list of UK clubs, Many U3A's also have groups. PM me with where she lives and I will search for one.

Hello! I thought you had gone AWOL. I need a ukulele group up here, for a friend. She is really upset that East Anglia doesn't seem to be into ukuleles. I suspect she would find Maldon a little too far to travel to.

Hi all, sorry to have been absent without leave.
The last few months have been so hectic. by the time I get to sit down, I usually fall asleep. Everything is fine with everyone here. GC in waiting is progressing well.
We have just arrived in Leicester (About 30 min ago) to look after DD's cats whilst they sun themselves in the Med.
Another new hobby for me !!! Ukulele, playing with the Maldon Ukulele Group, did my first gig with them 2 weeks ago at a family fun day, shame it p---sed down all day and hardly anyone turned up, the organisers expected 1000 plus.
Hope everyone in the Kitchen is well, will try to trawl through posts during this week.
xxx pompa

I used to smile desperately and hope I wasn't viewed as some inanely grinning woman soop! It took me ages to admit to wearing the hearing aids but oddly as I don't give a damn now, I have no problem telling people I can't hear then. It is bl...y frustrating though isn't it? I still lip read in many situations,and having a passenger in the car is awful for hearing what they're saying

Yippee charleygirl that first shower/bath is bliss! Dealing with the etiolated skin and horror-story leg hair wasn't such good fun though

That's good news, Charleygirl. It's bound to be a while before your foot feels normal again. Look after yourself and enjoy that shower!

I have had my B/K POP removed today. The orthopaedic registrar thought that I will be waltzing outdoors with 6" heels! I showed him the shoe I was wearing on my R) foot but he said that he had been deceived before. I cannot remember the last time I wore heels and never 6".

I have a slipper on my POP foot and a shoe on the other and still using crutches even indoors. It will take time to get back to some normality. I am allowed to drive but that will not be for a few days I think.

I have had a Sainsbury delivery, need to make some supper and then think about a shower- please keep your windows closed until bedtime- my leg will be more fragrant then especially once it has been moisturised.

Bliss!

Today we had a small but perfectly formed NW lunch - Iam64, Nelliemoser, Vegasmags and me. We talked non-stop and I for one am looking forward to the next one - with lots more NW grans.

I miss pompa too, sincerely hope he is OK.

Doing the school holiday with my grand daughter, talk about 'knackered mummy club' , is there a 'knackered nanny club'?

Love the photos dear soop.

Oh, Galen Who's a lucky lady!

whitewave Having something special to plan for, is good for the soul.

loopylou The sad thing is, that any gatherings in the village hall, are difficult for me and others who have hearing problems. The room is all hard surfaces and sound bounces off the walls, and the furniture continually scrapes as folk move around. I need to sit close to anyone I wish to talk to. I need to lip read. I feel awful if I have to keep apologising for not keeping up with the conversation. Oh dear! Such is life!

pompa! pompa! pompa! We ladies miss you. PLEASE come back and keep us company from time to time.

Been booking some trips and special restaurant dinners today. Yippee!

The cruise with Bella isn't until next year. This one is part solo although next door neighbour ( her, not him) is supposed to be joining me in Monacco.

soop I know exactly what you mean about hearing aid (I have two ), highly irritating isn't it? I'm sure you'll have a great time meeting up.
Galen not the most pleasant way to lose weight but, from experience, it is effective! Are you recovered now? You must be fit for your on board frolics with Bella, not long now!

Has anyone heard from pompa ? It seems ages since he's popped in....

I need to lurk as have had a calamitous day, should never have got out of bed this morning

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/201508/medium-424144-p8042331.jpg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/201508/medium-223986-p8042330.jpg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/201508/medium-571603-p8022315.jpg

Crafting Love your post. Have spluttered Ryveta over the keyboard.

Baubles My goodness...I am also looking forward to the 18th. What a treat (for me) to see long-time-no-see Granspals You do know that I am hard of hearing in spite of my aid. Thing is, when I'm in a group of people the sounds blur. If I fail to respond, it's not that I'm rude. bags understands. She will keep a friendly eye on me.

Galen You are perfectly lovely as you are. If dieting makes you feel healthier...then that's a good reason to deny yourself certain treats.

janer I'm willing to bet that your husband's need for frequent naps, is as a result of medication.
I wish you well with your visit to see you mother. We shall all be thinking of you. I guess that it won't be a whole lot of fun. Stay calm...and carry on...

Alea You shouldn't let your sister's strange attitude affect you negatively. She isn't like you...more's the pity.

4 stone!! *Galen there'll be nothing left of you..... Glad to hear you are feeling better. Must have been a nasty bug. Good thing you have a cruise to look forward to.

Been really busy recently at work and home so not been able to get into the kitchen much. Here's a plate of slightly burnt delicious home made brownies was going to be a cake but it broke into pieces getting it out of the tin. Please do help yourselves on your head be it

Got on the scales this am. Down to 13 St 7 lbs. started at 14st 7lbs so that's a stone off! Only another 4stone to go

Alea I love the sound of your photobook, I expect it will be hugely appreciated.

Well done, Galen!

I am keeping DBH occupied in the garden, but he does keep having naps. I'm not sure if it's down to the tablets, or just to escape from me. He's till having up and down days, though I think he seems better overall.

We are going down to my mother's next week, I'm not looking forward to it but my poor stepfather shouldn't have to try to cope all alone, without us having some idea of exactly what it is he is having to do for her. She may not want us to see her 'like that', whatever 'that' is, but I keep thinking of all those accusatory voices of past neighbours. You know the ones - 'her daughters were dreadful, they didn't even try to see her'! Now I know that they must have had mothers who were just as stubborn as mine.

Soop my sister is reticent strange full stop. 2 years ago she told me she had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's. No brain scan or consultant, just her GP. She and her DH came over to Scotland ostensibly on a final visit (she lives in Canada) so DH and I made an impromptu flying visit to Scotland which at the time we couldn't really afford, to meet up with her. We took them out for lunch the first day, again the second , then suggested dinner all of which were accepted with alacrity ( they are VERY tight) and eventually I plucked up the courage to tell her that I thought she appeared entirely normal! They flew back to Canada and 3 months later she saw a specialist/ brain surgeon who said there was nothing wrong whatsoever!
One sad thing is that they have made several visits once a year to Scotland in the past 14 years since our father died. To begin with they would drive down and stay with us for a weekend, then we met up sort of halfway in Yorkshire but then they didn't' even say they were coming until after they had left to go home again. I remember my aunt being very embarrassed when she referred to a visit and realised I knew nothing about it.
Maybe I should take the hint?

Got 7 tribunals to do first including 3 in Wales!

Glad to hear you're still around and looking forward to your cruise, Galen.

soop I work in the same optical practice that I used to manage. I do all the boring financial stuff, bank & credit card statements and such like. It's no hassle. I swan in at 9.30, do my job, leave at 4.45 and don't give it another thought till the next week. I can also take time off when I need to so it suits me fine.

It is an age since we last met but I'm so looking forward to the 28th .

Alea your sister doesn't deserve you!

Don't care what they look like! Just give me the drink!