SOOP's kindly Kitcheners

I'm glad it worked out for you Brendawyamms.

I feel for you Alea and Janer too. It is very hard trying to keep the spirits up of anyone in poor health whether physical or mental.

I'm sorry soop. I didn't keep the snakeskin, the workman threw it as far as he could over the fields. I'll keep the next one but it could be months or days, we have had them before.
On the other hand, I have got a dried seahorse. I saw it in a crate of sardines in the market and asked for it as I'd never seen one before and then dried it out. The family lost interest pretty quickly and I've just kept it.
I'm trying to think how I could get it to you without it crumbling.

It was one of those days. Just as I was falling to sleep last night realised that my Virgin train ticket had been bought with my old bank card, now cut up, so unable to present it to the machine to get my tickets.
After couple hours worrying sent Virgin trains an email about it. Only about five hours sleep. Got reply this morning that as long as I used any bank card in the machine I will get my ticket. So rushed off to nearest railway station with a ticket machine and got my tickets. The lady before me had used her card but didn't complete the retrieval so I only had to put my unique number in! I was really worrying that as no correct bank card I would not be able to retrieve my train tickets and therefore loose £46. Double relief to have the tickets safe in my hand.
I will have to go through all sorts of sites and change my card details now.
So if you buy a train ticket on line make sure you still have the same card when you go to retrieve the ticket!

Alea that's a shame. It must be so disheartening for him (and you)

DH is feeling down as he has to have another blood transfusion tomorrow, he has "gone down" by the 2 units he had a fortnight ago, while the transfusion before that, also 2 units, lasted him 4 weeks. I think he has got his hopes up that the problem was at least levelling out.
I tried to console him that it is an average of 3 weeks, and maybe the arbitrary Hb level of 8 which is what triggers a transfusion should be more flexible. The 4 week gap was on a penultimate measurement of 8.1 which meant he was very low the next time. Complicated, sorry, but this week's result might explain the bad mood he was in earlier in the week

The Conversation is really good. Tell him he has a fan Soop

Oh Lona how did you guess? xxx

Good for Matt! It's always good to broaden your horizons, best of luck to him!
I know you're bursting with motherly love and pride xx

My son is no longer the editor of The Lady. He enjoyed his time with the magazine and I believe, that thanks to his input, he has helped to boost the circulation figures. He's now Executive Editor The Conversation UK...freelance contributor at Cross Country Magazine and a trainee instructor Fly Sussex Paragliding. All good stuff. Goodbye to the daily commute. Phew!

pompa Where are you? You are missed.

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Galen Whenever you feel up to joining us lot in our kitchen you will be warmly welcomed.

janer keeping busy certainly helps to concentrate the mind on stuff other than on-going concerns regarding family and health and suchlike. The kitchen cupboards always benefit from a thorough clear out whenever I'm stuck in the worry rut.

dustyangel Do you have the snake skin? I know that our Torben would be intrigued should I find such a thing.

Our dear neighbour next door has slipped into a rapid decline since his wife died recently. Carers go in four times each day. His memory is that bad he doesn't recognise his own cousin who lives locally. We have shared some very happy times together.

In today's photographs you will see how vast the gunnera has grown. The ground is always wet in that area of our garden. Water from the wooded hillside drains away in a channel that I dug ages ago (when I was fit)

You've been in my thoughts a lot, galen. Hugs.

Galen Look after yourself.

Does anyone know where pompa got to?

Chin up Galen. Hugs .

Galen hope your family are OK.

Glad you are ok.

I'm ok! Just lots of problems atm. So not posting.
Love to all of you!

She did say a while back that she thought she would retreat a bit. One of the threads was getting a little overheated at the time.

So sorry about your sister, bellasnanna. I loved Stratford when I visited, although much of it is very busy now there are still very pretty areas.

Alea the same thing happened when a half-brother contacted Ex's older sister. He refused to meet him, he felt it would be disloyal to his mother! His mother had always been very jealous of the memory of the previous wife, who had died. Two of them agreed to meet up, and said he was a lovely man. Now the other two are regretting that they didn't, but feel they left it too late. Your sister is very silly, but that's people for you.

I envy you your sunsets, soop but not your worries re McS. Also I suspect the car mechanics will need a wee dram!

DBH has had a bit of a relapse. An appointment went astray, they all know the dr responsible is a technophobe, DBH will have to check with reception on his way out next time. But it really set him back, he left all smiley and returned half an hour later looking like a zombie, he can't cope with any changes to his routine at present. It's another case of up two steps, back one and makes me reach for the St. John's Wort to see him like that.

No news yet on the DD front, we are all still just hoping that no news is good news and it's polyps. In the meantime she is living on actimel.

Stepfather still wants help, Mother still doesn't want any of us to see her looking ill, so I am going to just turn up with her birthday presents, as agreed with stepfather, and see how things go. We are still going to look at the respite care homes in the area for him while we are down there though, for future reference.

I am keeping sane by keeping busy. I have a very tidy veg garden and cleaned out freezers as a result. I have also de-fluffed many wool jumpers and cardigans and sewn up any moth holes I found. I am feeling quite virtuous.

I was wondering how Galen is too Tegan.... It's been ages since I've seen a post from her

I've brought in some virtual coffee ice cream. I'm drinking so much iced coffee this weather that I've been fancying it. There is plenty of iced coffee left as well if anyone would like some.

I'm enjoying the peace and grit free area in here. Our roofers are just back from lunch and have started work again.(only bamboo canes above us last night!) It's going to be a bigger job than we hoped for but I'm hoping that it is the first step towards our new build going ahead.

Alea I'm still excited for you. I have a family relationship with someone my DDs don't like and won't speak to. They understand that I want to but it is difficult and also means one can't have the everyday conversations about 'what do you think about so and so' etc.

soop Your sunsets are magnificent as always. Our sunsets are more northerly at the moment and won't be really good to see until the autumn. It is good to have the facility to post photographs here. I should have taken a shot of the shed snake skin that one of the guys brought down from the roof to show us.
I'm very glad that you and MacSporran have such an excellent doctor. He sounds as if he is doing everything possible, keeping you both informed and above all, is kind.
I'm thinking of you both.

Bellasnana!i hope your sister is well enough for your trip to Stratford. It is one of the many places in England that I have not been too. There are too many places in the British Isles that I would like to visit.

I ownder if Alea's sister is a bit miffed that it was Alea that was contacted perhaps [sibling rivalry and all that]. By the way, is Galen ok? I was thinking of her last night.

Alea Our agree with our Granspals. Your half-brother is innocent. I think that it was brave of him to contact you. Each member of your family will have a very personal reaction to the news. I trust that you will do whatever it is that feels right. Given time, the entire family may come together to celebrate in style. After all, family is something that far too many lonely folk would welcome and cherish.

The car has an electrical fault. It may need to go to Glasgow for attention. In the meantime, the garage has fixed it temporarily. MacSporran is to collect it later today

It is a beautiful day. I've been doing my pal's ironing. Now I have my own laundry to deal with. Rory hasn't lifted a paw to help.

Oh that's put a bit of a downer on it Alea, hasn't it. I suppose I can understand how she feels. Your half-brother is innocent though and I think it's exciting that you are off to meet him and hopefully get to know him along with other new family members, You may somewhere down the line be able to encourage your sister to meet him too though that will probably take time. Don't let it spoil things for you and perhaps just let your sister do the asking if she wants to know. Is it this week that you meet? I'm sure you'll have lots to talk about and the photo book you've compiled will introduce him to his other family. Please share your special meeting with us afterwards and best of luck!

That's a shame Alea and like you say, a potentially difficult situation. I think you are entitled to do what's best for you though, and I'm sure you will.