SOOP's kindly Kitcheners

Mm, wondering how I might feel that a total stranger shares my genes.

Alea, What an amazing experience! You must be excited and maybe just a little bit nervous!

I have spoken to my (new)brother and we are meeting in 10 days time
In the meantime I am ploughing through old old family pics, my /our great grandfather, our grandparents, Dad as a little boy, a young man, a soldier and in the last few years of his life, with the intention of making a Photo book as a present for when we meet! (Hope my sis in law isn't reading this!) bit of an emotional trip down memory lane, but I have so many memories and anecdotes which he has missed out on and I can share with him.

Daughter and I are still quite warm, despite the outside weather, but hubby is cold and has put a big thick jumper on. I was dreading him putting the fire on! It also means we can`t put the ceiling fan on.

I came close to putting my heating on last night as well, but a hot bath warmed me up. Can't believe that this time last week we were in Yorkshire and were baking hot.

Crafting I will have some brownies please. I have no comfort food in my house at the moment.

I put my heating on as well. I don't know what's wrong with me but I just don't feel right. I thought it was too much gardening but I am not sure now. Lots of twinging aching joints and muscles.

It might be my parathyroid playing up again. It's being monitored for several months now. I had another routine blood test for that this morning as well as yet another Vitamin D level test.

This has been going on since I had an overactive parathyroid gland removed in early 2013. It is one of those complicated endocrinology things where the parathyroid acts to regulate blood calcium and vitamin D levels. It's all very complicated but mine seems to be interacting in a non typical way at the moment.
I should get notification within a couple of weeks the Vitamin D tests takes longer to come back.
I feel I am just going round in ever decreasing circles with this and probably losing more bone mass. B*****! fed up.

quietly from the corner .... I quite liked the outfit Soop but I agree the with the others the one you did wear was the best. Lovely fabric, my sort of dress

Have some brownies everyone. Made earlier, still warm and a bit yummy.

((Huggs)) for all who need one.

Hello everyone - is it warm in here? I am so cold that I just put the heating on.

soop, in case I don't get back in before Monday, please give my very best wishes to the lovely McSporran.

Charley, take care of yourself as we are only virtual you know, although we would love to help if we could.

Janer doesn't seem to be around today, I hope all is well with her and her family.

Sorry I've been missing from the kitchen. Our Community Association takes over the village library from the County Council on Monday and there is loads of last minute stuff to do and most of the other committee males members seem to have disappeared leaving me and a couple of other women rushing round like blue tailed whatsits. I'm sure it will be alright on the night (well Monday lunchtime!)

Tonight we are going out with someone who used to work for DH but has married 'up'. She uses every opportunity to mention her 'broker' and the fact that she is a director of their company. We don't see them very often but periodically it is unavoidable. The worst bit about it is that it's one of our favourite restaurants for going on our own and, I suspect, I'll be driving!

And, it's DH's 70 birthday in a couple of weeks and there is a party to organise! #justaweenybitstressed

The mother deer and her fawn came to our garden fence earlier in the week.

Here I be...a little late but feeling totally refreshed. We've been visiting the care home. I am going to ask my pal who visits her husband twice weekly, if she would allow me to accompany her on her Tuesday morning visit. If she agrees, I can then spend that time with "my ladies" who reside on the upper floor. I shall then have more time to spend with our pal (on the ground floor) when MacSporran and I visit on Fridays. If this can be arranged, I shall need to shift my ironing duties to a different day.

We had a light lunch in the Royal. We then walked around Campbeltown loch in warm sunshine. Home to feed a cross-looking cat...and time to catch up with my Kitchener friends.

Thank you for the flapjacks, bags. I shall also enjoy the date slices. Yes, I really do eat up to three Pink Lady apples a day. Whenever I feel the urge to open the biscuit tin...I munch on an apple instead.

Thank you for all the comments regarding the outfit that didn't go to the wedding. I am relieved that I wasn't given the thumbs up when I put it on for my friend. I shall possibly sell it on eBay. The material and colours are delicious. However, as MacSporran also commented...it's not your style. I may well wear the hat when next there is another summer wedding to attend.

Fab hat soop but agree with others that the dress is rather 'dated'. Too nice (material wise) to throw away - do you know a good needlewoman/man who could do something with it?

soop I love the hat, you look like a fairy duchess, and the dress fabric is very pretty. I think it's the top that looks too fussy and full. Do you know anyone who could alter it for you?

Alea how incredible!

thatbags I love your garden.

I rather fancy that hat, soop, but the dress doesn't do much for you - it's too droopy, though I like the colours.

I love the material of the dress, even the dress itself, if only the top half`s style could be altered? Shame to discard it altogether. Not sure about the hat, as I`m not really a hat person.

The alternative wedding outfit looks like a bit like one that the late Queen Mother might have worn so I can see why your friend said "No" soop. The one you did wear was a real bobby-dazzler and you looked amazing! xx

I recognise it but I've never known its name before. In the past I've tried to identify how many different varieties of wild flowers we have. The only trouble now is that although I can easily get down to their level, I'm not confident of getting up again. I shall have to start taking a stick hiking pole out with me.

You young things don't have this problem.

It's very interesting, dusty, but also very intense. Still, I'm learning a lot, bit by bit. I've found 13 species of grass in my garden so far this year. The one in the pic is Bulbous Oat-grass (Arrhenatherum elatius ssp. bulbosum). I like it. I think it's handsome

I'm back... I couldn't resist one of those flapjacks.

Studying grasses sound interesting bags.

I agree about the (discarded) wedding outfit. "Vintage" is fine, but I suspect only on those young enough not to have seen it first time around! Lovely, lovely fabric though. Could you do something with it?

Alea how exciting and must feel very strange as well.
I think once I'd got over the shock I'd feel very pleased about it. As you say "different times". Do they live within easy travelling distance of you?

Gosh, soop, if I ate three apples in one day I'd spend the next day (and night, probably) on the loo feeling as if my guts were falling out!

Here's a tray of the famous calorie-free (arf!) flapjack, and one of date slices. Dig in, grans.

I've been studying grasses most of today and my brain is addled.

dustyangel Yes, I understand what you mean. I'm relieved that I chose not to wear the outfit. Maybe keep the hat for another special occasion. The entire outfit was less than £30.

Now, I really do have to go...x

soop I do enjoy looking at your photos.

Honest opinion, I love the hat and the shoes and the material of the dress, it is really beautiful. I think the style of the dress is old fashioned and not in a good way if that makes sense.