The Soop Kitchen

Missed a couple of posts while I was typing.
Lucky DH noticed a cobweb late on Christmas Eve, very unusual for him, he also insisted on removing it. We have very high ceilings, I would have left it there.

lona I'm glad that you can relax now. That cake Kitty brought in sounds good.

Lona so pleased the moves went well, but what a sad time for all. We will be facing a difficult time in 2 weeks when my soon to be ex SiL is moving three and a half thousand miles away with the new lady in his life. He and D have been separated for about 16 months. The GC aged 16 and13 are just realising what it means and are very upset as they have seen a lot of him since the separation. I hope your GC are coping well. Sorry to digress.

soop I'm really sorry but I had to smile at drop bot!
On ' All Creatures Great and Small' didn't James Herriot treat a very posh lady's Pekinese called Trickywoo for 'flop bot'? ?

My job means I visit a number of older people, many of whom have caring roles for their spouses - it's bl...y tough, and it's relentless and often difficult to take the time to look after yourself. If you google Carers Trust you can check if there's a Carers centre near you- do contact them for advice and support. Your local Council will have useful information too.

In Wiltshire the Ambulance service is trying to get Dom care agencies to have their own 'Falls Team', responsible for going out and picking up clients who have fallen. That's all well and good but I don't know of any agency in Wiltshire that has one and secondly the Ambulance service will still have to turn up for those not receiving a care package.

It's not going to get any better with an increasingly older population......oh joy.

On a much lighter note...a bloody mouse has just run under the sofa, I'm perched on the back of the aforesaid furniture and DH is saying 'It won't hurt you '. His days may be numbered! ?

Where's the mousetrap?

You need Tara- the only problem is that she would sit there crunching the beast, leaving you to pick up the liver and any other pieces she did not fancy.

Where to start? soop, I'm so sorry your problem has recurred. Let's hope they get it all sorted out sooner rather than later - again. You have us to sound off to meanwhile. I do so agree with you about that dreadful news of starving people in Syria. What a cruel war that is and just seems unending. It's awful to feel so helpless too. Alea, what happy photographs of the wedding. Poor Grace - that canine body language speaks volumes. You must be getting to the end of your tether with OH's many needs and a poorly dog. Bellasnana, lovely to have a new baby in the family. I'm quite envious. ann, you really do need help with your OH. I have a friend locally in the same position and her DH has time at a day centre - some of the care homes have day clients - and she is able to go out to meetings and some social events. Is there anything like that available up the road there?
Have a good weekend everyone. I will be failing to do all the things I should be doing. Nothing new there.

annsixty Your gc are the same age as my other two gds, whose bloody df has spent £2million of other peoples money, and they (the girls) don't know all the facts yet! The youngest one is already showing signs of rebellion in ways that fill me with worry.
It's my little dgd whose parents have just moved to separate houses. She's a little unsettled at the moment but my ds adores her, as do I, so I hope she'll be ok in the end.
It's always the children who suffer the most.

Soop I really know what you mean about the current state of the world.
It is getting me down. I am trying to avoid listening to the news at present. I would like to be able to sleep nights.

soop I know you visit a home for dementia care. A knitting friend of mine has been making these Twiddlemuffs. They are sent out care homes for dementia patients with restless hands. Hers are absolutely gorgeous to look at.

www.blacksheepwools.com/blog/2015/08/14/twiddle-muffs-dementia-patients/

I would love to do some but I have been unable to knit for a while now as my arms were getting twingy shooty pains. If any GNrs want to try these the website has details.

Good morning you lot, is it still raining, where you are? Mercifully spared flooding in the immediate vicinity I do feel for those suffering and dreading the next weather forecast.
Whoever had the bright idea of "dry January"? Bad pun at best, and bad idea on so many levels. We need to hunker down with whatever makes us feel better, time enough for diets and abstinence!
If I hear "New Year, new you, " "detox" or "kickstart" one more time I shall have a fry up washed down with a mug of Merlot.
Warm wishes to poorly people, or people tugged in different directions.
(I think we may be off to the Walk in Centre or even A&E today )

What a truly lovely gang of Kitcheners. I'm amazed how understanding and supportive you lot are. You are very special "peoples" - as wee man would say.

Lona I'm so sorry but I had no idea of the severity of the situation wrought by your wayward family member. You must feel overwhelmed. I wish that I could help you. Please know that we are here for you whenever you need to erupt let off steam.

As for the cobweb scenario...that made me .

Rory sat on the utility room door mat for a very long time last evening. Tortoiseshell and he seem to enjoy each other's company. MacSporran repeatedly went to look through the bedroom window, shining a huge torch upon the unsuspecting pair. Each time he returned, he sighed (loudly). When I asked what seemed to be troubling him he said...I don't want Rory to catch a cold. I hooted with laughter. I reminded him that R had lived in the forest for a very long time, regularly walking three miles along the verge of the main road between here and the village to scrounge for scraps, overcome and survived a testing encounter/attack by a much larger creature (possibly an otter)...
MacSporran replied...his coat isn't as thick as it was when he was younger. I then realised that he was being absolutely serious.

Thank you Nellie That is such a sensible idea.

Alea What has happened?

What again? What this time?
I AM NOT CUTTINGDOWN ON ALCOHOL, RED MEAT, BACON ETC! Don't eat much red meat or bacon anyway! Thank goodness my favourite black pudding seems to be OK atm.
They'll be saying my favourite Palma Ham with melon and Italian mixed pickles are bad for you next!
Honestly, what do they think people have been eating and drinking for millennia anyway?
Frankly my dear, I couldn't give a dam.particularly as at age 71 I suspect if it'd make any difference.

Way to go Galen!!
DH has had a dull ache in the area of his liver which he has tried to ignore or "treat" with early nights, light diet, sympathy from me, hoping he could hang on until a Liver Clinic appointm not in 2 weeks time, but it got worse (typically) over night and gave him such a stabbing pain when he got out of bed and sat down suddenly, it can't be ignored.

Agreed. A&E better bet I think. I'm not impressed by some walkin clinic reports I've seen at tribunals

soop. I meant to add my good wishes too. I've had that investigation and it's not all that pleasant. Well, are any of them actually pleasant ?
alea. I know how that feels and how anxiety-making it is. We had 3 home visits over Xmas and NY (NHS decision to visit, not my request) and I was asked to be ready to call 999. OH thankfully now up and about but I'm no longer complacent due to chance of recurrence. Not going into details here. It's just made me realise how much I appreciate OH and mustn't get grumpy about his frequent annoying peccadilloes. I hope your OH doesn't need the emergency visit.
Best wishes to everyone who has worries at the start of this New Year.
Take care everyone.

Galen you are such a feisty lady. We love you lots.

Alea Do as Galen suggests. Please keep us updated.

Bellanonna Best wishes to you and your dear husband. Needing to deal with serious medical issues over a holiday period can be a nightmare. If I needed to ask for help with MacSporran I would go right ahead. A close friend of ours had to call repeatedly for help when her husband started to succumb to frequent mini strokes. He is a big man. Two ambulance crews were required to lift him from the floor. He is at present in a care home.

Hello Galen. I hate to introduce one of the dreaded links into the kitchen but this one will cheer you up.
fullfact.org/health/alcohol_health_risks-50716
Apparently if you stick to the guidelines, you will have a 1% risk of dying of an alcohol related disease. 1%! Who knew?
Cheers everyone!

I've a huge pile of ironing to deal with. After which I shall prepare to sketch a pretty marmalade cat. Being busy creating a portrait will definitely lift my spirits.

It is raining. The wind is raw. The ferry is ploughing through a lively sea on it's way to Islay. Life goes on...

jane Thank you. Slainte!

Alea are they all your grandchildren in the wedding photos? They are so sweet! (Especially the little golden haired one. I've got one of those - beautiful!)

Jane quite!
I liked where it said 'risk of dying at some point' I thought it was normally at the end of life?

I think these government bods give out these risk warnings knowing full well that people will either ignore them completely or drink more deliberately out of pure contrasuggestibility. I reckon our dear govt wants us to spend more on alcoholic drinks. Brings in a lot of tax revenue for them, after all, but they don't feel they can be honest and say so, so they hawk out utterly ridiculous shite and sit back to watch

jingl, The littlest bridesmaid is SIL's niece(his sister's daughter) she is like very and our 2 DGSs were her devoted slaves, and of the 3 little boys, the tallest and the gingernut are our DGSs and the little blonde boy is again SIL's nephew.

This shows the "best boys" and the best men.
If you are wondering, yes, one of them had seen Christmas baubles all over his jacket. Why not? It was Christmas!!!

bags Well said!

Galen