The Soop Kitchen

Well I had two quiet days to prepare for yesterday, when my son, daughter and three very dear grsnddaughters came for the day. We had an extremely noisy time with much laughter, teasing and girly shrieking! My eardrums are still vibrating!
Then they (attempted) sang "Grandma We love You" all the way through(with lots of improvisation by 4 yr old) until I was in tears.
A wonderful time despite the really hard times my dd and ds are going through.

Galen was it too much champagne? I hope you didn't hurt yourself!
Back to normal now please ?

Can't pretend it wasn't a struggle without DH, but we muddled through and I'm glad it's all over for another year.

Pleased to see that a good time was had by other granspals and I wish you all a happy 2016.

As for you Galen, what's this about a fall There'll be none of that when we sail off in June, I hope

Love, and ((hugs)) to everyone having a bumpy or downright bummer of a time. Life's a complete sod sometimes, isn't it?

Galen welcome back for tomorrow, I hope the fall wasn't too upsetting (daft medical team sounds intriguing!) and that it hasn't spoiled your cruise.

AllieO I'm sending you and a big hug, and hoping very much that 2016 will bring some blessings for you x

soop I love that wall hanging; how much patience some people must have to complete something like that........

Peace reigneth here....seems very quiet now DGS has gone home. Boy, how I miss him (and DS and DDIL). DGC number 2 due end of May!

We seem to have far too much food to eat up so won't need to shop for a couple of weeks, hooray!

Hello again. Sorry not to post for ages....have been having a very complicated and miserable time, but haven't been able to talk about it.

However I did see my sister and partner, who brought the meal here on Xmas Day - that was the better bit. But it followed a hurtful squabble by email with my sister.............made up now. sort of.

to everyone who has not had the best of Christmases.

- I may be able to get in touch with my grandsons again.

Home tomorrow.
I'll then catch up properly and tell you abou the fall I had and the daft medical attending team!

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Charleygirl I do believe that you did that stranger a service. Well done, you. I do hope that his turkey was well cooked and that he enjoyed the companionship of friends.

I'm ready to unwind. Today has been set aside for peace and quiet. We were blest to have enjoyed the three days of Christmas. My heart goes out to the thousands of people who have had a wretched time due to floods.

Our evening with pals was lovely. Liz was a Captain in the Army Catering Corps. She thinks nothing of providing a banquet and never ever gets stressed. The thought of having to do what she achieves fills me with dread. I would have to plead insanity had I a crowd to feed and entertain.

We had a game of questions and answers (some folk became aggressively competitive) and it wasn't me or MacSporran

I thought that the Granspals who enjoy quilting might like to see the marvellous wall hanging that two ladies made a few years ago. It is displayed every Christmas.

The weather continues to be very blustery. The rain hasn't been a problem. In fact, yesterday was sunny for a time.

My love to you all.

soop yes, the fellow was entertaining 2-3 people on Christmas day. I got the impression that he had not cooked much more than a boiled egg before.

He also promised to register with a GP. The fellow I thought was around 50 years of age, had never registered with a GP so I imagine that he uses our Urgent Care Service at the local hospital instead of visiting a GP.

It is a gloriously sunny and nippy Sunday. I am in a tiz-woz and the days over the festive season seem to get somewhat mixed up.

Charleygirl Hmm...as you say, disconcerting to think that the lorry driver cannot read a road map. What happens if sat navs cease to work for whatever reason? You did the right thing by suggesting he visits an optician. As for the turkey...I'm wondering whether he had any one at home with whom to share it. Christmas can be an awfully lonely time for many people.

Luckygirl By this time tomorrow we shall be back to our usual routine. It sounds boring...but both of us prefer the peace and quiet of our own home and company. In the meantime...one more gathering.

soop you have very creative GC.

I do hope that you are looking after MacSporran in a manner to which he has become accustomed because I do not want to hear that he has caught some lurgy.

Is Rory's daughter appreciating her new home? Rory is possibly a bit miffed that she is so close to the house.

Tara has the best of both worlds- mild if dull and damp weather outside but a cosy home to return to at her leisure.

Oh good lord Charley - it is so scary isn't it. I have a friend who should not be on the road, but despite our informing the GP (after so much heart-searching, as we understood the problems that not being able to drive in this rural area would cause, and it felt a cruel thing to do) nothing whatever was done. It is so worrying.

Such a busy Xmas here - we both need a sit-down now.

soop - I love the idea that a GD made that model for you - brilliant.

2 days before Christmas I went to a store which sells mainly frozen food to pick up one item. A man asked my help- was the turkey in his basket a "good" turkey and enough for 4? I said the size was fine but I would normally buy one which is free range and if I could afford it, organic but they only sold turkeys by weight so this one would have to do.

Next, how to cook it. I told him my eyesight was not good so I could not read the instructions and he said that he stopped me because I wore glasses! He is apparently a lorry driver, cannot see a road map (he thanked sat navs) or some road signs. He promised me that he would see an optician for the first time in his life after New Year. I forgot to tell him to defrost the bird! Scary to have someone like him driving on the road and I am sure that he is not alone.

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Our artistic granddaughter made us the cut-out paper version of our wee home. I shall take a better photo sometime, so that you can see the detail that she has managed to capture.

Baubles The Christmas Eve new-born is BEAUTIFUL No other gift can possibly compare with her arrival. I shall raise a glass of Champagne to your family a little later today.

number Goodie gum drops. Quite an accolade for Duke's portrait to replace that of a human member of the family. I'm pleased for you.

Alea Oh dear! Your daughter must have taken a very nasty tumble. No doubt there will be more bruising to come and with it, discomfort. How fortunate that she was attended to speedily. I'm also relieved that your husband managed to cope with his discomfort. Rich foods can play havoc with delicate constitutions.

Luckygirl Just about every pal of ours is suffering with a bout of the snuffles. So far, we've escaped from catching the wretched bug. I would sooner have a double dose so that MacSporran may be spared.

Judthepud Where oh where has that first portrait ended up? Surely, it will surface, sometime, soon.

To bags loopylou Lona Charleygirl Crafting dusty and ALL our lovely Gransnet Kitcheners I send my love.

Yesterday we were with "the gang" at the home of our Norwegian pal. Today we took Bobby to our other pal's home and whereas last year there were six of us, this year we were three. Our neighbour's wife died at Easter. He has been living with a form of dementia ever since. It took well over 30 minutes to get him ready to leave home. He opted for shorts and canvas sneakers. Thankfully he also wore a hat and a sweater. He barely said more than a dozen words. He did manage a weak smile but the larger-than-life personality is no longer alive. His wife's twin is in the care home. His wife was able to have the full Christmas Day meal with him yesterday. She tells us that the care home did every single resident proud. In fact, the Kintyre Care Home has been selected as one of the best managed care homes in Argyll.

That is good to know, Tegan xxx

Alea - sorry to hear about DD and hope that the ribs mend pdq. It only takes a moment for these things to happen. What a real pain! I hope that Christmas went well in spite of it.

The racist bigot was on his best behaviour I am glad to report! We had a lovely time, barring our colds - poor OH was awake and snotting most of Christmas Eve night so I too was awake. But we had a wonderful welcome at DD's home - the day began with 7 year old DGS flying into our room yelling Merry Christmas and throwing his arms round me - sleepy or not, it was a wonderful start to the day!

I hope that everyone found good things to enjoy.

Haven`t had time to come in here today, but just to let you know Soop, my daughter and her husband LOVE the picture of Duke! She`s taken a photo of her son off the wall and replaced it with Duke`s portrait!

Wonderful news Baubles many congratulations!!

I hope everybody has had a lovely day, as indeed we have. Unfortunately DD slipped on her (wooden) staircase in their holiday lodge across the way from us when she popped back for Pippa's gro-bag before Pip's nap. She fell quite badly injuring her back, and my sis-in-law, a retired GP, persuaded her to go to Taunton A&E, where she was X-rayed etc and has one cracked rib and badly bruised others Bit of a BGR for her with 3 small children. Luckily she was seen very quickly and returned suitably dosed up with Codeine etc. She is in a lot of pain though and I fear she will have a rubbish night.

DH was also poorly when we arrived and awake most of Wednesday night with quite strong pain around his liver area, and I worried that I might have to ring the Liver Unit in London, but tried a bit of tough love, lots of Gaviscon, very light diet and gentle walking. He is much better and I think it might have been common or garden indigestion!!

"Apart from that" as Abraham Lincoln's widow said when asked how she enjoyed the play, "it has been lovely!"

Congratulations all round, baubles! And relax

Hope everyone has had a pleasant day today ?

Baubles how lovely to pop into the kitchen on Christmas Day and see your lovely new born GD. Congratulations.

Merry Christmas to all. Hope all with illness or worries to cope with get some peace and happiness this Christmas. Take care of yourselves.

Merry Christmas to soop & MacS, and all our kitcheners, not forgetting Rory and his gang! ??⛄
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I second loopylou's wishes. I do hope that the roof is still in place soop and MacSporran and that the sea has calmed down.

Is Rory's daughter enjoying her new "snug"?

Baubles that little mite looks so content- she is gorgeous.

It has started to rain here- just wonderful- still it could be worse, we are not flooded out like many other poor souls.

Just wanted to wish all the Kitcheners, and especially soop and MacSporran a very Happy and peaceful Christmas x
? ? ✨

Aww Baubles how lovely! Congratulations. We have been celebrating the 9th birthday of my DGS1 today. A special time to be born!

Just popping by here to wish all you lovely people a peaceful Christmas. I know it isn't an easy time for everyone but wishing the best for you all, especially you,Soop

She really is lovely baubles

A happy and peaceful Christmas to you all. ?

soop, because I know that you are kept so busy in here that you rarely pop out, this is for you.

My new little DGD, born this morning (christmas eve).