The Soop Kitchen

I too am so sorry to hear your friend is going downhill.
Do you think though that he is as aware of it as you are? Sometimes nature very kindly reduces that perception of failing faculties. Let's hope so.
Your care home residents must love your regular visits, I expect it is the highlight of their week and it is very kind of you to make them a priority when you have plenty more on your plate.

Do you any suggestions for Andy and Kim's new baby's name? I thought maybe Imogen as babies often have lots of wind

soop that is not the first time that MacSporran has worried if Rory may catch a chill! I agree, Rory led such a life before- he has died and landed in heaven on all 4 paws in your house! I think that is what will happen to Tortoiseshell, maybe not immediately but in the future. I am prepared to put money on it!

That is sad to hear that your friend is going downhill. He does appreciate your visits and kindness as do the other residents even if they cannot express themselves.

Like you Tizliz I love ours, a border collie and a foster bretagne spaniel, but not all dogs.
Another story about alsations (hope you don't mind)
I once visited a family who lived above a pub where they worked. The mother of the child I was enquiring about invited me up to a very comfortable flat, and sat me on the sofa, and said "I'll be back in a minute".
Then a huge alsation came bouncing into the room, placed his front paws on my shoulders, and started licking my face! I was frozen to the spot, luckily the lady returned soon and called him off.

I know Tizliz, I've met some gentle ones since. But they're so BIG!
Someone in our village has one, and she knocked my friend over when she greeted her.

TriciaF I used to have a German Shepherd bitch and she was so soft she was stupid. No visitors ever had to worry, except perhaps that she might wee on their shoes in her excitement!

Unlike GSD Belgian Shepherds come in different colours and coats :

Groenendael (long haired black),
Tervueren (long haired, all shades of red , fawn and grey with black mask and overlay),
Malinois (short haired, colour as Tervueren) and
Laekenois (wirehaired, reddish fawn with black shading).

Now you know. The police use Malinois a lot. Learn something new every day.

I am not a fanatic doggie person. But I do love my own dogs, not always keen on some others.

...or, should I say...'Art's a fart!'

Tricia "Old station dog" ...love it.

bags don't go getting over tired. I can visualise you in your garden. All wrapped up and a on which to warm your hands. Our garden resembles a bog. At least the sun is making everything look so much more cheerful.

[ahem] Belgian Shepherd dog Mk 111 not looking good enough. I am therefore about to sketch Mk 1V. Lardee dah!

There has been a break in the sodden weather. I've done two short stints of challenging gardening and then I sat out with a mug of tea and no hat on, though I had four layers of clothing on! In a spruce tree down the hill there was a constant chatter of small birds. Refreshing!

Alsations - reminds me of when I was working, I interviewed children, and to get them talking asked about their pets. One little girl said they had "an old station dog" ??? I realised eventually what she meant.
Many families had alsations, made me nervous when visiting.
That was in Hull.
Hope you survive the storms, Soop, we've just started with one here, so I don't think the dogs are going to get their walk today.

anno Yes, the Belgian breed is shaggier. I also think of them as Alsatians.

Rory is asleep on MacSporran's lap. When he was sitting on the utility room mat and looking out for Tortoiseshell, MacS said...'you don't think that he may get a chill...' I was flabbergasted. Rory lived for many years in the forest. Rory walked umpteen miles each day searching for food. Rory was a tough cookie.

Are Belgian Shepherds the ones that look like very shaggy German Shepherds, or - as I can't stop saying - Alsatians?

I've never seen a cat blown over in a gale. They can slink along the ground but they do hate having their fur ruffled. My grancats, when I left to come home yesterday, were glued to the sofas. Here in Cheshire it wasn't quite so windy but it was pouring when I arrived.

Galen ...shaken but not stirred! Take care, please.

Hello to you lovely lot. We have had wind gusting around 90mph at times during the winter so far. The sea is almost flat at the mo' and, praise be, the sun is doing it's best to shine.

Charley cats are born survivors. They have a knack of finding a safe haven and, being close to the ground, they appear to weather most storms with alacrity. Is that the right word? It just wrote itself.

I have noticed that after Tortoiseshell cat has sat with Rory, in the utility room, there are wet paddy-paw marks on top of the boiler. Clever girl! She has discovered one of the perks of indoor living. She only stays about an hour. The merest indication that a human is about to open the door and she's out of the house in an instant.

I've been to the care home. Oh dear! I came away feeling sad. Our lovely neighbour appears to be worsening. He knows me. He holds my hand. He barely speaks and when he does, he whispers. I hate seeing him looking so dejected. M, the lady that I visit, was in good form. I cannot claim to have understood the entire conversation that we shared. However, she looks pleased to have company. That's the point of the visit.
One dear lady had a severe choking fit. She could not get her breath. She turned purple. Several carers attended to her and, eventually, thankfully, she gasped for air.

The so-called German Shepherd dog (that I'm attempting to capture in watercolour) is in fact a Belgian Shepherd. Ooops!

A perfectly calm but dull day from one extreme to the other and so quickly. Can we have spring please?

Tired, but going to bed.
Not working until Thursday and it looks as if Ive no work in March!
Sleep well all of you.
Goodnight

Hope everyone is OK and not blown about too much. Thank goodness we haven't had it too bad down here - I still haven't recovered from 1987!

The wind has died down in NW London now so hopefully everything is okay outside. I will inspect tomorrow.

Tara came home early evening- bone dry naturally. I thought that she would have been swept off her feet. I do not know how she does it.

Are you all right now Galen?

I'm quite far up the Channel, nowhere near the sea unfortunately.

Count your blessings

I sat down and thought of all the things I had done not what I hadn't done, then turned the TV on!

No! Only where my driver grabbed me to stop me being blown away!
Ridiculous! I'm about 14stone!

Oh dear, galen! Hope you're okay. I trust you are not too bruised!

Jalima I'm on the Bristol Channel as well. Where are you?

I agree, the wind here is fierce. I have had to bring my food bin indoors or it will fly away. I do hope that the wind drops or I may not have a roof in the morning.

I think that Tara my cat may have a problem getting home tonight- if I had problems, what chance has she being 4.3 kgs.

Cor! I've just almost gone a over t walking up the drive coming home from the tribunal. The wind force is terrible!

Charleyg Tara is so thoughtful. There are few cats that would go out of their way to please a dog. Mind you, Grace isn't just any dog Grace is *Alea's dog.

I have to log off. Tomorrow morning I shall be care home visiting. When I return...please, let me walk into a harmonious kitchen. Harmony matters. Granspals matter.

Enjoy your evening. It is very much calmer out at sea. Mind you, it's about bloomin' time. Our garden is sodden. The path has enormous puddles and it's like wading through a ford at the bottom of the drive. Hey ho! As our bags would say.

Grace lovely to hear from you again. Please push your servant out of the doghouse, there is not enough room for both of you, especially as you are still wearing that lampshade and will be for the foreseeable future.

Tell her to stay with us lot here- we will look after her. I moved here for similar reasons many moons ago and have never regretted it. I still add my halfpenny worth but I am very choosy re the posts I choose.

from Tara- please do not chew them, they are for your mum.