Soop's KITCHENERS

Well, the trip was very good. A few buggerations on return to Piraeus due to a stevedores strike. But we're on board. Bella is trying to be the girl from Impanema drinking pins coladas and I'm on the Pinot noir!.
Lazy afternoon for both of us.

I hope and trust you cleaned them well. You don't want bramble lurgy attacking. I think "its going round".?

I'm going for a lie down in a 'mintit' (as DD1 used to say) cos I feel a bit blergh — common occurence; it'll pass. It's not because of the bramble scratches on my cheek that I acquired yesterday and didn't notice till this morning. When I told MrBags I thought some brambles had attacked me he said: "Something attacked you certainly; looks as if it was a leopard"

Read it ?. you could probably write the sequel.

A library at the Dr's, rosesarered? It probably means you can read "War and Peace " while you are waiting
Cynical, moi?

Mrs P is looking forward to it, she has her result chart ready to hand.

Am I the only woman who is so looking forward to the football competition?
Foot ball is the only interest my H has now and it gives me time to watch what I want on TV especially as it is on terrestrial channels and he can watch in another room.Result!!
Anything I want to watch is deemed rubbish even programmes we would previously watch together and enjoy.

Kitty does that mean you will be able to take a book out while waiting for the doc?
Alea hope you both have a rest today.??
Gand Tea we have a DD a bit like yours ( always in a tizz) I suspect other people do as well.

ann I am certain that kitty has enough with her mother in hospital without taking care of you. Now of course if you could travel to NW London and provided it did not clash with my knee replacement I would consider taking care of you, for a large fee of course!!!!!

GandTea that is very good news although I ma aware that you are still in pain.

anno I also would sit through the safe driving course to avoid points on my licence. I doubt if I would ever be clocked for speeding because of the number of cars on the roads in NW London and the amount of speed humps, it is stop/start driving. I allowed myself 30 minutes yesterday to travel 2 miles.

soop you will be getting tarted up later- you will look fabulous.

Alea I hope that your DH is back in his own home with Grace making a fuss over him.

It is dull but quite humid here- football and again football on TV today, just wonderful.

And knees? I am willing to travel to Leicestershire.
I am sure kitty will put us up and minister to us during our convalescence * G&Tea?.

"Joint Venture" are you qualified to do hip replacements ?

Morning all! I've just popped in to see how everyone is.

Did DH manage to come home Alea?

Enjoy your party soop and show us the hat please.

I have an early meeting in the library with a lady who wants to discuss our doing a joint venture with the local doctor's surgery. The mind boggles!

Mrs P used to drive a lot. she delivered Meals on Wheels, when that finished about 20 years ago, she hardly drove at all. When I was due to have a hip replacement she started again, even had some lessons, but the traffic was so much worse that when she last drove, her confidence had gone. She does not drive at all now. Had she continued to drive, she would have been fine.

Most of my friends have been on safe driving courses anno some more than once, but they won't take any notice of my solution. Do as I do and don't drive!!
Seriously though giving up driving was one of the worst things I have done. I was not a good or confident driver but now I wish I had persisted and improved. I feel trapped indoors. At least my imposed ban on sunlight is over and what has it done most of the time since? Rained of course.

Charleygirl, the safe driving course is a way of avoiding a fine and points on one's licence. Luckily it's not a matter of pass/fail.It was four hours of listening and discussing matters of safe driving - beverages and biscuits included. It cost almost £80, but the alternative would have been £100 fine and 3 points on my licence.

Today I received an email to tell me an item I'd ordered on Ebay had been dispatched:
'Estimated delivery : Mon. 11 Jul. - Tue. 12 Jul.
Delivery service : Royal Mail 2nd Class'

At that speed of delivery, perhaps we should be posting early for Ch*******!

cornergran did you rush through the chores so that you could have an evening of scintillating football on TV? We are stuck with it for a whole month, a good job I enjoy reading.

soop there is no way that I could keep Tara indoors against her will. She is a feisty little madam. My power cut was not caused by storms, it was a perfect sunny day. I noticed today that the pavement in the next street has been dug up by them but naturally nobody in sight doing anything.

I also would be livid re the letter- somebody is taking the Michael to put it very politely. It is a total buggeration and with luck the secretary is now on your case. You do not want to be hospitalised in the dead of winter in your neck of the country.

Oh soop, can only imagine how distressing all these letters are. For what it's worth no harm remembering that us human beings can be tearful when angry, doesn't mean we are overwhelmed, just furious. g&t, that sounds better. Hope it doesn't come back - ever. Like your travel plans alea, in my view if driving through Oxford can be avoided that avoidance is a sign of both common sense and of sanity. . Why make life difficult? It's not an easy place to drive through and if my memory is correct the parking is difficult. Feeling very virtuous and even content, sorted laundry and cleaning as well as the food shop, in fairness I didn't do it all myself but it's good for it to be done and a major step forward. Feet up now.

Had a letter from my urologist today. All the scans/tests show the kidney to be fine, a couple of small cysts, but they do not need treatment. So that is all good news, have to see if the pain comes back and see GP again if/when it does.
Our daughter is always in a tizz over something, she has to have something to worry about.

I shall wish you all a very pleasant and peaceful evening. I'm away to finish decorating the hat for tomorrow's tea party in the village hall.

Hello my lovely Kitcheners I'm sorry to be so late. Had a busy morning and am chasing my own tail in order to catch up.

We opened our present kitchen less than a month ago. In that time there have been 953 topics of conversation. What can I say...^you lot^ are wonderful.

Varian We bought some special elderflower cordial to take with us to tomorrow's tea party. It will taste delicious and, as it's non alcoholic, we shall pretend that it's Pinot without the oomph.
As a child, I used to eat elderberries from a tree close to home. They were bitter but I loved them.

Tegan That's some special castle. The image of it bathed in rosy light should be framed. I like the photo of family heading for the two trees leading to home.

cornergran I've missed you. The images you've shared with us are very good.

Crafting Your post was beautifully worded.

Charleyg Power cut buggeration all round for you. If more storms are forecast, will you be keeping Tara close at hand?

GandTea That stressful conversation took the spring from your step. I hope that the ruffled waters are much calmer today.

Galen and Bellasnana When will you two start enjoying yourselves?...

anno I exceeded the speed limit on the occasion of my first driving test. Naturally I failed. We live and learn...at least some of us do.

NanaandGrampy I hope that you enjoy the wedding. I've never had jet-lag but I imagine it's a bummer if you do. Jackson's other world sounds far more exciting than Disney World.
Sam will be well cared for. Enjoy and take photos for us nosy lot.

kitty Meatloaf is wonderful. Our youngest grandson enjoys the song that goes something like..."I won't do that..." The title escapes me.

Alea Please let us know how things go.

On arriving home, a letter from the Glasgow hospital was waiting for me. I thought...at last...I have a date for the procedure. Was I happy? Yes! That is until I read the letter. It tells me that I'm being referred to yet another consultant and that appointment is for July 20th.
I sat down and thought...this cannot be happening. I phoned the secretary of the original consultant - the one I saw on November 11th (who then managed to get pregnant) meaning her list of patients were referred elsewhere. Perhaps you'll remember that I lost the plot when I received the previous letter re-referring me to some other person. Meaning I had to go through the entire process from scratch. MacSporran had a lengthy conversation with the secretary, and as a result she cancelled the appointment (because my own GP had put a minor spanner in the works.) However...having cancelled, the system has referred me yet again. The secretary is so kind and she said...this CANNOT go on. I didn't cry. I accepted that she will sort matters.
Sorry to sound off when there are many of you going through so much worse. I shall not repeat this message on my FB page. It wouldn't be fair.

My DD admitted that she had been on a course after getting caught for speeding (takes after her father not me!). She said that she couldn't believe the others on the course had even been able to pass their tests - didn't know speed limits, road signs etc, and some just didn't care. Glad we live somewhere with less traffic.

Fresh lemonade sounds lovely!
I am setting off for Oxford and will park at the Park&Ride. IF DH is discharged we can take a taxi there and I will drive us home, if not I try again tomorrow. I sort of need to "man up" about driving distances.
Heigh Ho, off we go.

galen, goodness 7am is so early on holiday but sure it will be worth it. n&g, good luck with that final case. Your holiday has been so memorable for everyone and what a lovely wedding gift. kitty, wheels on the bus has to be my least favourite children's song, banned in our car as it has been known to trigger thoughts of road rage . . Alea been wondering about your DH, hope all is well today. It's muggy and sticky here today, made some fresh lemonade and left a jug if anyone would like some.

Hi all, I like to go on a Speed Awareness course every so often so I can assess the content of the courses. On the last one, the advice was NOT to listen to Meatloaf whilst driving but they had no advice about 'Wheels on the Bus'

N&G, jet lag is NOT nice - sympathies!

I see an early night is in order for Galen and Bella - it will do them good, I suspect.

Charley aren't power cuts awful. There is nothing to be done except wait it out. I usually think of lots of things I could be doing but they all involve using the non-existent power. And, you've had so many!

Alea, how is your DH? Lona, how is the move!

G&Tea, it was obviously your daughter's fault that you couldn't dance. Hope all is ok with her.

Sorry to have been missing from the kitchen lately, things have been hectic here. I went to see Mum yesterday who was awake but talking to the wall and telling it to leave her alone as she wasn't ready yet.

I'm off to make Eton Mess for supper - I'll bring some in later.