soop's kindly kitcheners and pampered pets...

A good Boxing Day morning to you all. Quiet day for us today, hoping for a walk if I can persuade Mr C to wake up. He could win prizes for sleeping. I am enjoying a quiet beginning to the day so will resist the urge to wake him just yet.

Love the photo ann, you both look content, hair does have a will of its own so if you perceive any shortcomings you aren't responsible. Agree with you bellasnana looked very glamorous in her photos. My outfit yesterday erred on the side of comfort. . Pleased you both and callgirl could take some enjoyment from the day. bella is just beautiful. Was that a Frozen inspired dress? Thought I noticed an image peeping through. No matter if not, she looks so happy.

I smiled at the mention of a machine wash charley, first thing I did when I returned yesterday, Mr C was doubting my sanity but it needed doing and after all I didn't take it to the stream and beat it, the machine did the work

Think I might begin to cook (very late!) breakfast, the bacon smell usually works better than any alarm clock

Hope Conor hasn't caused problems for anyone. Sending lots of good wishes for your day.

corner perhaps Tara should move in with you for a few days if you want to get Mr.Corner up and about early. She usually drags me out of bed around 7am but occasionally I am allowed a lie in until after 8am.

I agree with you, I do not see anything wrong with popping clothes into a machine- it is doing the work.

Boxing Day greetings one and all. The wind is fierce and the waves are huge. We'll be having a quiet afternoon, as last night's party was a very merry affair. MacS was very unsteady when I helped him through the front door. He had a wee tumble in the bedroom and gashed his head. There was much bleeding. He's feeling contrite. Bless him. Anyway, he seems to be resting peacefully in his chair. Rory fast asleep on his lap.

The photos are beautiful. Thank you, Bellasnana and ann. I'm pleased to hear that your day was better than anticipated.

Message from D this morning that the lump in her latest cats neck, which the vet was "keeping an eye on " had burst and gunk everywhere. She managed an emergency appt and came home £200 lighter. Ab's and painkillers and the dreaded cone. She has to go back on Wed morning and if an op Is needed the estimate is £460.
It is a good job all you people love your animals so much. Insurance won't cover it as she had the lump when my D took her as a 2 year old and she declared it when taking insurance out.

Hopefully the cat will start to feel a bit better now that the gunk is out but it takes about 48 hours for antibiotics to kick in but at least the pain killers should work quite quickly. Hopefully the vet gave the cat a long acting pain killer which is what my cat Tara was given when she had an abscess having been bitten by a bully when she tried to get in the cat flap.

I agree, trips to vets are not cheap, with luck pain killers and antibiotics will do the trick.

Greenfinch It's a pleasant surprise to have your company in the kitchen.

Swanny Enjoy your Christmas Day today. Why not! Sounds like a very sensible plan.

Charleyg and callgirl1 I'm wondering whether today's wind might be a real threat to the power lines. Please, let it not be so.

ann Wow! What a weighty bill to have to pay, especially at this time of the year. Never the less, if it were Rory who needed costly treatment, we would gladly part with the dosh.

I'm away to read emails. I didn't check yesterday's input. Most will be spam. Best to keep updated. I would hate to overlook an important message.

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MacSporran's photo was taken at the beginning of the evening. He was bright-eyed and bushy-tailed at that point.

soop good that you both had a merry time, and how nice that MacS was especially merry! He looks a lot better these days xx

We had a very jolly (and extremely noisy) day yesterday. Savannah just shouted all day with excitement! We played lots of games and ate lots of everything, specially chocolate not me of course
Today, well, I'm in a prone position mostly unless I'm pressing the 'on' buttons on the dishwasher and the kettle!
Hope you all had a good day too ?

Lona We've lit the fire. We're about to watch a programme about the nearby island of Gigha and Jura. Have allowed myself four dark chocolate creams. Delicious! Rory is on his mat and dozing. All's well. I'm enjoying the peace and quiet.

Excellent soop! ?

Christmas chez moi

Lona what a lovely photograph and little Savannah very happy with life.

I agree, *MacSporran looks as though he may have put on a tiny bit of weight and he looks better. Luckily He did not break a bone when he "tripped" indoors last night. There must have been a piece of furniture out of place!

soop you look very smart dressed in your finery.

At least if the electricity dies you will have a fire to keep you warm but I am keeping my fingers crossed that Conor will ignore you. I doubt if Rory would notice, provided his supper is served on time, all is right with the world, his.

Lona That is one very happy family photograph.

Charleyg MacS tripped over his own foot! He fell heavily on to the corner of a chest of drawers. There is blood on the carpet that I haven't yet been able to completely remove. We had a taxi home from the party. I knew that he was a little lot the worse for wear when he left me on the back seat (unheard of) and swayed along the path to the front door. He then realised that I wasn't beside him. Came back for me wearing a sheepish look on his face. In fact, the taxi driver, someone we know well, had helped me out of the taxi and was escorting me homeward. Thank heavens he doesn't make a habit of tasting Champagne, wine and a malt regularly. It was a one-off. He has apologised to me. He's a lovely man.

Rory and Bracken were given a doggy/pussy bag last night. Delicious turkey. Rory approves. We're waiting for Bracken to arrive.

It's goodnight from me. Care home visit in the morning. Life returns to a much appreciated regular routine.

soop definitely not- I do not believe that MacSporran was mildly inebriated- he tripped over a piece of furniture!!!!!

I do hope that the weather is okay tomorrow for you to travel and that the home is no distance from where you live.

An unintentional lie in for me today, I set my alarm for 8am, turned it off, next thing I knew it was 9.55am! I lounged around for most of the morning, then made the dinner, relaxed for a while afterwards, then youngest son came to take me back to their house for tea, so a not very strenuous day.
I hope Connor decides not to bother you too much Soop, if it`s REALLY rough, you shouldn`t even attempt that drive into Campbeltown, the A83 isn`t a bad road normally, but there are a couple of places where it could be a bit dicey if the wind`s blowing wrong.

Lona I am so pleased that you got your long awaited family Christmas Day.
You all look so happy to be together and having Savannah with you must have been the icing on the cake for you and your son. I know you both see lots of her but having her for Christmas is special. My own fragmented family leaves me with lots of heartache.

I was thinking of you over Christmas Ann, I know only too well about family heartache. But I looked at your lovely photo several times, and I hope that you can find some moments of happiness in between the sadness. Xxx

A wonderfully bright and sunny good afternoon to you lovely lot. I've just returned from the care home visit. I happened to meet the lady carer who had donated the doll (in the raffle) for whom she had knitted a lovely outfit. I had a thank you card ready to pass on to her. She is thrilled that a deserving wee girl now owns the dolly.

callgirl You obviously needed your lie-in. I hope that you are feeling refreshed.
Weather was rough. Right now it's as good as it gets for this time of the year. MacS has kindly cleaned the windows. The high winds had deposited a sticky, salty film over them.

Charleyg The drive from here into Campbeltown is roughly twenty miles. The trip to the care home is very pleasant. The road runs beside the sea for a great part of the journey. The road was not at all busy and the weather is glorious.

ann I too was thinking of you.

Lona

I'm about to watch and hopefully "win" a smart jacket on eBay for a friend who isn't confident enough to wait until the final 12 seconds before placing a bid.

Later this afternoon we're to have Champagne and nibbles at the home of a friend in the village. We're to be picked up and returned home all safe, sound and sober. It's the type of gathering I enjoy. Just two hours of blethering and then the fond farewells. Suits us a treat.

MacSporran's scalp is a mess . I purchased another bottle of TCP with which to bathe it. There's no way that he can wear a hat (at the wee gathering)...goodness knows how he'll explain the damage done. I think it's best to be truthful..."I tripped over the cat..."

I shall say farewell to you all right now. Tomorrow is ironing duty day. I shall pop in to the kitchen to catch up on my return.

A big, soppy group (((hug))) x

soop you have to tell the truth and yes, he did trip over the cat as we know. Oh dear, I thought that the wounds would be healing by now.

That sounds a very pleasant journey provided that the weather is good. I miss being so far away from the sea.

Good if broadband speed increases in rural places such as London! Mine is so slow and the excuse is that I live at the bottom of a hill.

callgirl you must have needed the rest- hopefully you will sleep as well tonight.

I've managed several intentional lie ins callgirl, hope yours did you good. Mine might if I went to sleep earlier .

Like the sounds of your journey on a bright and fine day, soop, probably wouldn't in the rain/snow and wind. Sounds as if macs will have some explaining to do, wonder if anyone will believe the truth?

Hoping for our family day tomorrow, some illness about though so please all keep fingers crossed for us. I'll be sad if we aren't all present and correct

Stay warm and well everyone, it's really, really cold here this evening, fine though which is wonderful.

I hope that all the family are well corner and you have a great day.

My neighbour gave me a large box of Thorntons chocolates this evening- I need them like a hole in the head, I am supposed to be losing weight. He is a retired doctor, he should apply some common sense. I know that I am a miserable, ungrateful beggar but that is the 3rd food present I was given for Christmas.

It is very cold here in London but my computer is next to a radiator so I am fine.

Hello everybody, sorry I don't have the energy to really contribute but all our visitors have now gone (we were 9 plus Flynn on The Day and 13plus Will, Toby, Pippa and Flynn yesterday)
It is suddenly very quiet. A quick hoover round, stripped beds and got the first load of sheets / towels in, then I settled down to watch Call the Midwife on iplayer. Fell asleep and have woken up with a throat like sandpaper, a streaming nose, a cough, and a head like cotton wool. I don't DO ill (leave that to DH) so I am a bit knocked sideways. Got binbags out for tomorrow morning (13 bags plus the box of bottles for recycling!) and just need to walk Grace then crawl into bed. Please god DH doesn't come out in sympathy but as it was certainly from a tiny, chances are he will.
Hope all is well with you all, and to catch up tomorrow with your news when I hope to feel more like normal.
Nunight