soop's kindly kitcheners and pampered pets...

Happy birthday wobblybits ???
I've been watching Last Tango on iPlayer and thought I would be the first, but no, others have beaten me to it!
Have a wonderful day though - and behave!!!

glammagran I put off taking Oscar for his little operation until after Christmas because I didn't want him to have to wear the lampshade right through the festivities. However, the vet assured me that it would only need a tiny incision in his case 'because he only has tiny balls, as small as a cat's'. Poor Oscar. How rude!

cornergran Our two GSs are coming tomorrow and staying over til Thursday.
OH 'helpfully' cleared the bed in the spare room and in the process moved my secret stash of presents intended for him. He swears he didn't look at them....
I am planning to take the boys ice-skating at the nearby 'Winter Wonderland' while I will enjoy a glass of Gluhwein - just to keep me warm, you understand. I'm hoping all the exercise will wear them out a bit.
Happy birthday wobbly. Have you been given a date for your hip operation yet?

I can empathise with your washing machine problems charley. The 'box thingy' that is Mr C's pride and joy which is attached to our tv and stores all our music has stopped emitting sound this evening. It isn't important in the scheme of things but on top of a thoroughly undermining and upsetting day I am floored. Mr C isn't 'technical' and we know there is no local repairer so could be expensive and of course not until after Christmas. Sending easily and cheaply fixed vibes for your washing machine charley, nightmare to be without one.

Maybe tomorrow will look better to me with a breakfast cooked by someone else! Fortunately the grandchildren are weathering the storm with more resilience than I. .

I'm sure wobbly will have a better day - happy birthday to you. Wishing you a thoroughly enjoyable day.

The snow plough was probably just going to be stored soop, or that is my hope for you

Will try for a sleep and more equanimity tomorrow. Wishing you all a peaceful night.

That's it. Final shopping delivered. All I will need before the weekend is possibly more milk, but the fridge is full, the freezer is full and three large lidded boxes in the garage are also full (savoury biscuits and crisps, veggies, cold drinks)
One spare room is ready, the other still has presents in it but I can move those downstairs, possibly on Friday and then change those beds.
A rare phenomenon, more or less ready
Recipe for disaster??

I hate dusting- I much prefer to hoover or wash floors.

Make sure you don't dust round the photo frames soop or my mother will be peering over your shoulder and tut tutting!
I feel a twinge of guilt every time I try to get away with not moving everything off the shelf and doing it properly.

I love the card Soop!
That cat looks as if he's full of wisdom and knows the answer to the all riddles of the Universe.
Your comment about the snow plough rang a bell with me. I think I mentioned ages ago that we used to spend holidays in the Scottish Highlands. Dalwhinnie, by Loch Ericht. Once we went in Feb. and were snowbound - saw the snow ploughs going up and down the A9 about half a mile away . But we survived.
Hope you've got a good supply of coal in.

I decided to wash one of 3 raincoats I will be taking to the charity shop to discover that my washing machine is leaking. Just marvelous. I have found somebody to come tomorrow am (at great cost) and that is just the call out charge, I am hoping that he has the relevant spare part otherwise I will be without my machine until well into January. I have been temporarily put off my stroke re de-cluttering but I must tidy the bed so that I can get a night's sleep. There is always something is there not?

Don't tell anyone...a snow plough has driven along the road. Gulp!

Off to feed the pussy cats and dust a shelf heaving with framed family photos. There will be a right puther of dust. Mucky mare! She murmurs inaudibly.

Back tomorrow after ironing session.

Stay safe and warm.

I'm glad that Rory's handiwork amused you. Lona You certainly know how to flatter a girl.

cornergran I can well imagine that having breakfast out is a winner. I would certainly class it as a big treat. Big treats permit one to indulge in a proper breakfast...egg, bacon, tomato, mushroom and a pile of hot, buttered toast and marmalade. Alas, I cannot recall the last time I sat down to such a feast.

Sorry to hear about the vehicle buggerations N&G. I can feel your frustration. By the 'eck!

Wobbly Happy birthday greetings for tomorrow...when I shall be doing ironing duties. Have lots of fun. Take pics to share with us nosy lot.

callgirl1 Bah humbug! That's to the DWP. Not you! You are never far from my thoughts.

glammanana Rory empathises with Oliver. When he returned from the vet, having had the delicate op', he staggered to his favourite tartan rug and dozed for nigh on 24 hours. After which, he rallied and, as we like to believe, hasn't yet missed feeling randy romantic.

Today's visit to the care home was rather fraught. One lady spent well over half an hour trying to disrobe me. She then commandeered my chair. She pushed it around the room and trapped another lady's leg against a table. Said lady let out blood-curdling howls of annoyance. M liked her slippers. She did however ask several times where they were from and to whom did they belong.

I won a large doll in the raffle. The hand knitted clothes are beautiful. I NEED to hear of a wee girl who would be over the moon to be given it. We know of no-one in the village who is the right age. I can imagine a little girl, who isn't over indulged, opening the gift on Christmas morning. I may ask at the Red Cross shop when we go into Campbeltown on Friday. Any thoughts on the matter?

Nanaand Where did to get those amazing hats. I'm almost afraid to ask. Did you make them? If so, I'm envious of your masterful skills.
As you need compliments for your light and crumbly pasty making, I volunteer to head the queue to sample your delicious sausage rolls.
Sorry to hear that some nasty bugs have smitten members of your family. Fingers crossed that, given there are still five days to go, everyone will be feeling a good deal better by the weekend. As for you, Nana - stay well away for the time being.

wobbly lots of Christmas bits left to do here at the moment, so in case I don't get on to GN tomorrow, Happy birthday ???????. Hope you have a good day.

callgirl hope you manage to enjoy some happy times at Christmas even though it will be a difficult one for you and your family without David.

Hello all. We are almost ready for Christmas at last. All the presents all arrived and wrapped, car partially packed ready for the off on Thursday. Little bit of housework and ironing then we are done. Hopefully a nice relaxing day tomorrow (it's my BD).

Flying visit. The tree and littlest survived intact, phew, frantic day but such fun. We now have the older girls for 48 hours, peaceful right now, Mr C is entertaining one, the other is entertaining herself. Plan to go out after lunch, a bracing walk on the beach should ensure a restful night! We're taking them out for breakfast tomorrow, their favourite treat at the moment, it seems very grown up and does make for an easy day food-wise, they eat so much there isn't room for much else. .

Love the card soop and the photos daphne, I so love to hear of other people's happiness. Oliver sounds to have recovered swiftly, glammanana, I'm sure he is enjoying being pampered and will forgive you - one day

The car irritation sounds to be a major inconvenience n&g, nothing to do but what you have to I guess, but yes, do send that letter afterwards, if nothing else it may stop it happening to some other soul. Some irritation is allowed to show.

A lot is expected of bereaved people. callgirl, sorry you have had this to manage on top of everything else. I've taken the easy way with gifts this year , bought bags with a tie top, (shopping channels have their uses even if the family mock ), in goes the present, tie the top into a bow and its done. Major relief around here.

Best be off, before I know it there will be hungry grumpiness if lunch is late. Sending good wishes to all, especially those with a personal mountain still to climb.

Good morning all !!

I agree with you Charley and did quite a lot of decluttering before we put the house up for sale ( which isn't moving at all by the way )

But there will still be a lot to sort I think. When we do finally move at least we wont be taking the loft contents with us so that's small win.

It sounds like your little DGS benefits from his time with you Swanny , that's a memory to treasure.

We are having a huge car trauma at the moment and it must be playing on my mind because I had a very bad nights sleep( very unlike me) and bizarre dreams about fights in the car showroom !!!

It seems highly likely that instead of sitting at home watching White Christmas and eating tasty morsels , we will be doing a 150 mile round trip to get my new car and my scooter back.

Its a sad , long story that I wont bore you with but suffice it to say once I have both items in my hot little hands the mother of all complaints letters will be hitting them !!

Given their current appalling service I doubt very much that the dealership will care but maybe they'll feel differently once I've complained to Motability, and SEAT UK. We shall see [wink}

Have a wonderful day one and all - its nearly Christmas [wink}

What a lovely card Soop you certainly have very talented felines,well his Lordship Oliver is recovering well he was still a wee bit doped up when he came home and was walking with a wobble to the left also he was splashing water everywhere I think maybe he was irritated by where the drip had been in his fat paw he has stopped doing that now and is sleeping in Poppy's bed,he had no stitches as they now just do a small keyhole and let it heal up its self causes less problems and easy to heal according to vet very different to last cat we had done he had to wear a cone for a couple of days to stop him getting at the stitches,I think another day of pampering and he will be back to normal.
Enjoy the day ladies doing all your final bits and bobs I am off to work to-day I am working until Friday then we close until the following Tuesday so looking forward to a rest.

Soop, what a belting Christmas card! Rory and Bracken are very photogenic.
DaphneB, Lovely photo, doesn`t time fly?
I started present wrapping tonight, managed 9 presents for 4 people, then my back started to really complain, so I packed it in till tomorrow night.
The other week I had a letter from Her Maj`s Revenue and Customs, telling me that David had paid too much tax, and enclosing a cheque. This week I`ve had a letter from the DWP, saying that they`d paid his pension into his account 2 days after he died, so they want it back. Coincidentally, the amount is the same as the cheque, so that`s now cancelled out. With all that was going on, it didn`t occur to me to check his bank account!

Crafting ?
Love the card soop , you're not just a pretty face! ?

charleygirl I rushed off to brush my teeth after the lemon drizzle indulgence. Honestly I did It was yummy though .

Lovely Christmas card soop, very regal.

Lovely photos from everyone.

That's a lovely card, soop. You are clever!

I agree, I love the card soop but neither Rory nor Bracken is over impressed! I am amazed that they sat long enough to be photographed.

Daphne I knew I had seen photos of that handsome hound before, my pea brain had forgotten his name. Poor fellow not being allowed to the reception- there would not have been any crumbs on the floor- he has many uses.

soop I LOVE THE CARD ,!

ooops sorry got over excited there

Basil the dog was guest of honour at the wedding ceremony., charleygirl. DD and SIL had persuaded the registrar that he was an assistance dog (mine) and had to be with me as I got easily stressed. (That part is believable)
From the twinkle in her eye it was clear she knew exactly what was going on but she was so nice she never breathed a word. The ceremony was at the Vestry Road Museum in Walthamstow. Poor dog was not allowed into the reception venue alas and had to go to his dog sitter!

Soop That is the best Christmas card I have ever seen.