soop's kindly kitcheners and pampered pets...

Just popping in with a tin of flapjack, as requested by The Soop a bit back.

I used to feed new baby DD2 in the playpen. It was the best way to let her have a feed in peace without DD1, who had had all her feeds in complete peace, climbing all over us. Ah, memories!

Christmas tree for the kitchen

Crafting I warn you, I will surreptitiously eat the chocolate decorations so you will find the tree bare in no time.

I am having the grand clear out and I have started in my bedroom. I had no idea that I had so many long sleeved T shirts, mainly white, I think that the charity shop will be very pleased. I did tell them that I wash clothes but I do not iron and they are happy with that as everything is steam cleaned, ironing out the creases. I intend to do the entire house including paperwork so that I will be able to find important "stuff". I have 3 weeks in which to carry out this mammoth task so back to the grindstone.

If I am in my own warm house I am not catching bugs in shops or am I spending money. I am only doing my house, I am afraid that you will have to do your own unless you live a perfect life with everything in place. I can spell the word "filing" but I have no idea what it means.

loopylou my friend said she always found a playpen very useful when there was a crawling baby in the house. She used to put the Christmas tree in the playpen

Yes, a tree please, I will languish in the corner and watch everyone decorate it, neither of us here have the strength or enthusiasm to do anything, tree is bare, no decorations up. (flu but lingering on and on .....). I promise not to pass on any virtual germs.

Crafting watch out for pine needles in your knickers (blame DaphneBroon's poem for that one)

I'm sure Soop would be happy for us to have a tree ? gaga especially if we hang these little chocolate decorations on it. I've got a few baubles we can use too. I will volunteer to be the fairy on the top . Now if you'll just steady the ladder, I will haul myself up to the top of the tree and perch on the topmost branch - ouch

I'll wait for the green light from soop - it was just a suggestion that it might cheer some of our sad or unwell GNs a little.

After this morning I have retired to lick my wounds so you'd better count me out, gaga.

Are we putting up a tree in soop's kitchen? I am happy to supply one if so and I hope some GNs will bring their spare baubles, lights etc.

We decorated our tree this morning - I've never known the process engender so much friction and grumpiness from both of us! Anyway it's up now. Not a lot of HoHoHo! going on from this chap......

A beautiful photo loopylou- you will be exhausted but happy, that pair will keep you on our toes! Christmas is so exciting at that age.

A wee tincture !! that brought back memories !

What a lovely picture loopylou!! I just hope your tree is on a table or something to raise it above crawling height?
Bought ours on Wednesday and always enjoy decorating it - carols in the background, maybe a wee tincture and that gets a Christmas started! Maybe this afternoon......

So sad Annsixty, big ((hug)) from me.
Off to the fourth funeral in three weeks today, all were elderly and expected but it's so sad that there are few mourners - at one there were just five of us ?

On a cheerier note DS, DDIL and the DGS's are arriving today for the weekend. It's going to be great fun - Luca's crawling, the Christmas tree is up.........you guess the rest!
I hope all the poorly kitcheners are feeling better very soon X

Thank you Crafting and all for kind good wishes.

annsixty, today I celebrated an early Christmas with my brother. We had a peaceful day with a lot of warmth, gentle touches and smiles. He kissed my SIL and hugged her. He patted me on the head (the only sign of affection he gives to me) and appeared to know for a moment who I was.

Last Christmas was full of stress and anxiety. My SIL was at the end of her tether and my brother was lost confused and very agitated. 12 months on and we had a wonderful calm happy day. My SIL more relaxed, my brother content and we shared together a family meal in his own home and drank a Christmas toast together.

My brother now lives in a care home and has long ago lost the ability to talk coherently or even to speak a single sentence that makes sense.

I write this in the hope that you will see that there are many stages to dementia/Alzheimer's. Some are really hard to deal with but can be phases that pass.
You are going through a hard time at the moment. I hope you manage to enjoy your Christmas and that the new year brings some better times to you and your DH.

Great photo of your son Soop.
I offer my condolences to anyone who has lost anyone at this time, bad at any time, but for some reason it seems worse at Christmas. I`ve never forgotten one of my Grandmas dying on December 20th, and us having the funeral on Christmas Eve, I was only 11, we didn`t have a Christmas that year.

Hope kittyl is back safely and can have a quiet day to recover (alternatively a coffee/lunch out) and to restore the festive spirit. ☕️?

Wishing all our Granspals a peaceful evening.
I shall return tomorrow.

Thank you, rosesarered I send my good wishes to you.

It's a bit early, but in case I don't pop my head into the kitchen here again for a while ,
I would like to wish you all a very Happy Christmas and a healthy New Year.
Not that I'm going anywhere, but I read posts here more than comment.

My youngest son has been learning to para-motor in the desert of Oman. I would like to share this recent image of him. It really sums up his spirit of adventure.

annsixty My heart goes out to you. Your husband is living in a different world from yours. I can barely imagine how difficult and sad and depressing his condition must make you feel. Will family be with you over the holiday? I would hate to think that you will be alone. Have you consulted your GP recently? I do feel concerned for your emotional well-being.

DaphneB Us lot will be sending positive vibes to your husband. Please keep us updated.

PRINTMISS Like you, we are facing this festive season minus three dear friends.
Well done, you. Sainsbury is a mighty big store. You are doing the right thing. Just don't go over-tiring yourself. A little exercise and often is a good way forward.

annsixty you have to live each moment as it comes don't you? My friend's DH is also declining (mind you, he is 84) and doesn't always recognise his own children when they visit which my friend finds one of the hardest things.
One reason I am so keen to have DD's PIL here for Christmas is that we BOTH /all get to enjoy Flynn's first Christmas. She (MIL) is a year younger than me an as yet in the early stages of Alzheimer's, having been diagnosed 2years ago, but there has been a marked deterioration over the last year and I want everybody to have happy Christmas memories as who knows how things will pan out.
Keep your pecker up as much as circumstances permit and remember us lot have capacious bosoms shoulders when needed

My heart goes out to all who are experiencing loss of any kind. Somehow the time of year magnifies emotions. Be kind to yourselves.

It certainly is the season for funerals. Reading Good Morning and now this. We also have a death in the family, H's last remaining SiL. She was 87 and had Alzheimer's. My H has no idea who she was and keeps asking who has died. He himself is "losing it" fast just now,it comes in patches of stability and then decline. I am very very low and realizing this may be the last Christmas as we know it.I did the tree yesterday but he is not interested at all. It is so sad.We will not attend the funeral.