soop's kindly kitcheners and pampered pets...

Just so tired last night after Birmingham, had a quick peek in but nodded off before I could post! TG I decided to do it by train and taxis, but even that was a scramble - the traffic getting into town to catch my train home, and how crowded the trains were (was everybody going on holiday I wondered, so many suitcases!)
Anyway it was LOVELY. And of course I blubbed my way through Away in a Manger (sniffed through Little Donkey, Busy Bethlehem and indeed most of it!!)
Will was an outstanding Joseph, very calm and asking "is there any room" very clearly - he takes being a big brother seriously. Toby on the other hand was hilarious. His face said "this is a stoopid star costume and I feel like a big girls blouse, but I've got to do,it. If I pull my star headdress right down over my eyes perhaps nobody will recognise me in my silly floaty white top and white tights"!! Of course Pippa (2) kept shouting out "there's Toby" at regular intervals. But at least he didn't stand in the middle of the floor like another little boy "star" with his entire forefinger up his nose. Don't you just LOVE tinies!!!
Afterwards they ran across to me and gave me HUGE hugs. (Toby much relieved in this pic - got that bl**dy star headdress off! )
It's beginning to feel a lot bit like Christmas!

anno and Charley my DF and my MIL were both from Motherwell. Huge co-incidence as both families were living in Portsmouth when my ex and I met

baubles that made me laugh.

I've been back a week from my break visiting DDs and it's taken me that long to catch up with everything that has been going on in the kitchen. (Otters, mincepies and always looking on the bright side of life. )
The day after I arrived in U.K. I visited the chiropractor who really sorted me out. I was feeling so good I think I might have overdone it a bit.

I met a lovely GN member for a coffee one day and spent the rest of the day shopping. It was a little bit more than I usually carry but I didn't think anything of it until I got up from the chair later in the evening. Absolute agony in my shoulder. The weird thing was the pain was either very bad or not there at all. I'm still having problems with it, probably not helped by moving this week to a flat we are renting for a month or two whilst the worst of the building work goes on.

Take care everyone, soop I hope the new antibiotics work well and you feel much better soon.

If a person's job was in jeopardy or s/he'd annoyed the boss they may have been told sternly- 'Your jaikit's oan a shoogly nail!'

Come to think of it, Charley, my dad was born and brought up in Fife.

anno it is the same expression in Fife when I lived there about 100 years ago. To shoogle something was to shake it.

soop you are more than welcome to have every mince pie and dessert that would normally wing its way to me in the kitchen. I dread to think what weight I would be if mince pies were on the menu.

I am doing absolutely everything except write Christmas cards. I must knuckle down, having sent 14 with notes inside already.

swanny, in our household, "shoogly" meant shaky. If a table had on leg shorter than the others, it would "shoogle". Maybe we were in a different part of Scotland - Ayrshire in my case.

I think Gnet had a funny turn then soop ? glad you're feeling brighter xxx

Yep! I'm beginning to feel a whole lot brighter. I shall join you tomorrow. I've a few wee jobs to busy myself with before I can settle down for the evening.

Well that is a buggeration. I've lost at least 25 mins worth of messages to you lot. Why?

Elegran You are a lovely lady.

Charleyg I bags the desserts that you won't be scoffin' eating.

corner Haste ye to a nunnery comfortable armchair. Plenty of liquids. Bags of rest. Lots of get well vibes.

Tesco shopping was an irritation. Well, it was the never ending rendition of 'Don't they know it's Christmas...' that assaulted my senses. While I'm on a moan...does anyone enjoy watching the fragrance ads on tv? Both male and female participants appear to be on Class A drugs. End of mini-rant.

Gaga Magic! Sheer magic! I can smell those mince pies from here. You are lovely.

Jalima The lady for whom I painted the pleasing portrait of her granddaughter, is over the moon. She has framed it. I'm endeavouring to paint a second portrait of the same wee lassie. She is such a pretty child... it's her expressive eyes that I haven't yet mastered. I shall sketch my next attempt tomorrow. I shall persevere.

kitty It isn't unusual for a few family feathers to be ruffled in times of stress. Go with the flow. Stay calm. Eat a mince pie and try to remain impartial.

I also love otters. At this point I think to myself...why am I mentioning otters? Spirited wee creatures...very much like our Granspals.

Thank you elegran - I think! .

Feel for Jackson, n&g, he did better than our youngest at that age who put on his costume, sat down facing the wall and refused to budge. Oops! Hope Jackson has reclaimed his dignity now.

I'm busy doing nothing today, sore throat is now the full on red nosed cold, not a pretty sight. Just hope I didn't leave germs with our friend yesterday, in mitigation she said she wasn't bothered. Things are much better there now so stepping away a bit.

soop, hope those new anti biotics are doing the trick. Please take care of you.

Oh poor little chap.

N&G poor little Jackson- could he not have been removed from the stage as he was in such a state? Not a t all enjoyable for him being 5, tired and not really understanding why he felt as he did.

I will not be attending the dessert party- thankfully I do not like desserts, I much prefer savoury dishes although I have a sweet tooth it is for bars of chocolate or Maltesers, yum.

soop I hope that you are feeling better and have hidden that iron in a cupboard.

DesSert!

Christmas desert for Daphne and corner.

kitty, you are cherished ?. What would we do without you to cheer us up ?

daphne ? Ooh you are awful....but I like you

anno, I too was wondering about soop and her pigs ears. soop pigs ? ? only have 2 ears and If yours have 3 that might be why your painting isn't turning out as well as you'd hoped!

anno now I'm confused. Had Scottish father and Scottish mother-in-law and I thought a shoogly was a rocking/bouncing cuddle you'd give a baby or toddler

Oh, poor wee Jackson. You must have felt sad, having to watch the play to the end when I'm sure all you wanted was to grab him and give him a big cuddle.
soop, what are you doing with all those pigs' ears? They sometimes make a delicacy of them on Masterchef!
Are you still feeling a bit shoogly? Don't push yourself!

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Morning all !

Hope you're feeling a tad better soop ! You sound very poorly and you need to be well for Christmas !!

I feel you pain Daphne I used to hate socialising with work colleagues . They were people I only had work in common with and I always found them excruciating.

How about we have a Kitchener's Christmas do ?? We have some fabulous bakers here so I suggest its a desserts only dinner .

ooooh I love otters

I went to see Jacksons nativity yesterday in which he was a shepherd. It was called the Bossy King and was delightful. EXCEPT Jackson cried through the entire thing . Proper tears and runny nose crying. My hope for some charming pictures of him in costume were dashed and I have attached what I got.

Afterwards his Mummy and I went to see him and he simply wanted to come home. Its so hard because that's not an option but he is plainly tired, despite some early nights etc. Its tough when you're 5.

Today I am off to see our 10 year old Granddaughter in her School Concert. I'm hoping not repeat Jackson's performance

Would it be wicked to suggest taking a mine pie to the care home ???
I just thought it was a comment on my baking!

It's cruel to mock the stressed! And, I'll have you know that I also saw mum yesterday. I am to be pitied and cherished!

Talking of Donkeys

"The Siphonaptera"

"Big fleas have little fleas,
Upon their backs to bite 'em,
And little fleas have lesser fleas,
and so, ad infinitum."