Soop's special kitchen for like-minded folk and treasured pets

I have a confession to make. I have hardly ever made an apple pie. I can't remember the last time.
Am I allowed to stay?

I never noticed that we had moved out of the cafe, hopefully permanently- I did not like it there.
Congratulations callgirl for noticing.

soop you really have to rest but I fully understand why you wanted the blankets and bedding washed. One never knows, another feral cat may wander in your direction, especially if we have the harsh winter forecast.

Have Rory and Bracken got any relatives that you know of?

corner if you would like to send DH to me, I will sort out his neck and he may well be so pleased to be under your care that he will actually listen to what you say to him having run the entire journey home again.

It is so dark here now that the curtains are drawn and the light is on. Soon I think I will be switching on the heating as it is not very warm here.

Soop I have only ever killed two fish - each time it kept me awake at night and I didn't enjoy eating them. So now they have to go back. If I were stranded on a desert island or in the wilderness I wouldn't last five minutes!
Those photos are great - boys love that kind of thing (ours is no exception!).
We are awaiting the arrival of our first born who is supposed to be going o the football with his dad but, as usual, is running late. He informs me that he will not have time to eat, but I will put some of the quiche I made this afternoon in a box for him and defy him to be able to ignore it for long!?

Nellie, it isn't too late to learn to make an apple pie. I don't think I ever learnt, just absorbed the technique at my mother's knee. Fortunately pastry is one thing I am good at making!
Grey I seem to remember once killing a mackerel when I was staying with a friend on Arran. I was about 15 and haven't done it since though I have eaten the results of other people's fishing expeditions.

I was only thinking this afternoon how my pastry has gone down the tubes since I became unable to use my hands to rub the fat into the flour. I have a difficulty moving my left thumb. I make it in the food processor but it's very hit and miss. I either put too much water in it or not enough, and either way it's a pain to roll out. It is edible but the end result is never as "tidy" as it used to be. GS does love a good meat pie, though, and he doesn't care how untidy the pastry is!

charley, here lies the way to insanity - he'll be on your doorstep very soon the way things are going. You'd think after 49 years I'd be used to the refusal to listen when unwell. Somehow it restricts the hearing which only seems to function when food or drink is being offered. Oh well, it's another triumph of hope over experience. So far we've both survived.

I also hadn't noticed we had escaped from the cafe, observant lot, aren't we? .

Now, apple pie I can do. In fact I may be encouraged to produce one at the weekend. I foresee a kitchen full of them here. As you say anno never too late to learn.

Please accept all the pampering on offer soop, those bugs have been around far too long.

It seems Florence Nightingale is needed. Rest well everyone, take care.

I hadn't noticed we were free from the cafe! Hurrah, back to normal but without Rory. If we feel sad soop I can only guess how you and MacSporran feel. but he did have a good and happy life with you both which is something to be proud of

Soop, listen to everyone on here, and take every bit of pampering, cossetting and loving that is on offer, you and MacSporran, you both sooooo deserve it! I love the pics of Torben, but don`t know what an app is!
I`m ashamed to admit that I`ve only ever made ONE apple pie. I copied my mother`s method, which always turned out great, but mine was a miserable failure and I never bothered again. The only pies I make are the savoury kind.
A nice gentleman brought me some grapes today, the widower of my friend Mavis, who sadly died in January. I`m going round to his for a cuppa tomorrow morning.

I live very close to a very expensive part of London where Winston Churchill was educated and there is a lady advertising for a handyman to defrost a fridge/freezer! I thought that it may have broken down as well hence the need for a handyman but it would appear not. Anyway I have put my name forward, I have seen it all now.

Love the pictures of Torben enjoying the App, soop - I've no idea how that works either . Sorry you're both feeling under the weather, do take good care of yourselves. You certainly don't want to go into winter with any lingering lurgy and you've had an emotional few months with Bracken and Rory occupying so much heart space.
Sorry to hear that Mr C isn't on good form either, hope the physio terrorist sorts him out, hopefully before you have completely run out of sympathy corner. Why do these old boys find it so hard to take a paracetamol and our advice too!
Glad you had a good fishing experience greyduster but sorry you're not feeling so good, hope today's been a better day.... with or without that warm soothing bath
n&g I'm in denial that C********s is on the horizon, albeit a while away yet. Although I do have a few little bargains squirrelled away in my cupboard already. We are hoping to have the decorator in before then as the whole upstairs is all of a sudden looking very tatty. I've a funny feeling that the chap who has been to estimate will want to do it in November/December which would be my old boy's preference. But then he, who I have to say does have some "bah humbug" tendencies, won't be involved in any pre festive prep.....hey ho what will be, will be.
Wishing you all a peaceful and restorative nights sleep x

Children in 9 year old gd's school were asked to think of a fundraising ideas to raise money for a partner school in Bangladesh. Her idea was to ask friends and family locally to pay 20p every time they used water over a 24 hour period, she made little collecting boxes for the money.
Dd said she would email the list to me so I could do the challenge too. Gd, who does take things quite literally, didn't think this would work as granny didn't have a box, Dd managed to assure her that I could find one of my own to use! I now owe £6.20, to be handed over this weekend. It's been an expensive few days, another gd (12) has the chance to visit Albania in October with a church youth group and is hoping for a donation while 2 more have done a sponsored something or other this week! I don't mind one bit, I'm thankful for all that these lovely youngsters have and am glad they are being encouraged to think beyond their immediate environments.

charleygirl
Words fail.

gq what a good idea.

01.16? Hope you got SOME sleep maw!

charley if it's not broken, she probably just hates doing it - like me!
Gq what an excellent idea for a fund raising challenge, and I wish my GS had handwriting as nice as your GD's!

bellanona It was 1.00 then 2.30 and then blow me, Hattie decided we were making too much noise and she wanted out about 3.30.
zzzzzzzzz
Thank goodness the next thing I knew was when I woke up without call buttons, alarms (or dogs) at half past 7.
Heigh ho, I'll cope, bet I wasn't the only one on GN in the wee small hours

Try and have a nap today maw. ?

Greyduster I agree, it is not the best job but advertising for somebody to do it is beyond me- and a handyman to boot! I loathe cleaning the oven but I think that is rather different as there are firms which do nothing else.

Maybe I could start a new career although I doubt if there are too many idiots like this one around. Most would get their live in housekeepers or daily cleaners to do it. If I get the job I will let you know! How much should I charge?!

Morning all !!

I am feeling almost human this morning - sadly Grampy may not make it ;-) ( But that could be the leg of lamb not the cold !!) Corner send over your DH they can moan and ignore good advice together !!

I am an apple pie queen. My cakes are legendary failures but I have the knack with pastry. Of course pastry is a no on our current diet so I can only press my nose against the bakers window and dream !!

I for one am glad we are no longer in the café - we may be kind but we are not bland and that I think is the aim for the café !! ( well that's back to the 'norty step ' for me !!)

THAT Charley is the height of laziness I'm afraid- I get having your oven cleaned - but getting your fridge defrosted????? Some people have more money than sense it appears !

I love the fund raising idea Grannie and shall certainly be telling my daughter for the pre school. We, like you, seem to support the fundraising and PTA at all the little ones schools. I do like it when the children do it to help someone though.

Ouch maw !! That's all I can say to your sleepless nights.

I have to share this with you ( its a conversation with Stevie aged 8!)

Stevie: Nana I know a rude word beginning with F.
Nana: oh?
Stevie: Yes , I don't say it though.
Nana: That's good love .
Stevie: although I do think it at school sometimes !

I was left trying VERY hard not to laugh and thinking up a suitable reply. I settled on ' Not saying it is always best' !!

So innocent and so young. He obviously does not know the meaning of the word and I for one think that he is too young to know but I am old fashioned. That is so sweet though. Very difficult to keep a straight face.

corner if you send DH here there is no guarantee that he will be returned in one piece! I am not sure if I could cope with Grampy as well, moaning and not taking good advice. Maybe one at a time.

Morning all. Soop, I have just found out about Rory and I send you and MacS my thoughts and best wishes. If you are making a marker for his woodland place, I would put on it "In memory of Rory MacS, the soopercat with many friends, He graced us with his company for five years. May he sleep well now."

Bless him N&G if I may say so you seem to be blessed with very well adjusted and thoroughly NICE grandchildren - must be their parents and grandparents!
Of course ALL the DGCs who feature here fit that category. Some hilarious pics of the wee man Soop!!

Grannyqueenie That will certainly make us think.

Anno
My friend had to give me a tutorial on pastry making which helped. I find making a fruit crumble easier, but we very rarely eat dessert any way.

I too seem to have missed out on the news and passing of Rory. You made his last time with you very peaceful, with a full tummy too.
I can't seem to find the last page of your news, that lot at HQ farting around again, but thank goodness the first page of the'new' cafe has gone.

Will we ever get an edit button?
Sun is shining nicely, an Indian? summer, better than none at all.

Take care