Soop's welcoming kitchen...

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Morning all from a wet and windy Norfolk !!

I'm not sure grey which one it is but I fell in love with its luscious eyelashes -- I have eyelash envy!!

Loved your picture soop but not envious of your car bill. Its all we seem to do here of late- pay out !

Corner what happened to the day when tradesmen said they'd call back and they did? We tried 6 heating engineers when our boiler stopped working and only one called back !

You're very welcome to borrow Sam but I suspect his snoring would drive you mad !! He can snore for the Olympics !! I have added a picture for you-- its a lot quieter !!

Sounds like a great hoover Charley just the job for pet hair.

Sending you some positive thoughts ann sounds like a tough conversation. Just remember those who matter wont mind and those who mind don't matter !!

I'm off for the first part of my diabetic review today then off to ikea to return and pick up more stuff. We are keeping ikea in profit single handedly at the moment !!

Just added a little picture of Jackson at his nativity. Just like last year he managed to cry through the majority of it. We're not really sure why because he goes into school happily and willingly and is generally quite a confident little chap but whether it was the song or the whole event it certainly makes him emotional. Any ideas to help stop it welcomed

I will be thinking about you Ann , I hope things go which ever way is most helpful to you

Good morning all, it is very cold here as I expect it is with all of you.
I am out for lunch today for a very delicate and difficult meeting with someone who may not be in my life afterwards , wish me well.

I love dogs but my circumstances are such that I could not look after one properly so hence a cat, not that madam is ever here.

Tara likes the odd lick of curry but preferably if she has stolen it ie licking from my empty plate.

Mince pies, yum greyd.

Tara would do just fine charleygirl although I confess myself a dog person. unless it’s Tara or another kitchen cat of course.

Charley my cat loved scrambled egg, and would sell her soul for cheese (the only way we could get pills down her). And fruit cake!
corner I send you a big virtual hug and hope you have a peaceful night. I increasingly have days when, like you, my glass is more than half empty. How about some more of my mince pies? It doesn’t get much worse than that!

Maw Tara runs out of the house when I get up each morning between 7-8am and I do not see her for another 12-14 hours so she is never here when my cleaner is working. The pair of them have never met.

If this hoover is so strong Charleygirl I hope Tara doesnt get too close to the business end!
Hattie and I are watching what must be her second favourite TV programme (After Paul O’Grady’s For the Love of Dogs) - Masterchef! This dog does love her food and after three picky eaters it is a challenge. Food, sleeping, sleeping, food.

Greyduster I love food shopping, either in the store or on line. I can find bargains also. I bought a vacuum cleaner for £30 and it is a dinky but powerful little thing for upstairs. The reviews said that it could lift a carpet the suction is so strong but I have hard flooring upstairs and it is for Tara's hairs.

I had scrambled egg with cheese this evening for supper- there was some left over and Tara polished it off- she loved it.

corner not being able to get hold of a plumber is so frustrating.

Tara loves to be stroked- would she do?

We’re still waiting for a plumber to call back ‘tomorrow’ after 10days callgirl. It’s not urgent and there are just too many other hassles at the moment to do anything other than put it on a shelf for now. Frustrating though, isn’t it? Hope you have better luck with the next one.

Just come in for a quiet sit by the fire. If there’s a virtual dog or two around to stroke that will help put the world to rights again. Just sa. grumpy whatsit this evening. Nothing much is suiting me.

You would be very welcome, Nannylovesshopping. My least favourite occupation (unless I was offered a lock in at JohnNorris (large country pursuits centre) with an unlimited budget - I would make an exception then). Your user name is secure!

greyduster. Would love to do your shopping for you if we were neighbours!!

15 minutes after I clicked to post, it still hadn`t come up, so I gave up in disgust and went to do something on another site. Just come back to find it`s posted TWICE, 10 minutes before I walked away!

15 minutes after I clicked to post, it still hadn`t come up, so I gave up in disgust and went to do something on another site. Just come back to find it`s posted TWICE, 10 minutes before I walked away!

Lovely photo Soop. That bill certainly was an eye waterer!
Nice neighbours you`ve got N&G, hasn`t it got a lovely face? Glad you`re getting your orangery.
I rang a man yesterday about a job I want doing, he took all my details, said he`d ring back later...........I`m still waiting. If he hasn`t rung by 5pm I`m going to pick another out of the paper to call

Lovely photo Soop. That bill certainly was an eye waterer!
Nice neighbours you`ve got N&G, hasn`t it got a lovely face? Glad you`re getting your orangery.
I rang a man yesterday about a job I want doing, he took all my details, said he`d ring back later...........I`m still waiting. If he hasn`t rung by 5pm I`m going to pick another out of the paper to call

A bright and chilly good afternoon dear Soopers. I like that name. Thank you Baggs.

I like Alpacas. We have a few grazing in a field not too far away. A friend of ours owns them and uses the fleece for knitting. She also arranges Alpaca walks for children on occasions in the summer. I shall look out a photo.

We had the car repair bill today. Suffice to say that it was a buggeration of a shock. Well over £300! Made my eyes water.

corner and Greyduster We've also endured the saga of a freezer lid/door being left ajar. 'Twas all my fault. Happened a few years back. Loss of contents made me feel awfully crabby. MacSporran always maintains that when I'm miffed, I am painfully silent. He doesn't like it when I'm quiet. He says it's unnatural

N&G I didn't doubt for a moment that you wouldn't get your well deserved orangery/craft room.

Today's care home visit was less fraught than of late. One lady (who is stone deaf) has broken her hearing aid and naturally, she was discombobulated as she could neither hear nor converse with anyone. M was less agitated and hadn't "fallen out" with anyone since yesterday.

corner I sympathise with you; our freezer is in the garage, and last week, DH brought me a Magnum. “Oh, how kind”, I thought. The next morning i discovered the door open, the compressor going like the clappers and had to heave most of the contents into the bin. He was contrite but I was livid. At least there is more space in there for seasonal food! Not the way I would recommend making space, though.
Must be my day for phone conversations - just spent forty five minutes on the phone with my best friend, who is not very well so wanted a good chat and a down the phone hug. As usual, we managed to make each other laugh which is always good!
Cold here too, Charley. Tara must be made of stern stuff!
I did not linger to survey the garden having put some washing out!

Good news about your orangery n&g. The work is outside so little mess to worry about.

I’m guessing it’s an alpaca, which doubtlessly means it’s a llama. whatever the breed it has a friendly face and I can’t imagine manners bad enough to allow spitting.

Always good to have a reason to eat a mince pie, greyd. I don’t make them now but with this weeks food shop Mr C will begin the onerous testing of supermarket offerings. Well, he will if I’ve calmed down. Guess who didn’t close the freezer door properly yesterday lunchtime? Two thirds of the contents are OK, it’s a bit quiet here at the moment.

I can understand how difficult it is to be separated from family at Christmas, especially children, good that you were able to pick up the call so,your brother in law could chat.

Right, hair cut survived this morning, early lunch then the optician. All I need is the dentist and I have the set of my least favourite things. .

N&G a good job I had finished my coffee when I saw that gorgeous little face, he/she looks so friendly.

That is great that the orangery will eventually be built- hopefully you are leaving that until spring.

The sun is shining here but it is so cold. Tara has been out for hours.

Wow! Is that a llama or alpaca? I can never tell them difference. If it’s a llama I wouldn’t stand that close, N&G; they are supposed to be able to spit quite a long way!! There seems to be quite a few people breeding alpaca these days - there’s money in it, apparently. Is your garden big enough for a cottage industry with livestock?
Well, we were supposed to be going (or in my case, dragged kicking and screaming) Christmas shopping this afternoon, but the dentist just phoned to put back DH’s visit to the hygienist by an hour, so there may not be time and I will be off the hook! We’ll see. It is only delaying the inevitable, I suppose, and may not be so bad, as everyone seems to know what they want this year. In addition I will make up a family hamper for each of my adult children. There is a poster on here whose name seems to indicate that she is a nanny who loves shopping. I should change mine to indicate the opposite! Weird or what?
The phone rang this morning and as I didn’t recognise the number I let it go to answerphone and walked away, almost missing a call from DH’s brother in Australia! He was telling me how much he is missing his three grandchildren. I was very sad for him and my sister in law who I know aches to be with them, but it is going to be another five years at least before they can retire and come home, and Christmas is just the worst time to be away from them.
I will look in later.

Nearly forgot...look who we found in a field here yesterday!

Morning all !

Thank you all for your good wishes ! There was cake corner a damn fine Victoria Sandwich even though I say so myself .Glad to hear that self cleaning glass actually works !

Sorry your lattice maker is about to be rehomed Grey ! I always used to make my own mince pies but last year after extensive testing we decided M& S were better than my own ( and to be fair Aldi's weren't bad ! This year so far we have tested Morrison's finest mini mince pies - I think they would be right up your street as they are tiny!

I used to freeze mine uncooked Mum and cooked from frozen. They were fine. I make a good pastry ( mostly because I'm always in a rush I think ) so there will be home made sausage rolls in the kitchen this year !

Glad you had a nice time with soop Baggs , lucky catch on the handbag though. Just goes to show there are honest people about.

Must be catching Callgirl , Ikea sent us a text yesterday asking us to rate their delivery BEFORE it arrived !! Mind reading at its finest !

You're pretty safe here Nellie no need for a flak jacket ( although I looked pretty fetching in one in days gone by . We don't mind shop bought or home made - we're pastry equality certified !!

Signing away our lives today for our new orangery , apparently property is 42nd years anniversary gift and as this will be built in 2018 Grampy said that's my lot !!

we'll see

I am pleased to report that the pastry was lovely. Light and very short. They were just not ‘tidy’ enough to deserve a place on my Christmas table . The reason some mince pies are tough and heavy is that people overwork the pastry and keep re-rolling the trimmings, which is the kiss of death. No need for a tin hat, Nellie! I like some shop bought mince pies too, but generally they are too much of a mouthful for me.

Thanks all for mince pie advice