Soop's warm and welcoming kitchen...

Mawbroon Following your short panic about Hatties disappearance I think she is obviously a very sensible dog we all like a comfortable bed why can't Hattie have one.
Its not fair.
How long will it be before she is on your bedroom floor?
Mind you a dog Hatties size would be an uncomfortable bedfellow.

Welcome to the new kitcheners, hope you’re enjoying the warmth of the kitchen, anyone bearing cake is more than welcome here!

A bitterly cold day here today but thankfully minus the snow we were promised. I’ve foolishly and somewhat ridiculously organised myself to do too many bits and pieces tomorrow. A couple of things have been in the diary for ages but why I then felt the need to agree to pop into a friend’s for a quick lunch and later on meet another friend for coffee is beyond me. Will I never learn?

n&g I can see where your little lads get the twinkle in their eyes, grampy looks full of mischief in that photo.

That paving looked interesting gd, I’ve no idea why it did that though. Your description of the monks @ Fountains Abbey made me smile - it reminds me of that film about the penguins keeping warm by taking turns for the best position within the huddle. I note you mention a bottle of Oxford Landing not a glass, if you’re going to do it then do it thoroughly is my usual rule of thumb regarding a good bottle of wine! Please assure mr gd that it’s quite normal to hoard keep those boxes, if you could return the favour by pointing it out to my old boy I would be very grateful he thinks I’m mad

grannyeggy we lived in London for the best part of 40 years before moving north to a small town 9 years ago. Although a huge adjustment at the time it’s been a good move for us. I hope yours is equally satisfying and you enjoy exploring a new area as much as we have.

Right then, my bed is calling. I’m hoping the house alarm will not go off in the wee small hours tonight - as it has twice over the last few days. Sleep well everyone! x.

Evening All. Been out for a very nice lunch that somehow took all afternoon , bus travel is a wonderful thing.

Hello to oopsadaisy, suki and granyeggy, sorry I haven’t come with cake today, not a crumb in the house here.

I know nothing about the properties of paving slabs greyd but I do love that pattern. A bit envious as ours definitely don’t do that.

Love that slogan n&g, such a happy image. grampy obviously approves .

Hope the medical visit had a positive outcome soop, seems odd the letter turned up now. Pleasednthe snow missed you. None here but oh so windy.

Goodness maw, I can imagine your panic levels, others are exactly right, Hattie wouldn’t leave home , she’s too comfy and attached to you.

Salisbury is lovely grannyeggy, as is Wiltshire, it’s an adventure but a good one.

Right, I’m unreasonably tired, bugs still about, an easy night calls. Stay warm and well everyone.

Better than anything I can come up with, thanks Elegran.
Nellie, when you talk about taking turns to sit near the fire, I was reading the guide book today for Fountains Abbey (it was among the sortings out) and remember there being one huge fireplace in the whole place which the monks were allowed to access once a day, and that they all took turns to move from the front to the back so that everyone got a chance to get warm (no concessions made to the youngest either!). It must have been nitherin’ up there in the winter!

greyduster I don't know enough about laying slabs to know whether they are in contact with earth in between the cement dods, but could the earth's heat transfer and melt the snow/frost better through the cement than through the (presumably) air where there is no cement?

It is so good to be in the warm. I would love to get some garden work done pruning etc but 4degC is too darn cold to venture outside for very long .
I have just about thawed out from our knitting group pub lunch.
There is only a large coal and wood fire in the room we use but it is still very draughty and we have to take turns to sit near the fire. They did not have very good heating in the 1600s. You could just about say that the place has "character. "

I only came in to say hello, but did I see that someone mentioned cake? And is that an empty chair?

Baggs I have a,set of micro spikes but have only had occasion to wear them once. They are on stand by the winter, as usual.
Elegran that’s an interesting theory. I don’t know whether they are set on cement, or laid on sand, but I’m genuinely interested to know why if there is cement under it, it would impact in such a way?
We have had a busy day with much toing and froing into and out of the loft, so that by the time we had finished, we were both b******d, and in need of comfort food, so I made a steak and kidney pudding with some very rich gravy, and we ate it with a bottle of Oxford Landing. What can I say? Neither of us will be standing on the scales any time soon! My only regret is that I haven’t got room for a piece of your apple pie, callgirl. I’m sure it would have been delicious!

I hope all went well at the surgery Soop, good job there`s no snow or it could have been tricky.
No cake, but how about a bit of apple pie? No custard though, just ice cream.
Bright and sunny again today, after a heavy frost overnight, but there`s a bitter wind blowing.
Welcome to Suki and Oopsadaisy
MawB, I`m glad you found Hattie OK, but she`ll not go far from you, she`ll stay where she`s happy.

Baggs Best not to FOOSH. It's clear hereabouts. Thanks Gulf Stream and all that!
Off to see the doc and hear what a certain letter from the colo-rectal man has to say. I did say that I didn't wish to continue with the all the faffin' some months ago.

I wore my microspikes on my boots going to work this morning. I don't want to fall and suffer another FOOSH. My bus friend was very interested so I told her what the microspikes are called except I got the name a bit wrong.

N&G I love Grampy's smile. He's a lovely man.

Fennel Yes! Little bottles of milk (frozen in winter) left atop of the radiator to thaw in time for the mid-morning break.
At lunchtime, I volunteered to eat the greens that the other pupils disliked.
I have fond memories of school in the 1940s. Didn't much care for a thwack across the hand with the ruler (for chatting too much) but it didn't do me any harm.

By now I should be well accustomed to wandering into our kitchen and discovering a plethora of messages. Please note the long words. Not often that I know how to spell them.

A very warm welcome to Suki70 and Oopsadaisy52...please make yourselves at home and continue to visit us lot. The more, the merrier.

Elegran (hugs)

Greyduster How weird! Not you, but the strange and wondrous slush patterns on the patio.
You wish to store whatsoever you wish to store. End of. No explanation needed.

Maw Panic ye not. Hattie would never consider the idea of moving far from you and the happy new life you share.

GrannyeggyIt's good to embark on an adventure. We relocated from Cornwall to the west coast of Scotland almost fourteen years ago. It was a very good decision. We are very happy and wouldn't wish to be anywhere else.

anno No snow here. Plenty in Campbeltown.

And ignore that t.

That may, not thatme.

Gretyduster The slabs probably have five dods of cement under them, one at each corner and one in the middle - thatme be the reason. I don't think you'll be taking one up to check though.

Hello the (new) kitchen. I am another who stumbled in here not realising that the old kitchen had closed. Is the kettle on? I haven’t an earthly of catching up..... but welcome to those who have not been in the kitchen before!
Maw I’m sure you knew that Hattie wouldn’t be far away - she knows which side her bread is buttered!
N&G the main man looks splendid in that tee shirt - you’ll be taking orders next!
Anno we had a layer of snow this morning but not the apocalyptic amounts that were forecast. It was all gone by lunch time, but DH and I were intrigued to see the way that the icy slush had settled into a most peculiar pattern on our patio. See photo. Never seen that before! Anybody got any ideas? Is this the slush version of crop circles? Slush circles! Anyway it was a momentary diversion from today’s task in hand which is thinning out the detritus of life currently cluttering up the spare room in readiness for decorating. It is not going well, alas, because - in his words - I cling like a limpet to even the most useless possessions. How many empty Molton Brown boxes do I really need, he asks? What a silly question! Only a man would ask that!
I will look in later ?.

Puppy now sprawled on the sofa, tried to keep her off, but a king size fitted sheet is doing a good job of (hopefully) keeping sofa clean.....

Hi everyone, just puppy sitting today for my DD, had a long walk earlier, sunny but a very cold wind, slipped and fell in the mud, came down with a bit of a woomp, and landed next to, but not in, a cow pat, but I managed to grab hold of the lead before she legged it and was lost for good! Thankfully I cooked a lamb hot pot yesterday ready for tonight so I can wipe the mud off myself and have a coffee, safe in the knowledge that I have nothing pressing to do. Well except scroll through GN of course !

Panic this morning.
Couldn’t find Hattie.
Had I forgotten to let her in again when I sleepwalked down to let her out at 3?
Or had she somehow legged it out of the garden?
Checked everywhere downstairs and then ....... of course, guess who was (silently) curled up on one of the spare beds? ?
So much for the gate on the stairs.?

Thanks Suki70 we're looking forward to a change. I do a lot of lurking and peering until I jump in, on Gransnet anyway

Sorry Soop I'm so envious of Granny Eggy1 that I butted in without introducing myself. I've been peering through the kitchen window for quite a while now and as it seems so cosy and friendly it's time I came in if I may. Btw lemon drizzle and pavlova are my specialities and we have two cats.

GrannyEggy1 We've visited Salisbury a few times and love it. Great place to live - I'm envious! Hope your house sale and move there goes smoothly.

When I went to bed last night I looked out of the window and saw a layer of snow on the neighbours' roof and my car, so expected to wake up to a white world. Not a bit of it. We have the usual grey day. I haven't been through the door yet but it's bound to be perishing cold. Wearing a hat destroys my hairstyle but needs must.

Morning all. Sunny cold and windy here in London. I am sitting in a cafe as there are 4 lots of people looking round our house this morning. We are selling our house and moving to Salisbury, nearer some of DH's family. Big adventure- I have been in London since I was 17.