Soop's warmly welcoming kitchen

“That dog” is used as an insult here, along with “that cat”. Said cat is snuggled up to me for warmth and balance while he has a wash at the moment!

Morning all !!

Never let it be said old women gossip !!

I have just listened to Grampy and our young decorator Levi have a 45 minute conversation about niff naff and trivia !! The poor lad is supposed to be working but he is being assisted hindered by Grampy! I suppose he misses male conversation ( but boy men talk a lot of tosh!!) .

I'm sorry to hear you're low Maw maybe think of it as not cutting the cord but writing pages in the book of your memories of Paw?

Loved the picture of Hattie relaxing.... Sam does exactly the same ! Its a dogs life !!

I am off to take Grampy to the garden centre in the hope young Levi can get some work done. Have added a picture of the progress so far LOL

Lookin’ good!

N&G that looks fabulous- when may Tara and I move in?

It is a whole 2 degrees C here today so I allowed Tara to go out. I feel sorry for the fellows raising and tiling a pathway 2 doors down as it is so cold.

Charley you are always welcome - Tara could boss Sam around and we could sit and enjoy the view and quiet !

lemongrove Marydoll and [ahem] Crafting I have one word that sums you up. TYKES! So there. I've been into Tesco this morning. I glanced at the magazine rack and needed helping up from the floor. Headlines in Grotty Gossip for Grownups read...Polis called to fracas at a Caff of ill repute. Three detained for further questioning (when effects of banned substances have worn off!) There's nothing more to say. I need to lie down in a quiet room. Preferably with Marydoll's Italian waiter.

kitty Your post made me chuckle out loud.

Maw Hattie really does love to pose for the camera. Talk about laid-back, she appears to be comatose.

A very smart, light-filled Orangery, N&G. Will you place a personal notice on the door (when you move in and go berserk with creativity?)
And YES! Men can blether at a rate of knots. MacSporran is well known for it.

I'm itching to get back to the easel. My creative juices are flowing. I guess it's something to do with Spring having sprung! Back later.

Those cartoons are ace Maw, and I love the photo of Hatty. Our Heidi used to lie like that as well, it`s a greyhound thing. Hope you`re feeling a little more settled now.
Soop, lovely baby photos, when do you go to see and hold them? Only 3 weeks and 4 days to The George!
It`s been a lovely day here today. Yesterday was very sunny, but with a very strong, bitterly cold wind. Today was sunny again, but much milder and more spring-like, with just a slight breeze.
Charley, enjoy your time in the luxury retirement flat, or is it an apartment?

charley I am going to stay at a retirement flat next week. I hope we both get on ok. Be interesting to see what we think

I will be on my very best behaviour soop not a sip of poteen will pass my lips. Wouldn't want to let the kitcheners down. I shall be in full twinset and pearls mode for my stay

Soop ?
Sorry to tell you, MY ?? waiter is exhausted.??????

Crafting. Twin set and pearls does not guarantee best behaviour. Trust me and I am not saying another word

I took advantage of two whole sunny dry days and did as much gardening as I possibly could so will try to keep up in the kitchen now.

N&G. Love your new orangery, any room that allows plenty of light and sunshine in is good for the soul. I have a DH who sounds very similar to yours, always affected with verbal diarrhoea whenever anyone is working in the house, drives me crazy

Hope things went well back at the easel soop. Definitely feels as if spring is here. My favourite time of year plus, the clocks spring forward this weekend

Crafting I also will be on my best behaviour- I have to be there at 10.30am today- not a problem because it is only a couple of miles away.

I hope you enjoy the experience Charleygirl my friend has been living in one for a year now.
I found it very tiny the first couple of times I visited but I can see some advantages.
Will you be able to benefit from the social activities ? It all depends what is arranged for the day you are there I suppose.
24 hours is certainly not long enough to get even a tiny percentage of the reality of living there full time.
Enjoy your break though.

Be interested to see how you get on charley.

Yes Agus I suppose you are right. After all we all know what Galen is like too . My visit isn't until next week so I have some time to recover from my trip to the Argy.

Afternoon all.

It's a gorgeous, windows open blue sky day here - Take that you Beast from the East!!

Agus that was just what I hoped for - food for the soul. How strange is it that I couldn't give a stuff about my souls in my 20's and now its all I need :-)

I had a huge surprise today - I am to be a great aunt!! My brothers daughter is expecting . I think it was as much a surprise for her as me. She's a kind girl, brought up by a single Dad and although he did a sterling job , she has neither tact nor diplomacy . But a kind heart can go a long way in my books!!

Anyway , she is due in October and is excited so I can only with her much joy and happiness ( is it wrong to have my fingers crossed as I say that???)

No other news here - its too nice a day to be online :-)

Im retreating from todays responses to other threads

The cauld W wind just about blew my insides out. HERE

Im thinking about the words of Oats, just going. out for a bit.

I may be some time.

Keep well all, and may the F& Chip shops on the West have a fantastic season with all the tourists on our overexposed route over the N coast, nae midges allowed.

Spring soon, then SUMMER

Marydoll Am I surprised? Nope! You are one wild and wonderful woman.

Agus I have the pearls. I haven't a twin set.

N&G You will live up to the great aunt and uncle title. Any newcomer to your family is in for a proper treat.

I've been ironing all morning. I'm bushed. Time foe a leisurely hour at the easel. Loverly jubberly!

jollyg Join me in a leisurely cup of coffee and calorie-rich flapjack.

Signs of Spring! Just back from a walk; loads of pussy willow, hazel catkins, blackthorn flowering, even some primroses, and best of all a huge patch of frogspawn on our local pond. Hope it gets through the next cold spell. Hope I get through the next cold spell! And then, just before home, we spotted a real treat - the lesser nutmegged custard tartus Morrisonii! Had to bag one and, dear reader, I ate it! ?. That’s my 12,779 steps down the pan?.

Ooooh! I'd have eaten one too gd.

I will make you feel slightly better n&g by informing you that I am a great, great aunt!! You can't tell by looking at me I hope but the rocking chair and shawl at home are bit clues!!

My aunt lives in a McCartney and Stone complex and is very happy. It is small but plenty for her.

I spent the morning at a focus group looking at memory boxes for people living with dementia. Well, I say 'focus group'- focusing was the last blessed thing on their minds. They were just glad to have escaped work. As the only volunteer there, I was itching to get on with it and go home for lunch.

And now, to top it all, I've hade a 30 minute talk on the intricacies of Minecraft from DGD1. I suppose it makes a change from her last obsession which was Harry Potter. Anyone got any ?

Greyduster Clever clogs! I'm trying to persuade myself to mount my exercise bike. Oh...okay...here goes...

I had a day last week where I did 17,131 steps (it took me three days to get over it and I consequently clocked up nothing!) and apparently climbed 55 flights of stairs - I get flights of stairs; the Fitbit gets flights of fancy. If I had climbed 55 flights of stairs they would have been calling the undertaker!! I am trying to find a kindly way to give the wretched device back to DD without hurting her feelings.
kitty it seems that I am to be initiated into Minecraft when GS come here for Easter. I was sitting with him the other day while he as building all his amazing stuff and kept asking him “What’s that?” “How did you do that?” “What does that do?” and he said “Next time I come to your house I’ll teach you how to do it!!” Can’t tell you how much I am looking forward to it! . Perhaps a trade off would work - “you can teach me Minecraft if I can teach you to knit”!

kittylester Your morning was well spent.

Greyduster One of our grandchildren offered me her Fitbit. I thanked her kindly but declined her offer. I do what I feel like doing. No musts about it. Having said that, I have completed 25 mins on the exercise bike. Do I feel better? Nah! I'm woolly legged and weary.

Until I return tomorrow, my best wishes to each and every one of you lovely lot.

Bye for now.