Soop's warmly welcoming kitchen

Evening All. Back from our venture across the bridge - we will be delighted when the charge is removed at the end of the year, quite sure we’ve bought it by now . Our friend looks quite poorly, it’s frustrating that we can’t help with what is really worrying her.

Good to see you maw, one of those weeks on all levels. You’re another I wish I could help ann, it sounds as if what you really need is a duplicate of you so you can have one on and one off duty.

Evidence today your orangery really was worth it n&g, delighted for you. Hope your workmen saw the light charley.

Just decided to have yet another day out tomorrow. One for us this time. Madness really but hey, sometimes you just have to do it.

Take good care of yourselves everyone.

Maw Us lot are here for you. And that goes for annsixty too. and love.

N&G My apologies to Grampy - I misspelt his name. Into the norty corner for me!
Rugs have their uses. I've one covering a splodge of canary yellow paint that accidently dropped from my brush on to the one remaining carpet. The rest of the house is wood flooring. So sensible. So much easier to keep smart looking.

Away to do important stuff. Don't ask! I shall return in the morning. Care home visit scheduled for afternoon.

Annsixty there is no easy answer is ther? Come to think of it there is no difficult answer either.
OH- sitters or using a private agency are certainly worth a try, but thinking back, whatever practical ideas were offered or suggestions made to us, it never removed the problem.
I have had a thoroughly miserable few days, seeing a wheelchair makes me cry, taking my friend and her husband who has Alzheimer’s to Waitrose which is his sole outing of the week and he loves it, made me want to cry when I saw him tottering into the shop holding her hand, anything at all to do with Holy Week or Easter makes me cry, I fear this will have to be an entirely secular Easter for me.
However, on a more cheerful note today’s lovely weather has lifted my spirits. I bought 12 snowdrop pots (I think about 6 little bulbs in each pot) and planted them in Paw’s grave where there are already some more snowdrops, some crocuses and little daffodils which DD planted. My hope is that next Spring these will have pushed up through the grass in great swathes of flowers. Oddly enough I found planting them and making the grave look nice not at all depressing and very soothing in the sunshine.
When I came home I planted out 3 Hellebores, some Aquilegias, some ivies and something else whose name I forget, but it will be purply blue (must look at the label)
Rain is forecast so my weeding and tidying on Friday and yesterday plus planting today should be just in time- unless the cold kills them off first.
Ups and downs - many of you will know exactly what I mean. I’m not the first and I won’t be the last.

I agree that the anxiety levels wouldn’t change, ann but there’s probably more likelihood they would come at a reasonable time. 11.40??? For goodness sake. I’m thinking of you here, and just getting yourself some breaks. Don’t bother getting dressed up, just getting dressed would do. Go for a long coffee, or lunch, or a stroll (knee permitting), or the cinema, but just make time and make good use of a sitting service, even if it’s your son for the time being, Look after yourself ann!

It would be private carers we would go onto Bella but the anxiety he goes through would be just the same.
I am going to use a sitting service when he improves physically more. At the moment my S will stay with him while I have a couple of hours but so far I have only done it twice, frankly I am so tired all the time, I can't be bothered to get dressed up.

Would having “private” carers be any better do you think? Can you get someone to H-sit while you get out for a bit?

ann your life sounds an absolute nightmare ☹️

Another beautiful day here.
I have been asked if I want carers carrying on after our six weeks reablement programme.
The answer is a resounding no. It was 11:40am when they came today, H had been up and mithering since before 6:30.
He asked a 100 times who would be coming, we have no idea until someone turns up.
How many would be coming, no idea if one or two until they come.
What shall he do when they come, what shall he do with his pyjamas, what shall he do with his incontinence wear, it goes on every two minutes fo hours and I was nearly screaming when they came.
Since then it has been about a friend who has gone away for two nights to attend a funeral, every two minutes, where has P gone, whose funeral is It?
I am utterly shattered after a very busy weekend, I am actually wondering if it worth seeing them with all the extra work it brings.
Ok , I have got that off my chest, do I feel better for it?
Not yet, I need a good night's sleep and no carers coming tomorrow.
I must ask is Grampy missing?

what lump maw she says innocently , trying to tug a rug over it ...........

Maw frequently you have been told to stay here with [us lot] or be with Hattie if only to preserve your sanity. You are aware that many folk are not worth it.

NanaandGrampy what is that hump in the middle of your laminate flooring in your orangery?

Thank you Soop an unfortunate combination of feeling particularly low and perhaps (?) a misunderstanding by some members.

Just popping in for a quick coffee break as I take advantage of another sunny day to work in the garden.

A fresh beginning is a perfect example of how I feel soop spring like day, clocks have gone forward and the sun is shining. Bliss

The first day of a new week. A fresh beginning. Sun is shining. Sea is perfectly unruffled. Birds are nest building. I feel positively sprightly.

Maw Stay put. Us lot will take good care of you. That's a promise.

N&G See! I told you that Grandpy would win himself a well deserved hug. Off to the garden centre with you both. Apart from trawling around all the plants and such...I always head for the café and a slice of scrummy cake.

Charleyg I awoke in the early hours and started peeling off the bed covers. Every so often I flush without warning and come over all funny-like. Is it possible to start having hot flushes at the tender age of 77?

N&G I hope that poor man has survived although it is all of his own making- he is no longer 30 years of age. It will be worth it once it is finished.

I was indoors in the morning with the heating on but it did improve in the afternoon, naturally when I was out for lunch and stuck indoors. At least you are getting benefit from your toils early.

No workman have appeared here yet although they are working 2 doors down. If I see the boss I will remind him that cement does not set in rainy weather which is what we will be expecting tomorrow.

Morning all !!

What a smashing day we had here yesterday . Blue skies all day and we were ( finally) able to sit in the orangery with the doors wide open and watch the view!! ( is that a thing ? maybe it should be enjoy the view - or Vu as they say here LOL)

I'm with you Ann a good rug hides a multitude of sins !

You could be our bakery hitwoman Baggs - doing away with unwanted people with baking !!

I am hopeful of persuading Grampy out to a big garden centre as its another blue sky day to get inspiration for our muddy patch !

and cake of course !!

pittcity, n&g, ??

Maw you should know by now to stay at home with Hattie!

corner you are the same as friends of mine in Scotland, neither could hardly move today having done what you did but yesterday.

It was so cold here early am I had the heating on until I went out to meet a friend for lunch.

TV is fabulous tonight, zilch for me. Tara and I will have yet another early night.

cornergran I fully understand what you mean when you say that you got carried away. I do that all the time. Start to tidy one drawer and finish up a long time thereafter in a total mess of stuff that needs sorting/discarding etc. As for the garden...I have been known to render myself incapable of standing upright. So, you have my sympathy, and if I were you, I would find a comfortable chair, feet up, a brew and anything else that takes your fancy. You've earned it

It has been another glorious day. Blue sky and warmish sunshine. I'm about to tidy the so-called studio. Although I have painted a watercolour for every member of the family - guess what-- I'm suffering from withdrawal symptoms and have started yet another. I'm happiest when I'm painting. Love every moment. Even when the first attempt proves to be a flop.

My love to you all. I hope to return tomorrow. In the meantime, take good care of yourselves.

Phew. I suspect I’ve just done my version of grampy and the laminate by spending too much time in the garden. Sort of got carried away, I’m blaming th sunshine. As that’s the case I’d better keep quiet about people who overdo things, but I do understand, I most definitely do. .

We’ve also got laminate in our conservatory n&g, easy to clean and any fading is sort of general so not really noticed - until anyone is foolish enough to move furniture. .

Oh dear maw, just lately I feel physical pain when I read some comments elsewhere, I’m not venturing out much now.

Common sense is prevailing. I plan a nice cuppa and a couple of pain,killers. There’s a time and a place and this is definitely it! Hope there are some if those cookies left.

N&G Oh dear! Our menfolk should realise that we women folk are blest with superior powers of foresight. Bless him, Grampy deserves a hug.

Maw You are very welcome to share the chaise with Pittcity. There is plenty of room, and you shall both have a tartan rug for your knees.

Baggs Yes please. I'll help to sample your peanut cookies.

annsixty I chuckled aloud when I read your post.

Sar53 Being a proud granny is a privilege to which us lot are gifted. I can sense your inner glow.

We have laminate in our conservatory N&G ,it is very easy care, hard wearing but be aware it does fade in the sun. My answer is to pretend it hasn't and stick a rug on the worst bit by the French doors.
It is the most beautiful day here and we have all been sitting outside.
The family are leaving about 1pm.
It has been lovely to have them here, it will be equally lovely to have a quiet house back!!

If I am not around for a bit it is because I feel very sore at the tongue lashing I feel I have suffered elsewhere.
No I had better not say where as it will make this a thread about a thread, but BP/Shell might be a bit of a hint.
So I am hunkering down and leaving the iPad alone for a day or two.

Morning all !

I am innocent of murder ....just!! I suggested Grampy lay half yesterday and complete it today which sound advice was ignored of course. Consequently , he could barley move after 7 hours bending and kneeling yesterday.

My suggestion he leave it today and finish the couple of hours work tomorrow was..... yes you know it - ignored!

Sympathy has gone on holiday in this house :-)

Its a laminate Charley , 'easy' in the big picture of things and good for Sam .

Corner I like the sound of your Easter Something !! Ignore Mr C !

Pittcity I too read Baggs threat post as offering to off someone

I laughed Ann the reeds do seem endless , but in their defence every now and then you see something beautiful.

Lovely to hear you enjoyed the dance show Sar , hope there are pictures for you to treasure. How are the children?

I'm envious at the sound of your garden Anno - ours is blank patch of mud at the back. I'm not a gardener so I'm not sure what we will do with it. I keep thinking maybe we need to get a professional in to just create us a plan so we can do the work . Has anyone tried this?

Well, I'm off to do the laundry- I live a high old life !!