Soop's comfortable, cosy, friendly kitchen...

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Evening all!!

A day without rain seems amazing here at the moment. But we have spent it wisely soaking up the rays and just enjoying being outside.

Glad to hear you sounding a bit better Charley and that Tara is keeping you company.

Good luck with your op and recovery Panache.

Ha I love the tortoise visitor Grey ! My hairdresser has had on for many years called Dave but it has now been renamed Davina !! Mistaken identity apparently lol

I hope you get the respite care you so badly need for DH Ann .

I’ll just leave you with a picture of a little chap I found for Jackson today..... his name is Gravy and he has a friend called ‘Biscuits’ ?

A quick check of the kitchen before Bertie and Persie arrive for a couple of days - I may be some time coming back!!

Stay where you are grannynise and I'll join you in the corner!

ann? How are you doing - please ring Social Services and cry/scream/get hysterical - anything to make them realise how bad things really are.

Panache, I don't know whether you will be in the kitchen today but just sending you all good wishes!

How are you doing charley? Love Gravy N&G but have never understood biscuits and gravy!

gd, your tortoise story made me laugh. Our last house backed onto a bowling green and we were quite often confronted by irate, older men, dressed in white, handing over one of our two tortoises who had, sensibly, gone for the better looking grass to be had there. Ours also liked a neighbour's mesembreanthemums [sp?]

Hugs to all who need them and, as I shall be missing for a while, SIT STILL!!

On the subject of cars - we are vaguely looking at getting a new 'big' car (nominally mine for historic reasons ie 5 children, 2 dogs etc) and did a mini tour of garages yesterday. On the way back, the tyre warning light came on and the stop/start thingy failed to work, We are now no longer 'vaguely' looking at getting me a new car but mildly panicking. We rely on both cars so much often using them to help with child care so having one playing silly buggers stresses me out - especially if it is mine!!

Grannynise Get ye out of that corner together with the lemon cake. Welcome.

silverdarlings I wish that I hadn't shouted on Ann's post. I do hope that she realises that I'm not cross with her but am desperately concerned for her.

N&G Clever move. Gravy and Biscuits look well-bred, well-behaved and adorable with it.

kitty With a busy routine such as yours, I can understand how essential it is for you to have a totally reliable car. It appears that the time has come for a fresh investment.

Greyduster That's a new one on me. Can't say that I'm ever likely to greet a visitor bearing a tortoise. It looks like a very fine specimen.

Panache Thinking of you.

It's hot and sunny yet again. Have been to the audiologist. Home again and yearning to get to the easel.

I am thinking about Panache and hoping she has had her op and is back in her bed, though I think that may be on HDU.
I am waiting for the duty SW to ring me back.
Our SW is on holiday for a week, so the fact that I have been awaiting a call is explained.
I rang at 9am and explained my situation, the duty SW has just rung and I explained it all again.
She is now ringing round, BUT, "they are all very busy"
She will put it all on the system for tomorrow's duty officer, when will she read it I wonder.
Another beautiful day here, we really are being spoilt, the only problem is all the watering that needs doing every evening.
Just taken delivery of a large shop from Sainsbury's ,at least we can eat and clean, floors, clothes and ourselves.

I listened to the 2pm news and the weatherman was telling me a downright ie- hot and sunny and as he said that the heavens opened with buckets of rain and there were sounds of thunder. With luck some parts may see sunshine, it has missed my area of London today.

Apart from 2 slices of toast yesterday I did not fancy anything to eat- I do hope I feel like something later.

I had my 4 legged carer looking after me all night again last night.

kitty it does sound as though you will have to buy a car sooner rather than later before the present one gives up the ghost and dies.

It is a long time since I saw a tortoise but little surprises me on GN, especially soop's kitchen.

Morning all!

Hope you enjoy Bertie and Persia Kitty , all our little ones are at Chessington today ! Sorry to hear about the car ?. Always a worry.

I’m with you on biscuits and gravy! We go to a favourite restaurant here that does the most delicious biscuits but serves them with butter and jam ! They’re more fluffy that a fluffy thing!

Grits are the thing I don’t get !

Hello Grannynise ! Welcome to Soops kitchen !

We will be packing today, as tomorrow we drive back to Disney for our last 6 nights. We came with 2 holdalls , packed inside 2 cases. We now have one case fully packed with stuff we bought here . Today I shall be 3/4 packing the other one with more stuff! ( I had lists from my girls!) and then packing one hold-all with our things for 6 nights. So that leaves me with one hold-all.........shopping then ?

Don’t tell Grampy but we can have up to 6 cases each!!!! lol ?

I’ll leave you with a picture of Sammy and his new girlfriend Lola !! Looks like he’s enjoying his holiday too xx

Ah just missed your posts Annand Charley !

Keep reminding them Ann so you don’t fall through the cracks. Thank goodness for home delivery shopping eh?

Charley you need more than 2 slices of toast!! Consider yourself told off! Could you just manage something like scrambled egg ? You need to eat to recover ! Consider yourself told off ??xx

Honestly, you buy two pieces of furniture, ostensibly to fit in with an established colour scheme and then you have to start changing things again!
After much deliberating over tugs of various types and eye watering prices I have settled on this Kilim from a lovely Aladdin’s cave of the oriental carpet shop in Olney near us. They were quite happy for me to bring it home to “try before I buy” and I do think this is the one.
Not cheap, but it’ll see me out!
Please tell me I have got it right as without Paw to consult, it is an awful responsibility!

“Rugs” not tugs!

Maw Oh my goodness, I so want your rug.

N&G Sam and Lola look well matched and exceedingly relaxed.
As for those extra bags...you are a woman...women shop...women need stuff...our men must understand such things.

Maw and one of your cushions...

I love it, *maw, so one vote from me. It tones beautifully with the fire surround while giving you some colour.

Sounds a seriously shopping holiday n&g. It would be a shame to waste the suitcase allowance. . Keep on enjoying. Sam looks settled in, will he want to come home?

I agree, Charley, you won't mend unless you up your nutrition. You know that, though. Sorry if we are nagging, but we all want you to recover speedily. Anything ready prepared in the freezer you might try to eat? Little and often maybe until you are used to food again.

Oh ann, nothing seems easy. I'm pleased you have good weather to cheer you, foul here, grey and damp - I feel cold - but sunshine won't sustain you so please do nag the Social Work department, I suspect it will be a case of she who shouts loudest. Sending love.

Fun times ahead with the children kitty, but a worry about the car. Car shopping has to be my least favourite so I wish you luck and a speedy resolution.

Budge up in the corner grannynise, some stressful days ahead for me and its lovely to have somewhere to retreat to. Please do come out and chat, though.

I'm seriously envious of your weather soop, if you could post some we'd appreciate it.

OK, break over so I had best get the rest of the admin done, my penance as ever, take care everyone.

I really like the rug too maw, but don't take any notice of me as I have dreadful sense of style....not sure if that helps or not

I may have a cheesy baked potato before bedtime.

Maw your house looks so tidy whereas mine looks as though I have been burgled!

I also am buying goodies or having work done "for the last time".

Maw I also like your fire place.

I'm away to spend time painting an owl. Looks good so far.

Hello the kitchen! Had a bit of a low today - family stuff - but a couple of hours in the garden set me right. Chose the right time to do it as it is now registering seventy eight degrees in our conservatory with the doors open, and there is nowhere to hide outside!
soop it is a case of “wither they goest, there goest the tortoise”. The beast is only about as big as my hand, so I don’t know whether that constitutes a fine specimen or not. It is a particular breed that doesn’t reach any great size apparently. While StepGS was here, he told me off for grinding to a halt with my painting, suggested a few things that might get me over my “block” and said he expected it to be finished when he came back to see me again. Fortunately that might not be for a while!! He could be waiting a long time.
Ann I want to shake these people up on your behalf - I’m sure we all do! Do not allow the grass grow under their feet. They seem to be passing you around from pillar to post. If you can summon up the energy, keep pounding at them! ?.
Charley I hope you are feeling better and will manage to eat something substantial, or N&G and I might have to come and read you the riot act (and maybe rustle up a little tasty risotto or something while we’re doing it. She can tell you off while I’ll do the cooking!). Not easy when you don’t fancy it, though, I know.
N&G I envy you your holiday at the moment - mine is still too far away and I feel increasingly as if I need one. I feel a mini break coming on!
Cut your losses and go for it, kitty. Big commitment but not worth the sleepless nights wondering if the old one is going to let you down. Hope you have a good time with Bertie and Persie. How is he now, by the way? We have our lad Wednesday evening and Thursday, all being well. We will be off to buy him his first proper cricket bat. He is now sufficiently interested to warrant investment in a good slab of English willow, but finding shops that sell them has been a bit of a trial, surprisingly!
Well, time for me to stir my stumps. I will look in later. Hope Panache is doing ok. Good vibes to her.

The SW has just rung back.
She can offer me two days at the end of June.
I have asked her to try and find me somewhere I can pay privately for.
I expect this to cost a fair bit but needs must.
The cost per week organised by the SW is approx £150 ,privately probably £1000.
I think the SS one is a one off so I would be paying if I wanted a regular break.

That’s not good enough Ann , the end of June is 4 weeks away !! This is one of those occasions I expect where the squeaky wheel gets action, so ring back every day, twice a day and see if the situation can be improved !! I feel so sad for you x

Maw , another rug vote from me, it’s lovely .

It’s I suspect even though he seems to be having a high old time Corner , once Grampy appears it will be a no brainer! That little dog loves his ‘dad’!

Charley a cheesy jacket sounds just the ticket! Don’t make Grey and I turn up like the mafia at your door!!

Our name is on an emergency list, If I was really desperate they could send him somewhere but I am just not prepared to let him go anywhere, some of these places are pretty grim.

Perfect Maw. Sit back, relax and enjoy it all.

ann Keep trying SS. As I said before you both deserve better. Take care (flowers).

Back to lurking again now. Good wishes and hugs to all of those who need them just now. .Just had the heaviest and noisiest thunder and lightning rain storm. So much for summer. missing!

I have now been told if I pay the difference between the SS allowance and the full cost, I can have respite next week.
I am going to view it on Friday.