Soop's comfortable and convivial kitchen.

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Lovely to see such an upbeat post Panache.

You seem to be having better weather than we are. As Topsy said it's just dreary in Leicestershire. DH and DS1 have gone to watch Bertie play football bit I had to stay in for the Sky man. I'm really sad to have missed standing in the middle of a bleak field in the damp!

I've just added a couple of pictures from my birthday lunch. The girls are cousins (Persie, Ellie, Hattie) The others are also cousins (Seb and Lottie) There will be more!!

maddy we had to make an apron and cap as well. It had to have our names embroidered on them in satin stitch.

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We did that too. I'm impressed that you know the name of the stitch galen.

I said there would be more photos.

Seb and Bertie and DH and me!

Lovely photos kitty but gave me a momentary shock when I saw you with your DH as I thought you were my sister! She has the same hair as you. It's a super intimate shot of you both - the camera intruding on a private moment!

kitty and lazy daisy, blanket stitch and French knots.
I know the theory but I can’t see ( except people)

Sew! Not see!

Lovely pictures Kitty now I can put a face to the name(s).

Marvellous photo, N&G

Panache Thank you for your much appreciated bulletin.

kitty At the convent where I was educated and perfectly miserable, I was told by the music teacher - Sister Gabriel..."not to sing..." I haven't been the same since.
maddyone at the very same convent, I was told not to bother to darn socks. How was I supposed to know that the mend should be neat, not lumpy.

Maw It's a treat to hear of your pleasurable outings.

We have just heard that a lovely, kind, industrious friend of ours in the village, died this morning.

Super photos, kitty. Beautiful smiles all round.

I shall return a little later.

Lovely photos kitty, seems a great time was had by all.

Some of you may remember I “discovered “ I had a half brother about 4/5 years ago who was adopted at birth after a bit of a fling my father seems to have had in the early years of the war and before he met and married my other.
We have met many times and I have grown particularly fond of my “new” sister in law.
Sadly she slipped away peacefully on Friday, at home with my brother and their children around her. She was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukaemia just a little over 6 months ago. When I first met her I thought what a nice person she was and warmed to her immediately.
I am so sad for him and his family but glad we met in time for me to have known her.

“My Mother” not “my other”!

So sorry to hear your news Maw

Didn't do the sewing or cooking at school, Latin instead. Suspect the former would have been appreciated more by Mr C.

I'm sorry to hear your news maw, more sadness for you.

Smiling at the photos today. Kitty that seems a very good birthday indeed. I'm impressed with the photographer keeping those boys still n&g.

Off across the bridge tomorrow to our friend. Her central heating has broken, no heat or hot water. Not sure what we can do about it other than sympathise - freeze together - and help her harass plumbers. If life could just pause for a while I'd appreciate it. We're out the rest of the week on various visits and errands. Doing little today, resting in advance!

Hope Macs is on the mend soop and your husband comfortable as he cane ann. Wishing Mr Lester and Mr and Mrs Dragonfly well. Good to hear from you Panache, sounds to be progress.

Take care everyone, apologies for not acknowledging you all.

Hello kitcheners – catch up time again. It does seem true that retirement leaves less time for everything than working life did!

Maw so sorry to hear your sad news especially after you’d had such a nice trip to London – it is good you have had the contact over the last few years and I’m sure you will be able to give support to your brother now as he copes with his loss.

Panache it’s good to see your post and that welcome help is coming aplenty – not so good about your weight loss though. Do they do body building ensure drinks? I hope Mr P’s assessment goes well tomorrow.

Hello twin2 and welcome I grew up in a fish shop and my dad used to do soused herrings – never had one since I was 8 though!!

GreyD your baking tin story is funny – shame you never found out how the cake turned out – I suspect not a happy ending

GrannyGravey I love the Deborah Harkness trilogy – A Discovery of Witches has been made into a TV series which I’ve recorded but not watched yet.

Lovely GC pictures Kitty. It looks like your birthday lunch was a splendid success.

Soop sorry to hear of your loss too. I really hope MacS starts to improve soon – it’s so exhausting coughing all the time especially during the night – once you start it seems impossible to stop!

Dragonfly my husband had the same problems with the sciatica medication – in fact one day he was suddenly taken ill with horrendous pain and I had to call 111. I didn’t know about the constipation at the time. He decided to stop the meds and put up with the other pain as he felt so ill. It’s only since he started on the turmeric capsules that the sciatica went away so it might be worth trying them – it said it would take 2 weeks and he was very sceptical at the time but a fortnight later they’d worked.

My little 5 year old grandson in NZ is having a hernia operation tomorrow (well it will be today their time). We Face Timed his parents this morning and had to laugh at the story of his visit to the consultant. His latest obsession (he has Aspergers) is pirates and amputation when they were injured at sea. He asked the consultant if he would be given rum for the operation? His mum explained he wouldn’t need this so he was quiet for a few minutes then said to the doctor ‘well if you have to amputate take this one’ and slapped his leg

My eldest GD is currently en-route to Paris for her Christmas gift trip given by her boyfriend – I’m sure they’ll be fine but you can’t help worrying no matter how old they are!

My furniture restoration has gone well so far but tomorrow I will start on the very large wall unit once I’ve emptied and dismantled it – I will post photos but it could be some time

I hope all those feeling unwell have a better night tonight.

Such a lot of activity since I popped in earlier. I'm afraid I shall need to read through and try to catch up with you all a little later.

Maw I'm sorry to hear of your sad news.

Our friend, who died this morning, was MacSporran's age. He went into hospital with a chest infection just a few weeks ago. He then had a stroke, from which he was unable to recover.

MacSporran is still porrly and neither of us has had a good night's sleep for some time. If he doesn't show signs of improving by mid week, I shall make another appointment with the GP. The asthma is an additional problem. That together with Lymphoma. It is not a good time right now.

poorly...you know what I mean.

Willow I have pm’d you.

Soop so sorry to hear about your friend and that Mac is still I’ll. I hope you both have a better night to night.

soop please go sooner rather than later to your GP about MacSorran. It is no joke coughing his head off night after night and getting little rest never mind sleep. It is not doing wonders for you either.

Willow I intended to mention your five year old grandson. He has hopefully had surgery and is recovering on the ward. He most certainly has a most imaginative sense of humour. Made me grin.

I have read through almost all the missed postings. You lot are the best. Have I told you on several occasions? Never mind, I shall never tire of doing so.

MacSporran has had a restful day. I mentioned the Vick remedy that you've told me about. Our village shop has sold out. Mac's reaction made me hoot. He said - isn't it messy to smear it on the outside of the socks? He could have been jesting. I am not sure. I gave him a funny look. He said... "What?" .

We still haven't been visited by Tabitha. As long as she is thriving, we are happy.

Oh soop that is so funny about the messy socks! Hope MacS improves very soon. I was so sorry to hear about your friend too. I always think that January and February are the lowest months of the year and are when most deaths occur. Tabitha will return when she is able, I expect she has a great deal of territory to keep her eye on.

Willow your grandson is very funny too and it even made Himself smile which is quite something when that is exactly what he is facing.

Today has been quite a difficult day for Himself pain wise. So much so that we are going to contact the GP at the surgery so that he can contact the hospital with the relevant degree of urgency. If he doesn't then clearly I will have to weigh in myself. The infection seems to be marching further up the leg and we are keen that it stays as a BTK amputation rather than above. If the infection reaches the metal hip replacement it just doesn't bear thinking about what will have to happen so I will be jumping up and down and doing whatever is needed to encourage a speedy outcome! The medical folk are all amazingly helpful so I don't think I will need to push too much - I hope so anyway.

We have had some lovely sunshine today followed by a real mixed bag of allsorts of weather including wind to take away your breath. I understand it is to be very cold with snow for quite a while by the end of the week. Well, I expect it will be somewhere but am hoping it won't be'here'!

Sleep well everyone!

My goodness kitty what a lovely pictures of you and DH and your family.
panache nice to hear from you again. Sounding a little better if a little on the thin side. ?
maw sorry to hear your sad news. You too soop.
I do hope MacSporran improves soon soop. You both need to sleep well.
willow hope your DGS op goes well. I love his sense of humour ?
synonymous that sounds very painful for your DH. Hope the GP gets something done soon.

kitty I was going to add that you look a lot younger and prettier than I thought you would. Then I wondered if that would be a compliment or not ???

Nag, nag and nag somemore * Synonymous * your H deserves the best and swiftest treatment after all he has endured.
I must thank you for your post about essential oils.
My D has very severe sinus problems and is waiting for treatment, I told her about your post and she googled and sent off for the oils and rollerballs recommended.
She has had some good nights sleep since using it and wakes up headache free, she is delighted and feels so much better, so thank you.