Soop`s superbly supportive,caring and fun loving Kitchen.

It's been a funny ol' week Geared up to have DGS as usual every day during half-term only to find out Sunday that DDIL was taking time off. OK, that's good for everyone, but apparently that didn't mean every day or even all of a day He coped very well but lost it this afternoon when she turned up to collect him when he was part-way through a favourite dvd! All was well in the end but the poor lamb does need his routines to cope with life and, although we'd told him what was going to happen today, he wasn't happy about it. It breaks my heart to see him upset but as a family we are very aware that he needs to have the reassurance of 'coping mechanisms' to deal with unexpected events. I was rendered speechless recently when a special constable, that we'd met at the local library when he was doing a 'come and chat to the police' session, said to me (when told DGS has autism) 'Oh, he doesn't look like it' I was so taken aback that I didn't ask him what DGS was supposed to look like

swanny Hope you had a good week with your DGS. It’s hard isn’t it to make sure nothing ‘unexpected’ happens to spoil things.

Thanks Doodle yes, if only life went according to plans we make when growing up! Actually it's probably best they don't before we learn that the best made plans 'gae aft agley' (with apologies to Robert Burns!)
Recently DGS got very upset about certain scenes in another favourite dvd. He is starting to recognise and experience emotions but doesn't yet know how to handle them (do any of us??!!) Oh how I wish I had a magic wand to make everything good for my little family

I hope you get him home soon Kitty and he is feeling ok.
We came home last night after two days with the grandchildren who were in good form. DGD (nearly 3) has a monumental temper so it often takes Grandpa to bring her round. DGS needs new grommets, so he is just LOUD. ?
Finally went to look at the first house in preparation for our move but it was all wrong. Ho hum!
Leon drizzle cake on the surface - enjoy x

Lemon

Just popping in to say hello to everyone in the new kitchen. They seem to reopen very quickly these days. I can’t keep up with all the posts but I read what I can. I often leave cakes without saying, and I see they’ve all gone when I collect the plate. So that’s good.

Hello to the new kitchen and hugs and best wishes to all of you waiting for appointments, poorly ones to come home or worn out from grandma detail. .
I have spent half term with 10 year old DGS in Derbyshire. We went to the police museum in Manchester which was really interesting. He ended up in the dock in the courtroom over his football allegiance!
Off to town today to pick up my photobook of our holiday in Western Australia 3 years ago. Very mixed emotions of a brilliant time. So pleased we did it, it was the last time we were away and DH was well.
Have a good weekend everyone.

Oh well, I am GC free until after Pre-school on Monday. The house suddenly feels so quite, I love them to pieces and our dear one who is on the autism spectrum was so well behaved, am I allowed to have an extra soft spot?

So I am changing 2 singles and a king size bed today, and then get round to our one tomorrow, if I have the energy ????

Soop you seem to be getting first class service from the NHS

Kitty hope Mr, Kitty is ok,

Galen wishing you a peaceful day ?

Apologies to all I have missed, but sending warm thoughts and a Victoria sponge.

☕️?☕️?☕️?

I too am now GC free till I pick one up from school on Monday. Yesterday with the two of them was challenging in terms of my energy - no problem with theirs!

dragonfly - hope you get things sorted out.

Today I am helping at the village panto - I have no idea what that help might entail yet; but nor bringing cake I am glad to say - I am not the world's best baker!

So please do not expect cake to arrive here from me - unless shop-bought will do!

Sun is shining and garden is tidy after chap up road came to help me with it. And GC have provided me with an assortment of gnomes and fairies on the decking for my delectation.

Baggs wanders in with a tin of assorted chocolate biscuits acquired at work. People gift them to the staff where I work, but almost everyone else is on a post-xmas diet so the boss told me to take them (plus two tubs of Heroes and Q St which I'm working my way through a few at a time).

Anyway, I've just done a couple of hours scything, raking and mowing, and crawling around looking for Whorled Caraway shoots so my early morning porridge was used up, so to speak.

Dig into the tin, peeps. Calorie free but tasty ????

Baggs What are you like? Only you could munch away on choc biscuits and the likes and not gain an ounce. It's soooooooo unfair.

I raise my hat (it's someplace in the wardrobe) to every one of you dear peoples who do such stirling work caring for grandchildren. Especially those of you, like Doodle and Swanny who deal with additional stressful circumstances. You all deserve a pure gold star.

Luckygirl Bought cake will "do", the stickier the better. She sighs...

Nannytopsy I am rather partial to lemond drizzle cake. I'm certain that a little of what I fancy will do me no harm whatsover.

kitty All good wishes for Mr kitty's recovery and return to the comfort of his own home.

doodle thanks-Tara did not go out when I first opened the door but a couple of hours later she had changed her mind and hopefully is enjoying the sunshine. I forget that like her mother age is creeping up on her and she likes to sleep.

Scotland must win their game against France this afternoon. I have the ironing board set ready so that I can do something useful whilst watching the match.

I have received some beautiful flowers from Granspals. The freesias are adding a splash of sunny yellow to the room. MacSporran gave me freesias on our first brief encounter. They are very special for that reason.

I shall return later.

Soop I love freesias, as DH used to given them to me when we were first going out together. And we had white ones in a silver vase on top of our wedding cake.

It’s a lovely weekend, so best wishes to everyone. Try to enjoy the sunshine and recharge your batteries. I’m leaving chocolate cake!

Hello the kitchen. I drew the short straw today and ended up working indoors instead of out! So DH is painting the fence that used to have my honeysuckle on it but now affords me a view of the manky side of the upper garden and the clothes line. Wonderful. I got to give the downstairs a good bottoming before the hygiene police - aka DD - arrive tomorrow!

I am not pleased with you, Baggs?. I have walked, footballed, dug, raked, humped stones, cleared up mountains of garden rubbish, eaten practically nothing naughty and I have put on two pounds in the past three days!!! Fed up doesn’t cover it if you can eat biscuits and chocs! Any left?

Lovely freesias, Soop. I had freesias for my wedding bouquet, and have loved them ever since.

I only have one grandchild so I suppose I should not complain when some Grans handle multiple GC with panache, but he is a bit of a whirling dervish (I can no longer look the term ‘Duracell bunny’ in the face since Izabella pointed out that it might have other connotations!! . But while I am often quite relieved when we part company, I have missed him sorely the past two days. Is that silly or what! Oddly enough, when we were in the park watching the fly past yesterday, he and his mum were in the same crowd, but we didn’t know until we saw their car driving away! We each thought the other was going to a different venue to watch it! To paraphrase Billy Bunter’s classmate “the disappointment was terrific!”

Like you, Swanny, and, I suspect, most of us, I wish I had a cure-all magic wand, and the world’s biggest roll of cotton wool, at times.

Well, the railing painting is going very slowly (it’s not the Forth Bridge for heavens sake!) and now he needs a cup of tea. I will look in on you all, later.

I’m not pleased with you either baggs. Not because you don’t put on weight (actually I am quite cross about that too ?) but because you’ve brought in the biscuits but kept all the chocolates to yourself ?. Two tubs of Heroes and Quality Street. I bet you’ve eaten all the purple ones ?

Hi ladies. I’ve not been for a long time as been in/ out of hospital and then ended up with pneumonia. On the mend now.

?to everyone.

Twin2 so sorry you have been so ill. Happy you are getting better now though - just in time for the good weather.

Just cleared out the garage (well sort of) and been to the tip so feeling quite virtuous.

I was going to bring a victoria sandwich but there seems to be plenty of other cakes and biscuits on offer and I do not want to be responsible for anyone putting on weight!

Twin2 Please get back to the rudest of health just as soon as you can. You have had a buggeration of a lot to deal with. Us lot look forward to your visits once you are fully recovered. Relax. That's what you need plenty of. It's an order.

Scotland are losing at half time. I've managed to make inroads into a stack of ironing. Time for a and the thought of a generous wedge of cake.

soop you have two different types of buggerations which are a pain at present but with luck most will be over and done with come the warmer weather and all you can do is to get better. The waiting is definitely the worst.

I cannot remember the last time I picked up an iron and after a night in bed, I do not see a crease the next day!

I am not a fan of rugby so I am going to wash my hair in readiness for going out for lunch tomorrow with a friend who I have known since we were 11 years old.

My supper is organised so I am up to date. Just one black and white stray to return around 7 pm.

doodle, I'm saving the purple ones till last ?

Hello this new kitchen is looking very grand - the table is even bigger which is good (more room for more cakes )

Galen I hope yesterday was filled with happier memories of your dear child and you now find some peace amidst the grief.

Soop your positive attitude is always uplifting - I'm sure you'll 'sail' through all the treatment to come and it will be good to finally know the plan next week.

Kitty I hope Mr Lester is now home and you can relax a bit too.

GreyD I would have loved to go to the fly past yesterday - we did wonder if they would actually come over us but it sounds like they came from Mildenhall so the wrong way. As it happened the long awaited living room and dining furniture arrived at 7.45 am! Thankfully we had just managed to clear the other sofas out to the conservatory in time but I was still in my pj's and had to dash upstairs quickly. They were supposed to give 2 hours notice but apparently are not allowed to ring anyone before 7 am so we had no advance warning.

Twin2 welcome back - I'm pleased you're finally feeling better. Please take care of yourself until you're fit again.

Swanny my 5 year old GS in NZ has aspergers so we saw the mega meltdowns over nothing when he was here last year. He is now at school and does seem to be doing ok but both my son and DIL do get upset for him when he can't cope.

I am in trouble today. I've been suffering with nose bleeds the last few days and today it started again. After spending all morning sitting quietly doing nothing I went out to do the garden and left the lawn mower by the garage where Mr W was tidying up for him to put it away - he was not pleased that it was still covered in grass which got trailed all over and told me off for being impatient cutting the grass so early! I might have had words with him as to why he didn't do it if I'd been up to it! To add insult to injury I knocked over a large piece of wood onto my foot - luckily I had my wellies on but it was very painful

I hope there are some of those choccie biscuits left when I come back - I may be in need of one several!

Where have you hidden them baggs?

twin, I hope you get back to full health soon.

When you have finished your garage dragonfly could you pop round here please?

Freesias must have had their best time when we all got married. I had pink ones in my bouquet with white roses and also on the top of the cake

Could Kitcheners please refrain from mentioning gardening jobs as it makes me feel very guilty.

I have at last got DH home. All seems well but he has to go back for a precautionary ct scan. The nhs is brilliant despite the irritations.

Bertie fell over this morning and dislodged 2 teeth and badly cut his lip this morning. DD rang DH (He is retired and in hospital!!) who gave her the number of the emergency practice. No reply. She had already rung her own dentist and been given the same advice. DH suggested 101 who, eventually, rang back with the same advice!

I know the practice with the contract are paid well to provide that service so guess who will be on the rampage on Monday.

Dear Willow... Do take care. Mr Willow had better "button-up" and show some concern for you. Or else us lot will come calling with all guns blazing. Does he understand how fiercesome we can be?
Just for you, I've left a couple of chunks of very dark, very tasty, very tempting chocolate. It's not something I do without giving the matter some serious thought.

I missed the game. Started wrapping and packing individual gifts for family (to post ahead of the get-together) and, got into a guddle. Guddle sorted. Box not roomy enough. Will finish the task tomorrow.

At nine o'clock, I shall raise a glass of delicious G&T with a slice of lime and elderflower tonic and wish you all a pleasant weekend.