Soop’s kitchen, filled with kindness, understanding and some damn fine cake ! Come on in.

Maw I only realised just before 9 that Montalbano was on.
So glad I didn’t miss it, and even though it was a repeat it was, as ever, very watchable.

callgirl good news, I am pleased for your family and you.
soop Mila is lovely and how appropriate the photo is today at the start of the Tour de France.
TOYA

Just back from a lovely evening and lovely food and drink with family.
I am so lucky to be included with extended family and made so welcome and so included.
We were so lucky to be able to eat outside and it being so warm.
TOYA

I feel as if I have taken root on the sofa- Wimbledon and now Montalbano!
Will I ever recover the use of my legs?

I loved Andy and Serena's match this evening. I did feel sorry for their opponents- their first time on centre court and playing against such legends but they did well.

I do feel as though I have square eyes this evening but the tennis is only on for 2 weeks each year.

At least with no tennis on tomorrow evening, I will have the time to cook myself a decent supper instead of throwing together a cheese omelette because I did not have the time.

Brodie is one lucky young man- if he does not feel like hunting for a hot meal- he can have a night off and check the local menu.

That is great news about your son Callgirl, not so good about your daughter. I do hope she makes the trip to London.

So pleased you have taken the plunge and booked a holiday Maw - I am sure everyone here will be kind to you. It sounds a lovely trip. I love trains.

I have just returned from an overnight stay with my DD and SiL. I am absolutely exhausted now that I am home. They seem to have far more energy than I do and do not realise I need to be in bed by 10! I suppose the three hour drive to get there may have contributed to the tiredness but I am shocked at the lack of stamina I have these days.

TOYA!

soop how is Brodie ? Is he still enjoying your kind hospitality ?

I apologise to any of our Granspals that I have overlooked. This kitchen is hectic, to put it mildly. Thank you for all your company. I am logging off until tomorrow. TOYA

Maw How come I missed your exciting holiday post? I am just a little envious. I'm also truly happy for you. If I could, I would certainly stow away in your luggage. MacSporran and I have often said that, should we ever find ourselves "comfortably off", we would choose such a holiday treat.

Some ups and downs on the tennis courts this afternoon. I haven't been spellbound by any particular match. Well done to Andy for entertaining his fans. It was a pity that he and his partner lost the mens doubles. Maybe he'll be more successful when he plays in the mixed doubles. Such stamina...I bet that he's having an ice bath right now.

Please may we put the deleted post out of future discussions? Something untoward was said. I know not what. HQ dealt with the matter. It is upsetting that a few Kitcheners were dismayed by the inappropriateness of the message content. I understand that, as a result, we may have lost one of our lovely newcomers. Should she reconsider at any time, I would be delighted. So, please, let the matter go. What point is there in doing otherwise? None!

Charleyg Determined sums her up beautifully. xxx

soop the last time I looked Mila was a beautiful baby in arms. Where did the baby go? She is very grown up on her bike and dressed for every eventuality and looks very determined.

I am spitting tacks!!! I spent an age catching up and was three quarters of the way through responding to several posts when...don't ask...I tapped the wrong key and the messages have vapourised.

callgirl1 I was pleased to learn that the London treat is going ahead. Your daughter is such a kind girl. What was she doing up a ladder?

mcem

granniequeenie Yet more lovely photographs. Your post made me chuckle. We did something similar once upon a time. By the time we returned a certain lady home to her anxious husband, he was convinced she had been taken hostage.

Ann Your granddaughter's surgeon is familier with her medical history. She in in good hands.
You may feel refreshed when you visit your daughter in August. Good company and a change of scene will hoperfully recharge your batteries.
Should you accept your granddaughter's invitation to join her and a friend for a few days in sunny Spain, you could simply relax by the pool with a good book and a refreshing Pimms during the day. When you meet up with your granddaughter in the evening, you'll enjoy hearing about her busy day.

N&G Cooper won our hearts long ago. He is a super star. He deserves his own chickens. So, we await a photo of the smart new hen house. Free range eggs are marvellous!

Charleyg Tennis beckons. Although I was disappointed that Andy' s mixed doubles match was postponed late yesterday, I am delighted that it will be played today.

Here is a photo of Mila, our wee great-granddaughter.

As a foot note to the kidnapping that wasn’t, we felt quite sad for the American folk as we listened to them express their sadness at how climate change/environmental issues are largely being ignored in the USA. One of them worked as a climatologist, almost no longer feeling “at home” in their own country which must be very sad for them. With the political uncertainty here we are I hope a long way from that.

corner Your photograph is stunning. I would so love some of these blooms in our garden. Thank you for sharing.

Cooper is gorgeous. Please tell him from me that a vet earns more than a chicken cuddler so may be a better option. It is lovely that he is caring for all animals, not only Sam. The chicken does look as though it has better places to go!

I agree, it was somebody outside the kitchen who reported mcem - what a flaming cheek.

callgirl if your DD has a plaster applied It will be from the top of her thigh to her ankle if she is lucky or if unlucky it may incorporate her foot. Getting around and especially sitting in a theatre will be problematic. So unlucky to happen now but the accident could have been worse.

Ann that is a lovely idea going to Spain later this year. You can enjoy the company, sunshine, food and wine and let them go out and about half the night while you catch up with beauty sleep. Go for it!

I must get myself ready for tennis- it will be a long exciting day.

TOYA

TOYA

Morning all !

Where did the sun go ?

Sounds like some adventures planned Ann , maybe they will invigorate you a bit? Something nice to look forward to?

That made me chuckle GrannyQ - a wry sense of humour is what separates us from the Americans. Lovely pics !!

Makes me wonder who would have reported you mcem I suspect it was someone outside the kitchen - possibly one of those very people who likes to throw out unsympathetic comments eh?

Glad your daughter is not as bad as feared Callgirl , maybe she's being a little optimistic about the London trip but I do hope not.

The trip sounds wonderful maw I have trip envy :-)

I had a wonderful phone call yesterday from Cooper ( aged 5) apparently a farm came to school and now he is torn between being a Vet and a chicken cuddler….. please see picture of his expert cuddling technique !!

He rang me to suggest that I pop down to the free range chicken farm at the edge of the village and ask if we can borrow a few chickens for him to practice on when he visits. He promised to take good care of them, collect their eggs every day and give them the BEST cuddles..... I shall be asking Grampy where the hen house can go :-)

Happy day all !!

Well done to you and your husband * grannyqueenie*
That was a wonderful gesture and must have done wonders for Anglo / American relationship.

My GD is fine now thanks and has an appointment with the Surgeon who did her cleft repairs for next month as to the advisability of tonsillectomy.

She has invited me to go for a few days in Spain with her and her friend in September , I am giving it some thought.
I am going to stay with my D in the South of England for a few days in August, the GC will be visiting their father who lives in Bermuda. So I am trying to keep busy, the only thing is I feel so very old and very tired all the time.

Vey dull and damp today, the meal tonight will be indoors.

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/201907/medium-511064-ca3fa176-1a39-469b-8c23-bd81881b3da9.jpeg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/201907/medium-392670-e9ca5d96-41a3-4136-98d1-25e32b13cd0a.jpeg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/201907/medium-239024-8e037a21-7de7-47fe-888b-d8c0ff9fd49f.jpeg

Ouch callgirl your poor daughter hope her knee injury proves to be less serious than she fears. Good news on your sons scan result. Fabulous hollyhocks corner, at first glance I thought they were foxgloves, they too seem stunning this year.

Good on you maw, it’s a big thing to plan a holiday without Paw. I like to think that “come the day” I’d be able to do the same but who knows. Ann, hoping for sunshine for you tomorrow, in all senses of the word! How is your lovely gd now?

Galen hope your wound is beginning to heal now. I’m keeping an eye on the back of my hand which had a disagreement with a disgruntled bee when I was gardening yesterday... serves me right for getting the secateurs too close to the lavender.

More lovely babies to admire... sigh... serious baby envy here! soop it’s always worth putting other things aside in favour of a guid auld blether with a pal.

We went off to enjoy a walk in a favourite spot today, for once managing to remember the combination of my camera and the bag of bird food, in the hope of watching some nuthatches feeding. Fat chance, a little group of rather plump squirrels monopolised the fodder
so the nuthatches didn’t stand a chance! Never mind we enjoyed the walk and their antics.

On our way back we stopped in a favourite cafe for coffee/cake. My old boy was looking out the window and watched a couple waiting at the bus stop opposite try in vain to stop the small bus leaving without them! This particular service is only every few hours so we knew they’d have a long wait for another one. He went across and offered them a lift to the nearest town, which they gratefully accepted. Turned out they were American visitors, they were expected a regular sized bus not something that was more like an oversized minibus with nothing on it to indicate what it was. It had pulled up slightly in front of the stop, goodness knows why the driver hadn’t asked if they were waiting! Anyway we were more than happy to help out, we took them back via a more scenic route than the bus and commented that we were actually kidnapping them. At that point it went a bit quiet in the back, until they realised it was a joke and we then enjoyed an interesting conversation!

Apologies to all I’ve forgotten, as always toya and wishing you all a restful nights refreshing sleep. x

Just heard from daughter 2 at the hospital, daughter 2 has not broken her knee, but there is a hairline fracture of it. They`re either going to strap it up or put it in plaster, either way it`s for 6 weeks. Apparently she still thinks she can go to London, so we`ll have to see.
Mcem, xx

Sorry ladies for an unkitchen-like post which it seems, was reported and subsequently deleted. As expected my wrist was duly slapped!
Apparently suggesting that we support the victims of unsympathetic and bullying posts is "not in the spirit of GN". We must not stand up to bullies but posting unsympathetic and bullying comments is acceptable.
My apology is directed to the peaceful souls who don't like contention but is not for the nasties!
You know who you are!

callgirl that’s wonderful!

Enjoy your meal tomorrow Ann, hope the weather stays kind.
Daughter 3 was paying for the London trip next week, including the theatre visit, she`s even booked us in at the Waldorf Hilton, but now we hear she may not be able to go as she`s fallen off a ladder and may have broken her knee. She says she wants us still to go, so as not to let it go to waste, but it won`t feel right without her. Hopefully the knee won`t be broken after she`s had an x-ray, but still waiting to hear.
MawB, you`re braver than me!
Corner, lovely photo, but I would have loved the planes as well.
TOYA! xx

ann, I was the one who mentioned 'cold shouldering' and I've just checked to see if it's still there. It is. So it looks as if someone reported mcem's post about 'blackballing' and overlooked mine.
So pleased for your son, callgirl. That's a great weight off your mind and now you can enjoy your visit to London.