Soop's new kitchen being built while she's absent!

You have echoed my rather uncomfortable thoughts n&g and synonymous. Not about my parents who were usually close by but my lovely mother in law who was across the country and never once complained. It would be so different now, easy for her to see and feel more part of the chaos that was our family, but we can't turn clocks back.

What a beginning to your holiday Izabella, please stay well now.

Well done greyd, your secret to a harmonious family meal would be much appreciated . I've just donned my negotiation hat around a post Christmas family day. Call it the triumph of hope over experience. I do wonder sometimes how so many different personalities found their way into one small family, can't please them all.

Good to see you looking relaxed ann. I had a thoroughly enjoyable catch up with a GN friend today, no alcohol though . We must try to do better

I truly must get on with the admin. boring but necessary.

TOYA, take care everyone.

Afternoon Kitcheners !!

Just arrived home after a festive morning at a nearby Farm shop where we stocked up on local cheese and hand made chocolate. That's me sorted then !!

Syn I wholeheartedly agree with you ! I wish I had been a 'better' daughter but hope I did the best I could. Hindsight eh?

Have a cocktail for me Ann !!

We know the travelling for these parties is time limited Anno which is why we do it I guess. I have to say this was not the best party , as it was very busy , for the first time he had lots of friends as well as family and he was so excited we barely had a moment with him. I think from here on in we will go the week before or the week after and get some quality time in for the 200 mile round trip :-)

Those teeth have taken on a life of their own Grey LOL.

Sorry to hear your holiday started with blue lights Izabella !

I can understand how low you feel about not seeing the GC over Christmas Dragonfly. Would it help to just think about holding a whole new Christmas in January? Id go the whole hog , crackers and everything. Maybe having something to look forward to will help.

I am off to do some laundry reluctantly , not my favourite thing but will pop back later xx

Good morning Kitcheners! Such a lovely day, sunny and calm, that it was hardly surprising that Smokie demanded to be let out especially as he stayed in for most of the weekend; he must be learning commonsense.

What a kerfuffle Izabella poor you! Now that you have ticked Aussie hospitals off your list please don't do it again! Hope you both feel rested and recovered after all that and can now resume a more stately progress and enjoy the rest of your trip.

GreyD I am hoping that our family will be as helpful over Christmas - in fact they generally are and I am counting on it as we just can't do it anyway. It is great to see them managing everything so beautifully.

Dragonfly such a blessing that you are tolerating the chemo so well that you are being given more "ammunition" to fire at those rogue cells. Concentrate on that aspect and you will have many more Christmases to come I am sure. Hoping that you stay as well as possible through it all.

I was just thinking that modern technology helps so much at Christmas nowadays and we can be part of the DGC's lives as never before. I recall that it was very rare that my parents were able to be with us for Christmas and we usually had to walk a long way to a phone box just to wish them a Happy Christmas and it was quite expensive. Gives me quite a pang to think of it all now but it was 'what it was' at the time and we just got on with it. I wish I had been a much better letter writer than I was, I should have done so much more. As a young mum, up to the neck in it all, you just don't realise what it can mean to a Grandparent at the time.

I am sorry to log in to find some sad stories from our kitcheners.
Izabella I hope you recover to enjoy the rest of your holida
Such a long way to go to be ill.
The Panache’s situation continues to be a worry.
I feel guilty to say I am on a jolly in Nottingham with my GD, she returns to work on Wed after her tonsillectomy.
This is me indulging in one of my favourite cocktails.

Oh Izabella, what a dramatic start to your holiday. It was a good test of the Australian health system which they have passed with flying colours. That takes a bit of beating for sight-seeing! Glad you are now back in your lakeside refuge and able to take it easy.
N&G, you are such stalwarts, up and down to your GSs' parties. Enjoy them while they are still young enough. I had to give up when DS2 was 7. Those boys were unbelievably noisy and my then kittens were terrified!
I created my usual havoc in the kitchen last night making ginger shortbreads for the Women's Register party on Wednesday. A messy and sticky job, chopping up stem ginger! Just as well I rarely have reason to do any baking. Why can some people (DS1, for example) make delicious cakes and bread and leave the worktops (and floor!) clean and tidy? I really need a minder!
Poor soop, internet deprivation is probably a recognised 'syndrome' nowadays! For us, her absence is certainly a deprivation.
Haste ye back, soop.

Good morning kitchen.
Hope soop will be back with us soon.
All quiet here in Brittany, apart from gale force winds. Still struggling to post regularly but should be back to normal soon, I hope.
Thank you baggs for doing the honours and opening the kitchen and also, sending a 'hello' and welcome to Inkcog,
Missing posting very much but TOYA
???

Izabella I hope you are able to enjoy the rest of your trip without anymore hospital visits.

soop we are missing your very wise counsel in the kitchen.

Dragonfly Look forward to having your special day with the GC in January.

Panache thinking of you

Sorry about the lack of paragraphs!!

Hello the kitchen. Still no Soop? She must be chewing the carpet by now!
Welcome to Pantglas and Inkcog to a great, inclusive place.
N&G that’s a smashing cake, and it doesn’t seem five minutes since we were discussing Jackson’s financial negotiations with the tooth fairy and here he is with two rather splendid new front teeth! Glad his day went well!
Izabella you sound as if you have been in the wars - sure that didn’t figure in your holiday plans, but glad to hear you are back on track??.
Dragonfly I can imagine your sadness. Christmas is a magical time to be with our GC, but hang onto the thought that you are doing so well and are going through this so that you will have many more happy Christmases to spend with them. ?
We had a very busy lunch with the family yesterday and still have a lot of clearing up to so this morning, but I am shoving it into the background for at least the length of time it takes me to drink another coffee! It was lovely to see them all and we had a very happy time, but we heaved a big sigh of relief when they all took to the road again! I was grateful for DS’s intervention in the cooking because these days I get to a stage where everything is going swimmingly and then my timings all fall apart at the last minute so an extra pair of expert hands came in useful. (No good asking DD, who would take one look at the culinary chaos and back away in horror! She doesn’t do culinary chaos - it simply isn’t allowed). He was telling me about a dinner party menu he is cooking next weekend for friends and it sounds extremely complicated and elaborate. Sooner him than me! Being at the mercy of a simple roast turkey was enough for me! Space was at a premium in our dining room and of course, when everyone had started eating, GS decided he had to go to the bathroom, so four of us had to vacate our chairs to let him out! And then, after what seemed an interminable length of time, vacate our chairs to let him back in! He was not flavour of the month! But it was a very jolly gathering and for a change any frost was confined to the Christmas cards!
Okay, I suppose I had better show willing now! I will look in later. TOYA.

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/201912/medium-951607-48f5d15a-d1ac-43a5-8c00-0705bf06ac5c.jpg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/201912/medium-590750-44848b22-fb37-4159-9be6-3b7ec3cc2832.jpg

First stop Hobart on the ward after Resus then Latrobe after resus

Well I finally have time to resume some semblance of normality. Things have been far from normal since landing in Oz. In Hobart we had a squad of paramdeics in the hotel room (aparently) I cant remember anything) Blue light job to Hobart Royal resus (cant remember much of that either) then very attentive doctors and staff, one of the former staying with me throughout. Nebulisers x 3 steroids and X rays plus admission followed by eventual release.

We got as far as Latrobe and - yes - back to resus for more nebulisers, xrays and so on. We are now back in our lakeside cabin both feeling exhausted.

Before we left homer friends said, how wonderful you are making one last trip over there. Make sure you see everything you havnt seen before. Well not doing too badly as not been to hospital in Oz before !! I have to say the care has been exemplary both to me and Mr. Izabella aka current husband whose blood pressure I am sure is a tad raised at the moment

I shall endevour to catch up with all the posts but as I havnt any post it notes with me, please forgive me if I dont comment..

You will always be welcome pantglas especially by me coz I am greedy ?
I too am worried about the panaches. Hope they are both ok.
kitty that’s so sad about your friend and so young too.
izabella lovely photos. Hope you are enjoyiing yourself.
dragonfly good news about your treatment. Sorry about the DGC. Can you FaceTime (I know it’s not the same but better than nothing)
soop must be missing us all (well I hope so ?). We’ll keep the home fires burning till you return to us dear soop.
TOYA?

Hello everyone- just popped in because someone’s left a light on in the pantry so thought I’d leave some mince pies for those around later - enjoy!

Have loved it, the welcome from all on this thread - how lovely you all are, wish I’d brought my produce here sooner! Don’t forget to leave empty jars/plates for refilling! X

We are going to a special grandparent's showing of dgds 2 & 3 Christmas offering - 9.30 am in Hemel Hempstead! Weve decided to stay overnight or we'd have to leave about 5 am to beat the motorway traffic

Evening All. One of those days that disappears with nothing at all accomplished. Oh well, tomorrow is another day as my Mum was fond of saying.

That’s hard kitty. Maybe try to think how positive your daughters friend is being, he’s achieving so much for others. I do agree though those unexpected trip wire reminders are hard,

I’m sorry it seems as if there is no end dragonfly. It may not feel like it but being told 8 sessions because you’re strong is so positive. I do understand your upset though, Christmas Day is extra special if we can be with children and of course you were expecting to. For this year plan a special day in January, something to look forward to for everyone.

I’ve also sent a pm to panache but no reply. Hard not to worry now.

Doesn’t 8 years pass in a flash n&g? A handsome young man. We’ve been invited to ‘Christmas singing’ by our youngest. His first Christmas in school so how could we say no, even though it means an unreasonably early start. Who thought it a good idea to have a Christmas concert first thing in the morning? Not us that’s for sure .

I’m still a bit frazzled and full of anticipatory worry but coping oh so much better than I did. A long telephone chat with the friend recovering from a brain bleed cheered me today. Her concentration is so much better this week, lots of hope for her.

TOYA, take care everyone.

It's the little things that tip us over isnt it dragonfly? But, much better to have you healthy in January and your presents wont get lost in the general hubbub on Christmas Day.

I've been a bit down today about DD2's friend with MND. I think I mentioned him previously. He was 38, big, handsome, a bit cheeky but lovely with it. He has started a charity for MND and for the hospice where he goes to a group. I keep getting updates on my fb feed. Obviously, I cant stop following him but I hate to keep being reminded too.

Lovely photos Izabella, I hope you are having a super time.

I'm hoping to hear from panache too and hoping to see soop back in her kitchen.

TOYA

Welcome to the kitchen Pantglas. I see you most mornings.

Lovely pictures Izabella I hope you enjoy your time there.

Good news about your hip Ann not too long to think about it.

I too am worried about the Panaches.

I am going into my low week after chemo on Friday. I shed a tear today as my schedule means I cannot see the DGC over Christmas. They won’t get their presents until January. Generally very positive but I cannot see an end to it. As I am coping so well I am having 8 sessions instead of 6! My DD says I am tough!

I am having a lazy day on the sofa after a very busy week.

I now have to go and put the pork in the oven (won’t take long as only a small piece as it’s just us two).

Slowly getting used to the quiet house, miss D and GC but they are happy and settled in their new home which is a comfort.

Worrying not to hear from Panache, hopefully she is reading but not posting - sending good wishes to them both.

TOYA ??

Bellanonna there is little wine left- I cannot waste it!

I have written 3 more Christmas cards- at this rate, I will be in time for next year. I really cannot be bothered.
TOYA

I keep popping in for news of Panache. Would HQ be able to investigate?

Charleygirl I did PM Panache, but no reply. It is concerning now.

Hope you sleep better tonight, CG! Maybe no ??

A howling gale and heavy rain were forecast here but we have a mild day with sunshine.

I had slightly too much wine last night so had mega problems sleeping. Tara did not object- she joined me for cuddles when I was reading my book.

Beautiful photos N&G and Izabella.

I am seriously worried about the Panaches- is anybody in touch?
TOYA

ann, good news about the hip replacement. A decisive consultant and an early appointment to have it done! I've pm'd you.
Izabella, what lovely pictures of Tasmania and those roses. I understand that Tasmania has a climate similar to NZ - lovely summer weather to be enjoyed - and luckily far enough from the rest of Australia to be well away from the awful atmosphere created by the catastrophic bush fires.
Enjoy your rest and relaxation - and please let us have more pictures of your idyllic environment.

Rant away synonymous, we all need to at times.

Lovely photos Izabella, blue sky here this morning with a howling gale so no plans to venture out.

TOYA

Sorry for the rant!