Soop's kind, caring and sharing kitchen.

Thank you all for kind words and suggestions. We will investigate lights.

Absolutely amazed with the care received so far. Referred one day, appointment the next day and preliminary visit completed. Seems a case discussion is involved, so we await the outcome.

Just back from a swim followed by shopping. Unpacked the chicken etc, and noted it to be a whole duck! ? Ah well, onwards ......

Am assuming Baker is continuing to improve?

Izabella--what an amazing journey you had, I would have been petrified. Re lamps for your CH---I bought one of those very expensive reading lamps but found it irritating in that the pool of illumination didn't cover the whole page when I was reading, so I was constantly having to move the book to be in the light. I then got a very much cheaper floor standing lamp from Coopers of Stortford which gives a good strong light, albeit the stand is a bit wobbly.

TOYA

Izabella my admiration for you knows no bounds, driving up steep hills in those conditions, and remembering your skid pan training too, intrepid doesn't even come close. You were kind enough to post a photo of some white snowdrops in the last kitchen, when I had said how I liked the white flowers you had posted from your holiday down under. Your DH kindly sent me the website so I could find them. He is a star.

Hope your daughter is better soon Callgirl, as Susan says, would it be worth going back to A&E to maybe have a second opinion on those X-rays? She cannot continue in pain poor thing.

Susan try not to worry, easier said than done I know. Sending best wishes to your daughter and little Matilda.

soop those photos look so painful, the colour of your eye is distinctly aubergine ?

chicken Need more info' please.

anno We are going to meet with youngest son and his lady friend in Edinburgh. I REALLY do not wish to have to cancel.

Just heard that more storms (less severe) are forecast for the weekend, and transport disruption is expected. I have booked to go to Scotland on Saturday so am appealing to the weather gods to look kindly on me. Fat chance!

dragonfly after that wallop (on concrete) I sat on the beach a "saw cyclists riding by" only there weren't any. MacS came looking for me. If he hadn't, I'd still be sitting there. I swear that the fall pushed my nose slightly out of joint. Anyway, after several weeks, I was back to being presentable.

Sorry to hear that many of you are dealing with weather-related buggerations. The hail storms are ferocious. After which, we are treated to a half-hearted watery dose of sunshine. And then...more of the cold wet stuff.

Susan Please keep us posted. You too, callgirl1 and Baggs and all of you who need TLC.

anno I believe the adverse weather conditions are playing tricks with the internet. Every so often our computer tells me to "log on" even though I've already done so and have been using the 'puter for some time.

JOJO60 Thank you for the good advice regarding buying bulbs.

Izabella

chicken Please see private message. I am hoping that Baker is continuing to improve day by day.

Away to empty the washing machine. Will return a little later.

Wow soop I bet that was extremely painful.

Previous photo after ten days. This one...immediately after.

Izabella when your husband who has developed dry AMD goes to the hospital to be seen by a doctor he should ask to be referred to the low vision clinic where they will be I think the best people to advise you. I received a magnifying glass for free but that was really all I needed.

TOYA

Something odd must have happened here last night. This morning I have found a lot of posts that have come in since my last, and yet, I checked for news before I went to bed - around 11pm - and could find none. Where were they hiding, I wonder.

Izabella these
www.serious.readers.com./
We have three-two floorstanding and one bedside . Paw’s sisters bought them for him as his eyesight had deteriorated and reading was his passion.
Fantastic for sewing, threading needles by, and anything that requires a good light.
There are cheaper on the market, but these are worth every penny.

Good morning all. Went for a lovely swim yesterday and came out to be greeted by snow. The trees sparkled and the contours of the hills were highlighted. The flakes were huge and falling delicately as if choosing their own specific spot to settle. Sound was deadened and all was calm and serene

BUT we live in a very hilly part of the shire and had to negotiate several very steep hills. We did - but mainly sideways. I was driving (CH now has vision problems) and although both memory and cognition are declining I remembered the skid pan training I had many years ago and we arrived back at base unscathed. Luckily the only other vehicle we encountered was an ambulance and the driver thankfully allowed us to slide gracefully whilst waiting at the bottom of the hill

Good to see you posting Lins and thank you for the update. I had been struggling to think what your particular buggerations are. I hope things improve. Baggs look after yourself. Make sure you see a physioterrorist as you need to maintain full range of movement when recovered

Looks like CH needs eye surgery. I am really concerned about his loss of VA which is quite extensive. He is so caring and kind and never crumbles I only hope I can step up to look after him.

Toya and May I share the blue sky and sunshine with everyone?

Incidentally if anyone has experience of good reading lamps for low vision please pm me. Thank you

Soop!stay indoors!we don’t want a repeat of that photo.
Callgirl,sorry you missed Strictly and hope that Lynne can get some relief from the pain.Probably the last thing you feel like doing but is it worth going back to A and E and seeing if the xrays can be reviewed?
Baggs,hope you are on the mend soon.
Lins?
Glad everyone,felines included are managing to stay safe in this stormy weather.
We are having a few buggerations ourselves?I had a call from the Drs surgery last Friday to say two urgent referrals had been made for me.I had one appointment within a couple of hours and have an appointment next Friday for an investigative procedure.All calls have been from the receptionist,haven’t spoken to the dr so don’t know what is in his mind.In the early hours my mind is imagining all sorts?
Our daughter is still unwell and then last night Matilda came out in a rash,literally covered in spots from head to toe.She is fine in herself so dr thinks some kind of allergic reaction.
Anyway,time to get a grip and get my positive hat on??
As I have said before,I am so grateful to the NHS.
TOYA and hoping that everyone unwell,undergoing treatment and with other worries all start to improve soon.x

oh golly cool girl that desperate day really puts my wounded shoulder in perspective I do hope Linz arm gets better soon

punctuation apologies again I'm dictating rather than typing and it doesn't seem to do punctuation
hold on though, it does if I actually say the punctuation mark as in 'full-stop'. Yay!

Good to see you again Lins, I hope yours and your husband`s buggerations soon start to improve.
Hope you`re soon back on form Baggs.
Soop, I well remember that photo, but if I remember rightly, wasn`t that taken after a slight improvement? I`m sure I remember another, more scary one?
Thank you for all your sympathies re my missing Strictly, but I couldn`t tickle off and leave Lynne in that state. What happened was that last week, daughter 3 took us to the hospital for Lynne`s rheumatology appointment. In trying to help her out of the car, Dawn accidentally pulled Lynne`s arm and there was a resounding crack! We thought it was broken, but Lynne said it was OK. However, on Friday night it became very swollen and painful, and by Saturday morning she was in agony. The paramedics thought it was broken, a doctor who saw her in the cubicle said "fracture", after x-rays the orthopaedic man said "fracture". After wrapping her arm and shoulder in a brace they took more x-rays, then after keeping us hanging round for about 2 more hours, we were told she was free to go home, that there was no fracture. She`s still in agony, and can hardly walk, because the bad arm is the one she uses for her walking stick, that she can`t use now. Altogether we were there for nearly 9 hours, and we`re really struggling at home.
Good to hear that Baker is doing OK. Also that Tara returned home, albeit a little damp! Mia came home from the cattery this afternoon, has hardly bothered with me since she got back.
Sorry to those I`ve missed, TOYA xxx

Thank you dragonfly for your good wishes for us, I hope things go well for you over the coming days.

Chicken it is good that the vet has identified what is causing Baker's lethargy. I'm sure he will thrive with your love and care.
As always soop I'm grateful for your kindness and understanding. I will gratefully accept the MacIntyre Tartan blanket, for my tootsies are always cold.

NanaandGrampy sadly there is no chance of shared custody I'm afraid. We are in bits.

Doodle thank you, our son is son is happier now.
corner you are indeed a good support to your friends'.

Storm Ciara is continuing to blow here and we have had very high tides, the moon in the early hours was beautiful though.
Wishing everyone a peaceful night and to those struggling - better times ahead.

Evening All. Blimey soop, that gave me a shock. Please, no repetitions. Be careful, very, very careful mature ladies don’t bounce

The flapjack is most welcome baggs, many thanks. I’ll pass on the banana bread, being kind to the others . Look after yourself, you don’t bounce either .

Horrid day here, really strong wind gusts, torrential rain, hailstones and thunder. The road I drove along to meet a GN friend was three quarters under water on the way back. Mr C has travelled that way this evening to a meeting. He left saying ‘I don’t know why you’re worried’ .

Flynn will remember that snow mawb, wonderful experience for him.

A hug for you lins, life throws more than custard pies sometimes. I’m so sorry callgirl, such a disappointment. Hope you sleep tonight feelingmyage, sleep can be horribly elusive when we need it the most.

There’s a bit of weight here, other than post Christmas. . . Lots of stressed messages heading my way from our young friend. Her husbands prognosis is not good at all. So hard to know how to respond. The friend recovering from a brain bleed is often down, so long distance cheering up and reassurance for her daughter. The family are having a bad patch too. I thought this year would be a relaxed one, that’ll learn me. If nothing else it makes me grateful that Mr C and I only have a cough to deal with.

I know I’ve missed many people, so my usual apologies. I’m determined to cull my shoes while Mr C is out, wish me luck.

TOYA, stay safe everyone.

Kittylester - I struggle to grow snowdrops too, but I found out that they dont like to dry out too much in the summer and I had planted them in a very sunny spot. Also they are easier to grow when the bulbs are 'in the green' which means bulbs that are already growing and have leaves rather than the dry bulbs you buy in the shops. I hope this helps.

Just read Tara is home. Good girl ?

lins sorry for your troubles and worry. Hope your DS is ok. It is always a sad time. Hope you and Mr Lins get better soon. Worry does not help healing so hope for things to improve for you all.
Baggs hope you are on the mend soon.
Tara return home at once. It makes no sense to be out in this weather.
TOYA ?

Baggs so sorry to hear about the shoulder buggeration. Kind of you to leave the banana and walnut bread- as there is a banana loaf there already, I may filch yours for myself, knowing it is calorie free.

Lins you and Mr. Lyns have had more than your share of buggerations.

chicken Tara came home about an hour earlier than usual, only I think because she resembled a drooked rat. She has had food so no doubt is drying off on my bed or maybe on the chair in my bedroom which is conveniently beside the radiator.

At least Baker will be stress-free- his poor mum can vouch for that because she certainly is not.
TOYA

Thank you for the get well wishes, much appreciated. My shoulder isn't all that bad really, all things considered? It's other things that are a nuisance. Re the shoulder though I'm going to have to get a sick note for work for the first time in my life!

Glad your internet connection rejoined itself, soop.

sending in another tin of flapjack and also some banana and walnut bread you'll have to excuse the punctuation because I'm dictating rather than typing with one hand good wishes to everybody who's got problems and I know may miss the rooms to deal with

ha ha ! that should be "oh me miserums"! TOYA

Evening all !

We've had the remainder of the high winds today- Hello Storm Ciara - goodbye fence ! Then we've had extended hail storms and to top it off we cant get tot the bathroom of the kitchen for 3 more hours until the flooring leveller stuff has 'gone off' !!!

Its no fun here at all !

Thanks for the banana bread Chicken my favourite !! And at least you know about Baker now so you can deal with it- hope he is still showing signs of improvement .

Oh Lins that's a lot of buggerations for anyone to bear. Im so sorry to hear about the lovely little dog . No chance of shared custody?

Poor you Baggs , hope you are taking good care of your shoulder and it improves quickly . Meanwhile - if you feel the urge to make more flapjacks :-)

I love the snow pictures Maw , it is awesomely cold in Minnesota. When I was living there I was advised to always wear tights under trousers and then socks because any exposed skin froze, so air going up your trouser leg was to be avoided at all costs.

I'm another one that got a shock at the sight of your photo Soop !!

Right before it gets dark, Grampy needs to climb the fence, jump the ditch and go and retrieve the darn birdbath that sailed over there in the wind yesterday !!

And Im counting down the minutes until I can have a cuppa- pass that Banana bread please !!

Stress free