Soop's kind, caring and sharing kitchen.

chicken I am delighted to hear that Baker has managed to eat something even if you are walking behind him with cloths or even a bucket and a mop! Trust him to want to go out but it shows he wants to and is not lying down totally listless. I hope he and yourselves sleep well tonight and he is brighter tomorrow.

Dragonfly at least by some minor miracle you managed to receive the chemo today.
TOYA

So glad your hospital appointment went well today dragonfly.

And that Baker is finally home with you*chicken*.

We went to the Trafford Centre today. I managed 2 hours in total which is a record for me. I got the things on my list I wanted (too boring to mention) and my husband had a splurge which was unusual! Carpe diem I think.

We’ve been home a while, had tea and biscuits a couple of hours ago and we are hungry now. Just decided to go out to eat. I like spontaneity.

I’m off to put some lippy on. Which will come off anyway on my wine glass so why do I bother?
???

Have a pleasant evening everyone. Anything good on the television that I’ll be missing??

What cheering news chicken home really is best.
We will continue to send good vibes that he will make a good recovery.

Update re Baker---he's home!!! The vets decided that he might show more interest in eating at home so he's here as a trial' We collected him this afternoon, sneezing and snuffling, shaking his head and spraying s**t everywhere, but he's quite calm now and has snuffled and snorted his way through a small saucerfull of sloshy food, so we are delighted. He, being an outdoor cat, wants to go out, but no way until he is fully recovered (fingers and toes crossed).

Thanks to all of you who have been cheering him on through this beastly illness---it has been such a comfort.

TOYA especially dragonfly today.

dragonfly Rest!

I am logging off for today. Hoping that Baker continues to improve. I shall return to catch up with you all tomorrow.

Finally got a date for the PICC line on the day before my next chemo. The nurse fitting the canula today blew the vein so she had to get the head pancho to try again. Fortunately he managed to get it to work.
Only two more!

Hope Baker continues to improve.

Doodle Our Galen has frogspawn because the frogs know on which pond to frolic.

Maw Are you perhaps a fan of 'Dads' Army'? We are.

I am about to clear the decks in our multi-use spare room. I have been inspired to paint a portrait of a very beautiful boy cat.

We met a lady in Tesco who lives just outside our village. She is lucky to have Brodie, the feral cat we were told had died call at her home, not too far from the farm on which he once lived. She and other neighbours feed him. It's better that he doesn't need to tramp along the road to our home...two miles further on, so we'll be donating all the food that we've been storing "just in case".

anno I love my bedsocks. Have three pairs in bright colours. Very sassy!

Nannylovesshopping corner Ann I am also made to feel especially happy whenever I see new buds and such in our garden. The very thought of springtime is a tonic that we all need at this time of the year.

dragonfly

N&G Lucky grandchildren. If I had a choice, I'd "come back" as one of them...or one of our lucky much-loved pets.
Sorry about your boiler. It is a bitter wind that is blowing in Kintyre. Wrap up warm. Wearing layers is a good plan.

Wise advice, Galen

The problem with the car is due to - ta dah...potholes again. One of the steering links is malfunctioning. Garage to order replacement. Car to spend a few hours back in the garage for the umpteenth time this year. It's all so bloody costly. The potholes cannot be avoided every time they unexpectedly leap in front of the car. Only one thing for it...grit teeth, force a grin and go to the pictures.

The care home has a few cases of flu both with staff and residents. The notice on the door forewarned us. We left our pal's weekly hand of bananas with reception with a message. McS should not risk such an infection as his immune system is compromised. We therefore had coffee (and cake) instead.

"Our brave" Baker refuses to give up the good fight. I am beginning to feel more hopeful that he will, in due course, recover. Go for it, Baker.

The boiler may not need replacing at all.
Have you checked the pressure?
If it is relatively new, the electrics may need replacing (I can’t remember the precise name, but we paid about £600 a few years ago) for a new circuit board/mother board or some such.
Do you have a contract?
Don’t panic!

Temp now down to 21 but still pleasant.
The sun has disappeared.

Looking at the climbing rose covered in buds and discovered yesterday the Montana is budding so big smiles here too. Camelia is is full of buds, no colour yet. The forsythia is stubbornly not showing colour which makes me wonder if there’s some nasty weather to come. Probably being daft. Enjoy the warm conservatory ann, no better place.

Oh annsixty I so get that, I am almost delirious when I find the tiniest first buds on my grape vines, also I have first camellia bud unfurling, doesn’t take much to please me?

ann no- they are twice the width. They are marginally longer also but not the length of a bolster.

I am so chuffed, my S bought me a Corylus Red Majestic in the autumn and it was placed still in its pot out of my sight and I forgot all about it.
When my S was doing some tidying up recently, he found it, blown over and practically out of the pot, it looked very dead.
I just noticed it from the conservatory window, the only place and I can see it from and there are the tiniest signs of buds.
It doesn’t take much to make me happy.

Good morning all.
I am still in my dressing gown, don’t ask, but it is such a beautiful day here in Stockport, is this the calm before the storm? I do hope not.
Molly stood by the door into the conservatory, they know things these cats, and I was astonished to find the temperature is 27degrees.
It faces due east and is lovely for breakfast but I didn’t expect it to be so warm in Feb, so I made myself a cup of tea and am enjoying it.
Charlie do you mean the pillowcases were twice the length?
That brings back memories of the bolsters people had on double beds when I was a child.
I think the cases were open at both ends.
TOYA and especially Dragonfly on her treatment day.

OMG N&G that is horrendous. Is it old and you will be finding part time work to pay for its replacement or do you think it possibly could be fixed? It could have had the decency and chosen the end of March when hopefully it will be warmer.

It is -2C here- too cold for Tara to go out yet so she has been walking all over me. I refused to get out of bed at 5am at her bidding so she was not overly pleased I did not move until after 8am. At least the sun is out here.

I bought a lovely duvet cover online yesterday but the pillow cases are double size- I have never heard of that in my life- have I led too sheltered an existence?

I will wait until the sun melts the frost off my car-I cannot get my hands cold defrosting the windows, can I?
TOYA

Morning all,

A flying visit as we are off down south , Grampy to an old colleagues funeral and me a day filled with grandchildren and such .

It’s lucky really as it’s a cold and frosty one here and the boiler has packed up!! It’s a bit nippy ???

I e ordered my magnesium spray although last night was cramp free!

Hope you got some sleep Corner . I’ll be back when we’re home and I’ve thawed out !!

Good to hear hopeful news about baker, chicken and how pleased you must have been to hear about brodie, soop. Sorry the car is a worry, pot holes are a menace,

Wonderful sunny day here encouraged a beach walk, good to be outside, stamina definitely needs building. It was good for the soul as are the snowdrops soop and your stag photo n&g, ‘he’ certainly does look real. How wonderful for flynn, maw. So exciting.

I’m another who will try magnesium for night cramps, so far tonic hasn’t done the trick.

I should be asleep, not the slightest bit tired so will settle with my book.

TOYA, sleep well everyone.

chicken I wonder what type of infection that little mite has. He is definitely hanging on if he managed and obviously enjoyed licking the spoon. I do hope that now he has been tube fed he has perhaps turned the corner. It is so worrying for you that he is so ill.

Tara has spent the evening lounging on the back of my chair- I think she is willing me to have a shower and go to bed although it is very early.
TOYA

The GP told me the same thing, Galen but said I couldn't get tonic water on prescription. However, I found that wearing bedsocks stopped the night cramps in my feet.

Cramps!
Another thing that can help is quinine containing tonic water (with or without gin)
Fever tree is good