Soop's welcoming kitchen for the sharing of...

Charleygirl not only can I sit down, but I can bend down to reach bottom shelf in the wardrobe. Obviously the banana bread, biscuit and white wine diet is working ?

I’m cross as my tomato plants arrived from TandM badly packed and after a long time in transit——- dead and broken.

Galen, I have had just the same experience with plants from T&M which were poorly packaged, delivered by Yodel, and left on the doorstep in the rain. I emailed T&M and suggested that they change their courier and got a rather 'dusty' reply.
Sorry about your expensive knickers. I buy the cheaper ones in packs of three and they last for years!
I had a lovely surprise this morning when a friend from our NWR group turned up with a bunch of cream roses.

galen were you expecting anyone........in your nice expensive knickers ?

Good point charleygirl I hadn’t thought of that ?

Doodle at our time of life we really should not be wasting money when certainly in my case- having a visual impairment is an asset- I do not see the dust etc.

My cats are....well, just naughty. They sit outside and often put their noses right up against the frogs. Then a sort of frog stand-off occurs. Nobody moves. If the frog croaks, they have such loud voices (heard through the double glazing, I kid you not) that one croak will make a cat jump. Then they are back in the same position again. Only once occasionally does a paw come out to give a gentle nudge. The dogs do the same.

Am longing for the time to pass so we can indulge in a wonderful supper. Good wine, pâté, filet steak stroganoff and Banoffee Pie. My DH is having a lockdown birthday so we are trying to make an effort. Bigger things will be planned when our escape has finally been made. Started off grey skies but now sunshine, although surprisingly chilly today for April. This time last year we had a boozy picnic on the beach and a theatre trip in the evening. Wonderful.

It does seem that the dolphins are approaching the local beaches and are often within 500 metres, due to the silence and peace. (Local Gendarmes have reported this).

Envy you the skinny jeans, GrannyGravy - I'm going to have to be like Hannibal crossing the Alps... in both directions.... fairly soon, if I am to lose the lockdown pounds gained. In my defence, however, I HAVE to indulge today - it's a special day after all.

M&S knickers ? I thought they were indestructible. Any problems with them, let me know, I have a relative who dresses windows for good old M&S, she's always up for a complaint or two!!

Have a wonderful end to Saturday, whatever you are doing. When you emerge from your garden trenches, Soop, enjoy that cuppa and feet up (both of you!). xx

Doodle I’m in lockdown!
T&M have just phoned to say sorry and they’re replacing the plants.
M&S are being difficult about the knickers. Had to send them a photo of the label.
Watch this space

Years ago, an old friend used to make us laugh by saying he "started out in ladies underwear". He then went on and trained in all M&S departments, including wine buying, over some years. He left but years later returned as C.E.O., and turned the place around. Think that they are on a downward trajectory now but I can't believe they would play fast and loose - especially given their generous returns policy etc., We shall definitely watch this space and no doubt you will have knickers in abundance to show off once we are free again. Maybe like Superman, you'll have to wear them over your clothes so people can be wowed by all that M&S wonderfulness. Good luck !

Grandmafrench I hope you and your DH are enjoying his birthday and especially the Bannoffie pie. Sounds lovely. I wrote a post to send him birthday wishes yesterday on another thread but like a lot of our current internet capability, I think it is somewhere in the ether. Xxx

Galen, very glad T&M are sorting the Tom plants. I can't live without trying to grow tomatoes every year. For a change will be attempting to grow Black Russian heirloom this year!!

Dear soop, another wonderful sunset, thank you xxx
Dear kitchen, TOYA xxx

Grandmafrench Your post made me laugh. Thank you.
A very happy "lockdown birthday celebration" to your husband.

Galen I also like your knicker post. We shall keep an eye on developments.

Garden looking good. MacS took photo of me in my finery. The phormium (at the rear) is one of the grandest shrubs in our garden.

It's a good time to log off for today. A smile or two helps us lot to continue to cope as best we can.

Thinking of you ALL. moon]

Carillion DH says how very kind and thoughtful....so thank you.
Sun has come out this afternoon. I am sending a photo of that pie, help yourself quickly before it disappears, please.
Soop lovely photograph. And that view.............!!!! If that "finery" is your scrabbling- around -in- the- garden wear, I'm going to have to up my game. The last month of lockdown - oh dear. FatBoy sends love and DH says you are a star.
Happy and relaxed and stress free evening to you all. xx

Aah so that's how your cats annoy the frogs Grandmafrench . 'Happy Birthday' to your DH.

That's very impressive Grannygravy I'll have to give the biscuit, banana bread and diet a go. Do you think it will be successful if the wine is red?

Reminds me of a friend years ago who wore very tight jeans. So tight she had to lie down and get her twin sister to do them up, then spent the entire evening standing because she couldn't sit down. She always wore really long false nails on a night out, so long that we had to open her purse for her!!.

Your garden is looking lovely soop all your hard work is certainly paying off.

Have a good evening everyone TOYA x

Love the knickers Galen and so sorry they are broken.

GG my skinny jeans are staying in the cupboard while we are on lock down. I love slopping around in joggers!

Good to see you back Cherry.

soop lovely garden. Our granddoggy has decimated mine. When he gets upset he runs over all the plants. Tonight, however, drops done, cone off, dinner eaten and cone back on. It was quite a challenge!!

Maw I visited Beth Chattos garden when my DD was working as a journalist in Southend. It was so lovely.

The Birthday Pie...save a piece for Susan and for Pantglas

Try again, with also a piece for Smileless and a thank you from DH

And a birthday pic of DH and Me (taken nearer the dawn of time)

Oooh thank you *Grandmafrench it looks lovely. I'll have to share it with Mr. S. What a fabulous photo, my mum's hair was that colour.

Snap Purplepixie today I made, guess what.., bacon quiche and an eggless cherry loaf ☺️
Carillion do those Black Russians grow with or without vodka? ?
What an attractive couple you and your DH make Grandmafrench, that's a lovely photo ❤️ Happy Birthday to your DH ??
The banoffee pie looks delicious and I'm sure it is for everyone who likes bananas. I've almost got a phobia of bananas, I think it comes from eating vast quantities of them as a child. I was a picky eater and bananas were one of the few foods I wouldn't turn down. The thought of them now.. My WP loves them though, especially on toast or with custard.

Thank you for the pie Grandmafrench?delicious and happy birthday to your husband.
Soop,I am so envious of your beautiful view.
Dragonfly,glad the drops went in successfully today??
TOYA

Happy Birthday to Mr.Grandmafrench beautiful photo!

soop you could do your own exhibition (when lockdown is over) of your wonderful captures of the evening sky. The latest one is so beautiful I'm thinking of printing it off (if you don't mind).
I'm glad you have had more success putting Dexter's drops in today dragonfly .
Hope little Henry is doing reasonably well today Susan

Thank you everyone who understood my need to take time out of this lovely kitchen. I didn't want to be mooching about being antisocial. I'd rather come in and say a cheery hello and ?I will be my usual glass half full because I don't like an empty glass.
TOYA ??

Grandmafrench, banoffie pie...de-lish xx
What a handsome couple and such a lovely photo. Enjoy the rest of the day xxx

All this talk about knickers is starting to worry me, after this lockdown will I fit in to any?

GG, I need to be able to get into skinny jeans. Haven't done that since I was nineteen years old and sat in a bath wearing 'shrink to fit' jeans. Happy Days, a thousand years ago.

Cherrychezz I'm working on us becoming ambassadors for heirloom vodka tomatoes, are you up for it?? Hope so! ???

Take care all. Xxxx

Snap again!! Carillion, when I was reading about GrannyGravy and her skinny jeans I was recalling the time I lay in the bath wearing my "shrink to fit" jeans. ??. Those certainly were the days as the saying goes. I'm up for some of those heirlooms ?

Wow grandmafrench your hair is beautiful. What a good looking couple. Lovely pie.