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

corner thanks- that also is sensible. I am no gardener.

Cherry?x

Maw, surely it's only a couple of years since you were telling us of Flynn's arrival! I can't believe how quickly time passes in this kitchen where babies become schoolkids in no time at all. I can't believe that I have two 6ft+ grandsons and another likely to catch them up. I can't wait to see them and have to crane my neck to look up at them. DGD2 is disgusted because she is by far the shortest of the family - at 17 - even shorter than me.
I managed to scrape together the ingredients for flapjack this week and gave most of it to my neighbours' little girls. They liked it so much that I'll have to request more brown sugar when their mum next goes to Waitrose. Today it was lemon curd which has turned out well. The last lot had a lime in it which made it more bitter, so won't try that again.
That pool looks more than inviting, Grandmafrench. I wouldn't mind a dip in it - could use some hydrotherapy at the moment, getting older and stiffer by the day.
Susan, it must be a relief that Henry is developing so normally in spite of his problems. He certainly sounds as if he has plenty of energy, ready for mischief!
Fatigue hit me this afternoon and I dropped off in the chair instead of going for a lie-down. Fortunately I didn't have a mug of tea in my hand at the time - that was Monday's misfortune! My laptop took a day or two to recover.
Have a good weekend, everyone. Today has been cold here in Cheshire, but I gather that an improvement is on the way.

That was bad luck Anno! You did well to get the laptop going again - they don’t usually respond well to hot drinks!?

Good afternoon lovely peoples.

We've had a good shower or rain and now the sun is shining.

I've decided to take a day away from garden duty. Plenty of ironing and polishing to do. after which, I may put my feet up and read. Why not? Us lot are not robots. We can choose to spend our time as we wish. So there...

Well done Soop! A good decision I think. We are pottering - a bit of this and a bit of that. Our quiz round on mountains is written. The ironing is done and the kitchen cleared. Coffee time I think.

Well it is a bit chilly here, very cloudy.

I have come upstairs to calm down I have been on the Boots app for over an hour placing an order only to be frozen out after putting in the one time only code from bank

I went straight onto Amazon all ordered within 5 minutes and cheaper, I do wish Boots would sort out its website/app I am sure that I cannot be the only dissatisfied customer.

It's good that Henry is thriving despite his food problems susan

soop take it easy with the housework it will still be there next week ???

Wishing all kitcheners a safe and peaceful Saturday ?

Nannytopsy and GrannyGravy

Next time I say I’ve had a good idea please tell me to go and lie down until it passes

Putting paper away last week it occurred to me my filing system is one I understand but anyone else wouldn’t have a chance. Full of hope new files were ordered. The table in our newly painted conservatory is now covered I. heaps of not quite organised paper. Having stopped for lunch do I want to begin again? Err, of course not! Should I carry on? Definitely! Will I? Not sure

If you never see me again I’m in hiding from the paper.

I did exactly the same earlier in the week grannyg. Frustrating isn’t it?

Rest if you need to anno. You were lucky with your laptop. Enjoy your feet up session soop. Envious? Me? Oh yes .

Lovely photos everybody and another cracking sunset soop.
I am feeling much happier now that we have managed to conquer zoom as it is so lovely to see the family even if not in the flesh.
Last week we did the "Thunder birds are go" kind of thing, getting in the car with the tea basket, used the garage door remote, and disappeared into the hills. We sat listening to the water gently lapping on the stones, the birds singing and saw many butterflies bouncing around on the blossom of a wild chery tree and then flitting about together in a gentle breeze. We could feel the tensions just draining out which was very good for us. We didn't see anybody coming or going and didn't get arrested either! I know we have been told to stay at home but I am well aware of what to avoid and how to do it and are sufficiently out of the way in any case. It did us so much good!
I couldn't even begin to respond to all the posts whizzing into the kitchen so will just say TOYA

corner...no pain, no gain...or so it's said. You will conquer the paper mountain. I says so.

Synonymous Your post transported me to such a glorious location, I feel that I know it well.

I am lack-lustre. Done jobs around the house but didn't enjoy the exercise half as much as I enjoy the garden. I'm a strange lady.

A very close relative - mid 80s - with a multitude of poor health issues, is in hospital with Covid. We are being updated. His wife has a form of dementia and has carers going in every day. His personal carer also has the virus. All very unsettling. Every time the phone rings, my heart misses a beat.

Please continue to take care of yourselves. In the morning, all being well, I shall return to share time with you.

Oh soop, a worrying time and yes, it is very unsettling. I’m hoping your relation will come through it as well as our friend has. .

Good morning from a sunny Portugal with a temperature of 26⁰ forecast for today. It looks as though the rain has finally left and we are back to more normal weather for May.

Thank you everyone for your kind thoughts about my pain and your good wishes for our wedding anniversary. Firstly it may be too early to say but while I still have pain it is not as bad as it was. This is the 3rd day so fingers crossed. Our anniversary didnt go quite as planned but we went out on Wednesday instead. I had developed a pressure sore on my bot and my lovely Portuguese friend who comes to help had put on a hydrocolloid dressing on the sore and had said she would come on Tuesday morning to check on it. In the end she did not come until 5.30 as her husband had gone to help a friend fell some trees. She seems very wary about using the phone bless her. Anyway the good news is the sore has now healed. So on Wednesday we went to Figueira da Foz which is a seaside resort about 20 miles north of us so DH could do some shopping. Like lovely unsalted Brittany butter and French ham from the E leClerc supermarket there.

It's lovely to see the photos of your grandbabies so I thought I would add a few of my greatgrandchildren. First is my great grandson Flynn who had his third birthday two weeks before his baby sister Ruby was born (picture 3) in April. Picture 2 is my greatgranddaughter Violet who was born in February. The daddies of these 3 are brothers.
I am sorry to hear about your relative Soop it must be so worrying when you know they already have many health problems.
Good to know that your darling little Henry is developing well despite his food problems. My DGD had similar problems with her little boy Cian when he was a baby and it seemed to take forever to find out the cause. Now he is a bouncy 7 year old into everything.
I certainly have pool envy GrandmaFrench as we don't have one here.
It was lovely to see the photo of Paw Maw holding your Flynn as some of us newer ones wont have seen it but have heard so much about him.
TOYA

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202005/medium-810934-received-1969094876569614.jpeg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202005/medium-572108-received-784220938730489.jpeg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202005/medium-302984-received-247671026432180.jpeg

For some reason I couldnt post with the images so maybe it was too long. So here are the photos

Beautiful photos Daisyboots???
Glad that you are in less pain and had an enjoyable day out on Wednesday.
Sorry to hear about your relative soop,a worrying time for you?
TOYA

Thank you for all the lovely photos. Daisy boots they are simply adorable.

I haven’t posted for a couple of days as I have had a bit of a wobbly time but now I am over it, hopefully. I just think that another wave of this pesky virus might turn around and bite us all.

So this morning I got up early, put the washing out and made some lemon crisp biscuits and a malt loaf. All helped by my youngest son who is a little love. I might say that everyone had better get in quick as he has already ate nearly a half of the biscuits. The malt loaf is still in the oven and the smell is delicious. I’ll pop back later with some and also I think we all deserve some wine and hot toddies tonight.

Have the best day that you can. Lots of love and see you all later. x

Daisyboots The photos of your sweet great grandchildren have been included in the special persons and pets gallery. Awww! And the rest. Flynn has melted my heart.
It is good to hear that you were well enough to enjoy the special treat of a visit to that place with the exotic name. Figueira da Foz...just saying the name puts me in a celebratory mood.

The latest update regarding our family member, is that, if his condition deteriorates further, he will not be admitted to intensive care. We therefore trust that he can remain comfortable and weather this almighty storm.

I have a few wee jobs to keep me occupied. I shall return to spend time with you later.

Purple You are a dear. A slice of your malt loaf (smothered with butter) and a hot toddy. Something to look forward to on this grey, damp day.

Hi folks.
I’m still here, very busy doing nothing. I’ve come to the conclusion that retirement is grossly overrated and when combined with lockdown is the pits!
I made a Dutch Apple cake which has been devoured by Gary and Kate. I’m not a great liker of cake myself but it gives me something to do.
When the temperature goes up and the wind goes down it’s very pleasant sitting on my patio. I spend the time telling Gary what to plant where. I haven’t been into my back garden for about 4 years now as it has steps to access it and is on a steep slope. I use binoculars to tell Gary what to do. I have binoculars sited in living and bedroom and also in the conservatory. Used them on Friday to watch 7 goldfinches be sporting in my pond while a female blackbird delicately took her morning libation from the other side while ostentatiously ignoring her rowdy opposite neighbours. They were joined by a pair of bluetits and later a great tit. This was too much for the blackbird so she departed to observe from mulberry tree.
TOYA

Galen Watching birds is therapeutic. Here is a photo that took about a year ago...

Hello kitcheners.

Daisyboots, I'm really glad your pressure sore has healed, they can be troublesome beasties. It's also good to hear that your pain is subsiding ?
Despite belated, it sounds like you and your DH had a lovely day out for your anniversary.
What gorgeous great grandchildren you have. I always used to think it was a strange expression to say "I could eat them all up" about babies and young children but I think in this case I understand why ? ?

Susan, I hope little Henry is doing well and little B is okay too x

I hope you don't have too many (if any) more wobbles Purplepixie. What would the kitchen be without your hot toddies ?? Look after yourself young lady ?

soop, I'm sorry to hear that your close relative has Covid-19 and worryingly wouldn't be admitted to intensive care if his condition deteriorates. I sincerely hope that it doesn't, for him and all your family?.

I'm in very little pain now, just a niggle in my back but I can cope with it without painkillers ? ?.
Despite the pain I have had, this week has brought great pleasures that it has been the best week of lockdown for me. The Azalea gift, the bedding plants and flour etc and two wonderful handwritten letters from the older boys ?. In addition, the girl (woman) I've helped is now moving onward and upward, thanks to my interventions. I feel quite proud of myself for having pushed all the various agencies into action, even if at the time all my efforts led to me becoming quite ill. I'm very happy to have made a difference and ?it will be a long term positive one ?.

With some of the flour etc I managed to get I have made a couple of ? s and I leave you with a chocolate and caramel swirl ? to enjoy.

TOYA ❤️

Oh, meant to ask: has anyone heard anything from dizzyblonde, or have I missed something. Last I knew was that she, and her partner I believe, had retested positive for Covid-19.
I hope you and your partner are okay dizzyblonde .

Cherry,we have had an upsetting time?DD’s mother in law ordered some treats for them all from a local delicatessen.When she placed the orders she stressed they needed to be dairy free,when our son in laws niece collected them she reiterated they must be dairy free.they weren’t.Henry had a horrendous reaction,the photo our daughter sent was so upsetting,luckily his medicine helped but we are so upset and angry?A few hours earlier our daughter had sent a video of Henry being pushed around the garden in his toy car by DGD and he looked so well and now he looks so poorly again.

B is doing well thank you,he has upgraded from home made toilet roll binoculars to toy ones.He loves going to the woods and onto the canal path looking for ducks and now stops by the stream to look for tadpoles.Have attached a picture of him looking in my mums garden pond at the tadpoles.Our younger daughter went to visit mum yesterday and has reported back that all is well.Phew?

We seem to be having a lot more birds in the garden Galen.I agree soop,watching the birds is very therapeutic.We have positioned the bird feeders so we can watch them while sitting in the conservatory.If the RSPB birdwatcher was this month,our results would be a lot more interesting than they were in January.

Purplepixie,I too fancy a slice of your malt loaf?I’m glad you are over your wobble.I share your concerns about a second wave of the virus.

soop,hope and pray your relative can weather the storm.

TOYA

soop, I'm so sorry to hear the disturbing news of your relative. I hope that when the phone rings again, it will be better news.
Susan, that was a bad mistake by the deli. Poor Henry. When a nice treat turned out to have a seriously adverse effect, it must have made everyone very wary and upsetting for the kind person who supplied it. I hope he has recovered now.

Thank you anno.He has had a good sleep and is better in himself but his skin is still a mess.He was scratching at his throat so must have been so uncomfortable?