Soops kitchen for caring and sharing...

The presentation was a very happy event and the lady concerned was overwhelmed by the speeches and gifts. We all raised a glass to toast her success. MacS took the photos which will be forwarded to the Campbeltown Courier. Our village looks exceedingly smart and colourful.

Lots of lovely photos have been added to our Kitchen gallery. Thank you all for your kind comments. The surgery will take place in Oban hospital. I know it well. Great staff and smashing rice puddings!

morethan's awful news was heartbreaking. I cannot get her and her dear family out of my thoughts. I really would like to be able to offer her some real support. All that I have to give, are words that come from my heart.

MacS wants the pooter. He wishes to send the presentation images to people who have asked to share them.

It's sunny. It's dry. Until tomorrow, virtual hugs to every one of you. Bye for now.

Sounds more than satisfactory overall soop , the shorter journey a real bonus. Hope the presentation goes well. Why hope? I know it will .

I’m so sorry ann, you seem to find every brick wall there is. Nothing helpful to suggest so a hug from me.

Off for our click and collect excitement. Having inspected the list of substitutions I’ve concluded whoever did the picking never cooks . Oh well, nothing we can’t live without and it’s easy enough to reject unwanted things.

TOYA. Be good everyone.

Hello lovely Kitcheners and dear Travelling soop.

Firstly, big congrats on your breast scan! Hooray and glasses raised etc., Bet you're relieved.

You'll be impressed to learn that I've looked up Delorme's procedure. I like the fact that it was first mooted by a Frenchman and there are various words used in the details of the procedure which bring great cheer. "Minimally invasive" are 2 of them. I like the success rate, the low recurrence rates and the fact that post-Op you will not suffer bad pain or take forever to recover. Eating and drinking normally and sharing jokes with your Kitchen coves, will also be on the cards without delay.

So, bet you're pleased. Of course, it's another attack on your little person, but if it makes you better and gets rid of all that you've been putting up with and for so long, I'm sure you're o.k. with the prospect.

I did think of offering, after I watch a few more Youtube videos, to do the op myself for you. We're all friends, it would cut down on the travel and stress, we could all join in, have a huge "medical" team in the Kitchen as well as the usual Chefs and Bar Staff and it could turn into quite an entertainment for those of us who are getting quite bored with our more limited lifestyles by now. Each day we all need to feel we have achieved something - so YOU could be it!! I envisage a scene a bit like the Argy - but with less alcohol and hilarity perhaps and definitely no dancing!!. Anyway, the offer's there - if you'd like to think about it.

You must promise when you are better though, soop that you will do less heavy nonsense anywhere, especially in the garden and spend time on more ladylike pursuits....you know, act your age and not your shoe size.

Seriously pleased for you that there is light and hope and that you went ahead and put yourself in line for getting good health and comfort back again.

I'm off to sit in the hot sunshine while my rugs dry on the line. We've got one of those knock-you-flat wild winds this afternoon, so the rugs will probably take 10 minutes - and then I might need to go and fetch them back from North Africa !

Hugs to all Kitcheners. Please have a good afternoon and take care all. x

That's a bit of good news, soop. The scan result takes a weight off your mind and now you can 'look forward' to the prolapse procedure. Meanwhile, don't overdo things!

Good news Soop,glad the visit was a success and so pleased an appointment can be arranged at a local hospital.

Hope the presentation goes well.

We too are waiting for a plumber.Our main shower stopped working just before lockdown and now the basic one in the en suite has come out in sympathy?am finding it very difficult washing my hair without the shower so hope the plumber can fix one if not both of them.

Hello all. Waiting for the plumber here to fix our sink.
soop glad your appointment went well and you have totalled them into a more local hospital. I too will look up the procedure.
Really good news about the scan results.
TOYA?

Soop - so please that you can have the pre-op at Campbeltown and hope all goes well for you. I haven’t heard of Delorme’s procedure either but I will look it up. Take care and keep those lovely photos of sunsets coming to cheer us all up. Sending love and hugs to you all.

Hello dear soop so glad you and Mac are home safely and that you can have the pre-op at Campbeltown.

Strange times everywhere just now. I never seem to have the words but I know this dear kitchen has been a safe place ever since I first came in, a good while ago now. ???

Hello soop, splendid news re: the scan,
and as I’ve not heard of Delorme’s procedure I’ll look it up.
You need help with that problem so if an operation is what will solve it, then an operation it will have to be.
Take care ?

Hello you darling peeps. I've yet to read through the many messages that you've posted since I last spent time in our kitchen. I shall have time to do so later.

The presentation to the lady in our village cannot be held due to health concerns. Her son has arranged for a small gathering in his garden. We're to take photos for the local newspaper. I'm still wearing my dressing gown, and need to smarten up for the occasion.

Yesterday's appointment with the surgeon responsible for the last drop-bot procedure, went well, all things considered. I'm to have a Delorme's operation. The prolapse is now full-blown. It will mean four days in hospital but I shall need to wait in order that the backlog of surgical procedures (due to Covid) have be dealt with. So...I do have breathing space. She suggested that I go to Paisley for the pre-op assessment. I explained that MacS is not a well man and could I not go somewhere closer to home. She said...how about Campbeltown? A thirty minute drive as opposed to a three hour journey. All the computers are inactive. Everyone is working under extreme stress. I am therefore grateful for her time and expertise. Also, the breast nurse phoned to tell me that the scan was clear. Good news.

I shall return later this after. xxx

Good morning all and sorry I haven’t been around lately, but life got in the way.

I’ve just read the post by Morethan - I had to stop and have a good cry. You all did the right thing and I feel so sorry for you all. It makes my pathetic little moans seem just that - pathetic!

Sending love and hugs to you all especially Morethan.

I’ll bring some warming hot toddies only later. X

Morethan I've just read about your DIL. I'm so sorry for your loss and my thoughts and prayers are with you and your son and family.

Good morning all.
Well it could be a better one weather wise, but at least it isn’t actually raining for a change, just cool and overcast.

I had a disappointing day on Monday, I decided to ring the hospital where I am booked in for my op.
I was told that they are still under contract to the NHS and only doing emergency ops for them, e.g. cardiac surgery and cancer.
My surgeon hasn’t even booked any theatre timeS and it will probably be October before it starts .
I expect by then we will have had another spike and the whole process will start again.

I rang Mr Ismael’s secretary and got the usual message that she is very busy and to ring the hospital direct.
Ok I had done that, I left her a message but so far no return call.
This is par for the course

I was left very disillusioned and feeling pretty hopeless again.

I hope soop is ok, I don’t know if the appointment was for her or McS this time, I hope it went well.

Have as good a day as you can everyone.

TOYA.

soop I hope you can pop in the kitchen soon and let us know how you are? X

These feline companions have us at their beck and call don’t they? We do all the preparation of tempting meals, take them to the vet when they are off colour, keep them warm and dry, do all the worrying and they just seem to sleep all day and disturb our nighttime. We must love them ! ! The darlings.

Here’s our tabby girl waking from a nap on a soft blanket and then yawning (!) as she has had a busy night sharpening her claws on the base of the bed, playing ball and cleaning herself on the landing carpet (clumps of fur mark the spot).

PS. I haven’t mentioned Maw’s Hattie as I’ve p.m.’d her.

Hope the hospital visit went well soop.

Charley,good you can attend your meeting in your gardening clothes.We looked after our grandson on Tuesday while our daughter was working from home.When we arrived she was in pj’s then a little later came down in a lovely dress,hair and make up done,rolled her eyes and said I have zoom meetings all afternoon!

Maw,we used to put Harry’s tablets in cheese although you have probably tried that!So glad she is showing signs of improvement.

Oh that pesky cat, Charley. I have one of those today. He’s becoming one of T S Eliot’s Cats - forget which one - but always on the wrong side of a door! Grab yourself 40 winks today while the lodger is absent and rest those eyes.

Glad you are seeing some (slow) progress with Hattie,*Mawb*. Infections do give one a bit of a bashing and so do Antibiotics, so perhaps she still feels a bit fragile. We found that when medication is unpalatable, a “paste” which our Vet sells to encourage pill-swallowing is very useful. They sometimes get a bit for a treat at the Vet’s if they haven’t been particularly happy about some kind of treatment! Spoiling them, I know, but even the Vet does it.....and what do we have those lovely creatures for if not to spoil them? ?

Will drop by later today to find out how dear soop survived her hospital visit.....maybe she had some special paste as well?

Hope everyone else is ok today. Hugs x

soop I do hope that all went well yesterday. You obviously arrived home okay- I only hope it was an uneventful trip re the journey and you were given useful information.

I have a conference call at 10.30 am with the local members of Macular Society, thank God it is not Zoom so I can sit in my gardening clothes which are really only fit for the bin.

My lodger has been urging me out of bed since before 4 am so I am rather cross-eyed with tiredness today.
TOYA

morethan all has been said above re what I was going to say. So sorry for you all but now DIL is at peace and I hope you all can find some soon, somehow.

Morethan I am without words which would adequately cover the nightmare you have all come through. ?

Oh my dear, my heart breaks for you and your lovely family, you have been truly supportive and loving to your dearest daughter in law, healing time for you all now together

And more tears. Your desperation is clear in your post.
Be kind to yourself - her children will need you now.

Tears here too morethan. Thank you for your brave and thoughtful message. No one, but no one could have done more, you were there for all the family, caring, loving , understanding and yes, hurting with them. Please let the guilt go there’s no basis for it. Your daughter in law would never want you to be guilty. Visualise your wonderful. and much loved daughter in law calm and at peace, give her a hug and let her rest. With much love and a very gentle hug.

Dear Morethan another one here in tears reading the truly heart breaking tale of your DIL's last few weeks. You have been the most amazing mother, mother in law and grandmother, please don't feel guilty about anything. I send my love to you all xxx

Puzzler, how beautiful and on this desperately sad time for morethan, the family but mostly for that lovely, brave girl, how fitting...no words can say better xxxxx