Soops kitchen for caring and sharing...

Doodle you really need to shout. I can never resist a lunch and a natter. Never mind. I was aht and abaht in the garden in the heat trying to make my sunflowers stand to attention when really I should have been checking in to the Kitchen.

Maybe just as well. I must watch the extra weight before I have nothing to wear. How funny, Susan that your littley hasn't seen an iron in operation. And is she seriously called Matilda? How I love that name. I shouldn't tell you now but I rescued a dog once as a companion for one of my dogs. It never worked. It was the perfect dog but not for my dog, so I found her the most marvellous home with a woman who adores her. They are the perfect match. I named her Matilda.

Our grass is cut and the pool - which was sparkling and wonderful courtesy of DH - looks grubby because the other night when all hell broke out with the thunderstorm, most of the Sahara came down with the rain. Grrrr! He'll have to vacuum it tomorrow, whilst I make lots of good things to eat. We have some chums coming for a garden apéro. It's so lovely when most of the heat of the day is beginning to back off a little.

Hope everyone is well, especially Queen Soop. I was thrilled - honestly - to see young Cheery Cherry posting on the Good Morning thread. She is a wonder, that woman. How she manages to keep her cool after so many rotten seizures is anyone's guess. If you're around, Cherry, take a bow and take a medal or two. You're a star!

Not going to comment again on the bikes. Seriously bad for my blood pressure and I would only be any good in a face to face consultation with the thieves, I'm afraid. I just wish them. bad things.

Next time a Ploughman's Party is in the offing - message me immediately, ladies. I could bring food .... or a plough or a man. Just say!

Big hugs from French France. Have a very nice evening all of you. x

Puzzler Ludo says, thank you nice lady for thinking of me, but it's a bit of a drag all that way to Worcestershire. I could send you another photo soon as I am better now and being a scamp again.

Excuse me puzzler I do not wish to be pedantic but I think you will find it was Miranda Hart’s “Mother” who said such fun. Just because we’re not at school and Miss Doll isn’t marking homework don’t think I’m not watching ?
Oh yes grandmafrench we would love to meet Ludo. Little cutie ?
maydonoz you will be warmly welcomed in soop’s kitchen....especially if you bring your apricot cake ?
susan your little granddaughter made me laugh. No iron indeed. ?
anno oh I do hope you get on well with the root canal. Take care.
maw words fail me. I don’t believe it (well unfortunately I do) all those bikes stolen. What a shame. Why do people think they are entitled to take things others have worked hard for. ?
grandmafrench you vacuum your pool. ? For the first time I am not envious. I have enough cleaning to do without having a pool to vacuum too ? I agree with you, our cherry is a wonder. I’m afraid we in the lockdown gang lay claim to cherry. She is one of ours, and we are very proud of her. ?
Don’t mention bringing a man grandmafrench. soop will have him off you before you can blink. You have no idea what a hussy she really is unless you visit the Argy ?

Hahahahaha Doodle - you’re right! I shall sit on the norty step ?

grandmafrench and Ludo
My home is an Auberge for all dogs and cats no matter how scampish their behaviour.
If ever Ludo finds himself in Worcs. he will be made most comfortable. All diets catered for ?

Doodle I agree, it is bad enough vacuuming a house without thinking about a pool as well.

I am assuming that the stolen bikes and scooters are sold. These folk never appear to receive a dose of their own medicine.

The heavens opened this evening and Tara arrived home about 10 minutes later as dry as a bone- how does she manage it? She is skulking around here, expecting me to go to bed soon. Considering I washed the bedding and I have not made up my bed yet there may well be a bit of a wait.
TOYA

Grandmafrench,yes,she is really called Matilda!???

Really charley Tara is used to better service than this. Fancy not having her bed made up for when she returns from an exhausting day. ?

Never think, ever, that having a pool amounts to a luxury. We inherited ours. In this climate everyone's got one. It comes with a lot of responsibility, too much work and gets on your nerves on a regular basis. Thankfully, you can swim in it if you can still manage the steps when all that work is done.

My DH does all the work, but I do sympathise and get cross that it takes so much of our time. It's possibly a bit like owning a Rolls Royce. No point at all if you can't afford to have a Chauffeur to care for it and drive it to your doorstep on command. Who drives their own Rolls? No one on here, hopefully ! If I were very rich, I would only ever use black cabs. Much more fun and none of the responsibility. I would really love all that finger waving and the power of stopping and leaving exactly where I wished. Well - in the old times when shopping was really shopping. So, after all of that, you would know that I would like a pool man to go with the pool.

Take your point about a Ploughman or similar coming with me to one of your Candlelit Lunches or Suppers, ladies. Though I am shocked to the core at your description of soop. Who knew, eh? Your description of her snatching a man (any man) off me made me roar with laughter. Bring it on, say I. We're both Leos so I wouldn't suggest you run a sweepstake on who might win. Of course, with all the girly fighting any poor chap would have probably run a mile long before we announced the winner!

I'll now think of Ironing Matilda, instead of Waltzing Matilda, susan.

I do that, Charley. Get carried away and totally forget that whilst everything is clean and ready, I then forgot to make up the bed until it's quite late. Spoils the whole thing for me. I can see why Lady Tara would be a trifle disappointed.

I hope your fresh bed is made up and very comfortable. I wish you and everyone still upright and thinking about bed, a very comfortable night. See you tomorrow folks. Hugs x

Thought I'd let you know my apricot cake went down a treat, OH and myself had a couple of slices each after supper. Later our DS3 popped in so he too enjoyed some, then sent some more to DS1 who is always happy to oblige in the cake department! So most of it is eaten, just a few slices left for tomorrow. Never mind, it's best to have it when it's fresh.
I'll say goodnight now ,maybe listen to LBC radio for a while before I sleep.

Tara has bagged a comfortable chair in my bedroom as one of her many beds. She would walk past a proper cat bed when there is so much comfortable furniture to try out.

Upstairs I have laminate floors and on the landing, there are 3 rugs and that is where she has decided to spend most of the night. She does start off on my bed being cuddled and petted but when the light is switched off she then moves because amazingly the petting stops. It is a hard life when one is 16 but acts and looks like 4 years of age.

Charley our little tabby girl is exactly the same.
I would love to put a cat camera on her in the night to see her roaming from room to room, trying out all the chairs and beds like Goldilocks. One too hard, one too soft .....

Today is my Birthday and I have a cake each for all who come to have a cuppa and a natter.
I’ll catch up with you later as I have to “see a man about a dog “ ( A very old saying, and now I think about it , quite a strange one my dad used).

TOYA

Our little tabby girl yesterday on a garden chair

Yaaaaaay a very very Happy Birthday, dear Puzzler. (Keeper of cantankerous cat and an auberge and......cake.....and a wonderful sense of humour). I wish you everything you wish yourself, a much much happier rest of the year and may all your wishes and dreams come true. xx

This is definitely Molly’s favourite nighttime spot, between my knees.

Happy Birthday Puzzler and save a cake for me please.

I was tempted in by the cakes........! Just wanted to say Happy Birthday, Puzzler??! Have a lovely day!

Thank you lovely ladies, Grandmafrench, annsixty and Greyduster. ?

Happy Birthday Puzzler hope you have a lovely day. The cakes look delicious.

Grandmafrench when we came back to the UK we rented a house with a pool. It was a small house and garden but the pool took up most of it. We were directly under a flight path so it must have looked impressive to the passengers when the plane was coming in to land. I spend hours looking after the pool and it was only used once in a year. The lads from the village used to walk along the path at the back and throw bricks into it!

I was more than happy to move.

Thank you dragonfly.
I love the photo of your Molly - she looks beyond relaxed ?

Oh puzzler happy birthday ??. 21 again? ?. Those cakes look delicious, thank you.
Your little tabby cat is so pretty. What a lovely face.
I’m sure Molly sleeps well in her cozy nook ann. I remember when you first had her and weren’t sure if you wanted a kitten. She has certainly made herself at home with you ? she’s lovely.

Thank you Doodle , yes I’m 21 - just a year older than you ?
The little tabby who looks really young, is 11 years. She’s my third child ?

I really couldn’t imagine life without Molly now.
Be assured arrangements are made for her after I am gone with people she loves and who love her.
That was my concern.
I had a real surprise yesterday, I had a phone call from my GP surgery saying I was due blood tests, BP check, urine check and a meds review, I have only seen a nurse practitioner once and a physio twice in over two years.

I explained my problem, I haven’t and cannot get to the bottom of my drive now.
The young man said ok we will postpone it for a few months
Later on I got another phone call from him, he had explained to the GP and they are sending someone to my home next week to do all those checks and then I will have a phone consultation with said GP, no one else will do apparently.
Wonders will never cease.
I am amazed but pleased.

I am very pleased for you annsixty.
When I worked at a GP surgery 30 years ago a Home Visits Doctor reviewed all his over 70 years old patients, and they had continuity, knew his face not just his name.
Everyone needs reassurance where their health is concerned. ?

I now realise that that sounds as if I am not being truthful about getting to the surgery in light of the fact that I am hopefully going out for a meal in 10 days time.
However, I would have had to use a taxi to the surgery, ring them when I got there and wait until they rang me to go in.
I would have had to pay the driver to wait, however long and then help me to get in.
Wait again for however long, come in and get me and bring me home.
Do they do second mortgages for this scenario?

When my G D and I go out for our meal, she is used to getting me up and down steps etc.

Apart from which, this could be one of my last birthdays?