Soops kitchen for caring and sharing...

Thank you Doodle for your kind wishes, we had a nice family lunch cooked by yours truly (mostly) and we all had fun playing with the GC 2. Our DS2 and future DIL are thinking of a summer wedding for next year, Covid allowing, exciting news!

Blonde as a child then mousy brown. Went white in my thirties

Hello all in this wonderful warm kitchen. Sorry I haven’t been around much lately. I’m all out of step with you all but after a couple of days I am sure I will catch up.

Soop - Thank you for the beautiful sunset photos and I must get my paints out and have a dabble.

Take care all you wonderful people and I will bring some beef stew and dumplings along for you all in the week. Stay safe and enjoy this day and every day.

Lots of love xxx

A wet and windy Sunday afternoon hello from bonnie Kintyre.

Yay! The reconditioned computer, thus far, is behaving in a kindly fashion. I haven't had to blaspheme or suggest hurling it through the front door. I'm all smiley.

Purplepixie No need whatsoever to apologise. I come into our kitchen daily and still haven't managed to catch up. However, I'm happy that people enjoy the ambience and virtual companionship.

Eldest son, living in Leicester, phoned me half an hour ago. He talks non-stop. He makes me laugh out loud. Middle son left message to say that he'll phone this afternoon. My word, my spirits have most certainly been boosted.

maydonoz How lovely to have a family wedding to look forward to. A time for joyful celebrations. Will you be needing a new outfit? All part of the fun, methinks.

Good Afternoon Kitchen folk.

Nothing much to report today. All blue, sunshiney and desert windy. (That's the weather, by the way!).

And......it's 35 in the shade. So a little bit "Scorchio" today and for the foreseeable.

Stretched out on cushions on my wonderful (bargain Ebay) Steamer Chairs, in the shade and the breeze, the DH and my good self are reading and studiously ignoring the dive-bombing Swallows. I am about to suggest to Bella cat that she goes off indoors or under the chair. Her presence is seriously annoying them. They have the pool to themselves, she is not in the least interested, but that's crazy little birds for you!

We shall have another swim shortly. I may wear an upturned basin on my head or splash a lot to deter little feathered critters! Not much chance of anything serious getting done today and it's Sunday, so I shall pretend I deserve a day of rest and just climb onto the lilo and let the world roll on by.

Pleased the 'pooter is behaving, soop and those handsome offspring are making you laugh. To all Kitcheners, have a good day and keep smiling. (That way no one will ever guess. what you're thinking!!)
Hugs to all x

Grandmafrench It's Sunday. Do as you please. I've been watching the best of tennis all afternoon. My word, Andy M really was a world champion before his hips needed serious attention. Arthur Ashe was another amazing man. I've been following his story and am in awe of all that he achieved. After two heart attacks, he was given HIV infected blood infusions. Yet, to the end of his life, he remained committed to the betterment of opportunities for black youth. He was a highly respected individual.

Son phoned, and we spent a jolly time catching up with each other's news. We won't all get together again until next year. I shall be celebrating my 80th birthday, and his brother will be celebrating his 60th within a month of each other. I would love us all to have a wee party. I'm a patient lady.

It continues to rain. I haven't set foot outside the house since yesterday. Looking forward to a cosy evening.

Panache We miss you.

Thinking of you all. I feel happy with the 'pooter and, it appears to be happy with me. A positive note on which to say goodnight.

Until tomorrow, kind thoughts to you all. [smile[

Ahh soop you’ve had a nice Sunday. I have to confess I didn’t warm to Andy M at the start as his face and attitude seemed so moody - but he’s grown on me now.

You can start to plan those Special parties - I have a feeling. They may be big ones ? - we will get there and be able to resume having parties one day you know.

I’ve been out for a very windy walk this after at a National Trust property close to home. Hubby had to hang on to me at times or I swear I’d have blown away! Lots of pretty wild flowers in bloom - here’s one them. I don’t think you can see them but there were 3 ladybirds making this one it’s home.

Sorry my sentences aren’t well constructed today. I’ll blame the ‘pooter ?

Good evening everyone! Your pool sounds idyllic Grandmafrench. Can we all take a dip please?
DS brought the smalls over for lunch (DiL at work) and a few games of hide and seek. Lovely to see them. We need to restock with fish fingers now!
Our hedgehog seems to be very settled - he comes for supper at about 10 pm and can climb the steps to the main garden so all is good with him! (Or her of course!)
Sleep well everyone

I keep wanting to say corvid rather than covid
But I’m not going to crow about it!

Galen

I keep wanting to say corvid rather than covid
But I’m not going to crow about it!

You’re not the only one Galen there’s a whole thread about corvid spreading ( sounds messy) ?

Another really pleasant day, blue skies and sunshine. Moaning Minnie has gone out and I really must clean downstairs. after I have another cup of coffee, toast and put some clothes on.

Grandmafrench if I come skinny dipping do you and DH promise to fit eye coverings?

N&G I hope you are looking after some Sam. At least it is not too hot for him these days.
TOYA

Good morning all I hope you are all well. Nothing much to report except really looking forward to this weekend as I shall be seeing DD2 and GS for the first time since early March so very excited.

soop, I didn't manage to watch the Andy Murray programme, but did watch Arthur Ash. What a charismatic person he was. Not only a great player but a great man. He even 'managed' McEnroe in the Davis Cup team! It was a very moving account of his life.
Lovely evening viewing - 'Much Ado about Nothing' on BBC4. I needed a good laugh and this was the whole package.
Strange how time has changed during the lock-out. I'll say, 'I can do it tomorrow' then tomorrow arrives and I think, 'there's plenty of time..' And so it goes.

Good afternoon dear peoples.

anno I'm pleased that I watched the Arthur Ashe programme. He was a real gentleman. He was elegant. He was a good many things that a handful of today's players could do with trying to emulate. As you said, he managed McEnroe a treat.
I'm missing Wimbles.

Teetime I'm excited for you. I would be counting the hours. enjoy!

Charleygirl I did skinny dip just the once...decades ago. It was fun.

Nannytopsy You really are very lucky to have a resident hedgehog. I'm delighted that he/she has found a good home.

Puzzler The flower that you've photographed is beautiful. I shall browse in my wild flower book later this afternoon.

Here is a photo of plants grown from seed by a friend. When the flower dies, I shall harvest the seed and grow more next year.

The trip to the Glasgow breast clinic is tomorrow. I'm about to sort out a suitable outfit and pack the wee pot, plastic sheet and several pairs of Sloggis.

susan hope the haircut goes well. I am still waiting for my hairdresser to call. Hope Henry is ok.
soop glad to hear your pooter is behaving. Fingers crossed it will continue?
grandmafrench your day by the pool sounds idyllic and warm. It’s grey and windy here.
teetime that something nice to look forward to at the weekend. Families starting to meet up again?
Good luck on the hospital visit soop. Hope it goes well .
TOYA ?

I have fingers crossed that your clinic visit goes well tomorrow soop. The orange flowers are exquisitely exotic - what are they?

grandmafrench how many of us grans do you have room for in your pool please? I’d love to come and dip in it though absolutely NOT skinny dipping. I always enter the water in a black all-in-one costume to the knees and a petal swimming cap these days ?

teetime I feel your excitement - we shared a meal with DD1 on Saturday for first time in what seems absolutely ages, and there’s nothing like “being together again”.

Thinking of you all, and as I’m hoping for the pool invitation from grandmafrench, I thought it might go in my favour if I brought macaroons into the Kitchen for all to share. The green ones are pistachio, the pink raspberry, and the brown ones are coffee flavoured. Please help yourselves and enjoy.

Or do I mean macarons ??

Doodle Thank you. I shall be very pleased to be home again after tomorrow's expedition to Glasgow. It's going to be a long and tiring day. I'm most concerned about having to pee in the pot in the back of the car.

Puzzler Thank you.
I shall need to check with my friend as I've forgotten the name of the red plant.

We're all ready for an early-ish start tomorrow. Sorry, but I possibly won't be able to pop into our kitchen. I shall however be thinking of you and I fully intend returning for updates on Wednesday.

Please take good care of yourselves.

soop, good luck for your trek to Glasgow. What a shame Vale of Leven is closed just now. It's so much more stressful to navigate Glasgow.
I've had my roots done - my dental roots, that is. One of them was curved and needed a skilful hand which fortunately was available in the form of my dishy dentist who looked like something out of Star Wars in all his PPE kit. My jaw is getting back to normal with the help of a nice mug of Redbush.

Now, most important, we have outdoor seating for 26. Don’t ask why....there are 2 of us. Let’s just say downsizing was difficult and leave it there ?. Actually DH put two plastic chairs into the roof space the other day, so even more seats!

Not sure we’d want 26 in the pool at the same time but plenty of room. I’m thinking Charley with the skinny dipping could go first, while it was quiet? DH a bit concerned about “eye coverings” would those be for us, or for you? Better for you.....then you honestly wouldn’t care at all. ??‍♂️ Any problem, our next door neighbour but one swims nuddie always....you can use his pool when he’s not there! I’ve done skinny dipping but am over it now. Soop, you’re probably the same?

NannyT gets a couple of seats booked, guaranteed if she brings little ?. Doodle too, but only if she promises to float around and do no cleaning.

Puzzler has made certain of an invite. I’m likely to give her the pool in return for a box of pistache macarons.

So, we still have seats outstanding. It’s likely that DH will be upright enough to return to pool maintenance tomorrow, so all will be sparkling again. I’m here in the garden in the teeth of a gale but still in the shade waiting for the heat to abate a little. At midnight last night when I was searching for a larking about cat, it was registering 29 on the garden thermometer, so I know it’ll stay warm a good while longer.

Just wanted to say, everything crossed that tomorrow goes well, soop, no stress, no bad weather, no technical hitches (no fights breaking out). I threw in the last one purely for dramatic effect?. You’re a star for going, don’t forget the Portaloo....maybe a spare pair of wellies in case of need? Let us have all the gods ’ on your safe return. We’ll keep wishing hard for you on your lengthy travels.

I can hear my neighbours clinking .. both glasses and metal Boules. Time to go in and eat. Can’t eat outside this evening....the salad leaves would be half way to North Africa in this wind.

Keep safe all. Have a good evening. Hugs from French France x

All the goss, gossip I typed! Sorry.

Best of luck and safe journey soopl