Soop's welcoming kitchen for kindly caring folk...

I roared at your post Susan. It sounds as if it takes more than a village to raise a child........ in Henry's case. Hope your DH will be comforted by the fact that Daddy will turn up and also another Granny to assist with any Henry-wranglng necessary. Just in case! How hilarious. Hope you love your lunch out and it works out to be a super day. Good on you for spontaneously booking the wonderful rail trip! A bit of positive thinking there. I had the makings of a little rhyme in my head whilst trying to work out who was what with all the DD's and MIL's and DH's going on - I have to mess with that little chap's name to make it scan but this is it :

Little B and Hen-ery and Miss Mathilda too
Without these little people, whatever would we do
Yes, life would be relaxing, we'd get so much more done
But life without our GC's here could never be such fun!

I was right, Charley, Tara- Woman of Mystery - would never be seen in a collar. I suppose she could have a gentleman friend. Our Nouba is an old boy now but adores a young Siamese pusscat in the lane. She rolls about in the vineyard and he sits on the gate post and gives her admiring glances. Just as well they are both neutered...

Thank you, all of you, for your good wishes for Ludo. I confess I'm still a bit giddy at the news, it's a problem but such a relief to know at last. I know exactly what you mean about cats and pills, Synonymous. Our oldest cat is super cool and relaxed about everything. He has to take a daily pill for his ageing kidneys. The very first thing he does in the morning is jump onto the cupboard where his pills are kept and give us his "Gimme the drugs" face. Nothing happens until he has calmly eaten his pill then he expects breakfast. The two others are terrors. I use my long-practised technique. You have just one shot with cats! Daddy puts out some delicious food that they don't normally have. One starts eating and is wrapped firmly in a towel. Food is taken away. That gets their swallow reflex properly working. Daddy then holds the cat very firmly on the table, feet wrapped up. Mummy opens cat's jaw and pokes pill onto back of tongue, jaw is then firmly closed and Mummy blows up indignant cat's nose and strokes throat. Cat eventually gulps. Pill goes down. Cat then is released back onto delicious food. There are many versions of this - some involving injury and a lot of bad language - although no cats are ever harmed, but this is the one which normally works (18 out of 20 times?)

Dogs are super co-operative. Ludo was a vacuum cleaner in a previous life. No problem. Chloe is rather more discerning and ladylike, but will submit to any treatment meted out and will swallow a pill if I put it towards her throat.

NannyTopsy you are now seriously rich. Well done! Please save the money in a small piggy bank labelled 'soop 's kitchen' for a party in the not too distant future. Soop will doubtless be around to yours and to *Syn"s - once she has finished wringing what is long overdue from the NHS - to collect your kind donations. The rest of us will start saving immediately!

Nanny&G with 'the one vein' and Corner (hope you sleep well again) sending you good wishes.

And dear soop. Survived today and all that blood letting nonsense. At least here in la Belle France, I get to use a Phlebotomist who spends every working day doing absolutely nothing else, so she's quick as a flash and leaves not one mark on my skin. Given how much I hate it, it has helped me get used to a fairly unpleasant experience after years of anxiety. Sleep well, soop and give yourself a break from worries - that date will soon arrive and you'll be fit and well again, ready to take on ironing for the nation !!

Night night all, sweet dreams and stay safe. (My stupid machine just typed sweet drams. So those too if you need them!)

Hugs,

Afternoon all,

A flying visit from me. Glad they got your blood eventually Soop . I have one good vein and I do worry about it declining to play!!

Congrats to the winners - will you be sharing :-)?

Lovely photo *Corner8 - proper cheers you up.

I shall catch up with you all at the weekend I suspect- be good :-)

Well I won £50 and DH won £25! Better interest than the bank ?.
Just had a flying visit to measure up DGS’s school trousers for tomorrow. I will have to run them over later when they are finished. Always at the last minute!

Synonymous I know how good it feels to put freshly ironed laundry into the linen cupboard. Simple pleasures!

Susan56 We both love train journeys. I have everything crossed and really want this treat to become reality. You deserve it.

Cats and pills. Arrrrgh! Eeeek! I remember it very well.

Off line until tomorrow. Thank you all for popping into our kitchen. You really are the best. I says so.

soop glad they managed to get sufficient to test your blood, I really loathe having to have blood taken and the massive bruises that sometimes result. Now relax and enjoy your down time.

Grandmafrench I hope Ludo starts to feel better once on his new medication. DD's old cat has the same problem and was so much better once he was taking his tablets. I hope Ludo is good at taking them as she has such 'fun' giving Toby tablets and has had us in stitches when she recounts the antics involved in trying to get them down him. Mind you I have read a hysterical account of "How to give a cat a pill" and in comparison the "How to give a dog a pill" sequel was hysterically brief. Clearly their greed is a great bonus to their owners!

Charleyg I won a £25 too and that will also just get added on! Can't remember when I last won anything!

It is not warm here today and the wind and rain is pretty awful and I can't even see across to the opposite hills, it just looks as if a great grey blanket has been draped across them. Smokie went out early before it started so will doubtless be holed up somewhere until it clears; will he return today I wonder?! Never mind, I have done a huge pile of ironing which has warmed me up and I am feeling really good about having got that into the linen cupboard.
TOYA

DH and I are not known for being reckless or spontaneous but we just had a flier through the door for a trip on the Statesman,first class,Settle to Carlisle circular and we have booked it!?

The girls bought us a trip on the same train but to Windsor for DH’s 65th and it was such a good day out.

I am so excited even though we realise COVID could cause it to be cancelled like everything else this year but ??all will be fine.

soop,I’m glad the blood letting was successful although it sounds a bit of an ordeal?

corner Your photograph of the swans is beautiful and restful. What is causing you not to sleep soundly?

Susan Go, little *Henry - go!

Grandmafrench Phew! I am mightily delighted to hear that Ludo's condition has been diagnosed and can be treated. How fitting to walk in the forest and then celebrate later with a glass of vino. We all worry so when our beloved animals suffer. You can now look forward to Ludo's poorliness being well controlled.

I can think of nothing more wonderful than having a decent win on some lottery or other. Wouldn't it be a joy to sit down and make a list of all those people and organisations that would benefit. We do have Premium Bonds. Ne'er a win. We also do Scottish Children's Lottery.

anno It took a good deal of patience and skill. Veins in both arms assaulted. Blood finally flowed dribbled on the third attempt. Such a lovely nurse. She escorted me to the car under an umbrella. It was peeing with rain. Sometimes, the most simple of gestures are hugely appreciated.

Right, in my mind's eye I've bopped all around the house. Time for catch up.

Baubles You have made my day. Huge virtual hugs. Such a fabulous tune to dance to. xxx

Nannyt if you would not mind sending them in my direction because I have several fences and the garden shed to paint. When it was too hot I did not have the energy so a lot of indoor jobs were left "for another day". I cannot look after inside and outside but my lovely cleaner returns next week having spent weeks in Latvia with her boys who return to school next week.

I am sure I am winning the premium bonds girls!
We are just coming to the surface - a very late start due to incursions from Charlie cat at about 4 am. The gravel was duly shifted yesterday. I shovelled into buckets which the youngsters carried and emptied. It was surprisingly quick but I ache in places I wouldn’t have imagined this morning! They then demolished sausage sandwiches and cake as only teenagers can. Glad to hear Ludo has a diagnosis at last. Onwards and upwards!
Enjoy your day everyone.

I have checked for £25x2. Not quite what I was expecting but every little helps. Any winnings are ploughed back in.

GrandamaFrench that really is a weight off your shoulders and Ludo will soon be a normal young dog.

Tara is microchipped so does not wear a collar. Knowing her a collar would be on for 5 minutes.

She is slender and last night ran to her food bowl when she came home. She had better not be dining elsewhere because she is on prescription food for a skin and tummy problem.

I must remember to check my premium bonds because I know today is the day.
TOYA

Glad Ludo has a diagnosis Grandmafrench.What a relief for you and him?he will soon pick up once he starts on his new tablets.

Glad you had a better night cornergran.

I am off to the hairdressers this morning for a cut and colour so obviously rain is forecast?

DD2 took little B our middle grandchild for his first day at nursery this morning.Due to COVID restrictions DD wasn’t allowed in with him.He is only two and a half and was very unimpressed, tried to run away and banged his face on the kerb?I’m sure he will settle but so upsetting.

Tomorrow DD1,DGD and myself are going for a girls lunch and shopping trip before DGD starts school on Friday.DH is looking after Henry?DD has said that our son in law will come home for lunch and that her MIL will pop in too to help out!

Hope everyone has a good day.Will pop in later.

TOYA

Never a dull moment now susan. . I’ve often wondered how it is that little legs can cover the ground so much faster than long legs can.

Good news about Ludo, Grandmafrench, it seems dogs can be impacted in much the same way as we can by thyroid deficiency. Slept much better last night, thank you, sleepless nights are a fibro oddity I’ve lived with for many years, so much easier without work to contend with.

Today I’ll get to all the things that were overlooked yesterday, like dust removal - or I might .

Be good everyone.

How lovely is that sound, baubles. My DH said today, how lucky we are to have had a lifetime of such good music - and it's true. But songs like this are particularly important now, I think. Something to boost morale and make us feel good.

Thank you for your kind thoughts for Ludo, Doodle, Susan and Corner. Well, there is news and I think we have finally done it. We have a diagnosis for our little chap's endless skin problems which started about 2 years ago and following a vaccine against Leishmaniosis - a dreaded mosquito type sand fly down in the South here which makes dogs very ill, people the same and is hard to treat. We were afraid that he had contracted a version of that. Ludo has lost coat, had endless nasty crusty rashes, has had endless creams and potions and skin scrapings and tests and has had to be bathed every few days recently but is still covered with black skin patches - like an elephant! He looks rather unsightly but he doesn't seem unwell, except a bit slow in the mornings, when at his age, 4, he should be full of bounce. I have noticed that he tries to sleep under his blankets instead of on them, and even though we have had seriously high temperatures, he will use every opportunity to lie in the sun!! So he must be feeling the cold. Vet today agreed we would stop trying to treat his skin and do lots more tests. He put Ludo's blood into his magic machine in the Clinic. We sat and discussed all the what if's while we waited 15 minutes for the machine to do its calculations. The printout result arrived, the Vet punched the air with some relief.....our little Bavarian Mountain Hound has an underactive Thyroid !!

We are actually pleased that we have a diagnosis and he can be treated fairly easily. His readings showed that he is unbelievably low in Thyroxin and will start on his tablets tomorrow when the ordered pills arrive. It's interesting to know that dogs need a relatively much higher dose of replacement Thyroxin than humans suffering from the same problem. The dose is worked out on his weight, he then starts the treatment (for life) and he will be checked after a month to test his levels. He's such a darling and such a brave little soul, never complains about anything so I am so pleased that he will get his va va voom back again, as well as his shiny coat.

We went for a walk in the forest to celebrate and then later opened a bottle of wine. A woman got out of her car to walk her dog as we strolled to ours after our walk. A Police car pulled up alongside her car and a Gendarme shouted "Masque!!" at her. She rather sheepishly took one out of her bag and put it on. While out we counted 8 walkers and 6 cyclists and 3 runners and not one was wearing a mask, but just down the road there's a huge sign which says Masks Obligatory Everywhere! So maybe it just means silly old us! France is definitely going to close its borders again soon - I can feel it in my water (as they say).

Oh dear, Susan (said with a nervous laugh) - there'll be no stopping that little chap now. I think Charley is right about you both getting some proper footwear (and maybe a couple of back braces..) He'll be streaking past you in small Nike trainers very soon and you'll be having to take it in turns to chase after him. So pleased he's so well and coming on in leaps and bounds (literally) but maybe you're going to have to start training for the mighty task ahead of you. Perhaps a sit down and drawing up a bit of a battle plan might be a good idea, whenever you're next safely alone in your house?

Tara's such a mystery woman*Charleygirl*. I wonder what she gets up to - and where. I bet if you put one of those little cat cameras on her collar, you'd be surprised. Except that she probably doesn't wear a collar? Does she show any signs of portliness (sorry Tara) in that she might be eating out elsewhere? She could be aiming to be the female version of Six Dinner Sid. My Grandchildren loved that book when they were small. Cats are so clever and so self-contained.

What a beautiful scene, Corner. Hope that lovely detour slightly unravelled your frazzled thoughts and gave you a bit of a boost today. Nothing worse than not getting a proper night's sleep. Hope tonight is so much better - so that you can wake in the morning and at least feel a bit more energetic to face what life might throw at you.

Sleep tight, everyone. Tomorrow's another day and we need to make it a good one. Thanks for listening !

Hugs from France x

Charley and anno,I think you are both right.It will take both of us to look after him!

Susan we did warn you last week that life would be different within a few days and those days have arrived. You and DH will need running shoes and maybe work out shifts for looking after him because he is going to take both of you for a ride in more ways than one!

Susan56, Henry has always had that gleam in his eye, a venturesome lad. He won't stop at a few steps now!
Do you have eyes in the back of your head? You're going to need them!

corner,beautiful photo,it looks so peaceful there.Hope you sleep better tonight.

Just popped in to say Henry has taken his first steps!Life as we know it will never be the same again??

Hope Ludo is ok???

soop so glad the assessment went well. This is the song . I used to dance around the house to it.

youtu.be/vjD3EVC1-zU

corner I love the swans- you are lucky to have them within a reasonable distance of wherever you live.

The sun has vanished, Tara arrived home early and her fur was feeling very warm. Where had the minx been? No sunshine, no warm car engines near me so she has now gone to rest her eyes upstairs.

Evening All. Delighted all went well today soop, six weeks will fly by. Please don’t be so mean tomorrow, share your blood .

Went off to buy compost to plant a new rose and decided to have a (fairly substantial) detour and check on the swans. Not much else, little sleep last night and I’m totally zombied.

Hope to hear good news about Ludo. Apologies to all I’ve missed.

TOYA.

Apologies! I wrote a post this morning and it has just vanished into the ether. I am pleased that your assessment went well, soop and hope that you manage to squeeze out some blood tomorrow. Then it will be all go! I haven't had much luck with pre-surgery assessments. The day of my admission for my hip op, I was having a quiet lunch with a friend when my phone went and I was informed that the hospital had forgotten my pre-op appointment and I had to get there at once! Luckily they were waiting for me and all went well.Another time, I was told a sinus op was urgent and went for a pre-op appointment, then waited....and waited ...and waited. Six months later, it turned out that the people 'upstairs', according to my consultant, didn't know the meaning of 'urgent'.
However, soop, since you won't be going to either of these hospitals, I am sure that they will be far more efficient and it will all go to plan with 'us lot' rooting for you. xx