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

Susan56 that is such a lovely thing to have. I hope she had a nice day.

That sounds like a very interesting birthday party!! ?
Littlies were awake on and off from 4 am for some unknown reason so there will definitely be snoozing in front of the rugby this afternoon.
I have an unusual sciatica this weekend which starts in my hip/groin and goes all the way to my ankle. Yesterday it suddenly disappeared and I could dig and garden quite happily. I hope it disappears soon today too!
Grandpa and the DGC have been dispatched to clear up the Lego. They may be a while!
Enjoy your Sundays.

What a wonderful idea Susan
Your Mother looks delighted (and delightful) you must all have had very happy day.
My mobility is getting worse, I went for X-rays on Wednesday and had to use my walker outside for the first time.
I hated using it, I felt like a real old woman and then my D said but Mother ,you are one.

Sadly I was still in pain and am now waiting delivery of a wheelchair if I am ever to get out.

I had my flu jab yesterday morning but that was door to door and strictly timed appointments.
Mine was for 10.40 and I was out for 10.41, no waiting and no standing about.
Slightly sore arm but that was it.

I should get the results of the x-rays in the next two days and we will see what the next step is.
If I have it done privately I think I will have to go out of the area, I don’t know how I feel about that with follow up visits etc.

Have as good a Sunday as you can everyone.

Dear annsixty I do hope you are able to have your operation soon, pain is debilitating physically and mentally ?

Susan what a wonderful birthday gift for your Mum

Grandmabatty I was laughing my head off at that faux pas. That sounds a lovely day with a superb Chinese meal.

Susan I agree with ann the blanket and your mother look lovely. She is so proud of it.

ann please be careful about the private route unless you can get it done as a "package" with OPD appointment taken care of. From memory, it is usually one.

Please ask Luckygirl as she went down the private route and it did not work out. Sorry to put a dampener on it.

Weather here is glorious.
TOYA

Susan The blanket is superb. How did your daughter manage to create it? I love it.

Grandmabatty Your birthday celebration sounds perfect. MacS and I had a fit of the giggles on reading the description of the duck sauce. I cannot stop laughing. As you know, I'm such a simple soul.

Nannytopsy Where did you buy the fire pit? It reminds me of sitting around a camp fire in the days of one's youth.

Thank you for your lovely comments about mum and her blanket.She had a lovely day yesterday.I have just spoken to her and she said she has spent a lot of time looking at her blanket this morning and reminiscing.

I am seeing DD on Tuesday soop so will ask her where she had the blanket printed then.

Dear Ann, you have been very patient in spite of the ongoing pain and distress it causes. We all want you to have the surgery so that you can begin to enjoy life. When pain is relentless, it saps you of all your energy and grinds you down.

Nannytopsy Sciatica is a buggeration. I trust that it will not linger and spoil your plans for this afternoon.
Lego! I remember how painful it was to step on a piece when not wearing shoes.

Ann,I hope you can have the surgery soon and get back to your enjoyment of life.

I have no experience of having an operation privately but wonder if it is worth you starting a thread asking for advice and experiences both good and bad to help you make up your mind?

Nannytopsy,hope your sciatica is easing.

TOYA

Thank you for your forbearance regarding my inadvertent sweary. I am mortified but recovered enough to have another glass of bubble while watching Dr. Zhivago on bbc 2.

That is such a lovely idea Susan your mum looks very pleased to have it.

Grandmabatty No apology needed. You made us smile and giggle. No bad thing during this stressful time.

Hello Synonymous How are you? x

Hellogirl1 Thinking of Lynne and hoping that she is comfortable.

Another sunny afternoon spent gardening. I've been clearing the rockery of dead stuff. The midges were in fine form. I've been bitten along my jawline and inside my ears. Little blighters are savage.

Good news is, the X-ray shows no sign of the prosthetic hip loosening. GP thinks that the pain radiates from the base of my spine which has a life-long lateral curvature. He now wishes me to have physio.

Time for log off, and feet up with the Sunday paper. Another Sunday evening farewell. Please may we meet again tomorrow.

I needed total knee replacements ten years ago and was finding my life severely limited. Then under 70, I was told the NHS would not consider me as a candidate until I was almost immobile so we cashed in premium bonds and other savings to pay for the operations (six months apart) and good physiotherapy. Well worth having fewer holidays and a scruffier house!

I find that appalling you had to pay for two TKRs- they are not cheap. I have had two done, both on the NHS. You were fortunate you did not have any complications.

Evening! I have spent a large part of the evening asleep in the chair, so I have given in and come to bed!
Thank you for your concern - the hip eased but wasn’t as good as yesterday. A buggeration!
*Soop• the fire bowl was made in Norfolk (just up the road!) - DS had picked up a leaflet. Nice and sturdy, so I hope it will last.
Sleep tight everyone!

Nannytopsy I really like the fire bowl.

GrannySomerset et al. Hips. Knees. Backs. Bladders and rear ends. If only there was a magic formula for putting such buggerations to rights. I would be very happy to forego almost all my treats for the rest of of my days with the exception of the weekend G&T. Fair dos.

Here is last night's sky. I hope that it cheers...

Isn't that a gorgeous sky! I'm toddler sitting. The boy is going through a very stubborn phase. Having been a phenomenal water since he was weaned, he's now rejecting favourites and screwing up his (adorable) wee nose. It is driving his mum, my dd mad! ☺ I'm finding it funny as she was a picky eater at the same age. He's very mischievous and gets into all sorts. Speaking of which, it's all gone quiet so I'd better investigate...

Eater, not water, although he piddles a lot too

Grandmabatty If he's thriving, which I'm sure he is (little Tyke) there's no harm done with being picky. On the other hand, when he goes very quiet, now that's a different story.

More garden tidying accomplished. Tomorrow, for a treat, I really must do the ironing. Never let it be said that I'm not the adventurous type.

Virtual hugs for all of our pals who need them. I wonder what the news has in store for us later. Shall we guess? Nope!

Until we meet again tomorrow.

Good evening all and any in the Kitchen. Think we are maybe "just waiting". Isn't it a horrid feeling, knowing something we don't want is about to happen - just the threat of it - and not being in control and not knowing what or when or, especially, WHY.

Good reason to feel down or at least not as good as we are when we're wearing Positive Pants. What can we do? Nuffink! Onwards and ever upwards, I suppose - and make each other laugh. And G&T's, and threatening dear soop is also becoming a thing, now. But only because she is so naughty.

Have you gardened yourself to a standstill today, owner of the Kitchen? I suppose we can allow you some gardening time if only to take more of those super on location photos which you keep posting. So beautiful.

I have steam mopped floors and polished and cleaned like a Dervish today. No idea why. Was woken early by the 'phone ringing and DH had a lovely long conversation with DS. That put me in a good mood for a Monday. I soon forgot that I could just hear in the distance the dulcet tones of a cement mixer somewhere. Just to annoy. It had disappeared (hopefully along with its owner) by coffee time, so no excuse for bad moods for me.

Everything took so long that I never got out for my bulbs, and we had to wait in for our electrician anyway, so we shall do that tomorrow. Love planting bulbs and seeing their little noses poking through (a bit too quickly here). Just love being outside so I can understand everyone going into the garden and getting a bit carried away with jobs. Just take care of our backs, everyone!

Hope your Sciatica is less troubling today, NannyT. Mine used to drive me potty, but since doing regular exercises, I have no trouble. (Fingers crossed).

During my Thorough Cleaning of the Living Room today I was thrilled to find (on a high shelf in the garage) a can of Liquid Gold which we bought in the UK a couple of years ago. Forgotten about it. Today used it on a cabinet and a wooden desk in natural wood. The dirt which it removed and the wonderful feed it gave to the wood was quite amazing. I was so pleased with my handiwork. Can't buy that here and can't have it sent through the post so I shall make sure that it gives the longest service possible before I need to buy another can. Have to get to the UK first.

Hope your day was a lovely one with that little chap, Grandmabatty. Now that's something that would give me instant cheer - a conversation in Scribble with a little chap.

Unfortunately not allowed my G&T, but had just the Tonic before supper at some ridiculously early hour so that I can "fast" for the longest of time before my very reduced breakfast. Not hungry though, and I have already lost weight, so I am very pleased.

Little things which cheer us. These are what we need.
Take good care everyone
Hugs from French France

I need to warn you all that when I did my online grocery order today there was no “ ordinary gin” to be had.
I had to bite the bullet and order Bombay Sapphire, so we had to go without biscuits and choc this week.
Must get the priorities right.

My D’s cat ( 1 of three) has been missing since 5:45 am when she went out and failed to come back for her breakfast and hasn’t been seen since.
She has never done this before and they are very upset.

Sleep well if you can everyone, until tomorrow.

Oh no. Poor missing cat.
Night night everyone.
Sweet dreams x

Sorry ann - nothing worse than when cats do something totally out of character. Maybe, if she's not used to going out, she's got confused or is hiding somewhere. Lots of door to door questions, maybe, and printed notices on lampposts.?Calls to local Vet as well.
Fingers crossed that it will be o.k.
Thinking of you.
Take care of yourself.

annsixty

I need to warn you all that when I did my online grocery order today there was no “ ordinary gin” to be had.
I had to bite the bullet and order Bombay Sapphire, so we had to go without biscuits and choc this week.
Must get the priorities right.

My D’s cat ( 1 of three) has been missing since 5:45 am when she went out and failed to come back for her breakfast and hasn’t been seen since.
She has never done this before and they are very upset.

Sleep well if you can everyone, until tomorrow.

I ordered 'ordinary gin' because Bombay Sapphire wasn't on offer, annsixty
However, I thought I'd just check my online shop and lo and behold, it's now on offer.
It may have run out by Friday, however.
I've only one tot left

At least it's not too cold outside - can your DD run off some posters re missing cat and put them up?

She may be in a shed somewhere - a friend's has just turned up after several days, thin but safe.