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

Hurrah. CH had a phone call yesterday from the hospital. He has an appointment later today for eye scans and stuff then a review by a consultant next week

Izabella that is really good news regarding your CH eye appointment ??

Thank you to everyone in this lovely warm kitchen who have reached out to me with lovely warm words. I am going to take some time away from the site and try and give myself a gentle kick up the bum! Lots going on in my life which I don’t like but it would take too long to type it all out for you all to get the complete picture. Stay safe and take care.

Early visit to the garage because my elderly Yaris was making a scraping, grinding noise. The manager pointed out that the front bumper, or whatever it's called, had come adrift and was rubbing on the wheel. OK, at least nothing wrong with the engine, but that looks like a pricey job. I'm going south tomorrow so the car can stay at the garage. So looking forward to seeing the GC. GS2 said he wanted me to be there for his birthday on Monday - he'll be 15. I think the last time I was there for his birthday was when he was a year old as they are normally away on holiday in August.
Au revoir all, I need to see to the laundry and my packing.

Purplepixie. Lots of rest and sleep. Enjoy the sunshine.Take care my dear some time out can work wonders.

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Dear Purplrpixie When you feel ready to return to our kitchen, us lot will welcome you with big smiles and plenty of cake. We are here for you, no matter how long it takes.

anno Bon voyage. Safe travels and have a wonderful gathering with your loved ones.

Izabella Result! That's more like it.

MacS took the following pic of the sparrow hawk sitting on our bench very close to the window. I took the sunset just last night.

Good afternoon everyone.
The sparrow hawk looks ........ almost friendly soop. Do you always have stunning sunsets or have you had more this Spring/Summer? I believe the moon and tides are inextricably connected aren’t they?
We took a photo last September in Menorca when there was a silver moon. We were walking back from a restaurant, on a boardwalk alongside the beach, and the moonlight bathed the sea and the sand in extraordinary silver light.

annod get that packing done, you must be in excited mood ?
Good news Izabella, not long for you and your DH to wait.

Purplep please rest and relax. ?

I have been to an outlet shop in Herefordshire this afternoon - clothes made in the UK - and found just the sort of outfit I like to wear. A pair of wide culottes, and a pretty sleeveless teal linen tunic top with clusters of flowers on. I’ve already rinsed them through by hand and they are blowing on the line.
Hmmmm I just need an occasion to wear a new outfit ?

Upon closer inspection of the labels, the clothes were designed in the UK, but made in Nepal. Oh dear, not quite what I thought. ☹️

On our way into Tarbert, we came across a French bulldog standing stock still in the centre of the main road. Another motorist helped us to direct the dog (feet stamping like a raging bull) into the driveway of a house. I hammered on the door, no response. MacS crossed the road to another house and a lady returned with him to help usher the wayward pooch in through a wobbly gate. The owner appeared. She told us that the dog belonged to her son who is staying with her. Guess what? He recently purchased said hound for £2000. My eyes watered.

So happy that your CH is being remembered by the Hospital !! Izabella. The amount of chasing that has had to go on since lockdown is incredible. Hope all goes well for him and soon.

Anno I swear that cars do it deliberately - a kind of attention seeking thing if long journeys are a possibility. So glad it's not an engine problem. Do have a fabulous time catching up with family and being an important birthday guest. Take care.

I do love sparrowhawks - even though they put such fear up the little tail feathers of every small garden bird. I've rescued ones which have collided with my windows in the countryside and they have sat, grumpily, in the dark of the sheepshed until they have recovered and are ready for victory circuits of the orchard again! Not sure what to say about a wandering French bulldog, soop, except that they are hideously overpriced, bought like designer handbags and then, as you say, just left to get into trouble wherever. Anyone who wants to pay that sort of money for a dog is just encouraging everyone to think they can make a profit from breeding. What's the matter with rescue dogs? There are enough around, including little French bulldogs, without handing over that sort of money.

Glad you are going to take some care of yourself Purplep. Come back soon and come back strong again, please. x

Puzzler your outfit sounds lovely. Don't worry, you almost need eyes in the back of your head to work out where anything comes from these days. Maybe, who knows, things might get back to stuff being made in the UK again once we've ousted Covid. If we paid a bit more for clothes of better quality and bought less, maybe there would be a place for some home grown businesses to start up and provide some jobs at the same time. My DH bought a small cutting tool for some tiles the other day online - he searched and searched and eventually found one "Made in the UK" (Hampshire). He almost keeled over. How often does Made in the UK feature on anything any more. So sad.

Hope everyone has had a good day. I was awake at 5.15 working out a plan of action for squeezing my missing parcel of yesterday out of UPS - or the man with the van they chose to perform the delivery. Bunch of frauds. They said it was delivered to me yesterday. So I was ready for a good shout when they opened this morning. Having told the depot manager that we were at home all day yesterday, so I hoped the delivery driver had a good story, because if not he would be repeating it to the Police, the delivery driver eventually phoned me. In the meantime, someone living down the other end of our road found it in his letter box and brought it up to the 'English House". Seems that the number put on the parcel was wrong and that was why it was wrongly delivered to him. All ended well, I now have a lovely little handbag and since no one stole it, I've had a lovely day.

Stay safe, everyone !

Good afternoon soop kitchen aficionados. Well, the hedge trimmers did not return to finish the job so I've kicked myself and grumbled mightily at myself. It is a warning to be more careful. I jumped in when they said they were working round the corner as I heard lawn mowers and strimmers going and thought it was them but no. I'm not going to dwell on it though. Its been a lovely day otherwise. I met an old friend and colleague for lunch at a lovely place in Stirling and we blethered for two and a half hours. Back home and it's gone cloudy. My dd, sil and gs have gone to St Andrews for the day. It's his first time at the seaside and the photos are lovely. soop the sparrowhawk look formidable and the sunset is beautiful. I take it you stay on the peninsula? purplepixie take care of yourself. I think I'll make French toast for tea. My daughter has promised me a coffee tower from Fisher and Donaldson bakers in St Andrews. See you tomorrow.

Grandmabatty Shame on the hedge trimmers. Well done for thinking Zen and letting go of the negative thoughts.

Grandmafrench Good news for you. When I was notified that a parcel had been delivered - and it hadn't - I left a message for our postie. Next day, the parcel arrived. On checking, it was discovered that the code thingy that tracks the parcel, had been duplicated. It does happen from time to time. Same code on parcel had indeed been delivered to a lady in Birmingham. I was happy. I had every faith that mine would turn up.

Now I'm well confused.

Log off time. A beautiful end of day in sunny Kintyre. Wishing you all manner of good things. I shall hope to be back with you again tomorrow.

Grandmabatty I have learned something today. I didn’t know what a coffee tower was, so I googled it.
They look amazing - I don’t believe we have them in England
(why not? They look simply delicious) is it ice cream inside and that is why they are frozen? I bet you ARE looking forward to one of those delicacies!
I’m glad you had a lovely day despite the unmentionable, unscrupulous people who we’re not giving any space to even write about! ?

Grandmafrench it must be declared a successful shopping day - we both got new things. A lady can never have enough handbags. Glad you found yours. ?

puzzler61 the inside is filled with luscious coffee cream. It's a bit like a massive profiterole but with coffee icing and coffee cream. When dd was younger, we would go to St Andrews for the day, spend some time on the beach and walk to the shops, culminating in a cake from the bakers. DD remembers this with fondness hence bringing back one for her old ma. ?

puzzler you are so kind. Thank you ?
izabella that is good news about your CH.
purplepixie take care. You are not alone out there. Other are going through similar things. Come back when you can.
Have a lovely time with the grandchildren anno
grandmabatty sorry about your hedge trimmers. The worst kind of conmen to take advantage.
Take care all

Such lovely memories Grandmabatty
Profiteroles are a favourite in our family, any flavour - the latest creation being the salted caramel sauce ones. For treats only, as they are calorific, I realise.
So I know we would just LOVE your coffee towers ?
Enjoy ?

Just popped into wish a very Happy Birthday to soop for Saturday. It is with a heavy heart that I am withdrawing from gransnet. When I posted asking fo help finding wool I had no idea what I was walking into. A piece of my post on here was used on another thread, I posted to clarify a point and found a nightmare. To complicated to explain and confusing. However I want no part of a forum that behaves the way I witnessed there. Everyone in the kitchen have been wonderful and welcoming but I am too upset by the experience to want to remain on gransnet. I wish you all well. Have a lovely birthday soop.

Grandmabatty, you have said the magic words: Fisher and Donaldson. When I was a student, I don't recall buying their products - probably too skint at the time. As a young teacher, I drooled over the Dundee branch's window display and, with my housemates occasionally indulged - especially when the new season't strawberry tarts came in.
Puzzler, I bought a long navy cardigan on line recently and the label says, 'Made in UK' so I was quite pleased. However, just then the scandal of the Leicester sweat shops blew up and it's a strong possibility that my cardi came from there. Your outfit sounds lovely. Don't wait for a special occasion - just enjoy wearing it!

So sorry you are leaving Freyer and best wishes to PurpleP.
We had a last minute invite to a BBQ with DS and family - just why we moved here. Things don’t have to be planned in advance or involve an overnight stay. DGS had a temperature earlier in the week so DS & DiL off work until his Covid tests came back negative. All back to work from tomorrow!
We shall be hiding from the heat or driving around in an air conditioned car!
Stay safe everyone.

Missed “ tomorrow” there!

Why does the battery in the smoke alarm always go in the middle of the night???

anno i find it sad that UK can’t/won’t manufacture large volumes of competitively priced clothing without it involving a workforce that has to “sweat” and be awfully low paid.
You will find a navy cardigan a go-to garment for many occasions. Taking your advice I’ll wear my tunic today as it’s the perfect weather and my friend is coming for drinks, cookies and a natter in the garden ?

Nannytopsy sorry for your disturbed night. I could cheerfully shoot the smoke detector if it starts that “cheep, cheep” noise when I’m in bed!
You have at least 2 reasons to be happy - your DGS does not have that dreaded Covid and the joy of frequent family get togethers.

I have an idea you may already be in the air- conditioned car driving as the heat is building and it’s a mere 7 a.m. ?

Take care. ?

Nope Puzzler - I am ashamed to say I am sitting in bed with my coffee! ?
Must find a battery for that alarm ...

What a brilliant idea, NT - have a nice sit down and think about things....like coffee....and batteries. You should have seen us chasing around the house in the middle of the night once, trying to find which blasted smoke alarm was keeping us awake.

We eventually went out outside into the garden to find that it was a Little Owl. Have you heard them? They might be adorable, but they do the best and most annoying alarm impersonations. Wonder why they just can't hoot like all the others ? Have a great day.

They are very endearing Gf. We hear owls here but they don’t make it very clear what kind they are. Definitely some tawnies but squeaks too.
It is already 29C in the kitchen ...