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

I am desperate for a cat, and apparently I am nagging GrandpaGravy, and he is not being persuaded ??

I have just had my first mince pie (not home made, but M & S luxury one). Very nice, but I need to get baking at the weekend.

The youngest GC (10 months) is nearly walking, I think I might have to put the Christmas Tree in the playpen and let him have the run of the downstairs ?

TOYA

Enjoy baking Grannygravy13

Gorgeous Gc, good idea about Christmas tree for this year.

Susan Thank you for updating me regarding Henry. I really was hopeful that he was feeling very much better. Such a pity that he has to live with so many ups and downs. He looks very bonnie. Sending good vibes from Kintyre.

Charleyg Fern would be made more than welcome to come into our home. She is a nervous feline. It will take time and lots of patience if she's ever to be a real part of our family. Rory lived outside for several months. However, when he did venture indoors...well, you know the rest.

GrannyGravy Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww! I could cuddle that wee darling for hour upon end.

Hello, Namsnanny Something odd going on with posting messages.

Well, I spoke too soon. Kiwi came in, ate and has gone again!!

I'll fight soop for a cuddle with that lovely boy, gg.

Thank you soop.

GrannyGravy,your gorgeous little grandson looks ready for the off.Might copy your idea of caging the tree and letting H have the run of the house?

We need more moggies to distract us from fighting over little babbas, I think! GrannyGravy you don't need to nag for a new pusscat. Tell him that whilst you can't save the planet singlehandedly, but you can certainly save a poor unwanted cat and make it (and you) very happy. Job done? Loved the idea of the Xmas tree in the playpen. Bet it would take a lot more notice of you than that little determined, exploring boy!

Susan hope that H is improving each day.

I am sitting in my study peering out at a beautiful gold and turquoise sky filled with skeins of birds going to roost after the most perfect day. Love the way they all talk to each other as they keep in their flight patterns. There are so many of them in huge waves crossing the garden. Wonderful too how they know the time to go home, according to the sunset. I recall that when in holiday in South Africa, we used to get up very early to stand on the cliffs and watch huge schools of dolphins going along the coast just after dawn. Off to work? Just like commuters. The same time every evening they all came past in the opposite direction. A real spectacle as they jumped and played and caught up with each other.

Just come in from our little dog walk and now enjoying a well-earned cuppa.

It's a bit like a French farce with everyone's beautiful cats coming and going. Very pleased that little Fern/Robbie is getting used to calling for meals. It won't be long before the new visitor is creeping inside (just for a little look) especially with such kindness on tap!

I'm now going to start the new series of The Crown and hope not to be disappointed. Maybe need to stop reading reviews first. Have a lovely evening all and hope that your knee is giving you some peace, NannyTopsy.
Hugs from France

*Susan56

Oops!!!!

Susan56 sorry to hear Henry has been poorly again, with any food allergy/intolerance it is hard for little ones.

Evening All. We seem have had busy days with little to show for it, oh well, at least we were occupied and out of mischief, well I assume we were

Love the cat photos, Mr C is allergic to cats so no chance here. That little one will soon be exploring at speed grannyg, aren't they adorable? Your mention of play pens reminded me we certainly did put our Christmas tree in one of the wooden, square play pens to keep it safe from both small children and an inquisitive puppy. Worked a treat.

Apologies Susan I'd missed you saying Hentry had been unwell again. Not sure where my head is these days, certainly not in the correct place on top of. my body.

Good news that Fern is returning Soop, I can feel your excitement. She sounds a cat of independent mind and will no doubt decide when she visits and indeed when she ventures inside. Suspect she will when she's ready.

There's envy here of your sky Grandmafrench, nothing but grey the last few days. Tomorrow is forecast to be better, a blue sky would cheer me for sure.

TOYA, take care everyone.

Need to love and leave you until tomorrow. Losing internet connection every few mins.

soop you definitely need an internet server to provide you with the latest anti-wibble, anti-fade and a hang-on-in-there-ometer, complete with a wind-reducing aerial? ( I think those companies also offer you a very reduced fee and an economy size box of Valium for the days when all else fails!)

I reckon that if we could all sit under that big blue umbrella most days, corner, we'd all feel extremely cheery.

Night night and sleep well all. ?

We have been up to our eyes with all kinds of things just recently so I haven't been around much. We have had an electric loft ladder installed which means I can safely use the available storage space. We now have a beautiful wet room which has already made such a difference to how safely Himself can shower and he is loving it. I am hoping to post a picture when DD arrives this weekend. We have had three rooms redecorated and new carpets fitted and am pleased with how they are looking although not thrilled with the smell emanating from the underlay. I am assured that it will dissipate so I hope that is true! The furniture 'merry go round' is not quite finished and Hmself is not enjoying it at all so I have been plying him with G&Ts which seems to work well.
Seem to be loads of gorgeous cat pictures and lovely stories but I'm afraid we have such a horribly sad story. Just as DD was getting ready to move house to be with us her poor old puss cat fell in the night smashing his leg on the radiator. She had gone to bed and was awoken by a very loud bang from the radiator so she went downstairs to investigate and found him dragging his leg at a very odd angle. She assumes that he must have fallen on to the radiator when he jmped or fell off the window sill. The vet was amazed at such a bad injury occurring indoors and eventually the poor boy had to be put to sleep because his heart condition worsened and would not allow the surgery he needed. She is in bits for her beloved furry friend who had been with her for nearly 18 years. I just can't believe how quickly it all happened but perhaps it is better that way than a lingering goodbye but we are all sad as he was a much loved member of the family.
DD arrives this weekend and I am so looking forward to seeing her as it is 11 months since we last saw her. Such a weird year as we usually saw her every 6-8 weeks.
Well TOYA everybody and for all.

How lovely to hear from you Synonymous and gratifying to hear things are moving on for you at last.
The wet room must be a boon for your husband.

How sad to hear about your D’s cat but you must be so looking forward to seeing her again and having her move in with you, it sounds as though it will be a mutually beneficial arrangement.

It is lashing down with rain here and I can’t sleep but I hope everyone else is not so troubled.

Snap ann, it’s sounding like machine gun fire on our bedroom window. Wind must be in the right (wrong!) direction.

I’m sorry about your daughters cat synonymous, a sad loss. This weekend will be a new beginning for you all, I can imagine how much you are looking forward to seeing your daughter. Things have moved on wonderfully for you, safer and more comfortable. Thank you for updating us, it’s good to hear from you.

Whisper this one, the forecast is for sunshine later today. There will be the biggest smile here if it’s right. It seems quieter outside now, time to settle for some sleep.

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202011/medium-420535-p1015190--copy.jpg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202011/medium-539290-p1015190.jpg

Good afternoon to all our lovely kitcheners.

The bloody internet connection faded every few minutes yesterday afternoon. There was a hurricane blowing outside. Maybe that had an adverse effect on whatever happens on the airwaves. I'm so scientific.

Lovely to hear from you Synonymous. Well, since we last had the pleasure of your company, a huge amount has happened to improve facilities in your home. I bet it all looks spiffing. I can no longer climb the ladder into our loft. Goodness only knows what it is that MacS finds to do up there. He says that he's "getting rid of stuff" From time to time a box full of bits and bobs emerges through the hatch. Otherwise...I think that he enjoys some well deserved peace and quiet. Not a bad thing.
I am sorry to hear about your daughter's cat's accident and death. Long ago, I had a cat called Fluffy. She got her leg trapped between the radiator and wall and dislocated her hip. The vet fixed things for free because he said that she was an amazing creature. She had also damaged ligaments and had a limp for the rest of her life.

"Our cat" spent the night in the den. MacSporran gave her an early breakfast. She then sat watching as I serviced her quarters. No word of thanks.
Now we have to make the decision to have "our cat" neutered. We know that it is the wise thing to do. However, the business of refraining from feeding her until she's hungry enough to enter a trap, is something that we do have experience of and wish that there was another way of getting her to the vet.
Here is this morning's portrait.

Please soop do make sure she isn’t just using you and could have another family who is wondering where she gets to.

I am inclined to agree with ann. That cat looks well-nourished and not a feral cat.

I know that corner has had a ginger tom guarding their house and garden for months now but seems to have a home because he vanishes each night. Corner I do not think has ever fed him and he will not go near her.

Synonymous delighted to hear that the wet room is working very well and life is marginally easier now and will improve once the other adjustments have taken place.
TOYA

So glad that the wet room and decorating are a success but so sorry to hear of the accident and death of your daughters cat.I am sure you are all devastated,our pets are definitely family members..

My DH spends hours in the loft too soop.I have never been up there but like MacS I think he likes some peace and quiet in his man cave.

Raining on and off here but when it rains it’s torrential.

TOYA

Ann and Charleyg The many cat photos have been posted regularly on the village website. No one knows this creature. A gentleman living between seven and ten miles away has had a visitor to his garden for some months. A nervous cat who refuses to interact with him and has a good appetite. He bought a cat house for the garden. Said that it was visited from time to time but hasn't seen the visitor recently. Has no photo to share.
When Rory first came into the garden, he was a large member of a feral cat community. We had to capture him and his mate and kittens to have them neutered. Recently, five feral cats, living in an abandoned farm shed, were trapped and neutered. The local GP did the trapping. Some cats found homes elsewhere and two are now in a shelter in Oban.
All a bit of a mystery. I've contacted the GP and he's seen the photo. He doesn't recognise this cat.
I would be more than happy for someone to claim Fern. She appears to very nervous of people. I shall do more reseach.

I have posted messages and the cat photo yet again to the village website. There are only 200 inhabitants in the village. We all know each other well. I feel that is the best that I can do for the time being.

It's getting dark and I'm still in isolation. I'm awaiting the appointment to have the Covid test in Campbeltown on Monday. By this time next week, all being well, I should have had surgery and be back on the ward.

Sending my very best wishes to you all. I hope to be back here in our kitchen tomorrow.

I`m so very sorry about your daughter`s beloved cat Synonymous, the whole family must be dreadfully upset.
Soop, I hope that Fern does find her forever home, whether it`s with you or another kindly soul.
I`ve been getting rather stressed today. I`ve had a couple of photo blankets done for Christmas presents, am so pleased with them that I decided to do 2 more. Waill the site co-operate? Will it heck! I`ve tried several times, get to the same point each time and all comes to a standstill. The air in here was blue, indeed, purple, a few hours ago!

Will, not waill!

I feel your pain callgirl.I spent ages making a photo book and then when I previewed everything was in a different order.I was getting so het up I have decided to leave it a few days before trying again?

We are looking after a poorly Henry today.I spent twenty minutes rocking him to sleep when DH came in the room like a blooming court jester and woke him up?

It’s Matilda’s 5th birthday today.Apparently she has insisted on wearing all her I am five badges to school and I am five bobbles in her hair.We are collecting her from school later.Strange that in lockdown times we are actually seeing her on her birthday.They normally go out for the day as a little family on her birthday then we have a party on the weekend nearest her birthday.

Hope you are feeling rested soop,not long now?

Have a good day all and TOYA