Soop's lovely warm and friendly kitchen

Grandmabatty Sister-in-law's father has certainly done that ankle a mischief. Did he slip on the ice? We haven't ventured forth all day. The ground is hard and white with glittering frost. Remember how, as children, we made long slides in the playground and hurtled from one end to the other without trepidation? Those days are gone my friend...

I've just taken a photo through the window of the setting sun. It's far from perfect. However, I hope that you lot feel a weeny bit cheered by it.

Until tomorrow. Continue to stay safe and warm and enjoy a pleasant evening in whatever way that you can do so.

Doodle oops, I'm sorry for the inadvertent compliment and Greyduster my apologies! Soop Nepenthe sounds like absinthe and I will have a dram. Or maybe not as I'm suffering from heart burn and indigestion combined. Completely self inflicted as I have eaten and imbibed much too heartily. Soop I hope the fault with the car isn't terminal. Maybe battery related? I have had a very quiet day. A couple of washings done and a lot of sitting down. I have roasted a chicken ready for tea. It's very slippy here, even though its been raining. The father of sil has broken his ankle for the second time in a year and is off to A&E. I'm going nowhere. Take care everyone.

Maw - what's up? What am I missing? Do put me out of my misery please.

Have I ever mentioned that my most favourite pudding is bread and butter with real thick custard? Well, now you know. Did anyone squirrel away a dish full for me? Thought not.

corner It sounds very much like you have reached the point of new-knee-time. Us lot are with you all the way.

Susan I know exactly what you mean about missing your inner Pollyanna. Mine has gone on walkabout from time to time just recently. I'm sending you a virtual chin-up hug.

Well now...the car has broken down. We drove back home after our short walk yesterday. Just short of the driveway...it started to slow right down and then came to an untimely halt. and !*%*? etcetera.

By the way, I came across the word - 'Nepenthe' - which is a potion described in Homer's Odyssey that banishes all grief and trouble from the mind, and by extension for anything that soothes the soul.
I am prescribing you all a hearty dose of Nepenthe. You deserve it.

grandmabatty thank you for the compliment on the bread pudding. I’m almost tempted to keep it as my cooking skills aren’t world class. However, it was greyduster’s bread pudding that looked so good ?
It does indeed look quite different to bread and butter pudding which my mother used to make a lot. That was golden yellow and soft.
Urms I always used to think that all the police were good and kind. We had a police box at the end of our road and when young I used to think we would be quite safe because I could always go and call a policeman (I imagine there are many children these days who have never seen one in real life)
Maw ? fight back ((hugs))
Has anyone heard from Izabella recently?
Take care all.

I think your physio is right Corner, all the pain I was having in both my knees, one of which is a replacement, has been relieved since I had my hip done.
The progress on that has been slow but almost back to normal now.
So very happy to have had it done.

Good luck Corner - you have gone a lot further down the “knee pathway” than I have.

Good luck tomorrow corner.Sounds like all other avenues have been explored and knee replacement is what you need.Really hope the person you speak to tomorrow listens and you have a good outcome.

The referral is for the gatekeeper assessment clinic. My GP has asked for assessment for onward consultant referral which of course will take time. Still not sure how they will assess over the phone though . I’ve asked before about stages and have been told it’s not terminology they use in this area charley. It was described as moderate to severe three years ago. Who knows now. Have had three physio referrals some exercises, pain/mobility course and two courses of NHS acupuncture. Can only hope the person tomorrow will listen, also to the opinion of a (private) physio who is convinced much of my spinal and hip pain is related to the knee. Keep your fingers crossed for me. To be honest I’m not expecting a lot, so won’t be disappointed.

Nannytopsy and Corner, my DH had been told he needed a knee replacement a couple of years ago.

The physio booked him onto a course called Escape pain.We had very little hope that it would help.He attended classes twice a week and did the exercises at home and it actually worked.Until he went flying in the garage on Christmas Day his knee was doing really well.It may be worth seeing if there is a similar course in your area.

Hellogirl, I remember you ordering your new settee.What a palaver it has been.Hope it arrives soon??

Gorgeous photos soop.So good to have you back?

We are taking the decorations down today.A couple of days earlier than normal but even DH who would normally leave them up all year if I let him has said let’s take them down.

TOYA and wishing you all the best day possible.I have been a bit gloomy for a couple of days,I can usually channel my inner Pollyanna but struggling to find her at the moment?

If knee pain wakes you during the night, that is the time. Also ask what grade your xray is- grade 4 is bone on bone, 1 is normal. I have had both knees replaced and although very painful afterwards I have not regretted anything.

Once your knee gives you unremitting pain when walking even a very short distance it is time for a replacement.
The Consultant said to me, you will know when enough is enough and he was right.

Oh dear Maw! Again?
Corner I hope you get a better outcome than me. I have had two phone calls from a softly spoken young physio about the severe arthritis in my knee. He told me that my knee is much better than a replacement ( it used to be but it isn’t any more!) and has sent me two lots of exercises to do. The second set included squats. I ask you!!
That’s why I have paid for acupuncture, to keep the pain down. My GP expected a referral to an orthopod.

Welcome back Soop, and still in fine spirits it seems, although the frustration must have got to you at times. So pleased to see that Fern is still around.
We have entered tier 4, so I`m hoping that it doesn`t prevent the delivery of my new settee, ordered and paid for on September 15th. When it was delivered on Dec 17th, the man took one look into my house and declared that it "wouldn`t go through there", and took it away again, without even taking it off the van! I`m now lewft with having it delivered again, in pieces, and 2 upholsterers coming the day after to rebuild it, at a cost of £200, making it a very expensive settee!
Ann, I`m glad to hear that you`re now warm, it`s not the weather to be without heating and hot water.
MawB, I hope those pins aren`t sticking into anything too delicate?

Lovely to see you back Soop - a belated happy new year x

Hurrah, soop ‘s back. ?
What a kind neighbour?
I look forward to your next post and more lovely photo’s tomorrow. ?

Welcome back Soop ! ??

Welcome back Soop you must have been beyond frustrated.
And Annsixty it looks as if you may be warm again but why you have had to wait at all is inhuman.
I am in trouble again it seems with some pins sticking out of my wax effigy so I will say no more.

‘Evenin’ All’. ?

I used to love Dixon of Dock Green. When Jack Warner who played Constable George Dixon was looking after us all, the world (from my 9 or 10y old’s viewpoint) seemed a comforting, safe place. Baddies got their comeuppance. Policemen were kind. Remember our mums used to say ‘ask a policeman first?’. Days long gone ...

Lovely to have you back soop in your kitchen. Hope everybody has a restful, anxiety free and peaceful evening. x

‘Goodnight All.’

So glad you're back online Soop - by whatever means.
It sounds a bit like the dongle we bought when we first came back from France. It was 'pay as you go'.
And wishing everyone else a better New Year than last year.

Welcome back to your kitchen Soop. The photos are lovely. I hope you and Macsporran are well. Doodle that bread pudding looks yummy. I thought it was like bread and butter pudding but obviously I was wrong. Puzzler61 it hadn't got above freezing in Central Scotland today. Tonight has to be cold again. I drove ds home to Stirling this morning then took down the tree and decorations so my house is back to normal. I'm going to have leftovers of steak pie shortly. Have a good night all.

Lovely photos and lovely to have you back with us soop. The knee is still with me, thank you. Useful though it is I’d be happier if it made itself less known. I’m hoping next weeks appointment will be positive in terms of referral.

That’s good news ann, I’m relieved your boiler is fixed, being cold is more than miserable

According to the resident expert in these things your bread pudding is apparently just how it should be greyd. I have been treated to much reminiscing about bread puddings he has eaten - and ignored the hints

It’s been a funny old day here. Postponed a walk with one of ours, rain was falling at a scary rate, no fun for any of us. Then the washing machine failed to spin so it was a further rinse and spin with fingers crossed. It sort of worked. Discovering our bubble-son would welcome adult company, even that of his parents, found my smile again. Our drive home was through fog and snow, where did that come from? Settling for the evening we decided a glass of sherry would be good with our bits and pieces tea. The theory was good, somehow I managed to launch my full glass across the room. Tea was later than anticipated. Relaxing evening? Not so far!

I’m off to attempt to clear the kitchen without causing havoc. Take care everyone. TOYA.

Not allowed to take tree and decorations down until the last possible minute! DH loves Christmas so much. So I will be doing it all on Tuesday. We have BT and it all seems to work quite well here, but seems to cost a lot of money. I would happily change, but DH gets sport with BT.

Lovely to have you with us again soop. It may take you a while to catch up but we tried to keep the home fires burning. We’ve had to budge up and make room for some newcomers which is always nice.
DH is on the mend thank you.
ann any news of your DGS.
TOYA?

Uh oh, apologies Soop for thinking you’re mythical, but you must be magical to create such an amazing, comforting kitchen.
Tree and decorations gone, I’ll take watering the tree of my daily exciting things to do list. Normal, such as it is, Saturday, newspaper crossword and football.

Our precious soop is back in her kitchen where she belongs ??????