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

Just popped in to offer my sympathy to GrandmaFrench on the loss of your beloved pet.

We have family problems at the moment so I too am taking a break.
I fought the good fight for Maw but it was not to be I am afraid.

P.s. well said Charleygirl I’m a newbie on here and was immediately made so very welcome by you all - even though I don’t have a dog or a cat. And I don’t bake, can’t paint, don’t craft and don’t have a garden.

wanders off to ponder what on earth I do waffle on about then ...

‘Evening All’
?

I’ve been out this afternoon in the sunshine (!) for a long stroll with a friend. I asked her how many steps we’d done (she has a thingy) and apparently we did just over 11,000. Excellent. Mind you when I average it out over a week it’s poor.
#lazygran

I’m off for another coffee & stroll tomorrow with Himself. I need to get my fitness levels up as I’m sat around on this or reading Far Too Much!

There are still rumbling noises regards MawBe’s lifetime ban but sadly, after over fifteen hundred posts GNHQ aren’t budging so I think we have to admit defeat. We tried our hardest but it’s not to be. Not to MawBe either.
?

Hope everyone has a pleasant and peaceful night ahead. x

‘Goodnight All’.

N&G he is a highly intelligent young man. That £20 item was neither comfortable nor to his liking so it had to go! At least you can now see what you are dealing with and provided Sam can be persuaded to keep his claws well away with luck and antibiotics the wound will heal soon.

We have been accused elsewhere of being cliquey but we are not stupid, we know over time who has pets, what the minxes get up to etc. Some of us have been around for 10 years + and it is not as though we tell anybody who peeps in to bogoff. That is not what we are like. Rant over-as you were!

Sorry to hear your news GrandmaFrench our pets become part of our hearts ?

NannaandGrampy they are so clever.

I have just had a pleasant surprise, GrandpaGravy added me to the standby list at our local Covid vaccine clinic when he had his jab last week. I have just had my jab, I was the closest to the clinic and they had one dose of Pfizer left yippee!!!

Oh dear nanaandgrampy, that did make me chuckle!
Sams a clever one then !

Thank you for the lovely gentle thread soop it’s like a calm peaceful oasis. I’m just sat by the window watching the snow come down, it’s looking very white and cold outside so staying put
Thank you for the cake yiayia yummy
I’ve never really got going with growing vegetables jax I think it’s too cold and damp here but you look very well organised, thanks for the picture
Sending ? grandmafrench

Evening all,

There is a lot to be said for the kindness in this kitchen . I wish more newcomers would be brave and pop in to say hello. Those of us who are here regularly do get to know each other but I think we are welcoming of anyone who wants to pull up a chair and chat.

You have had a lot to bear Grandmafrench , sometimes its nice to just share all that . It helps bear the weight of the worry I think.

Sam has spent the day at the vets but is home now. They debrided his wound which encompasses one side of his neck. The cultures came back and he does indeed have a whopper of an infection in the cyst ( not helped when he scratched it to bits at the weekend).

At least with the fur shaved off we can now see what we're dealing with and keep it clean! I will add a picture of his doughnut which is stopping a repeat of the massacre :-) !

BUT I know you will chuckle. We put it on and he sat on the mat looking most woebegone. Then got up , walked to a dining room chair, wedged his head+ doughnut under the back legs and promptly backed right out of the darn neck protector !! It took him under 10 minutes to work out how to get it off !!

That was £20 wasted! Back to the t shirt lol

Happy evening all x

Jaxjacky Those hot sausages have made my mouth water.
I admire your filing system. I have mad occasions when I wade through all our family photos and make files according to the year and occasion. Haven't done so lately, mind.

BladeAnnie and Yia Shall we have a virtual coffee and cake sampling session? The real thing would be grand. However...needs must.

Fern is now sitting on the utility room mat and chomping away on a very tasty teatime treat. It is lovely to have her home again. I realise that she is a free spirit. She may visit whenever she needs nourishment. She has a warm bed in which to sleep. Although I would be over the moon if she should ever find the time to sit on my lap, I know that it is most unlikely. We are happy to be here for her. She owes us nothing.

Time to log off. Thank you for your company. We hope to get together again tomorrow for a catch-up. My thoughts are with Grandmafrench and all of you with troubles to bear.

Grandmafrench what a lot to bear, no wonder you need time to recoup and regroup. I sincerely hope MrGf feels a lot better after his appointment tomorrow, that there is some resolution to your foot issues and you have some solace from your other furry friends. The unrest on GN I fear will rumble on, it’s very disconcerting, even as a new member.
I have had a productive day sorting out my vegetable seeds, filing the new and discarding some old packets with very few seeds in. I hate throwing them out, but my filing box is busting, so needs must. We discovered some hog sausages at the local butchers a couple of weeks ago, utterly yum, I went to get some on Tuesday, but only four left, so two pork and chorizo to make up enough. That’ll be tonight’s dinner; I’ve posted a picture of my file and chitting potatoes, not as cheery as flowers, but it makes me happy.

Agree with you Blade Annie thanks to Soop this is a gentle thread.
Happy to be here and bring you all coffee and walnut cake.
Have a nice evening and stay safe.

This is a lovely gentle thread Soop. I too cannot tolerate nastiness in any way or form - absolutely no need for it. There seems to be so much sadness about and I send my best wishes to all who are having a difficult time . I'm having a herbal tea in my favourite mug and starting to knit some newborn baby hats as our local birthing unit has put out an appeal. Stay safe whatever you might be doing today

I realise that Grandmafrench has had a dismal time recently. Losing Nouba will take time to recover from. We still grieve for Rory on occasions. A beloved animal is more than a furry creature with four legs. Our animals have personalities, funny little ways...some endearing, some not so.
Your poor husband has suffered enough with a strange fever and ongoing dental problems. I trust that he'll return home from the dentist with a smile on his face.
Your possible gout is most certainly a buggeration too far. It was, according to my late father, "bloody hell".

I sometimes dip into other forums. Not often. I am not confrontational. I do not enjoy reading back-biting comments that must surely hurt another's feelings. For that reason, I stay put. I am happy with the gentle banter we share. In fact, this kitchen and it's friendly residents make these trying times tolerable and hopeful. A little hope goes a very long way.

Fern returned overnight. She has enjoyed two hearty breakfasts. Is now on patrol in her forest.

You lot are the best. I shall return to spend more time with you later.

Grandmafrench Our lovely Nouba enjoyed a good life with you. His portrait will remain in our gallery of very special furry friends. Gentle hugs.

You've had a lot of worry and upset to deal with Grandmafrench yet you always find time to be kind to others. I hope all your worries vanish tout suite. Take care.

So sorry Grandmafrench, your Nouba was beautiful.

GrandmaFrench, I’m so sorry ?

What lovely responses - thank you so much everyone. Yes, we're really sad, when you lose a much loved pet, it's like a small piece of your heart goes with them and you lose a big piece of the life that you were lucky enough to share. But you can't give a struggling little chap new kidneys. Our other cats are o.k. I think. They have each other and they're quite independent girl cats. He was the real character, but once he reached the point he didn't want us near him and was just very confused, we knew the time had come.

Of course I remember the loss of your Tara only recently, Charley, and I expect you are finding your home a very quiet place without her comings and goings. I do hope you'll get to enjoy some fostering when you're ready - she'd approve of that, I think.

I've been taking a break from posting because of our problems with Nouba, my DH with some weird fever (now recovered), also his having a dental problem (to be finally resolved tomorrow after already contacting 14 dentists for an appointment to no avail!), my ongoing foot problem which might just perhaps be Gout, and seeing all sorts of unrest going on on the Forums which made me both angry and sad. So many lovely people on here to miss. But, rather than get the glooms and spread that like the Plague, I thought I'd wait to get in a better frame of mind again. So....onwards and upwards. Better times coming - we have to believe that. It's been so warm (18 degrees) that being able to do things in the garden today has calmed and cheered me enormously.

Hugs and waves and flowers and thanks to you all, and to dear soop who must be so thrilled to have her internet restored. And how interesting that Fern might have some Tara tendencies! Keep on keeping on Panaches - you're so brave. To those with poorly dogs, I am hoping that they are now on their way to good health again. Please take care of yourselves, all. Wishing you happiness and here's to everyone soon completing your vaccine journeys. Nighty night. xx

Grandmafrench ?

GrandmaFrench so sorry to hear about your handsome fellow. Tara died last month so I know exactly how you feel. I only had one cat.

So sorry to hear that Nouba is gone GrandmaFrench. How are your other cats responding?
Best wishes to you all.

Grandmafrench I’m so sorry about Nouba. You must be very sad tonight. Much loved I am sure. ?

So sorry to hear of your loss Grandmafrench. Such a loss - we know how we would feel so can imagine your sadness xx

RIP dear Nouba - sleep tight little one