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

Yes GrandmaFrench exactly! ‘Urmstongran’s Bookshop’.
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How lovely, Urms - imagine you having a bookshop!?!?!?!?!
Totally appropriate if you could!

Not boring the underwear off you today with a long post. Just had to comment on the line dancing, Jax. How did you even know that I had to give that up because my ankle played up (accompanied by my slight Scoliosis from time to time!) It is a French preoccupation but so much fun. Definitely need to say that you brought a tear to my eye this morning on an earlier thread when you shared your good news. The relief must make you feel quite giddy, no wonder you are ordering flowers and online shopping for vases. You go girl, you deserve it. Someone has to find a way of celebrating.

Corner and GrandmaB - you've earned a nice lie down.
Soop lovely plans being made to titivate that little Chocolate Box home of yours. Glad you don't need counselling, dragonfly. Think you're winning! x

TOYA, stay safe, stay sane. ?‍♀️

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202101/medium-508496-44e8677e-b512-4f87-b143-1fbbd449651b.jpeg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202101/medium-417142-8d63d02a-8442-47d8-891f-68424465e884.jpeg

And of course my favourite shop ...

am envious of your proximity to shops, especially the fish and chip shop, Urmston

It’s wonderful living in a town centre dragonfly with everything we need - post office, Sainsbury’s, ATM’s, Thornton’s (!), Boots, and many others literally just outside the development. I like to think I did my homework in preparation for retirement needs well.
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Soggy afternoon to you all, it hasn’t stopped splashing down so far and looks set in, it’s very dull, literally and metaphorically. I ordered myself some flowers, never done that before, Sod’s law my lovely husband just came home bearing flowers! Not complaining, they’re a treat, I don’t like chocolate, flowers every time, I’ve ordered a new vase, coming tomorrow.
Grandmafrench pleased your ankle is settling, none of that line dancing the French seem so enamoured of! I don’t need new clothes either, in fact I don’t really need new anything. For me this ordering stuff is partly having control, where so much of it has gone and partly boredom, what vase?
Not really a cake person either but Galen coffee cake reminds me of my Mum, Friday was always baking day. Fruit cake, a sponge, meringues and brandy snaps, we must have kept slim as we walked everywhere, memories.
Enjoy the rest of your afternoon..oh, Doodle hope MrD is still recovering.

Afternoon All. It’s wind down time here. Dust and grime have been removed, lunch cooked and eaten, grocery delivery put away with far too much wiping of items. Kitchen cleared and cleaned courtesy of Mr C now it’s do very little for the rest of the day.

You’ll both get much pleasure from your redecorating plans soop, I’m sure you’ll be delighted with the outcome. Goodness grandmabaty, sounds as if you could do with a rest but such fun. Summer clothes sound a good idea yiayia, good to look forward to better weather.

The very efficient physio I saw on Monday has made the consultant referral, sent me a choose and book letter and after a phone call this morning I have an MRI booked for next week. Oh yes, and a blood test. Blimey. It’s all going a bit fast . Truly not complaining, just trying to catch up. Mr C has an ECG tomorrow. Not sure the NHS can afford us!

It’s a gloomy day outside, blowing and very wet. Just the afternoon to sit in the warm with a cuppa, a biscuit and a good book.

TOYA

Soop that's excellent news. I think it'll make you and Mac feel brighter.

I haven't forgotten you lovely lot, we've been busy making plans with a builder who has agreed to decorate the outside of the house including replacing rotting woodwork. He'll be measuring stuff this afternoon. He'll then place an order with the building supplier. He hopes to start end of March/early April.

It is something to look forward to. As I said before, the exterior is looking sad and drab.

I've household jobs to attend to. At 4pm we'll be watching the new President Biden being sworn in. I may be tempted to quaff a G&T in celebration.

Providing I remain sober, I shall be back with you again later this afternoon. Naturally you've all been far too busy. No way can I take a brief look at all the goings on. No siree! Whenever did our kitchen remain quiet for any length of time? I am delighted that still bother to visit and share whatever you feel like sharing. It's what we're about.

Yiayia for some reason I missed the photo of your lovely Oscar. He's gorgeous and I hope he feels more like himself soon. Grandmafrench you write the most vivid and interesting stories! Long may your pen work,if you see what I mean. I'm having a quiet moment as His Lordship is back in the cot for a nap. We had an aborted try this morning. Mind you, I had three quarters of an hour to tidy while he created mayhem in his bedroom. Every piece of clothing removed, everything including quilts chucked out and he'd even reached the double bed and removed cushions and pillows. So fingers crossed he's too tired after swings and puddle splashing. I'm having to up babysitting hours as son in law has food poisoning or gastric flu and is unable to watch dgs and his grandad is having an operation. I don't mind but I definitely don't have the same energy. I'm going to have haddock and chips for tea with bread and butter, after I drop dgs back home. I had a glasses disaster this morning when they broke apart in my hands. Fortunately I found my spare pair but I'll have to contact the optician and hope for an appointment

Afternoon everyone on this very grey day.
Thank you all for your kind comments regarding Oscar I’m hoping he will be back to his old self very soon.

Zara clothes delivery here, some nice summer linen tops at a very good price little things please these days.

Hope your all having a nice relaxing day stay safe.

Another vote here for the boiled fruit cake Galen it sounds delicious.
I am envious of your proximity to shops, especially the fish and chip shop, Urmston. We have to get in the car and hope it starts every time.

I had my first counselling session yesterday - recommended by the hospital. The outcome was I didn't really need it so will have one more session on the counsellor's insistence and then let it go to someone more needy.

A friend of mine is also having problems with BT. She cannot receive incoming calls. I hope she gets it sorted out quicker than you. It is ironic as they advertise that they have the only reliable Broadband!

Maw I have resisted buying clothes as I keep looking at all the ones I have in the wardrobe which are not being used. My DH bought me a lovely necklace for Christmas but it looks silly over my jogging top!!

TOYA

grandmafrench sorry to hear about your ankle. Foot up and rest until it’s fully fixed please.
Maw I was just going to say I like all those outfits when I read that you have sent them back. What a shame. Keep looking ?
Yiayia what a lovely little chap. Hope he feels happier soon.
I don’t like coffee flavour Galen so boiled fruit cake or lemon drizzle get my vote ?
TOYA ?

We can’t be in another kitchen already. It was only the other day that Kitty opened the last one.
Just want to say I hope everyone is ok, where’s the cake, who’s got the bubbly? Now I’ll sit in the corner and catch up. ?

Incidentally, my new passport arrived today.
It’s dark blue and has the dear old coat of arms on it.
I don’t like Brexit, but, I am glad to get a near copy of my old British passport again.

Boiled fruit cake 1 vote.
I need to know by tomorrow evening so that the ingredients can be made ready for Thursday’s bake.

Evening Kitchen Peeps ! What busyness since I last posted. First things first, many many thanks to all of you lovelies who posted concerning my dodgy (and Monday lunchtime excruciating! )ankle. So pleased to report that wearing my (veterinary) sticky and stretchy bandaging as strapping for said ankle, it allowed a very comfortable night, proper weight bearing and this evening I can report that it is almost normal!

You do make me laugh in this Kitchen. A bit like moi, you all issue advice of great sense and wiseness (is that even a word?), with gravity and concern - often with the odd threat- to ensure that when we suffer we get better a.s.a.p. Of course, we all know that Life is determined to get in between injury, pain, and recovery times! So do we ever take notice of our own wise counsel, I wonder?

I noticed corner was quick to admit to failing to follow her own very good advice. Nannytopsy not even going to comment on what you've been up to with that knee, but will just say that you are supposed to spend no longer than 20 minutes at any one time on a ladder. This is official Health & Safety advice so just you listen, girlie! Soop has told me not to scuttle! How charming....the image of a cockroach just loomed large!!!

I do promise that I will make great attempts to behave. Just the good wishes alone will be guaranteed to make a difference.

I've no intention of resting my feet on Hellogirl's sofa. After the incredible logistical and financial problems you have had giving birth to said sofa, HG, and now finding it has to be a permanent fixture and fitting in your home, I think it should be carefully maintained. No feet, being the rule. Maybe consider surrounding it with some posh rope between brass supports, like stately furnishings in a stately home. A regal sofa now, not a buggeration! I'm a bit concerned about your bending over a laptop, though. You'll end up with a Dowager's Hump (remember those?) or just a very bad back. How about considering working from your lap with a nice laptop bed table? There are ever so many different styles for sale and they don't just work in bed, they would work in a chair or on a table (if you have space to extend your feet under the table and pull it close enough so that your back doesn't suffer. At least it might give you the height you need?

Shame about the clothes, Maw. Hope it won't put you off making the odd wild move towards buying lovely new clothes. We do need 'stuff' to keep up our spirits. I can't remember when I last went into a clothes shop. I think it must be more than 18 months ago. I wish I could be bothered to glam' up a bit to put out the bins, or even walk to my postbox. I tend to favour, if not a painty shirt and 'disreputable' trousers (love that NannyT) comfortable clothes which need minimum ironing and which tumble dry a treat, at this present time! I have a friend who used to walk a great deal in The Lake District. She possesses a number of pairs of 'noisy' trousies - these are waterproof over trousers for inclement weather which, she says, make it sound as if she's being followed by a man in boots walking on gravel.

I did the classic mask washing exercise today which involves gathering together masks which DH leaves in a bag in a pocket, in the car, in the boot, in the garage, on a garden bench etc., And there's ALWAYS one which is found after I've washed the others. Drives me bonkers/more bonkers.

Love your little Oscar, Yiayia (not heard that name since we had a holiday home in Greece!) Sad he had a scare with his Mum's illness. Hopefully this anxious phase will pass very soon. Boiled fruit cake for me, please, Galen. Love the idea of your mini air fryer. We had a delivery this morning. What a fiasco! Post woman turned up and told me there was €31 to pay - half the cost of the purchase. Delivery was from the UK, by a company pretending to be in France, where we bought it from their website. I asked the Postie was she absolutely sure that I needed to pay this, was it due to Brexit? She said Douanes/Customs. Right, Brexit then. I said I doubted I had any cash (DH has a habit of 'allowing' me to carry our money and then gradually removing it from my purse note by note. Since I rarely shop or use cash now, I never spot this until it's too late. It's a shared joke but today I managed to find the money in my purse (hurrah!) to pay. Oh no, she said, checking her papers, I can't take cash, don't you have a cheque? Fortunately DH's car arrived and he dealt with it. She had no idea to whom the cheque should be written....we helpfully suggested her retirement fund, but we took the unilateral decision and opted for La Poste. So many papers, she ended up apologising for the confusion. Later my DH mailed the offending company and suggested they refund his €31 immediately and to be more honest with their website pricing. The money arrived in his bank half an hour later.

Better luck than you're having with BT, Mr and Mrs soop. Almost due for a battle cry of Send in The Grans, I think. We're all fed up with seeing the Kitchen Queen and her Consort disrespected.

Susan don't get overtired and be really careful on those scary drives, please. Dragonfly and Urms rather too much attention being given to norty cocktails, I think?

I'm away to my bed, the sound of collective snoring from 3 sleeping cats is working its magic on my eyelids.

Night night, sleep tight and rest and heal, everyone. Wednesday's another day.....even though it possibly might feel like the same one on endless repeat. Let's spend the time planning what we're going to get up to on our release. A lovely new garden for you, Syn?
TOYA and Hugs for you all from French France x

Are you sorted yet soop? Can’t believe you have been messed about so long.

Hope things are looking up grandmafrench and the pain is going.

We’ve been shopping the sales and some nice new clothes have arrived. I just wish the sizing was consistent. A friend advised me to buy 3, so a size each side of the one I think will fit, so that I have the choice of the 3 and wouldn’t miss out on the sale. I did think at the time that it was an awful faff but am starting to think she was right as I am having to return stuff anyway. Pleased with some of the things though.

So pleased that our builder came to see us this afternoon to go through all the works we need in addition to the existing quote, hoping all will go well. Such a difficult time to do this kind of thing especially with all the uncertainty regarding availability of supplies, starting in the spring we hope.

Of course the sponge could be coffee, coffee and walnut or chocolate or just plain?

I presume Oscar is the boy not the fish?
Well my mini airfryer has arrived. Judging by the size of the box it’s not that mini! Delivery man just dropped it on the doorstep and disappeared. I’ve managed to nudge it into the hall with my foot, but it will have to wait until tomorrow to be unpacked. Think I’ll have scampi and chips tomorrow.
Going to bake on Thursday, do I do
Boiled fruit cake
Lemon drizzle
Victoria sponge or
Cinnamon and apple cake?
Decisions decisions!

Yiayia little Oscar is one handsome boy! I hope his anxiety lessens very soon.

‘Evening All’
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Wot - no cocktail bar tonight? I knew I ought to have had a second Porn Star last night hehe!

Oh Maw what a disappointment!

Our fish n chips were delicious. Fresh cooked as the guy only fries the fish as and when someone goes in to order these days and piping hot as Himself zooms back up our 2 floors in the lift!

No pud - we don’t eat them but I do have a ‘Bounty’ bar stashed (okay - hidden) in my bedside cabinet for later ...

Hope everyone has a relaxed and peaceful evening. I’m off to check if there’s ‘owt worth tuning in to on the television tonight ...

‘Goodnight All’.

Maw It was worth a try on. Stripes can be unforgiving. Your impression of yourself made me chuckle.

Ironing done, and the laundry room is tidy once again. Not for too long. I sometimes wonder if we have a lodger (apart from Fern) who secretly sneaks extra clobber into the laundry basket.

My best wishes to all our lovely friends here in the kitchen. Away to do the crossword. Thank you for your company.

That's a nuisance Maw

Urms LUCKY you. I am because that is our favourite meal. Tuck in and think of us.

Yiayia* Oscar is a darling wee boy. Such a charming smile.

Nannyt Never mind. The extra coat of paint should make the difference you desire.
We are going to have the outside of our house decorated in the spring. Right now it looks drab. The weather doesn't help. Although we can't complain because our winter thus far hasn't been unduly bothersome. Not that we can venture far. Scotland remains in lockdown until at least mid February. I'm willing to bet that it will be longer. Needs must.

Just ? news that all the Gudrun items have gone back. The black knee length coat was way too big and the stripy efforts made me look like a cross between a deckchair and a circus tent! Internet shopping doesn't always work
Oh well that's that money saved !
The rain is starting here now -time to batten down some hatches.
Keep safe everybody!