Soop's welcoming kitchen for friendly folk

Oh hellogirl, I’m so sorry. You sound desolate. Hang on to hope. Today could be the day she strolls back again.

A chat with your son will help I’m sure muse, so hard when we can’t see people who are struggling. There will be difficulties ahead I know but how brave and sensible to prioritise health.

Exciting news bladeannie. I’m pleased for you. Very cute kittens jaxjacky, can understand the children’s joy at their arrival.

The Repair Shop is a favourite here too soop, a gentle, good humoured programme with very clever people.

Will try to find some motivation for a little garden pottering today. Have done very little out there and it’s beginning to bother me. Must think of some specific not too physical tasks for Mr C as he has a very sore neck and shoulder otherwise he’ll do far too much.

More grey skies forecast for us, if anyone has sunshine to spare please send it our way, we’re not greedy, an hour will do nicely thank you.

TOYA. Take care everyone.

Still no sign of Mia. Lynne sat through several hours of our CCTV from last Friday evening, Mia`s last appearance was at 6.59pm when shew walked down the passage at the side of the house, looked both ways, then turned left, the one direction in which we don`t have a camera. Despite several more hours of watching, she didn`t reappear.

Urmston if you want a good giggle try watching Bill Bailey in Limboland on BBC catchup.

muse he’s made a start. Seeing the GP is a good move. I realise he will be out of work but if it was causing him that much distress then hopefully giving it up will be his start back to recovery. Sincerely wish him well.

Hopefully things start to improve for your DS muse, even though it’ll be difficult and he’ll need to look for a new job. He’s done the right thing in putting his health first and seeking help. All positive steps in the right direction. I’m sure he appreciates your support too. Wishing him all the very best

I've kept myself really busy today. Dipping into GN every now and again. Some threads leave me apprehensive for others.
One raised bed has been given a dig around the edge. Big discussion with MrM about slope of the bed. It's in two directions. Decided that so long as the short ends are level, the sleepers can be sawn to take the angle of the slope. Dumpy level is an amazing tool

Kept busy to hide my worries about son. He's had my daily text but nothing back since Monday. Till tonight. We are both smiling with his text. There will be an aftermath but he's given in his notice and the doctor has signed him off for 4 weeks. The doctor was really concerned about all his symptoms. He's had to do a hand over project pack but finished that today. Will know a little more when he rings for a 'quick chat' this weekend. I hope he's planning a little time with his daughter this weekend. She lives with mum in the same village.

The messages I seen here plus PMs have helped me so much. The next few weeks perhaps months are going to be tough for him. He not only has to get his health and mental stability back, he has to find employment too.

‘Evening All’
?

A(nother) quiet day here. We were going to have a run out to a garden centre but the clouds came over, it was chilly and we had a few spots of rain so we decided to leave buying plants till after Easter! Ho hum.

Great news about your forthcoming wedding BladeAnnie and Gretna ... how utterly romantic!

Well I’m off to put the kettle on and settle down to watch Gogglebox - a good giggle will do me good. I can’t stand Lenny Henry so will swerve Red Nose Comic Relief on the Beeb!

Hope tonight is peaceful for us all. x

‘Goodnight All’.

I think I can say you have lifted all our spirits sharing news of your forthcoming Gretna wedding BladeAnnie to MrBA . Your excitement in the coming weeks will know no bounds and it will be such a joyous occasion. ? ? ?‍♂️ ? ? ? ? ❤️

I have finally made it to the kitchen. We have an unexpected sleepover tonight - Dad’s on nights and Mum at work too. Little one’s hand are terribly chapped and sore from too much hand sanitizer. Sudocrem was the best I could come up with.
Tomorrow they can help in the garden but we won’t be able to watch the rugby as we normally would!
Sleep well everyone

Oooh oooh oooh BladeAnnie that’s very exciting news! A Gretna bride too ... how wonderful and what a lovely place to be married. Whenever we travelled down to England we always used to stop at Gretna to see if anyone was getting married.. what a lovely day you’ll have ❤️?
And jaxjacky if that’s not enough good news in the kitchen tonight along come Cosmo and Oslo - how cute are they!, I bet the DGC are absolutely thrilled although like dustyangel says I bet they’ll get up to mischief!
I’m with you Susan about lifestyle changes post lockdown ... with me it’s just been having more time for and enjoying the simple things in life - a book, a local walk, sitting in the garden and appreciating my surroundings etc ..

Still got everything crossed for Mia finding her way home soon.
BladeAnnie how lovely to have a wedding to look forward to.
I washed my witches Barnet flowing locks today. Takes ages to dry now. It’s as long as when I was in my 20s and same style too. Just greyer, thinner and more frizzy.
Can’t wait to have it cut. Had a nice walk but very cold walking into the wind.
Looking forward to the new series of Line of Duty.
Hope all have a good weekend
TOYA ?

What beautiful kittens Jaxjacky your GC’s will be thrilled. Great news BladeAnnie look forward to seeing the pics.
Thank you all who commented on my cousin, he is still on oxygen but stable.I l feel sure he will recover he is such a positive guy.It was of course a blessing he had the jab.
Thank you Grandmafrench such a kind lady.
Have a good evening all.

Thank you for your kind wishes.I am looking forward to a couple of relaxing days.The last week has been more like our pre lockdown life running round after people on top of our usual childcare duties.It has made us realise we can’t go back to that life when lockdown eases.Apart from the anxiety of Covid, I have felt better physically during our enforced incarceration.I don’t want to go back to feeling permanently drained and exhausted so our post lockdown life will need rethinking.We love looking after the children and between us we manage really well,it’s everything else that’s the problem?

I was so pleased to hear Sam’s tumour was benign.I hope he enjoyed his walk today.

BladeAnnie brilliant news that your wedding is rearranged??

Love the new kittens names?

The amaryllis is beautiful soop?

Hoping for news on Mia ??

Jaxjacky Little darlings! I would not get a thing done if I had those two little tykes. Fern is on walkabout but I feel less concerned. I think that it is a special time of the year. All creatures great and small are feeling adventurous.

Grandmafrench I am sending you golden, warm, West Coast of bonnie Scotia .

We have been sitting in the garden. We then came indoors to watch one of our favourite programmes - 'The Repair Shop'. The skill is astonishing. As is the enthusiasm of the team.

The computer keeps niggling and urging me to allow it to upgrade. It always takes much longer than I anticipate but it is necessary. I shall therefore say farewell for today and leave the machine to do it's job.

You are all in my thoughts. Especially Hellogirl1

Back with again tomorrow.

Jaxjacky those kittens are absolutely gorgeous.I love their names. When we were resisting the children’s pleas for a puppy because we knew we didn’t have time to commit to it’s training, we decided although that two kittens might be as much work they would be a lot less trouble in the long run. Big mistake, they definitely led each other astray, chased up and down the new curtains and otherwise caused havoc. Stopped DD2 bringing in the neighbours cats to cuddle though.

Fabulous news, BladeAnnie - we’ll love to hear the plans as they unfold! Brook it’s only 11 degrees and we saw fresh snow on a faraway mountain top this morning. That explains a lot. I’m wondering who I can complain to! Back to 17 degrees on Monday, thankfully.
GrandmaB think it takes one to know one!
Oooh those baby kitties, Jax - they look like they might be just the little guys to lead the GC astray. Look at them ... already assuming some wild wrestling hold. ?? Poor well-meaning, unsuspecting DD ? Good Jabbing, Mr Jax!

BladeAnnie Hurrah! I’d wondered how it was going and also the significance of the low cal food...how very exciting! ?

Hi all, excellent news for Sam N&G and a forest walk, enjoy all of you. Susan56 hope you’re feeling a bit perkier today. Another afternoon of Cheltenham, in half an hour we’re off for Mr J’s jab, it’s only a short drive of about three miles. My daughter picked up the two kittens today, she’d told the GC’s it was tomorrow, so they had a big surprise when they came home from school, I give you Cosmo and Oslo. ttfn.

BladeAnnie what lovely news!

Good afternoon - I missed popping in to the kitchen yesterday as it was my turn to have internet problems. Buggeration!! Mr BA soon sorted out though - a man of many talents. Sorry to hear your sad news urmstongran - tragic when someone so young leaves us. Hellogirl - I'm keeping everything crossed for the safe return of Mia. Our furry friends are such a huge part of our lives aren't they? Well a little happy news for you all . I am going to be a Gretna bride on 27th May . All rearranged and our guests are ok with date. I think I'm starting to believe it will happen!! Virtual hugs to around and please stay safe

Lovely to see everyone in the kitchen this afternoon, I’m just back from Tesco, I’ve put all the shopping away now I’m settling down with a coffee and a delicious hot cross bun - I’m happy! DH is outside doing something with the lawn - his pride and joy ..
So sorry hellogirl that there’s no sign of Mia yet - really keeping everything crossed for her safe return very soon
I hope you enjoyed your bacon roll earlier n&g - walking always makes me hungry afterwards. It’s so lovely that Sam got out for his walk today too?
That amaryllis looks beautiful soop my favourite colours.
I think the weather must have gone topsy turvy grandmafrench its been warm here in Inverness but it’s cold over there? Mind you when a say warm I mean about 14º - probably not warm at all by French standards!
You’ve been busy grandmabatty scones and cookies - wow! I bet they’re yummy ...
As it’s Friday I’ve got a nice bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon waiting for me - it was on offer at Tesco so I bought a few ...

grandmafrench you are a lovely person! I've made scones and peanut butter cookies and put a washing out. All the other plans have gone undone. Too much playing with social media I'm afraid. I'm going to have a siesta as I had a disturbed night. Have a good evening all.

Hello Kitchen peeps on a sunny, blue, COLD , South of France Friday where we had a visit to the Vet this morning, did some garden work and DH has now lit the fire! Outrageous....but comfortable.

Fabulous news about Fern, relief and happy smiles for Sam (you can recover the monster fee by stopping his pocket money for a while), N&G. Tell him that, so he doesn’t get complacent....though we give our all for our darling pets, don’t we.

I actually feel quite sick with anxiety for you, Hellogirl. I’m so sad you’re just watching the clock and waiting and hoping. It’s the not knowing, isn’t it.

I’ve read that it’s a very good idea to patrol the area around where you live, just beyond the limit of where you know she’d go. Do this at the time she is normally fed, and every few minutes call her as you’d do in your usual voice, only a lot louder. Then you listen, stop and repeat. Keep doing this as you walk - the suggestion is don’t worry about feeling a fool! I’ve done this - and found my injured cat after 2 days. I also tapped and rattled his feeding bowl. But don’t give up hope, I reckon the mystery will unravel and you just have to keep on trying everything you can think of until Mia appears again. Meanwhile a big hug from a fellow cat owner ?‍⬛ is the best I can do.

So sorry about your friends’ Son, Urms. I can only imagine their terrible grief. ?. I know you adore little H, Susan but hope you’re taking enough opportunities to rest for yourselves. Little tots are totally exhausting, I think we can all agree on that one!
Puzzler, muse, corner, Doodle, Bella ’batty, Yiayia, topsy, brook,dusty have a very good start to your weekend. (Note I never said “and Uncle Tom Cobbley an’ all” in my list. ?.)
And dear soop, I suggest you ask Chef Soop to further increase the Specialities of the House, so that the lovely Fern puts on enough weight to stop her walking anywhere far. Fatty Fern does sound like someone more permanent = bad for Fern but good for your poor nerves!

Stay safe and sane, ladies. French hugs ?‍♀️??

The flowers look like a beautiful fanfare of trumpets soop.
Glad you managed a short stroll soop when you have a glorious day. It is the quality of a walk that’s important, and the company alongside you, not always how far you go.

It is lovely to see you all in the kitchen. I intend returning a wee bit later.