Soop's welcoming and ever supportive kitchen,

Beautiful Soop. The colour of the sky is incredible. I've watered the pots and the greenhouse and weeded. I'm having a wee seat before the next task.

Good afternoon to you lovely lot.

I shall return a little later. We have stuff to attend to before I can settle down for a chat.

In the meantime...this is a photo that I took last night. The sun setting behind the Paps of Jura.

Annodomini I also have the Spanish variety of bluebells. I have looked them up and short of nuclear war,there doesn't appear to be a way of getting rid of them. Apparently they are impervious to weed killer. I'm just back from a lovely two hour visit to my ds in Stirling. We went for a walk to King's Park and had coffee and cake then a saunter round the lovely garden squares before a stop off at M&S for groceries.

MawBe in fairness to Billy who is obviously hungry, the sachets have shrunk over the last couple of years so he may well need a 3rd to make up the difference. It is lovely to see he has fallen on all four paws with Hellogirl and is loved to bits already.

Good morning, Izabella. When you woke up, I was still sound asleep. The lockdown has made me into a complete slob - going to bed late and getting up late. However, so far it's a fine morning here in Cheshire. I like this time when the trees are still a fresh green that will look jaded by the time August comes.
There has been a worrying proliferation of magpies around my garden this year. I hope they are not preying on the small birds. There are also many big fat pigeons as well as the little collared doves. But the smaller birds seem less common than usual. Somehow, Izabella, your responses to your environment make me more aware of my own. Thank you!
Grandmabatty, I share your aversion to slugs - loathsome things. I have heard that it is possible to buy nematodes which can be watered on to the garden and which consume the slugs. Not sure of the biology of this, but I'm sure someone will tell me! The big bugbear in my wilderness is the thuggish encroachment of bluebells. I think they are the Spanish invaders or possibly hybridised with the native species. I found a pink one among them yesterday. What can I do about them? Their roots are deeper than I can dig; to be honest, I can't dig anyway!
Soop, I fear that you and McS are trying to stuff that cat! I suspect she is eating more than the two of you together. Hellogirl, Billy has a lot of space to fill and will never say no to whatever you put in his dish. A big boy needs his nourishment.

Good morning from a sunny Shire. I awoke at around 0400 and lay watching the sky change colour over a period of time. Stunningly beautiful with shape sorters changing from pink fondant to striated yellows and the palest of blues. I could now believe I am in NZ as we have a long white cloud and baby blue skies. All accompanied by magnificent twitterings and unexpected retorts from a woodpecker.

So pleased that the new feline and canine recruits to the kitchen are settling in well and taking control of their respective households.

CH was informed yesterday by my CPN that despite my Alzheimers I remain "high functioning." Certainly does not feel like that to me anymore, but nice to know they credit me with some autonomy. I am increasingly aware of health professionals treating me in ways I find disparaging. Oh well.

By the way, if anyone can shed light on why CH found the fabric conditioner next to the milk in the 'fridge this morning, please send a postcard!

TOYA and signing off hoping for a day of gardening in my personal little plot. Not as peaceful as I would like as the men are felling a dead tree.

Muse I absolutely could not go slug collecting as I have a big phobia. They used to crawl inside my household waste bin until I put salt all round the rim. I'm afraid my plants will have to be eaten. I'm shuddering at the thought. ?

Maw, he`s already worked out which cupboard his food is in, he goes to his dish and stares at it, then goes to sit in front of the cupboard and gives me "the stare".

Oh I had to laugh Hellogirl -these rescue animals know how to play us don’t they?
That hungry look, the big eyes - yeah right!

The small blue dot wouldn`t be the moon on it`s way to bed, would it?
Thinking of you tomorrow Aggie.
Soop, I emailed the Cats Protection lady who fostered Billy, to ask how much she used to feed him. I give him 3 pouches a day, plus treats, and on Sunday he also had a small plate of chicken. She replied that she gave him 2 pouches a day, she says he`s got me wrapped round his paws, as Fern has with you and Mr. Soop! She then asked if she could use the photo on their Facebook page.
I was sent some new baby pics tonight, but under strict orders not to share them yet.

Of course ?

? Doodle ?
You all knew I would didn’t you?

Not unless you’ve had a blue rinse Puzzzler ?. It’s a small blue dot. Can you see it?
We’ve been out for a meal. Our first since last September. It was really lovely . Had a leisurely walk home and I think an early night is in order.
Soop Sweetie Pie is a very lucky cat. So well looked after.
Cheers Urms ? ?

I’ve had a slow start to the day and a lovely end. My son txt he could meet us in the pub for a quick pint, much rushing for all, he was between buses. So we went, big hug, he said it’s been too long, 15 months. Earlier, my lovely garden man who previously dug the garden, removed troublesome bushes and said two days ago perennials are slow to get hold of, weather, just turned up with 30 odd plants. He’s coming tomorrow to plant up, there are more on order, so we will have some colour this year, I’m happy and lucky.
Enjoy your evening. ??

Escaped the rain this afternoon but managed to get leeks into the new raised beds.
All thoughtful wifeys deserve a glass or two of wine Urm.
Lovely clouds Puzzler61.
Thank you GF. First trip will probably not be till August.

I'm off out again when it's dark to collect slugs.?Having a go at making nematodes. Good job I will have had dinner by then.

Thinking of you tomorrow aggie ?

You definitely deserve a glass of wine Urms no question about it. Whatever you fancy is my motto - and your meal sounds delish ?
Beautiful pictures soop and puzzler thank you
I enjoyed a quiet day here, a little bit of gardening and a sit in the sunshine listening to the birds singing - simple pleasures to enjoy
Hope everyone has a relaxing evening, take care all

We have had thunder and lightning and rain , now the sun is beaming down !
Our internet has dropped out twice
Tomorrow is Jim’s anniversary, it seems only yesterday , but also a hundred years since he died

‘Evening All’.

soop I have sunset envy! I can only imagine what it must be like to see such beauty from your sitting room every night. It looks so peaceful. Balm for the soul.

Himself is about to settle down and watch a Man. Utd game. I’m going to ring my stepfather for our usual evening catch up.

We’ve had a ‘nothing’ day but did take ourselves off to the park for a stroll in the sunshine after lunch. Ooh, talking of food I have jersey potatoes, salmon steaks & veg to set to with soon. I plan to dish up at half time - what a thoughtful wifey I am. Do I deserve a glass of wine to go with I ask myself?
?

Hopefully we all have a pleasant night ahead. x

Right now, the computer is behaving beautifully. We lost the connection on several occasions earlier this afternoon. Did I curse? What do you think?

The sun has shone all the day long. There is very little cloud in the sky. A fitting time to wish you all a pleasant evening. I trust that we shall gather again tomorrow.

Puzzler Wow! Your sky is amazing. I am besotted with clouds.

Grandmafrench Thank you for your amusing and newsy post.

When I fist saw the latest photo of Hellogirl's Billy, I was tempted to phone the Cat Protection League. Is he comatose? Nah! He's living the life of a right royal feline.

Talking of which, Mr Soop informed me that at 8 a.m. "SweetiePie" emerged from her apartment and had three breakfasts. I was fast asleep.
A few moments ago, he asked me, did I wish to see a certain black cat? I dropped everything and in she wandered. She waited, as usual, on the utility door mat and we prepared a pouch of tuna with half a tin of the same fish with the spring water from a tin. She polished off the entire meal. We then gave her the remaining half tin of tuna. She had a wash and brush-up followed by a short rest. After which, she wandered off into her forest. We laughed. As you do.

It’s not the shadow of my big bonce is it Doodle ?
I’m a goon for casting my own shadow onto a photo many’s the time. ?

Hello peeps on a beautiful sunny day in France.

I laughed out loud at Billy's pose " at home, or what? Think he is either a) drunk, b) drugged on the Catnip (as puzzler suggests), c) has just Kersplatted!!!! through the ceiling onto the couch in Tom & Jerry fashion, or maybe he's decided to occupy as much sofa space as possible when he was told the weight of little Hudson. A formidable appointment for the future, maybe. Bags that space, now, Billy - a boy your size needs relaxation room. Congrats Hellogirl on both Hudson and your choice of Boy Cat. Wonderful news all round.

So happy to learn you are off on a trip, Muse. Just what you need now - a bit of contact with the outside world. Urms and others, you have got me very interested in Scotland's version of Trumpton! It looks simply beautiful and I know you're going to have the best time. Something very exciting to look forward to - and should keep you going until you hear the Spanish call....

I wonder if anyone watched the new drama on t.v. last night - The Pact - with a very strong Welsh cast. I thoroughly enjoyed it and immediately it ended I was so happy to see that all the episodes are now available on The Hub/ITV. DH and I can now choose when to watch a couple of episodes together - when it rains, maybe? Not much chance of rain at the moment, I had to get out and water everything last night - even the lavender was sulking after a warm gale blowing all day long. If DH returns this afternoon with some hormone rooting powder, I should be able to take some cuttings at just the right time - before the first flowering. I am impressed to learn that all the fields of lavender in Provence and in Spain which are so beautiful and grown for their perfume and the best oil are all English lavenders, always. The pretty Spanish ones with the feathery bracts on top like little butterflies and the French ones are far more likely to smell more like Rosemary with less of a scent and no choice with colours. So, I'd like to increase my plants with cuttings of my English ones which have accompanied me from the UK, in Northern France and now South. Of course the splendid Brexit ruling now means that plants and the like are things which I'm unable to bring back with me if I ever manage to get a visit to England any time soon!

So, back to work in the garden where the jasmine is almost overpowering in its scent. Last year I didn't have a problem with hay fever. This year ? Well, it's not going to stop me smelling the flowers.

Have a lovely afternoon and evening. Hope everyone is enjoying some freedom, some good weather and there are less and less buggerations to destroy nice peoples' days. ?

That’s a lovely picture Puzzler. I love sitting and watching the clouds go by. Now a question for you. What is that tiny blue dot bottom right hand corner of the photo? It’s not a UFO is it ? ?

soop you get the creme de la creme of sunsets, absolutely stunning. I hope you and Mr soop sit with a tipple of an evening and savour them (the sunsets - but the wee drams too) ?
Here is a lovely sky seen on this morning’s walk.