*Soop's* ever welcoming kitchen for kindly folk.

Madgran Please bake extra cake for us lovely lot.
Enjoy the companionship of your lovely guest.

annsixty I understand what you mean about discovering that a favourite restaurant has lost some of it's charm due to the wretched lockdown. Oh how we "lived it up" when we were "girls". The very thought exhausts me. Glad I experienced the buzz.

Blossoming Well done for completing your wardrobe purge. I feel that I still have a way to go before I can truthfully say that I'm completely happy.

Jax The meal together with family sounds very wholesome. I always leave room for a pud. Rarely is there one that I crave such as a treacle pud, spotted dick, apple dumpling (with real custard). Any of these would make my day.

muse Love the wooden heart. Perfect!
And, do try to behave.

Hi all, I have my sister in law coming to stay tomorrow for several days so busy day today baking and making in preparation! She is a lovely guest to have and looking forward to it. She hasn't been able to visit since September 2019 so we are both excited.

Good evening all.
I have just come to my bed to read GN , read emails etc.
My GD , her friend and I have just been out for a meal to celebrate, early, my birthday.
I have to confess that the meal was so so.
It is a restaurant we love going to and before shutdown-was lovely.
Either I am jaded or it has changed but I certainly found it not top notch.
I hate to think that as I age I find fault.
I will have to keep trying to discover the answer.
The girls have gone to meet friends, I expect them back in the early hours.
I try to remember being their age.
Very difficult!,

Good evening Kitcheners, I have finally completed the wardrobe purge! It’s all tidy and lovely, though I have a heap of gloves, belts, scarves and the like to be sorted and tidied away. The final 4 bags are ready to go to the charity shop on Monday. I’m so glad it’s done, but it’s worn me out today, so I’ll wish you all a very good night. Hope your cruise plan goes ahead Doodle.

Hi all, don’t need dinner here muse, we had a late lunch at my sister’s with my brother and wife and my first husband and wife. It was ok, I tolerate my sister and BIL, ditto husband 1, really like my brother and SIL, ditto husband 1’s wife. But so much food! We only ate mains (2 lasagnas, one veggie, one ham hock), both had about 4 strawberries and cream, no clafoutis, no cheeseboard, no starter of nibbles and melted cheese. We still feel stuffed, not used to eating a proper meal so early, it rained and was chilly under the gazebo thingy. I hope your weather is better Yia.
Retired after 3 hours home, might squeeze in a glass of wine in a bit. Ironically I have lasagna to make tomorrow, friends coming for a very late lunch, more like tea, before we head to the pub for ??????????????. I’m a bit worried as lasagna is Italian ?.
Hope you’re feeling a bit better soop more tennis for you to gently umpire tomorrow.
Love the tree heart muse, I’ll nudge MrJ!
Doodle ??for your cruise, I hope you’re going somewhere warm.
Have a pleasant evening all x

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Lovely to hear from you Panache.?

Thank you Brook. We have the lovely Phil helping us now. MrM took some convincing.

Very engrossed in the tennis today. Well done to Ash Barty but both played a storming game.

My step family are coping well with covid. DGD (13) and mum had it quite bad but family are now out of isolation.

Had a wander around the garden yesterday and picked a few posies. MrM then came in with a pressie for me. He'd been clearing ( chainsaw in action ) away a tree that had to be felled for the drainage ​?

Injury progress is progressing. My heel has a bruise on either side. No idea why and it's not painful. Had a very troublesome day yesterday. Night before I took my contact lenses out and one split. Half remained somewhere and I ended up with a very sore eye yesterday after too many attempts to find it. Eye washes didn't work. This morning after bathing my eye, the rogue part appeared so it's glasses again today.

?Might get told off, as I've just my little rant on another thread.

Haven't given dinner a thought yet but ladies doubles is too good to pause it. Sainsbury's delivery today has some goodies in it, thank goodness

I was rooting for Pliskova. It was an exciting final and Barty deserved the trophy. Such skill, nerves and stamina. I am exhausted from watching and yelling helpful instructions.

Tomorrow, I shall be cheering for Berrettini. Such excitement!

Away to watch the ladies doubles. It's all go.

Until tomorrow, I'm wishing you all a very pleasant and peaceful evening. I shall raise a glass of G&T to you at nine o'clock precisely.

Yiayia It promises to be the perfect evening for a barbecue.

Good afternoon from sunny Derbyshire.We are having a family BBQ later then home in the morning.The weekend has gone so fast but it’s been great to catch up with DS and DiL.
Soop you are such a stoic lady but please rest and feel better soon.Lovely to hear from you Panache,early days but good you have lots of support around you.
Have a wonderful cruise Doodle
Enjoy your Saturday Kitcheners.

Hi Soop we retired to Torbay 3 years ago. We enjoyed holidays here for years and always said we would retire by the sea. We did it and never looked back. We originally lived in West Midlands.

GrannyGravy A virtual hug from me to you.

Safe and relaxing cruising, Doodle. Have yourselves a well deserved treat. We look forward to hearing all about it.

Lindy56 We are still enjoying ongoing sunshine in Kintyre. I know Torbay well. I lived in Plymouth long ago.

Synonymous You are a star. I fancy a huge dollop of maple syrup on my porridge. Very more-ish.

annsixty You, too.

Brook It appears that you have all the ingredients for a marvellous family holiday on the island of Bute.

corner It's a fact - there is no place like home.

Hellogirl1 We had fish and chips and mushy peas last night. I asked for just seven chips. I am trying to cut down on calories. The waist band is a wee bit snug since our Highland holiday. I wonder why?

Grandmabatty Your tea set is very special. Once upon a time, most families owned one. I'm afraid we haven't anything that grand and entire.

It's the ladies final at Wimbles this afternoon. The umpire's chair (my personal seat) is ready and waiting. I shall make a brew and put my feet up. Back with you lovely lot a little later.

I haven’t popped into the kitchen lately, trying yet again to catch up.

soop I so admire your courage to carry on regardless despite your bot and frequent UTI’s along with your ability to know everything and everyone in the haven aka your kitchen ??

Panache take care of yourself now please ?

I should be doing some ironing, so off I go.

Dear Doodle I'm lost for words.

Hi all Synonymous, like the sound of your breakfast this morning. As it is Saturday we had scrambled eggs with slice of bacon on top and mushrooms on the side. Wet over night here in Torbay but rain clearing now. Have been for walk now sitting enjoying morning cuppa. Have a good weekend everyone.

Hello dear ann, I am loving having DD here. I have been encouraging her to get out and about to explore so today she is recovering from yesterday’s long walk along the coast on a cliff walk. She says she has aches in places she didn’t know she had! Looks like strawberry picking will be down to me today.
I am sure that your GD makes you smile as much as my DD does me.
The extension has a roof nearly on but it is pretty watertight as it has the membrane on. We had to wait absolutely ages for deliveries to come which is why it is still nowhere near finished. I have been struggling with the kitchen redesign but hope I am nearly there as I think the kitchen will be dismantled next weekend in preparation for the knocking out of walls and widening of doorways to be wheelchair friendly. Oh joy, I can hardly wait!
We have been harvesting salad stuff from the new solardome and it has been keeping Himself very busy. He now acknowledges that it was a good idea so that is a relief. He is a bit happier but is hard work with all that is going on, just feel blessed that I still have him! DD’s training to work with difficult children is coming in very handy! ?

Good morning all and a warm hello again to Synonymous
I hope all is better for you and your DH and that you are enjoying having your DD living with you.
My GD is a treasure, well most of the time?

Good morning, have not been around for a while but have managed to find you all and hope everyone will have a good day. DD made me pancakes and blueberries topped with yoghurt for breakfast - very yummy so have put some on the side for a taster. She is trying to help me get some weight off in the most delicious way possible. Have to confess to adding maple syrup to my breakfast but not so very much - honest!?

Panache so good to see you. I am pleased you have lots of support. Please do take care of yourself.

That looks a wonderful spread GrandmaBatty.

So kind of you to think of us and to pop into the kitchen Panache I hope each day gets a little bit easier and sending you love and support ?
We’re all packed up and ready to set off on our holidays tomorrow, we’re off to the Isle of Bute with DD2, SiL and DGC and staying in a cottage right near the sea. I’ll give you a wave soop and I hope to get some beautiful sunset pictures that you’ve inspired me to take! I hope stopping the medication helps you a bit and you begin to feel better.
That afternoon tea looks delicious grandmabatty what a treat for your friend and so kind of you. I bet your DGS enjoyed the macaroon even though your DD wasn’t too pleased! Thanks for the Prosecco - cheers ?
The building work is coming on muse I admire you for doing all of that yourselves, love the pictures
Hope things are getting better Susan with your family difficulties and it’s not getting you down too much
Take care everyone and sleep tight ?

Good to hear from you panache. The level of support you are getting from your community of neighbours sounds just right, I’m more than pleased for you.

The chat with the nurse sounds to have been useful soop, I’m hoping to hear you’re experiencing a positive change very soon, if not please tell us, it’s what we’re here for.

That’s afternoon tea looks scrumptious grandmabatty, as for the incident of the macaroon, well, oops .

Hope you get away on your cruise doodle, I’d love to be joining you. We were reminiscing about cruises past earlier, I’m a little bit grumpy that health issues have scuppered sensible travel insurance so no more for us. Bon Voyage.

Our friend and neighbour has escaped hospital. Her family dug a tunnel - well organised live in care - so she can be in her own home. At her invitation I went across this afternoon, it really cheered me to see how happy she is to be home and to hear how well she is being looked after by her family and her carer. I came home walking on air.

Sleep well everyone, certainly time for lights out here.

Enjoy the cruise Doodle.
Panache, good to hear from you, and lovely to hear that you`re getting all the help and care that you need, and deserve.
Soop, my thoughts are with you, hoping that leaving out the Letrozole will help matters. You, and Mr Soop, are 2 of the nicest people I`ve ever met, and you deserve for things to run smoothly and painlessly. x
I`ve just had fish and chips delivered for my tea, but couldn`t eat it all, so Billy benefited by a bowl of fish.

Dear wonderful soop you come on here day after day and fill the thread with lovely photos, care for others lovely stories and at the same time are in pain with the UTIs and the dreaded drop bot. I am sending a big hug your way and a medal for being one of the best people I know. ?. You are amazing. I do hope you feel better soon. We all love you to bits ?
Galen someone had the nerve to hack your account ?. Glad you got the money back.
Panache so glad you found your way back to the kitchen*. you have so many friends in here you wouldn’t believe. x
hellogirl I love that photo of Hudson. He and the lovely Willow would be a perfect match ?
Jaxjacky it’s sounds as though your lovely Imogen has a good head on her. I hope she copes well with going back to school.
Muse I love your photo of MrM in the pipe. I hope he didn’t slip in ?
grandmafrench glad you are legal. What a performance you’ve been through. ?
Grandmabatty what a lovely afternoon tea. My invitation must have got lost in the post ?. I like macaroons too ?

DH and I are hoping to be going on a cruise on Sunday. We will have to pass a COVID test (and many other requirements) to be allowed to go. All things willing I will be back in a couple of weeks.
Take care kitcheners. If I fail the test I’ll be back Monday ?

Grandmafrench the dinner service is 40 years old as it was a wedding present. It has lasted longer than the marriage by far! The green dishes with lids are antique soup bowls and are over one hundred and fifty years old and the other little plates were my grandma's and will be 75 years old. The tiered cake stand belongs to my dd and was a last minute borrow!

Thank you kitcheners. I gave away lots to dd and to my friend so I'm not tempted to snack tonight. I didn't give away the prosecco though. It won't travel well. A message came in from dd. The raspberry macaroon came back up! I'm so glad he was at home ?.