Soop's warm and welcoming kitchen for kindly folk.

Good morning dear Kitcheners. It’s very very wet here though it’s supposed to stop raining around lunchtime. I hope so, as I need to get away from the screen for a while. Yesterday’s research was pretty intense.

Maw the documents are related to my family history. I knew the Farquharsons were Jacobites, but as my ancestors were fairly humble I was amazed to find that one of them was a captain in the Highland army and died at Culloden. Another fled to the West Indies following the battle and I’m intrigued to know his story.

My 7x Great Grandfather was a Stuart, but not one of those Stuarts as far as I know

I studied industrial archaeology years ago, but had to drop out for health reasons, so it’s the millers and blacksmiths and other workers that interest me most.

Baggs I am seriously impressed with your Temari. I love the colours, it is beautiful. …….I am still puzzled as to the need for a chain saw ?

Fifteen years ago we moved to a house with a large garden that had been neglected for twenty-five or thirty years. There were a lot of overgrown, invasive Rhododendron ponticums which I have been 'reducing' and using the wood, once seasoned, as fire wood.

Log splitter might be my next purchase, though neighbours have helped us with theirs once or twice.

Three trees have fallen over in storms since we've been here, including a large old wild cherry and a bullace. Both those are very hard woods. Then there's several gigantic hollies that want to take over the world.

Having a break from chain-sawing at the moment as our woodshed is pretty full.

Thank you all for the temari compliments, peeps. This one from nine years ago showed up in my FB memories today. It was an apparently simple design but actually quite hard to execute, I discovered.

I plan to make plum jam, so I hope ( if it turns out ok) to share some in the kitchen. Does anyone want to make some scones?

I could make my (in)famous three ingredient scones.
They are surprisingly not bad but would not pass muster at the WI (if I went)

Just had my 3rd Covid vaccine, yippee

It’s a glorious morning here in Hastings, dogsmakemesmile don’t worry, I’m sure you haven’t upset anyone, I’m hoping your Mother remains well and you have a pleasant Tuesday x
We’re meeting up with DD and the GC’s later to hit the crazy golf courses, not the multiple, with a 2pm lunch booking in the beach diner. Hearing the sea from our bedroom is very soothing, it also reminds me of GF, who I hope is doing well.

Maw, I second that! It sounds so interesting.

I plan to make plum jam, so I hope ( if it turns out ok) to share some in the kitchen. Does anyone want to make some scones?

That sounds fascinating, Blossoming.
Is it being nosey of me to ask, Why? Is this private research or do you have a professional interest?
I’d love to know more!

Hello Dear Kitcheners I have no hope of remembering who posted what, I see there has been much traveling and feasting so all seems well.

I have spent the afternoon and evening attempting to decipher 16th and 17th century commissary documents, deeds and registers. The handwriting in many is beautiful but so different from modern day. Tomorrow I need to look at those relating to Culloden, it’s grim reading.

My eyes and hands are tired so I’ll just say goodnight all.

Thank you Nannytopsy. Lovely flowers and cake too. Yummy ?

Thank you Doodle yes that’s exactly how we’ve felt today, a celebration rather than a sadness.
Apologies all for not going into much detail but they were a very private person so I’m wary of posting too much detail online, hope you all understand
Maw definitely not unreasonable, I’d feel the same as you especially when you’ve gone to so much trouble to welcome your visitors. Think you’re right about baggs famous flapjacks
Hope your mum is ok dogsmakeme and try not too worry too much about inadvertently upsetting someone

No photo! Try again!

I can hear sniggers - Doodle’s back !
There’s a lemon drizzle and a Victoria sponge on the table for elevenses.
The first of the annuals has fallen to the colder weather so I have cut the dahlias and brought them in. They were very late to get going but I am pleased with them now.
Sleep well ?

It was a secret!!!

Didn’t Baggs used to produce a mean flapjack? Anybody good at rock buns, now those are a particular favourite of mine!
In fact any baked goods will do.

Brook and Jaxjacky and all, thank you we did have a good holiday.
Brook hope the service went as well as these things can. Hope it was a celebration of your family members life and lots of shared memories brought some joy among the sadness,

kittylester

I suspect I have been inconsistent. Is there a reason why some are Mac and some Mc?

I have Irish ancestry too and neither a Mac nor a Mc among them. Those some were fervent catholics and some fervent CofE. It's a wonder I exist at all.

Kitty I read this twice and on both occasions I thought it read
“I expect I have been incontinent”

I thought ooh just like me then ?

Blimey Doodle ten out of ten! I hope you had a lovely time on the hopefully not too high seas.
We’ve had dinner, wine and a promenading walk, bed now, take care all of you kitcheners, I’ll leave you with this x

Marydoll

*Kitty*, I used to make great home made chips, just like my mum's. However, I seem to have lost my touch. I need them to be small and crunchy, DH likes them big and soft. He always wins, although it is unintentional on my part. I foolishly am striving for perfection, but it won't happen any time soon!

Marydoll lovely to see you posting again. Sorry I’ve been absent. Hope Miss Charlygirl won’t give me detention.

So MrM likes them big and soft … …sniggers behind the bike shed

Maw say no more. I’ll be over like a shot. Any chance of cake? Glad to hear Rosie is doing well and loves cuddles.
You are right. There did used to be much more cake in the kitchen. What’s happened, have you all stopped baking?
If you don’t start soon we might have to ask Soop to make us some of her lovely doorstops scones. ?
Galen lovely to see you in the kitchen again. I was beginning to think you’d run off with Gary or some passing sailor but now I see you were painting. ?
Grandmafrench hope you are ok.
Jaxjacky I was sorry to read Imogen’s scans weren’t available for her appointment. That was very unfortunate and a big disappointment. I hope the results are fine when they do come through.
Muse good to hear MrMs leg is doing better. You must be relieved. Hope all is well with the house building.
What a relief for your DD that her case with the CMS has been agreed. Hope you can all relax a bit now.
Suedonim I was sorry to read of the loss of your friend. Such a shock at anytime but especially when it happens so quickly ?
Baggs I am seriously impressed with your Temari. I love the colours, it is beautiful. …….I am still puzzled as to the need for a chain saw ?
Grannysommerset sorry to hear how badly your DH has been affected by his jab. You must be exhausted. I do hope he improves soon.
annsixty sorry you’ve got such a bad cold. Hope you manage to cope with that and the decorators.
Grandmabatty sorry to hear you’ve recently lost a friend and you too anno. So difficult at any time but Covid restrictions make it harder.
Hello ? Urms. Yes I’m back now and catching up.
I think you were so brave to have the MRI. It’s one of my biggest fears due to being claustrophobic. Well done.
Hope the results are ok.
Susan so sad about your DGCs kitten. How upsetting for you all.
Soop I hope the wonderful MrSoop feels better soon.
Your kitchen has always been a lovely cosy place for us all and long may it continue, I too remember the days when Mr Soop was MacSporran and I always liked the name but MrSoop is his wish which is fine with me. Take care both.x
dogsmakemesmile it is easy to cause upset unintentionally especially when we can’t see each other. I’m sure it wasn’t meant. Please keep posting. We all need each other.
To all those who are poorly, I hope you feel better soon.
Welcome newcomers Pollytickle I like your name,
Hugs and smiles to all who need them. I haven’t mentioned everyone but I have read all the posts. What a lovely lot you all are. ?

You are definitely not being unreasonable Maw. I feel for you. You’re there for people at present yet they’re not ‘there’ for you. You are a nurturer. You like to make your friends welcome and comfortable. It’s upsetting to be taken for granted and treated in a cavalier fashion.

I’d buy a frozen lasagne for lunch the next time and perhaps open a packet of Bourbon biscuits and arrange them prettily on a paper doily.

Dogsmakemesmile, I'sorry to hear of your troubles. I'm sure many of us have unintentionally upset other posters. It takes courage to admit we have made mistakes.
I sincerely hope your mum will be ok. ?

What a worry for you Dogsetc but if she is asymptomatic she may be one of the lucky ones. D2’s MILis in a care home with Alzheimer’s and after antibody testing right at the start of the pandemic, appeared to have had Covid without anybody knowing.
I am sure that anybody you may have inadvertently upset will understand and forgive you.
I am feeling a little bit invisible and trying not to take it personally.
1) my sisters in law “forgot” they were supposed to be coming to stay over the weekend so that I could take them to Bletchley Park, And yes, I had shopped and cooked for the weekend.
2) a neighbour who was invited for coffee and cake (cake baked for the SILs visit) “forgot” she was coming
and now 3) my half brother who is supposed to be at Woburn Center Parcs, with his S, DIL and the GC for the week had asked if he could come to lunch one day this week suggesting Wednesday. Its not ideal for me as I have my Film Studies course on Wednesday afternoons , but I was prepared to miss just one. So I messaged and said that would be lovely, to which he replied he would have to check with his S when he saw him and I have yet to hear back.
I don’t want to sound like Hyacinth Bucket, but I like to put myself out for visitors -I actually enjoy making a bit of an effort but I also like to know where I am and as I am likely to be stuck in as I am having the boiler serviced sometime tomorrow I’d like to start preps for Wednesday IF he is coming.
AIBU?

Sorry I haven't posted much. I felt terrible as might have caused offence to a poster or caused hurt. I don't want to go into details. I have apologised. Then received call frstress.om mother's nursing home to say she has tested positive for Covid. Currently asymptomatic. I appreciate many here will have experienced similar

Hope you had a lovely holiday Doodle we missed you! Enjoy reading Soops book of Kitchen tales! A gripping heartwarming bestseller ideal for a cosy afternoon by the fire ..

We’re almost back in Edinburgh now after a long day attending a memorial service for a family member at a hotel in Cheshire. A mixed day of emotions like these things are but it was lovely to get together with everyone
We’re travelling back home to Inverness in the morning

Hope your DGD feels a bit better soon Urms and your DD a bit less tired.

Enjoy Hastings Jax and beautiful crafting baggs - much cleverer than I am!

Doodle, I wondered where you had been. Up to mischief, no doubt!
Deputy Head Miss CharleyGirl marked you absent. Best to stay out of her way.