Soop's wonderful, warm and welcoming kitchen

Grannmarie sounds like you are having a great time! It is very cold in Polmont today. It reached the giddy heights of 2° and the wind has an arctic blast. I did my good deed for today. Dear son couldn't get across from Stirling as all trains were cancelled so I went to get him, took him to daughter's house and then took him back home again. My halo is shining. I've put washings on when I came in and did the usual Saturday cleaning; bathroom, kitchen, polishing and hoovering. Tomorrow should be a quiet one. Enjoy the rest of your Saturday kitcheners.

Good morning/ afternoon, lovely Kitchen people, from our hotel room in downtown Chicago. I bring big jugs of real Chicago coffee from Harry's Bar at Navy Pier. When we asked for coffees yesterday, the bartender said,
I don't do latte, capuchino or mocha, I do coffee!!
I'm not usually a coffee drinker, I like my red bush tea,but it was delicious and the second cup, provided free and with perfect timing just as I finished the first one, was so appreciated. The service here in bars and restaurants is excellent, big tips are the norm, far more than out usual 10 per cent.

It's cold here but surprisingly not at all windy! I hope you are all cosy and safe, I've been reading about stormy weather at home.

I lost yesterday's post, no idea where it went, one of life's mysteries.
The highlight of our tourist trail yesterday was the Van Gogh immersive exhibition. We've seen VG in the MOMA many years ago, just before the volcanic Ash cloud, I think, but the immersive experience took things to a whole new level, absolutely breathtaking. Today we are going back on the tour bus, then having lunch in a Chicago blues bar with live music.

I hope you are having a better day, Soop.
Maddyone, I hope your dear Mum avoids Covid.
Jaxjacky I gave my 3 DGC their Advent calendars before I left , one chocolate one and one Nativity one each. We had lovely traditional ones on sale at the stall in our church. Can't believe that tomorrow is the first Sunday of Advent, time flies. We will go to Mass with my brother tomorrow morning. I'll light candles and pray for all those with pain, worries or sorrow...or buggerations!! I'll also give thanks for this special family reunion, we never thought it would happen.
TOYA, take care in the storm.

Morning everyone. Thank you all for good wishes about my mum. I’m not too worried at the moment, because the home appear to have very good procedures in place. Plus mum got Covid before she was vaccinated last December, after a fall and hospital admittance, and she wasn’t very ill at all. Unfortunately she passed it to myself and my husband, and I was very ill and hospitalised, but that’s another story. Of course, if it’s a different variant mum could react differently. All the staff are only working on their particular floors, no moving between floors, so she should be okay. She finally got her flu and booster yesterday, the nurse went to the home to mop up all residents who had missed out one way or another.
It’s windy and cold here. Keep warm everyone.

DH and I have some rather nice calendars to open too Jaxjacky..
Morning all

Dogsmakemesmile ah, but yours are for AC mine for GC, 8 and 14, so I understand ?. The one I’ve bought myself, because no one ever buys me one (no points for MrJ), is a traditional one too.

Good evening lovely Kitcheners, like many people sheltering from the storm which is raging outside! I hope your mum is safe maddyone. I miss Grandmafrench too Urms, such a lovely warm hearted lady. Stay safe and warm everyone, TOYA.

Just popping in while DH and DS1 are shouting at the TV- there is only so much football I can take.

We ran a few errands this morning while our cleaner was here and I feel completely jiggered.

‘Evening All’.

Gosh that wind has got up here in south Manchester this last hour or so! Brr. Glad to be snuggly indoors. Feel sorry for anyone out in this tonight.

Hope your mum doesn’t get Covid maddyone. You will be anxious about her until you can next visit. x

Another here missing GrandmaFrench. ?
As well as being kindness personified she was witty and wrote us very amusing tales about her life in France. Who knows, she may be over here somewhere visiting family? Anyway, I miss her and hope all is well.

Hi to you Doodle! ?

maddyone am thinking of your mother. My mother and other residents in her care home tested positive a few weeks ago. My mother was asymptomatic and fine. As were the other residents.
Jaxjacky I think I carried on a family tradition re advent calendars. Did not mean to sound smug.

maddyone I hope your mum is ok. It's not too wild where I am at the moment, but I'm prepared. As long as the power stays on!

Hello everyone and thank you for the many welcomes to the kitchen.
I hope you’ve had a better day today soop.
Lots of you having very bad weather, it’s not really hit down here on the south coast yet. It was quite a nice morning but dull this afternoon, but cold, so I was happy enough to do a bit of cleaning and stay indoors.
We had notification from my mother’s care home last night, and unfortunately they’ve got Covid in the home. Three residents, and one member of staff, so the home is in lockdown down till it’s clear. The residents are on a different floor to mum and the whole affected floor are staying in their rooms. Mum has very poor mobility and so I advised her not to leave her room for now. She can only leave it in a wheelchair anyway. Hopefully they’ll have contained the outbreak and we’ll be able to visit again soon.

Ooooh soop if I lived a wee bit closer I’d be round in a flash to share that scone with you but alas it’ll have to be the calorie free one in the kitchen for now.. plenty for you too nanaandgrampy so tuck in. Sorry to hear about the mishap with the car - poor Grampy sounds like he’s in trouble. Understandable though I’d be the same!
The warm baguettes, Brie and wine are lovely - thank you Yia you’re a star! what a shame Grandmafrench isn’t here to share them with us too ? we miss you gf if you’re reading!
Enjoy your pub night Jax and keep cosy and warm
Quick and easy Charlie Bigham curry for tea which is almost ready and the Friday wine is just about to be opened

Okey dokey pull up your chairs, throw a log on the fire and let's all indulge in wine, baguettes, Brie, scones and whatever else we can find lurking in the cupboards of our cosy, friendly kitchen.

We're worth it.

Until we meet again tomorrow. My love and kind regards to every one of you very special people.

First in the queue Yia, thank you, baguette and Brie most welcome. What a lovely gift, sounds ideal.

Hello everyone.I bring french baguettes some very nice Brie and a few bottles of Provence rose.We are just back from a short trip to Le Touquet.Had a lovely few days,our anniversary gift from our family,what a lovely gift.

Hope all are well especially dear Soop will try and catch up later.

The cold is confined to the head, so not too bad SueDonim can’t blow yet, so delicately ‘dabbing’, I feel quite ladylike!
I’ll be dropping the GC’s Advent calendars over this weekend Dogsmms chocolate ones.
I hope today is a better day soop.
I’ve had a very nice carvery lunch courtesy of the voluntary group, it’s a thank you to us and it was good to meet people I phone, never see.
Friday is pub night, it’s bitterly cold with squally showers, so I may drive, don’t fancy freezing.
Catch up later.

Afternoon all,

So sorry to hear things have not gone as hoped Soop you are one heck of a strong woman !! I will happily share my scone with you :-)

We have been pootling along here , Grampy remains immobile and I nearly finished him off when he reversed my car into a tree yesterday! The tree will survive but is is debatable Grampy will !!

I hope all are well, welcome to new arrivals, new babies and old friends xx

brook Shall we go halves with a warm scone smothered in real butter, heaped with home-made jam and clotted cream? Go on, be a sport.

Ddog got to my dough before I could stop him. But I got the dough before he could eat it...
I must say my scones are rather good. Our elevenses.
Waiting for the storm.
Keep safe and warm everyone.

Oooh are there any scones left? I’m a wee bit peckish after splashing around in the pool at the gym ?
It’s a very blustery cold day here in Inverness, no snow here yet but just a few miles down the road is covered in snow and more to come. It’s a good job we’re not travelling this weekend, luckily it’s next weekend we’re away
I’m still in town having a break in between some shopping. Met Dd2 unexpected this morning and got some winter boots and jackets for the DGC with quite a good Black Friday discount, I’ve not bought anything for myself though but I’m trying
I bet that sea looks wild today soop hope you’re cosy and warm
Take care everyone will pop back later

A good blustery afternoon to my favourite peoples. The waves are pounding the shore. The gulls are swooping on the thermals. Do you not sometimes wish that you could fly? I do. It must be an amazing, freeing sensation.

Back a wee bit later.

It smells divine here in the kitchen and I’d love a scone too. Thank you Dogsmakemesmile.
We’ve had a hailstone storm this morning and I watched a squirrel ? stand still like he has been petrified while the cold lumps bounced around him!
A day for staying in for those lucky enough to be able to.
I hope soop that you are more comfortable today?
TOYA

I'll have a scone, thank you Dogsmakemesmile. I've been to town already this morning and bought stocking fillers. I have four to fill : mum, son, daughter and son-in-law. I keep suggesting that I stop but they won't have it. Anyway I got some bargains because of black Friday so that was alright. I also bought Christmas cards and again got money off. I think I might make cranberry and walnut bread so I'm off for a cuppa and to search the recipe books.

Morning everyone. Stunning blue sky here. Storm Arwen forecast to hit this afternoon.
Have made scones (help yourselves) and dough rising in the kitchen for bread. Just a quiet day. We went away last weekend and I am still finding the goodies I bought for Christmas.
Need to post advent calendars to the AC who live far away. They have only ever had ones with pictures behind the doors from us and still love receiving one. (I think as teenagers they bought themselves chocolate ones). I remember when my son was a teenager we were walking along the high street in early December and he suddenly said 'it's the waiting that's the best bit'. And it is. For me.

Sorry you’ve had a bad day, Soop, but hope that tomorrow is better.

Eugh to a cold, Jaxjackie. Why has no one invited a cure for them yet??? Horrible things.

Hello, Maddyone.

I’ve forgotten other folk on here, I’m sure, but really I’ve just dashed in to say hi, having had a busy day with my son and the GC. They’re 4.5 and 7 now and since we last saw them in the summer have changed from being little savages to being human beings.