Soop's welcoming kitchen for kind and caring folk...

Lovely pictures of beautiful Wells Cathedral, Cornergran, really cheered my day. All that and a delicious baby too - what a nice thread.

Phew! What an afternoon. The donations are most certainly heart warming in the extreme. I simply cannot keep up with expressing our sincere gratitude.
I no longer feel afraid. In fact, I want to get the surgery over and done with and return to thank you lovely lot for making a huge difference to the quality of my life. I shall NEVER forget the kindness of my virtual friends.
Until tomorrow. (((hugs))) in abundance.

Good afternoon dear kitcheners and I hope everyone is well ?. Plums sound lovely Ena - my dear old dad had a plum tree and both my daughters went through a phase of making jam ?. Mr BA has been a busy chap today taking my mum for her first jaunt out for a couple of months - and I'm told she really enjoyed her visit to m&s food. So we have pizza and garlic mushrooms tonight and I think he's brought us several nice treats just because... ?. Enjoy the rest of your Monday everyone

Hello Kitcheners.
Willow looks gorgeous in that tartan soop.
MrM is rather partial to plum crumble, so I have a few Ena, thank you.
I have garden envy brook. I have now given up with collecting leaves. The leaf compost bin is full and I'm on the second dumpy bag!
I have been encouraging MrM to stop clearing some of his collectables out. He went in search of some tools and disappeared into the depths of our storage container. He is progressing well with the boiler for the new build so no distractions are allowed,
No news from my DS about DGD. It would be reassuring to know they have found out what is troubling her. Then Christmas can be a relaxed and enjoyable time for them all.
Wrote a few more cards today so must get out tomorrow to post them. Wish we had a post box I could walk to.

Take care all.

Such a cute baby, Soop! ❤️ Those photos are lovely, Corner, very seasonal.

We’re back to just the two of us now. Plus the cat, of course. He goes nowhere. Ds1 went off with dd1 to spend a couple of days at her house. Dd2 had to leave get back to the grindstone of being a very junior hospital doctors. We had tears from her when she was saying goodbye to her siblings.

Ds2 has moved out of his house today into a temporary rented home and got the news that their hoped-for new home purchase has fallen through. ??

I’ve got a horrible cold, which the baby generously shared with me and his mummy. He seemed unphased by it, at nine weeks, but we are suffering as dd would say. Hot toddies all round, I think!

Good evening Kitcheners. Soop Willow is just adorable. Lots of other lovely photos too. I managed to post the cards and visit dd and the boys. My friend and her partner were there as they are fond of my dd. Dgs behaved so badly! Shouting and hitting his mum. I think he gets overwhelmed with company and doesn't know how to react. He did settle but oh dear. For ten minutes or so he was a little demon. The baby slept through it all.
I made a chicken curry for tea and it was extremely filling so plenty left for tomorrow. Have a good evening all.

‘Evening All’.

It was dry and very mild here in south Manchester so we walked to the Trafford Centre. I timed our stroll with our coffees. It took 30 minutes. Himself makes me laugh about my ambling along. He asks me if my shoelaces are tied together! I tell him the journey can be as enjoyable as the destination. He’s like a man on a mission! Slow down, I tell him. “What’s the rush? We haven’t got an appointment!”.
#lazygran

Anyway we did our little bit of shopping but got the bus back. My feet were tired. Anyway then we sat in the wine bar in the square downstairs and enjoyed a mulled wine. It was delicious and I felt quite Christmassy.
?

Gorgeous baba soop. What a cutie ?

TillyTrotter I do not like mince pies so please feel free to have my share.

corner here was me thinking how talented you are and live in a house large enough to accommodate such a lovely manger!

A mild day here- I hope we have many more.

Please keep colds well away from here. Look after yourselves.

We went into m&S for food BladeAnnie. Himself said ‘ooh these look nice’ when we unpacked at home. They were little bites of parmesan and chilli shortbread. I shook my head at him and just said “they’re for grown ups”.
??

I have left a chocolate bar for you behind the Poinsettia on the kitchen windowsill Charleygirl as I think it may be more your idea of a little treat ?
Grandmabatty your little GS has had his world tipped upside down. He has to share centre stage with the new baby. It would not be normal if he did not show his displeasure.
He’ll grow out of it.

Oh dear grandmabatty we’ve all been there, I feel for you! ?
I’ve fond memories of Christmas shopping at the Trafford Centre urms it always used to look so festive with all the sparkling lights and decorations

BladeAnnie your DH is a trooper taking your mum out.
I’m sure you will tell him so tonight when you are companionably sharing those “treats” together ?.

What a chuckly baby soop, delightful.
Beautiful Wells Cathedral corner thank you. Pretty lazy day here today, apart from MrJ, who went to work. I washed floors, nipped into the local M&S food hall and watched a Christmas film.
Enjoy your evening all.

Tilly, Mr BA said she was - wait for it - very grateful and appreciative!! She must be mellowing ?

Good evening lovely Kitcheners, some beautiful photos here, thank you for sharing. I love clementines ES, thank you very much. What a beautiful wee girl Willow is soop.

My day hasn’t gone entirely to plan as my wonky side decided today would be a good day to go into spasm and seize up solid. I still managed to start on the Christmas cards, do my physio with some extra stretching of the misbehaved parts (that’ll teach ‘em) and two 20 minute sessions on the exercise bike. All followed by a nice nap . I’m now sat here holding a glass of water in the dodgy hand. The hand will shake like the dickens if I try to move it, and I will get soaked, but the weight seems to help calm the spasms. Anyway, I’m waffling on again, so I’ll just say goodnight and TOYA.

Corner pleased you had a nice time with your family yesterday. Wot no cake left ? Lovely photos. Like Ena, I too thought it was your lounge ?
N&G Jackson’s a lovely looking chap now. Getting so grown up.
Brook your garden looks lovely.
Lovely Willow Soop
Gracious Ena that’s a bit drastic I hope you meant diet!! ?

Muse still thinking of your DGD and hope things are ok.
I wrote my cards today too. Now I just need to do all the envelopes.
Suedonim so sorry about your son’s house purchase. What a disappointment. Hope something suitable comes up soon.
Blossoming hope you are feeling better tonight.
Soop those donations keep coming. Great news ?

Good evening, lovely Kitchen people, I'm late tonight after a busy day looking after DGS1, DGD and Granddog. I took him a walk after the school run, we had great views over the Fifth of Forth. I made another pot of lentil soup for the GC coming home from school, then later we had some Christmas pasta Bolognese, Lidl do festive pasta shapes, presents and Christmas trees.. We watched Christmas Chronicles 2 this evening, I love Kurt Russell's Santa!

I've read everyone's news and enjoyed all the photos, especially gorgeous Willow and handsome Jackson. The festive photos were beautiful and I also have garden envy, well done Brook, I'm so glad your symptoms are mild.
Dear Soop, I'm so glad you're feeling less afraid and actually looking forward to getting sorted and enjoying the future!
Aww, Grandmabatty, his wee nose is out of joint! I remember that stage well. I once caught DS2, 3 years old, climbing up on the spokes of the wheels on the coach built pram, so that he could punch his baby brother DS3.
Thank you for all the treats, very kind, I think I'll have a nice Clementine to enjoy with my tea in the morning. Thank you Ena.
*TOYA, NNGB.

Have just found the new kitchen and caught up with the news since Kitcheners moved in. There was some discussion about this time of year being poignant with memories of those no longer with us. Every year on Christmas Day when I log in to Facebook a photo of my Dad pops up. He is sitting with his Christmas dinner in front of him, in his care home room. Just a few days before he had been admitted to hospital with a severe infection and was not expected to survive. After a day of frantic thrashing about and then a day of being completely unresponsive he suddenly opened his eyes when offered some porridge. He went back to the care home on Christmas Eve, and when we visited on Christmas Day (hence the photo) we expected him to be in bed. But there he was sitting with his dinner - which he didn't eat actually. He lived for another 10 months and died aged 96. I could stop the photo popping up, but somehow I don't think I will.

Good afternoon dear kitcheners - I am currently sitting in the car waiting for Mr BA who had taken Duncan to the vets for his booster. He was swearing his little head off - Duncan that is!! Hopefully all is well apart from the problematic ears which we try to keep on top of. singingnutty I still have mum and dad I my phone contacts and we lost my dad 2 1/2 years ago - I don't think I will ever change it. Enjoy the rest of Tuesday everyone

All is well with Duncan and the swearing has stopped!!

BladeAnnie Duncan is a gorgeous cat and I don't blame him for swearing. My DDs cat comes out with a few choice yowls when it's vet time.

Aw, beautiful Duncan! My cats used to try and leap onto the vet’s shelves, so many lovely things to knock off

Today I am feeling very satisfied (and possibly somewhat smug) as I have managed to change the bedroom curtains all by myself! I’m now feeling sick, dizzy and sore but very happy. I am sitting down and drinking water, will pop back later.

Dearest you lovely lot, I have NOT forgotten you. Tomorrow I shall catch up and respond to all your antics/posts.

For now.

BladeAnnie that is definitely not Duncan's happiest face. How could you possibly disturb his slumbers and take him to that awful place?

When Tara was alive in her later years she used to curl up into a ball and 9 times out of 10 she won but I found it very expensive because we had to return and she was given an anaesthetic.
TOYA