Soop's newest kitchen for the gathering of kindly folk.

Good news for you both soop, once the arranging is done you can relax and wait for the positive outcome. I didn't mind the isolation pre surgery, it was a time we could relax and take our family advice 'chill Mum, just chill'.

Mr C's new hearing aids are absolutely fantastic. The NHS at its best. We're both far more relaxed, no need for Mr C to work so hard to try to understand what's going on or for me to be alert to translate for him. These are so much better than his older aids, controlled from a phone app he can adjust the settings instantly for different noise levels, there's a tv setting and one for the phone which seem to work automatically. Still getting use to operating them he's absolutely thrilled. They will get a proper test on Sunday when we meet the family for a doubtlessly noisy meal.

Give our regards to Cambridge brook, we did love our break there and hope to return in the Autumn if we can face the long journey again.

We had the morning mooching a shopping centre, failed to find something new to wear onSunday, not that I need it, rather wanted a change, but no matter as we used a voucher for some enjoyable lunch, no cooking here today, hooray.

Good wishes to your son shazza. What a difficult situation blossoming, your friend is fortunate you are there to listen but goodness, how stressful for you.

Wishing you all a good weekend. Enjoy all you can. TOYA

Grandmabatty Did the steak pie have short-crust pastry? If so, I'm envious.

brook I have a great fondness for Cambridge. My late Nana and I had afternoon cream tea on the lawn of a smart hotel close to the river. The wasps lurved the strawberry jam.

Unfortunately Soop it was puff pastry. I'm like you and I love shortcrust pastry on pies. It didn't stop me eating it though! The stew part was delicious.

corner I am thrilled for Mr C. My hearing aids are the NHS newest and they really are wonderful. When one has hearing loss, it's difficult to enjoy conversations in a busy environment. I was always aware of a background drone. If I couldn't read the lips of the person who was speaking...panic stations! I often nodded or shook my head and hoped for the best.

Grandmabatty Aww! Never mind. I'm sure that it was delicious.

Good afternoon lovely Kitcheners. Thank you all for your kindness, my friend is also MrB’s sister so you can imagine how upset he is. We will give whatever support we can. This is so out of character for her husband (who is our BiL) we’re sure there must be something wrong. He has also contradicted himself from day to day and is being very erratic. Whatever his mental state she needs to look after herself now.

That’s wonderful about your DH’s hearing aids Cotnergreen and also MrSoop’s cataract surgery Soop. Welcome back Doodle.

I’m feeling much better today, I slept well last night and it has been a beautiful warm day here. We have had a slow meander by the river this afternoon. I remembered my step counter and I’m quite proud of the result after being unable to walk during the gout flare. Onwards and upwards

And this is where our steps led us!

Hello everybody.Have a great time in Ibiza Granmarie we used to go when our boys were young. We stayed in a rented house in Cala Llonga and loved it I’m sure you will too.Enjoy your stay in Cambridge Brooke.
DiL is now negative so tomorrow we can visit and give her a big hug.It’s not looking good for her poor Dad.He can’t swallow so will have a feeding tube fitted in the hope it will help but he is now unresponsive poor man.
Sad news of your friend Blossoming I’m sure you are a great support to her.
Love the sound of your pie Grandmabatty real comfort food.

Have a good Friday evening all.

That's beautiful Blossoming. Well done to you!

You sound perkier Blossoming good and lovely walk to a pretty view.
Hope your son is ok Shazza and your kept informed.
I wish our friend would get some of those heating aids corner you can see him wince with background noise on his current ones.
Good news soop soon you’ll both be A1.
Don’t wear yourself out clubbing Grannmarie on the sunset isle.
Friday night, the local is beckoning!

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202204/medium-542710-p1016742.jpg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202204/medium-983255-p1016744.jpg

I shall leave you with a photo that I have taken this afternoon of our glorious marsh marigolds.

Enjoy your Friday evening. Glass of wine will be lifted at 8:30 and I shall toast your good health.

Just seen your news about your son Shazza, hope the op has gone well and he makes a good recovery.

I feel much perkier Jax thank you. It’s amazing what a night’s sleep does for you.

Good evening dear Kitcheners loved reading all your news.

Thankyou for the kind wishes about my Son. He’s ok he has to have another night in hospital and his wife bless her is on an uncomfortable camp bed by his side. He can speak Chinese but not terribly well. He’s had a breath test today to test for stomach cancer never heard of that. It was all clear. His first meal in hospital today after his op was congee which is a sort of fish or chicken salty porridge. He was desperate for a McDonald but his wife said a definite no.

Soop those marigolds are glorious it’s so great to hear your DH has his cattaract appointment. I’m enjoying a glass of wine. It’s called Black Stump from laithwaites. The dress was quite expensive and to be honest if my hubs hadn’t been with me paying for it I’d have asked them to reduce it but he said no.

Brook we really fancy a look to Cambridge it’s on our list.
Cornergran I really wish my DH would go for a hearing test. If we are anywhere with music he just zones out of the conversation. I keep telling him to go. He lip reads a lot.
Well done on the steps Blossoming the view is wonderful.
Yiayia so pleased your DH is now negative.
Always a pleasure to chat to you all. Have a good evening. Time to watch Masterchef.
Speak soon x

Popping in to update the Kitchen with my latest news. I’ve sold my house! All the decluttering I was doing earlier this year was a prelude to putting it on the market. We were taken aback by the amount of interest we had and it sold in ten days. Today everything was finalised with a binding contract and so we will be moving in a month’s time. Scary thought after 25 years! It’s time to move on, though.

Decluttering is still going on as we will be downsizing. Our son helped us clear the attic - four trips to the dump/recycling centre and two charity shop runs disposed of most of it. Some of the things up there I swear I’d never seen before in my life!

This week I’ve been putting all the photos we’re keeping into storage boxes. I found some cases on the big river company, like attaché cases and within them are boxes like video tapes used to come in, so you can sort them into years, or trips, or locations etc. They’ll be neat and tidy and easy to store instead of in random biscuit tins and shoe boxes dotted around the place.

Now you know why I haven’t been contributing much to the kitchen, it’s been all go here! So the next month will be all about preparing for pastures new - challenging but exciting!

TOYA. ❤️

All the best, SueDonim. It’s a great big step for you. Hope you’ll be happy in your new home.

Crumbs SueD a means to an end, how exciting, an adventure indeed, good luck.

SueDonim (great name) fantastic news to sell in ten days and very best wishes for your move. Hope you have many happy years in your new home.

All my bags are packed, I'm ready to go....
I'm leaving on a jet plane 1?? ✈

Thank you for the good wishes for our holiday.

So glad to hear that Soop's/Corner's DHs eyes/ ears are being attended to, quality of life will be greatly improved!

Glad to hear that your DS is having excellent care in China, Shazza. Interesting to hear how some things are done differently.

Congratulations on the quick sale of your house, SueD. I must hire your services to declutter mine! I'm not selling, just need a serious declutter from the loft down....

Blossoming, YiaYia, thoughts and prayers ...??

Glad to hear that the Topsy household will soon be Covid free.

TOYA, especially those with illness, worries or sorrow.

Early night, early flight. ✈ ? NNGB.

Happy holidays Grannmarie. Suedonim congratulations! Have you found another house to move to ?

Grannmarie Leaving on a jet plane...I had the record many, many years ago. Have yourselves a wonderful treat.

Suedonim Congratulations! All that hard work that you put into decluttering has now reaped rewards. In a sense, I feel very good about "letting go". A new beginning, although a challenge, can be an exciting chapter in your lives. Also, less clutter is a bonus. I am decluttering the wardrobes. Mr Soop took several bags to the charity shops on Friday. He asked me, "did you feel sorry to part with some of your best clothes?" I said, no. Although best, they no longer fit/suit me. Someone will benefit. A good result.

Shazza I have been thinking about your son and his hospital stay in China. Having his wife close by must be a huge comfort to him. Please update us.

Blossoming I am very impressed with your photograph, and your "steps" are worthy of a gold star.

Yia Such a sad time for your daughter-in-law. My heart goes out to her.

I have given the bedroom and the computer room a thorough blitz. It's time to loll and watch the snooker. Keeps me out of mischief. I trust that you lovely lot approve.

Well done Suedonim, what a tribute to decluttering your post is, those photograph cases sound very interesting, I shall have a look a bit later.

soop I’ve found that decluttering can feel good too, it’s the mostly standing and trying on with clothes that is difficult at the moment but I’m getting there. (very slowly )

I thoroughly approve Soop. I have been out for breakfast with a friend and then bought a bed! I wanted to replace the very old double divan with a single bed in the spare room. It will give more room for toys etc. So a lovely wooden single bed it is. Delivered and built on Tuesday by the firm.

Thank you for kind comments on my upcoming move! Bellanonna although we’ve been here 25 years we have also had two foreign postings in that time, and a number of previous moves, as experience, so I hope it will be fairly smooth.

Happy holiday, Granmarie! I think I’d quite enjoy decluttering somsone else’s house. With no emotional attachment you could say ‘Well that’s a load of rubbish’ and just ditch it.

Absolutely right about someone else benefiting, Soop. I advertised a big ‘brown’ sideboard free for collection. It’s about 40yrs old and I didn’t expect anyone to take it. I was delighted when a young woman asked for it - she will paint the sideboard and have it in the new cafe she is opening! She also took a large cheese plant for the cafe that I won’t be able to take with us. Win:win.

We do have somewhere to move to, in Perthshire. It will be better connected than here. We’ve lost all the local services we had 25 years ago ? and with none of our children living locally, plus the storms we’ve endured this winter, it didn’t feel like the right place in which to get old.

We decided to make the move while we’re still fit and heathy. I’ve watched a friend leave it too late and she and her Dh ended up as emergency cases in a care home. We have no reason to think that could happen to us but then a few years ago, neither did my friend imagine such a thing. We’ll also be five minutes drive from our dd with two children. She’s anticipating lots of babysitting and my GD says she’s coming for tea every day!

However, we’re buying a new build which won’t be ready until late summer so we’re moving into a one bed flat close to where we live now for the duration and our goods and chattels will go into storage. Ho hum, fun and games! One good thing is that moving seems to work as a diet as I’ve lost a few pounds without trying, so that’s cheering.