Soop's kitchen for kindly, caring folk...

Such a really lovely picture Ann and the expresó martinis are brill too - I’ve not had one yet but DD1 is a big fan of them !

Love the pic Ann , I like the look of the drinks too !

Im still giggling Neine ???

Yes that’s a lovely picture of you Ann. The espresso martinis look quite nice too. It sounds as though you had a lovely birthday!

Fabulous picture Ann60 - lovely to see you looking so well and happy x

Lovely photo Ann those espresso martinis look good!

Thanks for the giggle Neine

I’m off to the hairdresser shortly, not looking forward to going out in the heat. Back later!

Nearly choked on my morning coffee and gave my cat an extra cuddle at the story of the dogs.
We have some brilliant raconteurs on this site.
I will try to post a pic of me on my birthday outing with our favourite espresso martinis at the end of a lovely evening in Manchester with my GD.

Now I know why we have never had a dog! Great story brilliantly told. I am still laughing

Thank you for all your lovely messages yesterday. I knew the first time I entered the kitchen it was going to be a haven of kindness. I'm back on track today and I promised to make you laugh along with me again....so here it is...This happened before I met DOH and was still persona grata with the family.
The Tick Tale
Once upon a time in a little hamlet ( I know ..I know but it's a story so bear with me)...lived 2 young dogs named Ned and Storm. Ned and Storm lived with their lovely beautiful (it's my story remember) owner called Ditsy Blonde. ..now DB had had dogs for as long as she could remember and wasn't fazed by the infrequent visits by other little creatures known as fleas as she would buy special stuff from the vets after discovering the fleas had decided to take their Summer Vacation on one of her beloved pets. The dogs were well schooled in the routine that consisted of DB suddenly pouncing on them after they had enjoyed a long satisfying scratch and leaping 2 foot in the air yelling some words that definitely were not 'sit' or 'down'. Also on occasions when some sort of tablet needed administering...the dogs knew that they had 5 minutes of DB folding said tablet into all sorts of goodies like jam....ham...bits of cheese...and them carefully eating around the treat before depositing the small white tablet on the floor by her feet. After 5 minutes they would run for the hills as DB losing patience and running out of treats would grab their head...wrench open their mouths ( not exactly wrench) and proceed to try and stuff her hand down their throat and having thrust the tablet into their tonsils ( no i dont know if dogs have them either) would clamp their jaws together til they swallowed whilst muttering some kind of chant which probably was more of the words that were not Sit and Down but sort of strung together to form a long chain of expletives ( try it....its very therapeutic in times of need). One morning DB was stroking Ned's tummy when she found his nipple....now DB was probably not the most observant person of dogs nipples so it really came as a bit of a surprise to her as A. She hadn't seen it before and B. she wasn't certain that male dogs had nipples. Working on the premise that male humans have nipples it didn't seem unlikely than canine males were the same so she did the sensible thing and looked for the other one.....and she couldn't find it. Now it was beginning to dawn on DB that it didn't look too much like a nipple anyway and a little alarm bell began to tinkle in DB' 's brain. Some rather naughty words followed when DB looked up something called a Tick on Google on her magic box. She couldn't be sure what she was looking for as the little b...ards apparently bury their head and legs into the skin...and DB couldn't see a head or legs. DB decided to ask the advice of 'The Family'....now this consisted of DB'S lovely daughters and their husbands and Len the Lodger. They all communicated on Whatsapp and shared lovely moments like hot off the press pictures of a newly broken toe...and a suspected fractured ankle and stupendous achievements by DB'S beloved Grandchildren. DB didn't get to share too much of interest very often so she felt quite justified in sharing a very very close up pic of Ned's Nip. The responses came thick and fast...yes it's a tick. ...not sure could be a skin tag....can you see its head? to Yuk this is gross I'm leaving the group !!! ( This from a Daughter who most recently shared a frame by frame account of her badly deformed and bruised broken toe). By now DB was late...late to drop off her students at their pick up point and if she didn't stop staring at Ned's Nip in horror...late for work too. DB decided to buy a 'just in case 'Tick tool...and secretly hoped all day that Ned's Nip would disappear. It didn't. ..it was still there the next day...all day..the hottest June day since 1976....a day when all DB and the dogs and the Tick wanted to do was lie in a heap and not move until it cooled down. ...and that's just what Ned was doing when DB approached him with what looked like 2 crochet hooks that had been made for the residents of a dolls house. At first Ned seemed to enjoy a bit of unexpected late afternoon petting but as DB began to attack his undercarriage with said crochet hook he did what any self respecting dog whose owner seemed to have gone crazy in the heat....he went to jump off the sofa...at which point DB threw herself across him for fear that the wretched Tick wasn't a Tick at all and she had Ned's Nip firmly gripped in a crochet hook and was about to twist it off. An onlooker really would have been hard pushed to say who looked more terrified but praying to anyone she could think of and interspersed by some more words that weren't 'biscuit or treat'. DB twisted the tool and Ned's Nip was no more. . Ned sensibly left the scene at speed and DB found herself photographing the little b......r and enlarging it to see if The Nip had a head and legs...it had both. DB shared her latest picture with 'The Family' whose reaction once again was mixed ( In fairness the picture was pretty gross.. and again though DB had been thinking she would like to enter a picture in the local Horticultural show .' Picture of Nature' category....she didn't think this was the one.
DB...wrapped the Nip in a wipe...then in kitchen towel...then dropped the lot into a plastic bag sealed it and put it in the bin.
Traumatised by the whole experience DB drank some wine and tried to cuddle Ned who suspecting she had heat stroke and any second now would start on other bits of his anatomy with secateurs gave DB a very wide berth.....so she cuddled Storm instead....until she suddenly noticed with utter horror he appeared to be growing a NIP between his eyes..NO NO NO...was was heard all about the house....it wasn't actually but it can't be printed here.

Still it's not all bad..the French students learnt lots of new words that are not generally in the French English dictionary and how to pronounce them clearly too. !!!!!!! The End

Update DB has removed 3 Ticks...she says she had better find another way of coping as Aldi will run out of Chenin Blanc at this rate....
Ned is beginning to trust DB again but has limited contact to giving her his paw and any sign of her running her hand up his leg and he is off.
Storm ate the Tick Tool.

I am late to the kitchen. We had a hot and busy day, but enjoyed a delicious lunch in the midst of it. We bought a new curtain rail for the lounge so both windows have curtains back up. We wanted to buy some Chinese lantern type lampshades but couldn’t find any. We popped into our local farm shop and went a bit mad! Gooseberries (OH’s favourite), cherries, strawberries, raspberries, plums and a pot of Jersey cream. Our daughter is coming for the weekend tomorrow so thought we would buy some treats.

Good evening, Soop and lovely Kitchen people!

Dear YiaYia, , I was so sorry to read that your dear BiL has died. Thinking of you and all who loved him, sending love and prayers ? ? in your time of sorrow.

Sorry I've been AWOL recently, I'm going to catch up with the rest of the kitchen news now. TOYA.

Hi all, what lovely flowers muse a delicate colour too.
Pleased about your DH corner , verging on négligence with your friend though.
Another 2 chairs is just perfect anne what a sensible attitude you have p, it’s made me think.
The kitchen is all encompassing Naughtyneine with non judgmental ears and open arms ❤️
Sweltering here today, cooling a bit now, forecast storms Monday, oh I hope so.
Those lashes are certainly durable Urms.
Earlier I was on the voluntary phones, made some phone calls, rustled up a curry and that’s about it, the chiller unit has been on and off.
We’re off to cricket tomorrow, scorching!
Enjoy your evening x

Gorgeous flowers Muse, I love asters but have had no success growing them.

Good evening lovely Kitcheners, 28° here today and our cooling sea breeze seems to have gone awol! I had to go out this morning to see the pharmacist, pick up some meds and draw out some cash for odds and ends. By the time we got back we were melting! I had walked for 30 minutes altogether. I have managed my 45 minutes cycling this afternoon by stopping after 15 minutes for a drink of water. I don’t want to get out of the habit, it really is helping me. It’s going to be even hotter for the next few days, I have a hair appointment tomorrow but apart from that we will be home, trying to keep cool.

Cornergran good news for your DH but so sorry to hear about your friend.

Naughtyneine I am so happy for you that you found someone to love who loves you in return. I hope your daughters and grandchildren realise what they are missing someday x

An early ‘Evening All’ from me.

Holiday time with the family is as wonderful as it is tiring (full on) and means especially at this end of the day I’m chasing my tail, just had a shower, sipping a mini cava from the fridge (I love that they are called Benjamin’s) whilst it’s time to get dressed to wander out in the sunny evening to eat. I’ve skim read your posts lovely peeps.

I now have a serious tan (playing in the pool with the Boy Wonder & L’l Miss) and you’d never believe it - I still have some Express lashes but they are sparse now and no longer itchy. Almost there 2 weeks tomorrow ha!

Oh you hotties! We’ve theoretically reached 21° today. Perfect.

It’s a good job I came home from Cambridge on Tuesday gillgran we’ve had about 24º here today and that’s been too hot for me - never mind mid 30ºs - I’d just melt!

That’s good that your DHs appt went well cornergran but not so good about your friends fall, hopefully not too bad but it shouldn’t have happened at all

It’s just started getting a bit cloudy here in Inverness after a really hot sunny day. I’ve not done much only a few loads of washing and a bit of gardening when I could find some shade. I bought some new solar lights for an archway that we have in the garden and they’ve had so much sunshine today I hope they shine bright tonight

It must be a struggle with such a limited water supply muse I’ve no experience of wells, boreholes ot anything like that, I hope you can get it sorted. The blue flowers are looking stunning though, a very good use for your washing up water

cornergran, we're mid 30s here in Cambs., so a Magnum sounds like a great idea for after dinner.!
I'm a 20 degree, or low 20's at the most, so feeling rather HOT.!!

Those flowers are lovely, muse, a beautiful colour.

Another one here, annsixty, who has been admiring your table & chairs.

naughtyneine, for you.

Take Care all.x

Two more chairs will make your table complete ann. Good for you.

You’ve inspired me. Don’t ask me how many things we say we could change or add to and then don’t. All would add to our enjoyment. I feel a list coming on and an effort to work down it.

naughtyneine a hug and for you.

Cardiology appointment accomplished. Mr C will need surgery at some point, it seems a whole raft of tests and a couple of minor procedures to come first. The appointment was very reassuring in its clarity, a very pleasant doctor who was happy to answer questions. For now it’s business as usual in cornerland.

The not so positive news today was our friend has fallen in hospital. Not ideal with a new hip. There has been a lot lacking in her care, our goddaughter has spoken with PALS and there will be an investigative meeting. Sometimes I think our friends confusion is helpful for her as she has no memory of many of the failings in care.

Jolly warm here today, car told us 34 degrees, thank goodness for in car air conditioning. Hiding in our cool sitting room now, Magnums on the way so I’ll say goodbye for now.

TOYA.

Thankyou DMMS
We should all try to live each day to the best of our ability.
I am trying to put a photo on of my last birthday but dont seem able.
I will ask my GD when she gets home.

annsixty you are an inspiration. Perhaps we should all live our futures now.

You’re always very welcome here naughtyneine and hopefully one day you can reconnect with your DGSs and be part of their lives again. So sad but sending you lots of ❤️ and ?

Your’ll never be judged here Naughtyneineyour in the right place especially today.?
Well done with the dentist Jax a gold star for you.⭐️
Beautiful flowers Muse
I started to tackle the ironing but it’s far to hot plus my arm is still hurting,maybe tomorrow or not!
Have a wonderful family reunion Soop enjoy every minute.
Off to sit in the shade with my book,enjoy your day all.

I have accepted all your very good advice and ordered two more chairs.
I don’t need to save for the future, I am living my future now.
Also, when in the fullness of time I am no longer here, whoever inherits it will probably need more than two chairs.
(Used to convince myself)