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

annsixty it’s sad when our friends age quicker than us ?

I had an empty house most of the day so
I caught up on lots of bits and bobs.

DH and I realised that this past week is the first time since we have been in this house (34 years last Sunday) that we have been totally on our own for the whole week, no GC staying over, no AC staying etc. I wondered why there were no finger prints on the shiny surfaces ?

Will endeavour to catch up with all the kitchen news because as usual I am behind x

Afternoon kitcheners. My quiet day evaporated! I had agreed to look after dgs2 to let dd do her shopping. When she arrived, she had both boys. Dgs1 had had a bad fall at nursery and burst his lip. His cheek is badly grazed too. Poor wee man. So grandma had them both. It's hard work looking after a baby and a toddler, I can tell you. I've tidied up the mayhem and am lying on the couch, recuperating. I will have dgs2 again tomorrow morning. Muse busy time for you. Naughtie I'm sad for you. You sound so distressed. Blossoming that chicken pie sounds wonderful. Have a good evening Kitcheners.

Good afternoon dear Kitcheners, it’s cold and rainy here. Mr.B took me out for a wee drive and a pub lunch. We try to go out at least once a week, usually Friday, but I have a hairdresser appointment tomorrow at 1pm. I had a delicious chicken, ham and leek pie with potatoes and veg. My stomach is so full and I don’t think supper will be needed! He picked up my prescription on the way home and bought me a chocolate bar to eat later, such a tempter! I’ve given up on the food diary during our Galloway trip and not yet restarted. I will start again on Monday.

A quick pop in as I'm feeling rather broken today. I had a wonderful dream that I was sitting having tea with DD3 and we were gossiping like we always used to and GS2,3 were bobbing around and GS6 was sitting snugged up to me like he used to... Telling me all about a bit of technical equipment that he felt I needed. It was perfect and when I woke up and found it was a dream I just wept and haven't really got over it.
AnnS...I wonder if maybe you could write to your friends..a pretty or funny card... Remind them of a few happy memories you have had over the years. It's sometimes easier to write and less painful for you too. Tell them you are always at the end of the phone if they want to call and maybe if appropriate you could say you understand that life is not easy at the moment but you hope that when things improve you could arrange a get together. Just a thought. ?

Good Afternoon Kitcheners.

It's a fine day here in mid Cornwall but rain is expected at 3pm. Hope the washing is dry by then, if not it will be hung on the line in the polytunnel which is still amazingly warm. I leave the doors open to get a breeze through. I think of it as being like a huge tumble dryer but free.

Amazing photos BladeAnnie

You are right annsixty in saying we can't know what is happening in the heads of others. Yours is such a long friendship and I hope your friend will open up to you a little. Talking over our worries can help. We know that here in soop's kitchen.

Pleased to see those appointments went well for MrC cornergran. Always a relief.

Beetroot chocolate cake will be mixed later this afternoon. Quite a glut of beetroot again. A veg I can always rely on.

DD and DGD1 arrive a week tomorrow. She sent me an excited text last night.

Thankyou all for the kind words about my friends but more for understanding my feelings.
J and I met at work and have stayed good friends ever since.
Coincidentally we had our first children just 4 days apart, they are now 57.
I am so sad for them, they are giving up, something I hope never to do but we can’t know what is going on in their heads.

A very bright start here but clouding over now, I am wondering if I should do a Covid test, I feel fine but was with my friend a week today and also last Saturday for several hours.
She must have been incubating it then.

As I have no social events planned maybe I won’t unless of course I start to have symptoms.

Have the best day you can everyone.

#BROKEN FLAG!!

Ouch! Hope you're still in one piece! I did similar years ago , got out of passengers side of car, went down over a broken glad, DH looked for me exclaimed" where's she gone now! Into another bloody shop?" I couldn't get up for laughing , I'd landed on a big leather handbag but broke me readers inside! We still laugh now...... Dead embarrassing doing the 'old lady fall' !?

Hi all, how very sad anne it must make you steel yourself before calling in future.
Good news llfl but you’re a mystery, hope it’s sorted soon.
Lovely hair news, must get mine trimmed, I admit I did have a small attempt at my curtain of a fringe,
Thank you BladeAnnie stunning pictures too.
Must get in with my day, hope you all have a pleasant one x

Ansixty that is very sad and will resonate with many of us who see friends or family going downhill far too early or too rapidly. It is not only their passing, but the decline which in John Donne’s words, “diminishes us”. The memento mori and realisation of our own mortality.
Any man`s death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind. And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee
It’s hard to even take pleasure in our own good health or activity, because that is like tempting fate isn’t it?
You are a kind person though to persevere with them, but don’t let it bring you down.
Haven’t been in the Kitchen much recently but I do pop in and check up on you all when I can and send my warmest wishes. Rosie is curled up on the bed beside me , a full tummy (she had her breakfast when I made my cuppa) and a soft bed - dog heaven!

Wonderful images bladeannie, feeling very nostalgic for our years in East Anglia.

Sounds a successful visit to the hairdresser sued. Agree, it’s a risk to visit a new salon. Recently had to do the same when my stylist of 9 years left the area. Reverting to a salon a few minutes walk away I was anxious when allocated to a newly qualified young woman. No need to be. She took such care and for the first time in many a month I didn’t go home and Hess for the shower. Back there on Friday and looking forward to it, that’s a real first.

Try not to fret ann, people make their own choices, nothing we can do about them. I do understand how upsetting it is, we’ve two friends who behave in the same way. Sad isn’t it?

Good health news ladylfl although like soop I’ve no idea what pagets disease may be. Google will tell me I’m sure. Oops about the picture, could have happened to anyone.

Mr C had good health news today, two sessions with a consultant plus one at audiology has put a nagging worry about ‘something nasty’ affecting his hearing to rest. A decent week for us so far, even my blood extraction was without issue.

Time for sleep now. Goodnight everyone. Sleep well.

A very late ‘Evening All’.

I’m just in from book club (Ernest Hemingway/The Man and the Sea) which was very popular with our group. We wanted to read an American classic. It was written in 1952. We next meet up mid November and will read ‘Brown Sugar’ a more contemporary novel. I love our book group!

Will scroll back now to catch up on everyone’s doings.

Sorry Grandmabatty I only just saw your comment, just having a last catch up. The Gaelic is going well, but I do need to tidy up my notes that I scribble as I’m doing the lessons! I’m enjoying it very much, on our recent trip North I was translating signs and was pleased at how many I understood.

Beautiful photos BladeAnnie

Brook I use Duolingo and I enjoy the variety of tasks. I have other languages at my disposal but wanted to keep my brain active. Yo necesito los libros de español! I do an hour when I get up in the morning.

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202209/medium-656803-20220920-190857.jpg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202209/medium-259763-20220920-185119.jpg

Good Evening - our penultimate one on the Broads. How has the week gone so quickly?? jaxjacky - everything about this little boat is amazing including a really efficient heating system. We had our first visit in May and loved it so much here we are again!! Hugs to everyone and hope you enjoy last nights sky as much as we did. TOYA

I’m doing Spanish too grandmabatty do you use an app or anything or textbooks ? I’m using a few different apps, Duolingo etc and a few books.
I used to have face to face weekly Spanish lessons that were good but they stopped due to Covid and I’ve not restarted them as they were quite expensive

Hello again, BA and Grandmabatty.

That’s very sad, Annsixty. Do they have a family or anyone else who could try to find out what’s behind this? Depression is a very real possibility.

LLFL that is very cheering news! ? Oops about the picture!

Today I’ve had my hair cut. It’s always a risk, isn’t it, when you move somewhere new and have to have a stab in the dark with a new stylist. Anyway, I’m very pleased, she listened to what I wanted and I’ve got a very nice cut. I’ll be going back.

I’ve arranged for my mum to have a key safe installed at her house for carers to go in. The OT rang this morning and said it’ll be a while before they can put the care package in place. I guess that’s down to lack of staff.

My dd2 is coming home for a few days tomorrow. We haven’t seen her since the beginning of July. She’s keen to stake her claim to a bedroom in our new house! Funnily enough, it’s the biggest bedroom in the place, bigger than the ‘master’ bedroom. ??

No news yet on my drowned car. That’ll be two weeks tomorrow since it happened.

Well, that’s all for today. TOYA! Xxx

Such a shame about your long standing friends annsixty but like others have said I’m sure your phone call and contact was appreciated. It’s hard to know what to do in these situations but you need to think about the impact it’s having on you too and look after yourself ❤️

I’ve had a really lovely but busy day today, lots of fun and chatter at the gym, a splash around in the pool and then a long catch up with my friend. Home now for a chicken casserole that’s been in simmering in the slow cooker all day and roasted veg

Snap with the snuggly blanket blossoming - pjs on here too!
Wish I could open the wine but I’m holding off until the weekend ?

Good evening lovely Kitcheners. It’s been a nice day. I had my hair done and she curled it with the straighteners it’s a shoulder length bob and looks nice curled but I can’t do it myself.

We picked up GS from school and drove in and parked near where we pick him him up to stop him bolting in the road but the routine change threw him completely bless him. So he took a little while to calm down but it’s a safely issue so has to be done hopefully he’ll get used to it.
We had a lovely video chat with our DS and his wife in China. They look very well. Goodness knows when we will see him in real life. 3 and a half years and counting since we saw him. Damn covid and their closed door policy. His wife said their Chinese family and friends are obsessed with the royal family now since the queen died and can’t wait to visit London.

Annsixty I feel sorry for your friend as Soop says it sounds like she has some depression and low mood and maybe doesn’t want you to see her like that. You are a good friend but you can only do so much before it brings you down too?

Take care all of you. ? speak soon?

Blossoming how's the Gaelic going? I'm still doing Spanish but have hit a wall so I'm going back and revising.

Wonderful news LadyLFL, what a relief for you. I hope they get to the bottom of it soon.
Good news from your DD muse, will keep my fingers crossed.
Grandmabatty I love your pear painting.

I have done some dusting around a tall bookcase, I have no idea where it comes from but I think there must be a nest of dust bunnies underneath where I struggle to reach! The wee devils are breeding. I gave up before my back did, had a shower, did Gaelic practice. Am now wrapped in my snuggly blanket while Mr. B heats up the last of the chicken soup.

Goodnight dear friends, TOYA.

Annsixty such sad news about your friend. I have a relative who is like that and will never change now. It is very draining as they have no conversation and I find it hard work. Soop you'll find the right pose, I'm sure. Ladyleftfieldlover one step forward! At least you know what you don't have!
I have visited mum and a friend this morning then dd came round with dgs2 for a while this afternoon. I'm really tired though and have woken from a nap I didn't mean to take. I've added yesterday's art work as I like it.

Ladyleftfieldlover Yet again, our posts coincided. I shall Google Paget's disease. I was told that I would be having regular bone density tests. Two plus years have passed, and I haven't yet had a screening.
Mr Soop also has a thing about crooked pictures. Like you, he would have had to put matters right.

Portrait has been scrapped. I knew that it was going to be a tricky "pose" and, I haven't been able to continue. I shall now look at other photos of the dog named Angus and hope to make a better job of the next attempt.

With love to you all.

Hello all. The Radiologist rang me just now with the results of my CT scan. There is no sign of cancer so it still isn’t clear what is causing my strange blood test results. But, wait for it, it might be Paget’s disease. So more blood tests and a bone density scan. Apart from that, OH and I had a lovely lunch with the U3A. I caused a slight stir. I have a thing about crooked pictures so tried adjusting the one above my seat. It came crashing down and broke my neighbour’s wine glass into a million pieces and scattered all over their pudding. Fortunately they were very good natured about it and he was given a new bowl of pudding. WI tonight, which I’ll tell you about tomorrow.