Soop's welcoming kitchen for kindly folk...

Hello all. I could have sworn I’d posted earlier, but obviously not! I spent the morning wrapping Christmas presents for the Australian relatives. As I’m doing a 24-hour ‘pee’ test I couldn’t really go out. So I spent some time reading a book by the most recent Nobel Laureate - Annie Ernaux, ‘Getting Lost’. It describes in some detail (small cough) the 18 months affair she had in Paris with a much younger Russian diplomat.

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Hello Kitcheners.

The horrible weather has been really difficult here, mid Cornwall, for the past few days and more is due. From having a stream bone dry in the hot spell, leaving us with no water for a few days, to the banks that disappeared yesterday.

I agree about the Christmas lights Ann but I was pleasantly surprised when I drove home through Truro last night and saw one large house plus items in their garden bedecked with just white lights. It was an amazing sight.

Sorry to read about the PayPal scam Blossoming . We use eBay a lot to buy and sell things. They still use Paypal for when you buy something but not when you sell. I do prefer to use PayPal when given the choice with any companies. They will step in really quickly to resolve any issues that arise with purchases.

I had a day off from house activities and spent a full day on a craft session to do with peg weaving. We used fleece straight from the sheep. The aim was to make a small rug but I shall find a way of hanging mine.

Today, I started the long - but hopefully not too long - process of getting my left hip sorted. A total replacement please. After using the new Klinik Access system, last Friday, I received a call from the doctors within 15 mins and was booked in to see the physio today. He has referred me to x ray and will ring me when the result is through. My other hip was done 6 years ago and I do hope this one is just as successful - when it happens. I didn't mention waiting lists.

Good luck with the sofa hunt sue. I am currently sat on our new one and loving it. I decided to pay a little extra and have the fabric treated so spills and stains could be easily removed. Good job as MrMuse spilt a milky drink on it the other day, He mopped it up but it dried and left a mark,. The company had supplied a kit for such events. An hour later the mark was long gone. Whew!

I wonder if we will get a little sun tomorrow. Hope so. Night all.

Goodness sued that delay was appalling, I hope your friend is niw treated with the care and compassion she deserves. I guess sometimes worry is the price we pay for good friendships.

I’m sorry that happened to you blossoming, it’s a real invasion. Sadly we’re all at risk from that type of thing.

Our lights are coming down from the loft on Thursday ann along with the rest of the decorations. They theory is I then have plenty of time to sort through and weed out. The reality will be battery lights everywhere I can fix them by the end of the weekend, we’ll have the same number of decorations because I can’t bear to part with any and by the end of next week we’ll looks like a (tasteful I hope) Santas Grotto. It all never fails to lift my spirits although it will likely just me me and Mr C to admire them this year I’m longing for the lights.

An interesting sort of a day today. Off along two motorways to do ‘stuff’ and have afternoon tea with a friend it took us 75 minutes to travel between the first two junctions. We considered giving up but decided to still try, we got there and managed it all, just with less time for coffee . The return journey all was well until the last little bit when what do we find? A closed motorway. Fortunately a handy junction was accessible so it was off on what you might call a country detour. As Mr C said we must have offended the motorway fairy this morning. Other than my lack of patience at being stuck this morning the day has been a good one, different but good, we were very grateful not to have been the poor souls having their day totally ruined by an accident.

I’m back to dust removal tomorrow. Much more predictable .

Sleep well everyone.

SueD I am horrified to read of your friend's awful experience. Something cannot be right, surely? A six month wait for a scan is unforgivable.

Annsixty I love our kitchen. You lovely lot are the reason why it works so well.
I agree that it seems far too early to be "lit up" for Christmas. Bah! Humbug!

Blossoming I too would be dismayed and angry if someone hacked into my PayPal account. I am relieved to hear that it has been sorted. I fear that scammers are becoming more prevalent. What is it that makes folk do such things without considering the "victim" of the crime?

brook Your adventure will have given you many new memories thus far. And, you still have a wonderful week left to enjoy.

GrannyGravy You have worked very hard to create a festive atmosphere for your guests. The grandchildren will be delighted.

Urms If I could, I would gladly join you for a cosy, relaxing evening. Your husband is a real trooper. The Boy Wonder must love him to bits.

muse Peg weaving is a craft that I'm unfamiliar with. I very much like your creation. And, yes, I would use it as a wall hanging. The combination of natural shades is very much to my liking.
Good news that your painful hip is to be dealt with sooner rather than later. I've also had two hip replacements and agree that it is a wonderfully liberating thing when all the post-op bruising ceases.

corner Early this year, I packed and posted all the very old tree decorations that belonged to my late Nana and gave them to our eldest granddaughter. I know that she will value and take good care of them. That matters.

Afternoon everyone.I do hope your cat improves SueD it’s awful to have a sick pet,a six month wait for your friend to have a scan is unthinkable!
Hope you don’t wait to long for your hip replacement Muse. I could have had mine done quite quickly last year,but because the P.Arthritis was bad and I was taking steroids I chose not too.Reducing steroids now so we will see.

Pic of my GS having the biggest pizza on the menu, he ate the lot.🤣Have a good evening all.

Good afternoon dear Kitcheners, thank you for your kindness. I’m refusing to be downhearted today and will carry on checking every single transaction that appears on my accounts, as usual. The scammers come up with new tricks all the time, I loathe anyone who preys, or attempts to prey, on the vulnerable.

I’m carrying on with Christmas prep. In addition to the little ones’ gifts I have bought 2 presents for Mr. B. They arrived today and are hidden in a cupboard that he never looks in, it holds some of my craft materials. Now I’m impatient to see his face when he opens them!

I love your wall hanging Muse, I shall look up peg weaving.

Mr. B has arrived with coffee and ginger cookies from the bakery, help yourselves ladies

Afternoon all. After popping out briefly in the car this morning - health centre and petrol station (unleaded was 1.48!) I have been in a decline! I have a dreadful cold (nothing else that could make it covid) and am lying on the sofa with Milo watching the Food Channel. My brother in Australia rang for a chat this morning while I was still in bed. Dinner is a spaghetti Bol which I made a while ago and froze.

Blossoming Yes please. Ginger cookies will go down a treat with my afternoon

Yia Wow! Your dear grandson has an appetite deserving of the Guiness Book of Records.

It has been a day of contrasts. Peeing with rain first thing. Sunshine in-between. Dark clouds and breezy end of the afternoon.

I need to parcel a painting that I wished to post on Friday. Thing is, it appears that the main post office will be on strike. I hope that Mr Soop will agree to motor me (and parcel) into Tarbert, tomorrow.

Wishing you all a pleasant evening. Until we meet again tomorrow...

Me and Milo have finished watching the Food Channel. I might have a nap.

Good evening dear kitcheners - and we are off!! The Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 trip is underway. We are in Glasgow tonight and tomorrow night and then off to our little cottage near Kinlochbervie on Friday morning. sueD sending love to you and your poorly kitty 💗🐱 and special thoughts for your friend too 🌷. Sending a group hug to all kitchen friends TOYA 🌷

Hi all, lucky escape with the sofa stain muse, you’re pegging sounds interesting, not sure I’d have the patience.
Oh dear llfl keep warm and hydrated, let’s hope it’s soon gone 🤞.
The plumbing/boiler man came back today, he’s had to put pipework around the outside of the house, something to do with bore size? Painfully ripped his thumbnail nearly off in the process so chemical flush will be another day.
Under our bed is now getting full of Christmas presents, not wrapped, good job I keep a list of what’s what, I’ll inveigle MrJ nearer the time to help me wrap. He’ll need reminding nearer the day what ‘we’ve’ bought for whom 🙂.
I’ll leave tu to enjoy the rest of your evenings x

Hello Kitcheners
Well timed MrB. I shall definitely have one. This morning we had the last of our Christmas Ginger and Honey cookies from the barrel I bought a month ago. I know ... yes they were meant for Christmas but we couldn't resist them. The barrel is gorgeous and waiting to be refilled.

Where do they put it Yia😀

I breathed a sigh of relief today when my DGD1's Christmas present was finally delivered. Royal Mail had apparently tried twice and no one was in . Strange how no card was ever left. DD works from home so today she put a big notice on the door saying ROYAL MAIL - I AM IN

From one end of this island to the other - we have had exactly the same weather today soop.

Have a warm evening everyone.

‘Evening All’

Was out & about today. Funny weather, torrential rain at 8am then warm sunshine for a few hours, then back to heavy rain at 5pm. November on till Christmas can be very dreary. I like to remember though that 4 weeks from now it’s the winter solstice and we turn a corner towards longer days. A comforting thought.

We’re just back from an evening out locally. A G&T for me at 6pm in a buzzy bar round the corner - the place was warm, I was pleasantly surprised to feel the heat coming from a radiator next to the table we sat at - then over the road for an Indian restaurant. I had my usual lamb madras. I’m a creature of habit.

Instead of ‘Dixon’ tonight I thought I’d share my newly bought bedside lamp from the big garden centre shop last week which I love. It pleases me very much.

Hope you get over your head cold soon LLFL.
And Yia we all know teenage boys have ‘hollow legs’! That pizza looks delicious.

I had exactly that thought today Urmstongran, about turning the corner in just under a month. It’s a comforting thought and I love looking at the longer minutes of daylight each day. It makes me feel that spring is around the corner, even though we might have some severe weather in the meantime.

NaughtyNeine Do you have a cost for posting and paying for pud for me please? You are a dear lady.

Good afternoon from a chilly Dumbarton although the wind does seem to have dropped a bit. I've had a nice quiet reading day in the hotel whilst Mr BA has gone to see an engine!! He's been to it a couple of times recently and they needed him either this week ir next week so as we were in the area....another day added on the holiday for me!! Urmstongran I love that lamp and I'm quite envious of the honey and ginger biscuits muse . They sound lovely. So tomorrow we make our way up to near Kinlochbervie on the north west coast, where our home for the next week is located. Sending a group hug to all visiting the kitchen this afternoon. TOYA 🌷

Hello everyone. My cold hasn’t gone away yet. I think I caught it from my granddaughter who was here at the weekend! So, I had to cancel my book group today and a meeting with friends this evening To cheer myself up I made a rich chocolate loaf cake. For Christmas it will be transformed into a chocolate log/shed with lashings of chocolate fudge icing. It’s my turn to cook but I’m doing fish fingers and chips.

Good afternoon kitcheners. After a busy and emotionally tiring day yesterday, I decided today was going to be a quiet one. Then my lovely aunt turned up for a cup of tea and we blethered awhile. I was glad she did as she's heading off to Antarctica with my uncle on Sunday. When she waved goodbye I stopped being lazy and did some chores. The house now is reasonably tidy until tomorrow when I have agreed to have both grandsons overnight! 😱 How I'm going to manage this I'm not sure. Dd and sil have a rare evening out and couldn't get childcare for both boys so grandma stepped up. Ladyleftfieldlover I hope your cold passes soon. Urms your lamp casts such a cosy glow. Have a good evening Kitcheners.

‘Evening All’

Glad you like my lamp!
Himself is out. He’s taken the Boy Wonder to (outdoor, brr!) football practice. He’s got plenty of layers on, his Big Coat and a bin lid (flat cap). I think he’s Mr. Wonderful. Mind you he loves football almost as much as he loves his grandson.
😊
He told me they discuss what skills and tactics have been learned when he drives him home. And there’s always a small chocolate bar waiting for the lad in the glove compartment!

Good evening lovely Kitcheners. It’s been another cold, damp day here, so glad of my oodie. Porridge for brunch, as usual. Beans on toast with some lovely farmhouse Lancashire cheese for tea later.

Hope your cold starts to shift soon, LadyLFL. They really are so debilitating!

Have a lovely trip BladeAnnie, the sight of Dumbarton rock always cheers me up when we’re heading north as it means we’re well on our way.

Oh dear, GrandmaBatty I hope your lovely home is still habitable after the tiny wrecking crew have been in residence! It’s a good job you love them ❤️

Hope your DH isn’t frozen when he gets home Urms.

Have a good evening, TOYA.

Would that be Mrs Kirkham’s lovely Lancashire cheese, * Bloss*? Gorgeous stuff!

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Enjoy your trip BladeA, I really do hope you get to see the northern lights. I think you’ll have a good chance if you’re there for a week so I’ll keep everything crossed for you. Its stunning scenery whatever you see anyhow. Safe travels tomorrow
We’re just back in our little apartment that overlooks the Alameda Principal - if you know it Urms? We’ve been up to the Alcazaba today - gorgeous. Málaga has definitely got that city buzz about it and I can’t wait to see all the stunning Christmas lights which they’re switching on this Saturday.
You’re such a lovely grandma grandmabatty and looking after the little ones is so tiring especially on your own but so rewarding. I used to do a similar amount of childcare before my DGC went to school, but now I’m not needed much and I do miss that special time with them. Enjoy every tiring minute. Your Aunt and Uncles adventure to the Antarctic sounds very interesting too - best not give me any ideas though!
That chocolate log / shed sounds right up my street llfl !

Good evening Soop and all.
I don’t usually post on this thread but always read.
It’s our towns Christmas light up this evening. Thank goodness I decided not to go. The weather has been torrential! DIL parked in our drive and walked up with teenage girls and boyfriends. Only stayed half an hour . They were drenched through! Such a shame!

Enjoy your evening everyone.

Hi Gingster I managed to drive out of your High Street just before they closed the road. As soon as the rain came down I thought of all those getting soaked waiting for the lights to be switched on.