Soop's warm and welcoming kitchen for kindly folk...

Malaga! I could do with a bit of that right now.Nothing but rain lately and force ten gales blowing.
Just a hospital visit today for a routine annual appointment, surprised it still went ahead really.Went super early so I could find a parking spot, even so had to queue and go round and round😖til another car left a space, nightmare.
The whole visit and there and back took all the morning so I
Didn’t feel like doing anything else once back, had lunch and read the paper and went to sleep.To make up for that I’ll do some baking later on.DP says he’ll cook a meal for us.
Hope all those who are ill will feel better soon, and that nobody has floods where they are.

Kitty Wolfie has won my heart. X

Lovely post Grannmarie. Welcome back, muse

Doodle Many thanks for passing on the message from our dear Panache. That lady is an inspiration.

You have all cheered me greatly. I am determined not to bring any down-in-the-dumpness into our kitchen. Such things come, hang around for a bit...and then disappear.

Thinking of our Baggs and swimming, made me recall fond memories of the galas in which I swam as an amateur swimmer. I also competed in life-saving competitions. My late father had trophies and medals belonging to me. I haven't seen them since. He also managed to mislay my GCE results.

The painting is on the easel. It has been a slow start. However, I'm not bound by a time limit.

I am wishing you all a pleasant start to the weekend. A group hug and my love.

I met up with 3 GNs at our local Waitrose this am for our monthly meetup for a coffee. We certainly put the world to rights, Rishi, you are no longer required- we could do much more and more cheaply. I think this is year 5 we have been meeting.

Alexa tells me snow is coming to London specifically on Tuesday so I must be prepared.

I hope that all of you poorly ladies are on the mend.

TOYA

Ahh thats so lovely charley always enjoyable sitting and putting the world to rights - hi to the other GNetters too!

‘Evening All’

We are babysitting. L’il Miss has been in bed since 8pm - late for her but we are a soft touch. The Boy Wonder is sat next to grandad watching Aston Villa -v- Leeds. I’ve said ‘bed at half time’ and he grinned.

Flights are booked for tomorrow 1pm. I shall ring for a taxi at 10am. Nice to think I’ll post from my ‘happy place’ tomorrow evening!

Safe travels Urms enjoy your time away 😎😎

Urms Enjoy your flight and hopefully there are no hitches. With luck you should miss the very cold weather coming our way. Still, Spring is around the corner.

soop I hope Sweetie Pie has found time to pop in for a meal or three. If the weather improved I may join him.

Doodle, many thanks for posting Panache`s message. That lady is a marvel, the way she has coped with all the adversity that life has thrown at her. All my best wishes to her.
Daughter 3 picked me up today for a visit to my next to youngest great grandson, Hudson, now 20 months. He`s gorgeous, more a little boy than a baby now. We`ve just arranged a family meal out on the 21st, my hubby`s birthday, we usually try to do something on that date.
Urms, enjoy the sunshine!
TOYA xxx

Just to say Nunight, all!
Sleep well 😴😴😴😴😴😴

Night maw. Hope you feel better

Two long walks under a bright blue sky for us today. Oh so windy, hard to walk against it at times and goodness doesn’t sea spray travel in strong winds. Although the waves weren’t overtopping the prom the spray crossed the prom, a wide pavement and a very wide road. . Guess I shouldn’t have been surprised, I was! You’d think I’d be tired after that, nope, wide awake. I’m an odd bod for sure.

Wishing you all a peaceful night.

Goodnight all. Hope you are much better tomorrow Maw.

Good afternoon kitcheners. It's blowing a gale and pouring rain here. I hope you are all well. I'm not long home from visiting my friend who looks really poorly so I'm feeling upset for her. Her colour is awful. Hopefully the antibiotics will work and she'll improve.
All the housework is done apart from a little ironing which I'll do tomorrow morning. I've just washed the floors so I shall sit and stay cosy til they dry. Macaroni cheese with added tomato, onion and mushrooms for dinner later. Have a good evening Kitcheners.

The weather is atrocious. The wind is whipping the waves into a frenzy. We are dreading a power cut. Orio, our garden is flooded.
The gizmo that Mr Soop ordered in the hope of protecting the computer from power surges is apparently not suitable and is to be returned. Hey ho!

Grandmabatty Do you have an extra serving of macaroni cheese? I may make a virtual visit.

Hellogirl How lovely for you to spend time with Hudson. I like the name. Also, having a family meal booked for the family on what would have been dear David's birthday, is a special way of celebrating his life

Charleyg Sweetie Pie paid us a visit yesterday and again this morning. Did he have a right royal banquet? Yes, he most certainly did.

Urms Luxuriate in the sunshine. Think of us lot and, if you can spare the time, please send us some photos. Enjoy your well deserved treat.

I shall spend a little time with the pet portrait. Not much progress thus far. I am well out of practice.

Hunker down, dear peoples. I hope to return to our kitchen tomorrow.

My dear Soop, if I could drop off some macaroni, I would. You are a special person

I’ve just waved DD2 and DGS off home, they’ve been here since before lunch so we’ve had lots of time to chat and play another round of monopoly. I don’t mind the game so much only that goes on for such a long time!
The bad stormy weather hasn’t reached us yet, it’s been quite sunny here today with just a gentle breeze but very cold. I think it’s all downhill from tomorrow though
Sorry to hear that your friend is looking so poorly grandmabatty, I’m sure she appreciated your visit and spending time with her
Sounds like you had a lovely time with Hudson hellogirl and you’ve another get together to look forward to again soon
soop hope you and mr soop are hunkered down, your weather there sounds awful - take care

I’m on the train back to Oxford after a lovely afternoon with my daughter. We had lunch at the V&A and then saw two exhibitions - Korea and then Africa. I think my favourite was the Africa exhibition. The display was wonderful. Slightly amusing train adventure. I got on the nearest carriage as it was about to leave but it was blocked with a pushchair which had got stuck and no seats left. So at Slough a few of us leapt off the train, ran down the platform and got on the train further down. I now have a seat. Have a good evening.

Good evening Kitcheners - I have just waved off D3 and the two little boys after a flying visit to collect as many cardboard boxes as they could pending their move in 10 days’ time.
They came around lunchtime and we had a bite then (when it had stopped raining) went up to the playground 10 minutes walk from the house. Otis was on his balance bike and of course being in a very quiet village we didn’t have to worry about cars once we had crossed the deserted road in front of the house. Little Remy (16 months) is a tiny little chap, he takes after D3 in that respect who was always petite, but my goodness he wanted to be climbing up the little climbing wall, going down the slides, going on the roundabout like his big brother .
Back here for tea, a bit of Peppa Pig, some stories , into PJs and I hope they have an easy drive home to London. (SIL was taking advantage of a child free house to do some work on the electrics.)
It’s just so QUIET!
Night night all!

Good evening everyone, what a bustling kitchen!
Not a lot happening in my corner of Wiltshire, floodwaters well up at the bottom of the hill, the car park is under feet of water (so is someone’s car 🫣). It’s the highest I’ve seen for some years.
I had a haircut yesterday, several inches shorter now and I love it! DH doesn’t but I don’t care 😄. ‘Tis a wee bit draughty round my neck but it will be so easy to care for.
Tomorrow I am cooking duck for the first time in my life! Hope it’s edible, or it’ll be sausages for Sunday lunch….
I hope the weekend is going well for you all, hugs for those needing one x

You sound much better Maw and what a lovely afternoon.
We are watching the 5th rugby match of the weekend 🥱 although DH is asleep. I tell a lie, the eyes have just opened!
Tomorrow is cleaning and tidying up! Much needed I am afraid.
Tonight’s supper was a caramelised onion tart tatin but with leftover Brie between the onions and the pastry. It was delicious but my word, it was rich!
Thinking of Urms and hoping the Soops are still warm and cosy, with power.
Sleep tight everyone 💤

We seem to be heading for some calmer if colder weather. Hope the dry day forecast for Monday appears as we’re off over the bridge to begin to clear our friends shed of unwanted this and that. Our son is not only coming to help but will chauffeur us for a good bit of the way, something we more than appreciate. The area has experienced flooding in the last few days, fortunately our friend is on high ground and it seems access roads are now ok.

A quiet sort of weekend for us, little today or tomorrow other than some faffing around indoors. Mr C was wielding a spider deterrent spray in the conservatory this morning. I and the spiders suspect it doesn’t work. . Mr C believes it will. Time will tell who is right. .

Hope urms has arrived safely and the water travels no further through your garden soop. The rhynes and rivers hereabouts are full with some overtopping. Many country roads are flooded. Water does such damage.

Time for sleep now. Wishing you all a goodnight, sleep well everyone.

Good afternoon dear Kitcheners. Snooker championship final is about to pot off. I shall be refereeing.

Have any of you seen the Australian actor, Mark Coles Smith in a tv drama? He's delish. Very like Rafa. Just sayin'.

I shall look in again later this afternoon. Gales have subsided. Rain has stopped. Garden remains water logged.

Enjoy the snooker Soop! Yet again I’m on the sofa, reading the papers with Milo and Ripley for company. I drove to church this morning through quite a lot of water. It was cascading off the fields. I stayed in second gear and drove slowly until I cleared it. The church I went to is 12th century and freezing. It really is in the middle of nowhere. Just eleven of us including the vicar and organist. The organist is a fairly young man and plays beautifully. At the end of the service he always plays something for us which we applaud him for. Cottage pie and Queen of Puddings is on the menu tonight. I always cook on Sunday so I will be off to the kitchen soon. I hope everyone is having a peaceful day.

Afternoon Kitcheners.
It’s been bright but cold here today.DH just in from watching Number1 GS play football a home cup match.He came home freezing but they won, a good result.
I have just caught up with Happy Valley looking forward to the next episode tonight.Lamb chops for dinner.
Enjoy your evening all.

Good afternoon everyone - I feel I'm not being a good friend to all you lovely folk atm. I'm just rather over-stretched with one thing and another then before I know it the day has gone 😭😭. My body is feeling a little out of sorts too but I have a rheumatology appointment on Wednesday (fingers crossed 🤞🤞that it won't be affected by the strikes). Sending a gentle virtual hug to you all 🌷

Good afternoon kitcheners. I've had a lovely day. Fairly lazy this morning -smalk ironing -then a visit from dd and the boys this afternoon. Dgs1 was being a cat so I put milk in a bowl for him to lap. He was so funny. Dd has organised a holiday in Spain that I'm part of with them. We're going in May. I'm so lucky that they want me to be part of their plans. I have made mince and dumplings in the slow cooker so I'll have some later. Currently I'm having a little Cointreau. It's very cold here already and to get much colder. I hope you have had a good day. Toya