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

An early ‘Evening All’ as we are off down below to Pedro’s bar in an hour. (Plus we are an hour ahead here remember). I’ve nudged ‘Dixon’ out of the way as my photo, taken this afternoon at 3pm down on the paseo is of our drinks. See that late afternoon sunshine? It’s been gorgeous. We went out at noon and walked back up by 5pm. I cannot think how many years it must be since I ordered a glass of sangria and this one packed quite a 🥊 !

La Carihuela was busy with Sunday Spanish ‘promenaders’. Kitted out in their finery, strolling with friends or family. Or holidaymakers like us, in trousers, a tee and a gilet. Lots of Scandis this time of year, over to enjoy many weeks of sunshine. It was a joy to be back beside the sea. I find it calming yet uplifting in equal measure.

I rang my stepfather and he too was about to settle down to watch the snooker final soop. Then he had lamb chops to slide into the oven for his tea. And every Sunday evening he and his 97y old brother ring one another for a chat - something they have done every week for over 20y. I don’t feel the need to ring him again tonight. I’m reassured.

LLFL your meals always sound superb. I often fancy pulling up a chair to your table!

We’ve reserved a place in Pedro’s. Needs must, as it’s a football final - Barcelona -v- Real Madrid. It will just be bar food, with a couple of glasses of Ribera del Duero for me, a pint or two for Himself. But I’m happy - no shopping, peeling, chopping, cooking and washing up! What’s not to like?
#lazygran
😊

Only a bit jealous Urms!

Good evening kitcheners, it’s been a bitterly cold day here in Inverness with sleety/snowy showers this afternoon. I’ve stayed in and caught up with quite a few admin jobs that I’d been putting off for ages. Job done ✅
That sounds like an idyllic church llfl so small and very friendly I expect
Hope all goes well with your appt next week BladeAnnie, doesn’t matter if you can’t post everyday, just seeing you here whenever you can is lovely
So so pleased you’ve got a holiday with your family to look forward to grandmabatty - you’ll be able to practice your Spanish for real!
Lovely picture Urms I’m just a teeny weeny bit jealous - enjoy the sunshine 😎

I can feel you unwinding Urms!
Hope your appointment goes well BA with a subsequent health improvement. And a holiday for * Grandmabatty* not too far away, excellent.
It’s cold here brook down south, not as bitter as you, but a shock after clement, but wet, weather.
Pork steaks in bbq sauce about to be served and this weeks meals will be geared to warming the tum.
Enjoy your evening all x

Just looked outside and yep it’s snowing - again!
Hope you’re enjoying your meal Jax it sounds delish - keep warm and cosy

Just about to go to bed but I wanted to say welcome back to this side of the channel to Urms. I’m glad you are back in your happy place and it makes me feel less isolated somehow. Photo of this evening’s red sky at night bodes well for tomorrow, even when the wind is chilly, it lifts the spirits to see a blue sky. The photo was taken just as the sky was changing with the lights of distant Albufeira just coming on by the coast. Sleep well everyone.

Late night greetings from a chilly Scotland, though unlike Brook we don’t have snow. Yet. 👀

It’s been a busy few days for me and for the Kitchen, I see! Friday we looked after little GS. We collected him from nursery, I gave him lunch and he proceeded to sleep all afternoon until I had to wake him to take him home! Such a hard job.

Today dh hauled into the house from the garage ten or more boxes of books and I installed them on the bookshelves that have been in place since October. It was lovely to see old favourites and especially to have my cookery books to hand again. As that exercise produced a lot of rubbish we took a trip to the recycling centre and disposed of the boxes and odds and ends. You can almost see the walls in the garage now.

I’ve also tidied out a little cupboard and done small tasks such as writing to an elderly friend currently in a care home, sending off my ds2’s last Xmas present (late delivery) and gathering my non-barcoded stamps to send to Swap Out for new ones. It feels a satisfactory day, all told.

Oh Urms you have such a lot to endure there in Spain, to go by your photo! 😁 I was so touched at the thought of your SF and his brother phoning each week - how lovely. ❤️❤️❤️

Grandmabatty my youngest was a kitten for months when she was small. I drew the line at licking her to make her clean. 😳
Could you share your recipe for mince and dumplings? It sounds simple but I’m guessing you’ve a magic trick up your sleeve to make it extra tasty!

BA I hope the hospital appt leads to you being more comfortable.

Stay warm everyone enduring the cold snap! Xxx

Welcome back, BladeAnnie. I understand exactly how you are feeling right now. A gentle hug for you.

Grandmabatty I lurve mince and dumplings.

Urms All that I can say is...WOW!

We have snow on the peaks of the islands.

The snooker was fabulous. So skillful and, at times, I watched through lightly spread fingers. We were rooting for Mark Williams. He lost to Judd Trump. It was a very close-run match. A late night for all concerned.

Today, I must return to the easel and make progress with the pet portrait.

I hope that our poorly Kitcheners are taking things easy. I shall return.

Suedonim mince recipe. I cut carrots and onions into small dice and throw in the slow cooker. Sometimes I add turnip, sometimes mushrooms. Then I brown the mince and skin off excess fat. Then put that in the slow cooker on top of the veg. Then two Oxo cubes as I usually make a lot. I put the crumbled Oxo cubes in hot water with worcestershire sauce and some tomato puree. Then put that over everything and leave on high for a couple of hours, then turn to low. An hour before I want it, I make suet dumplings and turn it back to high and drop the dumplings on top. Mashed potatoes always have butter and milk in. Voila. It's just very ordinary but tasty. Today dgs1 was being a Dimetrodon which is his favourite dinosaur at the moment. I had to act scared. He's now at nursery. Dgs2 is coming down with something. His nose constantly runs, he's girny and has a cough. It didn't stop him eating a full lunch though. Lentil soup, Mash and gravy, a chocolate mousse and some raisins. We have lovely blue skies here and the snow is lying, although not thick. I've been out to clear and salt the path. I'm sitting with my fingers crossed as dgs2 is back down for a nap and there's no sound. See you later.

It seems that many of you are in Scotland, oh boy it does sound freezing there.Getting colder in England too but no snow where I am and rarely any, my DD’s used to moan about that when younger as they wanted a sledge and to make snowmen.
Not much to do this weather tho I have to get some fresh air every day or go stir crazy, so went for a long walk mid morning, took ages as kept meeting people I know walking a dog and we stopped to have a chat.
Fed the birds before lunch they were queueing up in the small tree near the back door and looking anxious.😄
Thought I’d do some cupboard clearing later on, what an exciting life I lead.

Like you, soop, I'm trying to paint a picture. I'm a raw beginner compared with you though! I have painted a successful cloud today though!! Massive cheers 🙌

Just went to get a few logs from an outside logpile to dry off in the mud room. The logs were frozen to each other!

Thank you for the tasty mince recipe grandmabatty I’ll try that sometime as I like the fact that it’s done in the slow cooker, nice and easy when I’m out all day. Hope DGS2 is better soon, he’s probably awake now from his nap I bet!
It’s been snowing most of the afternoon here in Inverness, I got home about 12.30 after a dance around at the Zumba class at the gym. Then a quick trip to Tesco for a few bits and bobs. Now I’m settled on the sofa for a while …
Good to have all your bookshelves organised now SueD sounds like your getting lots done - unlike me!
Well done with going out for your walk Oreo I love walking but finding it hard to get going in this weather - I always enjoy it when I’m out though, it’s just getting the motivation to do it
Hope the portrait is going well soop you’re a very talented lady 😀

No snow here but a lot colder.Your mince recipe sounds nice Grandmabatty.
Boris dog is here today,DH took him out for his walk this morning.I didn’t feel up to it today,I’m on my last week or so of steroids.The side effects of tapering are pretty grim and it’s taken a few months to get this far.Hopefully new meds will be better.🤞DH watched the snooker and enjoyed it Soop.

Enjoy your evening all and keep warm.

I walked around our (small) garden brook three times, doesn’t really count!, but I am on my voluntary ‘answer the phone calls’ day. Having taken the calls, early evening is sorting out drivers, it can be lengthy.
It’s decidedly chilly outside, colder to come, we’ve got quiz tonight in our local, wrapping up warm for that after home made fish and chips.
I’ll call back later.

I think three times around the garden definitely counts Jax especially if you’re been working too - do you take the calls at home or do you need to go into an office somewhere?
Hoping you’re feeling better soon Yia but well done in tapering off the steroids - that can’t be easy

From home brook clients ring in to an answerphone, on call pick up the messages, often incomplete, so call back. We have a database of clients and of drivers.

Baggs Clouds are such interesting features to capture in paint. The book marker that you sent me is very pleasing. Is that something that you created?

Cat portrait beginning to make positive progress. I shall a photo when it is completed.

Mr Soop contacted Coloplast (suppliers of ostomy-wear) because the bags we desperately need are out of stock, and we are running low. A super clinical assistant helped us enormously. We've had four emails and supplied him with photos and measurements of the hernia. He has asked permission to share them with students. Tomorrow, we are assured of a delivery by courier of what he believes will be ideal for the ostomy. That's what we call service with a very pleasing manner.

Living as we do beside the sea, we rarely get heavy snow on the west coast of Kintyre. There have been flurries. So far, nothing has settled.

Do take care when you venture outdoors. Icy paving is to be avoided at all costs.

Until we meet again tomorrow. Hugs for every one of my favourite Kitcheners . moon]

That sounds really good service soop I hope the new supplies will suit you much better, everything crossed for you

Thanks for explaining Jax it sounds like a good system. A big well done for the volunteering you do, im sure it’s much appreciated by many

Good afternoon everyone! No snow in Suffolk but a bitterly cold wind.
We had our dentist checkups this morning and both got gold stars! Another 6 months then …
We are meeting for choir at our organisers house tonight, for a glass of something and nibbles, to decide what to sing next. It’s about 30 steps away, just across the lane, with an open fire so we should be cosy 😊.
I hope you are all keeping warm ( or cool, if abroad!) and have a good evening. Quizzy Monday and Silent Witness to record!

Mull of Kintyre Soop I used to love that song, even if I didn’t know where it was😄
Great to live somewhere picturesque, wish I did.
So you are artistic, another plus, do you sell your pictures?

brook2704 I’m not really good for walking every day it’s just I like being outside more than inside usually.It breaks up the day as well.
Once it’s dark tho I snuggle down and watch tv.

Good evening dear Kitcheners. I’m very behind with all your news, hope all poorly grans are on the mend. I’m glad you’re enjoying yourself and your stepfather is Ok Urns. Love that photo DustyAngel.

Will keeping my fingers crossed something suitable is sorted for you Soop.

My hands are much better thanks to my silver gloves but reading and screen use are still a problem thanks to dodgy vision. I will try my best to keep up

‘Evening All’

Again, I’ve pushed ‘Dixon’ out of the way to show you a photo taken last night from where I was sat in Pedro’s. It’s a nice little corner bar and very handy as it’s just downstairs, on the corner.

We’ve wandered up into Arroyo de la Miel this afternoon, just for a mooch about, didn’t need anything. Then we sat at a bar in the sun for an hour, people watching as you do. It’s a busy little town. I had to take my fleece off it was so warm at 3pm.

My stepfather rang me mid morning. Said he gave up on the snooker final as it wasn’t as exciting as he’d hoped. He went to bed just after 9pm. The district nurse was calling this afternoon. He is eating well enough but hasn’t the energy yet to go round the corner for his newspaper. Hmm. Mind you the weather was bitterly cold so that would be enough to put anyone off. He could always have his paper delivered but I think the thought of doing that concerns him, as it would seem an acceptance somehow of diminishing capabilities.

I’ve just had a lovely shower using some favourite smellies I’d forgotten were here. Serendipity!

We are just going down to eat at Juan’s in half an hour. I know the menu back to front. They’ve never changed it one iota in all these years! But then why should they? It works, the locals here like what they do and considering how many bars come and go, he’s doing fine. 18y outside our main entrance, so lucky us!
😁

It’s just getting dark now. 7pm. Just put a lamp on. It certainly shortens the winter dreariness being out here at this time of the year.

Sounds lovely Urms, Mr, B is making good ole corned beef hash here. We have had blazing sunshine and beautiful blue skies all day but it’s freezing cold