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

That cat has character soop ! Great pic, did you use pastels or watercolours?
Urmstongran your life sounds pretty perfect to me, having a bolthole somewhere warmer than here for the cold months.
brook your garden in the snow looks lovely, I do love looking at snowy scenes as rarely get them here.
Another long walk after lunch for me and DP, cold but really sunny, followed by a cuppa and cake at the best cafe near to us, always a big temptation.Dark now, so we have a fire going and all the candles lit.Cosy and won’t be going anywhere tonight.

I almost slipped outside TKMaxx but managed to stay upright
Are you sure you didn’t slip into TKMaxx ? .
My excuse and I’m sticking to it!

Soop another successful commission! I hope you charge something. Grannysomerset that's a painful amount to have to pay. You have my sympathy. My last car had to have the electrical system chabged because of water damage. It was three months outside the warranty. That hurt too.
Today I have washed floors and generally tidied up. Dinner was eggy bread or French toast, whatever you call it. I had bolognaise in the freezer but I've eaten mince in some form since Sunday so I'd had enough. It's still very cold here and reached 1° only so my heating has been on all day. I'm fed up with winter but there's a while still to get through unfortunately. Have a good evening Kitcheners.

Maw 🤣🤣

That’s a difficult one, Hellogirl. . Did your DIL know that the book was yours, a gift from friend or did she think someone else put it here? That might help how you frame asking about it.

Soop I hope the solution to your problem arrives v soon. What a lovely portrait of that cheeky cat. He looks quite a character, though aren’t they all?

It’s been cold here but no snow and oddly, no frosted-up cars. I guess the air must be very dry where we are. It’s been sunny at times, always welcome.

It’s been a busy week, not quite sure why! Yesterday I took care of our GD after school and got her to her dancing class. She stayed with us to have her dinner - she was thrilled to be asked. ❤️ She now says she wants to live with us, mainly I think to get away from pesky 15mo brother. . In return, she says she’s going to be an astronaut and we can go and stay with her on Jupiter, where she plans to go to explore. Isn’t the world of five-year-olds just wonderful?

Today we had a first session with a personal trainer. We’re so not personal trainer people but we’ve both physically suffered a bit from lockdown and we both want to build up our fitness and strength and maintain it into the future. I’m sure some folk would know how to embark on this but we felt we needed help to set us off in the right direction. This young guy offers exactly what we are after, so we’re going to sign up. I certainly found muscles I never knew existed today!

Later on I went to a new book group I’d been invited to. I do know a couple of the people from many years ago and there were some other folk who seem to be fun, so I hope it’ll become a regular event in my life.

Tomorrow we’ll be looking after the baby again - dare I hope for a three hour nap for him like last week? I’ll let you know tomorrow evening!

Until then, sweet dreams. Xx

Aww SueD your DGD sounds so lovely!
Hope the sessions with your PT go well, let us know how you get on. I’ve just started a new circuits class at the gym, I definitely know what you mean about finding muscles you didn’t know existed, mine are in my arms and shoulders this week!

Hello everyone. A sort of busy day. Our cleaners arrived very early and left the house gleaming. I prepared the fruit, tea and whiskey to soak overnight for the Barmbrack I am making tomorrow. I have a surfeit of egg whites in the freezer so I’m defrosting half a dozen so I can make a white chocolate cake. Tonight at my friend’s house was fun. I took a cake which went down well. I had to scrape ice off my car when I set off and when I came home the temperature was -1. OH spent the evening watching a film about vampires. I am so pleased that Soop is getting the advice she needed.

I really struggled with my pelvis, Brooke! Not that it’s a muscle, of course, but I had to be aware of whether it was ‘tucked up’ or not as I did the exercises. I just didn’t know what I was doing! . I blame those ante-natal classes I did when pregnant, many moons ago, where there was so much emphasis on your pelvis to give the baby room to escape. Not that I was going to explain all that to a young man.

Thank you for the kind words re my GD. Like most 5yos, she is very entertaining.

Hello to all in the kitchen! I’ve gone AWOL as my internet seems to play up with some buffering if the wind gets up? I’m not techie so this is just a guess on my part.

We’ve enjoyed being out & about in the sunshine and enjoying some meals out locally in an evening. We had some lovely wine in Pedro’s one evening. Himself ‘clocked’ the label as it was being poured and then saw it in the supermarket over the road the next day. At only €3.20 a bottle (See photo) bought a couple of bottles for our wine cellar, aka a cupboard.

We are out to eat in Juan’s with neighbours here tonight. They are good company. They live out here and have helped us in many little ways over the years.

It’s very relaxing being here in our ‘happy place’. The sun is shining and currently I’m looking out a sparkling Mediterranean sea, listening to some noisy little green parakeets. Life is good and I do count my blessings.

Hope you all enjoy your day and the weekend ahead, whatever your plans or none. x

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202301/medium-553094-429447e3-90f5-4052-b2c6-7368abbe41d9.jpeg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202301/medium-648047-240f81af-b961-4b8f-a858-e6c150c4c71f.jpeg

Good afternoon Kitcheners.Just back from a night away in Gunwharf Quays Portsmouth.It was a nice treat, a Christmas present from our family.
The view from our hotel was brilliant,Could sit and watch all day.Lots of designer shopping here and very busy.I managed to walk around a bit.
Pics from our room.Spinnaker Tower and HMS Warrior.
Enjoy your afternoon all.

I was born in Portsmouth Yia my dad was in the Royal Navy.

Hello Orea, the cat was painted in water colours.

I am awaiting news of son number three's partner. She fell off a horse and has fractured her scapula in four places. Is awaiting surgery.

Back with you lovely lot a little later.

Do you remember it Urms.
Soop so sorry to hear your news hope your sons partner will be O.K.I always worry about my D.I.L falling off her horse.

Oh gosh, soop. I hope your son's partner is okay. Very ouch!

Oh no soop I hope your DSs partner is doing ok and has had the required surgery, I wish her all the very best for a speedy recovery
I’m just in from the gym and a trip to Tesco. I did the circuits class this morning followed by the Aqua class in the pool. I know what you mean about the pelvis position SueD they’re always saying that here too. The circuits class today was all upper body and core so I’m really achey, again 🤣
Lovely pictures yia what a lovely gift to receive
Llfl I’m always in awe of your culinary talents, you make such delicious sounding food every day. I wish I was half as good as you are, have you always been such a good cook?
The wine prices are so cheap in Spain Urms I agree you just have to buy a few bottles - salud! 🍷

Soop I hope your son's partner is recovering from surgery. What a terrible thing to happen to her. Yiayia your photos are lovely. It looks like a lovely place to celebrate. Brook and Suedonim I'm very impressed with both of you and your fitness regimes. I don't have the self discipline to maintain fitness. Urms your wine looks so nice. Sadly my system no longer likes red wine. I'm stuck with white and prosecco and champagne. It's very difficult 😂
Today I have done most of the housework I normally do on a Saturday. My halo is shining. Not sure what I'll have for dinner yet. There are a few options. Have a good evening Kitcheners.

Hi all, I’m getting bored with the frost now, parts of the back garden are still white although today has been sunny.
Sounds painful soop hopefully all fixed up now, I imagine a lengthy recovery.
The Spinnaker Tower was always the last and first landmark on our many back and forth trips to France Yia, I lived in Portsmouth during my early 20’s.
All this activity ladies, I’m turning into a sloth, winter is not my naturally active time. However, I did have a short walk earlier, beef with allotment leeks, parsnip and carrots and a splosh of red is simmering in the slow cooker. Pub visit later, catch up with friends, then back to warmth.

Grandmabatty No charge. If I think a painting will make someone smile...that's sufficient reward.

SueD If only we could regain the magic of a child's imagination. Jupiter isn't too far distant. You will need to build up your stamina in readiness for the flight.

Yia Your photograph is beautiful.

Urms Us lot are virtually with you in your 'happy place'.

The latest message from son number three informs us that his partner was "prepped for surgery" but the op has been postponed possibly until tomorrow.

It has been a glorious day. Plenty of sunshine and clear blue sky. It remains a tad chilly. We'll possibly have a log fire this evening.

Until we meet again in our kitchen at some time tomorrow, I am wishing you all a pleasant and peaceful start to the weekend. Has anyone noticed how quickly they come around?

Hello everyone. Gosh Soop, I hope your number three son’s partner has surgery soon. I’m afraid I’ve been baking again! A Barmbrack for OH’s birthday tomorrow and an American cake recipe. It used up half a dozen spare egg whites and also had quite a lot of melted white chocolate in it! I filled and topped it with lemon buttercream. It will have to go in the freezer to be taken out when we have visitors. It’s a nine inch diameter round cake. I also did a stack of WI admin. I had to get into the WI’s National data base to add a new member and sadly, to remove another member who died last week. Finally, a stack of ironing. OH isn’t back from his shooting (targets, not deer) afternoon. It’s his turn to cook dinner so I think it will be fish and chips. Have a good evening.

All my best wishes to your son`s partner Soop, that sounds very painful.
SueD, yes, my DIL knew the book was a present to me from my friend. Some of the family are going out for a meal tomorrow, we always try to do something on my hubby`s birthday. I don`t know if DIL is going, she hasn`t yet decided, if she`s there I`ll ask her about the book.

Ooh, hello, that's a difficult conversation to have but you should do it.

soop, I hope you son's partner is ok and soon operated on. That sounds very ouch!

I went to my 'best' friend's house yesterday morning. We talked for 3 hours and drank copious amounts of tea. It was lovely but very tiring.

Luckily we are having a take away burger from The Burgerologist - a van parked in the Car Park of a pub in the next village. The burgers are fabulous, as are the chips. Luckily the van only appears within striking distance once a fortnight.

Good evening dear Kitcheners. I spent most of yesterday in bed after a sleepless night. Last night was much better. No more snow but it’s very icy here. Mr. B has made lasagne and chocolate pudding for tonight, I am very spoiled.
TOYA x

My best hopes for a speedy recovery for your sons partner soop. That sounds more than painful.

Mr C had a procedure at the Heart Institute today which meant getting up at 5.45. I’d no idea that time of day existed. It all went well enough, although he’s the worlds most disobedient patient, thank goodness the nursing staff kept a close eye. Arriving home late afternoon we found two more first thing in the morning appointments at the same place. The early starts aside we’re very grateful for the care he’s getting.

It’s been a clear, cold, sunny day with frost lingering in the shade. With luck we can be out and about tomorrow as more of the same is forecast.

Sleep well everyone. TOYA.

Cornergran I'm glad MrCorner got on ok today. I know the journey was bothering you. Blossoming that dinner sounds tasty. Do you hire him out? 😂 Kitty you sound better now, going out for lengthy chats. It's good to read. Ladyleftfieldlover the cake sounds amazing.
I'm watching a programme about David Crosby and remembering him as part of two great bands, The Byrds and CSNY. By all accounts, he was a very difficult man but made lovely music. For lots of reasons I feel melancholic tonight. TOYA

That sounds a useful day, Corner. Hope your Dh benefits.

Lovely dinner, Blossoming! 🥘 🍮

Soop that sounds an incredibly painful accident. I was wincing as I read your post. Regarding Jupiter, there was a news item today about some spaceship or satellite or something similar setting off to Jupiter! ✨

Hellogirl maybe you can frame your query to your dil as wanting to see ‘the memory book my friend gave me’.

Grandmabatty don’t be too impressed with my fitness routine. I have done one session so far. 😂

Today was busy with the 15mo GS here. I don’t know if it’s a full moon, if he’s been drinking coffee or if he’s been at the cat nip but he was completely bonkers! Lots of maniacal laughing, chortling and cackling with glee while running around on his sturdy wee legs. His socks disappeared at one point. I asked him where they were and he pointed down behind the sofa. Yup, he’d ‘fed’ them down the gap between sofa and wall. .

After I took him home, I came back here and fell asleep for an hour! When I woke up Dh had prepared our meal, so that was lovely. I think I’ll sleep tonight and I hope you all do, as well. TOYA. Xxx