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

👋 kitty sorry you are jiggered by evening but you’ve done so well and come so far really. And nine grandchildren? I’m playing at the game, ha! Nice for you their ages are all spaced out, bet that’s given you breathing spaces to enjoy their personalities. Wolfie off to school in September? No, it’s not possible.
😱

Urms and Corner and anyone else with bittersweet thoughts. I’m going to be in charge of 16mo GS from Friday to Sunday this week and am a bit nervous about it as he is really obsessed with his mummy right now. At the same time, I’m trying to cherish it. We have just got back from Yorkshire and a few days with our dd2. She’s busy with her career and thoughts of children are not on the radar but I’m very aware that because she’s so much younger than my others, we’re unlikely to be as involved with any GC she might have as we are with dd1’s children. Still, with GC in the States and in London, we know that it’s very possible to be close to them without physically being present that much.

There’s too much to catch up with on here but I’m thinking of you all. As mentioned, we’ve been away for a few days and it’s a busy week ahead, too. My ds has had his second chemo treatment and thankfully it’s been much smoother this time, which is a great relief. Also, I have booked flights to go and see him next month so now I have to buy all his favourite treats to take out with me!

Sleep tight, everyone. Xx

I get it too, urms. We are lucky to have 9 dgc and, conveniently, fairly well spread out. We have done child care in differing ways for all of them but the Wondrous Wolfie starts school in September and that will be the end of the littles. A whole different era begins.

As corner says, we still get the huge hugs and occasional WhatsApp from the bigger ones but not the lovely snuggles.

I haven't posted for a while but I am keeping an eye on you all. Finding it difficult to pace myself and am jiggered by the evening.

TOYA

Indeed, the Circle of Life eh brook?
It’s been fab, we will see them both as and when, but it has shifted somewhat.
I think talking about it tonight just clarified it for us.
Hey ho.
It’s good for us to have Spain. (Or anything really) as life moves on.

Couldn’t agree more Urms, I sometimes find myself at a loose end these days, not wanting to make too many arrangements in case I’m needed and feeling a bit sad when I’m not! But like you say it’s as it should be x

Aw corner your post was poignant and hit the nail on the head squarely. Thank you for sharing your experiences and for just ‘getting’ it. In life, ‘nothing stays the same’. We’ve definitely turned a page in this chapter of our lives tonight.

Oh urms I do understand. It’s a reassessing time all round don’t you think? We’ve two teenagers now, totally independent young women who fling their arms around us and give the best hugs but no longer need us. We find food brings them here and also enjoy taking them out for lunch, then off they go as they should.

Our little lad lives too far away for weekly contact. We cared for him as a little one, stayed overnight and had magical days. Now he’s moved on and so has his care, it can all be managed by his local to him maternal family. Mr C will be 80 soon and frankly neither of us have the energy to keep up with an autistic dynamo for very long. We do have the occasional sleepover and love it, then collapse for few days.

We’ve a photo in the kitchen of the teenagers when we moved here. One was 7, the other just 4. Out with us at the beach. Wow. Hasn’t time flown? As you say we’ve been blessed, Been involved with them all as littlies. If I’m honest I don’t miss the 7am childcare starts . Your two will have such a bond with you, it won’t break just stretch a bit.

Soop I’m sorry your knee is holding you back. It’s a horrid pain for sure. If an orthopaedic assessment can be arranged and a tkr if necessary your life could be so much more comfortable.

Hope the drive paving is trouble free blossoming

Lovely sunset bladeannie. Your break sounds to have been just what you needed.

There’s some chilled white left from the weekend. A shame to waste it so I’ll be off now. Sleep well everyone.

Ooh I can’t wait to see your new spare bedroom LLFL! You are a woman, like our Yorkshire Lass, with eclectic tastes.
😊
I’m boring (but cheap).

I know what you mean Urms. Until my granddaughter started school I often popped up to Kew to spend the day or even a couple of days. Now it’s different. They come to stay on odd weekends and I went last week for a couple of days as it was half term. I’m not likely to have any more grandchildren so I want to make the most of the one I’ve got.

I am sitting on the sofa with a large martini. Not a bad day, but in some ways annoying. I tried to pay my decorator this morning on online banking, but for some reason I was directed to the bank’s fraud office. It took me all morning to sort it all out. Then, my gardener charged me too much. I sorted that out too. But, I did get a refund from BUPA because I have stopped my subscription. Then, the charity shop refused to take a batik of a bread fruit tree because it was bigger than A4! They were happy to take a Laura Ashley leather hold-all. Finally, I bought the perfect bedside lamp for the new room. OH saw it and snaffled it for his room. Anyway, the curtains have been despatched, so wait for the photos!

‘Evening All’.

Back up from the Loungers Bar below. We did swimming lessons after school with the Boy Wonder and L’il Miss. After the bear garden which is the shower & changing area, full of shivering children with grown ups propelling their charges back under the shower head for ‘one more rinse off of that shampoo’ we are always appreciative of our decompression time hehe!

We chatted about how the grandchildren are getting older and we are needed less. I said to Himself that I do the swimming on a Monday and just a bit on a Friday night if we are babysitting and very occasionally a couple of hours on a Saturday afternoon now. Himself still does a mid-week football training session pick up but we were saying we are aware our help isn’t as needed quite to the same extent these days. It’s as it should be of course. We’ve enjoyed every moment watching them grow, from nappy changing to high chair feeding and beyond - but it’s pulled us up short this evening to acknowledge how all of a sudden, it seems to have evolved to here. I shan’t see these children myself now until the weekend! It’s how it should be, of course, they are growing up, but I think tonight the reality hit.

😧

It’s kind of nice (more freedom) but also a little bit sad. It makes one aware of just how quickly time with these small people passes by. And how very blessed we have been to enjoy the ride.

Thank you, YiaYia, I'm glad your itching is getting better now.

Thank you, BladeAnnie, what a beautiful sunset, I'm glad you feel recharged after your break.

Sorry about your knee, Soop, that sounds painful. That's very kind of your friend.

What a lovely picture BA, hope you feel refreshed and rejuvenated now.
That’s a beautiful amaryllis Soop.
We’re having our driveway widened so part of the front garden is in the process of being paved. We don’t grow much in the front as it is very shady and damp. It will make life easier.

What a beautiful Amaryllis soop I really like those bulbs. I’ve got one too but it’s not as advanced as yours, it’s still growing upwards!
I’m just home from being out all day, the gym this morning for a couple of classes then an unexpected catch up with a friend over coffee this afternoon. I’m lucky that DH doesn’t mind what I do most days and he just gets on with things himself if I’m out. If he’s happy I’m happy and vice versa!
A beautiful orange sky BA thanks for sharing the picture and pleased you’re fully recharged again now. Hope your nanny duties go well tomorrow

And we are home with our batteries fully charged!! I just wanted to share the beautiful sky we enjoyed yesterday evening. Such a scare Granmarie 🌷 hope you are feeling much better. Dustyangel what a lovely thing for you to look forward to 😁. I'm needed for nanna duty in the morning so I think tonight will be any early one for me 💤💤 Hoping you all enjoy the rest of your Monday. TOYA 🌷🌷

What a scare Grandmarie Hope all goes well on Friday.💐Wonderful cake *Grandmattie.Your DD is very talented.

Itching is a bit better but I’m so fed up with all the withdrawal symptoms😖so I’m taking a small dose of steroid until I can speak to my rheumatologist.We are still doing bits and pieces before getting the house valued,should be soon now.
Enjoy your evening all.

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202302/medium-905638-p1017383.jpg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202302/medium-360872-p1017390.jpg

This is the amaryllis that we were given as a bulb at Christmas.

A few of you lovely lot have had unwelcome scares to deal with. I hope that matters are beginning to resolve themselves for the better.

We were out all day yesterday and returned home later than intended.

My knee continues to cause me to become less mobile. Our friend has suggested that he pays for me to have the surgeon at Ross Hall assess the possibilty of surgery. Waiting list on the NHS is off the scale. Mr Soop feels that paying for a private op' is the best way way forward.

Sorry that this message is brief. I need to do a fair pile of ironing.

Do you realise that we are at the half-way stage with our present kitchen?

Thank you, Grandmabatty and Cornergran.
NNGB X

Good luck with the cake galen. It will be fine I know it will.

That sounds scary granmarie. Take it easy until the appointment.

I’ve also been guilty of moving things from one place to another brook, I kid myself as it always looks tidier there is less of it. Tries hard must do better here .

Fantastic cake grandmabatty. I’m sure it tastes as good as it looks.

How thoughtful of your ‘girls’ dustyangel. I’m sorry you’ve had another scare though, hope this week brings some answers for you and your husband.

Lots of food about today, that meal looks delicious jax.

Quiet one for us today, both a bit weary, other than a stroll along the river this morning we’ve done not a lot.

Goodnight everyone sleep well,

What a fright for you Grannmarie. I'm glad the spray worked and helped ease the pain. Take care.

Thank you, Brook.

Thanks for the Nadia carrot cake recipe. I’ll try that!

Thank you, Blossoming.

I'm now enjoying my Eton mess, but no CTM this evening cos of the BAFTAs...oh well.

Take it easy grannmarie and look after yourself, hoping Fridays tests all go ok and easily sorted x

That sounds frightening Granmarie. Fingers crossed for Friday’s appointment x