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

That’s sad news Yia hoping for the very best possible outcome for the lady concerned 💐

Evening the kitchen! We are home and have DD’s dog back from the home stay kennels. She is fast asleep and has lost weight through spending a week chasing around the 2 acre garden with the rest of the pack. I don’t think she will be much trouble this week!
We are rested and brown ( well red in my case!) and ready to start on a substantial to do list.
I like birthday cake too. DA!

Thank you all for your good wishes.Nothing quite right yet but, more to see tomorrow.
What a nasty scare Jax, but glad your o.k.

Just had some awful news,my DS best friend’s wife has bowel cancer she is 46.They can’t operate until it shrinks.She starts treatment next week.Bless her she’s a lovely girl, thankfully very strong and stoic.
What a very sad time for you Grandmabatty. 🥀

Grandmabatty, I so admire your dedication to your friend. I hope you are OK.

Grandmabatty so sad, but what a lovely kind friend you are 💐❤️

Sorry kitcheners. I was called again to my friend's bedside so dgs2 was summarily dumped at his other granny and I raced over. I didn't take a jacket or a bag. I'm not long home. She's still here but not by much. I held her hand and blethered a load of nonsense to her as they say hearing is the last sense to go. So I'm all talked out and too tired to catch up on here. My best to you all

brook2704

Thanks so much for telling us all about your wonderful celebrations dusty, how lovely to have all the family together, and so well organised for you , special times indeed
Sounds like you’ve had another good Tuesday meet up Urms with your LWW pals. I bet they were all pleased to see you again. We’ve packed everything up now, ready to leave first thing in the morning so we’re just going out for a last look at the sea and hopefully see a nice sunset. Another lovely holiday done so need to get home and plan the next one now 🤣
Hoping soop has got on ok at the hospital today too
I’m in awe of your cooking skills LLFL are you a chef by any chance?

No I’m not a chef! My mum was a trained baker but wouldn’t allow anyone else in the kitchen. I have a grade 5 in O-level Nutrition and Cookery. That’s it.

Thanks so much for telling us all about your wonderful celebrations dusty, how lovely to have all the family together, and so well organised for you , special times indeed
Sounds like you’ve had another good Tuesday meet up Urms with your LWW pals. I bet they were all pleased to see you again. We’ve packed everything up now, ready to leave first thing in the morning so we’re just going out for a last look at the sea and hopefully see a nice sunset. Another lovely holiday done so need to get home and plan the next one now 🤣
Hoping soop has got on ok at the hospital today too
I’m in awe of your cooking skills LLFL are you a chef by any chance?

Hello all. That cake looks delicious. I did a bit of baking today. A batch of friands, which is a good way to use up excess egg whites. I also made a Yotam Ottelenghi chocolate cake recipe. I’ve made it before and it’s very good. We’ve just had an early dinner as OH is off to his beekeeping course shortly. I might watch some tv, but I must ring my stepfather. He lives in Devon and I haven’t spoken to him for ages. He is 80 in June. It would be nice if he could drive up for my birthday lunch in April. We can’t put him up but there are plenty of B&Bs in the area. Have a good evening. Oh, I hope Soop’s trip had been good and not too tiring.

‘Evening All’.

I’ve had a lovely afternoon at LWW 🍷
It was wonderful catching up with friends at a local bar in the warm sunshine.

We’ve eaten. Kettle’s on. ☕️ and both reading now.

Jax what a scary incident. As others have said it’s a good job you had your coat on. brook sounds as though you’ve enjoyed another great holiday. Pleasant journey back to Inverness tomorrow. dustyangel such a great celebration cake and that restaurant singing for your group and the Portuguese one sounded joyful. A sweet memory.

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Sorry Kitty, I feel like saying that myself! Dd1 cut the cake at the table and thinking it was solid started cutting in very small slices. It had about 4 layers to it and started collapsing. Nevertheless we were served first and then it was passed down the table. It never came back I think Ana from the restaurant who presented it to us knew it would collapse which is why she asked DD to cut it. It was such a lovely cake I’ve been fancying another bit ever since. I’m really very sad

We’re going back there on Thursday so I’ll ask Ana were she got it.

Is there any left da? Please!

I found the simplest way for a non techie like me was to copy the snap I’d been sent, then take a screen shot, reduce in size and screen shot that before I could post it. I’ve now got cake photos scattered through the last few days photographs.
It was a lovely cake though.

Trying a photo of our cake.

I’d be very interested to know if you and any others really find taxis cheaper than running a car ann, I hope you get a good night’s sleep and feel really rested tomorrow.

Lovely celebrations dustyangel what a lovely family time.
Yia well done on your house sale, let us now send best wishes for finding your new one as quickly.
Sue I pray you were happy with your DS’s progress when you left him to come home.
I hope all poorlies will soon feel better, all holiday makers continue to have sunshine and you are all having a good day.

I have had, for me, a very busy day and I am tired now.

I have to go to Stockport tomorrow to pick up my new glasses, prescribed and ordered last week.
I shall have to use taxis there and back but all the journeys I make are still cheaper than running a car ( I tell myself).

What a scary experience Jaxjacky, I hope you’re feeling better now and the quiz went well. blossoming I hope you too are recovering and not too many painful areas.

Our weekend of festivities went very well. I wrote a full account on the Good Morning thread this morning but the highlight was the long planned celebration meal for us both where it was wonderful to see so many family members again and meet one great niece that I’ve “met” and chatted to on Instagram but not met in real life. A delightful young woman.

Music was added at the end of the meal when Happy Birthday was sung by the only other group still in the restaurant, all Portuguese they were celebrating the birthday of one of them. We all clapped along to them singing the Portuguese version which has the same tune and then they all clapped and joined in when our table sang to us. One of them had produced an accordion and the birthday gentleman and the accordionist came over to chat. He’s 47 and already a grandfather he told us very proudly.

Saturday afternoon when we had an open house was even more relaxed with everyone able to sit in the sun and catch up with each other.

Sunday evening we did it all again at a different restaurant.

Again we’ve known the owner a very long time, he is in fact a fairly near neighbour. Hearing of our great ages he finally admitted his own. He’s been very cagey about it before but I thought he’d once said he was about the same age as us and I was right, in fact he’s three years older and still in the restaurant and working.

We’ve had such a lovely time and it’s not over just yet, GD called in with her boyfriend this morning and the five of us are having a meal together on Thursday before they have to return on Friday.

I wish I could post some photos but as I didn’t take any myself and all the ones I’ve been sent are apparently too big, I haven’t had any luck yet. I’ll keep trying though.

Blossoming hope you haven't got too many bruises .
Good job you had a coat on Jaxjacky.That was quick Yia. I never find bargains like that Neine well spotted.
Welcome homeSueD.

A lucky escape there Jax , thank goodness you were wearing your coat, I’d be very shaken up too, take care

Thank you Baggs for the update on Soop and lovely to hear from you too
Oh blossoming that’s no good, hoping you’re feeling less battered and bruised soon, take care and rest
Some very good bargains there neine 👍
Really good news Yia and so quickly too, much less hassle and hopefully you’ll find your new home just as easily
Pleased you’re home safely SueD, we’re travelling home on Wednesday, I’ll miss this warm sunshine 😎

Good news Yia action stations!
Oh Blossoming that’s the last thing you need, how flipping frustrating for you.
Welcome back SueD.
School run today, prefaced by a dog going for me, my coat (glad I had it on) has bite marks, shook me up, reported to dog warden.
Quiz tonight, testing if I still have any brain power!

Just popping in to say I’m back in the same time zone as most Gransnetters! I’ve been up for 28hrs, travelling home, so I’m not sure I’d make any sense if I tried to write anything more just now. Back tomorrow or next day.

TOYA. Xxx

Oh dear blossoming you are in the wars (my gran always used that expression)

Brilliant news Yiayia fo fees crossed you like one of the houses you are viewing.

I was well and truly spoilt over the weekend, I have a house filled with flowers and plants and a bathroom with some really lovely skincare products.

Have been cooking for the freezer since I came home from the gym, so it will be chilli-con-carne this evening for dinner.

Enjoy your happy place Urmstongran

The Soops have just left. We had a lovely chatty late lunch and they will have a restful evening at their inn of choice. Soop's mammogram went as mammograms do, not helped by her game knee, and tomorrow they have the appointment at Ross Hall (where I first met soop eleven years ago!). They'll return home on Wednesday.

Soop sends her best love to all in the Kitchen.