Soop's kitchen for kindly folk.

Good afternoon from a very confused Kitchener.
I didn’t have the best time with my friend last week and it has really affected my mood, not for the better.

Tomorrow I was supposed to be going back to North Waleswith my D two adult GC and their dog.
Best laid plans etc,,, both GC have gone down with Covid, my GS has a compromised immune system since a very serious illness as a young teen.
He is quite poorly so neither of them will be going, plus of course we now don’t need to take the dog.
After two days of prevaricating my D has decided just the two of us will go.
A large 4 bedroomed house will be ours to roam around in.
Plus I haven’t spend much time with my D for many years.
She is 58 and definitely her own woman!!

We aren’t going until Saturday as she has to drive 300 miles to pick me up and stay overnight.

In the middle of this unsettling time I received a Whatapp from GS2 with just a scan picture and a message under saying Greatgrandma.
I haven’t got my head round it yet as they are a young couple, 22 and 21 but I am sure they will be fine and happy.

Very well done to your DOH, Neine, you've been so good for his confidence and self esteem.

Crossed posts, Neine, good to hear from you. Your cake sounds amazing, thank you for the kind offer of the recipe, but I'm ashamed to admit that I am not a baker, just a run of the mill cook.🤣

Sorry to hear about your scrape, Foxygloves. Enjoy Mission Impossible with your DGS. I think DGD and I are going to see the Barbie movie next week, haud me back! 🤣
Enjoy the rest of your holidays, Grandmabatty, safe journey home.
Your walk sounds lovely, Blossoming, you are wise to protect yourself in the sun. I hope you feel a bit better soon.
Hello 👋 grandmasomerset, nice to see you in the kitchen.
Yoyr baking sounds delicious, Nannytopsy.
Enjoy your GN meet up, Charleygirl.
Thanks, SueD, I'm pleased with my knee's progress. Your wee DGD loves meeting your friends!
Ladyleftfieldlover, I hope you are comfortable now after your jag.

Thinking of Soop, Annsixty, the Corners, Urms and MrUrms...

How is Thursday already... I've just finished my 3rd personalised Aqua class. I think I can feel a difference a little more now as the weeks go on. It definitely helps that there is a lot of laughter too. The beginning of the week was a bit stressy for DOH as he had to give a presentation to the others sites in the group about how they are achieving.. what's going well and what will they be focusing on going forward. He should have been made aware of these 6 monthly reviews whilst he was Deputy Manager but the incumbent kept things very close to his chest so it's all been a very steep learning curve but he has risen to it and they were delighted with his efforts. He was worried that he would get asked about things he didn't know about...I just advised him to tell the truth and not try and bluff it. ... Just say you would find out and get back to them. In the end there was only one point that needed clarification. It was a very happy bunny that came home on Tuesday evening. I am so very proud of him. In his previous life he was constantly criticised and we all know how that affects you. !!!
Grandmarie...I make a lush courgette and Lennon cake...I can send you the recipe if you fancy trying it out.
Blossoming... I'm glad you've ventured out...and your spirits are lifting a bit now. My Mum developed psoriasis after my Dad died and a person jumped off a building and landed just behind her . The doctor said it was stress related. Let's hope it goes soon
Lovely to read about Happy Holidays /celebrations being had ..
NannyT... They are very lucky to have you in the catering corps.... Your mention of cheese scones has got me yearning for some cheese and chive ones.
Sue D... I've lost track of time ...is it this week that your Son finishes his course or goes back to see the consultant? I'm hoping and praying that all will be well for him.
Soop...I hope yesterday was an upbeat celebration of your friends live and not a sad one. Depression is a horrible thing and even though it's easy to see why it's happening...the dealing with it is something else altogether.

For all of you struggling just now...♥️

Enjoy your last day Grandmabatty I’ve enjoyed your holiday updates, thank you.
Blossoming you look like an explorer in S America!
I hope soop found her GP appointment yesterday helpful.
It MrJ’s birthday, we’re doing not a lot, as is his choice.
Todays haul is mini cucumbers and a solitary tomato. ttfn.

Good afternoon kitcheners. Foxygloves my sympathies. I have scraped a car in a multistorey car park twice. I'm not a good driver!
I'm sitting enjoying a coffee and pain au chocolate in the air conditioned bar by the pool. I woke very early today so I'm looking forward to a siesta soon. Last night was very uncomfortable with the heat. At one point it reached 41°. We went to a different steak restaurant and had a superb meal. This is our last day and the holiday has been lovely. The staff at the hotel are first rate and the pools were good. Children are well catered for as are their adults. I won't be sorry to go home though as it's too hot for me now. Have a nice day kitcheners

Rotten luck that the railings won, Foxy, it is so infuriating when something like that happens because it not only dents the bank balance but our pride too. At least you had had a happy day first.

My car is currently being used by DGD1 who is staying with me while she spends time in a primary school (head is the daughter of a friend) and although I know she is an excellent driver I still feel relief when I hear her pull on to the drive.

As Rosie would say, too zorsted to post last night - London takes it out of me! - but the Animals exhibition at the British Library is excellent and I highly recommend it.
Meeting up with D2, SIL and GS for an early ish supper at Pizza Express after was lovely too.
Less lovely was an altercation with the railings at the top of a ramp in the multi storey car park. It will be an insurance job as I think I’ve dented a door as well as scraping it. As DH used to say though, it’s only bent metal.
“Mission Impossible” this afternoon which should appeal to a 13 year old there might even be 🍿
Too much to catch up on, but xxx to you all.

Good evening dear Kitcheners. It has been a beautiful summer day here, sunny, 19° so not too hot and a gentle breeze to keep it comfortable. I have been out for a walk across the bridge and along the riverside path. I found wild blackberries ripening, I don’t pick them just leave them for the birds. Hope any travellers are enjoying their holidays and any dealing with ill health or sadness are finding some relief and comfort.
I’m off the antibiotics but still using steroid ointment on my neck so am now having to keep that protected from the sun. It’s a form of psoriasis that flares up occasionally. My doctor reckons it’s stress related and perhaps it is. I’ve certainly had a few knocks recently! Fortunately it only affects my scalp and the back of my neck. So here is a selfie from today’s walk, head, neck and eyes all protected from those UV rays

Sleep tight, TOYA

I’m just in bed, after falling asleep in front of Peston. We did the school run, then I started baking, before a WI pub lunch. I have made a malt loaf, two lemon drizzles and two chocolate fudge cakes today and weighed out the ingredients for a double batch of cheese scones, which I shall make early tomorrow. It’s my turn on the village WI charity cafe and again in two weeks, so some for tomorrow and some in the freezer for next time. Then this evening we visited a very lovely garden with the garden club. I’m shattered!
I do hope everyone is keeping safe and those with sadness can find some rays of sunshine tomorrow.
TOYA

Cornergran 4 cancellations for such major surgery for Mr.C is courageous and I am assuming it is because of the current strikes.

Your D in L has a similar problem-there is no end to it and it sounds as though her surgery is also mega serious.

The weather here was glorious- I sat outside watching my washing dry and the weeds grow.

Tomorrow I meet 3 GNs for coffee, this is year 6. It is so pleasant as we all get along so well.
TOYA

A busy day today but I thought I’d pop into the Kitchen for a while.

GMbatty you made me laugh with your sloth comment! 🦥 Hope your head is better now - I always get headaches when it’s super hot outside.

You’ll look forward to a good nights sleep tonight, Scapa!

I hope the GP can help you, Soop. Depression is such an awful condition. I’m sorry life is hard for you, too, Blossoming.

Good news re the knee, Granmarie.

You’ve invented a new vegetable, Jax! Or is it a fruit? 🤔 😂

It’s been a busy few days again here and today especially so. GD was delivered to us for the day at 9:30am, swiftly followed by our trainer, who now seems as smitten by her as she is with him. No sooner had he gone than a man arrived to sort out a drain problem we have, after which my neighbour asked me if I’d like to see her newly laid out garden.

A quick lunch, during which a delivery of Isle of Wight tomatoes arrived, then I took my GD with me when I went for a hair cut. She was throughly spoilt by staff and I had to take her home to her mum full of sugar! 😳 Luckily, they’re glamping tonight so she’d be worn out by bedtime, thank goodness.

Next mission was to pick some soft fruit. Someone local has an excess of fruit in their garden and offered it to anyone who wanted to pick it. They were very nice people and have an absolutely gorgeous garden, stuffed full of fruit & veg and many interesting plants. We talked for ages, so it got quite late. I needed to fill up my car as I’m away for the day tomorrow and by then it was 7:30. I decided I didn’t want to start cooking so we visited our local Wetherspoons for the first time.

I’ve also had to help my dd with her car insurance renewal, and need to write some cards to post as well as plan my route for the morning. I think I’ll sleep well tonight!

Sweet dreams, all. Xxx

Hello everyone. I’ve had a fun but exhausting day and it’s good to be tucked up in bed. The U3A lunch was delicious. OH’s mixed grill was the biggest I’ve seen and my chicken curry was perfect. We shared a gigantic raspberry meringue sundae for pudding. I then went for my shingles jab. Apparently it’s a live vaccine. I had a little discomfort but nothing too much. I’m booked in for a pneumonia jab next week. WI this evening was interesting. The talk was on what colours suit us. I was all in black apart from yellow bee earrings! We had a cake stall to raise funds for a children’s hospice. The person who bought my cake (raspberry and chocolate) said she only bought it because it was made by me! Agh! I said it was a new recipe and to let me know what it was like. No pressure. I’m thinking of so many of you with difficulties, but specially Soop B and Urms.🌹🌹🌹

Thank you, Brook, Jax and Scapa, great ideas, I'll try some of those. I usually just slice thinly, coat in seasoned egg and shallow fry.

Grannmarie Carrot and courgette soup is very tasty. Also grated courgette added to cream cheese, pasta,, lemon and prawns makes a nice dish. Rather tired today as flight from Tenerife last night was delayed by two and a half hours so we didn’t get home till 4.40am. Put a washing into machine and straight to bed cases waited till we got up!

Ask brook says Grannmarie roasted, I also chop up and add to curries, casseroles or, I’ve made spicy vegetarian fritters, something like this www.harighotra.co.uk/spicy-courgette-and-pea-fritter-recipe
But I just chuck in whatever spices I have.
There’s always ratatouille!

Jax think it’s definitely more of a banana than a courgette … 🤣
Roasted with some tomatoes, peppers and garlic grannmarie? Make a nice veggie lasagne maybe ….

Hello 👋 Jaxjacky, that is an excellent specimen of a hybrid banana/ courgette!🤣
Here is a photo of the huge courgette DDIL1 brought me from their garden when they came to reclaim Granddog. I'm not quite sure what I'll do with it, it could feed a family. I'd welcome your suggestions, Jax.

Forgot pic!

A very quiet kitchen tonight, are you all out gallivanting? Apart from Grandmabatty who is probably trying to cool down.
Lunch out with a friend and I checked MrJ in for his flight on Friday to Belfast, as well as picking this rather odd courgette, that’s trying to be a banana.
I hope everyone is well, that soop and Blossoming have had a gentle day and all have a pleasant evening.

Good evening, Soop and lovely Kitchen people. A quiet kitchen today, so I'm thinking of Soop, Blossoming, Cornergran, Urms and all those who are having a hard time just now. I went to Mass this morning, lit candles and offered prayers for all who need/ wish them. 💕🙏
I had my third Physio appointment today, the wonky knee is improving slowly and steadily so I was advised to return to the swimming pool ( I've hardly been this year) to continue my exercises in water with a view to resuming my aquafit classes in due course. I will receive a follow up phone call in 4 weeks. So far so good, but I still can't kneel. However, I am grateful for the appointments and the gradual improvement.
Grandmabatty, I'm glad you enjoyed the Marina. That's some temperature you have there, it was high 20s when we were there in May, I don't think I could cope with 38 degrees. Thank goodness you have air conditioning and a lovely pool to cool in. Enjoy rest of your family holiday.😎
Brook, you have some energy, gym classes and gardening, well done you ! I sat out on the garden bench with my knitting for an hour after my appointment, sunny with a gentle breeze, lovely.
Fish finger pittas with salad for dinner, now I'm settling down with a wee glass of SB, ready to continue World on Fire, just realised all new episodes are on iPlayer. 📺
TOYA, NNGB.

So lovely to hear from you grandmabatty, you’re doing so well coping in the heat, it must be really exhausting! Pleased you enjoyed the marina, hope you’re having another lovely evening
It’s quite cool here today but dry, so I got some more gardening done after the gym this morning
Hoping soop and blossoming are both ok, sending 💐

Afternoon kitcheners. It's 38° here in Benalmadena and we have retreated indoors. Far too hot out. I'm lying on the bed reading with the blinds closed and the air conditioning on. I was out in the sun for three hours this morning so I'm happy to be cool. The marina is lovely. Thank you Grannmarie. We were there last night. Tonight we are staying local as the temperature is too high to walk far. Have a good day all

Good to see you soop. Look after yourself.

I’m sorry life is hard going blossoming, go gently.