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

Good to hear Mr C has been checked over and a plan is in place corner, hope you can both rest nów and enjoy the weekend
Another gorgeous sunny day here in Inverness, I’ve been happy pottering in the garden and doing a bit of washing. The park sounds good ann, handy to have it on your doorstep.
Enjoy your holiday nannytopsy 😎
Looking forward to hearing more about the wine neine - ooh that rhymes 🤣
Take care Blossoming enjoy the soup, sounds tasty. We’re trying a new risotto recipe later from the free Tesco magazine - will see how it goes

Any space at your dinner table for one more llfl? I think I prefer yours to my risotto recipe!

That must be a relief Cornergran hope you can relax for a few days now.

Enjoy your evening out Neine, thank you for the hernia info.

Dinner sounds delicious LadyLFL enjoy that family time.

It’s been a beautiful day here too Brooke and I have been relaxing in the warmth and reading. I’m ignoring any dust that the sun might show up.

Baggs Enjoy your visit to Iona. We visited about fifteen years ago. It is a magical place.

Out of the blue, a lady in the village phoned and said, I've a photo of a 90 year old gentleman, holding two of my dogs. One has since died. I would like to give the gentleman a painting based on the photo. I hadn't the heart to say no. Blow me down...it's a huge challenge. I have been trying to get a decent start all afternoon. I may be missing for some time.

My best wishes to you lovely lot. Enjoy a peaceful and pleasant weekend.

Hope all continues to go well well Corner. What a beautiful day it has been in Central Scotland. We had a lovely wander along Lady Mary’s Walk in Crieff. It is so peaceful there, a shaded leafy walk along the River Earn which was slowly running along the banks. It is very popular with dog walkers some of whom unfortunately bag their dogs poo and the leave it along the walk obviously too much effort to put it in the bins provided. Teriake beef stir fry tonight unfortunately not mine but courtesy of M&S yellow label I will add extra bits and pieces though. I can’t leave a recipe alone 🤣

Good afternoon kitcheners. Lots of lovely meals on here! As Scapa said, central Scotland has been lovely and sunny and warm. I have washed sheets and duvet covers and got the housework done. I looked after dgs2 for an hour or so this morning while dgs1 had his first swimming lesson. Apparently he did really well. I'm off to visit mum soon and gammon steak when I return. Then I'll watch the latest Indiana Jones which is available on Amazon prime. Enjoy the rest of your Saturday.

Hi all, we’re bathed in sunshine now after on and off clod all day, it’s warm and I’ve just watered the greenhouse and hanging baskets.
A positive visit corner have a gentle weekend.
Lovely to have the park so close ann lots of people watching.
We’re forecast further heat in the days ahead, so we’re booked at a seaside restaurant on Wednesday, it’s my favourite spot and only 14 miles away.
MrJ will have to be ask nicely to revarnish my toenails, he’s cooking tonight, chicken sausages, mash and beans, enjoy your meals tonight.
ttfn.

Cloud!!

Good luck with the painting soop it definitely sounds like a challenge

Good evening to all Kitcheners, just had a lovely long catch up with your news.

Beautiful photo Baggs

What exciting news Neine, that’s something lovely to look forward to and a beautiful time of year for a wedding.
Enjoy your meal out tonight.

DH and I went out for lunch at the nearest restaurant to our house. A French/Portuguese one. I think we’ve decided not to eat there again for quite a while although the food was eventually fine. I have to say eventually because I had to send my meal back twice. First time it was something that I just hadn’t ordered and the second was a chick pea stew that included a lot of pork when I’d specifically ordered a vegetarian meal. I ended up with fried Seitan (cheese?) on a bed of lentils and chopped vegetables. DH had a chicken dish with a salad. It was all beautifully presented but very small portions. We both had sliced pineapple afterwards. We had a half bottle of wine but didn’t order water as well because we’ve been caught paying more than usual for water here before.
This all ended up costing 40 € .

The local French seem to enjoy the meals but seem to only have one course and leave, whereas the Portuguese restaurant down the road will serve us bread, olives and water to start, half a litre of wine with the meal and a tomato or mixed salad, a dessert and coffee all for about 30€.

How lovely to have a visit from your son and other family to look forward to, Soop.
Sounds like your Dh is going great guns with his recovery, Brook.
Enjoy your visit, Baggs.
That lunch sounded a good way to get together again, Annsixty.
Oh crikey, Cornergran, you did not need that fright with MrC! I hope it is sorted out with a change of meds.
Nannytopsy my dd had a bat in her house last night. They live in her attic but this summer there’d been no visitations to the rest of the house and dd thought they’d got away with it for this summer. But no, one decided to flap around last night. Luckily her Dh was home, he waited until Mr Bat got tired and went for a rest on the curtains then scooped him up and popped him outside. 🦇

The last two days have been such gorgeous weather in Perthshire. Yesterday we looked after our GS and he played happily in the garden for ages until it was nap time. Today we went out with dd and the two GC to a National Trust for Scotland castle, which GD loved (although kept touching things she oughtn’t ), and then let them run around in the vast gardens before having coffee and cakes.

Tomorrow I’m going to visit the nearby garden centre to check the price of spring garden bulbs and look at the winter pansies they have. I wa t to take advantage of the good weather forecast to crack on planting up the beds. I have some grasses to put in and a couple of rhododendrons, all from Lidl for a good price. I also bought two black grasses from the castle today.

Goodnight, everyone, sweet dreams. Xx

Good morning all.
Another lovely sunny day here but I am too tired to make the most of it just now.

After my very pleasant visit to the park yesterday I called to see a friend whose H died 3 days before Christmas last year.
She has been to stay with her S, then had an old friend visit so I hadn’t seen her for a few weeks.
I got such a shock when she answered the door.
She looked awful, weight loss and a grey look to her.
She admitted to not being well.
She has a hernia the size of a large egg in her groin.
She saw the GP on Friday and been referred on but told it could be a year.
She will be 86 in October!!

After being fully depressed by that I went to another friends house for our monthly Chinese takeaway which due to holidays was actually two months.
She was also extremely low and tired and as we sat in her conservatory she looked up to see orange water stains on the ceiling she paid £10,000 for less than two years ago.
When we looked closely we could see small cracks appearing on two walls.
I fear she used dodgy builders, I just hope she can track them down. She
I came home so low and today I just feel so tired .

After that saga I hope very much that you can all find some sunshine today.

Sorry to hear you’re having a sad day ann and feeling tired, both your friends are having a tough time but I’m sure they appreciated your visit. I hope the company here in the kitchen helps to lift your spirits a bit, take care x

Och Annsixty how rotten for them and you, to be honest. So far today I have put a washing on and hung it out as it's a glorious day in central Scotland. I have made a slow cooker pot of lentil soup and walked to Aldi for lentils as I didn't have enough. I have hoovered the house and ironed bedding and put it away. And I have cleared out clothes I haven't worn in years and added bedding to the charity bag too. I hope everyone is enjoying their Sunday.

ann I am also sorry to hear your sad news. When our friends face problems, we cannot help but wish to wave a magic wand and make things better. If only it were that simple.

The painting (one that presented me with a host of problems) has reached the point of no return. It is far from being totally satisfactory. However, I have done my best and trust that the elderly gentleman will not be disappointed.

I am now clearing away the painting gear. I am ready to relax and sup tea.

My love to you all

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202309/medium-280068-76b0c624-eed5-4fc8-9311-52b19845c43e.jpeg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202309/medium-575632-ebecb6f9-77bb-4dcb-afcf-d61661452a99.jpeg

Another lovely day here in Dunblane. Making the most of the weather we went for another walk today this time around Airthrey Loch in the grounds of Stirling University. It was beautifiul one of the prettiest university campuses I think. I may be biased as in the grounds is also Airthrey Castle which is where I was born, all bow now please🤣. Between the late 1940’s and 1969 it was a maternity home where lots of local babies were born so not just me! I also did my second degree part time there in my 40’s in Business Studies to keep me amused. Didn’t use it though went back to teaching Home Economics full time instead of the supply teaching I had been doing but I did enjoy it. Hope everyone managed to enjoy the good weather.

Hello everyone.So pleased you had great care for Mr C hope you can now relax a little Corner🌹
Sorry you’re having a sad day Annsixty hope tomorrow will be better.
Brilliant painting as always Soop.

10 days to go and our house and garden are beginning to look bare but all under control I think!Family are having lots of things as we want to start fresh in the new place.
Posting a card I did for GS1 birthday,quite apt as he’s starting driving lessons.
Have a good evening all.

I’m so very sorry to read your sad news Ann, life is a struggle some days. I’m sure they will have appreciated your visit.

I have done very little today, apart from sit and read. The weather has been beautiful as only an autumn day can be, such a soft and warm light. The hernia is being quiet and I’m feeling a warm and fuzzy content. So far today I have eaten a bowl of bran with sliced banana and apple and some raisins. I have very little appetite at the moment. In an attempt to tempt me MrB is making bacon rolls for supper. I haven’t eaten bread for several days so will see how it goes! Probably not the best food for a dicey tum but we can’t be good all the time.

Love the painting Soop, such cute little dogs. Beautiful photos Scapal.

Wishing you all a good evening.

Oh dear ann I hope today has improved for you, it’s so hard seeing others struggling.
Beautiful pictures Scapal very tranquil.
Clever Yia, you sound lighter of heart.
It’s very warm here, but not suffocating, I’ve pottered after a walk this morning, dinner of gammon is doing its thing in the slow cooker, no luck in the pub meat draw for us.
I hope you’ve had an uneventful, gentle day corner, pretty picture soop.
Enjoy your evening all.

Blossoming, I hope you enjoy your bacon rolls and you feel better for it.

Lovely card Yiayia.

How sad to see your friends like that Ann. I hope that you can manage not to dwell on it and I’m sure they feel better for seeing you.

Scapal I’m enjoying your tales and photographs from Scotland.

soopas always your paintings are so evocative.

I’m sure I’ve missed someone out but dare not go back or I’ll lose this. Apologies.

Thank you Dustyangel it was delicious! Stomach is fine so far, I’ll be back on the vege soups tomorrow, I have some chicken and veg broth with rice in the freezer.

Hello everyone! Garden has been sorted, packing is done and DH is cooking our meal! Tomorrow we are off to Kent, then get the tunnel to France for nearly two weeks.
It’s been such a busy few months, I feel I need this holiday.
Behave while I’m away!

Safe journey Nannytopsy, enjoy France.
👍*Blossoming*.

‘Evening All’

Just thought I’d pop in to say I do read every evening and very much enjoy reading all your doings. Life in the slow lane here but we adapt, as we must.

x

Hello Kitchen people and especially Urms. I am in bed feeling under the weather. I kept going until elder son and his family went back to Kew. We had a lovely day fruit picking - plums, raspberries and strawberries.