Soop's warm and welcoming kitchen for friendship...

Lovely to read your post Urms!🎈

SueDonim, I too have varifocals that darken when I’m outside but they don’t darken indoors or in the car. Have they made some that darken if you’re behind glass? That would be brilliant. I’m due an eye test so I’ll have too check that out.

Your message made me smile urms. A wonderful beginning to your holiday.

Good afternoon all.
Thankyou for the birthday wishes for my GD.
She is having a lovely day and is off for a spa afternoon with her friend shortly.
Tonight we are having a celebration dinner.
It was such a bittersweet day 25 years ago, our DiL, now ex, had been in labour for 36 hours with our first and much anticipated GC.
A C-SECTION was decided on and we were all so concerned when we got the news it was a girl but quickly came the news she was born with an horrendous cleft lip and palate.
It wasn’t just a split but a gaping cleft with hardly any nostril on one side.
As you can imagine we were so upset for her mainly.
After many years and 5 operations, one still pending if she decides to have it, she is the light of my life and the most supportive of me.
Her Grandad adored her and she misses him to this day.
Sadly I can’t say the same for her parents which is why she lives with me.
Life is as it is and we must totally accept that.
Sorry to bring the thread down today after such good news yesterday but I am so aware of life’s peaks and troughs today.

annsixty You are a loving, supportive grannie.

I have a badly swollen foot and ankle. Plantar Faciitus (I believe it's called), I am having difficulty walking. However, tomorrow, we've an early start to take the long route to Oban Hospital for an X-ray on the hernia. The usual route is closed because of a massive landslide. Hey ho!

I shall be with you all again in our kitchen on Thursday.

On the topic of driving in low sun, I have varifocals that change in the light, so they’re really useful for driving when it’s sunny.

That's interesting, suedonim. My varifocals do change with light conditions normally, but not in the car so I have to have prescription varifocal sunglasses for driving. I've also stuck a piece of cardboard on the car's sun visor and usually wear a hat with a peak or a brim that can be pulled down for side dazzle. It's a right performance! 🤣

Safe journey up to Oban, soop, and all the best for some sort of solution to the problem.

Good afternoon kitcheners. Annsixty you are such a caring Granny. Urmston it is so nice to hear that you are having a lovely time in your happy place. Suedonim , like RosiesMaw I am a big fan of Alan Rickman. I just loved his voice. Soop safe journey to Oban. I hope your foot improves.
A quick visit to the kitchen while dgs2 naps. Another pleasant day so far. His communication skills are improving daily. He knows what he wants and what he doesn't want and can tell me now without whining. He's developed a liking for drawing so I'm giving him big paper and crayons and off he goes. The sun is shining and showing up the dreadful state of my kitchen, so I'll have to work on that tomorrow. Enjoy your afternoon kitcheners.

Hope all goes well Soop both with the foot and the hernia.
A very good friend of ours had bowel cancer a few years ago, he developed a massive hernia so big he can only wear joggers, “ slung” under it.
The surgeon said it was inoperable as it was so close to his cancer surgery site.
Sadly after a friendship of almost 60 years he and his wife, several years younger than me, have gone into residential care, very much against his wishes but she was going whether he went or not and they have not been in touch since.
I think she was developing dementia, I sent flowers and a card but no acknowledgment so very reluctantly I am leaving it now.
I am full of woe today aren’t I?
I will cheer up now and count my many blessings.

Hi result of MRI is good no mets seen .I have Bursitis of greater trochantor hopefully injection to relief pain under ultra sound . Hope everyone has a good day .

Lovely to read your message Urms. Enjoy the rest of your stay in your happy place.
annsixty happy birthday to your GD and try to focus on the good memories.
soop safe journey tomorrow and hopefully there will be good news re your hernia and poorly foot.
To all others, keep safe and well.

Our trip to Faro yesterday resulted in the news that we could have stayed at home and phoned them. At least they told us that it had been decided that surgery was the best treatment for DH and that we, ie. he, would have have to wait for a phone call from a different department at the hospital to give an appointment to visit and discuss what would happening and possibly when.
Of course today when we popped out for a cheap and cheerful lunch earlier, just as we finished DH got a phone call. He couldn’t hear properly so we dashed home to wait for the promised call in ten minutes. An hour later we are still waiting. I wish they’d message me as well.

👋 Granmarie, I appreciated that wave yesterday. This journey can be a very lonely one at times for both of us.

soop will be thinking of you tomorrow.

I am mortified.
I know my sight isn’t good, in fact I have a very little peripheral vision in my left eye.
The strange thing is no one takes it seriously or I think even believes me.
Just now I was looking closely at my GD’s cards and the one from me is to A Very Special Goddaughter.
I don’t know how that happened but I hope I will be taken seriously now.
To all of you worrying about partners, loved ones.
It is a long and lonely road.
I am with you on your journey, I travelled it and know just how it is. X

Safe journey tomorrow soop hope all goes well at your appointment
That’s easily done ann try not to worry, some of the writing on cards these days is hard to read. Your DGD sounds such a lovely lady that I’m sure she won’t mind.
I’ve enjoyed the gym today also some gardening this afternoon - an exact repeat of yesterday but I’m happy with it though!
Sounds like DGS2 is going to be a little artist grandmabatty
dusty hope your DH gets the phone call so you know next steps soon 💐
Baggs cardboard on the sun visor sounds like a good idea!

AnnSixty years ago a Speech Therapist friend who worked in the hospital where 3 of my children were born used to be called in to the parents of newborns with a cleft palate. She would take “before and after’ pictures with her to show just how successful surgery nowadays can be, in some cases barely discernible. Naturally parents were often shell-shocked so her aim was to reassure them that it could be dealt with successfully.
My very best wishes to them all.

Oops -read more carefully RosiesMaw 😳😳😳😳😳
I had completely missed this was years and years ago

brook he certainly loves drawing and will go to the drawer where the crayons are kept. Funnily enough, DD and I were discussing that earlier. Dgs1 is very sporty already. He goes to swimming lessons twice a week and taekwondo too, and he's only four.
Poor dgs2 skelpt his head of the railings at my front door and has a huge egg on his head. Poor wee man. I'm about to have chilli for dinner. Have a good evening Kitcheners

Slightly fresher outside today, my usual dawdling walk was a tad speedier after lunch here with a friend when we happily chatted for over two hours.
Boiler service tomorrow and I must make my first ever podiatrist appointment, ingrowing toenail.
MrJ is at bowls, if his team wins, he calls into our local for a pint, if not, straight home, so I can tell by the time he gets in 🙂.
We learnt an interesting word at quiz, the meaning of Treejaculation, ‘anyone who puts their tree up before December 1st’. I’ll leave you with that one.

I was just about to start posting when the puppy came flying in with his fancy food dish ( it stops him eating too quickly)...the little b....r shot behind the sofa with it and wouldn't come out so I had to lay on the floor and entice him and the bowl out ... He didn't mean to but caught my forearm with his dew claw and sliced through a 2 inch piece of skin... The skin on my forearms is really thin ( is that a getting o....r thing?). Anyway I bled like a stuck pig..all over the sleeve of my cashmere sweater grrr. I've washed the sleeve and stuck a piece of kitchen roll over it for now so I can carry on posting. The trip to Palace of Westminster was brilliant... Seeing it today on the State Opening was weird as I'd walked in lots of those rooms. We couldn't go into the House of Lords as they were getting ready for today. Seeing where the Queen lay in state was emotional...there is a plaque on the floor making the spot where she lay...and others for her Mother and Father. Prince Philip didn't want any fuss. There is a beautiful piece of modern art amongst this place filled with history ... It's called New Dawn and commemorates the long battle to get votes for women.( We were so far behind Australia and New Zealand). The artwork is by Mary Branson who was appointed Artist in Residence to Women's Suffrage ( who knew) in 2014. She was inspired by the rolls of scrolls of Acts of Parliament and is made up of back lit glass incorporating the colours used by women's suffrage organisations. .. The overall shape suggests a rising sun to mirror the image of a New Dawn beginning. The campaign was often represented as a 'tide of change' and to reflect this the lighting is linked to the tidal River Thames...at low tide maybe only one disc will be lit through to high tide where the whole sculpture is lit. It was beautiful and did indeed change in the hour we were on the tour. The House of Commons is really small...no way all 650 MPs could be there at the same time. I was sort of in the place where Teresa May likes to sit... ( Not sure how I felt about that🤣). I was fascinated and the hour and a half flew by...unlike the journey home which took 4 and a half hours. ( I coughed on and off for most of it..the air con was the culprit not Covid...but I bet everyone else on the coach went home and gargled with brandy!!!!).
Yesterday I finally gave in and packed away my summer clothes ( I know it's late but I hate this time of year and have to be dragged kicking and screaming into Autumn). There is a huge bag for the charity shop...I have no need of chunky sweaters that make me look like a Telly Tubby. I've still to tackle coats and boots!!!!
Happy Belated Birthday Yia..I hope you had a lovely day and that by Thursday your DS is finding the meds and his girlfriend are helping his recovery.
Mr Soops photo was just lovely and his birthday sounds just perfect.
Fingers and everything else crossed that the scan finds a solution to the hernia 'buggeration'.
Jax... Can I put in an order please and I think eau de onion is this years must have😂
GrandMarie... Prayers for you that the blood tests throw some light on the tiredness.
Maw... Lovely memories made... Were you up in the Blackdowns?
AnnS... She knows how much she is loved by you whatever is on the card...it's deeds that count and your care for her over the years counts for far more than a piece of paper.
Blossoming...I am so glad the exercises have helped and at least that is one less thing to contend with.
Hula... Lovely news for you too.
Dusty... Sending you lots of love and prayers too.
Urms.... What to say...apart from enjoy every special minute with your beloved man.
I know I've missed loads of you off but my arm is dripping again and I think I'm going to have to raise it above my head to stop it. Grrrr.
And then get dinner for DOH and the farmer next door.
Steak and kidney pudding..mashed potatoes...mashed parsnips and buttery cabbage...hopefully with no added red sauce!!!!!!!!

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202311/medium-383821-img-20231103-172633.jpg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202311/medium-548564-img-20231103-163845.jpg

The tides of change.

‘Evening All’.

Himself is fast asleep beside me. We have had another good day. This is our ‘new normal’. I accept it and am very grateful.

My lovely friends at LWW lifted my spirits today. I took tissues. I needed them, so did they. It did me so much good to see them again.

Good evening dear Kitcheners. A less busy day today, balancing keeping active and keeping well. I have some core physio exercises I can do lying flat on the bed after I’ve done the heartburn exercises. This afternoon I nearly dozed off I felt so relaxed once I’d finished

Hope the hospital trip goes okay tomorrow soop.

Lovely to hear your happy thoughts Urmstongran.

I’m nodding off, I have read all of your posts even though I can’t reply to them all. I think it’s time for a group hug ❤️

Have a peaceful evening and a restful night all.

Pleased to see that you've had another good day, Urmstongran, I hope the rest of your stay is just as good. x

I do hope that your granddaughter has enjoyed her birthday, annsixty, the spa sounds lovely for her special day.
I think you've had a day of thought provoking memories. Take care.

Also thinking of soop, your foot must be very painful, I hope it eases soon.
Best wishes for your trip to hospital tomorrow.

Warm wishes to you all.

Hello kitchen people. So good to hear that the Urms are having a wonderful time.
OH is out and I’ve just finished watching Bake-off. I wasn’t overly impressed. Have none of them made a steamed pudding before.
I spent the morning on the phone. Three calls including one to my cleaning lady. She won’t be coming back. She is due to have a full hysterectomy as she described it. A difficult conversation as she was in tears. Another long conversation with an old friend who I think is getting a bit forgetful. Finally a long chat with younger son who is having a short holiday.
I had a baking afternoon. First a new chocolate torte recipe from an Italian recipe book. It looks good. I will fill it with chocolate frosting and take it to a friend’s house in Thursday to share. I also made OH’s favourite Barmbrack.
Have a good evening.

Hello everyone. Sleep elusive again here other than for Mr C who could sleep on a knife edge. Oh well, no need for a brain tomorrow, it’s cleaning day and the body can just go onto auto pilot.

Delighted to see our daughter in law looking so much better, she’s moving easier too. There are not so good days which is natural, overall movement is forward. Pain is still a problem though and does upset some days. It was so good to see them all.

Don’t fret about the card ann, your granddaughter knows it was given with love and that will be enough. I hope she enjoyed every minute of her birthday.

Safe trip soop. Fingers will be crossed here for a positive outcome for you.

Delighted you have both had a good day urms. Please send some sunshine, throwing it down here again.

That sounds a hugely interesting trip neine. Look after that arm.

That all sounds very confused and confusing dusty, hope there’s some clarity soon and your husband gets the treatment he both needs and deserves.

I’m yawning now, you never know I may even sleep. Goodnight everyone, sleep tight.

Good afternoon kitcheners. Soop I hope things are going well for you. Cornergran some good news for you. May your dear dil go from strength to strength. Ladyleftfieldlover that sounds like a difficult day for you yesterday.
Today I handed in a poa form at the lawyer. Then I decided to buy birthday cards and individual Christmas cards. I had quite a few picked and was almost ready to go when we were all told to leave the shopping centre because of a fire alarm. So I went to the book shop and got the boys Christmas books, toddled back to the shopping centre and two fire engines appeared. All very frustrating. I just left and went to the library for new books there. Then home to make a slow cooker sausage casserole which smells divine. Later I visited mum who has a nasty eye infection but is refusing to let the nurses clean and treat it. I managed to clean it a bit and she allowed me to put eye drops in, although I'm not sure how successful I was! Anyway I tried. I'm watching a cheesy Christmas film starring Patrick Duffy before dinner. Tonight I'll read. Have a good evening Kitcheners