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

I am only just in bed, absolutely unknown for me.
We have had a lovely evening at a favourite Italian restaurant.
6 of us, one couldn’t make it.
3 , 25 year olds , two 50+ year olds and me.
One mum and daughter came back to ours and had a few more drinks, so enjoyable, we hope to do it again before Christmas.
I will sleep well and have a very lazy day tomorrow.
I wish you all a peaceful night.

Been awake since 4.30, rain beating on the window to blame. I’ll think it’s lunch time soon .

What a time there has been with boilers and washing machines. Hope all is calm, and warm, now.

Christmas shopping is minimal here. We’re a small family and agreed some years ago not to buy for adults, although I can’t help myself get a token gift for our ‘children’ it is minimal and usually edible. While not a fan of November I enjoy the Christmas lights and always cheer up in December.

Our hospitalised friend is in a right pickle. Cancer treatment can’t begin until she is stronger. While not linked to the cancer there is still no certainty as to the cause of the excruciating pain that is keeping her hospitalised. She is understandably both upset and worried. Her daughter is plain furious at what seems to be lack of understanding and urgency from investigating medics. Such a horrific situation.

On a more positive note our Welsh friend is much better. We’re off over the bridge tomorrow, will have lunch together after our cemetery visit and then if everyone’s energy can cope see her recent and major home renovations. Mr C will be able to do some driving, I’ll manage most.

On the subject of Mr C, he’s graduated from gardening to decorating. Emulsioned a kitchen wall marked by goodness knows what yesterday. While pleased to have it done I’m not sure I can cope with the smugness .

Volunteering for me this morning. If sun appears as forecast we’ll head for a short sea front walk after lunch. Otherwise hibernation calls. Huge hail stones yesterday, it is very soggy out there. Minor roads have some flooding.

If you’ve not done so please seek medical attention for your leg soop, not something to ignore.

Take care everyone.

Good afternoon Kitcheners. Glad you had a good evening out Ann, hope you are relaxing today. It’s a beautiful though chilly day here, I really ought to get on with some chores but watching the river flow is more appealing. Your DH is well on the mend Cornergran, so sorry to hear about your hospitalised friend though. What an awful position to be in. Good news for your Welsh friend.

Good afternoon, Soop and lovely Kitchen people. Soop, what a journey you had to the hospital, I hope your visit was helpful. Sorry to hear about your foot and leg, I've had plantar fasciitis and it's no joke.
I've got lots to catch up with in the Kitchen, we've had appointments this week and now we're helping my nephew and his wee family to move house, my car is packed to the gunwales... or gunnels as we say here!

Thank you ladies for the enquiries and prayers about my tiredness. 😴 I had fasting blood tests done on Tuesday, I've to go next week for the results. I'm following the Hypothyroidism thread with interest!
DH had his long awaited procedure at the Day Surgery unit in our local hospital, but has to return for further treatment. His results should be back in a fortnight.
Sorry not to comment individually just now, but I will read all your news and catch up soon. Thoughts and prayers as always to those with illness, worries or sorrow. TOYA.

Good evening Kitcheners. Grannmarie I've had an underactive thyroid for donkeys years. I still find I'm a bit tired at times. Sometimes I power through it, sometimes I have a nap. I hope you get results soon. Annsixty it sounds like you had a lovely time. I'm quite jealous. Blossoming river gazing sounds preferable to any kind of chore! Cornergran good and not so good news from you. I wish your friend well.
Dd popped in this morning with dgs2 for a coffee visit. It's a wee ritual on a Friday and I look forward to it. This afternoon I visited mum. She was quite cheerful but tired. Her eye looked a little better. When I mentioned it to the nurse, he said he had sneakily managed to give her eye drops. She was raging at him. 😂 However it needed to be done. I heard my name called and turning round, I saw a former pupil of many years ago who is now a physiotherapist and has been working with mum. It was really nice to see her and she was obviously pleased to see me which lifted my spirits. Tonight is a homemade chicken curry from the freezer and honey and apricot sponge with custard. I'm trying to clear the freezer as it badly needs defrosted. Have a good evening Kitcheners

Grandmabatty 👋, 20 years ago I was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism and put on carbimazole. After a few years I was advised to have radioactive iodine treatment, 'Block and Replace' , which caused me to become profoundly hypothyroid, so I'm on thyroxine for life. Last year my blood tests indicated that I was' over replaced ' so the thyroxine was cut from 125 to 100. So now I'm wondering if I need to go back to a higher dose...
I'm glad to hear that your Mum is getting her eye drops, by hook or by crook!

GoodnessGrannmarie I, too, was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism and given carbimazole. It dealt with my symptoms promptly, although the doctor told me I would probably have an underactive thyroid at some point, and thus it came to be. 😂

Hello everyone. Are you feeling much colder where you are? It’s decidedly chilly in Suffolk.
We are holding a fund raising pudding club tomorrow, so I have been shopping for custard and cream today. Tomorrow , I shall be making my puddings. The low carb diet will be on hold!
I hope your leg has been treated by now soop?
Look after yourselves Kitcheners!

Hi to all kitchen pals, it’s definitely been a really cold day here in Inverness nannytopsy , but I’m home now and toasty warm 🤫 in my pjs
Goodness grannmarie I hope you’re ok and the results next week are fine. It sounds like you’ve had a tough time. Hoping all is ok with your DH too
My DH is away for the weekend, he went on the train this morning down to Manchester to visit his 3 sons and their families and his grown up granddaughter. He’s got a busy weekend but he’s looking forward to catching up with everyone. I could have gone too as we all get on really well but I think he enjoys just spending time with his sons. I’ve been busy though as I did one of my volunteering sessions as a patient with second year medical students, it was a cardiovascular examination today, luckily I don’t think they found anything wrong!
Your dinner sounds yummy grandmabatty, I’m going to just get soup tonight. Pleased to hear your mum is a wee bit better and you enjoyed a nice catch up with your DD too

Evening kitcheners, a tad chilly out there tonight, our local was busy.
Sounds like a smashing evening ann you stop out!
I hope your results are conclusive Grannmarie and your husband is recovering well.
Your news has ups and downs corner, your husband sounds pretty chipper though, all good 👍.
Well done that nurse Grandmabatty enjoy your luscious dinner.
Imogen had forgotten her key today, so came home with us, at 16 she’s still excited about Christmas, this’ll be the first year they’re in their own house for Christmas Eve rather than here. We’re going there for lunch, I’ll miss then in the not so early morning now opening their stockings.
Enjoy your evening.

Just got home from the local tapas restaurant, The Imp is asleep, the 7yr old is glued to his switch and Granny is on the sofa with a glass of wine.

Nightie Night folks 🙋‍♀️

Hello kitchen people. I hope you’ve all had a good day. I’ve spent most of it reading!
Younger son cooked a delicious lasagne for dinner.
That’s all folks. Sleep tight.

Good afternoon to you lovely lot. The sun is shining and there is a wee nip in the air.

RosiesMaw I shall contact the GP on Monday. That's a promise. Thank you all for many kind messages.

GrannyGravy I raise my hat to you for coping extraordinarily well with a multitude of buggerations. Of course you love Mr G. I'm confident that he'll help you to find the perfect dress for special occasions.

annsixty I respect your ability to restrain yourself when faced with personal buggerations. It was lovely to read that your evening treat was a happy event.

corner I am sorry to hear that your hospitilised friend is going through a tough time. Bravo, Mr C. He is making excellent progress.

Grannmarie Be kind to yourself. Listen to your body. It knows best.

*Grandmabatty I am sending a virtual hug to your dear Mother.
Had we known what was on the menu last evening...you would have had two extra diners.

Today is middle son's 60th birthday.

Soop good to hear from you and hoping your DS is enjoying his birthday 🥂🎂🎉Hope you get sorted ok at the doctors on Monday
It’s been a dry but cold day here, more sweeping and picking up leaves and general tidying the garden. I always feel bad as the inside jobs always get neglected. I’m much happier pottering outside in the garden unless it’s really wet or the ground is frozen 🥶
DS messaged to say he’s enjoying his first skiing of the season over in Saas Fee in Switzerland- lots of snow there already apparently
New plans for Christmas morning ahead Jax, probably a lot quieter! It’s the same for us as times change and things move on. It’s lovely though to see DGC excited about Christmas, even at 16 it’s a magical time for them 🧑‍🎄 🌲 I think all my DGC still pretend to believe in Santa just to make sure they get some presents!

Good evening Kitcheners. Soop I hope your son has a lovely birthday. Brook I like to have a tidy garden going into winter. Some work still to do in mine. My car had frozen shut this morning so I had to get in the passenger side and squeeze over to the driver side then use some effort to open the door. Not fun. Then I needed to scrape the windows. I think tomorrow has to be more of the same. Fortunately I don't need to go out until afternoon. Tonight I'm hunkered down and ready to watch Strictly. Have a good evening Kitcheners
Food shopping today and housework and washing bedding. This afternoon I had a three hour phonecall with my pal. Dinner tonight was trout fillet with salad. It was lovely and so light compared to the recent casseroles.

A quiet day, meandering through the newspaper, MrJ cut the grass and having seen my daughter yesterday, saw my son today. I extracted a Christmas wish list from him, chose a couple of items and ordered them, now all done bar last minute tweaks.
My Mum used to spend the exact same amount of money on each of us three, you’d get a random giant chocolate bar wrapped, to ‘make it up’.
It was cold today, the sun was watery when I walked, rain due tomorrow.
Happy returns to your son soop.
Enjoy your evening all, I hope the Urms are settled back and in the warm.

Evening Kitcheners. It’s been a quiet reflective day here, with the Remembrance commemorations feeling particularly poignant at the moment in the midst of ongoing conflicts.
Glad you’re seeing your doctor soon soop, hope your DS is enjoying his birthday celebrations.

MrB and I have finally got around to thinking about Christmas and plans are in hand. I’m so lacking in enthusiasm and I normally love this time of year. I’m trying not to dwell on the things I’m missing out on and just trying to focus on getting stronger. We have a trip planned for Easter time 2024 and I want to be as fit and well as possible for that,

Hope the Urmstongrans are safe home. Goodnight all.

We are home and I am full of pudding! I think the best effort was the lad who had eight bowls full!
We made about £110, towards the pensioners’ Christmas lunch - arranged by us over 60s🤣.
Sleep well everyone.

Lots of busy people here today.

We’ve been over the bridge, goodness the recently introduced 20mph speed limit can be confusing. At one point coming into a town we went from 40 to 20 to 30 and back to 20, all within half a mile according to Mr C. The rapid changes threw me totally, I felt quite anxious. We survived and enjoyed an excellent lunch with our friend before heading for her home to see the renovations that have taken over her life for much of this year. The positive change is remarkable although I’m not so sure the energy drain has been so positive. It does all look fabulous though

As usual after a busy day I’m wide awake, Mr C on the other hand is sound asleep.

I’m pleased and relieved you’ll see a doctor soop.

It sounds as if a gentle Christmas season would be good blossoming, we’re planning much the same with a focus on a holiday early next year.

Scraping car windows grandmab? Thank goodness no need here yet other than to get the rain off. Please don’t send the cold this way.

Oh well, better try to sleep. Goodnight everyone. Sleep tight.

Good afternoon all, it’s very quiet in the kitchen today.
It is dark and miserable here in Stockport, yesterday was quite nice.
I am socialised out this weekend.

On Monday I went shopping with my friend across the road.
Tuesday was my GD’s birthday and we had a nice meal with her friend, which I mostly cooked.
Thursday we we went out for a meal to celebrate and then yesterday I went to my first ever baby shower.

It was for my GS’s partner who is expecting my first GGC.
As a family we don’t do such things but her family do so my S ,GD and I went along to support my GS, especially as his M doesn’t want to know!!

If I told you just how dysfunctional my family is you would definitely think I was making it up..it was a nice occasion and I stayed for 3 hours but oh my was I tired today.
I have not bothered to get dressed but as I knew we wouldn’t have visitors I really couldn’t be bothered.
My S’s “sort of” step daughter came from S Wales and she stayed overnight but I didn’t have to entertain her as she went off to Manchester for a train at 10am.
Her bed needs sorting but that is for another day.

I watched the Remembrance day from Manchester on Facebook which was emotional as always.
So many young lives lost and families left grieving for a lifetime.
Kindest wishes to you all on this thoughtful day.

Popping in to catch up on an your news. I'm in bed...and have been done we got back from Mass last evening. I was shivering uncontrollably and felt distinctly off. I think it may have been food poisoning ... Now I just feel utterly washed out with a very tender tummy. I've managed a piece of toast and half a cup of tea. The 2 smaller dogs haven't left my side... It's amazing how they know when their 'Mum' isn't right.
I'm in utter awe of all you organised ladies who seem to have 'C' sown up already. There is hardly anyone to buy for now that I'm not part of the lives of 4 daughters and GC x 10. The girls always had the same number of presents and the same amount direct on them too. It was a nightmare at times. Even up until 5 years ago they were insisting they still had their stockings from Mumma..despite all being married with children.!!!!. Maybe it's the memories of those times that makes me not very enthusiastic now.
Soop I hope you have an appointment for the doctor tomorrow...hot and swollen leg could be a DVT and you certainly do not need that for sure.!!!!!
Sending good wishes to you all.

It’s nearly a week since I posted and you have been a busy lot! I don’t think I can catch up with everything but a few comments anyway. The washing machine disasters! 😱. Rest assured ladies, a jury of your peers would never convict of murder.
I hope you feel better soon, Neine. Your remark about your daughters is so sad.
You’re quite the gadabout nowadays, Annsixty - how lovely!
I note that many of us are feeling the colder weather and also putting thought into Christmas. The year really is creeping on, most of the leaves have fallen from the trees here.

Last week just whizzed by. I had two days away, for a meet up with friends at a small literary event. I also managed to see another friend who was suddenly widowed last year, only in their early 60’s. Thursday was taken up with small things like taking my food processor somewhere it can hopefully be mended and other small tasks.

Friday, I went with Dh and dd1 & GC to the sale at House of Bruar. Brook will know of which I speak! It was absolutely mobbed and I certainly didn’t expect so many dogs. 😂 It was well organised, though, and I bought myself a bright pink ‘gansey’ style jumper. It’s actually a men’s one but I’ve discovered that men’s jumpers are longer and have longer sleeves and I like that.

Yesterday was busy with more chores, taking dry cleaning in and going to Home Bargains for household items. Of course, some nonessentials fell into my basket as well, Christmas bits and bobs.

Today has been bed-changing and visit to the dump day. It seemed that everyone else had decided to go to the dump, too, it was very busy.

A quiet evening catching up on tv, I hope, then tomorrow I have an appointment to have my ears ‘hoovered’. I’ve been deaf on one side for over a week now and these days you have to go to a private clinic to have it sorted. It’ll be £60 well spent, though.

TOYA. Xxx

Yes I definitely know the House of Bruar SueD, many a time we’ve stopped off there for a browse and a treat in the cafe. I always enjoy looking round especially when there’s a sale on - your jumper sounds lovely too! Good to have you back with us in the kitchen and hope tomorrow goes ok.
DH is still away but I’ve got 10 year old DGS here for a sleepover. So kind that he wanted to stay over to keep me company. We’ve played the Ticket to Ride game and watched a bit of tv and he’s just gone through to his bedroom now. I hope it’s not a frosty night so I don’t have to scrape the car for the early school run 🤞
Sounds like you’ve been really busy out and about ann, I hope you enjoyed the company and had a good time.
Hoping you feel a bit better soon neine 💐
Hope you sleep better tonight corner, you’ll be tired!

Hello kitchen people. I’ve just had the most unhealthy dinner - two cheese straws and a slice of Italian chocolate torte which I made the other day. Why, you may ask. Younger son and I went out for lunch (while OH was out for the day) and had a massive roast dinner. Son had chicken with all the trimmings, including bread sauce which he said was as good as mine! I had perfectly pink beef. I then drove him to Oxford to get the bus back to London.
OH had a good day learning about reloading rifles and got a certificate.
He is now watching Match of the Day and I’m reading the papers accompanied by my two cats.
Have a good evening.

Just dropping in for a quick catch up. Rotten luck Neine, hope the bug is gone now and you soon feel better. The first of the Christmas shopping has been delivered today, as has the new blender. Will pot some soup up for the freezer tomorrow, goodnight everyone x