Soop's warm and welcoming kitchen for kindly folk.

Thank you brook yes he had a lovely time at his party. He soon forgot about his mishap.

That was a lucky escape for you Jaxjacky* but sorry for your daughter. Hope she’s not suffering too much.

Just popping in to say good night and to wish you all a happy and healthy 2024 😘

We have put the world to rights over dinner with our friends, lovely food and drinks.

Signing off GN for a week or so, keep safe, live life to your best, hold those you love close 🩷💙🩷💙

Just a quick peek into the kitchen. I’ve gone to bed early with a migraine - the first one since October. I’ve taken a sumatriptan but they leave me feeling drained.
Have a good night.

Evening! We were going to make a chicken curry too Jax but had a sudden inspiration and ordered a takeaway instead. It was delicious!
DH’s rugby team won and my football team, so a good day.
We have a yellow wind warning tonight and it’s starting to blow, so I think it will be a noisy night but not as bad as many Grans.
Sleep tight everyone 💤

Having spent much of yesterday without power, we are now reconnected to the grid. I shall return a little later for a catch-up.

As a number of you commented on my table, I thought I’d include a photo, to bring some spring cheer into this, for us, foggy day. The flowers are heeling over now but they still smell gorgeous!

A new baby in the family, how exciting, Topsy! Yes, people used to have two sleeps. Because they went to bed early (esp in winter) they’d wake in the early hours, have a gossip with the neighbours, have a snack, do a chore or two, or occupy themselves with their husband/wife then go back to sleep until sunrise.
Granmarie I’m laughing at the thought of you snoring on the loungers. 😂
You could get your Dh a puzzle board, Corner! That would save your table. My dd2 requested one for Christmas as she and her boyfriend love doing puzzles. They’re 27yo, not 77, as one might think.
Does that larder ever close, Urms? I’m a bit worried about you on New Year’s day!
Poor little mite, GMdinosaur! I’m glad he’s over his scare.
Hope your dd is ok, Jax. I might take our tree down tomorrow. It’ll depend on my mood when I get up!
Urgh, that horrid cottonwool feeling, LLFL. You have my sympathy.
I’m glad you’ve got power again, Soop. It’s quite a concern, isn’t it? I know people back in Aberdeenshire who have now equipped themselves with small generators in case of power cuts, enough to run run some lights and to cook etc.
Brook I ordered a new salad bowl online, in the M&S sale. I picked it up yesterday and it’s huge - you could bath a baby in it! 🤣 I also got a pretty pink jumper and two bath sheets.

We had snow yesterday but fortunately it turned to sleet then rain so it’s all gone now. The house seems v quiet without dd2 and her BF here. Dd1 decided to pop in with GD yesterday morning and that was v nice. She filled me in with news about various people. Then we ventured forth in the snow to buy food, though we didn’t need much.

I watched a new film last night, Maestro a biopic of Leonard Bernstein. I really enjoyed it, Bradley Cooper was unrecognisable as the elderly LB - amazing! It focuses on his relationship with his long-suffering wife rather than his career but of course it has a wonderful music score.

Today I think we’re going to see the GC for a bit, buy anything we need from the shops then come home and close the doors until next year. I’m not one for New Year so I keep it low key.

Take care everyone and ‘lang may yer lum reek!’ in 2024! Xxx

Hey SueDonim apparently our larder is open today and tomorrow (NYD)!
😁

The tree is now in the garden and will be collected next weekend for donation to a local charity. Boy, what a mess and I’m sure the odd pine needle will be appearing for months, this has never happened before, so a change of supplier next year.
A quick pub visit later before the disco starts, Peking duck for dinner and we’ll see the new year in.
I hope you’re feeling better llfl. My daughter has the symptoms of a heavy cold and is weary, keeping herself dosed up.
I’ll pop back later.

Neine Together with other Kitcheners, I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia a few years ago. It is a debilitating buggeration. Rest whenever possible during a flare-up.

Grandmadinosaur I can fully understand how panicked your grandson must have felt when he imagined that he was locked in the lavatory. Bless him. There is nothing quite like a pudding to lift the spirits.

Urms Your choice of evening meal sounds delicious.

Yesterday's power cut lasted for seven and a half hours. The Scottish and Southern Electricity Board was very supportive. We received telephone calls to establish that we were coping with the disruption. During the afternoon, we lit candles and found the peace and quiet extremely relaxing.

Eldest son's wife and two sons are recovering from the Norovirus. Our friends in the village suffered from the virus about a fortnight ago. They remarked on how savage it was for a number of days.

SueD Thank you for sharing the delightful photo. The hyacinth is a beautiful colour. I can almost smell the lingering perfume.

We will be spending Hogmanay in our cosy home. As the bells herald in the year 2024, we will raise a glass of our favourite malt and wish you lovely lot the gift that surely matters most: health and peace of mind.

TOYA. Shall we have a virtual group hug with which to end 2023.

A group big is a wonderful and welcome thought soop. Count me in

We’ve had our Christmas meal today, a bit of a NYE tradition if we’re not home on the day, I’m not sure Mr C will move again, he’s eaten so much Christmas pud. I’d love a walk but the horizontal rain is intermixed with huge hailstones so the sofa it will be.

Thank you for the thought sued but Mr C has a (far too) large puzzle board. It seems the law is it remains on the table until the current puzzle is completed when it is promptly replaced by the next. There are worse things he could be doing I know. We have agreed to leave the table extended so hopefully half or at least a third of it will be visible. Watch this space.

Pleased your power is back soop. It’s so dark and gloomy with heavy skies. I’ll be sad to say goodbye to the tree lights tomorrow. Dismantling Christmas is my prompt to have candles about, helps brighten as does our latest discovery, battery driven tee-lights which operate by a remote control. I put several in a glass fronted cabinet yesterday, very pretty reflections from the glass contents.

We’re unlikely to see the new year in later so I’ll wish you all the very best for 2024.

Wishing everyone on this gentle thread a Happy and Healthy New Year,
For us, New Years Day will be our 52nd Wedding Anniversary.
We will spend it quietly reflecting on all we have to be thankful for and that we still have each other.
There has been sadness along the way as there is for everyone but also great joy.
Don’t believe in making resolutions but simply pray for a more peaceful world going forward and that our children and grandchildren stay safe and happy.
With love to you all.

Thank you all for your comments on my grandsons predicament yesterday.
Lovely bulbs Suedonim I bought some white ones as a gift but they came out too early so had them myself. They smell gorgeous.
I’m signing off for the evening as our family are on the way over to us for the celebrations. I wish each and every one of you lovely people on here a very Happy New Year and hope it’s a good one God willing. Cheers 🥂🎉🍾
.

Sunshine but very cold for many hours today. Mid afternoon I noticed we had a fall of snow being washed away by a very heavy downpour.

Although it has been cold here in London I did not think it was cold enough for snow but I was wrong.

Could I fast forward to May escaping the April showers? I thought not so I may retire to bed for that time instead.

I wish everyone in Soops Kitchen a very happy new year when it comes. Thank you for all the support and care you have shown me this year. All the best

I do love the happy and positive atmosphere in the kitchen. So just stopping by to wish all of you a beautiful New Year.

Please may I join you all for that virtual group hug that soop suggested to round off 2023.

I'm cooking a chicken roast dinner tonight, just us. We will then see in the new year, watch the London fireworks (on TV),
& raise a glass to you all. x

Wishing everyone in soops kitchen a very happy, peaceful and healthy New Year from one who has just had the 'all clear' from Positive Covid testing for the past 2 weeks!! I kid you not!
to all. xx

Although I am “taking a break” I should like to join in the hug and wish everyone a peaceful and happy New Year.

Happy New Year, Kitcheners 🎉

Thank you for your company during 2023. This is the best thread on Gransnet!

Mrshat, I hope to join you in testing negative tomorrow. It will be day 15 for me🙄

Don't usually join you in the kitchen, but as I am on my own for NYE, (again). thought I could do with some company!

Have not done a lot today, got up late, tidied the kitchen, chucked a bit more spoiled food out of on the blink garage freezer, and spent the afternoon watching rugby on tv (again!).

Had a NYE cocktail 🍸, a Negroni, and just poured a glass of fizz before dinner. A Chicken Tikka pie (M&S) is in the oven, along with roast potatoes.
Shall stay up for the fireworks and am looking forward to the Rick Astley concert tonight, will have a boogie!.....
Wishing you all a Happy New Year!

Happy New Year to all in Soops kitchen. I hope 2024 is everything you wish it to be xxx

I too am on my own with “Whisky galore” on the tv (preferred the original version though), duck breast and parmentier potatoes and a bottle of dry rosé Sekt .

I’d better walk Rosie soon before any fireworks start but then I’m in for the night.
Funnily it feels less lonely than previous years, perhaps my expectations are lower.
To you all 🥃 a guid new year when it comes!

Happy New Year Kitcheners.
TOYA

Peace and happiness in 2024 to all kitcheners, and improved health for those that need it.