Welcome! Thank you all for making our Kitchen a super-special gathering place.
Enjoy! 
and hugs galore.
Thank you for the welcome back and messages of good wishes etc. It’s lovely to back in the Kitchen amongst friends, both regulars and newcomers. There’s room on the bench for everyone!
Poor MrS, Soop. I hope they can do more to help him. That’s a very long day for him. Have a fabulous birthday tomorrow!
How lovely to chat to your dd for a while, Brook. I’ve hardly spoken to my dd1 for weeks as she’s been away, then we’ve had all the ongoing work, now she’s back at her work and it’s full on. We’ve done some childcare, but even then, we’ve been ships that pass in the night, handing over small children like when they used to swap spies at checkpoint Charlie!
That is so frustrating, Annsixty. I suppose it’s sensible that we avoid the places where trouble might flare up but on the other hand, why shouldn’t we be able to live our normal lives? I wonder if an army of grannies handing out cakes and cuddles to the would-be troublemakers would stop them in their tracks and change their minds. The smothering them with love method.
I’ve got a new book awaiting me, Jax but I must finish the one I’m reading first. It’s so tempting….
I hope Urms is in her happy place by now and enjoying some Spanish sun and sangria. for all who have sadness or trouble in their life. Xx
Another joiner materialised this morning to fix the final bits of the kitchen, the kickboards underneath and the DW handle. In the nicest possible way, I hope I never have to see any of them again! The men have all been very pleasant and hard working but having someone forever in your house is wearing. We’ve a new rug to put down which I want to get done before going to bed tonight.
I’ve bought plenty of good food for DS’s arrival tomorrow. We’re also having GD tomorrow and Fri inc overnight so it’ll be all go. I’ll hopefully be meeting a family friend with her 8yo GD, too.
I’ve been so happy with my garden this summer. It’s not been great weatherwise but I’ve had lots of things growing and am learning by trial and error what works and what doesn’t. There’s been a battle royal between dahlias and slugs but I think the dahlias are finally winning! Lupins were disappointing, one bloom each then they keeled over. Likewise a clematis but just when I was going to rip it out, new leaves appeared. The big daisies took a battering from the rain and high winds this week but I think they’ll recover. The cat mint is going to take over 5th entire garden!
I’ve also had a small success with my two trugs. In one I planted a single yellow courgette plants and so far have had three meals worth of courgettes and more to come. I put in some runner beans more for the foliage than anything else. They went potty, climbing everywhere including through the fence. There are some beans that think will be ready to eat soon. We had one short fat cucumber from a cucumber plant and I’ve about eight tomatoes on three plants. Small rewards, really, but so enjoyable!
The kittens are being weaned onto grown up cat food now. The girl has caught up weight wise with the boy, after all the feeding problems we had with her. Basically, as long as it’s tuna, she’ll eat it. 
That’s all for today, sleep well everyone. Xxx
Yes we are here! Blimey it was warm as we disembarked at 5pm! “Well, it’s what we come for” said Himself (who has to stay out of direct sun between noon and 5pm (post chemo). Who cares eh? We are HERE in our happy place, together. Just amazing really.
It took us about an hour to take out of our apartment what we need for the 2 weeks as the family (who arrive Friday tea time) will be using ours. We six can’t all fit sin ours, so we go up a floor in the lift and stay in the apartment belonging to our lovely retired friends from Bolton. We have a reciprocal arrangement - some of their family use ours over Christmas and NY. Suits us all and keeps the costs down for everybody accommodation-wise.
It was wonderful at 7pm to go down into the gardens. The Spanish are out in force. In the 20 years we’ve had our little place it’s changed from being ‘Little England’ back to the locals. In fact as we sat and enjoyed a well deserved drink (me - red wine - ‘frio’ from the fridge as the Spanish drink it, always makes me laugh!) Himself noticed that of perhaps 80 folk in the gardens, we were the only Brits there. Oh and how they made a fuss of him!
Many people came up to hug him and ask after him. They knew about his illness as last year our little family came out without us. Huge smiles all round to see him looking so well this summer. “que tal?” I filled up to witness so much kindness and Spanish exuberance at our appearance this year. Himself just grinned from ear to ear!
We are in bed now. Well on it, it’s so hot. Fan is whizzing away overhead. No air con here but we don’t like it anyway. Himself is reading his Kindle beside me, I’m on here and counting my blessings. Buenas noches amigas. x
I sneaked down into the kitchen early, put up the bunting and the balloons, set all the chairs and tables out and the birthday cake is on the side Prosecco will be open later .. Happy Birthday Soop 🥰
Sharing this special memory, Soop, and wishing you the best Birthday today, and happiness always.
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