Soop's kitchen for caring and sharing...

‘Evening All’.

We visited old friends locally this afternoon. Himself shared tips about how to up calorific content - not straightforward really with a stomach cancer owing to lack of capacity, so foods need to be light but dense in nutritional value. Our friend was highly interested and grateful for his support. Poor man, our hearts went out to him and his wife. He looks gaunt and has an appointment at The Christie early next month. We plan to visit the following week in the hope of seeing an improvement.

Hope all goes well on Thursday for Mr soop🙏🏻

Good afternoon kitchen pals, it’s been a dark gloomy day up here in Inverness, mild but grey and wet all day. I’m another one counting down the days to the lighter nights. A bit of food shopping today and some nice warming soup at the garden centre for lunch
Sorry to hear we’ve got kitcheners up at 3am, hope it’s not too lonely at that time. I sometimes struggle to get to sleep but usually sleep through without waking
Hoping all goes well for Mr Soop on Thursday soop, what an ordeal he’s going through, sending the gentlest of hugs x

soop poor mrsoop that procedure sounds horribly painful, I hope it’s successful, poor man.
nannytopsy I joined the 3o’clock gang this morning, then made the mistake of checking emails. Then I spent some hours worrying about why my doorbell was offline and when I can charge the spare battery before I go home🙄. As I’m not there it doesn’t really matter if the bell rings or not. I think I dozed off again for an hour at 6 o’clock.
neine I hadn’t thought of using the ironing board to wrap presents on and to be honest I’m not sure where DD1 keeps hers, it’s well hidden as she doesn’t use it. The breakfast bar makes a good work surface, with the added advantage of a radiator under it! I still have to wrap the fairy wings!
Have a good evening everyone.

Mr Soop's Glasgow appointment is on Thursday. He's to have staples removed from the area where a special laboratory-grown material has been inserted into the cavity where bone has been removed. As you will no doubt imagine, he needs pain killers daily until the wound is fully ready for a further skin graft.

Thank you for your kind thoughts.

I am not far away. I shall pop into our kitchen tomorrow.

for all of you in the quiet corner. I woke far too early because I was too hot. Lots to do today, including putting up the Christmas tree. We got a lovely one from an estate we have used before. For the second year we saw exactly what we wanted at the first tree. It’s relatively narrow, but plenty more f branches to hang things.
Hope you are all sound asleep. 💤

Hello again kitchen people.

Fairly busy today. Waitrose this morning. After lunch I froze a batch of chicken stock I made yesterday in a dozen containers, and finally I made a Pavlova for a lunch I’m going to tomorrow. Our cleaner came for the last time until the New Year.

I’m thinking of the Soops. Sleep 💤 tight everyone.

I totally agree Uttb, we should count our blessings and enjoy simple pleasures
So sorry to hear about your friend, I hope something can be done to help him

A. nothing sort of day for me, DD1 and her DH were both working from home so they could watch the 6 year old in her Christmas performance. It was very sweet apparently, DD2’s 6 year old was in the same performance. They then had to make up the time they’d spent away from their computers.
I wrapped up some more presents, only a few more to go! Ordered a few more things online, there seems to be no end to it!
utbb I’m sorry to hear about your friend and hope that some treatment is available to help him.
Best wishes to MrSoop for his long journey and consultation this week. I hope the journey is easier for him this time.
Thoughts to those in the quiet corner, and those with worries and troubles of any kind. Night night,

A sombre day for us today,
A dear friend has had the expected diagnosis of aggressive, stage three prostate cancer.
He is 60 and still some years off retirement.
The MRI and biopsy, all rushed through in a very short time has shown it is not contained in the prostate and he is due two more scans later this week.
One is to see if it has spread to his bones.
His very close family are as expected in bits.
A lovely couple with no visible worries, high incomes, beautiful home and an enviable lifestyle.
It counts for nothing at times such as this.
We should assess just what we have and be thankful for simple pleasures.
Here endeth my sermon.
Best wishes to all going through hard and difficult times and good thoughts to Mr Soop on his hospital appointment.

Wishing MrSoop a safe journey and successful treatment at his appointment tomorrow. I think he's travelling by bus, rather than driving himself. Hopefully he can read/ rest / nap on the way.
Thank you, Jaxjacky. Good luck for your quiz tonight. I'm watching Mastermind. I found the G o T questions very hard, and I've read all the books and watched the whole series! My memory isn't what it was...

‘Evening All’.

I’ve had the laziest of lazy days. Think I beat my own UK record for slothful behaviour. The only thing I’ve done to speak of is to order a bouquet of Christmas flowers from a florist in Inverurie. And put together a light lunch. Tada! My afternoon comprised of watching a film, ‘Tár’ with the talented Cate Blanchett. At nearly 3 hours in length there’s not much left of the day now! 🤣

A mug of Horlicks to be enjoyed later.

Hugs to everyone in the quiet corner tonight. Anxiety and sorrow at this time of year must be especially painful to bear. x

Hi all, busy kitcheners, GG13 🌹
Phones today very busy, no drivers for some of our clients, I’m off now 7ntil the 6th
MrJ came up trumps and found me some holly with berries, I like some over my clock in the kitchen and hallway mirror.
Quiz tonight, looking forward to it.
Grannmarie slow down if you can.
Thoughts with Mr soop on his epic journey this week and those in the quiet corner x

I have been in the quiet corner reminiscing.

Sending (((hugs))) to all in need.

Brook, I learned to ski in Switzerland when I was 13. Scottish snow isn't the same! The boys are home and I'm resting my hip on the couch before I tidy up and make dinner. Best wishes to MrSoop

Oh Brook that has brought back memories.I went skiing in Zermatt in the early eighties.

I was just popping out of the quiet corner/shadows to wish Mr soop well for tomorrow.Hoping the travelling is straightforward and there is good news to report from his appointment.

TOYA

Thank you, brook.

Oh take it easy grannmarie and look after yourself ❤️ x

Good afternoon kitchen pals, it’s been blustery here today but not too wet, I can imagine the scene at yours grandmabatty hope the boys have dried off by now!
We’re home now, I called into DD2s this morning to help with a bit of tidying, I had to bite my tongue a few times to keep the peace 🙄, did a bit of shopping and a quick trip to M&S. A bit of a mundane day but I did get a lovely video from DS in Switzerland. He’s finished school there now and is having a pre Christmas skiing holiday with his partner in Zermatt. It looks beautiful
Good to hear you’re with us in the quiet corner soop amongst friends, love to you all ❤️

Good evening, Soop and lovely Kitchen people, I have a lot of catching up to do on your news!

Thank you all for your kind words about DH'S Auntie. Her uplifting and comforting Requiem Mass was on Friday, very well attended in our local Cathedral. Her coffin was carried out on the shoulders of her sons, grandsons and sons in law, very moving. After the burial we had a good catch up with DH'S side of the family at the meal. One of our Goddaughters had driven down from Aberdeen, almost three hours.
Then DH and I were off to pick up the Wee Boy from school and stayed for play and pizza night. It was nearly nine when we got home, we'd been out since nine in the morning!

We've spent a lot of time shopping and wrapping presents, still one or two to organise but most are sorted in festive bags ready to go!

I enjoyed Strictly and Wolf Hall this weekend, I am part of the Mark Rylace Appreciation Society! I loved him in Bridge of Spies. I have now purchased my Christmas Radio Times to plan our festive viewing/ recording as we are out quite a lot over Christmas.

Thinking of you all, especially those in the quiet corner and those with illness, worries or sorrow. Missing Blossoming, hope she and Mr B are doing OK. Special thoughts to Baggs, Doodle and NannyG4.💕💐🙏

Busy day at home, stripped the beds, did three loads of washing, my hoose is like the steamie! Planned the diary for the run up to Christmas, lots of toing and froing this week... also two birthdays this week! Busy, busy...
Wishing everyone a peaceful Monday evening and a good night's sleep. I hope Soop and all the Three O'clock Gang manage a few more hours shut eye.
I've been wakening around 5, feeling panicky with my heartbeat pounding in my ears, I have to lie on my back and do breathing exercises till it calms down. Seasonal stress, I guess! 🥰

I'm just home with the boys from school pick up where we all got drenched. There was a real cloudburst. So the boys are sitting in their underwear while their trousers and jackets are on the radiators. They are so hungry when school is done. Dgs1 has had a packet of crisps, a small bowl of cereal, five mini cucumbers and a scoop of ice cream. He'll go home and eat his dinner too. Enjoy your evening Kitcheners

I am comforted, thanks for the group hug. It works wonders.

Although I may seem "distant", I am in fact never too far away. I feel blest to know that my favourite Granspals are here in our kitchen.

We saw him play Iago at the Globe. Brilliant.

Mark Rylance envy here Maw! An actor with such gravitas and the perfectly timed pauses in delivery of his lines add such believability to the characters he plays.

… and didn’t Mark Rylance play the part well ?
Another member of the Mark Rylance fan club here. Move over Alan Rickman!
I still remember when my sister in law who was a costume and stage designer, took a group of us to “Much Ado About Nothing” at The Old Vic with Vanessa Redgrave and James Earl Jones in the main parts for her 60th birthday in 2013. Rylance was directing it .
We were sitting at the back of the circle and realised he was sitting IN FRONT OF US doing notes for the cast. I was starstruck enough but then he turned round in the interval, recognised Sis in law and exclaimed “ L** (her name) what are you doing here?” 🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩