New Soop Kitchen in her absence

I am safely ensconced in a sparkling new room in the PI in Horsham.
I don’t stay with family partly for logistical reasons but mostly I like my own space.
I can make tea in the night, go to the loo several times without disturbing anyone.
They are picking me up soon to go for a meal.

Good journey here if tiring but no problems.
My D and GD were at Euston to meet me and then we got a taxi to Victoria, where the train was very busy but we got seats and the station in Horsham is across the road from the PI which is one of the chain which is being completely refurbished and my room is fine with a very new smell.
Have a good evening if you can everyone.

‘Evening All’.

The laundry dried outside on the verandah in the sun. Smells lovely and fresh as I put it away (I don’t iron). I’ve got an iron somewhere …. #lazygran.

Mind you the breeze has got up now and the sun’s disappeared. It’s nippy out.

I watched a film on Netflix set in the Orkneys this afternoon. The scenery was absolutely stunning. Remote, wild, beautiful with sea, bird life and seals.

Gosh soop I can’t believe Torben is 15.I think he was five when I first joined gransnet.

Neine💐

TOYA

Good to hear from you soop

Naughtyneine sending you healing (((hugs)))

I hope the cruisers are having a fabulous time.

UTBB hope you have arrived with your family.

I have had an at home day with two GC, they have had amuse themselves, (garden, jigsaws, Lego etc) we will go out somewhere tomorrow.

Cold meat and pickles for dinner, I am still a bit under the weather, hoping it is just a bad case of hay fever 🤧

Signing off 🙋‍♀️

Lovely to hear from you soop and a special family time to look forward to

Neine 💐

I’ve been at the gym then walked into town by the river. Stopped and sat for a while just watching the water, it was so peaceful
I’m just waiting for the DGC to arrive, their dad is dropping them off here soon and will pick them up tomorrow sometime. Although him and DD2 have split up we’ve still got a fairly good relationship with him - I think!

Hope you’ve now arrived safely Uttb and well done with tackling that journey on your own. Even with the pre booked assistance it’s a long journey on your own

I’ll be thinking of grandmabatty tomorrow ❤️

Naughtyneine Stay strong. You are a very dear lady.

Late afternoon greetings to all our super special Kitcheners.

We've had our Covid jags. Mooched around the lovely harbour in Tarbert and took several photographs.

Next month, youngest son and family will be visiting us for four days. Our grandson, Torben, celebrated his 15th birthday yesterday. We used to refer to him as being our "wee man". Well, he's no longer "wee". He is 5' 10 tall (I am a mere 5') and he has a 40" chest. He plays rugby and is super fit. I shall share a photo with you when he visits. We are greatly looking forward to spending some quality time with him.

Mr Soop is with the nurse. He is having his thigh redressed. It was from his thigh that the skin was taken for his scalp when the cancers were removed some long time ago. The area hasn't healed. His scalp continues to be dressed every week.

I trust that the sun continues to shine for you. As I look through the window I can see the ferry sailing towards the island of Islay.

I leave you with my fondest love and all good wishes to help you through whatever challenges you are facing. Stay safe. Thank you yet again for your comforting messages.

It’s lovely that you’re off all that long way to visit your daughter and family uttb and I hope you enjoy your time together. There’s a sadness though in knowing that something is ‘for the last time’ isn’t there? Savour the memories and tuck them away safely. Perhaps take loads of photos too and treasure these precious days.

Naughtyneine reading your post has reduced me to tears.
I cannot imagine the pain you have gone through.
I am sending lots of love and a virtual hug xxx

Oh neine I didn’t mean to pry but it did seem an awful uncharitable act by your daughters. Hence my outrage on your behalf. I still cannot believe they barred you from going into what was the family home for you and your sister. So hurtful. I can’t get my head around how they even dared to try it on. Obviously there are complex layers to this and it’s none of my business. I’m sorry to have brought it up and upset you again. I hope time in your garden soothes your mind today. Thank you for your patience with me. 💐

My luggage was stowed !!

Assistance is absolutely free and I can’t recommend it enough.
I was met at the station today.
Taken to the waiting room and then taken to my seat on the train and my luggage showed.
At Euston I will be taken off the train and taken , probably by buggy , to where my D will meet me.
You just have to ring and book it when you have bought your tickets.
Please don’t put off travelling when this service is available.

Hello lovely Kitcheners. We have been successfully de-cluttering. MrB has been to the coin bank in Morrisons, the machine that exchanges all your coins for shipping vouchers, then on to the charity warehouse and finally to the tip.

I have been making phone calls and sorting a few things out. One call took over an hour before I finally reached a human being who sorted it very quickly. So many companies want you to do everything on line, but that doesn’t always work.

It’s a beautiful day here, so I shall take go and catch some vitamin D shortly.

Bye for now 😎♥️

What exactly does "assistance" entail, and is it costly? I`d love to visit a few friends, but it involves long train journeys.

Travel well UTBB

Naughtyneine

Well done on the honey sales LLFL. Will you do another date later on with the other jars. I think I read somewhere that honey keeps fit years 🤔. Sadly I can't eat it.... I'm not sure why but someone once said if you are allergic to bee stings you should avoid honey too...having gone into anaphylaxis previously I'm not too keen to test the theory.
FGT.. Thank you for your comments re my Mother's house. It's not a secret that all 4 of my daughters decided that I should be ostracized when I met DH...6 years after their Father left. Despite saying it would be lovely if you met someone Mum...the reality was very different and try as I might I think financial incentives offered by their Father probably contributed to their decisions. But now I have make a very conscious decision to follow something said by St Paul... Where there is no love ..put love. For me that means no longer thinking about them with bitterness or resentment or hurt but replacing it with the love I had for all of them as their Mother and although the sadness will always be there I find it easier to cope knowing that a Mother's love endures.
Well writing that has reduced me to tears so I'm off into the garden to lose my mind and find my soul.

I'll be back. Love to all.

Thankyou GrandmaB
You will be in my thoughts for tomorrow,

Enjoy your trip Usedtobeblonde. Safe journey

An unusually early Good morning from Stockport.
I am up and about early for my trip away.
I have already decided this is the last time, I am going so that I can see my D and GC together which is very difficult due to factors I won’t go into.

They can’t all come to me together and I haven’t seen my GS for 16 months now.

It is quite a journey for me , home to the station in a taxi, train from Stockport to Euston, taxi across London to Victoria, train to Horsham in W Sussex, then repeat in reverse on Thursday.
My D and GD will meet me at Euston for the second half of the journey.

I-have assistance booked and if it is as good as when I have previously used it I should be ok.

However this really is my swan song, I feel so lucky I can do it and am mindful that many wish they could.

I send my usual good wishes to the unwell, the sad and the carers, have the best day you can everyone.

Excellent car boot result ladylfl but goodness, what an early start. We had a table at several before we moved, I loved doing them, Mr C hated every minute. We’re so different.

Thoroughly enjoyed being with family yesterday, had some chilly sea front fun, an unexpected meal out together before some time here. A rare treat.

That does feel a long wait sued, so much at once.

Our garden also needs rain before we can do anything. A lot in the forecast for tomorrow. I fear there’s be careful what we wish for!

Houseplants here thrive, or not, on the principle of benign neglect. Sadly orchids seem to fit into the ‘not’ group. That’s a beautiful bloom jax.

Best stir myself. Somehow I thought an early appointment for my covid jab was a good idea. A local pharmacy so not far to go, there will be a need for wander around the relatively small retail area before I come back. Mr C says he’s coming or I’ll be out all morning. Can’t think where he got that idea from .

Look after yourselves everyone. Wishing you well.

Yummy honey, LLFL! How often do you get honey from the hives? Is it once a year or more often?
I had a nice purple tradescantia. FGT. It was a 99p pot from M&S and grew and grew. Eventually I had lots of plants from cuttings and gave them away to friends, then mine turned its toes up and died. Rude!

Today I’ve tidied up a bit in the garden, the gone-over bulbs etc. I tried to plant things in the garden but the soil is rock hard so I had to abandon that. It’s now raining, something we haven’t seen for weeks and weeks. I’ve also done a bit of clearing out indoors, throwing papers away and so on. It accumulates so quickly.

Tomorrow I’ve got to do more in my mother’s house so I’ve not done too much today. I’ll be glad when it’s done and dusted. I’ve heard now about my brother’s funeral, it’s not until May, such a long wait.

TOYA. Xxx

Get to bed!

FriedGreenTomatoes2

Oh well done LLFL! 🐝

Thank you!

Oh well done LLFL! 🐝

That’s a good result llfl lots of honey sold, well done to you and your DH
Jax a beautiful coloured orchid, I think I must be overwatering mine - I’ll stop now!
I’m also getting the hay fever symptoms but took antihistamines this morning, the side effects for me are that I can hardly keep my eyes open so an early night here too. I hope those suffering feel much better soon