Soops kitchen, a place of reflection, refuge and at times revelry.

No car washing allowed here Redcar and I’m not buying any more plants, our hosepipe ban will be a long one, tomatoes and other veg watered only. Oh, two hanging baskets as well.
An overcast day, keeping the temperature pleasant, beautiful hair FGT, Imogen’s is still long and thick.
Delivery list for tomorrow’s groceries updated, sauce made for fresh pasta later.

I have had a lazy day, visited two garden centres (plants were purchased 😺) and a new to us farm shop.

I was whisked away to one o f my favourite restaurants, had a lovely meal, ended up booking their private room for a celebration next year 🤷‍♀️

Your GD has fabulous hair FGT2

Gorgeous hair fgt well done, looks like a very similar colour to my DGD’s hair
We’ve just waved off both DGC, their dad has just picked them up and they seem to have had a good time. The best thing being that they seem to have stopped their constant bickering and winding each other up, now it appears they’re actually liking each other. There were a few little spats but nothing much and it was soon forgotten. We’ve played lots of board games, not my favourite pastime but they enjoy them and it keeps them off their screens for a while. Anyhow the kettle is now on and I’ll see if there’s any biscuits left in the cupboard…
It’s a lovely warm sunny afternoon here, I should really get outside for a bit but I’m happy sitting here on the sofa
Hoping everyone is doing ok, take care all

L’il Miss has beautiful hair fgt. The 11 year old has hair past her shoulders but the 3, 7 and 8 year olds have theirs a bit shorter, but all very thick hair, like their mums and mine! I was never allowed to have long hair as a child, so love seeing my DDs and DGDs with their hair at a length they’ve chosen! I hope you have a good evening with your friends.

Warm here again but cloudy on and off. I went into the local city this morning and bought the things I needed (perhaps wanted rather than needed). When I got home it was still cloudy, so I washed the car. I can’t say I made a good job of it but most of the dirt has gone. Needless to say my back thought it was a stupid thing to do, so I’m sitting with a hot wheat pack on it at the moment.

grannygravy I hope you enjoy your surprise evening!

Enjoy what’s left of the evening folks. Night night.

Fgt your lil miss hair is very similar to one of my gds hers is at her waist .Hope
Jaxjacky hope you Get that troublesome hip sorted .
Gg hope you enjoy your surprise .
I have been cleaning my carpet in room through to dining room my arms are aching now .
It's been overcast most of today but still humid.
Best wishes to all.

I’ve had a smoother day altogether. Minded L’il Miss here this morning, I styled her hair by twisting and pinning the sides back. She has lovely curls and thick hair.

We called in at Greggs for their lunch and walked to theirs. The Boy Wonder was delighted!

I’m off out in half an hour. Drinks at a friend’s house only up the road lucky me can walk it in 10 minutes. Others will be driving (or being dropped off).

Enjoy your surprise birthday meal GG13. I’m sure it’ll be lovely. 💕

Other than going to the gym this morning and minding The Imp for an hour I have done very little today,

Off to get my glamour on as apparently we are leaving here in a while, no idea where I am being taken or who is going - a birthday surprise meal. Slightly worrying as DH is not great at organising surprises 😹

Hi jaxjacky and others. It's been a warm day here too. No rain yet but forecast on Friday. I did a load of housework this morning and my ballet buddy came round for coffee in the afternoon. So it has been both a productive and pleasant day.

Hi all, hope you’ve all had a decent day, FGT 💐
More sun today, it really is relentless, possibly a sprinkle of rain on Sunday, can the USA do us a favour and send some big low pressure systems please.
New dentist today, mine has retired, two molars to come out, I wasn’t hugely surprised, but sad, thanks Mum 🙂, Dad’s teeth were perfect.
Chicken casserole for dinner, have a pleasant evening all.
Quiet corner 👋👋

L’il Miss is being dropped off the next three mornings at 7:30am as he mum then sets off to work. Gives me chance to gather myself and just before noon we will stroll over to theirs, see the Boy Wonder and I’ll fix their lunch. Stay there till my son in law gets in, he gets home an hour before his teacher wife because in construction he starts work at 6am. He has a heavy manual job.

I’ve had mostly a good day with my friend who is a golfer. We had coffee then went to the outlet at Salford Quays where is bought a lovely dress from a shop called Roman. I love it and it cost £100 less than the dress I treated myself to from Hobbs which is gorgeous linen but classy and I’ve not worn it yet. 🤷‍♀️

You can take the girl out of Old Trafford etc … 😁

My friend was telling me that who should join them all on their local Parkrun on Saturday but Dame Kelly Holmes - a delightful woman by all accounts who was happy to pose with the park runners for individual photographs! My friend showed me hers - both grinning like Cheshire cats and KH has her arm around my friend’s shoulders. A super memory for my sporty friend! I feel a rich couch potato by comparison … golf, running oh well they say opposites attract which is why we must be friends! She’s 6 months older than me, widowed too and loves books. That’s our connection. I did know her husband. Lovely man. Oesophageal cancer, died at 70y. Fuck cancer.

Came home, ate my tea and a song on the radio (James Taylor ‘You’ve Got acFriend’ set me off just now, good style. I’ve howled. Rocked back and forth holding a cushion like some deranged woman. I’ve got a headache now, puffy eyes and the reality of my loss has just unravelled me. Again.

Every time I go into the garden something else has died Redcar. Today it’s a camelia. Come the autumn, there will be a lot of things going out I’m afraid.
Good luck to everyone having DGC and sleepovers. We have done our bit for now.
It’s “ can we borrow a car?” at the moment! Looks like it will transfer from DD to DS. We have given up any hope of getting it back on our drive!
Off to do some ironing
Sleep well everyone

grannygravy what a shame your day went pear shaped! Indoor activities for children are really expensive aren’t they, fortunately I’m not called on to take my DGDs to the local one, but they seem to go regularly.

cornergran I hope you stayed awake on the bus and enjoyed your meet up with your friend.

fgt enjoy your few days child minding L’il Miss. is she staying with you?

My gardener arrived today with his son. The front garden looks a lot tidier, but I need to put more plants in, I’m reluctant to do it just yet because it’s so dry. The son attacked the weeds on the drive and has done very well. I think they’re both coming again on Friday.

Enjoy the rest of the evening everyone, the sun has finally come out after a very cloudy day.

I’ve had a large glass too today, the lull before the storm as we’ve both DGC here tomorrow for a sleepover. Wish me luck!

GrannyGravy much sympathy. On my second glass.

Today didn’t go to plan 🤦‍♀️

Overcast along with coach loads of school children at various local beaches, even the usually quiet back of beyond one.

Plan B indoor trampoline park, very tired children and much lighter purse.

I am about to have a not needed but wanted glass of wine…

Good evening kitchen folk. It's been another warm, sunny day in Central Scotland. Dd took today off and slept so she feels better. I dropped off dgs1 at football then took dgs2 to soft play in Linlithgow. It was very quiet (unusual) but he found a little girl to play with. I was really pleased because he doesnt make friends easily. After a couple of hours, home we went. He drew and played with bluey toys until it was time to pick up dgs1. He was raging because we had gone to soft play without him. He doesnt like soft play!
Anyway, they've been really good today. I've dropped them at home and I have my feet up for five minutes. Enjoy your evening kitchen folk

Good luck with the hip jax. You’ve had a tough time.

Sleep lessons welcome charley, managed a whole three hours last night. It’s just not enough for sensible functioning. I’m dafter than usual.

Off to meet a friend today, it’s an hour and a traffic variable bit on the bus. At least the driver will wake me when he checks the bus at the bus station if I nod off. .

That’s better news all round fgt. Hope you’re less worried about your stepfather now.

You’re allowed to be biased and rightly proud grannyg.

Off now to try to wake up properly. Take care everyone.

Jaxjacky I hope the consultant can help with your hip.

cornergran I need to give you some lessons in the sleep depart,ment. I could sleep on a clothes line.

fgt so pleased it will just take time for your stepfather to start to feel better. He will feel relieved.

Topsy stairs are a real buggeration if one of you has problems negotiating them.

Jax is there anything specific wrong with that hip now or do you feel it may dislocate again. At least you will be seen soon. Write a list of questions so you don't forget anything and if you are there for longer than the supposed 10 minutes, tough.

My apologies for leaving anybody out but as usual this is my mini book

A normal summer's day. That is because I have bought a new fan. Heavy rain was forecast but zilch here in NW London.

Jax how frustrating for you, I hope next week brings some reassurance and improvement with your hip. A late Happy Birthday to your DH too, nice to have him home
Pleased you've had a much better day fgt and your stepfather has been checked over
Really good that your GS is doing so well GG, of course you can be biased
I’m just home from my line dancing class, really enjoyable and I only went wrong a couple of times 😂

fgt I’m so pleased you’ve had a better day today. You must be relieved that your stepfather isn’t suffering from anything too serious, and that taking life easy for a few weeks will help him feel better. My DH had shingles some years ago, it took three visits to the doctors to be diagnosed as it was only on one side of his face and two of the doctors didn’t recognise it. He felt so ill that he let me drive his car down to see my godmother- she nearly fainted with the shock of seeing me driving! It took several weeks before he felt 100%.

grannygravy good to have your DGS to yourself for a while. Enjoy your day at the beach tomorrow.

jaxjacky I hope that orthopaedics can sort out your hip problem quickly and without further surgery.

I’m tired this evening, had a walk first thing, then dusted and vacuumed the hall, stairs, landing and my bedroom. After lunch I deadheaded a large rose bush, which is again resting on the grass with the weight of flowers. The gardener is coming tomorrow (at last) and I’ll have to stop him cutting it down! I’ll prune it later in the year.

It feels pleasantly cool outside this evening, I needed a fleece on when I watered the front garden.

Night night everyone.

Hope you get some answers and a solution Jaxjacky

I am FGT let’s see what next week brings.

Oh Jax you must be so fed up. It’s been one thing after another with that hip.

A much better day FGT.
MrJ home at lunchtime to open birthday cards and presents, he had a great weekend.
I’ve got an appointment with orthopaedics next Monday for my buggeration of a hip, it’s really getting me down now.