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

Hi kitchen pals, it’s been another lovely day here
Hope everyone is doing ok, I’ve not much to report today, the days gone quickly but I don’t know what I’ve done - A bit of gardening and sorting out the garage this morning, DH went to the charity shop and the tip, I’ve tidied around a bit and that’s about it 🤷‍♀️
Ready for bed now, hope everyone sleeps well tonight and take care all x

I thought Spain must’ve scored the noise downstairs at the two bars was tumultuous with the bar owners sounding their deafening hooters! Such a buzz down there. One of the bars has fired up a barbecue for the event. The Spanish are so passionate with loads of Spanish flags draped from balconies!

We’re in the Old Town FGT enjoying tapas - it’s still very warm, All the bars are packed with people watching the football. Spain has just scored, but the goal disallowed.

fgt and gg I hope you will both feel better tomorrow.

Another warm day, but breezy. My niece and her husband came and took me out to lunch at a local gastropub, lovely food and good to see them. They’d been on a cruise round Scotland and Ireland which sounded really interesting.
They were a bit puzzled when they drove down the back road to my village, and crossed the bridge over the river because there was a lady in a bikini standing in the road! It’s a popular place for canoeing and paddle boarding, despite there being no facilities whatever, and a not very clean river! Locals try to avoid it in the summer.
We enjoyed a good catch up before they went home to collect their dog from doggy day care.

cornergran I hope you have a trouble free journey home tomorrow and that the car manufacturer can sort out your car quickly.

Hopefully tonight will be a little cooler, I didn’t sleep well last night, couldn’t decide if I was hot or cold! A decaf coffee, biscuit, and a few chapters of a book did the trick eventually.

Enjoy the rest of the evening everyone.

Poor you dear pen pal back on the dreaded steroids. However your GP must have decided they were necessary. I hope you start to feel much better soon. 🤞

And cornergran I quite understand your wish to squirrel yourselves away over there. A safe, quiet little bubble. There’s much to be said for one during life’s curveballs.

At least Charleygirl5 you are tech savvy doing your shopping on line. Well done you. Just don’t be tempted to over buy bc you don’t have to load/unload it in the boot of a car! 😮

Oh harrigran* I’m just appalled to read of the cavalier attitude that school has taken with its pupils! It beggars belief that so little prior warning has been given to you all. I imagine a mad scramble taking place in that area now in a very short space of time. It must be very stressful and upsetting for all concerned.

Possibly leatherjackets - daddy long legs - in the grass corner I hope not, they’re a pain.

Pleased you are on the mend FGT2 👍

The 11 yr old is here, his dad is picking him up to take him football training soon. He has had his first early dinner and will eat with us when he returns (chicken cordon bleu, curtesy of a trip to M & S Food Hall this morning, I am still rather asthmatic, don’t feel like standing around in the kitchen, hopefully the steroids and antibiotics will kick in soon)

I have also had a pleasurable time finger shopping in the sales, finger crossed I have got the sizes right. The White Company have some really good bargains 🤞🏻

I’ve just been asleep on the sofa under the ceiling fan for two hours ‘getting myself right’ and poured another glass of water. It’s 5pm here and I’ve just peeked out through the blinds and taken this photo of the gardens. Boy it looks roasting out there!

I nipped over to the supermecado over the road at 1pm and took the trusty ‘shopper’ which enables me to buy loads of stuff as I don’t have to carry any of it. Older age creeping up here but who cares? 🤷‍♀️

I’m going to eat a banana now for my tea having had some TUC crackers for lunch. as per the BRAT diet following a stomach bug (bananas, rice, apple sauce and dry toast).. The headache
is abating thank goodness
- it’s so nice to be feeling better!

Hello everyone. Lots of gardening going on. We’re a bit concerned about our back garden. The grass - I won’t call it a lawn - has developed dead patches . Not the sort of browning that occurs in drought and greens with water, this is totally thatch like dead, it’s almost blowing away. I’ve soaked one patch and it’s not responded at all. I’m not a grass person, know little about lawns, but wonder if it’s some sort of bug munching away at the roots. Always something.

Nothing to do about it until Friday anyway. As many folk do one of ours works away and is only in his home for some weekends. We’ve been ‘lodging’ as he put it for a break. The recent car fiasco took its toll on me and it’s been wonderful to be somewhere with no responsibilities for a few days.

By way of payment I’ve weeded raised beds and cleaned a window or two. Nothing major. We’ve caught up with old friends (we lived in the area for 27 years), visited a national trust and are undecided whether we like the changes, wandered some shops. Normal, comforting things.

Assuming he approves of the state the lodgers leave his home 😂 we’ll be welcome to do this again. A useful bolt hole, especially for me.

I’m sorry your granddaughter has had her education disrupted *harri’. A shock for you all. 🤞 a positive solution can be found.

Our huge ceanothus blew down in a storm ladylfl. Took some cutting up and clearing. I do miss it although the space is filled.

Theres much kindness in the world teabagwoman, I’m pleased some found its way to you.

We don’t really watch football but did catch the last 15 minutes today, it seems the best bit. I’m pleased they won although the family experts (!) insist they’ll go little further.

I’m sure your cupboards are nicely stocked now fgt, wishing you a calm, gentle stay.

Time I'm settled for sleep. There’s little enthusiasm for returning home tomorrow, I know it will be fine when I get there. With two seriously ill neighbours I try to keep an eye on and a dispute with the car manufacturer waiting for me right now staying here in a bubble seems a better bet.

Night night everyone.

That’s a shock Harri

Unfortunately (40+ years ago) on her trial day, I was informed that the school (DHS) had no provision for girls with dyslexia, so DD1 was refused a place. They offered to take DD2, but that was ridiculous to have the girls in different schools - I couldn’t be in 2 places at once! Still a bit peeved that I lost my deposit. Both DDs ended up at a school in Gosforth which also closed at short notice a few years after they left - local residents wouldn’t allow planning permission for the school buildings to extend.

When DHS was based in the city, we had ‘running battles’ with them. We were the wasps and they the peapods. You’ll know why. My old school is, of course, now the sixth form centre.

Hello kitchen people.

We had a delicious lunch at my favourite ‘during the week’ restaurant.

When we got home our gardener had made a start on the back garden. We have a bare patch now where the ceanothus was and she had some good ideas of what to plant.

While OH watched the football I watched Rebecca on Netflix. The version with Lily James.

Younger son got in touch to ask if he could come over this weekend. He has bought a Golden Wedding present for us. He said it contains a minute amount of Gold.

Sleep 💤 tight.

harrigran, what a nasty shock for your family. I hope your gd is able to find a 6th form place quickly.

I’m not interested in football but am very pleased that England are still in with a chance particularly as the very kind neighbour who has offered to cut my hedge is a bit of a football fanatic. Until recently my next door neighbour cut it which seemed reasonable as her husband planted it between our two front gardens but it’s now getting too much for her and I had visions of her having a heart attack as she is having increasing attacks of angina, though she tries to hide it. I put a post on the local FB page asking for recommendations and expecting to pay someone and this lovely gentleman who I had never met although he only lives a few doors away, came over and said he had recently cut his hours at work and was at a loose end so would cut my hedge when he does his own and refuses to take anything for it. Such a kind thing to do.

fgt I am plain jealous. When I drove until mid last year, I never gave them a thought as I have several, but all are a bus ride. I do my food shopping mainly online.

I hope you are in Malaga when the intense heat supposedly hits us next week.

I watched most of the match, being so frustrated with England but they are playing Mexico at 1am which makes it almost an all nighter. They will have to do without my comments.

How upsetting for your DGD harrigran I hope another suitable school can be found quickly for her
I’m just home after line dancing so didn’t watch the football, but I’m pleased the England team won and are through to the next stage
Cup of tea now and feet up for a while, then a shower and bed 😴
Thinking of everyone in the quiet corner tonight, take care all x

What a horrible shock harrigran good luck with the steps ahead.
I do hope your fridge is a little fuller now FGT 🙂
We too watched England, not pretty, but onwards. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿
A morning of phone calls, then Tesco order rejigged for Friday, cottage pie made to eat after the game.
I hope Blossoming is improving.

harrigran I’ve just googled that. In the 60s my best friend’s mother was matron when the school was in the city and in the 70s and early 80s another friend’s girls were there at the present site. I had thought that was the school when reading your posts, (I was at the technical college then worked in the city).

harrigran, how awful for your dgd and your family. I hope you are able to find the right 6th form for her.

Numbers have reduced because of the VAT, they invited boys to apply and were to be accepted into 6th form in September.
Galaxy Global Educataion has a lot to answer for, they closed Malvern St James in April.
I could not understand why A Chinese company were allowed to be part of British education.
There are a lot of very angry parents and GPs tonight.
We are supposed to be on holiday from Saturday but we can't think beyond trying to find another educational facility.
GD is a brilliant musician and very few places offer A level music.

harrigran what an awful situation for your DGD, I hope she will be able to find a Sixth form place at another school soon. She must be very upset, especially given the short notice.

gg I couldn’t bear to watch the football, but kept checking on the bbc sports website. I hope you’re feeling better today.

Yoga this morning has left me thoroughly stretched! I’ve not done a lot this afternoon as it was quite warm again.

Have a pleasant evening folks.

harrigran how upsetting for your GD (((hugs)))

Is it due to the VAT on independent schools, it has caused the closure of other ones?

Please may I find comfort in Soop's kitchen.
Today we have been given devastating news, my GD's school is closing tomorrow with no prior warning.
She has just finished her GCSEs and had been promised a place in the 6th form.
The school has been an independent girls school for 142 years with some famous pupils, Wendy Craig being one of them.
This is not the first school closed by this company, they did it a couple of months ago and they own others that are now under threat.

I have just watched England playing DR Congo, not good for my asthma, but our boys won 👏👏👏

Haven’t done much today, need to go to the farm shop tomorrow and probably a]sort out a food delivery.

Thinking of our friends in the quiet corner of the kitchen 🙋‍♀️

Good evening
A very pleasant temperature on the patio with a Pimms! We have friends to a BBQ lunch tomorrow so I have been prepping food.
This morning we went to a lovely garden near Newmarket with our garden club, which is only open to groups except for occasional days. They provided a delicious lunch too.
A good way to spend time.
Ironing this evening.

Another pleasantly cooler day, at least outside. It’s still fairly stuffy indoors despite numerous open windows. I’m struggling with my asthma at times, but can control it with an occasional puff of the blue inhaler.
I had a walk this morning and met up with one dog walking friend, still too warm for the others who are older. (Dogs as well as owners)
My dementia friend was very quiet today, not looking at me at all not making any noise at all.

fgt I’m pleased you’ve had a good catchup with your LWW. Useful to have two supermarkets so close, you and your DH chose your apartment very well!

grannygravy I hope you feel better tomorrow.

nannytopsy well done for using the buttonhole attachment on your sewing machine! I’ve always been too scared of sewing my fingers to the fabric to use mine!

brook good luck with the rest of the clearing out of cupboards!

Have a pleasant evening everyone.