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

Usedtobeblonde

I would certainly have that cat on display LLFL
I think it is quirky and definitely a talking point.
I would be proud to have made it.

Thank you!

‘Evening All’

I’ve felt a bit lost and melancholy at times yesterday evening and again today. Grief isn’t linear, as my counsellor reminded me. However almost six months into widowhood, my emotions certainly unmoored me.

I met a dear friend at 6pm. We shared a bottle of wine and some Lebanese food at the restaurant around the corner. She’s the same age as me. Widowed 7 years now sadly, so she just ‘gets it’. We knew one another’s husbands which helps our understanding. Anyway I feel calmer tonight and my equilibrium is restored.

I love the cat LLFL - China is quite a talking piece! I can see why you bought him (I’ve decided he’s male 🤷‍♀️). Mind yo, another fitting name could’ve have been ‘Marmite’.

However, I’m in the ‘like’ corner. 😁

Just saying, I made that cat myself! I attended a day at a Craft Centre near Henley. A group of us spent the day making cats and they were taken away for firing. I collected mine on Monday.

I hope tomorrow is a brighter day FGT.

I love China the cat Llfl well done! 👍

Hot again today, 32 degrees not far from here. Saw my dementia friend this afternoon, as usual no windows open, just a fan on, I was dripping when I went home!
Did very little again today, I sat and read this evening, listening to bell ringing practice in the church at the end of the road. Newcomers to the village complain about the noise keeping their children awake, but it’s only for 2 hours on one evening a week. I find it quite comforting to know that some traditions are carried on.
You’re very talented llfl. I’ve never tried pottery, I missed the artistic gene when it was handed out!

Night night everyone, hope tomorrow is a better day fgt.

Super cat llfl, definitely a keeper and one to be proud of.

Oh heck. grandmab I remember those days with our two and the very different but equally trying sort with granddaughters. Hope the wine went down well 😊

Strange day weather wise here. Humid and sticky, a light shower late afternoon to settle the dust did little else good. A few spots this evening, we were hoping for some steady overnight rain, doesn’t look like it.

I’ve been very slow today, done a lot of sitting. My BP has been in my boots, it happens sometimes. Was back up by early evening when I looked at the chores I had planned to do today and made a list! A remote meeting and a grocery delivery in the morning, not sure what else. I might get to the chores, on the other hand I might not.

Sleep tight everyone.

I decoded to do some serious paper scrunching last night and founs one item I had been looking for and others I had no idea I possessed

My cleaner thinks I have too much of everything and would prefer if I had two sets of clothes and underwear, one on and one in the wash. I am aware that paperwork should be filed but that word is foreign to me.

Yesterday there was rain 2 miles away but zilch here, weird.

Here it is 21C, dull, and I am feeling cold but it will change. In 3 months I will be moaning about my heating bills.

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202608/medium-dgnsxe-img-4552.jpeg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202608/medium-fvugxz-img-4551.jpeg

Hello kitchen people,

The WI coffee morning was fun. I spent an hour there and enjoyed some delicious coffee cake.

On my return home Ripley the cat tried to bring a snake into the house. OH grabbed it off her as it wriggled and squirmed. I have a dread of snakes. It was a grass snake, around two feet long. Definitely not an adder, although similar. OH finished it off as Ripley had half killed it. I took some photos so we could properly identify it, and it was indeed a grass snake. An adder would have bitten Ripley and possibly killed her.

Have a good evening.

llfl! I'm not scared of snakes if they are behind glass, but i wouldn't have one as a guest.
I have been very lazy today. Tomorrow will be better. Enjoy your evening kitchen folk.

Every cloud Charleygirl 🙂
I’m not bothered by snakes, as long as I can see them and I love your cat, it’s rather sphinx like, how tall is it llfl? You have a definite eye.
Library today, I love a new read, then the pharmacy and a very small grocery shop. There are road works in our village and they are causing a lot of queues with the associated ill feeling, horns a plenty!
It has been a really pleasant temperature today too, still no wet stuff.

Hello everyone, it’s cooler this evening, 22 outside, I just have to reduce the temperature indoors, currently 27!

I walked to the pharmacy for my regular prescription first thing this morning, did some washing and put it out to dry. I ironed some of it this afternoon. Also brushed some more sand onto the drive in an effort to discourage the weeds.

Watered some of the garden with a watering can, I need to get some vine weevil killer having seen one walking along the compost of a new plant!
llfl I’m not keen on snakes, we did have a grass snake in the garden years ago, it was trying to swallow a frog. Eventually the frog got away and the snake disappeared.
Looking forward to a cooler day tomorrow before yet another heatwave. Please let it rain soon, preferably overnight, but any time will be welcome.

Thinking of those in the quiet corner, hoping you feel able to post again soon.

Enjoy the rest of the evening, it’s getting dark!

‘Evening All’

I’ve enjoyed today. Yoga was challenging, we did the ‘pigeon’. I could feel the benefit all the stretching did to my muscles.

Lunch with dear friends of many years (both widowed - one male who is struggling, one female who is stoic in company) was supportive and provided companionship at its best. We’ve said let’s meet once a month.

Then a roast dinner with family and on to watch L’il Miss swimming. She swam 8 lengths without stopping, doing 4 different strokes. She’ll be asleep now I guess!

We were forecast rain this morning and it went very dark but nothing happened. Watering with cans again.
Lots of funeral phone calls today and trying to contact old friends. I am on duty at the charity cafe tomorrow so I have baked my famous sausage rolls and a ginger cake. I mustn’t forget the milk too.
Sleep well everyone x

Just trying to catch up with kitchen news and failing miserably.

FGT2 pigeon is a good stretch, well done you 👍

I think the warm weather has brought the snakes out Ladyleftfieldlover we had one trying to get into our garage back door last week 🐍

Hope all in the quiet corner are ok 👌

Just a late kitchen visit from me before I turn out the bedroom light 😴
I’ve no idea what a pigeon is fgt but I don’t think I could do it, well done to you though
There’s no sign of snakes up here thank goodness - it’s nowhere near warm enough 😂 We’ve had none stop rain since early afternoon, I’m happy to share if anyone would like some …
Nannytopsy so much to sort out and difficult calls to make, thinking of you 💐

Hope

Yes, please brook, a share of your rain would be more than welcome. Our primarily clay back garden has cracks that could hide a baby giraffe. I’m finding it quite upsetting now. Mr C is doing stirling work watering. I’m banned from can carrying (of the water type!) so can’t really help although as we’re permitted to I do sometimes wield a hose. We’re lucky I know, most things are alive but somehow have lost their personality, just hanging on in there.

My gardens have always meant a lot, they’re a representation of who I am and our life together. Pottering in the garden is my happy place. We have plants from friends, family (some nurtured for over 50 years, they moved when we did) and neighbours. Many of the givers are no longer alive other than in their plants. It’s never pristine, weeds share space, I’m no landscape gardener. When we’ve moved, as we have many times, I’ve never felt sad at leaving a house that has been a home, always felt sad for leaving the garden. The family got used to me wandering round saying goodbye to the planting.

Before I get too carried away wishing for rain I wonder how many grey and wet days it will take for me to wish this weather back. Not many I suspect 😂

It’s been a decent couple of days here. I’m unreasonably chuffed for contributing to a Teams meeting. I’d never ventured into the world of Teams before. We’ve finalised the purchase of a different car, with luck can collect on Friday. A painful left shoulder has a lot to answer for. Insurance sorted, the refund on our current insurance was processed immediately, odd I thought as it’s current until midnight on Friday. All I need to do once the garage has sorted the rfl is to remember to change the registration on the local parking app. I forgot 5 years ago and it cost us £60. Oops. Our elder son is staying tomorrow night, a rare treat for us.

Can’t say snakes are my favourite creatures ladylfl, that must have been a bit of a shock.

Oh well. It’s late, or early. I’m still not tired although my brain is slowly striking. Mr C is snoring away comfortably, it doesn't bother me, it’s not loud. I remind myself how I welcomed it when he was poorly after cardiac surgery, I knew he was still with me.

Night night everyone. Hope I’m the only one not sleeping.

Corner I feel the same about our garden, it’s definitely my happy place too and even though it would probably be a good idea for us to downsize I’m not ready to leave the garden yet. Hope you eventually got some sleep last night and enjoy your new car when you get it tomorrow

I’d like some rain too please brook and share your dismay corner.
It’s only in the last few years I’ve really tried with flowers, previously it was always veg, I’ve had inordinate pleasure with every blossom, now it’s all dust and dead plants. This darned hip limits me so much, MrJ has been brilliant, but it’s not his passion, plus the hosepipe ban - stuffed.
I too hope you slept corner.
Difficult days Nannytopsy, sausage rolls sound yummy.

Dear kitchen folk, I hope you have had a decent day. Corner I hope you managed a decent sleep. Brook you have posted photos of your garden in the past and it looks lovely. Jaxjacky I'm sorry that your hip is still causing you problems. I thank god that snakes don't feature in my garden. It's much too cold here, usually.
Today I cleared the washing and drying. I emptied, loaded and emptied the dishwasher and tidied up the kitchen. I also hoovered and washed all the floors. So a satisfactory day for me. Later I will dust the blinds. Tomorrow it will all be messed up as I am looking after dgs2. Dd has a work day. I have booked soft play for him this time! The rest of the time will be spent playing. Enjoy your evening kitchen folk.

Hi kitchen friends, I am currently collapsed on the sofa with a very large glass of wine, DH is at the BBQ (peri-peri chicken & homemade burgers)

We have had an interesting day, DH pre booked parking st our local station, when we arrived this morning there were no spaces so he parked in short stay which is only 3 hours. We await the fine.

Arrived at Tower of London, showed my e-tickets and discovered I had booked for next Thursday 🤦‍♀️. The supervisor took sympathy on an old lady and signed off our tickets and let us enter. I then had to fess-up to DH…

The Imp and 11yr old had a great time as did us grown ups. I had forgotten how opulent the Crown Jewels are.

We came back here and the boys have been swimming had their BBQ early and now gone home.

We are exhausted.

Thinking of all in the quiet corner 🙋‍♀️

Oh GrannyGravy, my sympathy. A catalogue of things going wrong. Enjoy your wine

Just lost my post!
grannygravy I’m pleased you enjoyed your day - eventually!

cornergran i did enjoy reading your post. My garden is usually my happy place but not this year. I’m not enjoying sitting out this year, it all looks so sad and dead! I hope it will grow again when we’ve had a lot of rain and hope the gardener didn’t pull up the whole plants when he was pulling off the dead leaves!!

A hectic morning, lots of emails and phone calls between me, my co executor and our solicitor discussing the next steps in my godmother’s estate. I think we’re sorted for the moment, until the next deadline looms!

I cleared quite a lot of brambles invading my garden from next door, then finished the ironing. Feeling quite virtuous now, but tired, I was awake before 6.00.

Enjoy the rest of the evening everyone.

‘Evening All’

I love the sound of your day anyway GG13! I’ve never been to the ToL and I bet seeing the Crown Jewels is pretty magical.

I’ve enjoyed the day in Bury with friends. They are the kindest couple. We had a great catch up with good conversation and lovely food although I admit to a shedding a few tears just at the beginning. Seeing them happy together and me missing Himself sitting next to me undid me when I talked about him (briefly - I do remember not to bring people down and wallow). I rallied. Reminded myself how Himself urged me to Stay Strong.

My birthday is coming up soon and I’m feeling a tad more emotional these days. I just miss him terribly. I don’t feel as brave as I did at the beginning. I think the relief I felt originally is slowly being replaced by an overwhelming sense of unbearable loss. I felt so empty when I let myself in at home but I’ve had a good cry and made a mug of tea.

Tomorrow is a whole new day untouched.

I didn’t get much sleep last night and it’s catching up with me. Most of the packing done, just bits to finish tomorrow. We shall spend the week with DS, DD, spouses and 4 GC on a French campsite. We may need a holiday afterwards!

I’m sorry you had a bad day FGT but I hope you have a good night. I have been making “death phonecalls” today to save my sister in law. Most were fine but just one undid me from the moment the phone was answered. Why that one?
Our garden is dying day by day - the bin is full of dead perennials, fruit bushes, shrubs. Let’s hope we get lots of rain before long and all winter.