Soop's special kitchen for like-minded folk and treasured pets

I know the feeling of a strange empty home without a beloved animal. It'll take time to adjust to a home without Rory and I'm sure many tears are still left to be shed, but hopefully many happy memories of that big black cat will eventually smooth over the sadness. Thinking of you both and sending love ? xx

Just caught up soop, damp eyes here thinking about your beloved Rory. A very fitting last journey and what a wonderful decision for macs to stay with him. Your shared love for Rory has shone through everything you have written. Your family get together sounds a truly wonderful one. Very pleased you travelled safely, you are right, there is much kindness in the world.

That empty feeling is one I know well. Our last dog left us many years ago, only after moving house did I stop looking for his face at the door on returning home.

Off I go. Have enjoyed a day out today and now must think food, apparently Mr C is thinking he will never see food again Take care everyone.

Sending much love to special people and a special cat.

So sorry to hear about Rory. What a lovely idea for his resting place.

Sad news for you and MacS but you gave Rory a wonderfully happy life after his feral days. He will always live on in your hearts.
((((hugs)))) to you both.

Soop I have just come in and read your sad news about Rory. That laddie fell on his feet when he wandered into your lives. He couldn't have two better people watching over him, and he and Bracken brought you much joy, I know. A very sad finish to your lovely family trip, but your photos reflect the happy time you had together! Torben is a handsome fellow!
I have just come back from a fishing trip I shouldn't have gone on. I thought I was feeling better but I actually faded out after about three hours. DH, who drove me today, said it is the first time he has ever known me ask for one of the camping stools we keep in the car to sit on. But conditions were near perfect and I caught three good fish and lost another before I threw in the towel. The fish must have been feeling sorry for me. And The Boss lost his glasses. Hopefully someone will find them and hand them in to the fishery office.
I'll catch up with everyone and the new kitchen when I feel a bit more human!

I do like moving into another new kitchen but there is an emptiness today as the handsome very goooooood boy is no longer with us.

Why did I think that getting rid of our bath would be a good idea? Silly b****y woman! I am tempted to drag it out of the skip in the drive!!

Oh Soop your wee hoose will be a quiet place this evening. ?

Soop. Sad news for you to come home to.
Well now, a new kitchen needs a glass raised as a toast! Cheers everyone

The kitchen has been very quiet the last couple of days soop . I think we all sensed you would be coming home to the sad news of Rory's death. He had an eventful life and now has a respectful, loving final bed in the forest. My love to you and MacSporran and I hope you both recover from feeling poorly soon. It will be a while though before you stop thinking you see Rory out of the corner of your eye

The family photos look lovely. I'm so pleased all your travel arrangements worked well and you had a good time over the weekend.

Greyduster sorry to hear you're not feeling well, despite enjoying your fishing. Do you keep the ones you catch or chuck 'em back in for another day?

I'm off to bed for an early night but I've left an apple pie in the kitchen. It's still a bit warm too and there's some toffee ice-cream in the freezer if you'd like some to go with the pie

Ooh apple pie! That's one of my 5 a day.
And everybody knows toffee ice cream grows on trees, so that's another one

swanny they are all safely released to fight another day. Barbless hooks and making sure they don't come out of contact with the water make it very quick and easy. Beyond a certain size, they are not very palatable anyway unless you smoke them.

soop and MacSporran so sorry to hear about Rory. I like your thoughts about putting him back into the woodlands where he came from. He enjoyed a happy life with the two of you. You will miss him but at least you know he had a peaceful end with his friend MacS with him. ?

soop, its all been said really. So many of us sharing your tears as we read about your beloved Rory. My first "meeting" with him was when you made me welcome to the kitchen a couple of year ago, and you said Rory would move over and let me share the sofa. From what I've read about him since that feels like a privilege. RIP the much loved Rory

I can truthfully say that I have never experienced such kindness as I have on Gransnet. You lot are amazing. A huge thank you to every one of you. You have made a difference.

MacSporran and I are unwell with the chesty cough buggeration. We've cancelled the harvest supper do in the village hall on Friday. Any plans that we mulled over concerning our forthcoming anniversary, are on hold. We hope to have a weekend away once we feel very much better.
Our pals from the village called in this morning. They helped to lighten our mood considerably. I invited her to drop off the ironing. This afternoon I shall complete it in several sessions. It will help my pal. It will also help to divert my attention. Thoughts of Rory are very much centre stage right now.

Having had lunch and coffee I'm about ready to start the session. It usually take two and a half hours to complete, after which, I shall pop into the kitchen for updates.

soop it sounds as though the pair of you may need to be on antibiotics as you both have picked up this buggeration. We are all too far away to do any shopping for you, but we can dictate advise from afar.

It is a lovely idea planning a getaway when you both feel better. No point wasting money now.

Afternoon all,

Have a vision of you covered in bubbles in your bath on the drive grey - should make front page news.

Your family pictures looked wonderful soop and I suspect you had much news to share with MacS . Sorry to hear you both are unwell though soop , keep a close eye on it before it escalates to something more. I have my birthday on hold because I was too poorly to enjoy it so know what you mean about your anniversary. Shame about the harvest supper though.

No news here - its like groundhog day although ......look away now those of a nervous disposition...... I did some Christmas shopping today !!!

I am unusually late in getting started . We make a huge deal of Christmas and I have to start early to get it all done. They toy shop was packed this morning so I'm not the only one ;-)

Christmas? Oh blimey n&g, can't get to that yet although in fairness we have a tiny family and don't buy adult gifts, so it's never onerous.

It does sound as if you both would benefit from a trip to a medical person, soop. Think about it? Postponing your trip is an excellent idea, something to look forward to when those bugs have finally packed their suitcases and gone. Take it easy with the ironing, overdoing it is a seriously bad idea

I'm sat looking at rain, only a shower I think. Had thought to be out and about but Mr C has hurt his neck, no, nothing to do with me although no idea what he has done. . Have booked him an appointment on Friday with a private physio who is very good, hopefully she can either treat or advise. In the meantime there is a very long face (his) and a frustrated one (mine) as someone refuses to either take pain meds, try heat or see if the stretching excercises I was taught would help ease it. I'm not unsympathetic, honestly I'm not, or not yet .

Hope the Boss was able to retrieve his glasses, greyduster and you are more comfortable today. I tried a bath recently, couldn't get out, so a walk in shower was definitely the best plan for us.

Oh well, off to pretend to be Florence Nightingale, won't be long, I'd never have made a nurse . Take care all.

I meant to say yesterday, how nice that we`ve now left the café and set up in our own right.

Awww, corner, you are norty, but I like you.

N&G I looked away. Honest!
MacSporran came back from the shop with a thermometer. This means one thing. He's deadly serious. He has decreed that we both need lots of TLC. Who am I to spoil the fun.

Swanny the apple pie and real custard would go down a treat right this minute. My appetite is impaired. I'm having a bowl of porridge later.

Finished the ironing. Have a cup of tea and, thanks to another pal in the village, a box of chocs! We've had two each. The box has gone undercover.

Greyduster You are a kindly fisher woman.

Charleyg I have taken your kind advice to heart.

You are right. There is an empty space in our home. Looking through the bedroom window, we can just about see Rory's resting place because the woodland is on a steep-ish slope. I have left the chalet/cat cave for any passing hedgehog to snuggle down in. I've washed Rory's many blankets and cushion covers. The sofa looks awfully bare. You lot are very welcome to loll on his chaise. His bowls are stored in the back of the cupboard. The towering contents of his larder are to be shared between a pal with a feral cat and the Cat Protection League in Campbeltown. It really was a pleasure to share Rory's antics with you. It's also very comforting to share our feelings with you. You've been extremely kind.

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Torben had fun with his uncle's app. Don't ask me what that means. I'm sooooooo last century.