soops kindly kitcheners and perfect pampered pets.

N&G it is a long story that not all will be interested in (you may not be when you read it) so I'll send you a PM!

I feel dreadful this morning. At GS's party yesterday when we were dishing out the cake, I asked one of the dads (we know the family) if he would like to take a piece for his younger child. He said yes as long as there was no dairy in it because she was lactose intolerant, which I knew. I said no, there wasn't. I woke up in the early hours and suddenly remembered that it was not the Victoria sandwich mix I had used, but the Bero milk chocolate mixture, which has evaporated milk in it!!! As early as I could, I phoned DD and she said that she'd phone and find out if there had been any ill effects. I am still waiting to hear. DD had a text from the mum yesterday evening to say how nice the cake was, but I don't know if her daughter had had any at that stage. I hope to goodness the little one turned her nose up at it! I don't know how I could have been so stupid .

W Good morning,

So much to catch up on here. Lovely pictures, mouthwatering cakes and news of builders and of everyone else. Grey and wet drizzly snow here. One hand typing much improved. My Trek MTB bike has been returned by the bike mechanic and all is well. A few tweaks and tightenings up, a new brake cable and pad and a new pedal and wheel alignment checked. Pleased I asked him to look as OH said it was OK after the crash.

Lots of flowers everywhere and a few grumbles from florist delivery drivers re: our mud!! I finally finished The Tenant of Wildfell Hall yesterday and look forward to the next donated book. I have a whole pile, not that I intend staying put for long. Oh and I have found a friend with a static bike I can use.

N&G sounds like you need to give feedback to you estate agent re the babysitting time Wasters!! So OH baking bread, Bella on snow patrol and brisket in the slo cooker. # clinic again tomorrow. However it's REALLY snowing now.

Happy to make a one handed pot of tea if anyone else is around for a cuppa? May take a tad longer than usual.

LOL Maw you could be right !!! I didn't think of that. I obviously look trustworthy although I think Sam was the main draw.

As it happens there will be parrots and we have rented a house with an indoor pool so there will probably be walking the plank !!

It looks a lovely area with lots to do and I noticed a couple of country parks had Trampers for hire ( a sort of 4 wheel drive mobility scooter) so I shall be trying that out.

I hadn't heard that WI story but it did make me laugh - that would be me !!

How odd N&G do you think they were on Granny duty and had run out of ways to entertain their DGD?
DD and SIL have a weekend/holiday house between Chard and Crewkerne at Cricket St Thomas. If they are down I will warn them to look out for pirates!! The little boys would be thrilled especially if you had a parrot on your shoulder too!
Do you remember that story of a WI meeting where the talk was on (I think) being captured by Somali pirates, much in the news at the time. One poor lady misunderstood and came dressed in a stripey jumper with a patch over one eye and a toy parrot sewn on to her shoulder ???

Good Morning all !!

Its a grey old day here again. I don't mind the cold at all...but oh how I miss blue skies ! And I hate having to put the lights on !

Grey I am very curious about your hobby of fishing. You're the only lady I know who does it and wondered how you got into it? Hope you don't mind me asking?

Our viewings yesterday were a little odd. Well one of them was. It was a Nana and Grandad and their little toddler granddaughter. They stayed an hour and were MOST thorough in their questioning and looking in cupboards ( something I NEVER do when I'm viewing but hey ho !!) . But they just abandoned the little tot ( she was about 3 I think) in the lounge and headed off round the house. I ended up with her on my lap as she was worried about where they had gone. So I babysat for an hour. ...who does that???

Worse than that - I didn't really like them . Well the lady was fine if a little vague but the gentleman was one of those who felt obliged to tell us things we didn't need to know , like he owns this and that and is very rich and ....etc etc etc.... All very odd.

Love the pics soop as always .Food for my soul x

Wow Charley all that work sounds marvellous and hard work. But good for you on getting stuck in. Bit cold for open doors though. Hope there's somewhere you can shut yourself away and get a little warm. Its such a shame your technology skills are rubbish not up to snuff Id love to see the finished job.

I didn't realise you're in Somerset Corner . I'm off to your neck of the woods in 3 weeks. Every other year I spend a week with my brother and sisters and their husbands/wife . We eat too much , drink too much and get very silly. The theme for this year is Pirates - complete with costumes !! We shall be near Chard- any thing I should go and see?

Well , a quiet day for us, no viewings, no visitors, Grampy will cooking Sunday lunch so I feel a little crafting is in order .

Happy Days one and all x

Lona that is not a cake, it is a work of art! The work that must have gone into it I would just want to put it in a glass case and gaze at it!

We are just back from an afternoon at GS's party. Sixteen ten year olds all playing football at the local leisure centre and loving every minute of it. The food was nice, the staff were lovely, and the cake went down a storm! Then in the evening we went out for a family dinner.

While we were at the leisure centre I found out they do walking football and I am now working on DH to have a go. I think it would do him good but I think I have a uphill job on my hands! He needs to be persuaded gently!

Not a good result for Wales today - DH sorely disappointed.
Goodnight kitcheners!

Blimey charley, you don't go in for half measures. I think you deserve a medal. If your builders want a holiday please suggest Somerset to them. It will be wonderful when it's done. Hang on in there. As you say the worst is over. Don't expect the dust to go for, well, months. I have a theory that it hides and waits for a room to be cleaned and then jumps out and has a party . I'm envious of your kitchen/diner, we don't have that option so I am destined to spend my time cooking in a large cupboard, All right, I exaggerate, but not that much. Good luck with it all, it will be worth it, it will be wonderful. Just don't freeze during the process. Stay warm and well.

corner I have read a couple but not the others. After the work I am having done is finished, I will be retiring to a darkened room for 6 months.

I do realise that any day now the men in white coats will be picking me up. The builders did such a good job outside and in the loft that they have started indoors. Everything that is being done is for the "last time". For a 3 bedroom house my kitchen is tiny so I am having a kitchen/diner. The dividing load bearing wall has been knocked down and the fellows fitted the RSJ today. The amount of dust is horrendous, not helped by the fact that the gopher gets rid of 20% of the dust, obviously not seeing the rest.

I have suggested to his father the boss that his son stays with me for a couple of days for retraining.

There have been 4 of them beavering away and the work is excellent. One in particular has very good design ideas and also has helped tremendously by getting keys cut for me, sourcing a similar light for the dining area, sourcing cupboard doors to match what I have, and ringing his mum who knows a lot about blinds, what is in fashion and what is not. Many others would leave me to struggle on my own. If anybody lives in London or Hertfordshire or thereabouts please PM me because I would vouch for them any day.

Today was bitterly cold and my French doors were wide open as was the kitchen window so I was perishing here. They needed access to my garden to get rid of the rubbish temporarily so were in and out like yo yos. The worst is now over, I hope.

They are also going to paint the entire house indoors within the price arranged. That really was an added bonus. Prior to that I was not going to have it done.

Oh come on crafting, you and I both know that you've already had two massive chunks!

Wow what a cake Lona. Er, so where is it? The big wedge you brought in to share with us.

Welcome Retrolady. I'd offer you some but I can't find where Lona's hidden it yet.

Flipping feeezing here today, no snow, sort of wish there were. We bit the bullet and started on the car 'stuff'. There seems to be little agreement, anyone up for some mediation? I think there is enough left in the car for two more bags. Oh well, tomorrow is another day. Is it too late to change our minds and get a bigger car? . I'm hoping it is worth it charley, we share the car and in fairness this one wasn't top of my list but Mr C loved it. Your library sounds much more civilised than the junk in our car. Have you read the books? If so I suggest a stop off at a charity shop the next time you go out would do it. If not, there has to be room indoors after all that clearing out .

One supporting England and one Wales here greyduster, didn't actually watch it, just very smug afterwards. .

Good for Jackson n&g, it's also good to know his Mum keeps good time . He's a great character. That second viewing is good news, even better that you liked the family. I always said I would t sell any of our homes to anyone I didn't like. There were times Mr C insisted suggested I go out when viewers were due. Can't think why.

Pleased you found us retrolady. Good to see you. If I could knit I'd be joining you, that's if you aren't comatose after all that walking. Knitting always seems so relaxing, if you know how to do it . Can't help with the hair, other than maybe a trendy hat?

That cake should be banned lona, its had me heading for the kitchen for something decidedly unhealthy. Well, it is Saturday.

No sun here today. soop, love the photos. We have two, yes two, snowdrops out in the garden. I am unreasonably excited. Feet up time now, ready for round two of the great car battle tomorrow. Stay warm and well everyone.

It was two chocolate sponges with chocolate ganache,very moist,when we eventually forced a knife through the top!
Sparklers on the top too.

Lona and Greyduster seeing those beautiful cakes reminded me that I need something to eat. Greyduster I only hope that you managed to get the cake to its destination in one piece. It will be very much appreciated.

N&G what a proud young man- so pleased to hear that mummy also turns up on time.

So pleased to hear that at least people are viewing your property and that there is a second viewing scheduled soon. Even better if you like each other.

Retrolady if you do not mind I am trying to avoid cake like the plague. Welcome to the kitchen- have you met Rory yet? I would not like to think that you interrupted his sleep.

Jud you have so little time to yourself as it is taken up with that gorgeous little girl who appears to be progressing slowly. It will be a long haul I fear.

soop I am jealous of your sunny day. I am not sure what that is. It is bitterly cold here in London and we had flurries of snow mid morning but insufficient to lie. Your photos as always are beautiful, I love the snowdrops.

corner now that you are in the swing of clearing cars out perhaps you would like to start on mine! I have a library on the back seat and I believe the law is that I am not allowed to read and drive. I do hope that you will notice a difference re your petrol consumption- it should go further and save you some money.

Forgot to say that before I build my next, I am going for a walk to test out my pedometer. Just bought one which only counts steps, as I can't cope with anything complicated, and aiming at 10,000 per day.
Well, I'm back now, completely (am I allowed to say knackered?) tired out and have done 8411 steps - not bad for a first time out. I didn't intend to do so many, but got so far and needed to get back again. I did, briefly, think of phoning Himself to pick me up, then remembered he's plonked himself in front of the rugby. Ah well, it's all good exercise and is supposed to make me calmer, ward off aches and pains, help the muffin top to disappear and become a pancake and go some way to preventing dementia. All in all, my body is shortly to become a temple to healthy living and all-round perfection. All round is right anyway.
Watch this space and prepare to fall over in admiration, or laughter, not sure which yet. Time will tell.
See you all soon.
PS Any thoughts on how to prevent the hair resembling Worzel Gummidge when walking in the big outside world? Not the image I'm trying to portray at all. Apologies to any small children I may have frightened en route.

Oh Lona I love that cake !! Xx

That cake!! It's amazing!!

That's a beautiful moon soop
NandG I had lots of viewings when I sold my house, but it was the only second viewer who bought it. I've got my fingers crossed for that nice family, they sound just right.
I've been for 'second day' birthday lunch with my dgd (18 yesterday), and family. Her cake was amazing, I shall try to post a pic. Not made with TLC though like greydusters

Oh dear! It's that time again. I've been happily occupied and haven't noted the time of day. Suddenly, I've stuff to do that isn't connected with painting.

I'm wishing you all a peaceful and pleasant evening. I shall pop in for catch-up tomorrow.

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Early morning moon and this eve's sunset.

Retrolady ....hello [waves] .

I did smile at your comment on how their mum gets their whites clean!! I used to think that about cricket whites when Grampy played !

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Greyduster

A big, warm, friendly welcome to Retrolady. Us lot say that the more, the merrier.
Although I have little idea regarding the rules of rugby, I've taken a liking to supporting Scotland. In fact, whenever they play, our cat, Rory, takes leave and sits outside the door. I get rather carried away...or so my husband, MacSporran thinks. I'm a great fan of Greg Laidlaw.

It is a gloriously sunny day in Kintyre. The air is crystal clear. The daffodils are in bud. The birds are chirping merrily. I'm about to prepare to return to the current watercolour painting. This is the time to "hold back" and "not over tiddle".

NanaandGrampy I echo Maw's message to Jackson...you most certainly are a STAR!

The second viewing sounds very hopeful. I like the sound of the interested family. I feel that you may very well return to exchange very welcome news with ^us nosey lot*. If and when you do, we'll help you to celebrate.

Hello everyone, I've not been here before and my map-reading skills not being what they should be, had to ask for directions from the old venue. Thanks to everyone who pointed me in the right direction.
It's bloomin' freezing here; I'm considering abandoning the idea of going for a daily walk to get the blood pumping and just sit and think about it.
On the other hand ... the rugby's on later on; I'm not a fan; the OH is and gets fed up with me trying to take an interest, asking questions, worrying about how on earth their mothers get their kit clean; who decided white was a good idea etc..., etc...
I may just build a nest on the settee and do some 'mindful' knitting. Anyone care to join me. I'll put the kettle on if you bring cake.

Oh Maw have you been in the car with us on our trips to view !!! Never a truer word spoken in jest that's for sure.

We had found one Grampy loved but have lost that as we have been unable to progress and to be fair in hind sight our hearts had ruled our heads on that one so must have been fate.

We'll move into rented if we have to but we wont look again until we have sold.

N&G a second viewing is definitely a good sign. Selling your house is very stressful and I hope you get some good news soon. Like you, we changed our agent and it got things moving. The first ones were hopeless. Jackson looks very proud of himself and so he should be - and he's certainly got mum trained by the sound of it.

Maw DH would be glued to the rugby this afternoon, but he'll have to tape it as we will be out ?! England will have a toughie against Wales today - Cardiff is a bit of a bugbear venue for them.
Corner I sympathise with you about cleaning the car out. When we emptied ours out two weeks ago I unearthed things I hadn't seen for ages, including a walking pole I had been using as a wading stick. Don't remember it going back into the car and when I couldn't find it I assumed it had been left on a river bank somewhere! This (nearly) new car has less room for "stuff" than the other one did and DH is anxious to keep it looking tidy! He has no chance. The fishing season is looming, when it will be full of rods, bags, nets, muddy waders etc etc! Cue maniacal laugh HAHAHAHA!!!!