soops kindly kitcheners and perfect pampered pets.

We have two all-weather hens (metal) called Gregory Peck and Henrietta. They light up in the dark.

Welcome to the new kitcheners. This is a haven of kindness and support with lovely GNs who have the same characteristics. All edible goodies are entirely calorie free so can be indulged ad lib.

Morning everyone. Lovely to hear about and see pictures of your pets. Since being widowed I have thought about getting a cat but I'm not home very often and think it would be unfair on the animal. I not only like to be out during the day but also like to be able to go away on holiday at short notice!

I could not guarantee that Oscar or any other dog would leave this house with both eyes intact.

What a pretty young lady Mia is- I am beginning to lose track of all of the cat and dogs names! To date there are no duplicates so that is a help.

Tara was not happy with me today. She woke me, expecting me to go downstairs to open the door for her to escape for 14 hours or so. I switched on the bedroom TV to listen to the am news and then got up at my leisure. It is very cold here although the sun is out.

I have to return to Waitrose and put on a beaming smile. I bought a new electric toothbrush there yesterday for £70- I dropped my last one down the loo. I looked on line and without exception in every shop I found the same for 1/2 price. Wish me luck.

Good morning, kitcheners. Please don't mention lovely edible goodies - DH has kindly passed his stomach bug onto me... 'nuff said! I am annoyed because I was going to get my hair cut today so I will have to look like a scarecrow for another week! Where on earth do these things come from? I just hope I haven't passed it on to anyone else in the family .

Lisalou Welcome. Sorry about your diet Us lot won't permit good food to go to waste. Do you have photos of Master Stroph, sidekick Domino and Crumble and Pocket? If so, please display them in the Kitchen Gallery of Fame and Good Fortune.

Izabella I mentioned the dismembered e was neither impressed nor amused. Would you believe that a taste of the good life, has turned his head.
A heron, standing motionless at the water's edge, is a beautiful sight.

Greyduster You have a point. Where do such well-travelled, dastardly bugs come from? You are wise to stay put, lie low, and hope to be better for the hair do sometime at the end of next week. A new hair-do invariably lifts the spirits.

Charleyg I recently bought an electric toothbrush for £40. At the time, I thought 'hang on a mo'...why not stick with the manual thing and save a whopping £38. But, I bought it just the same. It is a fine toothbrush. I'm happy with it.

Gaga At first I thought that your real hens lit up. I was somewhat bemused. Then I read your message through carefully. It helps to pay attention.

sunseeker It is true that animals are a tie. MacSporran would like to take a few weekends away. Rory, however, comes first. Unike many normal cats, he would rather tear his tail off than go into a cattery. A no brainer, it seems.

Izabella That should have read... I mentioned the dismembered rat to Rory...my typing finger is on strike!

bags I enjoyed reading Mimi's story. It brought to mind 'A cat called Bob' - ( Matt pointed out the patch at Covent Garden, on which the seller of the 'Big Issue' stood when the stray cat decided to adopt him and ultimately make him a very wealthy man. Also, there was the cat that travelled a few miles each day on public transport. It would board the bus near it's home, and return to the same place later in the day. Sadly, would you believe, some yobs killed the cat. Such cruelty beggars belief.

kitty Have us lot seen a pic of Kiwi? If not, why not.

Galen Are you behaving?

oldgoat Isn't is strange funny that the word VET need needs to be spelt out/whispered whenever the animal is within hearing distance? We had a feral cat named Sweep. He was a bruiser. I took him to the vet in a cardboard box. He broke out of the box in the vet's waiting room and rampaged around the room terrorising the other animals. A lady with a toy dog perched on her lap, waved a dainty handkerchief in Sweep's face, and ordered me to control him. Honest to goodness...

Izabbela Magical names for your hens. You could write a story based on such characters. A friend of ours was telling me about the time he left someone to care for his hens whilst he was away. He had said...should anything go wrong, please don't hesitate to call the vet. A hen managed to hurt it's leg and the minder called the vet. Call out charge and treatment amounted to £44. The hen was eventually "put to sleep"...

annsixty Narla, Charlie and Peanut. Our kitchen deserves an annex for all the creatures.

callgirl! Mia is an honorary member. Thank you and Crafting for asking after MacS

Just left some banana bread if anyone is peckish.

I'm sorry to say that I'm very grumpy and therefore not good company. I've been chasing my tail today. Does anyone else suffer from being overly busy because they just don't say 'no'? We seem to fill part of each day with something or other for others that seems not to need much time but stretches into most of the day. I'm not knocking it as a principle, its good to help others and I enjoy it, but its beginning to take us over. Does that make me sound like a selfish whatsit? If so do tell me! Any tips on saying 'no' without guilt greatly appreciated.

Having had that whinge we did have a lovely breakfast out today, just because we could. Errands for others then. I'm still weary from the cough bug which remains quietly, or not so quietly , in the background so guess that's why I'm ratty, it will all look different very soon, especially if the sun decides to come to our part of the UK again.

The thought of cats and vets made me smile. Two dogs have shared our homes, the first was very laid back and seemed not to hold grudges, the second was the exact opposite and could spell! We only had to say 'v' to have him running and hiding. The poor vet was never pleased to see us .

Best get on, time to return to the paperwork I began last week, I feel better for a moan and will finish it today, maybe

More newcomers, isn't that lovely!

Did anyone bring any bubbly to go with all rhe cake?

It's funny corner but I hate bananas but love banana bread so thank you very much.

Galen, I hope today was manageable for you.

I hope you got some change Charley?

Greyduster, don't worry about your hair, you won't feel like going out anyway.

We can go away at the drop of a hat (silly expression) as our next door neighbour will come in and feed Kiwi. I will look out a photo of him and post it when I get home from childminding.

Not only are all goodies in the kitchen calorie free they are free of all allergens. Importantly though, the does contain alcohol!

For those of you who remember, Bertie the B****r is 5 today and has turned into a sensible, clever, loving little boy and a great credit to DD3 and her DP (no thanks to the Idiot!)

Must go now - I'm taking the children to the pub!

Happy birthday to Bertie, kitty, hope you all enjoy the pub .

corner I'm rather partial to banana bread. I believe that I made some once upon a time. It was moist (may have been undercooked) but went down a treat when thickly spread with butter.
It isn't always easy to say no when asked to help with some task or other. I almost always feel guilty, which is daft. Your on-going cough has pulled you down. You've every reason to feel ratty.
We called in at the vet's surgery yesterday to give an update on Rory's progress. During a conversation about Bracken having a carpeted chalet, I swear MacS winked at the vet...and she returned the wink. Now...can you lot tell me what amused them?

kitty I smiled when I read your news. Hearing that Bertie B is no longer giving cause for alarm was like the cherry on the cake. Well done, Bertie B. A feather in the cap of your daughter and her partner.

OH has just collected Oscar from the vets. Doggie is feeling very sorry for himself and keeps crying pitIfully. The problem is, I think, what they grandly call 'the Elizabethan collar' - in other words the plastic lampshade round his head. He's had a long lasting pain- killing injection so I don't think he's in pain. I've suggested that perhaps he should spend the night in our bedroom but OH is having none of it. Looks like I might be on the sofa instead. Feel so bad at having inflicted this on him but I guess, in the long run it will be for the best. And he won't be chasing any cats for a bit either!

One sad puppy! OH is off to prepare him a light supper of chicken and rice. DD says her dogs will only eat Basmati

oldgoat what a poor, miserable chap- how could you possibly have had that done to him? I would be more than happy to collect him and allow him not only to sleep in my bedroom but on my bed, Tara has her own bedroom. Oscar needs company tonight, poor fellow. I fear if you do not sleep close to him he will whimper all night long and disturb everybody.

oldgoat I'm agreeing with Charleyg - dear Oscar deserves some special pampering. Basmati rice and chicken sounds about right. If I were in your shoes, I would most definitely sleep on the sofa.

Oh oldgoat, poor Oscar. He will understand it was for his own good one day but maybe not just yet. Of course you have his best interests at heart, it just doesn't feel like it. II hope your sofa is comfy, my guess is you won't leave him on his own. Those collars must be so uncomfortable, but maybe better than him not having one. Good luck to you all.

Thank you soop, can I tell everyone I have your permission to be ratty? I have managed to accomplish 50% of my list, so feel a little better. No, I can't imagine what the shared amusement was about, nothing funny there

corner I think that the vet thinks I'm barmy. If so, I agree with her.

Need to log off until tomorrow. Rory is giving me the look that translates...come on missus, I'm famished.

cornergran your post cheered me as I
slumped sat on the sofa watching tv relaxing after a busy day spent volunteering at the local parent and toddler/ baby groups. Altogether we had 50 or so families through the premises today, I love doing it but find that I've filled most of tomorrow and a chunk of Friday with other voluntary activities. No one to blame but myself, will I never learn! No you're not a selfish whatsit, cg 'cos if you are that makes me one too! make efforts to keep the right balance but do have to review it regularly or I find myself overcommitted and feeling ?. But me and the old boy (who is as bad as I am) did have lovely day to ourselves yesterday with a
decadent relaxing afternoon cinema trip followed by a yummy meal at our local curry house.
So if you need someone to remind you to say no sometimes, I'm your woman as long as you promise to do the same for me!
Sadly no pets for us these days, but have had cats, dogs and various small furry creatures in the past. Nowadays happy to enjoy vicarious pleasure from pets in the kitchen and of course the various cats/dogs belonging to our children.
As an aside I'm greatly heartened to hear of other grans taking small children to dine under the Golden Arches or even the pub...love it that we admit to not always reaching for a carrot stick !

Aw, poor Oscar, I hope the sofa is comfy!
Mia is being a pain lately. She follows me into the kitchen, looks as if she`s settled there, but as soon as I push the door to in here to keep the heat in, she pushes it open and comes back. Then as soon a I push it to again, she claws it open and back she goes! I`m sure she does it on purpose! It`s strange that she can go one way with only a ting gap, but coming the other way she pushes the door wide open, the little b---er!

grannyqueenie love it that we admit to not always reaching for a carrot stick Thank goodness for proper grannies - I love you all!

When DGS was younger I used to take him to a local 'Stay and Play' group. Snacks were provided during the session, of the raisins, carrot sticks, bananas and satsumas variety. None of them got as far as DGS's mouth as he didn't like the texture of any of them! He happily helped make courgette scones (think carrot cake) but would not eat them or even chocolate cornflakes. We would stop in a street market on the way home for a small portion of plain rice, which he loved.

Further back to when I was a lass I was given a daily dose of cod liver oil. I hated the stuff and would only take it if I had some 'nicies' (sultanas) piled up ready to shove in my mouth as soon as the vile spoon was removed.

DGS now age 7 is still very picky about his food but we manage to give him a balanced healthy diet, through subterfuge sometimes and great praise at others. You should have heard our cheers when he actually licked a sprout on Sunday, but only because Grandma (me) had grown it specially for him in my garden!

Soop feeling much better today thanks. Attended my course ( on addiction and depression) very cheerful. But we were given lunch and I managed a little cold meat and salad and a cube of cheeses.

You're a stalwart Galen !

Well done Galen - you are a trooper!

(I'm not really sure what a trooper is but I think it's a compliment)