Soops cosy kitchen for kind peoples and precious pets !

N&G I'd better borrow the wand and keep,practicing then, although considering how many things seem to backfire on me recently, I will probably be the one hopping about saying "ribbit" ?. I hope you have a jolly good holiday HaHaargh!

I am popping in to see my old boss today as they are winding the company up next week - he and the other partner are retiring. I went to work there twenty six years ago when there was just the original founder, his secretary and myself. He built the company up to be a name in its field and then he sold it on to two of the directors who have run it since. I saw both of them recruited into the firm; we all sort of grew into it together and are friends. The end of an era.

Ann if I could I'd wrap you up and take you with me. Only requirements are a pirate bandana and an ability to sink a glass or three of your chosen tipple. With so many adults there we could lighten your load if only for a week.

Yes maybe test your spells out first Grey I don't want to end up as bait on your next fishing trip .

Sam knows something is afoot ! He has climbed on the sofa and fallen asleep with his head on my knee so the slightest movement will wake him and ensure he is not left behind.

He is off to spend a few days with Jackson and Cooper which is a holiday in itself !

A flying visit. Not been around for a couple of days as I have been re-X rayd and the implants are not so good. have a couple of cracks developing so busy with insurance and all that jazz.

Will drop by later with scones - fruit this time. Where they all go I have no idea considering I don't eat them. Sheets blowing on the line.

I sincerely hope all those struggling with t he various problems feel better today or at least a able to have coped. I am now going to arrange some hellebores in a vase and will think of you all.

Good afternoon dear people. You've all been up and about and extra busy and now I am hoping to play catch-up...nothing new there then.

ann I read shared your post with MacSporran. Do you want my advice? Keep a very low profile whenever that particular person suggests meeting up. The very sound of her, irritates me. Mildred is right. So-called friend is self-centred. End of.

N&G Us lot look forward to the next batch of family photos.

Greyduster You'll be reminiscing in style... I trust that you'll have a bottle of bubbly to share. As you say, it's the end of an era. And a happy and productive one it was, too.

N&G There is still no sign of Bracken...Rory continues to stare off into the woodland. Our fear is that she may be injured and lying somewhere way out of reach.

Izabella I'm sorry to hear that there is an unwanted blip in what has been a very steady and positive recovery.
I like fruit scones. I also love hellebores. See you later.

Help yourself ........

?

Thank you, Izabella, just in time for a and a tasting of your yummy looking scones. I've spent an hour on my hands and knees under the ancient willow in our garden. Made a pretty good job of clearing another barrow-load of dried, dead stuff. The ground can breathe again. Small green shoots are open to daylight. I had to run indoors due to a hail storm of mega proportions.

Galen What is that strange symbol meant to convey? I'm "so last century" and need educating...

Swanny, I'm so glad you're going to be involved in the Protect Study. My mum had dementia, eventually being sectioned, which was awful. I wish I had known then what I know now about that dreadful disease.

At this point, I'm going to come over all slushy ... can I say what a great place this is. I was given the heads-up by Cornergran because I was getting fed up with the some of the squabbling and point scoring, masquerading as rational argument on the main pages. I've just spent a while working backwards through the messages (yep, just like you do, Corner!) and you're all ... pauses while searching for words ... just like me. Not sure if that's a good thing, but I get the feeling we're all pretty normal - just keeping on keeping on, because that's what we do. There are some people coping with some right rubbishy stuff here. It's a testament to the atmosphere in the Kitchen that you can come here and know we'll care. I've just thought, I guess all the above rambling is an anti-rant, isn't it?

Meanwhile, in RetroTowers, it's pretty quiet, mostly because I've temporarily lost the hearing in one ear. All bunged up, according to the Nurse at the docs, who prescribed olive oil drops till next Wednesday, then a good old syringing out. I'd hope she'd take an industrial strength hose to it last week, but apparently one has to do the oil thing first nowadays. Driving me potty it is too. I feel slightly befuddled, which is even worse than my normal confused and slightly out of step state. Just been to the hairdressers and explained to her and she still kept on trying to talk over the noise of the flippin' hairdryer!

On the upside, I now have a justifiable reason for having the subtitled on when watching telly. Himself complains normally, but as long as I have a duff ear, he shuts up about it. I think he's secretly glad, as he's currently in denial about being hard of hearing himself.

Talking of Himself, it's time to do the housewife bit, lay the table, open the fridge and cooks whatever falls out. I'm not a natural domestic goddess, but he'll be in soon. Bless him, he's not one to expect his tea on the table as soon as he comes in, but I was brought up in the 1950s, so it's bred into me. I draw the line at wearing a pinny though.

See you all soon.

DH's Hb level back down to last week's level. He is pretty down about it. #wearecheesedoff

I think Galen does what a lot of us do. She came in and forgot what she came for!!!!! I do it all the time.

soop I am so sorry about Brackens continued absence. Bella sends homing purrs and hope they work. Yes Retrolady I agree it feels good in the kitchen. I have to admit I'm ventured onto one or two threads earlier and hardly dare peek at any updates.

Retro you are lucky you can still get your ears syringed at your surgery - ours won't do it anymore. I have a lot of wax in my ears; I can tell because they itch like the very devil sometimes which is usually a sign bits are breaking off. Fortunately, my hearing is pretty good (too good DH says! ) in spite of it.

I followed DH out into the garden mid afternoon. He was lopping. There is a large area of shrubbery that we have just had topped out, but Himself decided it was a good opportunity to thin it out even further. I said to him "It's like a jungle!" "No," he said. "I've been in a jungle - this is worse. I'm going in. Goodbye, Darling, it's been fun!" Well, no, he didn't actually say the last bit, but you get the picture. We found another compost bin, and saw the fence for the first time in five years. He "accidentally" cut down a nice photinia . There are things with very strange hairy stems growing in there and I don't know what they are (triffids?). We'll be sorting it out for a good while yet I think. I doubt DH will be able to get out of bed tommorrow though!

Nice scones, Izabella - I'd have to blow mine up with a bicycle pump to get them to rise like that! Sorry to hear you are having post-accident set backs. Hope you get them sorted soon.

MB so sorry to hear about the Hb. You must both be downcast again.

MawB .

It is very demoralising for both of us but obviously especially DH who feels cr*p again as well, perhaps all the more so as yesterday's conversation with the consultant suggested no straightforward problem OR solution.
Just feel like a ninepin that has been knocked down again.
Need to pick myself up,though and KBO as my dad used to say.

MB just understanding and

Goodness, mawb, sometimes life just isn't fair. No choice but to keep going, but it takes a fair bit of strength to be positive, all very draining. I think you are allowed the occasional down feeling before summoning more energy. Hope you can plan something good very soon.

I'm envious of those scones Izabella, I've given up making them, mine resemble digestive biscuits . Not so envious of your set back though. Hope it can be sorted very soon.

Pleased your husband emerged unscathed, greyduster, sounds like hard work. Should I admit that we have been to the Harry Potter attraction, I loved it. Had a ride in a broomstick, great fun. . soop has been at the garden too. I managed to put in a couple of small plants today and some snowdrops from a pot into the garden, absolutely shattered. Goodness, I'm a wimp.

i wonder how your hearing was silly enough to get lost, retro, hope it re-establishes itself soon. Mr C is often bunged up, olive oil is a wonderful thing. . Do you remember that television programme 'can't cook, won't cook'? Well, I'm turning into a won't cook. Just don't a couple of times a week. I did feel bad about it, but soon got over that.

n&g another one here loving the sound of your family break, not possible for me as I'm an only. I would love siblingsto reminisce with about childhood. There is one very good friend who knew my parents well so we do get to natter about it sometimes. As for your friend Ann, I think sometimes it's best to copy reteo and just lose the ability to hear things. We also have a friend who behaves like that, I wonder if we don't all, I just stop listening, oh dear, am I really that bad a person?

That's me done for today. Keep warm and well everyone.

Reassuring news for me this afternoon.
I saw the GP from our surgery who specializes in dermatology and she is happy that the "lesions" on my face are harmless but she and I will keep an eye on them in case they change shape or grow.

Ann60 that is excellent news I am very happy for you

Oh MawB ((((hugs)))) I hope your OH picks up soon.

Of course you should admit to going to Harry Potter World, Corner. If I get the chance, I'll jump at it. The photos they took are amazing and DD said all of them had a wonderful day.
Ann I am glad you had some good news from the dermatologist! Happy that you have one less thing on your mind ?.

Ann my son-in-law had a lesion that was cancerous, sorted out now but my daughter takes photographs of anything dodgy and that means they can check if it is changing, this was his doctor's advice. I am going for fasting blood tests tomorrow then a lovely coffee as a treat for being a good girl since New Year.

maw so sorry for you and your DH. It is hard to keep positive when things keep bringing you down and even more difficult when trying to cheer DH up too. Do hope some good things come your way soon. You deserve some better news ((Huggs))

soop I have no idea what Galen's post meant either but would guess that the little green face ? meant that Galen was either ill (sea sick? Unlikely in view of all her cruising) or perhaps green with envy or perhaps just trying out an avocado face mask.

Good news * Ann*, you so deserved a bit of that. As for that "friend " of yours, what can I say....Sadly sometimes we have to accept that some people just lack the emotional capacity to see life from another's perspective.
Sorry the news isn't so great for you maw, what a worrying time for you both. It's must be so hard to stay positive and keep going.
Greyduster Your triffids sound a bit scary to me, hope they're not planning a takeover.
Retrolady I quite agree this kitchen feels like a safe haven indeed and Retro Towers sounds remarkably familiar territory to me!
Has anyone seen the film Lion, we saw it last night. While I often tear up watching something moving, it's a while since I sobbed in a cinema! An amazing true story of human endurance and the power of love.

One thing that did make me happy was that DD and SIL have now moved. This is the view from their garden,( the lake etc are in the private park behind their house. It's not Pemberley!!)!