Soops cosy kitchen for kind peoples and precious pets !

soop! Mega apologies! I forgot to relay your message about the internet buggerations. It's because it arrived while I was at someone else's house. So sorry!

I'm glad it was only your stick that fell noisily. I carry a wee torch when I go for a wee at night because otherwise, however careful I am, I always seem to bash my shins on the corner of the bed. Last night, I dropped the torch on the wooden floor. It made a loud racket, I thought, but neither MrBags nor Minibags stirred!

Charleyg Our posts crossed. Remain focussed. Breathe deeply - in through the nose - out through the mouth.

Good afternoon to you lovely lot...very chilly hereabouts. White-capped waves and snow on the peaks of Islay and Jura.

Yesterday's frustrations were beyond a joke. I managed to get myself into a proper guddle. Awoke today to discover the oil-fired boiler isn't working. MacSporran spoke to a friendly chap who will hopefully help us put matters right. MacS is laying the fire. We are wearing several layers. Rory is asleep on the best tartan rug.

CharleyG The tabby cat won't belong to anyone hereabouts. It is almost certainly feral, and a newcomer to our garden. Although, when we trapped Rory's wifelet and two kittens (to be spayed) before being let loose back into the forest, one of the kits was a tabby. I shall look out a photo of her. It could be the same cat. If so, she's very much smaller and daintier than her sister, Bracken.
Get that floor fixed. It sounds unsafe. The electrician is going to have to gird his loins in readiness for the visit. Serves him right.

kitty Sorry for the mix up. It was "one of those days" and I almost lost the plot. I know very well how your thoughts about being fair cost you dear. We do the much the same with our grandchildren. Even though a few are no longer children, but "all grown up".

A warm welcome Sar53 Wise words.

Maw Grace is one beautiful lady. Elegant and refined unlike like most of us lot.

Greyduster You are one super kind and special grannie.

Crafting I happen to be rather fond of choc chip cookies. Thank you for virtually indulging me.

The leg will be inspected and re-dressed by the practice nurse tomorrow afternoon. I took my arm crutch to bed with me. When I needed to go for a wee during the night, I had support. Trouble was, it slipped off the side of the bath and clattered noisily on the floor. Dear MacS investigated the source of the noise, kissed me on the top of my head and returned to his reclining chair (in which he sleeps due to night cramps.)

The electrician came at 18.10 last night and eventually left at 20.35 hours. I wanted to cook supper and watch Broadchurch- I made it by the skin of my teeth but I was less than pleased and he knew it.

He could not fit the Cat 6 which he had supposedly fitted a couple of weeks ago. I told him that I did not want 8 metres of cable at my feet so I was told politely, tough. He did change his mind as the evening wore on and he was coming back at 9am today.

It was one of the builders who re-connected my computer today and the electrician is sending a BT engineer but which day I have no idea. He did not reappear today to finish the other work such as reconnecting sockets, in total, 4 pages of snagging.

The builder and re-pointer have just decided to go home, marvellous. I have no idea if they are returning tomorrow or not. One has not been paid and the subsidiary for the RBS is not sitting here.

Grace is her usual gorgeous self even although the photo was taken before partial amputation of her tail.

callgirl1 I think that the cost on the Eye was around a tenner- but that was when it first opened.

The sun is shining here so it is a good drying day.

charley, my money is on you for tomorrow but should you need some very tired, therefore grumpy and irritable backup with a very short fuse you know where I am .

Haven't been on the Eye for a few years but would love to go again. The last time we went we took my Dad who had worked the Thames barges when he should have been at school. He was sad at the changes by the river but thrilled to be able to point out the landmarks. It's a wonderful spectacle. That sounds a great day, callgirl.

Oh dear, greyduster, I can well imagine your disappointment. Still, pleased his team won. He sounds a star.

I know that pain, too, kitty and n&g. Budgets are very flexible, or should I say fictional around grandchildren here.

Good to know Bracken is still around soop, that one sounds to be a free spirit. I do hope that leg is OK. Please let us know the outcome, computer permitting of course. Do you recall the tv show with a catchphrase *computer says no'? I can't for the life of me remember what it was called, but it seems apt. Here's hoping for co operation tomorrow. Please don't worry about the cough, I am ignoring it so it gets bored and goes away. I will be fine.

Had fun with Littlest today but oh so tired now. Worth it though .

So sorry MawB, I forgot to add how thrilled I am that you and Grace get to spend more time together. Treats, nay, DOUBLE treats, all round!

Soop, I sincerely hope that the delay in seeing the doctor is not detrimental, hope you`re feeling a little less frazzled by now.
Charleygirl, it cost £25 to go on the Eye, £35 for a fast track ticket to get straight on instead of waiting. Dawn queued for a half hour for the tickets, then we queued for further hour to get on. Lovely views though. I`ve tried to take a photo of the one of us on the Eye, to show you all, but it didn`t turn out very well. The photo cost £20, 2 for £25. I know it`s a lot, but we`re only going to do it once, so I had the 2, one each for us.
Soop, it`s ME who`s coming to Kintyre, but it`s very flattering ton be confused with Kitty!

maw so glad Grace is still with us. Lovely photo.

kitty I am so glad I'm not the only one who likes to treat the non birthday children too. They are little for such a short time and treats are such fun when they are young.

Charleygirl you have had so much trouble it must be driving you mad. I do hope if the electrician does turn up you make him stand on a newspaper a la "Margo" while you read him the riot act.

Wave to everyone else. Hope you are all ok. plate of chocolate chip cookies on the worktop if you fancy one with a

MawB that is one seriously beautiful dog. She is well named. I am sorry that she has been having health difficulties and I hope that she is comfortable at the moment.

Soop I hope that you got to see the doctor today and that your leg is okay. Good to hear that Bracken doesn't seem any the worse for her injured extremity!

N&G and kitty I know the problems of the runaway budget where GS is concerned. The scenario is thus: set a budget; see image of deserving beautiful grandchild looming before you; chuck budget out of window and indulge to heart's content; resolve - for umpteenth time - never to do again!

charley we have no end of building work done, but if I had suffered at the hands of such a bunch of incompetents, I would have run amok with a machete by now!

I have just eaten a Magnum 'Dare to be Double' ice cream lolly, which is a sort of consolation prize for a disappointment I suffered this afternoon. We went to see GS play in his school football team's first ever match. As they have an A team and a B team, his team were due to play last, and his friend H was playing in the first match. DD had arranged with H's mum that we should walk him home after both matches had finished, but H decided that he wasn't going to wait until the end and insisted he would walk home by himself - absolutely out of the question. So rather than have DD miss GS's match, I said I would take him. He insisted on going the long way round as that was the way his mother always took him, and, as I am nothing if not indulgent in the face of small children, by the time I got back to school, it was all over and GS had scored one of their goals and set up the other to save them from defeat. Hey ho. At least H got home safely, but still......

Make sure your volume is ON

www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTolWMCyGHI

Grace and I are very grateful,for all your support and {{hugs}} last night and this morning. I do realise that this is a temporary reprieve, as yet nobody has discovered a cure for old age in humans or dogs, but I am happy to have her for a bit longer - it didn't quite seem the right time. (This pic was before the tail operation, but is a particularly nice one, I think)
Now I hope soop's leg is on the mend and not infected. Legs can be hard to heal at the best of times and can ulcerate so easily .
wb I was so frustrated on your behalf when your op was cancelled and hope that the additional problems can be quickly resolved. Charleygirl if an electrician turns up in centuries to come when the archaeologists excavate your patio your spirit may rest easy - he had it coming. How you have not resorted to physical violence before
now escapes me but you have my full sympathy.

Charleygirl, if he is a proper electrician and will be giving you a certificate for the work done, he should be NICEIC registered. This is the standard for electrical work.

I feel your pain Kitty!

Instead of eggs this year our 4 requested a treasure hunt with a treat at the end. It's hard to buy a decent toy for under a £5 so £40 later I have their hearts desire !

Grampy had to go and have a lie down

kitty I have told the building boss that I intend to lock the front door and French windows- that is if he comes. I do not think he has worked out that I may take his incompetence further. Unfortunately I cannot find out which electrical association of which he is a member.

Brilliant news Maw. one treat for you!!

Soop, tis not not I coming to Kintyre but it is on our bucket list. Please come back and let us know what happens about your leg.

Lona good luck with your itchy thing.

Good luck tomorrow Charley - you could always hold the electrician hostage until he finishes the work.

We have had an expensive day. Putting stuff into the roof, DH came across a Winnie the Pooh pushchair that DD3 had about 20 years ago and which was still in good condition. DD said it would be great for her daughter so we washed and polished it. It is also the lucky recipient's birthday next week and she is sure to be over loaded with presents plus large flashy Winnie the Pooh pushchair, so we thought we'd better buy her brother something so he didn't feel left out. Then we decided that the other little ones should have something, in the interests of fairness. One trip into the roof to deposit rubbish DH's very important papers has thus cost us about £50.

soop where has the young tabby appeared from- has it got a home and is just chancing his luck with the extra food or will he be on the growing list for feeding regularly?

MawB Grace does look lively- I am so pleased that the vet was able to help her even if she had to put up with the indignity of having her claws trimmed.

callgirl1 I was on the London Eye not long after it had opened. It was the one evening that week when the sun was out. We had a works do and finished with a trip on the Eye. It was expensive then, so heaven knows what it costs now. Very expensive to treat a family with children.

The flooring people are returning tomorrow pm to lay the landing flooring and with luck that should be upstairs finished with the exception of some paint touching up.

I have a nasty suspicious feeling that I will have to get the living room floor re-laid. The granite fireplace was removed and of course the flooring laid, although the same,is a different colour because of age and there is a definite minute step which I could not live with. I broke a bone last year when I tripped and fell over the rug edge so I am loathe to buy another. Tara spent a lot of time sharpening her claws on it which pleased me no end.

I had a very pleasant coffee morning with 3 GNs today, one brought a friend so the more the merrier. We meet again next month.

Tomorrow should be interesting if the electrician turns up. I have a snagging list 4 pages long so that should keep him occupied. If he does not turn up I have the small claims court in mind.

For the last 30 minutes this wretched computer has been closing down mid sentence. I am beyond the stage when I'm able to maintain my equilibrium. Therefore, I wish each and every one of you a pleasant evening. I sincerely hope that, by Thursday, when the reconditioned computer will be here, I shall be celebrating some good fortune with all our Granspals.

Hugs galore.

Update on Bracken with the stumpy tail. She visited last evening. She doesn't appear to be unwell. She hasn't lost weight. She had a mouthful of food and wandered off. Shortly after, the young tabby cat went inside the chalet and licked the plate clean. Bracken and Rory haven't been reunited. Rory has taken to his bed a lot earlier since Bracken went "missing". Once the weather improves, the two may well meet up in the garden. Rory hates to get his paws damp He's a fair weather feline.

NanaandGrampy Did you manage to salvage some delicious cake for us lot? Ah well, I do have some ginger stem dark chocolate biscuits hiding in the cupboard. I rarely indulge. However...'tis our pal's birthday and granniequeenie is excited and MawB is relieved and kitty is coming to visit Kintyre...blah blah. There, I've reason enough to scoff a biscuit.

MawB You've been through a difficult few hours. Dear Grace, like so many other precious pets of a certain age, will have "off days" and we all fear the worst when they do so. I'm really pleased that the vet was positive and, apart from the distress caused by having her nails clipped, our Grace seems to be in fine fettle.

cornergran I lose messages on Gransnet on a fairly regular basis. It invariably coincides with a long, newsy response. Such buggerations make me lose my cool...MacS knows what has happened the moment he hears certain unladylike obscenities ringing in his ears.
I am concerned to hear that the cough hasn't gone into hibernation. You've had it for far too long.

granniequeenie I can sense your delight and optimism. Your daughter will be introducing you to her special friend and, because us lot are nosy, we shall demand hope to hear all about him in due course.

callgirl1 My goodness, how the time has flown by. I must refer to my calendar to refresh my memory of when it is that you'll be in Kintyre.
We were treated to a twirl on the London Eye. It was a couple of years ago. Loved the experience. What a joy for you to attend the Albert Hall for the Classical Spectacular. MacSporran will be a trifle envious when I tell him. We have enjoyed coffee and cake in the lovely restaurant with views across the Thames.

Lona I'm hoping that the itchy skin thingy can be got rid of. Please let us know what the GP says. I know darn well that you'll be cross with me...but, I couldn't get a doctor's appointment this morning because it's our pal's 79th birthday and I went to visit him instead in the care home. The GP wouldn't wish to change the dressing. That has already been arranged for Wednesday afternoon. Believe me, if for one moment I suspected an infection - I would be at the surgery in the blink of an eye.

Computer troubles big time. Working with MacSporran's ancient model right now. I have been trying to log into our kitchen since 2 o'clock. MacS tearing what hair he has out all morning. Internet connection okay for five mins...followed by zilch. A newly reconditioned model should be here by Thursday afternoon. Bags offered to tell you that I've had a problem. She's so kind.

I realise that there is a lot of news for me to catch up with. I shall try my hardest to respond asap.

Good news mawb, enjoy your treats.

Hope the GP has been helpful, soop.

I'm just taking a break from Duplo, we've been constructing what feels like a village. Now Littlest is attempting to fit cars inside the buildings, hmm, wonder why that doesn't work?

.

We had a day foster dog with that problem, MawBroon. He had difficulty getting up from the floor, but once up ran about well. There was a scary incident when he jumped into a deep stream and found he couldn't swim (back legs too weak) but managed to scramble out. So don't let Grace near a stream, though I don't think greyhounds like water?

Thanks goodness, Maw!!!! Get yourself a lovely treat!

That's good MawB