soop's kitchen for friendly folk and precious pets.

As a youngster I always longed to be allowed to drink Tizer. It was dayglo orange and must have contained all the e- numbers known, not that we knew about such things then. I can't remember ever being a!!owed it and we didn't have our own money in those far off days to be able to buy it for ourselves.

annsixty If either MacS or I are in your position I hope to goodness that we'll cope half as well as you do. I think that you are amazing. Get "that bag" out of it's cover. Show it off. I would.

MawB when you visited Kintyre we were living in Cornwall. We know where you were staying. Islay is lovely. We've a friend with a holiday let next door to the Bowmore distillery. Which reminds me...we like Bowmore Malt. That is such a delightful photograph.

Tizliz Dalwhinnie is also on a list of favourites.

Swanny Your kind comment regarding ann had me nodding in agreement. x

Greyduster Yes! We also like Oban Malt.

N&G Enjoy the swim. Thank you for telling us how the viewing went. That hat is most certainly a winner. Jackson has inherited your crafting skills.

At Easter, when a little girl, I remember dancing around the Maypole (should that be two words?) We always had roast chicken for a treat. Also, my mother would treat us to a bottle of Corona purchased from the milkman's cart. On one occasion, my late Nana treated me to a small, beautifully dressed doll. I so wish that I had kept it.

Greyduster Jura is also a great favourite of ours. Talisker is pricey. Saved for special occasions. Oh, you plastered a big grin on my face when you said that the bath is so long you were constantly on the move. Been there. Done it. Now settle for the shower.

Tiz dalwhinnie winter is on special offer at Ocado today with £15 off a bottle

I've solved my pillow problem by having an electric bed. I just raise the head slightly then have my lovely down pillow on top

Just this minute returned from a nightmare of a journey into Campbeltown. The roads were like rivers. However, we're safe and sound. As per usual you lot have been coming and going in droves. When I return a little later...I shall do my best to catch up. You are priceless...the lot of you.

Who knew so many of us had pillow problems ??

Our viewing was fine, lovely man from Guernsey ( god knows why he needs to make Essex his home !) , but we shall see.

Charley he got a star for his hat , which he actually made himself ( but designed and watched over by Mummy) . It's actually very simple just a lot of gluing. I did chuckle though when my daughter told me one of her friends who had made a very elaborate hat for her youngster complained when he didn't Win! Talk about competitive mummies !!

Snap! Been on a pillow hunt and eventually settled on one from House of Fraser. Its just a little bit too high with a second underneath and oh so too low without it. Grr. Would it be very wrong to raid the pillows on the spare bed which suit me well and leave the visitors to struggle with the new ones? I don't dare to think how much we have spent on pillows over the years, could probably buy us a very nice holiday. Think the scruples are out of the window, I'm raiding the spare bed .

Another one here who has " pillow problems" I also could buy a small house, well alright a very small shed, with the money I have spent on pillows. And don't get me started about the pillows at the Premier Inn last weekend. I could tell Lenny Henry a few home truths about their "pillow menu". I bought a pillow from JL similar to yours N&G, down, with a firmer core of feather. It was fine to start with but sadly went just as flat and compacted as all the others. I must have a large, heavy head?

Jackson would win the prize for that hat if there was one available. It is beautifully made, mummy's work of art I assume.

I have a memory foam pillow which I adore. The other memory foam pillow beside mine is so different, too hard and I hate it.

It has become do dark here I think that rain may fall very soon.

N&G I have every sympathy with you on the subject of pillows. I dread to think how many "specialist" pillows I have bought and discarded over the years at great expense. I am now sleeping on a Dunlopillo one I kicked into touch some years ago because it didn't suit me then. Now, having been in a vacuum sealed bag for some years, I decided to give it another go and, hey presto! Happy sleeps! At least for now .
Lovely pics of Jackson - I hope he's not as mischievous as Shaun!!
Fingers crossed for the viewing today.

What lovely pictures the kids do enjoy Easter bonnets don't they?
Charleygirl sorry to see the problems are still ongoing with the works.. I'm glad you got some welcome help with the DVD player.
It certainly looks like rain today. It looks like its back to the knitting after several lovely days working/reading in the garden.

Hope this might raise a smile Charley .

The children were tasked with creating an Easter bonnet ( with help from Mummy of course).

My daughter said that Jackson stood out this morning amongst a sea of flowers and Easter eggs ..... this is why !

One of the builders who is really very kind also accepts responsibility for the plumber who is a member of his wife's family. The plumber said to him today that he could devote the entire day here a week tomorrow! I cannot be here without heating and have radiator drips for that length of time. Not every job goes smoothly and if the plumber thinks he has heard all that I have to say, "he aint heard nothing yet!" As the builder informed him he has been well paid for the job. Not every job goes to plan and this is one. I think he does a fair bit of moonlighting which is half of the tiredness problem.

Re my DVD recorder, I have recorded a couple of programmes for this evening- all I have to do now is work out how to watch them.

It is going to rain here today so I doubt if re- pointing can be done but I would prefer to get the inside finished first.

The problems are manageable, that is the main thing but I do not like starting a weekend with no heating- anyway I will see what the day brings.

Good Morning all !!

Its nice to know that you have value eh Grey and what a nice young man to ask your opinion. Makes such a change to hear of honesty and no egg shells !!

I'm not a whisky drinker either Ann I do like a cheeky Stolichnaya with coke though, although my preferred spirit is Bacardi. I have been working for years to drink large quantities without a hangover....I'm getting there !! I'm glad you enjoyed your meal even though H was not in the best form.

Is it time I wonder to just make arrangements that suit you and stop trying to get his buy in? It must be incredibly frustrating for you.

Swanny as a Pompey girl myself , I loved Hayling Island as a child and I too was allowed to swim from Easter to Back to school in September.

I have a stiff neck this morning brought on I think by new VERY expensive pillow. I think plopping it on top of an old one has made it too high... I shall cut down to one pillow tonight but come hell or high water I will conquer that pillow !!! I've driven cars that cost less !!!

We have a viewing today at noon.... so its a tidy round and then we're off swimming with Jackson this afternoon.

Have a good day one and all !

Ann my Radley bag only sees the light of day once or twice a year too. Every time I open the wardrobe door I can hear it shouting "Me! Take me!" It will be trotted out on Monday.

Tizliz we visited the Dalwhinnie distillery last time we went up to Scotland and came away with a bottle. It was very nice. ? Then we went over to Oban and went round that distillery too - mainly to get out of the horrible rain - but when I tasted that I was hooked on it. Talisker is very nice, too. DH drinks Scotch but doesn't like malts, so I don't have to fight him for the bottle! When the glass is empty I like to stick my nose in it and take a good deep sniff of the peat and smoke!

Thanks kitty but the Radley one I bought myself at C....... has yet to see the light of day.
Now that's an idea, I will use it on Tues when our friends take us out for lunch?.

I am pleased that you enjoyed your husband's birthday, ann! I am in awe of all carers but especially carers of people living with dementia. I am helping on a Carers Information and Support Programme at the moment and meet lots of people like you. They tell us that they gain such a lot from the course - I wonder if there is one run by the Alzeimer's society in your area?

Anyway, I think it's maybe time for a new handbag!

Just been enjoying a catch-up with all the kitchen news as I've had a busy day today. Most weeks my activities are spread quite evenly through the days but occasionally, like today, I have to dash from one thing to the next to the next.

At the risk of upsetting some of you lot the middle dash took place in 20-21 degrees heat! In England in March! Mind you, I do remember when I was about 15 dashing home from school one day to change out of uniform then cycling down to the beach and swimming at Hayling Island on the south coast in March

ann I do hope you and H enjoyed his birthday overall. It brought a lump to my throat when you said "I am totally at peace with it now". Dementia is so cruel.

My love and (((hugs))) to everybody. I think you are all so marvellous at coping with everything that's going on in your lives, it makes me feel guilty at having a moan at times. Hey ho, school holidays are about to start so I will be too busy to moan for the next couple of weeks! Sleep well

Just discovered Dalwhinnie Winter single malt. They only make it in the winter with ice cold water. On my last bottle so it will have to be something else for a while but not Laphroaig

Don't panic Charleygirl! if you do forget (and you won't) the GN and her husband will return.

The conversation about malt whisky reminds me of what I think was the last "whole family" holiday before the older girls started going off to the Med with friends. We were on Kintyre (no less) (with hindsight, we must have been close to you Soop, but this was probably 1991 and you were doubtless elsewhere ) in a lodge overlooking a sealoch and had a Topper dinghy for sailing, 3 bikes for the girls, 4 hard hats for the pony trekking, and our black Labrador Islay with us. One day we did a day trip to her namesake island (ferry and service bus) including a tour of the Bowmore distillery. I assumed we would have to tie the dog up outside, but no, they assured me she could do the tour with us!! So she padded through the grains and whatever with no regard for Elfin Safety and was provided with a dish of water when we got to the generous tasting at the end.
"Museum of Islay life" see what I did there??

ann and . You deserve both that's for sure .

V&T for me ( Grey goose) a gift at X... and G&T for H. Just as I was getting it served a friend txtd to say they were calling at 6:45. I was very dischuffed and asked her to ring at 7pm which she did and it was a totally trivial matter?
It is arranged that they will take us out for lunch on Tues.

H picked at his sirloin but I enjoyed mine. I tried to talk to him about his problem and my needs but it was a waste of time. I am totally at peace with it now .

He has been diagnosed for 4 years now and if I can't accept and cope now I never will.

You will all realise that a few drinks makes this all easier to deal with.??

I discovered as puddle of water in my front hall this evening- the radiator is leaking- absolutely marvellous. This would have been caused by the plumber who was turning all of the radiators off and on several times.

This all happened of course when I was waiting for another GN and her husband to come and sort out my new DVD recorder. Her husband fixed it within 5 minutes, I was gobsmacked and so so grateful. It just needs birdbrain to remember how to record and play back now and that will be a challenge. It is so different from the recorder which died overnight a couple of weeks ago.