soop's kitchen for friendly folk and precious pets.

I think you should inform your local Trading Standards about the electrician, too, if you haven't already.

ann I have done that, Saturday is their last day here and they know it. It is me not knowing that is really irritating, especially as my radiator is outside so I have no heating.

Charley, I do feel for you. It is bad enough having any work done but when it all goes pear shaped in such a spectacular way, it really is dreadful.

I hope your knee gets better soon N&G, a working one is quite handy to have.

We all seen to beset by buggerations at the moment. Like Maw, I'm finding it difficult to settle to anything but got up this morning ready to knuckle down and work through my list. However, our next door neighbour came round to say he was going away for a few days. I asked him in for a coffee and he stayed 2 hours telling us about his new lady friend. I'm very pleased for him but I have now lost the will again!!

Yo-ho! I have a refurbished/conditioned computer. I've also had the unenviable task of stumbling round to log on (and remember long forgotten passwords) I only burst into tears for about five minutes. MacS was impressed with the lack of foul language as I did so.

Charleyg Elegran and annsixty have put my thoughts into print. Do you know that a new house is as good as 80% completed just along the road. The workman have put in extraordinarily long shifts. You...have been treated shabbily. Not by all, but by a few.

MawB Where did the term 'baker's cyst' originate. I had no idea that bakers used their knees to knead the dough. I'm willing to bet that Elegran can enlighten us.

N&G I hope that your leg doesn't interfere too much with your daily activities. I think of you as having unlimited energy and get-up-and-go.
So, now we know...Hungarian ducks are better insulated than the common kind. That made me hoot.

Oh, kitty you are obviously blest with a kindly nature. Your neighbour's visit was just a tad too long. Although, he must be feeling chipper to have a new lady friend.

The care home visit was a mixture of bothersomeness and light hearted banter.
M told me that the 60" screen television, is her property. She gave it to the home when she retired from the WAFF...seventy years ago. Another lovely lady, who has suffered a severe stroke, was in a belligerent mood. Another new resident, who has a rather strident voice, continued to nudge and shout instructions at another lady who was fast asleep. When the dozing lady stirred, I feared that there was going to be a bun fight. She was very cross and proceeded to dribble her tea into her lap. Oh dear!

Baker's cyst is named after the Dr who first described it in te 1890s!
And you lot thought I was just a pretty face didn't you! ( actually, got it from google )

I was phoned at 3pm as though everything was 100% here to say that the plumber is coming at 6pm to sort out my central heating. Being Scottish I did not want to waste the solar powered hot water when the system is drained so I had an early shower and washed my hair. I may say a few words when they arrive, I did not want to put them off over the phone.

I feel you may say a few more when they arrive!
To quote Churchill ' a few words mainly beginning with the early letters of the alphabet'

Galen You are so much more than a pretty face. You are wise and wonderful and well travelled. Us lot also like you cheeky sense of humour.

Charleyg PLEASE let your buggerations come to a favourable end before too long. Galen has the right idea. Or should I say...Churchill was right. Now let me think...being a proper lady, do I know a few choice words beginning with the early letters of the alphabet? Yep! I do. I've used most of them since the old computer went on go slow. This version is so accommodating. My blood pressure is at an all time low.

It is raining. The first we've seen in a long time. The garden needs watering.

Bracken visits at the same time every evening. She takes her seat on the tree stump and triggers the outside light. I go the door, she hides behind the chalet, I place her food inside and she inspects it once I've closed the door. If Rory is awake, he wants to join her. If he isn't, she wanders off and returns in the early hours to finish off her supper. At first, MacSporran was convinced that the cat was an incomer. I knew damn well that it wasn't. He went to the trouble of photographing said intruder. I made him watch as I brought up on the computer dozens of images of Bracken...he compared them...he knew that I was right. The only difference is that she has lost a lot of her tail. That's why she was missing for about three weeks. She will have been recovering from the trauma. She hasn't lost weight. She is slightly more nervous. With the good weather coming, she and Rory will spend more time together in the garden.

and

I don't believe you will need any help with those few words, charley, but should you find yourself at a loss just ask, we can verbalise our opinions. Hmm, maybe not, there could be an arrest or two. Wishing you well, will have my fingers crossed later.

You are all forgetting that I am a laydee. They arrived at 7.15pm this evening and as I type they are still here at almost 9pm and still not finished. I was about to cook supper when they appeared. I said a few words but I did not want them downing tools and going home. Admittedly the plumber has done a day's work but I have reminded him that he has been paid extremely well and I doubt if the Inland Revenue will find out. With luck they will be finished by midnight.

Water, water everywhere and not a drop to drink. They left after 9.30pm but I noticed the radiator seriously leaking and managed to stop the car before they drove off. I now have a saucepan full of water for coffee and ablutions- also the plumber is taking a day off tomorrow to come here for 9am and finish the job. They left at 10pm.

The plumbing is as weird as the wiring- it is not the plumber's fault but he would not listen to me when I told him that turning off the tank water does not stop the radiators from filling up. I wonder what else can go wrong here?

Tara has gone to bed and I will follow her I think, having had very little to eat for supper.

May I ask you something? How on earth do you remain sane ?? ☹️

Get the trading standards in pronto! I think you are being ripped off!

Galen the problems started when the house with 17 others was built in 1988. The fellow went bankrupt not long after but many corners were cut by the men he sub contracted and I am finding out the many problems now, joists facing the wrong way, electrics problematic and the plumbing totally different from any other property I have owned. One other person has done some work but not the extent that has been done here.

The electrician was incompetent but not this plumber. His main problem is tiredness because he has been working 7 day weeks and working here until 10pm last night did not help. He also has not come across the many quirks here so he is going to consult his boss.

The building boss is coming today as well to lend a hand.

Tara and I slept well, it is good to know that I will have running water in a couple of hours.

All fingers and toes are crossed for you today, charley. At least when this is over you will know your home is as good as it can be, I am sure you will also be a useful source of advice to your neighbours who will benefit from your experiences.

Charley I have some sympathy with you regarding your convoluted plumbing. We have a fairly new house and ours is the same. Every time our (very good) plumber has been he has done a good deal of head scratching over the pipework (Heath Robinson comes to mind). Then you add small bore piping into the mix. We need a radiator putting in our conservatory and because of the something or other being under the hot water cylinder upstairs, what should be a fairly straightforward job (if there is such a thing!) is going to be a nightmare. So we aren't going to bother! In our last house we knew, a bit like one's alimentary canal, where everything went in and everything came out. Not so here. But if I had had to put up with the shenanigans you have had, they would have carried me away in a white van by now. Glad to hear you and Tara are getting some sleep, though!
N&G I hope the knee is feeling better. What a shame you couldn't go swimming with the little one. I am hoping that I will be able to take our boy this holiday as our pool is open again after lengthy refurbishments.
Well DD did her first temp session yesterday. She was reasonably upbeat when she came home, but says it's a bit daunting when you have spent twenty five years knowing absolutely what you are doing and then have to go in as the newbie. However, everyone is very nice and I said to her that no-one is expected to pull up trees on their first day. My grandson said yesterday that they had two new boys in their class and everyone had been asked to be very helpful to them to help them settle in. So I said to him that mummy was also the 'new girl in class' today and that when she got home, he was to make sure he was helpful to her. I hope he was. A sort of charming intransigence is becoming his stock in trade these days which can be wearing sometimes.

The plumber, poor lamb has gone to see his GP because he thinks that he is seriously ill. All he needs is a day in bed to sleep off his tiredness. The builder bought the necessary items and I now have hot and cold running water- what a surprise. Heating would be a bonus.

Nobody appeared until 11.30am so I was fairly fed up. I never want anything done in this house again.

Sorry for all the shenanigans re the house.

As our house is well over 150 yrs old we cant blame the builder, mind you the victorians we up to a dodge or two.

However i cant believe you have found your house so shoddily built , is ther not some builders guarantee on new build, which I presume the first buyers got.

The end seems to be in sight, soldier on with gritted teeth.

Charleyg Yes! How do you remain sane? The saga that you've experienced, would make a first class sitcom. Only, the real thing is far from funny.

Off to have dressing changed. I shall return later this after.

The builder brought his wife who has sanded the staircase and also cleaned the ceramic tiles in hall and downstairs loo. There is more to be done but it is a great start.

The plumber wanted to return tomorrow evening but I said I am having friends around so he is coming this evening again if he has not been hospitalised. The way he is going on he may well be but that will be done by me here.

I hope there will be a book appearing when all the work is done Charley !! It merits it.

My knee is a little better. I thinks it's a cruciate ligament issue , no lumps or bumps just pain. I can now bend it a little but have been good and Grampy has been running around. Cooper didn't get his swimming but came to play with Grampy for a couple of hours.

Last night though, I did something stupid !! I shall share with you as I KNOW you won't laugh ( much) .

I was sitting watching tv and decided a yoghurt would be nice. Grampy went and got us one each. I opened mine and had a spoonful .......and thought to myself ....this is very thick yoghurt. I tilted the pot to one side and thought to myself .....this is VERY thick yoghurt. I tilted it a bit more , confident nothing would move I held it up in the air over my head and said to Grampy.....look at my thick yoghurt.

That was the moment when the yoghurt, that was less thick than I thought, fell out on my head, closely followed by the fruit compote at the bottom, which ran down my shirt, and my trousers, and the chair, and unfortunately Sam who was snoozing by my side !!

I yelled ! Grampy laughed ( I thought he was going to have a stroke at one stage) and Sam bolted off the chair shedding yoghurt and fruit on the pale grey carpet right through to the kitchen !!

Needless to say.... I won't be holding not as thick as I thought yoghurt over my head again.

I have NO idea why I thought it would be a good idea !!

Enough said .

I'm off to see Beauty and the Beast at the cinema with my daughters and Grandaughter ....no yoghurt will be involved