Soop's kichen for friendly folk and pampered pets

Back in the kitchen after a weekend in Yorkshire - with just one small dogwalk involved! We were visiting DH'S brother and Sil and then spent the night in Harrogate.

I'll catch up and come back later. But, I just wanted to say that I'm pleased that you appreciated crafting's post Ann. I think we are all concerned for for your health and you should explore all avenues for help with your Dh.

I believe grizzle o'clock can be late afternoon, charleygirl but is usually cured by the application of tea and lots of splashing in the bath. He is actually a sunny little soul except when teeth are due, but teeth are a curse all one's life aren't they- coming, hurting, going.....
Another birthday celebration with his other (London) GPs, cousins etc next Sunday. Wish me luck with the cake ???

ann I'm not sure if this will help or make things harder. We have neighbours in a very similar situation. The husband refused all intervention for such a long while until someone from the Alzheimer's Society began to visit. He had no idea this was someone with a purpose, just a new visitor for his wife. After some weeks he agreed to go with his wife and visitor to a lunch, this progressed to a half day in a day centre where he seemed to sleep most of the time but his wife was able to chat to others. Then one day he said he liked going, after that he went on his own by taxi. Now he enjoys the company of a (male) carer twice a week for two hours each time and goes to the centre for a whole day when he is well enough physically. The whole process took over a year before he was happy. Maybe, just maybe there could be something similar in your area? I hope this doesn't seem intrusive, I've held back from posting it in case it made things feel harder for you. Please look after yourself whenever and however you can.

Happy birthday Flynn- sorry that the weather is not better for your first birthday. I love the break for freedom in one of the last photos.

Good luck with the cake Maw! At that age mine were just chocolate sponge, covered in rough buttercream and covered in all manner of chocolate goodies Eg, smarties, maltesers, stars, broken flakes etc etc. Undemanding and appealing to littlies!

Corner, that sounds like a good way forward for Ann.

Thank you corner and please accept that I am grateful for any input about my situation. That is what makes GN the lovely helpful place it is. Apart from one thread which I WILL keep sticking my nose in ,so unwise I know, but the sense of entitlement to all the world's misery knows no bounds.

Good morning all !!

I'll give you 'cherubs' Charley !! it was just one of the nights , we don't have them often but they were a proper handful. Today with 24 hrs separation I'm just saying boys will be boys [laugh]

I'm glad its not just me Oldgoat today after half a day off and a good nights sleep I am restored to SuperNana

Yes * Poshgran* they're a pair of scamps alright !!

Glad you enjoyed your trip Grey that picture is the essence of England isn't it ?

Happy Birthday Flynn ! Where has that year gone Maw?

I am off to get my hair straightened today ! About 10 years ago , overnight , one side of my hair developed waves. The other side remains poker straight ! So once a year I go for a chemical straightening to even things up. Works a treat !

Then I am driving youngest daughter to Lakeside ( a large shopping mall) where we will partake of coffee and cake at Patisserie Valerie. The best Mum EVER ( me ) bought her a voucher for 2 slices of cake every month for a year for her birthday - and so she shares it with me every month !! That's what I call a gift that keeps on giving !!

Happy Day all !!

Happy Birthday Flynn XX

I'm planning "easy" too, kittylester, maybe 3 round sponges different flavours, iced in different colours "tied" together with strawberry shoelaces to look like balloons. I have a bit to live up to as DD and SIL did this Basil the Dog cake for his nieces and nephew last year ?

MawB, your balloon cake doesn't sound in the least 'easy' to me. Please supply a picture of the finished product. My efforts were usually really easy chocolate sponges with butter-cream icing and filling (in retrospect, that sounds quite sickly!). But when they reached their teens they requested Black Forest Gateau! Home made, of course!

flynn is one . How did that happen so quickly. I think we have all loved seeing this happy little chap grow up. Hope he has a very happy birthday with lots of good wishes from his GN admirers ??

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/201705/medium-897454-p1000027.jpg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/201705/medium-890711-dsc05841.jpg

oldgoat I'm guessing these are the stepping stones you mean, we go there often but I've never attempted it! Yes callgirl the area around there is stunning, hope this photo brings back some happy memories of your holiday.
Good luck with that cake making maw, no pressure!

I have walked across those. One of the scariest things I have ever done. There are always plenty of spectators. I think the thought of the humiliation was the only thing that got me across. I really don't know to this day why I did it.

Yes grannyqueenie those are the ones! They are fine to begin with but there is a really wide gap between two of the middle ones. My advice to any grannies thinking of crossing them is DON'T!

Love 'Basil the dog' maw . I used to make fancy cakes for my two - remember a particularly impressive Primeval Forest cake complete with dinosaurs. But I gave up when it was apparent that the party goers just wanted crisps and cocktail sausages.

thatbags what a beautiful riser to your bow! That gave me a few pangs of nostalgia as I was in an archery club for about 3years when in Cyprus. I loved it but sadly the bow is now languishing in the garage, untouched for over 20 years!

Just back from a weekend in Leeds, for an 80-s themed birthday party. Wonderful outfits by most people, and a lovely party. My DH was persuaded to play a few tunes on the saxophone which went down well. Having worried myself sick about what I planned to wear, I needn't have worried, it looked fine in amongst everyone.

oldgoat, the term "riser" is used for the 'handle' of a recurve bow. Not sure why but I've always assumed it's because it's the bit you're holding when you raise the bow to shoot. It may be historic, though long bows did not have separate handles of course.

PS Some people call it the grip.

bags Your photos are lovely. The super-size garden looks very well tended. You will have worked extremely hard to have achieved such good results.

Happy birthday to darling Flynn. Whatever cake is baked for him...^us lot^ wouldn't say no to a delicate huge slice.

corner Your message to ann, is, I think, one of hope. Out of what must have become a nightmare of a situation, a gentle more acceptable phase/way of being has developed. for you both.

NonnaW The 80s themed party sounds fun. The saxophone is a wonderful instrument. Did your husband play tunes that were hits at that time? I loved the 80s...it was at that time that I met and married MacSporran.

granniequeenie just looking at those stepping stones makes me feel light-headed. I would become paralysed with fear. When my late father took my hand as he was attempting to take the first step on such stones (in the Cotswolds) I was taken aback. It was the first time that I ever thought of him as being "needy". Now, I'm at the age he was then and know how he felt.

N&G Crafty Nana!!!

I've had the leg redressed. It's almost fully healed from the fall that happened two months ago. The lovely nurse also did a bit of looking into my paper records. Some of you already know the boring, on-going saga of trying to establish whether or not mesh was implanted when I had a posterior/anterior repair carried out in a private hospital (in Cornwall) prior to moving to Scotland. She sees that a ring was introduced as well as stiches. The ring should have been removed after three months. Neither MacS or I have any recollection of that happening. Nurse is going to give me an internal examination on Wednesday. Could this be the cause of so much discomfort? We shall see. Not a word has come back from the specialists who were promising to establish the facts. That was two months ago. It isn't a life threatening thing. It is hugely frustrating that NOONE bothers to tell me what was done (to me) during the ten days I spent in hospital.

I'm beginning to rattle on a bit. Not fair on you lot so I'll go away and do something useful. I shall return.

I am so grateful to all of you who take my problems to heart.
I feel sometimes that my H's symptoms are not like others but perhaps we all feel like this. It is his extreme anxiety I find hardest to deal with.
It is our friend's funeral tomorrow and he wants to go,so neighbours are taking us. It is a Nuptial Mass and I know it will be too long for him but he insists. Our friend also wants us to go to "the after" so another very trying time for me as R does not cope with social occasions!
He has been asking since yesterday what time shall he get ready, not once but dozens of times. Now it is what time are we being picked up over and over again.It is already written on a small white board I keep on view.
The actual reality of where and why we are going is passing him by for the moment.
Along with dear P's family I shall be so pleased when tomorrow has passed.
The widow is so unnaturally calm it is unnerving. The dam will have to break sometime.

Boiling hot here. Sitting on the balcony of QE. 78°c
Visit to a winery this am. Tour of theDouro valley with lunch tomorrow.
Last night we had the new president of Cunard dining at our table, asking for our opinions on Cunard! Guess what? He got them! Mainly good but a few niggles!..
Heave allofyou while I'm away!

That was
Behave all of you.
I was at a wine tasting this am!

Ann these occasions are not easy at any time; I hope tomorrow is not too trying for you or for your DH*. As for your friend, it will no doubt hit her when she least expects it, when the "busyness" has gone out of the situation, as it did with me when my mother died. My heart goes out to her.
soop glad to hear your leg is improving, and as for your other problem, it may not be life threatening, but if it impacts on your quality of life that is bad enough. Chin up for Wednesday.

Envious of Galen as I sit here snuffling and freezing, me???

soop, I hope the nurse has discovered the problem, but worry what that means for you after all this time. Fingers will be crossed here for your next appointment.

Your cake sounds fabulous mawb, looking forward to the pictures and a virtual tase already.

No way could I manage those stepping stones, I would certainly make the onlookers laugh.