Soop's kichen for friendly folk and pampered pets

Maw Haven't you done well. Flynn will love his cake. Any going spare - you know where to leave it. The fancy wedding cake is a work of art.

corner Isn't it funny...I was also procrastinating earlier this afternoon. Mountain of ironing waiting and I was not in the mood. However, once it had been done and put away, I was energised. Started to clean the wood floor in the kitchen with a special new oil that dries without streaks and has improved the appearance no end. Even MacS commented on the finished result.

Mr and Mrs Oldgoat The sun is shining. Get thee to Kintyre. Safe travels.

I'm orf. The kitchen continues to remain open. I shall check tomorrow morning just in case you lovely lot are stranded. Anyway...last person in...turn off the lights and, if you wish, collect key from under the flower pot and open our new extension.

(((group hugs))). Enjoy your evening.

I could not believe it today- around 9.30am the builder parked outside and he and he electrician came in. The electrical work is now finished and safe but there are many holes around. I am ever hopeful that the builder and another will come back tomorrow, maybe not to finish the work but to do the work outside and at least the plastering indoors. I know, pigs may fly first.

There is sufficient work for two men for two days and that is with me getting the builder to do small jobs which would cost me money- fitting a new cat flap, also re-fixing the loo plunger for downstairs loo and fitting the drawers on my new chest of drawers. It is a tad too soon to say that there is light at the end of the tunnel. It is well worth supplying never ending coffee and a light lunch.

Love the cakes MawBroon I'm completely without any kind of artistic talent I'm sad to say. soop the dogs name is Roxie she can be very sweet but really hard work. I worry about her more than the two grandsons I'm looking after. She'll eat anything. Today it was plastic pegs. I hope she didn't swallow any.

Roxie looks so innocent morethan. Can't believe she would do that .

Sending hopeful wishes your way, charley. If we all think positively maybe, just maybe the light will be shining brightly very soon. .

They'll come out the other end morethan!!!
What a character is our Roxie

It's been a lovely day here too, soop
We visited Culzean Castle where the wild flowers in the woods were even better than in Yorkshire! I couldn't resist the chance to shin up this tempting tree - when nobody else was looking, of course. Would have loved a tree house when I was a child. Your little GSs are very lucky N&G.
Jane Asher designed some very amusing birthday cakes maw When one of our male colleagues had a Big Birthday we copied her Naked Ladies idea and produced lots of voluptuous women from moulding icing.

Oldgoat and Soop, is that meeting at Glenbarr still on? Hope you have fun if so! Give my love to Muasdale, and to Soop and MacS.
I went for my eye test today, my first, apparently, since 2009. I`ve always had 2 pairs of glasses for reading, but threw one pair out a while ago when the frames broke, so was expecting to be ordering 2 new pairs. However, the very handsome, and very young! optician told me I was still OK for the reading glasses, but needed a separate pair for when on the computer, so I`ve ordered a pair of each, they`ll be ready next Sunday.

A lovely day here today- I of course have been patiently waiting for the builder and his friend for over an hour, I have no idea if he is coming or not. Silly me was expecting him here two days running.

callgirl We are just getting ready to drive to Ardrossan for the Campbeltown ferry. It's raining!!!
Just a light breeze at the moment but we are in a sheltered spot so fingers crossed for a smooth crossing.
We are hoping to meet soop and MacSporran while we are in Muasdale. Pictures will be taken.

Morning all!

Just a swift pop in this morning !

Off to lunch today with DD and family as a thank you for all the running about we've done since SiL finished his back off !! Then everyone to ours plus other DD and family, for tea, cake and Lego !!

Back later ...sending happy Sunday wishes to all!

MawB those cakes were a work of art- too good to eat.

Roxie looks so innocent- butter would not melt in her mouth.

Tara's cat flap is on its last legs, I ordered another a few minutes ago and it will be arriving tomorrow.

Good Sunday morning to our lovely lot.

Charleyg Whenever I start reading your house restoration updates, I go into a trance. How on earth do you keep sane. You, my dear, are utterly amazing.

Morethan Roxie is a sweet looking girl. I also hope that she didn't swallow any plastic. Did you read recently about the contents of a dead whale's stomach. Dozens of plastic bags!!!

oldgoat I too would love to have shinned up that tree. MacS said...don't even think about it.
It was raining a little earlier. There is a steady improvement, which seems to augur well. Ring me when you reach Muasdale. We'll make a date for and at Glenbarr.

callgirl1 Trust you to be examined by a young and handsome optician. Mind you, the lady who carried out my examination was delightful. We spent an awful lot of time discussing wedding outfits. She liked the fact that the colour of my elbow-crutch, matched my shoes.

N&G No need to say have yourselves a fun day. We know beyond a shadow of doubt that you will.

Morethan, what a ? lovely dog!

You lot are keeping very quiet today. I shall therefore take myself away to do yet more ironing I'm pleased to say that the sun is putting in an appearance.
I shall return later this after...

Greetings one & all, there haven't been enough hours in the days since I last posted (Wed I think) but I'm able to grab some time now, sitting in the conservatory, being serenaded by the garden blackbird (& a neighbour's mower!)
I see from soop that we are fast approaching new kitchen extension time, so I'll sneak in here quickly.

Nonna, I think your DH Madness saxophone serenade sounds great, try it out at sunnyhunny perhaps - & pass the hat around?!
What a yummy choc pud thatbags & those cakes Maw, wow!
I think garden pics will be in order kitty when Maisie comes home.
Charley - your fingers must be worn down from table drumming.

The dry Sunday afternoon chorus of lawn mowers is moving closer & I'm looking askance at my field/meadow/mosspatch/lawn...nah, it can wait! I tied in my lovely Iceberg rose this a.m,, it's going to take over flowering duty on the trellis from a clematis - it's already throwing itself through evergreens & a small willow.
Right, must go, FutureLearn is waiting.

Have a lovely afternoon.

Good afternoon folks. It is very quiet at Chez Duster at the mo, but that will not last as HRH the GS is expected later with his parents to chomp his way through a roast pork dinner. I had better get the crackling right if there will be long faces (not least of them mine, though every time I eat it I get visions of my dentist throwing up his hands in horror, screaming "Nooooo!!!"). It's looking pretty. Good at the moment. We will follow it with steamed apple and blackberry sponge pudding, or grandad's signature dish - orange jelly!
I was out in the garden earlier inspecting my plum tree for any sign of plums (don't be silly!) and found two ladybirds mating. It looked a rather long winded, joyless affair. Any similarities to living persons or almost living is pure coincidence ?! Here is a rather blurry photograph of same (ladybirds that is!).

Lovely to hear from you, PoshG. I used to enjoy the sound of the old fashioned lawn mowers. Not so much the modern variety. Also like the smell of newly mowed grass.

Greyduster It's been a very long time since we last had roast pork. The thought of crisp crackling has made my taste buds tingle.
I like the photo. Birds do it, bees to it, even educated fleas do it...tra lah de dah.

I had just started ironing when son number one telephoned. He's such a good natured and good humoured individual. He make me laugh aloud. Thirty minutes of talk and guffawing...

So I'm off to start again. I'll keep an eye on the kitchen. Very close to opening the new extension.

Glad to know you're keeping an eye open soop, I think it should be you that closes this & opens the extension....are you ironing a ribbon for the purpose?
Greyd my blackbirds are "doin' it" (again) this afternoon, still no sign of anything happening, they've been at it for weeks. Perhaps they like practising!
I've re-opened/opened another thread in the Education Forum & would love it if Kitcheners would pop in!

We have friends for dinner tinight. Everything is prepared and I am left with a red pepper and some fresh basil ? What have I forgotten? Too late now.

I've been watching and listening to President Trump's speech in Saudi Arabia. Methinks that he has "done himself proud". He doesn't appear to be reading from a script. Amazing that anyone can speak for so long without doing so. Just saying...

PoshG This 'ere forum takes up a lot of my time. bags (amongst others) will enjoy contributing to your Education Forum.

Tizliz dice up the pepper and sprinkle over the fresh basil. Why? I haven't a clue. Anyhow, the meal will be a success with or without the bits left over.

They will go in a potato salad tomorrow, nothing gets wasted.

I've tidied up after myself. A good job done.
Very soon I'm expecting to hear that Mr and Mrs Oldgoat have arrived in Kintyre.
The cloud is obscuring the lovely view of the mountains of Islay. Never mind. Weather can change very quickly wherever one may be. Certainly by mid-week, the temperature will be climbing.

Good thinking, Tizliz I do believe I need to open the kitchen in readiness for a new knees-up.

I'm off...