Soop's kichen for friendly folk and pampered pets

Crikey moses! It is almost enough to put one off coming into the kitchen - trying to catch up after a day or so away. I do wish you'd all just sit still!!

Fabulous photos soop - Torben is a lovely looking boy. I hope you get to see him before too long.

Welcome poshgran, I hope you enjoy the lovely atmosphere in the kitchen. And, no arguing is ever allowed - or even thought of by us lot.

GD please look after that leg. I love Bellinis and most champagne cocktails but Limoncello is best used for a pudding in Nigella's Italian cook book. Mixed fruit, warm cream with melted chocolate and then some lemoncello - ooh, I've got an urge!

Can't stop, I've made a curry and I'm looking forward to sitting down. I'm too old to stand up at concerts now!

soop, what a fine young man Torben is now. Seems no time at all since you showed us photos of a cute toddler. How old is he now? At the weekend I got some great pictures of DS3 scoring in his first Rugby tournament but am not allowed to share them. He's a big, strong, heavy 9-year-old, and fast on his feet - Twickenham beckons! Brother (11) is a keen footballer and built like a racehorse. What a pair! It's been quite a breezy May Day here, though not cold. However, I've been lying low owing to an unusually nasty headache. Getting better now and should be fine if I have an early night.

Thank you for your support re my DiL. I have enjoyed reading all your news. How do you all remember everyone's names when commenting on your replies. Are you all teachers?( they are very good at remembering) I'm not so good I think I trained myself to concentrate on the person in front of me then quickly write down anything pertinent and quickly forget them. Probably because I could see 20 people in a day and my brain isn't big enough to hold them all. I've only been retired a month. Im not sure I'm going to like it much. I miss the routine and feel a bit aimless. I don't miss the stress though. I've noticed that I don't feel so exhausted. I used to come home and could barely think never mind speak. I am trying my best to go through everything that's been put on the back burner for the last few years. So far I've found cheques, money, unopened mail. Clothes, shoes that I'd forgotten I'd bought. Its going to take months if not years to sort out. Mind you I have spent today watching the Elizabeth1 on catch up almost all day. I'm a sucker for anything to do with the tudors. I have particularly enjoyed the photographs of the grandchildren soop your young man looks a handsome,happy chap. And yours look wonderful toogreyduster I remember and appreciate your kindness when I pm'd you last year I was pretty hysterical at the time so can't remember if I replied. Looking at your photo of three strapping men N&G I noted the sticks one of my granddaughters always has pick up a stick when we're out and about, what is it about some children and sticks? I hope your move to Norfolk goes well. I have two of the most wonderful grandsons living in kings Lynn. I'm off to stay with them mid may. I've rambled enough. I'll no doubt get the hang of short to the point post at some point.

Thank you for your welcomes - shortbread in a tin on the side, help yourself.
No, sadly, I don't have a pet, just an OH who had a bunny as a child (which answers for a lot!) & really doesn't "do" pets at all. Judging by the way he talks, I think that perhaps he had a bad experience once & consequently is actually quite uncomfortable around anything furry.

For my part, I admire cats - from a distance (allergy issues). I have cat-sat & removed feathered offerings from the home of a bird-phobic neighbour in the past, but....
Many years ago, pre-OH, I had a wonderful poodle (with a great dane mindset) for nearly 13 years. I still miss him (the dog) & periodically have to have a "fix" by staying for a few days with my brother who has 2 dogs, one of which is a poodlesomething. A visit is imminent I feel. Until then, I know where to come!!
Have a peaceful evening one & all. Cheers!

Well blow me down! He ate the mashed potato!!! And three roasties and two Yorkshire puddings and three different vegetables and two helpings of roast pork, followed by apple and blackberry crumble and a double chocolate Magnum (MY double chocolate Magnum!!) Things are looking up!
Welcome to the kitchen Poshgran! Hope to see lots of you ?

Given all the previous talk of Cornwall, I was going to mention that DD and SiL announced at dinner that next Easter they have booked a working holiday on a sailing ship out of Fowey for four days. They have booked their babysitting early! Not sure DD is wholly sold on the idea. If it were me, I would be off like a shot, but I'm too long I'm the tooth for all that heaving and hauling, although if there was much 'splicing the mainbrace' involved, I might just reconsider!

It has been such a nice evening here we have had a pruning session in the garden. Wrist hurts from chopping stuff up to get it in the bin. Sat down now and looking at the plum tree from the house can see it is lopsided - might just have to stay like that

poshgran welcome to you.

soop lovely photos of Torben. What a good looking young man.

morethan2, things sound a bit better for your DIL. Thank goodness

Hope you didn't make your curry too hot kitty otherwise sitting down might not be an option

PoshGran welcome to The Kitchen - it's the best place to be!

morethan your description of your DIL, DS and family enjoying their walk together brought tears to my eyes. It must be so hard for you to be positive all the time, so please do drop in for hugs whenever you need them. There is usually someone dozing by the kettle, ready to make a and provide a shoulder.

soop I can't believe it's seven weeks already since you cut your leg. Has a doctor seen it lately? What a lovely man MacS is to clean the hob after the plums boiled over. Do you hire him out? I let the potatoes boil dry last week and am still working on the black saucepan ...

Galen I hope your butler has a selection of 'jokes' ready for your cruise as I'm sure you'll miss them while you're away. Must admit I've started looking for them when I come into the kitchen

I have to go for an x-ray tomorrow of my thumb/wrist. Have had a bit of soreness there since January, which I thought was arthritis. However in the last couple of weeks it's been really painful at times and my gp thinks I may have broken the scaphoid bone. She asked if I'd fallen, which I hadn't, as apparently it's a very common break if you put your hand out to save yourself from smashing you face when you fall. I think it's unrelated to the original soreness and probably occurred in a 'rough and tumble' with DGS ...

Goodnight lovely people, sleep well

PS any news of wobblybits ?

I've been wondering this for ages. Does anyone know?

Or Jud and Georgie?

A lovely spring day today in York. We've been cutting back an overgrown honeysuckle but OH got a bit carried away with the secateurs so now there's a big empty space where the escallonia and clematis used to be... I thought the birds might not come to the feeding station because everything looks so different but then a pair of bullfinches arrived. Wow! A blackbird is nesting in the pyracantha right next to our kitchen window, too. And finally, we saw an OTTER running along the bank of the river at Beningbrough Hall this afternoon - the first I've seen in Yorkshire. We weren't allowed into the grounds of the hall because we had Oscar with us - one of the downsides of having a dog. The woman on the door suggested that we leave him in the car - it was 17 degrees on the thermometer. Wouldn't dream of it.
That's the end of my nature notes.
Hope you've all had a good day today, too.

It wasn`t bad, till we had another power cut, the 2nd in 4 days. It went off just as I was about to click for payment on my online Tesco order, and it`s just come back on. The main worry is that Lynne is stuck in her rise and recline chair in a power cut, can`t get up.

Good Morning all !

Never a truer word * Maw* - grumpy grans galore ! I do wonder sometimes at posters who seem irate before they even get going and then I never see them again , either on the thread they start or anywhere else

soop Torben has a look of you, and what a handsome chap ! Is he available for my granddaughter Laura ( she would be an older woman but I think it could work ). I can see he has similar tastes to our grandson Stevie ! That darn Lego !!

I'm with you downsized lemoncello over ice-cream mmmmm My brother makes his own every year. Its very simple.

Sorry to hear your leg is still bad grey !! We too learnt some amazing cocktail combinations in the military! I think there's a course for it . Kids eh? Our grandson Stevie will not eat pie unless you tell him its meat with a hat!!! what's that all about???

Welcome Poshgran cake may be optional but it sounds like a cocktail might be the way to go !! Sam the spaniel is always up for a cuddle ( and any spare food) should you drop in.

Oh , its not an outing without a stick Morethan [laugh]. We have quite a selection now . What a small world eh? Well should we be moved by then- pop in for coffee ( and bring a stick !!)

We spent a large chunk of yesterday filling in paperwork for the solicitor. They have it cushy these days as they just sent us everything by email and we had to print it out and work through it !! Reams and blasted reams of it. Ant=d some of the questions..... I cant remember what I did yesterday let alone what's happened in the last 20 years !!

So today we have to go and drop it off. Then Grampy is babysitting the 2 bigger kids whilst I take Mummy and Jackson shopping. Its Cooper's 3rd birthday tomorrow and Jackson has yet to choose his gift.

Have added a picture of the birthday boy.. He's very excited !

I'd been wondering about Jud and Georgie too, anybody heard anything? Grace is poddling along , still very stiff getting up as it is hard to bend those long back legs far enough under her bum to get the leverage, if you see what I mean. I have the same trouble stepping up on to a chair to reach the top shelf of the spice cupboard (the shelf with all the things I never use but there just might be the baking powder...) I know I should use the IKEA "step up thingy" but it has the ironing basket balanced on it.
Now, where were we.....
Ah yes, Grace. Not really eating much these days, very picky, so far I have thrown out roast chicken, steamed chicken raw mince, sliced ham (and don't even THINK about dog food) - all things she has in the past taken my hand off for. Managed to get her to eat a tin of tuna last night, mixed in with her IAMS. I believe one side effect of the Tramadol she is taking is loss of appetite. Just have to keep trying.
Now to bring hope, optimism and maybe the promise of that pot of gold at its end, I took this yesterday late afternoon for you.

Good morning all. I was up very early this morning and had a chance to catch up on all the happenings in the kitchen. As I went out to see to the hens I was reflecting on how many people are struggling with health, relationships, caring responsibilities and so on. Along with a recent worry of my own I was feeling quite sad. However, as I passed the birch tree a beautiful song burst forth from the top branches and it reminded me of this lovely poem. A bit long, but it says what I want to say.

The Darkling Thrush
BY THOMAS HARDY

I leant upon a coppice gate
When Frost was spectre-grey,
And Winter's dregs made desolate
The weakening eye of day.
The tangled bine-stems scored the sky
Like strings of broken lyres,
And all mankind that haunted nigh
Had sought their household fires.

The land's sharp features seemed to be
The Century's corpse outleant,
His crypt the cloudy canopy,
The wind his death-lament.
The ancient pulse of germ and birth
Was shrunken hard and dry,
And every spirit upon earth
Seemed fervourless as I.

At once a voice arose among
The bleak twigs overhead
In a full-hearted evensong
Of joy illimited;
An aged thrush, frail, gaunt, and small,
In blast-beruffled plume,
Had chosen thus to fling his soul
Upon the growing gloom.

So little cause for carolings
Of such ecstatic sound
Was written on terrestrial things
Afar or nigh around,
That I could think there trembled through
His happy good-night air
Some blessed Hope, whereof he knew
And I was unaware.

Oh I could relate to "As fervourless as I" yesterday Izabella
But nature can and does lift the spirits , birdsong in particular. Very humbling too.
Thank you for thinking of this and sharing it with us.
Now onwards and upwards.....!!

Alexa
How many software engineers does it take to change a lightbulb?
None. That's a hardware problem.

I think we should make Alexa an honorary GN member! She can sign in with Joke of the Day ?!

I love the lines about Hardy's thrush, in blast-beruffled plume, flinging his soul upon the growing gloom, Izabella. A lovely poem.

Having an Alexa sounds like a permanent 8 - year old grandson!! (No offence to grans of 8 year olds ) my rising 7 DGS loves telling "jokes" and sometimes gets the punchline right I am assuming(hoping?) he will perfect his technique over the coming year!!

Maw, I don't know if it's good for them, but my dogs have all liked cooked offal such as liver, kidneys and heart. Sophie is getting very picky too. Sometimes a few small pieces of pate on her chicken does the trick!

Lovely poem. I used to love his ? books.

I will continue with my various deceptions! All ideas gratefully received, but Grace is getting cannier! Have got a new method for the Tramadol though. They are capsules so I take a piece of cooked ham or sliced cheese, spread a little butter on, just enough to make it sticky, tip out the capsule contents -all this little white dots- roll it up, tear I two, give her one half then the other before she has time to reconsider! Works so far (hope she is not reading this ?)