Soop's kitchen for friendly folk and precious pets...

Posh our daughter-in-law is laid low by the very same affliction. It's horrid. Us lot will reserve the best chaise for you to recline upon. Rory won't mind too much, providing you offer him a dish of finely diced roast chicken.

Poppies - N&G & Maw lovely poppies. Had red "singles" for many years from our first OMQ in S Wales; saved heads & sowed in other gardens when posted/moved. They died out in current garden about 5 years ago, then, like corner had a single yellow poppy (aren't they Welsh poppies?) which has now established itself around the garden.
No commemorative poppy, but didn't the installation at Tower of London look wonderful?

Just a quick visit again.

N&G, for what it's worth - it's not worth it. That particular poster just has no filter. I quite like dropping the odd comment in and disappearing again.

morethan, there isn't much to say that would help but please talk to us if it you need to.

anno, as Ann found, it's difficult knowing what to do or say and one always wants to do something.

Ann have a lovely day with your daughter and the puppy (and the children if they look up)

posh

soop, I don't beleive you ever have a cross word with anyone.

Yesterday I went to M&S and decided to try their bras as I have been quite disappointed with the ones I usually wear and M&S are considerably cheaper. Except the ones I bought yesterday didn't quite fit and the ones I exchanged them for today were exactly the same but £3 more. Even the assistant was baffled!

kitty Didn't the assistant ask a supervisor? Are there such folk employed in stores these days? Whatever, you may have been overcharged. £3 would have bought you a massive slice of cream cake.

Talking bras. This morning I happened across a Spanx-like bra/vest that has never been worn. I tried putting it on over my head. Got tangled up and had to remove. Rolled garment and stepped into it. Took a very long time to get it over hips. Once in situ, I found it difficult to breathe. Removed said item and put in bottom drawer.

(from chaise, stroking any virtual Kitchen pets that come to hand)

morethan - hope there is much laughter at the swimming session. Kind thoughts to you & yours.
annsixty - hope your family day with D & GC is gentle

soop, á propos your last post: would you please tell me where you get the talking bras?

My family are not here yet! They left home at 10:30 , the M25 was so busy but they are here until Tuesday after lunch.

kitty - thanks.
I have had a hate/hate relationship with bras until relatively recently - from not having anything to put in them except cotton wool as a teenager, to having beachballs (briefly, twice), then the wilderness years where nothing fit. When I could get away with it I went b'less! Then I discovered sports bras, no more slipping straps or undercutting - great. Bought white, black & nude colours (& still have "invisible" option).

soop - your bottom drawer bra could cuddle up with my bottom drawer single socks

anno -

anno VERY funny.

ann Travelling at Bank holidays. Stressful at the best of times. As long as your family arrive safely, all will be well. Almost time. One wouldn't hurt. In fact, it may help you to feel nice and mellow.

Posh as I'm a 36EE, a sports bra would not contain my dingle dangles in comfort.

It is that time of day. Switch off computer and read the Sunday paper. At six o'clock sharp MacSporran will present me with a G&T with ice, elderflower tonic and a slice of lime. That's it. I often think that I might enjoy another at nine o'clock but almost always settle for a "nice cup of tea"... I sure do live dangerously.

Kind thoughts to you all, especially those of you who are feeling sad or poorly.

Fed up with M&S bras, I took a chance and ordered Playtex on line. Brilliant fit! I have gone down a size and two cup sizes with losing weight and can even fit into a lightly padded bra which gives me a much improved silhouette. I have now ordered another two similar bras.

My SiL tells me there are no such things as single socks - there are just eccentric pairings!
DH and I have made a sort of peace and I have had a contemplative day trying to come to terms with what he thinks are one dimensional elements that are invading my character as I get older. I just wish that people would let me be me a bit more often, but I don't think he likes the me I like to be. The problem with these marital spats is that each one, when the status quo is returned, leaves a tiny space in the structure that can eventually undermine the foundations, and there you go - timber! Anyway, I cooked him a nice curry, had a chat with my DiL about girly stuff and that dress, and crawled back into my hole. Here is a visitor to my garden this afternoon. He stayed around for quite a while and cheered me up enormously. A red admiral butterfly.

Greyduster - I understand what you have said.

I too have taken solace (from feeling xxxx & "other") by sitting in my conservatory this afternoon, feeding currants to my blackbird pair.

Soop, you are funny, calling them your "dingle dangles". I've always had small ones but they do last longer!! Good job an all if I'm going to be single again!

My family arrived just before 5pm. The puppy is adorable and a great source of amusement. He loves my garden and exploring and as nothing can be spoiled in it that is ok ,
My GC are very mature for their age, they had to grow up quickly to deal with their parents separation and are a joy to converse with as I get no adult conversation normally. H retreated to bed at 8pm as he couldn't take the banter between us all. It saddens me but relieves me when he leaves us to it. How sad is that?

Sad yes but so very understandable in your situation, Ann, please don't feel guilty for enjoying the company of your family. But of course you wish things were very different, who wouldn't in your shoes. Sending you lots of love

Greyduster I think I know what you mean about the little chinks.
But it concerns me that anybody, even/especially your OH should be critical. You are you and nobody has the right to detract from that.
Oh dear is this what growing old together does for us?
DD has just tried to get me to arrange for my sis-in-law to come up for a couple of days so that I can go up to them for a break but I also feel this is my responsibility and while I need a break I need to do that at my own pace. So I am going up for a day and not making a big deal of it. Peace (after a fashion) reigns here and I suspect another "dog picture" is how DH sees it.
So no more whingeing from me for now, onwards and well, onwards

Soop your post about your tangle with a bra reminded of my search for underwear to improve my silhouette for my daughter's wedding. I decided to try on one of those all in one things in M and S. I got it on ok, well with a bit of huffing and puffing if I'm honest, but immediately realised I'd probably die at the wedding wearing if I wore it! I then tried to get it off with a lot more huffing and puffing and getting hotter and more flustered by the minute. I was conscious that I'd been in the changing room ages but the more I tried the harder it got. I really thought I was going to have call an assistant to cut me out of the b****y thing. Eventually I calmed down and got it off and walked out of the changing room red faced with head held high but avoided making eye contact with the bemused looking assistant!
greyduster it amazes me that sometimes my old boy after 50 years of knowing me just doesn't get me at all. If anyone had told me years ago I'd still need to work at a relationship after all these years I'd never have believed them!

Yes indeed maw about the "little chinks" !

I had a nasty shock earlier this evening. Both of my budgies "Barry and Graham" have died in the living room where their cage is.

We don't know what happened, the only thing we can think of is that a cat got into our house. Barry's wing and stomach looked injured but there were no signs that a cat had been there, nothing knocked over. I had been in and out of the house and garden all day.

The birds usually fly off to the pelmet when you go in the room and sit up there. A cat could not have reached the pelmet without climbing up the curtains or leaping up and knocking a lamp over. Graham may have died of shock, budgies can be very nervous.

We rarely see any cats around where we are and there are dogs either side of us

I still have no real idea what could have happened. I am just feeling guilty that a cat may have got in. It would mean going through three doors to get into the living room where the birds are. It was horrible.
I am feeling very upset.

So sorry Nellie, it must have been a shock finding them like that.

Nellie I am sorry to hear about your budgies. It is hard to imagine what else other than a cat could have done physical damage. Budgies don't fight do they? I see from Rubylady's thread that her budgie also died last week and it also appeared to have wing damage.
To all of you lovely Kitcheners who have expressed some recognition of my recent situation I can only say thanks for being supportive. In the great scheme of things it is trivial, but is still sitting on me like a great weight I can't shift. But anyway, as Maw says "onward and onward". (Love your doggie picture!)
DS sent me this photo yesterday with the message "you know a lot about plants, Ma. What do you think this is?" I said I thought it might be Pussy Wallow!

So sorry you are still carrying the weight, greyduster, it can be hard sometimes to believe we are allowed to be who we are. Mr C is known for totally not 'getting it', but as it's generalised and the subject of much family mirth then it doesn't feel personal so I think easier to manage. We do tend to take the responsibility for our relationships, but I'm not sure if that is either reasonable or helpful. Love the pussy wallow, made me smile, hope it did you too. Your butterfly was a beautiful companion. Nothing wrong with a bit of quiet time just sitting.

I hope you get your break, mawb, please think about sharing the hard work a bit. If your sister in law would like to help out you could look at it as why deny her the opportunity?

Hope you feel better today, poshg, I've also got to wondering about your leg, soop, has it mended now? Sudden death shakes us all anno, a very sad situation for everyone. Wish there were words to make your situation easier, morethan, if it helps please do keep telling us about your days. So many good wishes to you all.

grannyqueenie I laughed out loud at your description. Been there too . Also gave it up, not worth the pain. Having said that have just see a photo taken sideways on this weekend, oh dear, maybe I need to read-visit the garments of torture.

Sounds a lovely beginning to your family visit, ann, please take all the enjoyment there is. You deserve it.

That must have been such a shock. nellie, hope you feel a little better now. I can't help with a possible cause, know little about budgies although I did have one as a child although I do recall they are pretty delicate creatures.

We've a catch up day ahead. Grey and damp here so no temptation to go out. I am destined for the loft - best not to ask . Take care everyone.