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

morethan You are having to deal with raw emotion. I would be in bits if I were in your situation. If it helps, please remember, that although we cannot do anything practical to support you, we do care and we will continue to offer a sympathetic ear. It helps to share such feelings.

May I just croak quietly & periodically from the corner of the Kitchen please while I sip near frozen water & (painfully) swallow paracet. & ibuprof. (sinusitis & "teacher's" throat). At least I can chat to you lot without passing on any bugs.

Nana&G You are such a talented lady. I've two or three cards that you have crafted for me stored in my personal keepsake box.

MacSporran upset me (gravely)in the early days of our brief courtship. Those with a sensitive constitution...please look away.
We were standing in his kitchen. I was helping with washing the dishes. He asked to "see my legs". If I tell you that I've always been terribly self conscious of my chubby knees with dimples,(my father called them "tree trunks" in jest)you'll understand, why I refused to reveal them to my fairly new boyfriend. I was adamant that I was not about to show him my legs. MacS was "put out" by my reaction. We had a stupid barney and I almost cut my visit short. There was an uncomfortable silence for the rest of the afternoon. And then he, (MacS) started to hum and whistle (which I thought was most inappropriate). Cutting a long, ridiculously boring story short, I have since learned that the hum/whistle routine is a sign that he's over a strop. Don't you dare let on.

anno Your poor neighbour will be well cared for by family members. Villagers rally whenever there is a crisis. I often think how much lonelier a bereaved person living in a vast city, without the support of a network of family and friends, must feel. It's possible to feel totally isolated in a crowd.

Oh my goodness...the poppy pics are fabulous. There are drifts of poppies growing along the verges close to Muasdale.
Gaga Snap! I've a ceramic poppy in a tall slim vase in our sitting room. The Tower of London display was amazing.

whitewave Come in more often. You are very welcome. The more the merrier.

Maw The dog card made me say...aww!

It is a lovely sunny day. I have much catching up to do. Before I read through every message, I just want to say that ANYTHING that troubles any of you lot matters. The only thing that our kitchen isn't open for is bitchiness towards other Granspals.
Matrimonial spats are a fact of life. Frayed tempers can be mended. Perfect people do not exist. At least, I've never met one in all my 75 years. My father often believed he was perfect. My mother reminded him frequently that he was anything but...

It is a shock for all anno as I found out.
It is much cooler and fresher today but a glimpse of sun would be welcome.
I really am never satisfied.

I had a 'thunderhead' too yesterday, ann. Strange that we then had no thunderstorms here and I was rather looking forward to watching the lightning. It will be lovely for your to have your family - and puppy - with you for a few days.
On Friday I was alarmed to see a paramedic car outside my neighbours' house; then when I came back from the shops, there was a police car there too. I knew that she (the neighbour) had been poorly for a long time (COPD) and feared the worst which was confirmed this morning when her husband came round to tell me she had died. The poor man is still in shock and I said if I could do anything to let me know, but there are family members in the village and I know he is not without support.

Be kind to yourself morethan . You don't have to improve...you just have to say out loud - to us if you like- how you feel and that's alright. You're allowed to feel that way. We lot will ply you with kind thoughts, virtual wine and the odd sticky bun !!

I think a fresh leg of lamb would deliver nothing more than a hard slap annsixty I know what you mean about teenagers and technology and feeling ignored but it's still lovely just having them with us. I'm glad your feeling better today and prayers and positive thoughts from any quarter are alway gratefully received, so yes please and thank you. Thank you wot and N&G I still feel rung out but I expect I'll improve as the day progresses.

Morethan, love and

Glad you're feeling a little better today Ann . I'm sad to tell you , most damage occurs whilst that leg of lamb is still frozen ;-)

I'm so sorry morethan the middle of the night has an uncanny knack of making things three times as bad. But maybe it was better to let it out than try and trap all that sorrow inside? Hope you're feeling a touch better too.

I knew I shouldn't have ventured onto a political thread. Apparently, because I made a slip up with a name I cant tell two black people apart .

I shan't be going back .

The agony you are all going through morethan really does put everything into perspective and I feel so sorry for you all. You appeared to have a tiny light at the end of the tunnel a few weeks ago and now it has dimmed, if not gone out entirely.
Will prayers from me help ?
I feel a bit better physically today, I think the heat affected me and quite honestly I am starting to feel my age. My D and GC are coming today, not youngsters so don't need entertaining any more.
At 18 and14 they will be glued to their technology and ignoring us. Unfortunately H still treats them as young children which he can't get past.
Well I must get on, coincidentally it is a large leg of lamb I am cooking, let us see if it makes it to the oven, are they as effective if fresh and not frozen?

I think a row can be healthy somtimes. It's clears the air a bit like a storm. Good marriages survive. I've had many a humdinger, less as the years go by. I spent last evening with my son and his family at his MiL house. They left early to put the children to bed. I sat and chatted with DiL parents. Of course we talked about their daughters recent news that her cancer had spread to her liver. They were distraught. I was fine while I was there then at one o'clock this morning had a complete meltdown. I'm ashamed to say I telephoned a friend and sobbed uncontrollably for about an hour. Is that like a row or a storm? I don't know can't say I feel much better for it. Still best foot forward I'm expected at DiL to help take the children to swimming. Looks like it'll be a lovely bank holiday Sunday I hope you all have a good day and enjoy the sunshine.

Good morning all !

I'm up far too early that darn sunshine

Grey read your message with interest. Isn't it always the ridiculous things that start a row? I clearly remember a HUGE row when we were first married because I drew a smiley face on Grampy's Angel Delight( butterscotch in case it is of interest) and he liked his 'top' pristine !! Ah those were the days !!

I agree with Maw and Kitty ann, here is exactly the right place because we see on a daily basis how life is REALLY for you and so we of all people, totally get where you are coming from. Don't ever apologise for saying what you think.

not here !

I can understand why that hit a nerve aggie. In her 90's I remember my Nan saying there was no one left to call her by her given name ( Catherine - but Kitty to all), she was Mum , and Nan instead. She missed that I think.

Grampy and I don't row often because we have reached that mellow place where I am right and he is wrong and best he shuts up before I get that leg of lamb from liaise !! As I tell him often there can be only one Captain...and he's not it !

Mind you when we do row , its a doozie !

Finished the baby shower bits , so added a little pic of some of them. I am so delighted for this young couple as they had some issues and wondered if they would ever be parents. They will make a smashing Mum and Dad.

Jackson had a wonderful day for a motor mad little boy and actually got to sit in Lewis Hamilton's race car.... we will be hearing about that for a while.

I have stupidly popped my head over the parapet on a political thread and am sure I will rue the day !!

So I think I will spend the day tidying the craft room and staying out of trouble !!

Happy Sunday all !!

ann all you introduced into the kitchen was real life. No need to worry about that. If anyone tells me they never argue with their partner and have been together more than a year I check to see if their nose is growing. Its simply life. Although of course I know you are dealing with a very magnified version of it ann. I'm sure paw will get over your plain speaking mawb, some things are just better out than in. Inageee with you, the kitchen is a much safer place to explore these things.

I defy anyone who spends a lot of time with another person not to disagree with them sometimes. Having said that Mr C is in my good books today, I suspect he's getting worried, I've had the whole day smiling at him. Tomorrow as they say is another day .

After many years without either of them I still think I must remember to tell something to my Mum or Mother in Law. I also think 'I'll ask Dad, he'll know'. Dad has been gone 12 years, Mum 26, Mother in Law over 30. Not surprising to still be thinking in that way about a husband, or indeed wife.

Been thoroughly enjoying all the photos, love seeing oldgoat(s) with Soop and those dogs were just fabulous n&g. We've got some yellow poppies this year for the first time, migrated from next door. When I can I'll try for a photo. Blowing a gale at the moment so they may well be headless in the morning

I understand the bit about being defined by our role with other people, aggie, I think it's essential sometimes to remind people that we are an individual. Mr C hasn't managed to call me by his mothers name, he did have a few slips of the tongue back in the day and called me by a previous girlfriends name. No, wasn't pleased with him that day!

May not make the kitchen tomorrow. Off to see poorly friend. Take care everyone.

My parents never had a row, it was a terrible shock when I got married.

well I just yelled at poor OH , who has no idea why , but he called me by his Mothers name and it just hit a raw spot ! . I think I was never just me , my Mum was a teacher , so I was Mrs A's wee girl , then I had/have a very glam sister , so I was S's sister then Mrs A , some of my bowling chums call me by my first name which is nice but lots call me Mrs . So if OH thinks I am his Mother ..... sigh ...

I know what you mean Galen, I find myself thinking "I must ask David about that".
We were married just over 53 years, and a lot of it was far from sweetness and light, but I still wish he was back here.

After 14 years I still sometimes think 'must tell Pete that when he gets in!'

I have a leg of lamb in the freezer if anyone needs it.

Quite, Maw! I don't think it's a can of worms Ann. It's a fact of life.

The only thing is that the Kitchen is the only place on GN I would share somhonestly

I have realised that I have opened a can of worms and the kitchen is most definitely not the place to open it .
So I will open a new thread tomorrow in an appropriate place. Good night to all of you.