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

tricia, I hope your shin heals well. I injured my shin years ago and remember how long it took. I don't think any off us want to admit our limitations, do we?

Crafting, hope today is better for you!

I know logic dictates closing curtains Nellie but then the room seems to get really stuffy - can't win.

oldgoat - who said it was going to be perfect!!!! Though DH is getting quite stressed about the water feature being clean.

Anyone wanting to see a wild garden is welcome to visit mine. Bring wellies cos even if the sun is out, wading through the -- knee-- thigh high grass can be wet. Worth it for the sound of the grasses and sorrels brushing against your legs as you wellywander about

Good luck to kitty and MrKitty!

Wish we had a five minute edit window!

tizliz, message received!

We also love 'open gardens', kitty, wishing you well for the event and hope the stress remains manageable. It should be fun on the day.

Hope today looks better, crafting. It's a funny old world sometimes.

Take care of that leg tizliz, I know how difficult they are to mend. That reminds me, is your leg properly healed soop? How are you doing, baggs? Imagine you will be slowed down for a while. I don't think any of us mend as quickly as we used to.

I still don't know how you have survived your renovations charley, your patience and ability to remain sane are simply miraculous.

The curtain debate rages here. Our neighbours are what I would call hermetically sealed, windows and curtains firmly closed. We have windows wide open along with the curtains. Haven't measured the relative temperatures inside but we are sure ours is lower. At least we don't need the light on. .

Well, onwards. The plan is to get the jobs done early then off to the beach for a paddle. Think I've discovered the joy of retirement - finally . Take care everyone.

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/201706/medium-513370-19274844-10208724721828402-7580351234996695459-n.jpg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/201706/medium-157244-19225793-10208724724628472-9012500130925817505-n.jpg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/201706/medium-509465-19274927-10208724718628322-7403263126022383097-n.jpg

Good Morning all !

Its a scorcher here and last night wasn't much better !!

Hope you're feeling alright Baggs , I told Jackson about your ouchie and he has offered you a superhero plaster if it helps

How did Oscars haircut go Oldgoat? I am going to bath Sam today as that will lift out any dead hair. He's feeling much more like himself today , even popped upstairs to say good morning when Grampy bought me up a coffee. He has one more day of totally bland diet before we try re introducing his normal food. He now has a waist .... oh that it was that easy for me !!! LOL

TriciaF that sounds like quite a run in !! Glad you got it treated promptly.

What a great idea Kitty !! I wish they did something similar for diabetes . I can certainly give Sam some more of the food that started the trouble and lend him to you. He wont vomit on the Idiot but could cover him in shit ... tell me you're not smiling right now at that thought !!!

Will there be pictures of the garden in all its glory? I hope so !

In the window debate , we open all front windows and blinds until noon. Then shut front windows and blinds and open all back windows and blinds. By 6pm we open everything and let the breeze if there is any blow through !

We had an impromptu BBQ yesterday with youngest daughter and family, so Ill add a couple of pictures. Oh to be under 5 again. You may wonder why Jackson has his pants on his head ...... wellllllll....... apart from the obvious ( that every man I know has at some stage been found with his pants on his head ...) the water went in his ear during the water gun fight so he put these on so the water didn't get in again !! He does have his swim shorties on too ( although Cooper was found running around naked at one stage!!) A good time was had by all.

Off to IKEA this morning ...wish me luck!!

I've just reclaimed the empty jug of Pimms I left in the kitchen and refilled it so help yourselves Grans. DGD (16 in September)loves Pimms and is allowed one small glass by her strict Mama so I have another jug waiting at home for her to sample!

Hope you are coping with your sore wrist Baggs. It will not be easy to make the flapjacks or do your lumberjacking so I hope you are enrolling some helpers!

Love your paddling pool NandG - am I too old to have one for myself? DGC all past paddling pools now, sadly.

kitty Yes, it is still ongoing. Several court appearances, but the wheels of justice grind very slowly indeed! My poor GDS have been so, so upset, whilst doing exams and A levels and now don't believe anything their father tells them. He is still conning people out of thousands!
Anyway, enough of him, good luck with your garden opening, I'd love to come and see it.
Best wishes to you all, I'm not posting much these days, I'm sorry to see the way GN is going.
Soop ??

Gaga I'll let you not a secret.....I have a much bigger one that is mine all mine!! With a large rubber ring, I sit on it and float about reading my book? It's like being 5 again :-)

Sounds wonderful N&G I could do with one right now. The children have had great fun.

Amazingly my builder has not been in touch- why should I be so surprised?

lona, I was just thinking yesterday that I hadn't seen your GN name for a while. Nice to see it today.

Thank for the queries, peeps. I'm chugging along. Everything takes twice as long but I'm managing okay so far with things that can be done one-handed. My right elbow gets used quite a lot as a tool to hold things still. Today I'm going to enquire at a local hairdresser about having my long hair cut very short.

Minibags has happily taken on the care of next-door's cats while their usual slaves are on holiday.

Cooking will be a bit of a trial as there is a limit to what one can do with one hand. Hopefully the pain has subsided. You should have chosen a cooler time. I think that it is only 29C in London at present- I will melt if it reaches 33C as promised.

My garden lady has been away for two weeks and the chaos is extraordinary! I seem to have a wildlife bed at the end of the garden - docks and nettles are side by side but at least the buttercups are pretty. As for the mare's tail and sticky weed, I feel totally helpless!

We might make it up to 20° today. I'm still wearing two pairs of socks, the outer pair being hiking socks. Am wearing a swim tankini top instead of a bra. I've ordered another and am about to go upstairs and raid Minibags's room (I did ask!) to see if hers will fit me. Necessity, invention, mother...

Baggs could you cope with 32C which is coming to London today? My neighbours had the heating on last week when I was sun bathing in the garden!

I did when I was working in Thailand, though I think I'd use a phrase like "learned to endure" rather than 'cope with'!

Thanks and return greetings from judthepud. She has had internet connection problems since return from holiday.

That's a very good way of describing it, Baggs, although after 36 years of living in Malta, I have adapted, for the most part, and love the heat. I couldn't live anywhere cold again.

Do hope your arm is not too painful and that you aren't too frustrated by being one-handed.

A cheery good afternoon to you lovely lot...the weather here in Kintyre is greatly improved. The haar has lifted. The sun is shining. anno Snap! Everything in the garden is thrice the height that it was at this time last week.

Glad to hear that you are coping in spite of a broken bone, Baggs. And, for what it's worth, I think that a short hairdo would suit you. You are well-blest with good features.

Hello again, Lona, I cannot begin to imagine how distressing things are with your family having to deal with all the chaos created by the granddaughter's father.

NanaandGrampy Your family photos always raise a smile. Wearing pants on the head could easily catch on. If it works for Jackson...it would work for any chap, providing he wore a big grin plastered over his face.
Good to hear that Sam is making steady progress. The heat (in your neck of the woods) won't have helped.
Us lot hope to see you lolling in your personal paddling pool before the summer is finished.

Gagagran I would welcome a tall glass of chilled Pimms right this minute.

Baggs Thank you for the update on Jud. We know only too well how frustrating being internetless can be.

Coo - I love the word 'internetless' though I hate the state of being it!

Lona, I'm sorry you are still having to deal with your Idiot. The clever crooks know how to use the CJS to their advantage.

Lovely photos N&G. I, for one, am not going to wear my pants on my head. My bottom is considerably bigger that my head and I wouldn't be able to see where I was going.

Try to rest your arm baggs, though I imagine you will find that difficult to do. I think a sort of urchin cut would suit your face. But, hey, have you seen my hair.

Nanaandgrampy just for you. If dogs really did this they would never slim

Is he yours?If so what a clever dog - typical terrier, if that's what he is.

No TriciaF I have Belgium Shepherds, I just thought it was funny. I was really looking for one of a dog tiptoeing past his master to get a cheese sandwich, whilst his master is typing about not being able to understand why his dog is fat.

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/201706/medium-310750-100-3831.jpg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/201706/medium-320013-100-3838.jpg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/201706/medium-439978-100-3833.jpg

Tizliz Love the photo.

I was doing some ironing yet again, when I heard some strange cat sounds.
Looked through the window to see Rory seated all prim and proper-like beside the chalet. From behind the chalet, a handsome tabby cat slowly inched forward. Rory wasn't livid. He didn't even appear to be miffed. The cat wanted to approach Rory and yet, it wasn't too sure that it should. They were conversing in cat language. This is not the first visit from the tabby. Could it be Rory's second daughter? I shall look for a photo and when it next visits I shall compare with the actual feline.