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

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Good morning all!

Lovely pictures soop and Baggs. It looks like you had a lovely time . Pud sounds magnificent!!

I'm sorry to hear about the pet insurance problems Maw . That sounds a bit mean , after all that's what insurance if for . What would happen I wonder if the young man just said he couldn't pay more than a nominal amount each month? Would they claim then ?

Hope the puppy gets better quickly Ann . That's worrying. Sam is unwell today also. Not sure if it's the change of food but he's definitely unwell, with bloody diarrhoea so I think we're off to the vets also. Our Scottish trip is in doubt also. We can't leave him with our daughter when he's ill.

We're always here to lean on More so don't feel you can't come here for some support.

I'm glad you recognise how much we care for you ann , we may only be virtual but we're great listeners ! You vent away to your hearts content.

Charley that's madness . You were right to speak up.

Had a nice sleepover with young Cooper. We had glorious weather so of course we had to get a pool out ! I was envious , I could have done with a dip too.

Time to take him home !

Ues, tell them, charley. My mum is registered blind with Macular Disease and I'd be horrified if she were ever in the position you were in yesterday. I'd complain for her if necessary. Good luck. I'm sure you'll be able to state your case calmly now.

I have lived my life being evenhanded and very calm, I have found out far too late that a bit of temper losing is a wonderful release and relief. I wish I had found out years ago, just tell them Charley.

Sorry all but we are really hogging the sun in London. It is another gorgeous day here.

I lost my temper at lunchtime yesterday and if any of you had opened a window you would have heard me.

I am a member of the Macular Society and we hire a room at the local BL from 10.30am to 12.30pm once a month. We were locked in yesterday, two floors up, without our knowledge from 12 mid day until 12.30pm while the lady in charge of the building decided to go to Waitrose. She had no idea it is against the law.(I think it is and if not it should be).

I was going to get in touch with the main office but a friend stopped me. I am rather impulsive but I feel very strongly about this especially hearing and reading about the events occurring in West London, not a million miles from here. There were 12 of us plus the speaker and all except the speaker and two of us are registered blind.

Next month will be our last visit there as we have found new premises across the road. I do not want to burn our bridges in case we return to the BL if the new premises are not suitable.

ann has expressed my thoughts exactly, morethan, we're all here if you need us. You sound a bit more settled, ann, I have been worried about you. Sorry you are disappointed in your friends attitude, mawb, maybe if you can think of it as behaviour rather than the person it might help a bit?

Bit flat today, hard to get motivated and oh so tired yet I'm sleeping well. Never mind, it will pass, so self propelled kick up the rear and on with the day. Take care everyone.

We are all so behind you morethan you can post whatever you like and we will understand.
I have realised that losing my cool, as I did at the beginning of this week, brought me so many kind and supportive posts, which made me realise people do care and say so. You and your family are going through the worst of times and our hearts go out to you all.
No sun here today so enjoy it while you can along with all the hugs I am sending.

I never caught up from the time before the last time I was on. I don't think I'll have time to catch up this time either. We went to Manchester to be there while my MiL ashes were being interned( is that the right word) it's a five hour journey for us just to watch a man dig a hole, pour the ashes in, refill the hole, stamp on the sod of earth and say "there you go" along with the feeling that it felt like picking at a sore that was trying to heal. still the weather was lovely and we caught up with my husbands siblings which was nice. We picked up my aunt and bought her back here for a few weeks. She's a bit demanding at times but loves a good laugh and I love her, she spoils my husband somthing rotten. I think my DiL chemo is about to start so I'm apologising early just in case I get the wobbles in the middle of the night and post heart wrenching post. Just do some virtual hand holding until I pull myself together. Best get up got the school run with my youngest granddaughter and she's not a morning girl and I think she resents my aunt being here so she'll be grumpy. Enjoy the ? it makes all the difference

I know I have to keep right out of this but it saddens me that someone I am fond of and consider a close friend should hold such opposite views to me. I feel they are being very mercenary in an "I'm all right Jack " sort of way. Either way, they will get their money, whether through the insurance or the young man, but it seems so petty not to claim and put the onus on him when he is not very well off. I fear they may be consciously or otherwise "punishing" him but if the dogs had been closer in size, this might not have arisen. The Staffie is not a mixed breed or vicious dog, he is a big softy and the JR is quite capable of having given a wee growl in provocation. And to say it might put their premium up is ridiculous. A) Petplan have assured them that's not how it works and B) why have insurance at all? I was with Petplan with 4 dogs over 38 years and that was never a consideration.
I just feel disappointed. It takes the shine off our friendship but as it does not concern me, I just have to put it behind me.

Mawbroon, my dogs have Pet Plan insurance. One of them is on life long medication after developing incontinence after being spaydvat age two and a half. Oetplan paybfor it after I pay the excess, she is nine now so seven years of payment. I've made four claims for her, I'm ashamed to say each of them for treatment after she injured herself chasing small fury animals through Bramble's. One injury cost over five hundred pounds because she had surgery after ripping her side on a broken branch. I've worked on obedience and her recall is so reliable, she hasn't had a hunting injury for four years ? I claimed twice for the other dog in five years. My policies haven't increased. I feel for the young man whose dog is responsible for this and hope I'd be more agreeable in those circumstances
It's good to know your daughters pup is insured annsixty, vets bills can be scary and pancreatitis is a worry.
Like the photographs of soop and baggs day

Oh I am sorry to hear this Annsixty, hope the little chap will be OK. Poor little dog and poor them!

Incidentally my D's 5 month old puppy was taken ill this morning, vomiting blood. He saw the vet who kept him all day and diagnosed with pancreatitis, could be serious or just treatable. She picked him up at 6;30, cost £450, fortunately on insurance with a £75 excess.

That is so unfortunate Maw it is none of your fault yet you are caught in the middle. Why pay for insurance if you are not going to claim unless you are the only one going to benefit. As you say, mean spirited.

Do you remember the incident just a few weeks ago when my friend's Jack Russell was attacked by another friend's' stepson's Staffie? I felt in an invidious position then but fortunately it seemed all good natured. Well the Jack Russell's bill at the vet's has come to over £400 plus his owner's "emergency dash" (really not necessary) back from the South Coast, totalling over £500.
I know they have Petplan insurance and so would only have had to pay the excess(£90ish) but they are not claimng as they think their premium would go up next year. Petplan have told them it won't, I have told them that in my experience it never has but they are sticking to their guns.
The young man is not very well off, works as a chef in a care home and lives in a static caravan since returning to the UK from Australia some months ago.
I feel really bad about this as they could so easily have claimed and then the Staffie owner would only have had to pay the bill excess plus the journey home.
She is my friend, but I think it is mean of them. They are comfortably retired but devoted to their little dog and I suspect more than an element of vindictiveness in what they are doing. Somehow this diminishes them in my eyes and I feel a bit cooler towards them
If the Staffie owner's dad (my other friend's husband) can bail him out, fine but my suspicion is that money is a bit tight there too.
Oh dear, friendship should not be affected by a person's actions particularly when it is nothing to do with me, but I am so sorry they have taken what I consider a mean-spirited course of action. AIBU?

You were spoken of kindly, callgirl, and your family, from that recent visit you made to Kintyre xx

That pud looks yummy Bagges, and the wee bag is really cute.
Who`s idea was it to take your photo next to a sign saying "Dogs allowed"? Definitely out of order! Lovely photos though.

It's been a good day. I've so much to be grateful for. I'm logging off until we return from the care home visit in the morning. Wishing you all a very peaceful and pleasant evening.

This morning, just before we set off for Inveraray,I received a lovely, newsy up-date email from my son Matt. I couldn't be more pleased to hear of his forthcoming adventures. Daft isn't it? I couldn't wait to share it with Baggs and she, being a real pal, let me read it (word for word) out loud.

Greyduster A big soppy (((hug)))

annsixty Please keep posting. You can let off steam in here big time.

Elegran I love your crazy sense of humour.

kitty Mouses used to fear Rory and birds were very wary of him. Not so since he moved in and became accustomed to being pampered like an "emperor" (Baggs has ordained him.)

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My pud and the perfect wee bag.

I live up to my name because soop's generosity knows no bounds! That big bag is full of gifts from her. I happened to mention by text this morning, in the spirit of some plates I bought for Minibags one xmas, that all I needed to complete the outfit was a wee shoulder bag to hold my phone. soop, in her usual genie-like way, produced the perfect wee bag. You'll have to hang on while I take a photo of it.

Ahaaaa!

Lovely, lovely, lovely, talkie lunch with soop! My photos are crap but I'm sure some of MacS's will be fine. We had tasty minted green pea soup and then pud. This was my pudding. soop had crème brulée (have I got the accents right?), as she often does. It was good. I had a taste. And she had a taste of my pudding whose name I've forgotten: meringue, berry ice-cream, cream and toasted almonds, and some berries. Photo anon, perhaos, when my icloud has updated itself.

elegran, the tights survived. They are quite a high denier and opaque. I've now changed back into my usual home scruffs.

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Hello you lovely lot...I see that you've all been busy and, I've to do the usual business of catch-up.

Blether-time with Baggs went far too quickly. Her new dress and orange tights and pearls looked really classy. I did take a photo of her inside the George but the flash didn't flash. Such a pity because the photo doesn't do justice to her outfit.

Here are a few pics taken outside. As you can see, Baggs lives up to her name. Note the enormous satchel that contains all the stuff she may need!

Now to catch up with happenings in the kitchen.

I used to eat pink sugar mouses (no wonder my teeth are full of fillings).
There was always one in the C*******s stocking

Doesn't everyone eat mouses ??

Posh ... you caught my eye ..... thank you

I think that sounds like a plan Kitty !!