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

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Afternoon all!!

Just back from Jacksons first ever sports day . Very impressed with organisation. All the children were in 'house'teams ' and there were winners ( which I heartily approve of ). I've added a photo of his concentrating face !

I survived the cinema , I've added a picture of them all. Grey it was ok but not the best of the 3 . Bit slow to start but some funny moments.

Corner glad you're feeling less tired. Grampy does that 'tell a stranger your life story thing' , I too usually either wander off or resort to my phone. You are not alone :-)

Quite frankly Galen , I consider chocolate a vegetable as it comes from a bean , so I'm sure your jam can be one of your 5 a day !!

Loving the pictures of Flynn Maw ! He is growing up so fast. We shall need someone to lend us a baby the rate the kitchen babies are growing!

I did laugh at your description of the school run Grey ! That brings back memories .

Our house sale is teetering on collapse and today is make or break, so any spare positive vibes would help .

Have a peaceful day all!!

Gosh, Jackson has had a growth spurt. He is concentrating and I am with you, there should be winners and losers- not every child can win and it is the same throughout life.

The children look as though they had a great time at the cinema. Did you have to take out a mortgage? I have not been to the cinema for around 14 years! I got fed up with the general chatter, rustling of paper and pop corn and translating what was going on. I am aware that I am a miserable old git.

I will keep my fingers crossed that the house sale does not fall through- how can they bow out after so long?

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Charley you are so right !! I have not divulged to Grampy yet the cost but with treats and Mcdonalds it cant have been much under £75 !!!!! I remember when the cinema was a shilling ( 6d on a Saturday morning !!) And don't get me started on the price of popcorn and drinks ( hence I always take my own !!)

The children were all 'recognised' with a round of applause from the Mums and Dads but I did make Jackson a cheeky trophy for when he got home. You would think he had won and Olympic gold !

You're right he has shot up suddenly and now is quite close to Stevie's height who is 2 years older. I've added a picture of the two best cousins ( that's like friends I am reliably informed but related

OMG I am obviously in another century- that price is no laughing matter, especially when you take your own popcorn. Without the McDonalds I would have expected change from £25. I think you can tell that I do not have GC. They are all happy though I suppose that they are worth every penny.

Apart from my building traumas which have not yet finished, my Gas boiler has died. Thank goodness I have solar power for hot water or the windows would be open more here. It is being inspected on Monday.

Yesterday my mobile died permanently so that was another expense. I bought it from my best friend Amazon so it is coming tomorrow. There is little else here to give up the ghost which as not been serviced or replaced. I speak too soon, my dishwasher, w/machine and oven. The gas hob is new because the builders "lost" the other so had to replace it.

I so wanted Sam Querry to win but it was not to be. I am not a fan of Roger so I have not watched his match today yet.

N and G hoping house sale is still on. Still in Durham, spent the whole day at Beamish yesterday, highly recommended. Today cathedral,choir rehearsing,wonderful and then a lovely walk by the river. Tomorrow to Thirsk,where I was a child,not been there for years, should be interesting!

James Herriot`s old surgery is at Thirsk isn`t it? It`s a museum now, everything left just as it was in his day. Thirsk looks a very pretty town on TV, I`ve never been there though.
I wonder how the Soops are getting on?

Not long home. Busy, tiring day. Will catch up with you lot tomorrow. Big hugs all round x

I have been looking after my eldest DGD this week, she's nearly 9. First few days here with us in Essex, since Wednesday at her house in Kent. They are off on holiday tomorrow so I have returned home this afternoon, 47 miles between us, 2 1/2 frustrating hours in the car stuck on the M25. I am so fed up and tired. I have had a lovely time with her but so p****d off with the M25 !!!

Apparently Sar the average speed on the M25 is 21 mph !!

I feel your pain and bet I know where you were held up.

Hope you can have a relaxing evening .

It is 1st School uniform time for DGS1.
The lad would need to have a massive growth spurt before September if he is to wear the 5yr old size sweat shirt.
If he pulled the folded sleeves out straight I swear they would reach his knees.

It will have to be the 3to4 yrs size sweatshirt. We are all a bit small in my family. I don't know any other nearly five yr olds by which to judge his relative size. He is happy, funny and healthy so no one is worried.
I am waiting for the first day in school photo.

What a sweetie he looks in his big school clothes. They should last him until he goes to the next school.

NandG the signs were flashing 40mph, it would have been nice to have been doing 10mph !!
Yes Dartford Crossing, apparently clockwise it was shut between j29 and j30 and the air ambulance came down on the anti clockwise carriageway therefore causing big delays. I'm sorry there was an accident but my patience was wearing a little thin. Anyway home now and a relaxing weekend is planned.

Always a joy to see your photos N&G. Glad the youngsters enjoyed the cinema (loved the photo of them with the Minion!) but I agree, it is an expensive business these days. I was not surprised at the cost, and I too remember when Saturday morning was a six penny treat! Later I remember being taken to the cinema by a boy at school and we sat in the one shilling and ninepenny seats! Big spender! ?.
Charley I'm sorry to see that you still seem to be steeped in domestic difficulties - you've had more than your fair share. Did you walk under any ladders when your builders were there? Hope all is resolved soon.
Soop hope you and McS are relaxing - sounds like you have both had a trying week.
We have all got our feet up here now. Club football this evening after school and it was expected to be a walk over by the other side, but despite us losing I think we gave them a bit of a shock. GS played well. I was enjoying the game but kept getting texts from SiL down in London asking for the score. He is their assistant coach and it was clear he was chewing the carpet with frustration.
Grannysyb we keep promising ourselves a trip to Beamish - everyone says it's worth it. Sounds like you're having a good trip.
Well, I'm checking out - pooped! A very good night to one and all.

Greyduster I could easily start a second career, although a tad late, as project manager. I have learned so much, mainly how not to do things, that I would be able to keep a team on the straight and narrow.

I agree, that young fellow will not need a larger jersey until he reaches secondary school age.

My school uniform was very expensive and there was so much that I wore the same lot from the age of 11 until I left school a couple of years short of my 18th birthday. The pinafore or whatever it was called was a tad tight around my bust by then but it was money well spent.

Oh 'tis good to be back with you lovely, lively lot. I missed you yesterday. I've had a glimpse at the many messages and have thoroughly enjoyed the happy smiling grandchildren doing their own thing. the photo of Flynn takes me back to a time when Torben insisted on using my late father's long walking cane. He would barge into anything standing in his way, refusing to accept that it was far too long for a wee boy to walk with. I had many a bruised shin.

Yesterday's journey was tiring. The Oban road, as some will be aware, is a buggeration of bends. In fact, when we arrived at the hospital, the receptionist said that there had been a serious road accident the previous day. Folk coming from Campbeltown and Tarbert and Lochgilphead had not been able to keep their appointments.
MacSporran had to drink copious quantities of fluids ahead of the scan. His bladder isn't as strong as it used to be. He kept saying...I need a pee...
The visit to the George Street Fish Restaurant was a bonus. The food was five star. I added a comment on Trip Advisor when we returned home.
Rory had been in the garden for part of the day. When we returned home, he was fast asleep in his cat cave (the chalet in which Bracken slept from time to time). He has a real fondness for it and MacSporran services it daily with a thoroughly vacuuming. Naturally, Rory expects such devotion to duty. He has a reputation to maintain.

I shall watch the mixed doubles final. I'm afraid that since Jo was beaten, I feel a tad deflated. I too would have liked her to walk off the court with Venus. I agree that today's players are putting their bodies through far too much. Joints will wear out in time. Roger has very sensibly refrained from entering a succession of tournaments. Very sensible.

soop that sounds like a tortuous road to the hospital, pleased you managed it safely. I understand 'fully' about the amount of fluids needed to be imbibed before the scan. I kept my legs crossed so long that when I was free to go I couldn't ...

soop luckily the pair of you arrived there safely yesterday and had a gorgeous lunch before the tedious drive home again.

I think that Rory has taken to his man cave because although it is serviced daily by a member of the indoor staff, he will still smell Bracken and he would not sleep there if it did not give him comfort.

The vet does not know him as we do!!!

Swanny

Ditto Charleyg

soop I watched some but not all of Venus's match but it was a damp squib during the entire second round.

I watched some of the wheelchair tennis and that is not an easy game to play.

It is dull, miserable and a tad cold here. I have a cardigan on. There is little for me on TV tonight so Tara and I will probably have yet another early night.

I must sort out madam's litter tray- all of the staff are off for the weekend so it only me.

Sitting with Paw while he dozes this afternoon. About half an hour ago he had a frightening asthma attack so is on an oxygen mask after some Salbutamol.
One damn thing after another.
They were "threatening " to move him to a bay nearer the nurses' station, for observation, but that bay has an old chap (presumably with dementia ) who calls out "Help me! "All the time and I know that Paw would go downhill really rapidly in such a noisy environment (it happened last year until I got him a move to a quieter bay) and frankly the nurses are never actually at the desk!
Think I might have persuaded them to leave him where he is for now, it is a nice quiet corner by a window and because there is a little bathroom opposite no bed directly facing him.
A little thing, but it all matters.
Feeling it all a bit. Sorry to moan.

Maw You do NOT moan. You say it as it is. This latest episode with Paw being hospitalised yet again, has been terribly distressing for you both. You have the support of us lot. We wish you to share your feelings with us as it may be of some comfort to you.

Charleyg I watched the match. The second set was very much one-sided. The winner (can't remember how to spell her name) deserved the accolade. I'm looking forward to the mixed doubles final. I hope that I haven't been busy doing other stuff and missed it. If so, I shall use some very unladylike language.

Rory is in his cat cave. He knows how to tell the time. On the dot of a given hour, he pops his head outside the entrance, yawns, stretches, saunters indoors to be fed. In the meantime, the birds pay no attention to his presence. There are no alarm calls. An entire flock peck around the cave and he shows not a glimmer of interest in their proximity.

Away to tidy the utility room. After which...possibly more tennis. I so enjoy the Wimbledon fortnight.

Goodnight to you all. I shall return tomorrow.

So sorry you are still having all the worry of Paw in hospital *Maw" and I am keeping everything crossed for you that he is a bit better each day. You are not superwoman so of course you are going to be "feeling it" - more than a bit. Hang on in there - you can always come and unburden in the kitchen.

There is talk of my Brother in Law being moved to the Hospice but I am waiting further news on that. My poor sister is going to end up there herself if the situation isn't resolved soon. At least she is using me as her soop's kitchen and unburdening herself. It's very sad for anyone living through all this.

I thought you might like to see my favourite pic of the Paw who is causing so much trouble featuring so much these days!
This was 3 years ago when he was in "book heaven" at Althorp Literary Festival. A very happy couple of days!