Soop's pleasant (if boring) kitchen for friendly folk and precious pets.

No, I haven't noticed any posts from him for quite a while Swanny

Are you out there Wb?

Oldgoat, Oscar will love the beach at Alnmouth, it`s beautiful and quite large as well, plenty of running around space!
Charleygirl, I need to find out why the paint on my living room walls cracks and falls off only a few months after being put on, I want it painting again, but none of the family want to tackle it if it`s going to crack again, which is understandable.
It`s a pity there isn`t such a thing as a Dalmatian cat, I could pass Mia off as one if there was!

callgirl that is beyond my area of expertise. Have you tried googling it?

What type of paint is underneath, Callgirl? It may be oil-based. Waterbased paint doesn't "take" to that. I repainted my front door with a new type paint - properly rubbed it down first and I thought all the decades-old paint was off - but it blistered in a patch at about ankle level where I must have skimped a bit. You would have to sand it down really thoroughly or maybe put on an undercoat specially made to cover anything. Ask somewhere like B&Q - pick the oldest assistant you can, who is more likely to have experience of redecorating in the past.

Just a quick pop in, will have a proper read later.

Lovely pictures soop Torben is growing up too fast. I can see why you are looking forward to your Sept gathering.

I'm off to spend some time with the tonsilless 2. They aren't very well. Only to be expected I guess but not sleeping well so neither are Mum and Dad. So I'm off to fix EVERYTHING....because that's what Nana's do!!

Back later x

Torben celebrated his seventh birthday in April. He's at the "rufty tufty" stage, according to his daddy.

This is a brief visit as we're to be leaving for Mac's ultra sound very shortly.

N&G True! We can fix anything...it's what Nana's do.

Elegran You are amazing. I says so.

WB Come back soon. us lot miss you.

Enjoy your hols, Oldgoat and Oscar...

I took a photo of a cloud with a silver lining last night. Here it be...

Back later this afternoon.

Long post last night which disappeared and I was just too dam tired to rewrite it, Paw making excellent progress and champing at the bit to come home BUT I need to be sure his oxygen levels are OK and that he has some physio to get him walking again first.
Wanted to wish mcsporran well for today's Scan and to wish you a safe journey but realise I am now too late.
Hope life is treating everybody else kindly, funerals notwithstanding.
To celebrate a life is a great thing and I hope there will be smiles too

"Weep if you must, parting is hell
But life goes on, so sing as well"

That's good news, mawb. You are being very sensible, good for you. Take care all.

Ahoy the kitchen! Forgive the nautical metaphor, but we have just had rain so heavy you could not see through it, accompanied by thunder and lightning, and I thought we would be floating down the road ere long!! It is still coming down in stair rods, but the T&L have stopped.
N&G I am sorry to hear that Herbert and Sherbert are not feeling too good. I hope things will settle down soon. I suppose we tend to think a tonsillectomy is like having a tooth out these days but it is surgery, and they will not run until they can walk. They are very lucky to have Nana soothing their fevered brows, however, and they will be running in no time I'm sure! ?
Soop I can't believe Torben is only seven - he looks about the same stamp as our lad, who is ten! Hope McS's medical appointment goes well.
Maw glad to hear that Paw is gaining ground; hope he can come home soon.
Now the rain has finally stopped, we must venture out. Hope the roads aren't flooded!!

Glad to hear paw continues to improve, you're wise to be cautious about discharge until you know what he, and you, need is firmly in place.
Love the "silver lining" * soop*, its takes an optimist to spot them sometimes. Hope your hospital expedition is easy and trouble free on all counts. You do have some very handsome menfolk, both young and old(er!) in your family!
N&G can't shake off the image of you arriving with a big smile and a magic wand in hand to wave over the tonsil less twosome!
oldgoat the beach at Alnmouth is beautiful, perfect for a dog. We a coffee break there last year on the way south from Scotland and and promised ourselves a return trip to that are another time.
Thank you those who offered supportive and helpful comments about my troubled gd. Yes I agree it would be easier if they could be more open with the rest of the family. They live a distance away from everyone else which has made it possible to gloss over how things really are, and if I'm honest ds and dil have done a fair bit of glossing over with each other too. We have a family weekend planned for later next month, if they don't offer some sort of explanation for how gd is these days everyone will just think she's rude/antisocial etc. It will also be terribly stressful for the poor lass herself. However, as we all know only too well, as grannies we can offer support and even advice sometimes.... but we can't make them take it!
I've just looked out the window and guess what it's raining again.... just for a change!
Hope others, especially those on holiday or on granny duty are having better weather than here! Off to see Dunkirk shortly, that's sure to cheer me up...hmmm maybe not!

We are sitting on the beach in glorious sunshine grannyqueenie. Just had the most enormous toasted teacakes with butter and jam and asked if we wanted more butter!! Oscar got a dog biscuit and was on his best behaviour. He's always being offered treats: some tasty cheese cubes yesterday and a full-sized sausage in Hull on Friday. OH says he will run it off. Wish that worked for me.
Good to hear that paw seems to be on the mend at long last.
Lots of families on the beach today and a bit sad that the GSs don't holiday with us any more. At least we have our memories.

Maw the care package must be in place and I am ever hopeful that he will not be discharged pm on a Friday. I also hope that Hattie will allow him into her house!

oldgoat Oscar is having the time of his life and he will not want to return home because he is being looked after like a king receiving so many tasty treats.

greyduster you and grannyqueenie should consider moving because I have managed to get 4 loads of washing dried today. The sunshine has been perfect and I topped up my tan mid morning.

Oscar enjoying the sun in Alnmouth this afternoon.

How old is Oscar? there is not an ounce of fat on him so he will not have to do too much running around.

Maw Much improved news of Paw. Don't let him home until you feel well able to cope.

oldgoat Oscar at his finest.

En route to Campbeltown the heavens burst asunder and the rain was that heavy the windscreen wipers could barely cope. Then, coming home, the sun came smiling through and we saw folk sitting at a picnic table at Muasdale campsite. Said hello to David, as we always do.

The news is good. There is "no significant change in the size of the aneurysm." It's classed as intermediary. I'm wondering whether or not MacS's frequent leg cramps (when lying flat, or driving long distances) are connected to the aneurysm.

soop that sounds to be positive news for MacSporran. Sorry I cannot answer your question.

Rory will be pleased to see you and you can put your feet up and have a dram or two and then think about sorting out supper.

We have been lucky here not having rain but I think tomorrow will be rather different.

Very pleased to hear that Soop. No change is always good!
Regarding leg cramps, I suffered appallingly a few weeks back. I would leap out of bed and then get the most excruciating pain up the inside of one thigh so that I could not stand but cowered on the floor. The pain would ease a bit to just about bearable but often continued into the next day.
Then I remembered Galen said it was due to Magnesium shortage, so I bought a tub, popped a few pills and now I am no longer afraid to go to bed. Bedsocks help too!
Give my love to my Borderland when you go to Melrose please oldgoat
Are you going over the Carter Bar? Along with Scott's View over the Eildons that is one of my favourite vistas. I miss that part of the world especially when the heather is out. So beautiful.

Good to hear that MacSporran's aneurysm isn't any worse soop . DiL's father had a patch successfully sewn over his to repair it.
Oscar is 13 months old charleygirl He is a poodle/ schauser cross and gets his long legs and slim figure from his poodle mother.

maw We are staying south of Wooler until Sunday then will be driving via Coldstream and Kelso to Melrose. We have driven over Carter Bar many times. The view is amazing isn't it? Where abouts did you live in the Borders? My Dad was from Berwick upon Tweed so not a proper Scotsman
though we were always encouraged to support Scotland in international matches.

Thank you for your kind comments. Us lot may be boring but we are also kind.

Rory went into the cat cave at 7:30 this morning. He enjoyed breakfast first. When we arrived home at 5-ish he was still there. As I unlocked the kitchen door, he popped his head out of the cave and licked his lips. He had a very hard job walking the few paces to the door. I placed his bowl of food on the doormat. He ate every scrap. Cleaned his face thoroughly and staggered back into his cat cave. He's now fast asleep and won't stir until 10:30 when he'll have a little supper and sleep on a low stool in the sitting room. It's difficult to see him like this. If he'd given up eating and couldn't get comfortable enough to sleep for nigh on most of the 24 hours, we would know what we had to do.

Night night dear Granspals. Until tomorrow after ironing duties.

Good to hear that MacS is keeping steady regarding the aneurysm. We had "that" storm at around 5pm, raining stair rods was putting it mildly! It sounds as if David has plenty of company at Muasdale.
Lovely pic of Oscar at Alnmouth Oldgoat, hope you`re enjoying your break.
Maw, I`m so pleased to hear that Paw is feeling better, hope you get him home soon, but with the correct care package in place.

Good news about macs, soop, sounds as good as it could be. I also have magnesium for cramp, it definitely helps. No harm trying it? I imagine it's painful seeing Rory struggle. Am I being unreasonably hopeful to wonder if he will rally again? He's enjoying his food and getting lots of rest, so maybe? Take care all.

soop I think that you have to assess each day. He seems happy at present, snoozing in his cat cave and enjoying lovely food. A light stroke from me.

And from me, love and best wishes xx