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

I should say that my GD who is my first GC was born with an horrendous cleft lip and palate and had a very troubled childhood, apart from our input which we worked very hard at . Her parents separated when she was under 2. She has had a difficult life and is not the most intellectual of teens. It is sometimes so hard to admit this but I have never believed in fudging the truth.
She is the dearest of people, so loving and caring and I couldn't be prouder of her than I am.

Ann ??!

Ann

She sounds wonderful ann. for you both.

What a marathon read I have just had catching up with all the kitchen news after my trip away to my dear Bin L's funeral. 4 flights in 3 days has taken it's toll and I fell asleep watching the news (such as it was - think Usain Bolt was the main news leader then zzzz)

The funeral service was very simple and very moving and just what my sister and BinL wanted. Their eldest son (my 6'5" eldest nephew) spoke movingly and humourously about his Dad and the close family (26 of us) had a lovely meal together afterwards then took over the lounge area of the local hotel for a great evening of laughter and sharing family stories and memories of those no longer with us.

My sister looked exhausted but very happy to see the gathered clan marking the passing of her DH in a way he would have loved.

She made us all howl with laughter at one point when she started going on about how she hated pizza. Apparently my brother had ordered one for her to make sure she ate something. "Oh it was just like eating cardboard" she said.
"Well Grandma, you should have opened the box first" said one of her cheeky grandsons. Still makes me smile!

We had a full on three days with some wonderful catching up sessions with relations we had not seen for ever and a day. It's funny though, we just picked up as if there had been no intervening time and lots of reminiscing , jokes and laughter and promises made to keep in touch more and not wait for the inevitable next funeral.

So I am back home and so very happy to read of the improvement in Paw and also Rory. Just hope it continues for both. Also that Herbert and Sherbert are soon restored to full health - poor kids they will have been feeling very under the weather.

Finally, congratulations "Ann" on your wedding anniversary and what a lovely treat your DGD gave you. Very well deserved too - as she obviously thought! She sounds to have a very kind and caring heart.

PS What have GNQ done to the font etc.? It seems very second-rate to me, but do they ever listen to us?

Sorry Ann - where is that bl*sted edit button we keep asking for!

So glad you had a lovely day Ann, you so deserve it.
Soop, I`d love to know what your passenger was thinking!
I`m waiting here for Usain Bolt`s final appearance, I do so hope he gets the gold, so he can go out on a high. The Olympics aren`t going to be the same now.
Oldgoat, congratulations on your and Oscar`s win, definitely the curly hair!
According to Talktalk news, Western Scotland had an earthquake measuring 3.8 yesterday, did anyone up there feel it?

ann so pleased that you enjoyed your overnight stay in London but the extras were horrendous. A lovely treat.

8Gaga* that was a marathon trip but everything appeared to go to plan. Lovely to meet up with family although under very sad circumstances. I feel the same way about pizzas- I hate them.

Maw I do hope that Paw is slowly getting better. Hattie will get a shock when he does arrive home as she is so used to yourself only. She will be wondering if that intruder is staying.

soop I hope that Rory continues to improve and that the tablets keep on working. Is he on antibiotics as well as pain relief?

Paw is definitely making progress within the parameters of someonein hospital for several weeks. DD1 said to me on Thursday that she gets all these texts and emails saying how he has turned a corner and is looking much better but when she went on Thursday he was flat on his back, barely opening his eyes and I had to explain that he was making progress based on the week before when palliative care had seemed a real possibility.
Such a long way to go. He said he felt really tired today, despite a reasonable night so I fear he is not there yet!
Hattie met some more hedgehogs tonight and showed me how strong she can really be! Fortunately I managed to get her to walk on by, but might need to take tasty morsels for distraction if this goes on.

Been hunting books for Littlest, I think 'Hattie and the Hedgehogs' would be popular, maw . Pleased paw is making progress. I'm not surprised he feels tired, hospitals do that to folk.

Welcome back gagagran, you've also got a reason to be tired. Pleased the funeral was so personal and appropriate. Sounds as good as they get.

Early start tomorrow, guess I should try for sleep. Take care everyone.

* Soop* Exactly what pills is Rory on and please can we have some too.

Nelliemoser unfortunately you do not have the number of lives that Rory has- he has recently used up two of them! He is a strong chap and does not intend to give up yet. He is so lucky to have such a lovely home and be showered with so much love and affection- not bad for an unwanted feline!

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Good morning all!

Its a blue sky day here !

Great news about Rory soop . He may well surprise you !!

Aggie have I missed why you're moving into something smaller? I do feel your pain - we were looking to downsize( long story but it all fell apart) and I wondered where I would put half my things. I too have a craft room here ...and in the end I thought I might have to build a studio in our new home ( wherever that might end up being).

I am glad the tonsil two did not have to have them removed in the kitchen ( ours or theirs LOL)

Ann sounds like you had a wonderful time , I'm so pleased for you.

ah Grey your painting may not have hit your expectations but 2 hours of peace to dabble is a gift in itself !

Galen you can never have or wear too many diamonds - treat yourself to that bracelet ! Think of it as making the economy go round.

Congrats Oscar - you look fetching with your ribbon !

I'm glad the service and days away went well Gaga , your family sounds very like ours, no matter how much time passes in-between get togethers its like we were never apart.

Glad Paw is moving forward however slowly. How are you doing Maw , it must be exhausting with all the visiting. Its funny how that can take its toll.

Young Jackson had a super exciting day yesterday when he went to a local car show. Some VERY kind owners let him sit in some very swish cars - I've added a couple of pictures. I do think he needs to be able to see over the steering wheel before he buys one.

His favourite car is a Bugatti Chiron and in Sept at Blenheim Palace is a supercar show which we hope we can get tickets for. he will be so excited !!

Time to go and enjoy boiled eggs and soldiers for breakfast - well done Grampy!

Happy Sunday all !

Jackson is in his element- I agree, it was very kind of the car owners to allow him to sit behind the steering wheel but they would know that he would not damage their precious cars. I think that secretly they would be pleased that he is such an enthusiast albeit of the most expensive cars on the market.

If he is considering buying one he is receiving too much pocket money!!!

We have calculated Charley at his current pocket money rate it will take him a mere 2,000,000 weeks to save up :-) ..... he has a jar to save up in !

Jackson is one up on me re car knowledge but that would not be difficult. I have heard of a Bugatti but but not a Chiron.

That is a few weeks- maybe he may have to wait until he has a job but the minor matter of insurance at the age of 17 would be mind blowing.

I have recently paid the annual insurance on my Skoda and I would not be forgiven for thinking I was placing a deposit.

That's a happy petrolhead little boy!!
Dare I whisper here that I am getting so weary of the "right on/PC " posturings in our society these days?
This is not about specific threads as there are examples everywhere it seems but recent events seem symptomatic of a view that if you are not visibly or vocally IN FAVOUR of something, you must necessarily be against it?
Or that visible badges of any sort are essential to prove that one is not slightly to the Right of Genghis Khan and a founder member of the "hang 'em, flog 'em" brigade?
(Being cussed my reaction to this necessity of proving how virtuous one is, tends to be the opposite! )
Rant over.

I agree with you Maw I am fed up with PC-ness ...and don't get me started on the whole gender neutral thing I have noticed now in surveys you can be male , female or other !!

But hey ho.... I shall just keeping on treating people like people and that will have to do.

He was a very happy chap that's for sure, although he is still concerned about the fate of the dinged Maserati !

A Bugatti Chiron is their newest model Charley and even I , who doesn't know a boot from a bonnet must admit its a beautiful piece of machinery . We watched a documentary the other day about the Pagani Zonda , they make 200 by hand piece by piece a year. The factory was cleaner than my kitchen !!

Somebody must be earning the money to make them! Like Jackson, I am also a few bob short. I have never heard of a Pagani Zonda, no doubt Jackson could enlighten me.

I know Charley I like to look but Id never waste my money if I was rich !!

Oh he can tell you speed , horsepower, etc . Its helped his reading and writing no end .

I could not agree more- apart from the minor fact I probably could not get in or out of it.

I think it is very good that his love of cars has improved his reading and writing. I forgot about that side to it. His mental arithmetic may also improve working out MPG etc although in his case it will be miles per litre. He is a bright young man.

The school have been very good Charley and have encouraged his love of cars in various projects . I did chuckle though about the MPH vs MPK .

I obviously talk in MPH and so do many car books so when he first came across a picture of a car with MPK it was something like 400mpk . He was distraught as that was faster than his beloved Bugatti. Of course we had to sit down and explain the difference. He was seriously unimpressed

I've heard some strange names for children but:-
Charon?

Ann, I think sometimes as grannies we can stand back a bit and see the best (and sometimes the worst too!) in our grandchildren more realistically than their parents can. Your gd sounds delightful to me, no wonder you feel so proud of her. I'm sure everything that you and your dh worked so hard at in her younger years has been a big part of her developing into the young woman she has become.
What a long haul you and Paw are having and as you say you're not out of the wood with it all yet. You must be exhausted with running back and forth visiting not to mention helping Hattie settle in and making sure the family know what's what.
n&g I love hearing about Jackson's car adventures, what a lovely way to learn all sorts of things and that cheeky smile will get him far in life! How did you ever think you'd be get away with moving away from that lovely boy and the others
* Galen* nothing would surprise me in the name department. At the mum and baby group group we have recently had Woody, Winter, not to mention an Arriete whose mum is called Fame
oldgoat Oscar is a beautiful dog with a very endearing face no wonder he won a prize!
soop hope you're managing to trick that clever cat into taking his tablets. He's a lucky chap to have found such caring people in his old age. I guess it's what we all hope for!!
ggran I'm glad the funeral went well, it sounds like a healthy balance of sadness, celebration and special family times. No wonder you're tired though, but I'm guessing a take away pizza isn't on the cards today
Well after 2 sunny days the weather here has reverted to its August school holiday default setting, let's just say I don't think I'll be needing to water the pots this evening. Looking changeable all week, I'm glad I'm not on grannying duties till the following week it always seems harder work if it's wet! We're off for a pub lunch with dd3, sil and their lovely giddy girls, have a good rest of the day everyone.

Galen If you've got it, flaunt it!

oldgoat It was the curly hair-dos that won the first prize. The photo of you and Oscar is delightful. Well done!

corner With reference to Rory...a fulsome update will be posted as soon as...

aggie Swoooon! The city of Glasgow most certainly bred some tough cookies. I had scarlet fever when I was four. That was back in 1945. I remember taking myself off to bed. There was a large crack in the ceiling and I thought that I was watching dwarves hacking their way into the room. I recall putting my tongue out as I was put into the ambulance. My mother couldn't accompany me and I was taken to Daventry isolation hospital, some distance away. Parents would watch me through a window in the door of my hospital room. When I eventually returned home, my right leg was so weak I needed to wear a brace. Funny how much of that episode in my early years I remember in smallest detail. I also started wetting the bed,. My poor mother had a lot to put up with.