soop's friendly kitchen for like-minded folk and pampered pets.

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

maw how right you are to keep track of paw's medicines and care. Knowing the rules and quoting them is a good way to keep things on track. We have some fantastic nursing staff in the NHS but like other things in life, some are not so good as others and need a quiet reminder of how prescious their charges are. Do how paw pics up now.

soop sorry to hear MacS has more problems. Big but gentle hug for you both.

My father was once given some medication whose instructions were only in Portuguese!! Between his Italian, my mother's French, and my Spanish (all fairly elementary) we managed to work it out. Well, we think we did and we didn't do him any harm. I think my mum had a word with the pharmacist.

kitty if you could have cut out the trip to Tesco you would not have been spending money.

maw I too find correct pronunciation of drugs and a good knowledge of procedures to be very helpful. Even disarming sometimes. One really does have to keep ahead of the game. Hope paw more comfortable when you see him today.

I'm defrosting the freezer while it's half empty and going to Tesco - not exciting at all so you can ignore me!

Hang on to your equanimity soop, we rely on you for calmness and common sense. .

Ironing to be tackled. Back before too long. Please, for the sake of my diminishing sanity, try to sit tight and stop dashing around like blue-arsed flies.

Hang on a minute! you lot are impossible to keep up with. I'm losing the plot as I try to update myself with all your happenings. It should be a rule that we keep our posts to manageable sessions of readability. I haven't a clue what it is I'm trying to say. The care home visit has unhinged me. Shenanigans at care home...could be a title for a television sitcom. I'm weary from the effort of playing ref between several warring factions.

Thank you for your kind messages.
Note to Galen from MacSporran Tyke!!!

It's lunch time. I can sit down

Charley - I apologise for the misspelling of your name - it's not as though I've never typed it before

soop, I'm so sorry to hear about more health issues for MacS. I know you will cope but it's another buggeration.

Swanny I hope you are feeling more chipper today. The tablecloth is a PVC one from Amazon. It's colourful but the 'educational' element of it has me baffled. It is sort of alphabetical but there is a thing that the DGC are convinced is a hamster whose first letter is a 'Q'. Serves me right for trying to be a good Ma!

Maw, I hope Paw is behaving himself and getting better. And, I hope you are coping.

Bad backs are a bit of a bugger, aren't they GD. I used to suffer really badly but haven't for ages - that's the kiss of death, isn't it. I hope you feel better and become more mobile soon. You will have given just the right impression to your new neighbours!

Corner, are you bearing up? I feel marginally better now, day 2 after their departure, but you will notice I'm on GN a lot of the time which involves sitting down!!

charlie are you still feeling the benefits of a short massage. I keep meaning to book one but worry it would be too nice and I'd want to keep going back.

Anyway, I've come for a rant about my BiL and his hopeless wife but there are worse things going on in here than my being frustrated so I'm just stomp around at home - maybe cleaning windows would help!

I'm sorry if I missed anyone but I just can't keep up!

Another gorgous day today but I believe that it will be all change tomorrow- such a pity.

I do hope that those of you will health problems feel marginally better today.

Is it today "soop" that you have the long drive?

I do hope that Paw is feeling a bit better today and that the standard of care has raised significantly.

callgirl I do not know what to say about that little minx- she is determined to have her own way. I am well aware of this crawling up one step at a time and when Tara comes to the top, she usually fancies a long rest there and of course I cannot swing the chair around to get off without stepping on madam. Hopefully Mia will tire of that game soon.

Soop I hope you get some positive help in Glasgow

This is my second go at a post this morning - I realise why my posts are disappearing now. I am previewing them and then forgetting to press the post button. What an eejit!
Soop I am sorry to hear that MacS has further health difficulties to add to those he is already coping with. I hope that, as others have said, you will take good care of yourselves. ?.
Swanny and Corner I hope the clouds are lifting a little for both of you today.
N&G I'm so pleased that you enjoyed your weekend with your sister before she went to Spain. There are bound to be many more get together in the offing, I'm sure. You did the right thing ditching the diet for the duration of their stay - you'll get back in track before you know it. And if you don't, I might just have to.....?! No, I can't say it!!
Our new neighbours paid us an unexpected visit yesterday on the way back from walking their dog, as they wanted, having met me, to meet DH. The living room was strewn with yesterday's newspapers, iPads, books, and other detritus, which we had to shift before they could sit down. I was hobbling around leaning on a stick, and we were drinking beer (well, it was hot!). Altogether, not a good look. They didn't seem to mind. They are rather like us in that she is chatty and outgoing and he is reticent and doesn't say a lot. I'm sure we shall get along splendidly!
My back continues not to improve. I tried a walk yesterday. DH didn't think it a good idea and it wasn't. I got about a mile and then had to take a short cut home with my tail between my legs. I hope it improves soon as we have to drive to Stockport on Thursday and DH doesn't want to go on his own if he can help it.

Charleygirl, when I turf her off in order to go upstairs, she sits on the stairs in front of me, and I have to shove her, one step at a time, all the way to the top, she protesting all the time!

soop so sorry to hear about more medical buggerations especially when you will have to travel to Glasgow- not exactly down the road.

Maw it is your knowledge of Paw's conditions and your intelligence combined which is freaking them out. I think you may find that Paw will now receive a better standard of care because they know that you are more than capable of taking the matter higher if necessary.

I hope that you are able to sleep at night- I know of one 4 legged lady who can sleep for MK.

callgirl I am amazed that Mia lies on the chair when it is in motion. Tara would never do that- she will crawl up the stairs one at a time with me creeping up behind her in the chair in case I injure her.

I had my first ever head and back massage today at a local salon. It was very relaxing and over before I knew it. It was when I arrived at ,y car parked close by that for I had paid £35 for 20 minutes. I double checked when I arrived home and sure enough it should have been 40 minutes. I will be returning tomorrow to complain- a tad difficult because there is no manager per se. At least there is a "contact us" on line so it will be interesting to see what they say at the salon first- probably that I got the timing wrong.

I was asked about popliteal aneurysms in my surgery final.
Examiner. Do you know the old name for them?
Me. No
Examiner, postillions aneurisms. Why?
Me. No idea
Ex.the postillions rode all day and put up at Inns. What do you think was the cause?
Me. No idea
Him. What are the causes of them
Me. I go through all the causes including syphyllis.
Him. Don't you think that could be the cause?
Me. Why?
Him. The local inn maids were known to be 'accommodating ' to travellers.
Me. (With innocent wide eyed look) but after riding all day, wouldn't they be too tired

Collapse in hysterics of examiner!

soop I'm not saying that's your husbands cause of the aneurisms. It's just a rare(these days) cause and it brought my surgery finals to memory. 50 years ago next year.
I'm not going to the reunion in Birmingham, I'd already booked a cruise on QE

Soop, that`s not great news, lots of love and good wishes from here to you xx
Cornergran, Mia stays on the stairlift when I bring it down to the bottom to use, she seems to enjoy it. When I say "Come on" to her, she looks at me as if to say "Make me!"
Well, I`ve had my bank holiday outing, been to post a couple of letters.

Oh dear soop! That sounds worrying. Has a course of action been suggested?
As always you will both face this with your usual indomitable courage and good humour. I can do no better than to wish you both well.
The nurse I spoke of today might have been a bit rattled. When I got back this evening paw had been put on a drip for fluids, his Warfarin has been stopped (risk of bleeding) and a fluids balance chart has been reinstated.
She asked me if I worked in the NHS (I must have dropped enough names and pronounced the drugs right!) so I said No, I am not a doctor or a nurse, but an expert on Paws myriad conditions as I attend all his clinics with him (and I think I am reasonably intelligent! )

A day caring for a two year old today - need I say more? It's odd, isn't it, they wear us out but we miss them like mad the second they are gone. Well, in this case maybe after an hour .

That doesn't sound the best news, soop, of course you will get through it but it doesn't sound one to take lightly. Sending love to you both.

Oh dear, nellie. Solidarity is a real pain sometimes. I imagine you know there is dairy free ice cream, even if a contradiction in terms it could be ok for your grandson. Not sure if any can be bought individually though.

Sorry you are a bit down, swanny, snap really, a right royal pain it is too. Hope the clouds lift soon. I'm in that 'only as happy as your unhappiest child' place. Sadly nothing I can influence the outcome of.

maw, really, really pleased you laid down the law on paw's behalf. Sadly the situation you describe is all too common. A friend's wife spent most of her visiting time with him helping other patients needing water and help cutting their food. Appalling.

Keep moving if you can greyduster, I also know that pain and it is horrible. Wishing you a speedy recovery.

Your descriptions of Mia and the stairlift make me smile, Callgirl, does she ride on it or just block your access? Wonder what you could bribe her with .

There's something about a move to another country that does feel so very far away. n&g, not surprised it is hard. Perhaps if you plan a visit your spirits will be lifted.

Well, it's feet up for me and an early night. Two older grandchildren for the next three or perhaps four days, they do go home overnight but it's a busy old week.

Take care all

It never rains but it pours soop
You are so kind and supportive of everyone else's problems and still make light of your own.
Of course you will cope, it is what you do, but please look after yourself and your DH and know we are all rooting for you.

soop special love and (((hugs))) to you and MacS

I nearly bought some Magnums but my freezer if fairly full

My DGS2 about two and a half now has been put on a dairy free diet and has other problematic allergies still being assessed.

All of which means no one else in the family can really have Ice cream either when out for the day.

Angry on your behalf maw. Galen is right.