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

Glad you're feeling better, Ann - bad enough going to the dentist without a bad reaction!

Ah well, we survived a night on the norty step.

Maw a very good job that your brain is very much in gear re Paw's medical problems. There appears to be such a lackadaisical attitude nowadays with Warfarin and INR. The INR used to be checked weekly routinely.

cornergran I intend to have another 3 glasses this evening and as it is my birthday tomorrow I may well have something stronger than coffee but I do not touch spirits.

It is really dull here at present- I have just had my flu jab so winter has definitely arrived. My 15 tog duvet has been on the bed all year and if necessary I will add to it. I get colder as I get older, there is not a lot of hope really.

I hope that MacSporran and Rory are having relaxing times together.

Maybe we could set up a "sub group" Soop's Norty Step for Renegade Rebels and Frolicsome Fur friends.
Only joking, Carigransnet -honest

That is us lot to a T. It could easily be the new title when we move the kitchen shortly.

I hate the dentist so hats off to you Ann , glad you're feeling a bit better.

I quite like an alternative kitchen maw where we only serve alcohol laden desserts !!!

You could call them our "Just Desserts"
(And yes, I do know the difference!!!)

Ann hope you're feeling better! Hate the dentist myself. At least it was better? than no anaesthetic?

Maw

It's a glorious day in bonnie Kintyre. The hairdresser took her time with my hair. It is lovely. Not at all "set looking"... whenever there's a gust of wind it flies about and settles down nicely without undue faffing.

Maw Ann N&G and Charleyg in abundance. An early happy birthday to you, Charleyg, I hope that you are well and truly pampered.

When I walked into the kitchen this morning, I had to kneel down beside Rory in order to check that he was breathing. And yet, as soon as his cupboard door opened, he was ready for breakfast. He continued to sleep throughout the morning. I dare hardly approach him when we returned home. However, as I unpacked all the goodies that MacSporran had bought for him, (while I was under the drier) he opened an eye and gave a silent meow. He ate a good lunch. When on his feet, he wobbles around alarmingly. It made a mega effort to walk as far as the corner of the path. He then turned around and made his way back into the house. He's sprawled out on the kitchen floor. We need to skirt around him. He remains fast asleep.
MacSporran has caught my bug. He has a sore throat and a chesty cough is maturing. The consultant stressed that, should he get an infection, he was to present himself at the GP's surgery. He'll be keeping an appointment tomorrow.

I leave home on the first bus to Glasgow at 7 o'clock. I've had the call from the helpline at B.R. and they've confirmed the times of trains and carriage details throughout the entire journey. I shall be very grateful for assistance at Birmingham New Street. I'm away for the weekend. Whether or not MacS meets me when I return to Glasgow, depends on Rory's condition. I may need to travel home alone. That's perfectly okay with me. We simply want Rory to have as peaceful an exit as we can arrange. Having said that - we'll both miss not being together.

I've to pack my bag. Remembering to take medications, a good book, and the camera. So, at this point, I'm away to select a suitable outfit, polish my shoes and carefully place tickets and stuff in an accessible pocket of the travel bag.

I shall miss you. I do not have either a smart phone or tablet. It's not until I return that I shall be able to check into our kitchen and play catch-up. Should our kitchen close before then, please will one of you lot be kind enough to open a new one.

Farewell, dear Granspals. Do try to keep out of mischief! and for those who are not on a diet.

Have a wonderful time Soop.

Safe journey Soop x

Safe journey soop. Get well wishes to Macs, nasty bugs are not needed.

I've had a head full of 'stuff' day with a head that didn't get enough sleep. I may be less coherent than usual, if you believe that's possible.

Pleased the x-ray was accomplished n&g, there was never any doubt you have a heart, hopefully the lungs will get the message and recover.

If I need dental treatment I do prefer no notice, ann, no time to work myself up. You were very brave indeed and I hope the pampering continues.

Another three glasses charley? What will you do tomorrow? I imagine a bottle disappearing . In any case a very happy birthday in advance of the day.

Thst made me smile greyd, its the sort of thing Mr C would do and say, it can get a bit tetchy around here at times.

Hope your coffee morning went well Janed if there is any cake left I could eat some, not fussy about type.

We arent sure what we did galen, oh dear, we just might do it again then. The norty step is comfy, just getting a bit full.
Feels safer to volunteer to go there than to be sent .

Right, more head stuff to do, can't enjoy myself any more before tea, have some very nice looking sushi in the fridge, its safe as Mr C wouldn't eat it, in fact there is little I like that he does eat, oh well, opposites attract they say and I never have to worry that my treats will disappear.

Hope paw is OK after his hospital trip maw wishing you and all folk caring for others a restful night.

corner I am partial to some sushi. My local Waitrose has a sushi section and the staff there are very industrious and more to the point they are forever handing out freebies. I am naughty because I pretend I have never tasted it before.

Tonight it is spag bol because Morrisons cannot take instructions- do not send meat with a short use by date.

Shock horror, it rained in London mid afternoon. I t is only supposed to rain here during the night.

A good journey tomorrow soop. I hope that Rory will be at the door to greet you next week.

Evening all, best wishes to everyone. Good journey Soop and hope all is well in your absence.

What none of us know is the size of the glasses of wine the Charleygirl is having, there is a variety in my glass cupboard, ranging from something that might also serve as an eyebath, to one's that will (almost) hold half a bottle!

PS Charleygirl check your inbox tomorrow

I've got some of the half bottle ones too, phoenix - I might just get desperate enough to try them out one day. No-one has yet. Funny; they seemed like a good idea when we bought them!

soop safe journey. We will keep an eye on MacS and Rory while you are away (the power of kitcheners good vibes).?
I don't know about others but I am still feeling a bit miffed about GNHQ's comments. We got on fine in the kitchen before. Looking out for each other and being supportive then our thread got shifted to the Gransnet cafe by GNHQ without consulting soop or us and now laying down rules. We are not nasty posters but do take offence if one of the kitchen regulars takes a basing by others which we feel is unjust. We get to know each other's temperament and know when others are criticised unjustly. I'm getting the 'ump' now. Climbing down from the norty step and going for a ( or 3 *charleygirl).

Very best wishes to soop for a trouble free journey and a happy family gathering.
Good wishes also to Maw and Paw and everyone else under the weather.
I have done another online grocery order today for delivery tomorrow, how pleased I am that I made myself do it.
Only one bottle of wine but that is because I had a wine delivery from M&S yesterday?

That charley is a bad influence, no wine was planned here this evening but what is that by our elbows? You guessed it, a nicely chilled glass of dry white. Normal size honest .

Don't let perceived misdemeanours get to you crafting, whatever it was has passed and soops kitchen is still here for us. Having said that I'm still wondering .

Crafting I also have the hump big style- if we had a vague idea of the error of our ways it would not be too bad but none of us has a clue re our wrong doing.

I have discovered that wine bottles do not hold the amount that I think that they hold so I only had one glass this evening as I want to keep a glass for tomorrow evening's supper.

When I bought my present wine glasses, which in my eyes are "normal" size, all I could find were glasses I could almost jump in but I found 4 of my present lot in a charity shop.

I hope that all of the poorly folk and animals are slowly on the mend, Rory of course being top of my list. I do hope that Paw is okay- he is very fortunate to have married a born nurse, albeit untrained.

Ann having an on line delivery on a Friday is very expensive, much cheaper to arrange for mid week. Sorry, I cannot forget my Scottish upbringing.

Phoenix my computer, unless broken is almost attached to my hip. I am going to have a very early resolution to be like a parent, time myself and stick to the times.

Ooh! Our local Waitrose has just opened a sushi bar (waste of space IMHO) but I might try for freebies.Shall I don various disguises so that they don't see me coming? Or should I just let them think "poor old dear clearly struggling until pension day" ?
Anyway just got paw off to bed. He was at the walk in unit until nearly 8 o clock as crossmatchng blood this morning took ages ages and they didn't get started until this afternoon (despite us getting there at 8.30!)
I have been awake since 5 as -paw woke me up by wandering off to the loo without buzzing his call bell and I found him sitting on it, in full pj's trying to fit the call button lanyard over his head. He was trying to call for me but of course I couldn't hear him hence the call button
(Fortunately he was just sitting, not doing anything!!!)
I worried that it might be UTI confusion but have decided it was probably anaemia "brain fog" as his blood was very low.
Anyway there didn't seem to be any point in going back to sleep as my alarm was set for 6 to get his tea, meds, breakfast, get him dressed and out by 8.
It is a slow business!!
I think I might have rested my eyes briefly this afternoon however.
I hope Soop has a lovely time with her family , travelling alone can be intimidating but we have found mobility assistance really helpful in the days when paw!was still able to travel by train.
Goodness how strange that sounds, makes me feel quite teary, he is just 70.
Better not dwell on the things hevwill never do again so stop right now Maw!!

mawb, hugs and .

I despair!
Paw summoned me around 6.30 to say his sheet on the air mattress (to avoid pressure sores) felt damp.
DAMP???
Checking to see if the connector to the catheter night bag was leaking I found they had become detached. Fair enough. But why?
He had got up to go to the loo, taken himself off there (not ringing for me) and omitted to pick up the night bag to carry it through with him with the result he had pulled it off , leaving it behind. Fortunately or else he might have pulled out the catheter itself - ouch!
So there was a puddle on the loo floor where the leg bag had leaked, his pj's were soaked and the sheets - top, air mattress and fitted bottom so all needed changing. It's a king size bed so not an easy one to do at 7 am
Got him changed and into warm pj's first, mopped up floor, changed bed, sheets into machine all by 7.30.
Then I sat down and had a weep.
WHY didn't he call me to help him through to the loo (I carry the night bag and hook it in the loo roll holder for him)
Why not use the bl**dy call button?
Of course I worried that he is getting confused again, signs of an infection of some sort, or dehydrated, both worrying.
He seems fine now and some of the posts in the "Ruin a book with one letter" especially phoenix's
Who can forget those great Beatrix Potter classics, Jemima Puddlefuck , Mrs Tiggywankle and The Tale of Jeremy Flasher
have restored my equanimity.
But not a pleasant awakening and I am so tired.
"Little" DD3 is having an investigative procedure today too because of possible ovarian cysts or endometriosis. As she has been on immune therapy for 5 years for psoriatic arthritis I am worried this might have caused them and of course that there may be a malignancy.
I need all the laughs I can get

Mawbroon (((hugs)))

Oh Maw I do not know what to suggest. My only hope is that you do not have carpet in Paw's bedroom because that would make the task doubly difficult.

With all of that extra activity so early you will be exhausted before 10am. Have the early am carers stopped coming?

You have enough to worry about at home without adding DD3 to your already long list. I do hope that she is okay.

It appears to be a pleasant day here today- I really should continue washing curtains so that I can take them to a charity shop but they are so long and thick it is taking me forever. It serves me right for changing every curtain in the house at once. Only one previous set had been bought off peg and were cheap and cheerful. They were for the smallest bedroom, the one I have assigned to Tara against her wishes. Telling her about the homeless does not wash with her.

Is it your special day today Charlie?
If so Happy Birthday.
If I have got it wrong, I hope you has a good day/ have a good day when it comes ?