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

Tara and I are back from her annual trip to the vet, 5 minutes and I am £68 lighter. It was not a problem getting her into the carrier but she was very vocal the entire journey.

She has retired to bed, I have a thumping headache thanks to her because the road was so busy and it is stressful driving with such a vocal animal. I feel like joining her but I should really switch on the washing machine. Hopefully that will be it for a year.

So sorry for those who could not sleep- I was the opposite and was glad I had switched on my alarm clock or I may still have been in bed but on reflection I do have a 4 legged alarm.

You only do your washing once a year charley ?

Hope your headache goes soon.

OMG I did not realise how stressed out I was!

On average I have the washing machine on at the very least daily and there is only Tara and myself but I appear to wash for the entire neighbourhood. Instead of doing zilch I must do some work.

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Well, if I had known half of you lot were awake in the middle of the night, I would have joined you because so was I! No sooner had I finally managed to get back to sleep than the alarm went off and we had to get up because the plumber was coming early. We went to watch GS run in a cross country this morning and we decided to go on the tram as the venue is close to the tram route. We stepped onto the tram and into some multicoloured fantasy on wheels. Ikea are opening a new store here next weekend and they had sponsored the tram for publicity, upholstering the seats in their fabrics, carpeting the floor and putting in a cutlery themed ceiling! I must say though not to my taste, it looked very cheerful, and almost everyone who stepped onto the tram broke out in a big grin. The fabrics are totally impractical for public transport of course - i wouldn't like to see them again in a week or so's time - but good advertising.
If I am allowed a little grandmotherly boast, the boy came 25th in a field of 130. We were very proud of him. It cheered us up after a trying week.

Definitely very different and pleased that it raised a smile or two.

Your GS did well- how old is he? He needed a treat after that I think.

Thank you, Charley. He's 10 and he just loves to run.

Well done your grandson Greyduster. I love the tram décor, I could put up with that regularly on our local buses.

Oddly enough, I have been flicking through the Ikea catalogue this afternoon and there appears to be only one of the tram fabrics in there. I'm a bit miffed because I wanted a footstool to go with a chair DD and SiL bought me last year and they have changed all the fabrics now so that mine is not on offer. Should have done it before I suppose, but it's been a bit of a trek to get to a store until now.

Well littlest DD3 finally escaped from UCLH mid afternoon today.
She didn't come out of surgery/recovery until 9 so I was very relieved that they kept her overniight.
I am resisting calling her until tomorrow as I hope she is resting up and being waited on by her lovely husband.
Didn't do a lot for last night's zzzzzz though!

A right grumpy corner here, three and a half hours sleep isn't the way to a sunshine disposition. Managed a busy day, largely out of doors so tonight will be different. It will, it will.

Hope your daughter is OK maw, we do worry about these adult children. How's paw doing? Is he behaving?

Has Tara forgiven you yet, charley? How long can she carry a grudge for? You can relax now and be headache free.

Your company would have been very welcome greyduster, 'twas a boring old night. I just love that tram, left me wondering if cutlery on the bathroom ceiling would get past Mr. C . Congratulations to your grandson, the boy did good.

Did you manage the sorting n&g? You do sound better, don't go overdoing things though. Think your suitcase comment was meant for crafting, had me very confused for a while, and believe me confusing me is very easily done. .

Been wondering how soop is enjoying herself. Hope Rory and macs are coping.

Think it will be an early and hopefully sleeping night for me. Take care all. May the insomnia bug not infect you.

Tara had a short rest I assume to recover from the 5 minute trauma. Adam the vet was delightful. Tara usually behaves and she did not let me down.

I thought that she was asleep upstairs early pm but she must have crept out. She did appear a couple of hours later, very unusual, for a bite to eat and then out again. Home around 8pm when I was watching Strictly. She has had some cuddles and no doubt will join me later for more.

Corner perhaps I could give you lessons getting to and staying asleep. Many years ago I discovered the next morning that there had been fire engines and ambulances in the street close to my house (3 houses ago). I think everybody in the street was watching- I was fast asleep and did not know a thing until the next morning. If Tara whimpers I hear her. I have the odd night I cannot sleep but they are few and far between.

Maw I hope that your DD is okay. You have had more than your fair share of hospital visiting recently.

Evening all, I wish I'd wish I'd known some kitcheners were awake in the middle of the night, a bit of company would have warmed up my re entry from Crete at 2.30am this morning. It feels a tad chilly here after a spot of sunshine, so it's definitely back to reality with a bump! I'm hoping for a longer nights sleep tonight and wish the same for any other sleepless souls.
Hope that sorting and clearing up hasn't worn you out n&g, if you get a taste for such activities please let me know, I might even pay travel expenses! When we moved here, after some?serious declutering had been done, the house seemed neat and tidy and stayed that way for quite some time. 9 years on the house plants have grown wilder and been added to, various bits and pieces of seemingly useless essential items have been acquired and all of a sudden, without me noticing it happening, it's a different story. Periodically the old boy, who hasn't a sentimental bone in his body hints that "it's looking a little more cluttered these days". I give him "that look" and do absolutely nothing about it. Needless to say I have returned from Crete with some salad servers, some pottery bowls and yet another bit of coloured glass. No chance of the minimalist look catching on here in queenieland!
Maw glad your dd had her surgery as planned, it's sounds like a big op to me. I admire your self restraint in not phoning. You've had so much to deal with lately, enough to disturb anyone's sleep pattern. Hope you and paw have an easier night ahead.
charley you could make a fortune with those sleep lessons, please may I have some too.
Well done to that energetic boy, gd, isn't it lovely to see them thrive and enjoy what they're doing, especially when it doesn't involve a screen of some sort. Were you in Sheffield by any chance, I heard they're having a new Ikea. I suspect my oldest dd may keep it in business, having one so close to home will be sore temptation for her - she loves a bit of diy/self assembly!
Hope your headache has buzzed off somewhere else charley, London driving is enough to bring on a headache on its own without the addition of a wailing kitty. Belated birthday greetings from me, sending
Night all, hopefully won't meet any of you in the wee sma' hours. I'm planning a largish tot of Baileys to send me into a drunken stupor satisfying slumber. X

I had a good night's sleep and would still be slumbering away if Tara did not decide that she wanted to go out at 6am. Not today, but she did join me for a while in bed but I decided to get up before 9am as madam had found a tissue and had torn it up. How she thought that the silent treatment would waken me I do not know. She has forgotten yesterday's trauma as the basket is in another room, out of sight.

It is a lovely day here, the washing is on and I ma going out for a birthday lunch.

Morning all !

I feel quite human today. I am sleeping so much better and that makes all the difference to me. I can cope with anything after a good nights sleep. My cough is still horrid but I suspect even after the infection is gone I shall be left with that for a while.

Glad Tara( and you Charley ) survived the annual vets trip. Sam is vocal like that in the car all the time which is why we had our visit with the behaviourist. Sam's training has fallen by the wayside while I have been ill but time to get started again.

Congrats to your GS Grey . As a total non runner EVER I have huge respect for those who can and do !! I hope he was suitably rewarded?

Glad to hear your daughter is home again Maw , hope she's feeling a little better this morning.

Ah Corner sorry - I did get it wrong LOL I can imagine how you must have wondered 'what the heck'!! I'm sorry to hear you're not sleeping well now - Grampy suffers intermittently too. I am like Charley , I can usually sleep on a knife edge !

I know what you mean about the house getting cluttered all by itself GrannieQueenie . I let it get to a certain level then I call in my girls and we gut it !! LOL One of my daughters( I shall call here the Queen of Bleach) likes nothing better than a good spring clean and declutter but she's ruthless !!! So be careful what you wish for or I will lend her to you

To raise a smile this morning , I have just taught Sam to ring a little bell ( I've added a picture of the type) for a treat . I thought it would make the GC smile. Sam has quite a repertoire of tricks, including lay down, play dead , roll over and chase your tail ( my particular favourite) . This morning I was lying in bed thinking 'what is that noise'???

Turns out Sam was bashing his bell and waiting for treats to arrive. I may regret this trick !!!

PS Enjoy your birthday lunch Charley xx

Thank you N&G. I think that you should send your DD to me, she would probably run out shouting, jump in a car never to be seen here again.

cornergran I hope that the weather is good wherever you live- it is an open invite to move to London- the minor problem is the silly prices for even a garden shed.

Somebody in the next borough (a doctor) was prosecuted last month because there were 35 people living in a 3-4 bedroom house. He had rented it to 3 Romanians for £2400 a month. There were mattresses laid side to side everywhere. He never visited and that was his defence. How did he think that they would be able to afford that rent?

I have 2 spare bedrooms (sorry Tara) and I could make money!

Good morning the kitchen! gq you will feel the difference between here and the wine dark seas! Last time we went to Greece it was at the end of September and came back from temperatures near a hundred to the throes of deepest Autumn! And I don't do minimalist (or mimalistic, as my SiL calls it!) either! You were right, that is the very Ikea of which we speak. I won't be going near it until all the hoo haa has died down though!
Corner I have had a week of wakeful nights - I seem to go through them in phases. Last night was no exception. Perhaps I should leave my iPad upstairs and join the GN Nightowls next time it happens.
Charley I used to dread taking my cat in the car - she could howl for England and the nearer we got to the vet the higher the decibels became. I do miss her though.
N&G glad to hear you are seriously on the mend. Coughs always linger though. An infusion of sage leaves and honey is good for coughs (my DD and DS would be groaning now and saying "oh God, here she goes again - the wise old croan in the woods with her remedies!" Pearls before swine, I say. Your Sam is a clever little chap - you'll have no peace now! Yes, GS was suitably rewarded; he got a clip round the ear, but not as hard as he usually gets ?. In fact we found out last night that the field was actually 153, so his placing was not bad at all.
He has been here all night as DD and SiL had an early start running in a 10k race around the city. Can't understand all this running business myself - I've never had the slightest inclination to run anywhere!
Maw I hope Sunday is kind to you, that your DD is feeling better at home after her procedure and that Paw is settled.
I will look in later. It is the football derby here today so there will be turbulence in the Duster household as rivalry rears it (I hope not ugly) head. Any arguments and all roast pork and associated lovelies will be confiscated!

My DH would love a minimalist house but I'm afraid he's fighting a losing battle there .
My son was the child who came in last in a county under 11 cross country race many years ago. It was his first and last attempt but in his defence it turned out his "bit of a cough" was whooping cough!
Charlie has disgraced himself recently on the way home from the vet - the smell of cat s..t can be overpowering in a car! I felt it was his comment on being taken to the vet. Then I had to stop suddenly to let an ambulance through and the cat basket rolled over. The rest I leave to your imagination.

Are we all holding back because we are suffering ftom "New Kitchen Phobia"?
(Don't tell GNHQ)

I think its because we're all afraid to get off the 'norty step' Maw

I had a lovely lunch out today. I felt so sorry for a lady at a table close to ours who had a girl aged about 4 and a boy about 2. She was there I think with her elderly father. She did not sit down for 10 seconds and the little fellow had a piercing scream which went straight through me.

We had a dessert for once, one dessert and two spoons! I offered to get another plate and give this fellow and his sister some ice cream to shut him up but luckily his mother thanked me and said no because I then realised that it had Baileys in it and ID was required! She laughed when I told her.

Hello quiet kitchen. Love the bell, n&g. A 'friend' - I say this loosely - gave one to Mr C a couple of Christmases ago. Somehow it got lost . OK works better.

For once the day went to plan today. A fairly brisk walk this morning involving the beach and two coffee stops followed by feet up and a DVD to coincide with the rain beginning. I seem to have cooked a roast, managed to avoid the clearing away and am now sat down again. Hard life today .

Oh dear charley, nothing quite like the sound of a two year old making himself heard. The Bailey's ice cream could have been just the thing. Pleased you enjoyed your lunch in spite of the sound effects. Hope Tara gave you a warm welcome home.

When we moved, for the final time you understand I was clear, our new and much smaller home was to be minimalist, well, it was for about oh, a day, well maybe six months until everything came out of storage. Just don't have a minimalist bone in my body and Mr C is worse. If your daughter wants a challenge n&g send her round.

Oh well, this relaxing is hard work so I feel the need to tidy something, it's OK, it doesn't happen often.

Take care everyone,

Good morning all !

It IS quiet in here . Must be the onset of dark mornings etc.

I shall try the infusion of sage leaves and honey Grey any port in a storm for me.... I'm desperate !! I have been drinking pineapple juice as that has something that is supposed to be good for coughs.

I hope the Derby passed off peaceably enough?

Oh dear Jane ...poor Charlie and poor you. And a long coat too :-(

Sorry to hear you had noisy table companions Charley . I know small children can be unpredictable but I must be a harsh old bugger because we just don't have all that when we take the little ones out. Indoor voices and no getting down for any reason. I wont take them out otherwise and we have been known in the early days to simply pack up and go home finished or not. all my kids love their food so they wont risk it ;-)

Had a visit from Jackson after swimming yesterday . Its been testing month and he received his certificates so came to show me. I think we can all agree he was pretty pleased with himself :-)

Looking forward to hearing soops news on her return. Hope she had a simply wonderful time.

Oddly enough N&G I have just bought this birthday card for a good friend.
How appropriate is it?? Could have been made for you!

I am recoiling in shock BTW apart from needing me around 4 this morning, Paw has slept through until 7 (and so of course have I) and he is sitting up in bed reading the paper on his iPad, having had breakfast, on the table beside him, and looking quite chipper!
Poor Hattie needed out in the night though because she had demurred at the torrential rain earlier and decided she could just cross her legs. She couldn't.
Can't win them all, can you?
I hope Soop can hail a passing gondola if today is the day she is due to travel home. We are awash!!