Soop's welcoming kitchen for all in need of a hearty blether.

That's it. I shall open our new kitchen. See you soon.

Thank you all for your companionship. You are wonderful peoples.

Doodle I have always loved autumn. My time of the year is about to happen.

Feelingmyage Thank you for a much welcome update.

Almost time for me to open the new kitchen. Hang on and I shall find the key.

ann No ice! Now that really is a buggeration too far.

corner and (hugs)

grannyqueenie very droll.

Watching the weather forecast last night I gather that much of the North and Scotland are due storms and heavy rain today. We are still basking in the sunshine but thankfully a bit cooler. I find the sun makes me exhausted and I can’t sleep at night. Would be nice if we could just have mellow weather all over ?

Susan I'm looking forward to starting the painting on Monday. You will need to private message me your address in due course.

merlotgran So...it's yourself we have to blame for the lack of gin. Ambridge!

Baggs The weather had better improve on today's. It's been piddling down hereabouts.

N&G Have a wow of a time. Take lots of pics.

Nannytopsy Good grief! I had better gat a magnum bottle of gin in readiness for the move to the new kitchen.

Feelingmyage I’ve enjoyed our “summer season” here too... but please can you book me a space in that dark dormitory it sounds very relaxing... oh no on 2nd thoughts perhaps not.... I’ll snore and might lose all my lovely kitchen friends!

I have to own up that being in the kitchen this morning is shameless diversionary activity. I should be packing, well I’ve done a bit! We set off tomorrow for a holiday that somehow has become a road trip involving sleeping in 5 different places over 11 days. What started out as relaxed sentimental visit to the Holy Land aka Bonnie Scotland (where the weather sadly doesn’t look too promising) has somehow morphed into something a little different! Hey ho it’ll all be fine and we may even still be married at the end of it!

Sorry to moan, that must sound so ungrateful, I know we are so blessed to have the good health to do it and each other to share it with. It’s small beer indeed compared to the struggles I know many of you have on a daily basis. I’m just frustrated that what I hoped for when I first suggested this holiday hasn’t quite worked out to be the reality.
Right that’s enough now... best get pack to the packing. x

Hello everyone. I have posted very little as it is the silly season here - well not silly, so much as overwhelming. I have had loads of visitors, family, friends, and friends of friends (popular tourist area). I love to see them all but this week I loved to see them go! I am in fact feeling my age but presume they have not noticed! I should be flattered rather than be grumpy I have decided that sometimes I will need to send all the bedding to a laundry and also pay someone to come in and help me get sorted before they arrive so that I can enjoy the company. I have had a lot of fun but might have to lie in a darkened room next week - oh no I can’t - more lovely family arriving. Could we have a virtual dark, dormitory in the next kitchen for those of us who are worn out, suffering from big bills, have awkward neighbours or just feel older than they are? I am half joking because I have had some wonderful days and fun evenings but will have learn to delegate - if only I knew how plus it is not the done thing here to ask for help. All my visitors are hard working young people who need down time. IDEA - I can hibernate come winter ???. I would be so disappointed not to have these special times but must work out how to not be cream crackered (turn the clock back?). All suggestions gratefully received and special cake and wine for the best ideas.
panache. I am sooooo enjoying your posts and delight in your well deserved new home. Was there a vitual housewarming? Should we have one?
annsixty. No ice ☹️ How did you force it down? ? for being brave?
morethan2. You are in my thoughts.
soop. I think febreze is itself a bad smell - shudders.
Thinking of you all and although I don’t post often I catch up most days and am so in awe of you all. Medals to everyone for stoicism, kindness to your families, putting up with poor health, loneliness, sharing, advice and love. ?? soop says it all “you are all special people”.

P.S. the weather here is atrocious and I have to get Himself to the surgery! I hope to return soon.........

Charleygirl it sounds full on in every way in your home - including Tara! We are in the embryonic stages of something similar and will probably feel like doing what Smokie is doing at the moment - burrowing under the big rug in the hall! Himself is going to "sort him out" and retrieve his slipper which suddenly flew down the passageway! Hope everything gets finished in short order and you are pleased with the outcome, trying to sleep somewhere other than your own bed rarely ends well!
We have an architect drawing up plans based on what we have tried to convey to him and I am really hoping that he has caught the vision - and then some! A tad concerned at the possible price tag as it always is far more than the first estimates.

Merlot I really thought I had "lost it" more so than normal.

I do hope that Brodie is not in any pain and as it is a different patch from yours he will not associate you with temporary pain and misery so will hopefully return.

I have workman beavering away, my car has gone for MOT and servicing- I am waiting for another person to give me an estimate (huge) on something else. Later I may well be lying in a darkened room.

Last night, because of the work, I had to sleep on a single bed and Tara of course wanted to join me. I nearly knocked my knee replacements out when I turned over and hit the wall. She bagged my pillows- not the best night's sleep.

The weather here is gorgeous- hopefully it will stay like that at least until the two fellows have finished work because doors and windows are wide open. My poor neighbours.
TOYA

grannyqueenie, your analogy made me giggle, I do totally understand.

I am so behind with kitchen news.

Annsixty I agree about ice, it makes all the difference in a G & T or Vodka & T in my case.

I am battling a plague of what I think are "fruit flies" I detest the little blighters!!!

Wishing you all a peaceful Friday, and look forward to,seeing the new kitchen.

TOYA x

Kitty I love all my grandchildren in the same way as I love posh chocolate, only a wee bit at a time! ?

Morning all,

No news is good news from Norfolk ?

Grampys infection is settling down so at least he won’t be in pain while I’m getting squiffy ! Sam has been bathed and groomed and is looking ( and smelling) party ready .

We have gin, AND ice . Quite frankly we’re ready!!

WhTs with the reoccurring mattress posts on GN by the way? There’s. New lengthy one this morning that I was going to make a pithy reply to, then I thought ‘I just can’t be bothered’ !! Am I turning into a grump? ???

Anyway, wishing you all a great weekend, and I shall be back in the new kitchen to catch up with you all ( when I have sobered up!) ???

Thank goodness, made it before we moved!!

I'm sorry for everyone suffering from major disasters like lack of gin, ice or the required permission to drink. I'm also very sorry for Brodie lacking special, important bits of his person.

morethan, thinking of you and your courage at this awful time. I reiterate what everyone else said. We are here to be used whenever you need us.

Last day of 2 x dgd. I love them to pieces, especially at a distance!!

Please leave clear directions to the new kitchen.

My disaster last evening was nearly as bad, no ice!!
The first time in living memory.
I had to force myself to drink without it.
It wasn’t good.
(sorry for flippancy but sometimes we have to be normal)

I found a bottle of cider... ?

Nanatopsy
Out of gin!!!???
That’s disaster!
Will you survive until you can restock?

corner how sad it must be to see someone you care so much about visibly failing. It must have been hard to walk away not knowing when you’ll see her again and how she may be by then. Sending you a hug x

I thought I’d pop in before we have to move to a new kitchen. Then thought I’d wandered into the wrong place, you had me confused for a moment there merlot, it’s been a long day! ?

N&G celebrating for 2 now that’s a tough job but someone’s got to do it! Hope poor Grampy feels better soon.
Good luck with bedtime Susan. Hopefully it’ll be easier than it sounds after a long day of travelling and you’re tucked up in bed before too long.

Good news on the cats soop, I do hope Brodie remembers his way back to visit the salubrious cat hotel you’ve provided. NannyTopsy, if ever a woman needs gin it’s in mid house move! What a frustrating time you’re having, hope it ends positively for you. Dd4 has just put her flat in the market, having had a mini makeover in the hallway. A wall had been discoloured with dampness at the beginning of the year. A repair was duly carried out and she was assured all would now be well but just to be certain she’d waited till last month to re- decorate... then a couple of weeks ago there was monsoon type rain and it would seem the repair has not resolved the original problem after all. She is not best pleased! But it’s a lovely flat so hopefully will sell in spite of it all.

Well bedtime for me, sleep well kitchen friends as always toya xx

Evening All. Made it back from visiting our friend. Horrific journey. Nearly 6 hours, at least two too many

I’ve been having a wobble. Seeing how my articulate, clever and ordered friend struggles to express her thoughts hurt me more than I can explain. Physically she is very restricted, easier to accept for some reason. I do wish we were closer, I’ve no idea when I will see her again.

You sound so much more relaxed panache, I’m delighted your husband is able to eat well and you can manage a little at times.

That was quite a trip susan, hope your persuasive powers excelled and all is quiet.

You sound so pleased about the cats soop, time will tell if Brodie will be less jumpy. Hmm, chocolate biscuits sound good. A pack wouldn’t survive unopened here for long. Fingers will be crossed on Saturday for a visit from baggs.

Wishing you a fun weekend n&g, commiserations to grampy, not good timing for sure.

I’m off to bed. Hope a good sleep will settle me. TOYA, take care everyone.

Oooh. I'm sorry I'm in the wrong place/posted on the wrong thread.

I'm supposed to be in Ambridge.

I loved Tracey's 'St. Shula of the Holy Martyrs' line.

Just popping in to say TOYA.
We have had a full day of driving,first over the border into North Wales to collect our 3 year old granddaughter and then down to West Wales to see my husbands parents.We have just checked into the travel lodge and as soon as grandpa and Matilda have unpacked the car we will attempt to persuade her that it is way past her bedtime and really is time for sleep.
Will catch up on all the kitchen posts when home at the weekend.??