Val's Cafe

frogmorton

Will be in properly later everyone.

Feeling a bit queasy atm hot vertigo. Back on stemetil so fingers crossed will fe6better soon.

Will definitely wat h Mike's Gt Nephew on telly at 10.30!

Love to you all

Toni xxx

Mike1

Hope you feel better soon 🐸

dachshund

Good morning everyone

. Kath (((())) i'm sorry your roof has not been seen to yet good luck for today. Love to Chris ((())) Anita ((())) Val ((())) and your Dad ((())) and Holly ((())) and her family.

Barbara ((())) that's good you have nice neighbours and a dog. love to Mr B ((())) and your son ((())) and Niamh ((())) and your brother ((())) and his girlfriend ((()))

Toni ((())) i hope all is. we'll has can be there. Love to Paul ((())) Charley ((())) and her girlfriend ((())) and the carers ((())) Lucy ((()))Tia ((())) Kari ((())) and P ((()))

love to Bill ((())) Chris ((())) Carol (((())) Mig ((())) Mike ((()))

frogmorton

Mike what a gorgeous gorgeous boy Elliott is!

I just bawled my eyes out watching that.

You must be incredibly proud.

I am sat under my blanket watching TV feeling very unbalanced....some might say nothing new there!

Thank you I hope to feel much better in a few days. Where's my cat when I need her?!

Kitty

Phoenix Cottage

Chapter 12

The Return

Amy lay in an uncomfortable heap. She looked around for Lenny; he was sprawled out on a pile of old sacks a few yards away from her. She realised they were in the old stables. Lenny sat up.

"How did we get here?" At that moment they heard a strange sound from outside. "What's that?"

"It's a car!" Amy jumped up. "We're home Lenny, that must be mum and dad coming home. What do I look like?"

"Well you don't look as though you've just spent the best part of a week in 1647" Lenny brushed a little dust off his costume. He had become quite used to wearing it now. "Look," he put his hand in his pocket and pulled out the old key that had begun their journey.

They went into the house where Mrs Martin was standing in the kitchen and their father had switched the television on.

"There you both are" Mrs Martin said. "What were you doing outside? Let me have a look at you." Amy looked at the clock on the kitchen wall, it was only eleven minutes later than it had been when they had used the key Lenny had found.

The following few days seemed very strange. Amy was glad to be home but part of her was sad, they both missed Benjamin and Simon. Amy visited Mr Porter at Cadogan Hall, the portraits had disappeared.

"The art restorer had begun work on them," Mr Porter told her. "The strange thing is that there seems to be another painting beneath the one of Simon Cadogan" he seemed excited. "It shows an altogether more pleasant young man than the one I showed you." 

"When will you get the paintings back?"

"Saturday afternoon. Oh, tell Leonard we've cleared the rubble blocking the chapel door. We've found some very interesting things in there - including a skeleton."

"Anything else?" Amy tried to sound unconcerned, but wanted to know whether the journal had been discovered.

"Yes, there was a large gold cross on the altar, quite close to where we found the skeleton. It's probably extremely valuable, but there was something beneath it that could be priceless." Amy felt a bubble of excitement well up inside her. "It appears to be the diary of Benjamin Cadogan, the library staff are examining it now. Of course it is very fragile so they have to be very careful with it." Amy could hardly contain herself as she hurried home to tell Lenny the news.

When Saturday arrived, Lenny and Amy couldn't wait to get to Cadogan Hall. The portraits had been returned and Mr Porter had received some news of the journal.

"Here you are at last" Mr Porter showed them into the dining room. The paintings were leaning up against the wall. "I haven't got round to re-hanging them yet." He turned them around so they could see them and Amy gazed at the portrait of Simon, it was exactly how she remembered him. "It seems we have been very much mistaken about this young man." Mr Porter continued. "The journal has set us straight though. He didn't desert his family as we had thought, instead he was killed by James Porter's men." Amy and Lenny looked at one another and smiled. Their plan had worked. Mr Porter began to tell them of the plot to free King Charles, they pretended to be surprised. "The irony is, the King escaped later that year anyway. Although of course he was later re-captured and beheaded." 

Amy swallowed hard as Mr Porter carried on speaking. "You remember the portraits of Abigail and Clement?" They both nodded "Well as you know they had two younger brothers. I've traced their descendants, they're very pleased with our discoveries and have agreed to come down from Yorkshire to take part in our pageant. They're in the drawing room now, waiting to meet you." He led them down the hall. "They have a son also called Simon," Amy caught her breath, "he is going to be his ancestor Simon Cadogan to your Abigail." 

Amy walked slowly into the room, Lenny stood in the doorway behind her. Simon Cadogan stood with his back to them looking out of the window. As he turned around Amy flinched. Friendly blue eyes twinkled at her and a smile she knew well. Only the scars were missing. Still smiling Simon walked over to her and took both hands in his.

"Cousin Abby" he said in a low soft voice. "How nice to see you." He raised her hand to his lips and kissed it, his eyes never leaving her face. "You don't mind if I call you Abby, do you?" Lenny groaned inwardly.

"Oh no! Here we go again."

THE END 

Kitty

Oh I missed Elliott - didn't know it was on until I read it on here. 😠

Toni, I'm sorry you are feeling squiffy. Sleek has been here today, I sent her a quick text to let her know nursey was here to do my blood test. I think she's mastered the art of time travel because she got here 5 minutes before I sent the text and 10 minutes before the nurse arrived. 😮 I hope my story has a satisfactory ending.

Barbara, if you can't manage to read my story, I don't mind. It is rather long. Maybe Niamh could read it to you. I finally got in touch with the housing association and hope to make an appointment for them to come and fix our roof. Pray the rain tonight and tomorrow is only light.

Sending hugs to Joan, Carol, Christine, Chris and mig.

Mike1

In case anyone, including Kathleen, missed it here is the link to the ITV website with it ready to go: https://www.itv.com/thismorning/articles/the-incredible-boy-donating-his-christmas-presents

Aa a family we have been going through it with Elliott for months, despite that I needed a few tissues this morning too! On the 18th he is back to Bristol Children's Hospital for, what we hope will be his last, round of chemotherapy. He is due home again on xmas eve and the day itself has been postponed till the following week as he will be out of it for a few days. Really touched that This Morning are sending him a pressie and I am sure that I saw Phillip's hand stop the wheel on £3k which Elliott's parents really need.

barbara12

Hello all

Mike I saw Elliott this morning thanks to Toni..gosh it made me bawl has well ..what a beautiful and brave young man he is..and what lovely parents ..you could see it in there faces..so pleased Elliott got the Nintendo switch and the money ..they really deserve it xx

Toni I hope you will soon feel a little better vertigo is horrible ...its a while since I had it ..just take time to rest and keep away from screens when you can..we will all be here when you feel like it..xx

Kath I am enjoying the story..just but by bit..you are so clever to be able to think of it all..I am hoping the housing come soon its pouring down here xx

Joan sending you and Sue some hugs back you are always so kind to everyone thankyou (((()))) xx

Its been dark and wet all day here 🙄

Love to everyone

Xxxxxxx

frogmorton

I did see Philip stop the wheel at 3K Mike too. I hope they can now afford to spend on all the children and have the best - delayed - Christmas any family has ever had.🙂

The world is so far spinning slightly less today so i will take Barbara's advice and keep offline today. I was in bed for 8 last night!

Paul is in london so I am on my own until tomorrow though Tia is coming to take me for a walk later and Charley's Fiancée checked on me yesterday as did P every 5 minutes!

Kath of course Sleek can time travel bless her she was also checking on me and slept on the bed last night in her Daddy's place. She was full of your bloods.

I will delay ready the book until perhaps tomorrow. The stemetil seems to have kicked in now.

All is well except Charley's gf is now Charley's Fiancée Joan! and I have vertigo. ((())) to you both.

It's Lucy's birthday first year ever I haven't been with her😔

I fancy porridge today

dachshund

Good morning everyone

Kath ((())) I hope you don't have to wait too long for your roof to be fixed. Love to Chris (((())) Anita ((())) Val (((())) and your Dad ((()))

Mike (((())) what a very thought full little boy your great nephew is ((())) I wish him more children thought like him ((()))

Barbara ((())) have a good day all of you (((())) love to Mr B ((())) and your son ((())) and Niamh ((())) and your brother ((())) and his girlfriend (((())) ((())))

Toni ((())) i'm sorry your not well hope you feel better soon ((())) sorry your missing Lucy's birthday (((())) I hope she has a good day (((())) love to Paul (((())) Charley (((())) and her fiancee ((())) Tia ((())) and Kari ((())) and P ((()))

love to Bill ((())) Chris (((())) Carol (((())) Mig (((()))

Kitty

Thanks for the link Mike, such a smashing young man is your Elliott. Best wishes to the whole family.

Toni, get to bed NOW and stay there until you are better.

Tomlinson's still not been in touch. 🙄

I started to write a poem about the vaccine but decided to hold off for a while until the glitches have been fixed.

Take care everyone, big hugs.

barbara12

Hello all

Toni how kind of Charley and fiance 😃checking in you abd taking you fir a walk..hopefully it will go very soon..but horrible whike it last..has you now know..bless..and lovely P checking on you..bless her..

So sorry you can't be with Lucy on her Birthday.. but hopefully you will get to see her soon xxx

Joan are you all warm ..I need to know or ill worry..love to all off you xx

Kath did they get to your roof..sorry if you have said.. thankyou for the lovely card xx

Keep warm and safe everyone xxxxxx

Turbogran

Evening everyone

Just a bit of an update on things here. All the family are ok at the moment.

Graycies Is 4 on Saturday unfortunately she won’t be able to have a party. She has been really unlucky with her Birthdays we had a big family meal on her 1st Birthday in a pub nearby the familyon her second birthday she hadn’t been well so the party was cancelled and a small family meal was again had. Her third birthday mum and dad couldn’t afford a party so we again did a meal with family and everyone paid for their own meals. now she is at nursery this one was to be a proper party with he friends and a few family. But of course Covid restrictions have stopped that as they are in tier 3. Which I seems London my be put in on The 16th when the tier systems are reviewed.

Cookie is settling very well now and this morning when I got up I walked into the living room and said as I do every day good morning gorgeous and was treated to a nice meowy good morning back. I have decided she is a hoover on legs she will eat anything. She loves boxes cue picture taken today

I have some good news which I cannot put on my own F B on page at the.moment our youngest granddaughter rang and told us about a week ago that We are going to be great grandparents for the 7th time but as She is in the early days she doesn’t want It on Facebook. But as I don’t think anyone I know is on versus arthritis I can say it.

I now have mr ts Christmas present so I am a happy bunny there.

and got most of the little things for the presents for the Christmas tree which we open on Christmas evening. I think I said we have our youngest daughter here from about the 20Th December till 2nd of January saves her lots of travel and means we won’t need to travel to her on New Year’s Day as usual. She is in our Social bubble anyway.

all Kent family will have to wait for their presents till we can get down there. But they are ok with that. I am just fed up with all this Covid business but I will continue to plod on and do whatever I need to do to be safe. I am getting on ok with the hearing aids and yes I do wear mine all day. Unlike some person I could name.

our family memories group That eldest set up has really taken off well .have had some good pictures on there.here is one of our daughters at school.

Well I think I need to move now or my joints will get stiff having a bit of pain at the moment in my knee it I think it is just the weather.

hope you are all keeping reasonably well

love and Sparkles to you all ❤️❤️❤️🌈🌈🌈

frogmorton

Morning everyone.

Will be careful again today. Kath I promise I have spent ages asleep and Barbara says to keep off screens as much as possible too. No roof fixed yet? Sleek wants to have a go herself

I can't even face my beloved coffee😕 but I am definitely on the mend.

Joan I will be ok and see Lucy on Sunday she is coming up for her apt with the neurologist on Monday. I think that's legal. ((())) to you and Sue.

Barbara I am being good. Dodging screens as far as possible. Tia will be over to take me for another walk this morning i think. I hope all is well with you 😊

Carol Cookie is talking to you! Sleek does that we have very long conversations with each other! That's adorable and she looks it too in her latest box.

Love your secret news🤫 not a word.

Poor little one no birthday party😕 it's tough this COVID malarkey but hopefully it will be sorted soon. I couldn't see Lucy on her birthday yesterday either so sad.

Well done getting Mr T's pressie.

Sorry about the short reply, but i have vertigo and screens make it worse.

Love to Mike and Elliott!

dachshund

Good morning everyone

Kath ((())) I'm sorry no one's come about your roof. Love to Chris ((())) Anita ((())) and Val ((())) and your Dad ((()))

Barbara (((())) don't worry about us the radiators not working are Sue's bedroom she doesn't get out in the night so not to bad and the passage one and my bedroom's slightly warm thank you for caring about us ((())). Love to Mr B (((())) your son ((())) Niamh ((())) your brother ((())) and his girlfriend (((()))

Carol (((())) congratulations on your secret ((())) sorry about Graycie's birthday you will make up for it when the virus has gone (((())) cookie knows where she's loved. love to Mr T (((())) and family ((()))

Toni ((())) 'm glad you feel a bit better I hope it goes soon ((())) that's nice seeing Lucy on Sunday ((())) love to Charley ((())) and her fiancee ((())) and the carers ((())) Tia ((())) Kari ((())) and P((()))

love to Bill ((())) Chris ((())) Mig ((())) Mike ((()))

barbara12

Afternoon all..boy its cold out there..❄❄☃️☃️

Joan I am a worrier but glad to hear you have some heat..what a palaver ..hope they come back soon ..and thankyou again for all the hugs ((((()))))) xx

Carol covid has effected so much and the worse like you say are family not being able to meet...

Cookie really had settled in bless ..what a good home she has..🙂

That's a lovely photo of your daughter when she was at school..who would have thought all the GC and GGC later and now another one on the way...😁😁xx

Toni I hope you are not has queasy.. slowly does it..its so nice of Tia to come and walk with you...at least the fresh air will do you good..

Thankyou for the cheese on toast ..but we won't starve if you want to miss posting for a while..😻😻😻

I hope that Kaths roof will be fixed soon ..and all are well has can be xx

Love to everyone

Xxxxxxxxx

frogmorton

I know it's bad isn't it Barbara Kath's roof and Joan's radiators! Diabolical! The council wouldn't have got away with that 😮shocking!

I am doing ok pretty well, just keeping steady as possible. Tia will be over to take me for my walk again today and we will be going on 'The chase'

https://www.google.com/search?q=cannock+chase&rlz=1C1CHBF_en-GBGB909GB909&sxsrf=ALeKk03WUuKzqsJI-Z305d86I9GRHketqA:1607666698569&tbm=isch&source=iu&ictx=1&fir=Idc2uJ7Lv5k3PM%252CMm0-fmBi1Kq52M%252C%252Fm%252F02tt15&vet=1&usg=AI4_-kR4JvL3hOTLga_kf6IGS13eZWCaHg&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwi-w_CTocXtAhW9SRUIHdNpAWkQ_B16BAgXEAE#imgrc=Idc2uJ7Lv5k3PM

To collect some moss for P's wreaths.

and Tia will collect my order from Next so l don't have to go in.

Joan I feel a good bit better than I did on Tuesday, hoping it will gradually subside. At the moment the stemetil is keeping it under control. Can't be nice for Sue getting dressed in a chilly room though😕((()))

Today i plan to read Kath's story final chapters dizzy head allowing🤞

Hope Carol and family are all doing well...maybe we'll see some more pics soon I hope. Cookie later after she's been to Aunty Kaff's

Mike1 I hope you are doing ok and the lovely Elliott and his Mum and Dad and siblings too ((()))

Love also to Chris and Christine and MIg

red sauce/brown sauce/mayo available!

frogmorton

https://community.versusarthritis.org/discussion/comment/675014#Comment_675014

Update from Legs

Kitty

Daily Poem (a brand spanking new one)

The Jab

Has Covid met its match?

Will the vaccine finally dispatch

the virus that everyone dreads,

kept society apart and lives in threads?

Can we all begin to relax?

As with hugs and kisses galore

friends and family meet freely as before, 

.Will joy return to our world?

We hope and pray for success

and mothers and fathers rejoice

as grandmas and grandpas are blessed

with babies to their bosom pressed.

We’ll cheer for the nurses who cared,

all the accolades they richly deserve

and the jab does its job destroying Covid.

Just two little jabs to save the world.

Morning all. I'm typing in a fog today, I hope all are well.

Toni, I'm so happy you are feeling better, thank you for the bacon butty.

Joan, someone will come to fix our roof soon, don't worry. We are no longer an emergency as it's not pouncing with rain.🙄

Barbara, I don't know if you've seen the post I shared on your FB page, about the little boy with Macular disease. I just had to donate.

A question - does anyone suffer from Tinnitus? If so, what noises do you hear? I hear Sparrows chirping. As you know, Sparrers don't sing. Isn't it sad to hear of Dame Barbara Windsor's death. She was a real Cockney sparrer.

RIP DAME BARBARA.

dachshund

Good morning everyone

Barbara (((())))) try not to worry to much (()) love to Mr B ((())) Niamh ((())) your son ((())) and your brother ((())) and his girlfriend ((()))

Kath ((())) i would think the roof is an emergency for you. love to Chris (()) Anita (()) Val (())) and your dad ((()))

Toni ((())) that's good you are feeling a bit better ((()))) sue is dressed by the carers in the morning and then she is put on her scooter till dinner time then into her wheelchair. love to Paul (()) Charley ((())) and her fiancee (()) and the carers ((())) Lucy ((())) Tia ((())) Kari (())) and P ((()))

Mig lovely card you must feel proud ((()))

love to Bill (()) Carol ((()) Mike (())

barbara12

Evening all

Toni glad you are getting there..just keep up with stemitil till you feel much less sickly and off balance

Good job Niamh wasn't here for the bacon butties..she is here now so will be having them in the morning

Its so nice to have an helper like Tia..bless her..

The chase looks lovely to have a walk and collect moss mind you there is loads in my garden 😅

Thankyou for the update in Linda she' really is a one off..xx

Joan its a good job you have the carers..we are so lucky to have the NHS..love to all of you xx

Kath a really good poem thankyou..I will have a look at your post..I hate to think if children with MD...its just not fair is it..😪

Sorry if I missed anyone

Love to all xxxxxx

Mike1

A question - does anyone suffer from Tinnitus? If so, what noises do you hear? I hear Sparrows chirping. 

I have had tinnitus for over 30 years which was caused by shooting in the forces. It is a constant high pitched whistling sound in both ears which can be frustrating, damned annoying and depressing at times. I am also high tone deaf. I was given a type of white noise hearing aids at one stage which were meant to counteract the tinnitus but I didn't get on with them and now have hearing aids for my deafness. The worst bit of having tinnitus is that I cannot hear more than one noise at a time, i.e. if there is music in the background and someone is talking I have trouble distinguishing between the two, just as well I live alone and the cat isn't very vocal! Another issue I have is that I frequently hear a car revving up outside but when I go to look there is nothing there, having mentioned this to my GP this is a symptom of fibromyalgia and seeing as I have all the other symptoms to accompany it it is assumed I have that as well as OA. I don't hear sparrows unless I put my hearing aids in, which is not often.

frogmorton

Morning everyone.

Today is a sad day it is 12 months since we lost our dear friend Aidan (AKA Bubbles). He fought hard after his heart attack on the ninth, December, but the 12th is the day he finally lost his battle. I hope you are resting in peace Dear Aidan with your parents , Bill's parents , Cookie , Tosca and Pepe your beloved cats.

Your friends in the café will never forget you ((())) xxx

Joan Sue has quite a busy day then she must be glad to get into bed! Any idea when your heating with finally be fixed? I took P's dog for a walk yesterday she was not quite well enough. He is a black spaniel and adorable very well-behaved.

Kath great poem! Spot on I hope all your sentiments come true I cannot wait to see everyone properly inside, but will wait until i have been jabbed. Well done.

So kind of you to donate to the little lad with MD bless him I wish it could actually help him 😕

Such sad news about Barbara Windsor, but she was suffering from what I had heard so I hope she is at peace now. She has left a huge legacy behind her hasn't she? She never stopped working until she had to. RIP

I have had tinnitus for at least 20 plus years mine is the standard ringing a bit of wooshiness. For me the main problem is at night when it's quite I can ignore it quite well until then🙄Sparrows!

Talking of birds did you see this?

https://community.versusarthritis.org/discussion/53249/watch-the-birdie

It's a good job Legs is a one-off isn't it Barbara? With her Arthritis starting so young. She needed that determination to keep going and has done really well.

I am keeping up the stemetil. Just mostly as night when I'm tired and first thing with the odd surprise 'wave' of it. Will stay on the stemetil for a bit longer for definite thank you😘

The Chase was fabulous yesterday the fresh air did me good. Tia helped with the moss collecting and her dog ran like a mad boy!

Then in the afternoon i got to take P's dog for a walk too! This time I went with two guys from the village. A lovely couple. Then Paul cooked - Chips from the chippy!

Mike that sounds NASTY far worse than my low-key tinnitus. I thought it was getting older which stopped me coping with two voices at once or the radio and a voice! As fo cars revving! Awful😕

Look at this my own special Froggie Christmas tree!

For Aidan -

frogmorton

KATH I was finally able to finish your book! It was fabulous thank you so much I really, really enjoyed it. I know our Aidan would have loved it too all the subterfuge and mystery! As for the ending - just perfect! Well-done! Has this one ever been published? If not you should see about it.

Thank you for posting it😍

dachshund

Good morning everyone

. I could not get the on screen keyboard to work yesterday on my tablet so I did the post on the computer more fiddly on there.

Barbara ((())) that was a lovely photo of your pond last week or so love to Mr B ((())) and your son ((())) and Niamh ((())). and your brother ((())) and his girlfriend ((()))

Mike ((())) I have not had that how long does.it last for or do you have it all the time.

Toni (((())) thank you for saying it seems longer than a year since Aidan left us I hope he's not in pain now ((())) in the photo is Aidan on the right. It's a lovely place where you live migraines must make you tired ((())) love to Paul ((()))) and Charley ((())) and her fiancee ((())) and the carers ((())) Tia ((())) Lucy ((())) Kari ((())) and P ((()))

Love to Bill ((())) Chris ((())) Carol ((()) Mig ((())) and Kath and family ((()))