Val's Cafe

dachshund

Good morning everyone

Kitty ((())) how are your aches and pains calm at the moment I hope ((())) love to Chris ((())) and Anita ((())) and Val ((())) and your Dad ((()))

Barbara ((())) I hope everyone is has well as can be ((())) love to Mr B ((())) your son ((())) and Niamh ((())) and your brother ((())) and his girlfriend ((())) and your niece ((())) and her fiancé ((()))

Toni ((())) we have the sun this morning perhaps it will be there when it's stopped raining ((())) love to Paul ((())) and Charley ((())) and Annie ((())) and the carers ((())) and Lucy ((())) and Tia ((())) and Kari ((())) and your lovely neighbours ((()))

Reshmi ((())) don't worry love to everyone ((())))

Mike ((())) and vixen have a good day

Carol ((())) have a good day

bosh

Hi T I will answer properly later I just wanted to say that tbh what happened with the recipe is that I found the image of the recipe just like you did but I was not sure whether it would be legal download or not so I left it there okay thanks bye for now

Arthuritis

@frogmorton Love your cheery morning posts! They brighten up the day!

Took the mtx on Friday, so many tabs. Going to try & switch to injection to avoid nausea. Yesterday I tried curcumin caps.

Woke this morning with much less joint pain.

But ouchy achey bladder… i think i overdid the curcumin caps.

Great brekkie pictures!

@Mike - Was it a McDonald’s sausage patty?😉

You know fast food does not rot because not even bacteria will eat it, let alone a sniffy kitty! 😂

bosh

Hi Barbara how are you today? That is indeed funny about the baby being fan of his gd isn’t it? Br got negative PCR thanks so much for asking. Yes Tiredness Always a fact it seems, my day was not too bad thank you hope you have a Sunday take care. Xx

bosh

hi T how are you? Methotrexate hangover - yes indeed. Stomach just about okay atm but am not optimistic that it’ll be okay all day long, but thanks for asking, how is your stomach these days? I did the stretches and things thanks for asking. I’m just Trying to send a short abbreviated concise and to the point message today wish me luck! Lol, I wanted to mention that LA has an unique name for Boots the chemists, he calls it “the shop the wellies”, well he’s a logical aristocrat, you’ve got to give him that, okay bye for now by the way he has erupted. Xx

hi also to Joan and Kathleen Hope you are both well. Xx

frogmorton

Morning everyone 😊

Yesterday Paul drove my Figaro to Bicester for me and she went to a car show 'Bicester Scramble'. I will post a pic or two and you will see she got a fair bit of attention. Porsches? who'd have 'em? 10 a penny! Only one Fig there though 

😁

 Being outdoor I felt safe enough as you know I must be very very careful not to catch COVID with the wedding a week today

😮



Mike your breakfast yesterday sounded lovely. Cheeky Vixen though asking for sausage then not eating it😆 My puss does the same I think she just likes a rather close sniff really. Lucy's Winnie is adorable she tries to cover up our food to hide it for us from predators. Cuppas too🤗 I love cats😻

Joan the day here stayed cloudy but as you cab see I was in Bicester where it was very sunny once the fog burnt out 🙂I think you had a nice day? Looks dry and cloudy so far on the forecast for the wedding. ((())) xxx for you and Sue and the carers.

Thank you @Arthuritis I try to be upbeat if I can even if sometimes I am not feeling it.

I drink turmeric tea...not tried the caps though.

Of course you should try your MTX by injection if you find the nausea too difficult to cope with. Bypassing the stomach it might just work it does for many 🤞When my youngest had leukaemia at 16 had MTX into her spine as well as in vast quantities via a drip so I kind of feel obliged to suck it up for some reason.

I have a confession😳 on the subject of fast food... I have eaten several (I mean several!) macdonalds 'McPlants' since they arrived in this country. Might be vegan but still fast food😋 Hopefully once the novelty has worn off I will behave myself again😳

Oh Gosh Reshmi Vesuvius erupted! I was hoping not🙄 Did you see the eruption in Tonga (well near Tonga) on the news? Those poor people I hope they are all ok.

Another great Lord A 'word' he is quite right Boots is indeed the welly shop😂 So sweet aren't they little ones? I do miss that with mine, but one day maybe there will be Grandchildren to make me smile who knows?

Well done getting everything done exercise wise I did mine and had my walk looking at cars yesterday outside at Bicester. I will post some pics my car is the pink one. I couldn't drive all that way so Paul drove us down.

My stomach is ok pretty well just now. What bout yours? Did it hold up all day yesterday in the end?

I am going to start getting stressed I reckon any day the wedding is a WEEK TODAY😲 help!!

Love to Barbara and Carol i hope all is well with you both sending ((())) xxx

frogmorton

As I said porsches are 10 a penny but mine was the only Figaro so she got plenty of attention 🤗

Fir anyone who hasn't seen her before she is the little pink car and is 30 years old

Mike1

@Mike - Was it a McDonald’s sausage patty?😉

No it was a frozen one from the Richmonds range, they taste almost the same at McDs though.

Mike your breakfast yesterday sounded lovely. Cheeky Vixen though asking for sausage then not eating it😆 My puss does the same I think she just likes a rather close sniff really. Lucy's Winnie is adorable she tries to cover up our food to hide it for us from predators. Cuppas too🤗 I love cats😻

Vixen often asks for stuff then turns her nose up at it, her latest is asking for a tin of Tuna and then just sniff it and walk off BUT she leaves it until night time then eats the lot even though it could have been sat there all day. I could not be without her though.

dachshund

Good morning everyone

Toni ((())) your Figaro is lovely do you feel proud of it ((())) I hope your back is OK after the long time sat in the car.

Love to Paul ((()) and Charley ((())) and Annie ((())) and the carers ((())) and Lucy ((())) and Tia ((())) and Kari ((())) and your lovely neighbours ((()))

Barbara ((())) have a good day love to everyone (((()))

Kitty ((())) have a good day love to everyone ((()))

Arthritus (())) I hope today is a good one ((()))

Mike ((())) all the best to you and vixen

Reshmi (((())) take care love to everyone

Carol ((())) have a good day

Kitty

Morning everyone,

Joan, since I stopped using the Fentanyl and Oromorph but using Fenbid gel and Paracetamol instead, my worst pain is under slightly better control thank you. 😀

Reshmi, So BR is positive for Covid! poor love, I hope everyone else is alright.

Arthuritis, I hope you cope better with MTX injections. I was fine on them but I developed needle phobia. I'm fine when someone else injects me but I can't inject myself. So I'm back on the tablets now. But I don't take it for my RA I take it for my Vasculitis and only have a very low dose. I take Leflunomide for RA.

Mike, oh I love Richmond sausages.

Antoinette, Lovely photos. My dad is well thank you. Holly had some bad news, her nan had a heart attack the other day. So she is in hospital now while she recovers.

Caramelised baby leeks

25 Minutes Serves 4 As A SideEasy

The balsamic vinegar adds sweet and sour notes to the savoury, oniony depth of the baby leeks. Serve these alongside a simple roast chicken or fish

By Adam Bush from Olive magazine.

Ingredients

• baby leeks 270g
• olive oil 1 tbsp
• Belazu Balsamic Vinegar of Modena 4 tbsp

Method

• STEP 1
• Fill a large pan with lightly salted water, bring to a simmer and cook the baby leeks for 4-5 minutes or until just starting to soften. Drain well. Spread out on a tray in a single layer to cool slightly.
• STEP 2
• Use a sharp knife to cut the baby leeks in half lengthways, then brush the cut sides of each with a little of the olive oil.
• STEP 3
• Heat a non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat and cook the baby leeks, cut-side down, for 3-4 minutes or until deeply caramelised (do this in batches if needed). Transfer to a serving platter, then drizzle with the Belazu Balsamic Vinegar and serve.

Ingredients

• baby leeks 270g
• olive oil 1 tbsp
• Belazu Balsamic Vinegar of Modena 4 tbsp

Method

• STEP 1
• Fill a large pan with lightly salted water, bring to a simmer and cook the baby leeks for 4-5 minutes or until just starting to soften. Drain well. Spread out on a tray in a single layer to cool slightly.
• STEP 2
• Use a sharp knife to cut the baby leeks in half lengthways, then brush the cut sides of each with a little of the olive oil.
• STEP 3
• Heat a non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat and cook the baby leeks, cut-side down, for 3-4 minutes or until deeply caramelised (do this in batches if needed). Transfer to a serving platter, then drizzle with the Belazu Balsamic Vinegar and serve.

barbara12

Hello all 3 in the family with either covid or the other one..2 poorly one not so bad all been jabbed ..

Toni your beautiful Figaro stands out ..good fir Paul driving her there 😁

My brother us struggling with the new stent so he's having another swallow test

Wedding nerves I'm sure all will be OK..oh I see it was your fried that made the buntings they sound lovely ..when is Bill coming to drop if the melts xx

Joan thankyou ..have they already closed the underpass can you still get a lift of kinds to your cafe xx

Reshmi I love Lord as name for boirs wellingtons .. 😅abd why not make sense..hope your day us going OK xx

Kitty its surprising how helpful changing meds can be ..I suppose our body's get to used to them xx

Love ti all

Xxxxxx

bosh

Hi Joan how are you today ? my stomach is not 100% actually but thanks for asking it is under control though I have a blood test tomorrow at the hospital so it’s another one of those frustrating blood test trips coming up where I’ll be hanging around for ages and avoiding all the Temptations of the hospital café which is a very high fat high sugar expensive kind of café for a hospital especially indeed. I hope you and Sue are having a nice evening. Tc. Xx

hi Toni, how are you? HV did indeed erupt again, and today it began eruptions especially early, never mind, my stomach is not 100% today but that’s one of those things I guess we seem to have to put up with it is very frustrating isn’t it?

Hi Kitty, btw unless my voice control malfunctioned, br actually does not have positive PCR, but most probably has hand foot and mouth.

Hi again Toni, sorry no I didn’t hear about Tonga must be a very horrific situation indeed. Nice Pictures of your car by the way, weddings, well I’m not a big fan of them but I won’t fully expand my unusual viewpoint, lol, I can imagine how stressful it must be though but I would just try and get things in perspective, what happens happens 😄. My stomach was okay yesterday but not so today oh well such is life. To be honest Toni I’m kind of worn out today so no funny anecdotes et cetera sorry about that. Have a nice evening. Tc.

bosh

Hi Barbara how are you today. I’m not too bad thanks stomach is not really that okay though that seems to happen quite a lot with me unfortunately yes LA is nothing but logical, I bought a new fan a portable one on eBay bladeless cooling fan it’s actually really good, as I do I get a lot of hot flashes GP said it’s not early menopause so quite sure what it is could be arthritis meds or could not be the docs didn’t really give me any info anyway it’s quite a nice fan, also safer for kids, small pleasures I guess! I wish I could get a fan for my stomach, what a concept might need a large one though 😄 take care Barbara xx

Arthuritis

@frogmorton Boots the welly shop😂Well its perfectly logical!

It reminds me of this:

”OUR five-year-old granddaughter, Erin, asked her mum why they had a cupboard named after her, but her two sisters didn’t.

Her Mum was puzzled. ‘Where is this cupboard then?’ she asked.

‘Upstairs on the landing!’ replied Erin. She meant the airing cupboard!

Rob Cardy, Northampton.”

Thanks for the thoughts on the subcut mtx.

Arthuritis

@bosh Which French series were you watching on telly? I watch a lot of French & Spanish series, most recently Dix Pour Cent, (Call my agent), The hookup plan (Plan Coeur), Les Grandes Grandes vacances are some of my favs, then there are old ones like Braquo & Les Engrenages. Spanish ones The Money Heist (La casa del papel). Do others here watch foreign telly?

Also TV5MondePlus is great with free no ads films & series.

bosh

Hi @Arthuritis , The Boots / welllies was actually my baby nephew, lol, thanks, French I’m trying to remember now I recently sawJapanese program with a French name, Atelier, but coincidentally I did see a film on prime video it was called samba which featured the actor Omar and I can’t remember his last name, possibly Sy, he played an African immigrant from Senegal, what you mentioned sounds good I’ll try and have a look at some point thanks. Tc.

frogmorton

Mike Lucy's Winnie likes to sniff all of her food, but rarely eats it. My puss likes a tin of tuna overnight it is cat tuna but not much cheaper than our stuff. Of course you couldn't be without Vixen nor she without you although I bet she can act like you are not important.....until she wants a cuddle😍

I like the richmonds vegan sausage 😋

Joan thank you I love my car. I sit on a wedge cushion in her, but you are right my back isn't toooooo happy. Today Bill is coming with the wedding favours (candles) for the guests and he is dying to meet Penelope! Love to you and Sue ((())) xxx

Oh Kitty poor Holly! She will be very upset and worried about her nan especially with COVID. Fingers crossed she makes a good recovery.

I am glad to her your dad is ok though.

Bill is coming this morning I am looking forward to seeing him very much I shall tell him we all still talk about our beloved Aidan often.

Those leeks sound lovely I might juts have to try that recipe. Leeks are really high on Paul's list of favourite veggies although he likes them all!

I have also mucked about with my pain relief I got the idea from P who reckoned we underestimate paracetamol and was still taking it until the end.

Oh Barbara not 3 of the family! I do hope they do ok. If they are young they are likely to get a BANGING headache and feel really dreadful and that's without the cough or feeling breathless bless them 🌈

and the stent isn't doing it's job either for your brother? Gosh you have a lot to worry about I hope you are sleeping ok?

Bill is coming today not sure 100% of the time, but he wants to see our lovely Penelope so I am putting her outside later so he spots the house!

You need to shout Toady again!

Morning Reshmi turned out my stomach joined in later in the day too🙄what will we do? Just keep on no doubt and do our best. ((())) for you.

Oh dear me HV was bad? Poor you and your Mum I hope the eruptions have settled down now to just tiny spits of 🌋 lava. I do not think upset will help your poor stomach BTW

I see you are due your bloods? Best of luck and even more luck dodging the cafe there. It's all teh hanging about makes you want the 'reward' of something tasty😕

The wedding will be fine...whatever happens as long as none of us have COVID will be fine. You are right. It's Charley and Annie's day and they will be happy that's all that matters except of course her natural father will be there and his vile GF who hates me. No idea why i am lovely😁🤥

Morning @Arthuritis that's a good one! The Erin cupboard!!!! hehehe!

Kids they are just adorable.

When do you next see 'someone' to review your RA? As you can see our Kitty tried injections (I don't think I can jab me either) and did ok until she developed a phobia about self-injecting. That happens sometimes sadly.

Right I had better get on things to do people to see....

First though

dachshund

Good morning everyone

Kitty (()) l sorry about Holly's Gran ((())) I use Fenbid gel and Tramadol melts. Love to Chris ((())) and Anita ((())) and Val ((())) and Anita ((())) and your Dad ((())))

Barbara ((())) I'm some you don't need more worries ((())) yes we can still get to the cafe by the mobility bus. Love to Mr B ((())) and your son ((())) and Niamh ((())) and your brother ((())) and his girlfriend ((())) and your niece ((())) and her fiancé ((()))

Toni ((())) I bet Bill ((())) love your Figaro. It's days now to the wedding ((())) is everyone getting nervous ((())) love to Paul ((())) and Charley ((())) and Annie ((())) and the carers ((())) and Lucy ((())) and Tia ((())) and Kari ((())) and your lovely neighbours ((()))

Reshmi ((())) Good luck with your blood test (())) when I have one the form comes from the hospital and I take it to the Doctors and have the blood test.

Arthritis ((())) your name keeps changing on here have a good day

Mike ((())) and vixen

Carol((()))

Arthuritis

@frogmorton An NHS review likely in March, ie 3months after 1st.

Yes, kids are hilarious and adorable as they discover the world around them!

“WHEN our girls Holly and Charlotte were 12 and ten, we stayed in a trendy hotel in New York. My wife and I were waiting for our keys in reception when the children ran up to us in a state of excitement. ‘Daddy, Daddy, you have to come and see this. It’s amazing — it’s a computer that prints immediately.’ Along with some puzzled guests and staff, we went over to look. How we all laughed when we saw what were they talking about: a typewriter.

Chris Webb, Lower Shiplake, Oxon.”

Where’s the delish unhealthy brekkie?

Kitty

Just a quick one today, Holly’s Nan had a Coronary (her third) and needed surgery. Don’t know how she is after that.

I’ve just had a telephone appointment with my doctor. She’s increasing my Fenbid, starting me on Loratidine and also Flixonase. So hopefully they should help me.

Love to you all. 🙏🏽🌈❤️

bosh

Hi arthritis interesting that you’re having problems with nausea and methotrexate too, I read somewhere that injections can be more dangerous than tablets but I’m no expert hope you’re feeling okay today though? I did friendship uni a long time ago, TV Monte definitely rings a Bell, lol, but it’s a Long time since I’ve used the language so I just watch things casually now. Hi Tony how are you today I was looking at an old message and you said that you try and be upbeat in the messages even if you’re not feeling it that’s of course your choice but I don’t always believe that it’s good to pretend that everything is fine but hey everyone is different aware of that just giving my opinion 😄. Blood test was okay thanks but I’ve got more aches and pains today than normal I guess it’s the weather down for cold and nasty how are your aches today? I experimented with the portable heater and it did make me have a good nap which I needed yes bad for skin but I think it was more important that I rested this Time, I avoided the café in the hospital but it was hard and my stomach still is not really fully okay so I’ve been eating a very exciting diet of porridge with water and toasts etc, I did manage some soup a little while ago which helped to me as I really needed some protein and I was feeling weak but this stomach thing is getting on my nerves so much now to be honest. You’re Absolutely right about the wedding the most important worry is the Covid everything else is secondary. Yes That’s right I had the arthritis bloods done today in the hospital. Sister‘s phone has not been working and she’s ended up having to get a new one but she’s bought it now it’s fully operational, lol, so my mum is expecting a video call from the two gentlemen LA and his bro today so that should be lovely for her, oh yes bit more gossip, LLF said she’s enjoying the invigilator job but one major problem is she doesn’t have enough time in her lunch break to have a cup of tea, Roger and I just about kept a straight face but we were trying really hard to fight the laughter, lol, I remember when I was an administrator at the unnamed college where is they both used to work / still work, The tea coffee and water were free for lecturers and admin staff but in it but in reality I extremely rarely had tea there because I wasn’t too into tea at that time and secondly because if I did then I would have to answer 1000 questions about why the tea was so rubbish couldn’t I order something else and I’d had to politely say with a smile on my face again and again no I just do the ordering my supervisor makes the decisions yes you get the message, it wasn’t a free cup of tea it was no cup of tea, for they were spoiled brats some of these lecturers, times aren’t they? Lol. Also she’s doing a kind of part-time course in psychology but it’s only about 10 weeks and that’s good she’s keeping herself busy and she’s clever and everything else but she’s acting like she’s a qualified psychologist now you know with the degree Masters PhD post doctorate little bit annoying🙄. Okay bye for now Toni take care hi and bye also to Kathleen Joan and Barbara Hope you’re all okay today I may not of answered properly but this house is a bit of an inferno right now due to heating not lava eruption at this precise momen, right now I’m fighting the radiators 🥊take care have a nice afternoon. Xx

Arthuritis

@bosh Hope your stomach settles soon. I just went through peak stomach agony 2 weeks ago, following eating something that didn’t agree with me. Got prescribed a proton pump inhibitor (PPI) Lansoprazole to reduce stomach acid temporarily to allow my stomach to recover. Have 1 more week of it left. Wound recovery while on MTX is slowed down as it interferes with DNA replication needed in forming new cells for repair. Its intended to slow the proliferation of white cells but its not specific, so affects all cells.

Arthuritis

@frogmorton Children say the funniest things…

In the Wednesday paper:

A balanced & honourable view from a 5 year old that shames the rabid muppets in parliament!

“A VIDEO of a girl explaining why the Prime Minister was ‘naughty’ to attend the garden party has gone viral.

Layla Somani, five, from Leicester, said: ‘Boris Johnson told everyone to stay at home, but in lockdown he just went down to a party... He’s been naughty, so he had to go to the naughty centre to tell everyone he’s sorry...

‘But, if he’s lucky, he can go back to his prime minister home and he can be a prime minister again.’. 😂🤣If only adult politicians had a 5 year old’s balanced outlook!

Arthuritis

@frogmorton And a story from my imaginative 6 year old god daughter on why mushrooms can’t walk or talk and some are good and some are bad! 😂🤣

Long ago, mushrooms lived on land.  They had two legs and could walk.  And mushrooms could talk.  Mushrooms lived in large families.

 One day an unpleasant mushroom was born in a family.  He did not listen, neither to his mum nor dad.  He was talking nonsense and did not want to go to mushroom school. (🤣)  For this he was called "Toadstool".  (Toadstool) Toadstool grew up and decided to conquer the mushroom world.  He did evil and those mushrooms that had a bad character began to help him.  Soon all the mushrooms were divided into two camps: good and bad.

 The war between mushrooms has begun.

 The good fairy did not like the way the mushrooms behaved, and she bewitched them

 And one morning, the mushrooms woke up and found that they had only one leg.  The mushrooms wanted to scream that they would not be able to walk anymore, but they also could not speak.  The mushrooms began to stand and live in silence in one place.

 But evil mushrooms accumulated anger in themselves and it began to turn into poison.  So the evil mushrooms became poisonous.

 And then people appeared on the planet and evil mushrooms began to harm people.  People began to pass on from generation to generation knowledge about which mushrooms can and cannot be eaten.

 And so I found a mushroom, it is healthy, you can eat it, but first you need to peel it, and then boil it.

(shows me the wild mushroom)☺️

—( Translated from her original narration in Russian).

frogmorton

Morning Mike I hope all is well with you I forgot to ask after Sue yesterday sorry. How is the diorama getting on?

Wow! @Arthuritis that is a lovely folk tale about the mushrooms! Rather sweet although possibly a bit scary?

As for the little girls' take on Boris' garden party debacle well what can't I say? Children know don't they? They see things so much more clearly than we do. I'm a bit surprised that she didn't mention he didn't tell the truth and just how naughty fibbing is too😁

I love them.

Have you got children yourself?

On the subject of your PPIs was it lanzop? If you take anti-inflammatories regularly most of us take them semi permanently to protect our stomachs with NSAIDs being so hard on our insides.

Kitty thanks for the update I am so sorry Holly will be beside herself, but all being well the surgery will have been a huge success fingers 🤞 and she will make a good recovery.

Let's hope the change of meds has the desired effect for you. You need a bit of a break.

Bill came yesterday and has met someone! His name is Glenn and he brought him here to meet me. They both did lateral flows - we did the full 2m and opened all windows. Glenn clearly adores Bill, it's been well over 2 years since we lost our beloved Aidan and I am sure Aidan wouldn't have wanted Bill to be alone. His heart was big and he would be pleased I am certain.

I will take some pics of the favours Bill made for the wedding!

Morning Joan. Yes it's days away and this morning the rugs are being cleaned and the wedding dresses will be here today. Bill came yesterday i was just telling Kitty he has someone in his life I know Aidan would approve and it's been well over 2 years now. His name is Glenn and he clearly adores Bill! Love to you and Sue ((()))

Morning Reshmi don't you worry about me when things are really bad I do spill on here everyone knows I do not too often. When things are moderately bad I just annoy Paul and my sister instead. I know better than to hold things in. Very wise advice you gave there thank you for caring ((()))

Well done dodging the hospital café I am impressed, but with your stomach being so iffy I can see you were very sensible. A little soup is good my go to after dry toast when things are really bad for me too. I hope today is a even better.

Ooooh! A video call from two young gentlemen! They will enjoy that as will your Mum and hopefully you will have seen them too 🤗 Everyone will be smiling.

Yes I remember LLF's invigilator job! I see you and Roger shared a sneaky smile about her not getting any tea. Or even (bless) lunch break. Oh yes lecturers can think they are something special can't they🙄 You would ahve had the best tea if it was your choice.

I see starting a course in psychology renders her an expert in the field. Able to diagnose and treat the most rare of psychological issues😂 Of course she has a masters🤣

On the subject or rest and warmth over skin. Sometimes it has to be rest you can moisturise your skin a little extra. I hope HV is stable no major eruptions......

Barbara how is everyone? I do hope coping ok. The poor things just have to ride it out and try to not be too frightened ((()))

Take care of YOU though and don't catch it!

Shout Toady she is AWOL

You can try Carol too worth a try

Unhealthy for Arthuritis:

VEGAN version

hellmans vegan mayo is there too!