Val's Cafe

Arthuritis

@frogmorton I am afraid the bizarre mushroom story isn’t a folk tale, its just a figment of her over active imagination! 😂🤣 In her 5 year old child’s mind she is trying to make sense of the world, imagining wild shroom clusters with different sizes being family units. The tiny baby ‘shrooms have to go to school (just like she does)! And yes, she does come up with some scary tales!

She illustrates her stories too, and while her drawings are child like, they are still appealing and funny!

See attached her interpretation of covid virus getting surprised by vaccine antibodies 😂

No, I don’t have kids but enjoy listening to their imaginative perspective, which their exhausted parents sometimes need a break from! 🤣

Kitty

Morning everyone, Holly's nan is home already and doing well. She has dementia, so I don't know how much she understood of what happened to her.

Arthuritis, somebody has a fantastic imagination. What a wonderful way to reach an understanding of Covid. That drawing is a work of art and should be on display.

I can't seem to see any other posts, so I hope all are well.

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Aloo tikki chaat

1 Hour Serves 4Easy

Inspired by the restaurant group Dishoom, this easy vegan dish is bound to be your new go-to when you’re craving a snacky, nibbly dinner. Spiced potato patties and crispy chickpeas are topped with coconut yogurt, tamarind sauce and pomegranates

By Anna Glover from Olive magazine

Ingredients

• chickpeas 400g tin, drained and rinsed
• coconut yogurt 2 tbsp
• sev or bombay mix a small handful
• coriander a small handful, roughly chopped
• pomegranate seeds 50g

TAMARIND SAUCE

• dates 4, pitted and finely chopped
• tamarind paste 3 tbsp
• ground ginger ½ tsp
• soft dark brown sugar 1 tsp
• kashmiri chilli powder a pinch, plus a pinch to serve

ALOO TIKKI

• Maris Piper potatoes 500g, chopped
• vegetable oil 1 tbsp, plus extra for frying
• ginger a thumb-sized piece, peeled and grated to make 2 tsp
• green chilli 1, finely chopped
• red onion 1 small, finely chopped
• kashmiri chilli powder ½-1 tsp, plus a little extra to serve
• cumin seeds 1 tsp
• garam masala 1 tsp
• amchoor (mango powder) 1 tsp
• gram or plain flour 4 tbsp

Method

• STEP 1
• For the tamarind sauce, put the dates in a heatproof bowl and cover with 100ml of just-boiled water. Leave to soak for 10 minutes, then transfer to a blender and whizz with the remaining sauce ingredients until smooth. Cover and leave at room temperature. The sauce will keep, chilled, for up to a week.
• STEP 2
• For the aloo tikki, cook the potatoes in a pan of boiling salted water until very tender. Drain and leave to steam-dry.
• STEP 3
• Heat the oil in a wide, non-stick frying pan over a medium heat and fry the ginger, chilli and onion for 8 minutes until soft. Stir in the spices and toast for a minute, then remove from the heat.
• STEP 4
• Mash the potatoes well until smooth, then stir in the onion mixture and 2 tbsp of the flour. Season well and mix to combine. Form into eight small patties (about 60g each).
• STEP 5
• Pat the chickpeas dry using kitchen paper. Toss in a bowl with the remaining flour and some seasoning. Heat a drizzle of oil in a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat and fry the chickpeas for 5-6 minutes, tossing the pan frequently, until golden and crisp. Scoop out using a slotted spoon, drain on kitchen paper and season. Heat a splash more oil in the pan and fry the potato patties for 2-3 minutes on each side or until golden and crisp.
• STEP 6
• Put the aloo tikki on a serving platter. Loosen the yogurt with a little water if needed, then drizzle this over the top. Spoon over the tamarind sauce, crispy chickpeas, sev, coriander and pomegranate seeds. Dust with a little more chilli powder to serve.

dachshund

Good morning everyone

kitty (()) I hope the change in your tablets will help you better. Love to Chris (()) and Anita (())) and Val ((()) and Emily (()) and your dad (())

Toni ((())) it’s cold I hope it’s not this cold on Monday (()) that’s nice Bill has someone else (()) good luck to them. Love to Paul (()) and Charley (()) and Annie (()) and the carers(()) and Lucy (()) and Tia (()) and Kari (()) and your lovely neighbours (())

Barbara (()) love to Mr B ((())) and your son (()) and your brother ((()) and Niamh (()) and your brother (()) and his girlfriend (()) and your niece (()) and her fiancé (())

Reshmi (()) have a good day try not to worry (()) love to everyone

Arthuritis (()) have a good day

Mike (()) and vixen

Carol (())

bosh

Hi Arthritis thanks for the info about methotrexate sorry I’m so tired at the moment that I may not be answering properly still at least I’m making an attempt 😄, I just read that story about the mushrooms that was really sweet so do you speak Russian? (I’m just asking casually out of curiosity that’s all). Stomachs okay at the moment thanks but still a bit early so have to wait and see what happens okay I was going to write something else but it’s completely gone from my tired brain I think I need to lie down now after my walk bye for now take care. Xx

barbara12

Afternoon all

Toni our son has recovered now it gds fiance who doesn't get paid while off work gd tested negative for now and my neice has it..like you say bandung headache hight temp and aching joints ..ooh Bill coumg to see you and Penelope 😁xx

Kitty hope the new meds help .

Joan I'm so glad you are able to yet out in the bus..hope you can get out and about 8n your scooters when it warms up xx

Sorry eyes are awful .love to Reshmi arthritis Mike and Toady if uou look in xx

bosh

Hi Toni that’s okay you’re welcome. Thanks about the hospital café but you were right I had felt fairly bad so it wasn’t as difficult to dodge as some days, but I did have to contend with a really lovely smell wafting over the café area I thought I smelt soya chai tea lattes but this may have been partly my over active imagination, lol, there was stuff there was definitely a smell of hot chocolate in the air though oh dear, what doesn’t help is that I feel that some NHS Demon has strategically placed the café right next to pathology, a criminally bad building layout there, lol. Today was okay stomach wise thanks but I haven’t really eaten a great deal because it was rainy and cold so I just walked and came straight home also online food shopping is coming tomorrow so of course it’s not like I’m starving or anything, lol, but there was some enforced food sensibility so that was a good thing really I have been browsing crisps and cakes online but this is one of my hobbies 😄, as you said online photo calories don’t count better than watching too many McDonald’s adverts on the TV anyway 😊, don’t worry we can all eat too much sometimes it’s only a problem when we start making a career out of it like good old bill seems to be doing at the moment, lol, for one reason or the other she said diplomatically not wanting to fall victim to her sisters “evil eye”, lol. It’s a good job my sister isn’t browsing arthritis sItes, I would be in so much trouble haha. I did happen to be around for the video call with the two little guys, br was standing for almost the first time, in fact he kept on sitting down and standing up while looking at the phone, in order to show us his new skill, bless him, LA was jealous of this and at first didn’t even say hello but waved from to me from afar, lol, but then he recovered enough to do his monkey dance, so he basically jumps around in a monkey - ish manner, and said words to the effect LA’s juice was contaminated by BR’s soup, Poor little BR doesn’t even get to be the star of the show for more than a minute even when he’s standing up like a grown grandaddy!! Oh dear oh dear! it was lovely to see them though even though it was only brief. Thanks About the Tea and LLF, she does actually have a lunch break but it is a small one and I think that’s fair enough because she’s only working working part time and to be honest some people have it a lot worse I remember when I was working in Bourne end , a village quite far from where I live really and I was commuting and working full time and my boss went mad because I’d take an hour for lunch unless we were busy I may have mentioned this before but just thought I’d mention it one more time basically, when that was in my contract and at one point she kind of hinted that I shouldn’t eat any lunch at all , yeah I think she’s got a bit of a cushy job in some ways to be honest don’t you think? Lol. Yep LLF is an expert on everything at least according to herself self, you right, she might need to diagnose herself soon, lol, some kind of inferiority complex turned on its head there, haha, She also hinted that Roger wouldn’t be clever enough to write a psychology essay I don’t think that was very nice of her, he is a very clever individual but he is quiet and modest, he doesn’t go on gassing for hours about rubbish that’s for sure, lol and as we will know now empty vessels …ha ha 🤣. Good advice about rest and warmth by the way thank you for that. I have refrained from making freezer fudge with cashew butter and carob powder at the moment by the way, I know that they take a long time to set five hours or something like that but I just feel I can’t even look at nut butter right now, I must remember to pray to the appropriate goddess of stomachs but she seems to be on annual leave, lol. I didn’t really do much today but I did rest and moisturise and things like that so feeling relatively calm, there were some minor HV eruptions but so far not so bad, but problem is in my house suppertime is a really bad time for HV, so well I’m looking forward to bedtime basically, lol, have a nice evening take care. Xx

bosh

Hi to Joan and also Barbara Kathleen and Arthiritis. That’s all I’m saying today because I have waffled on for a long time and it’s already nearing the end of the day I hope you all have a good evening take care. Xx

toady

Hello all 😊 not awol as such, just too cold to get much done ❄️⛄️ I really really can't be doing with this weather, whatsoever, I just don't function at this temp. I honestly do sympathize with anyone who can't cope in the heat but I hate everything about winter and nowadays (yes, I know, nostalgia & 'summers used to be longer once upon a time' &c - but surely, they were?) it just does seem to go on and on and on. It's not SAD or anything I just objectively hate the dark & cold in themselves. One day I'm going to suddenly realize, actually, that's 2/3rds of my life I've spent miserable for no good reason. Well there's good reason as far as the planet is concerned & the seasons lol, but you know what I mean. (And of course I do realize it already, as of a long time back, but if I actually think about that, I'll have to add it to the list of things I've failed to fix.. move somewhere warmer.. or something). Still no doubt with climate change summers are going to turn wet and revolting, that'll teach me to complain.

Anyway! Hope anyone hardy who likes nice bracing walks & woolly hats & scarves is enjoying it. I daresay Monty is out getting on with doing something clever with some early greens or something.. in the lovely potting corner.. eh frog. I've hardly been out to see what's going on, even. But, I am plotting some early planting, because my worst gardening failure is planting things too late, so I'm all set this year to get on earlier - I have Written Some Notes - I will post some of the seeds I have in mind another time. It might make me get on with them. 🌺

Thinking of you and the you-know-what arrangements frog - how lovely to hear about Bill :) - and your pictures of Penelope are fab. So nice to hear everyone's cat stories too, always. Hope you all heard about the lost cat that his owner recognized by his miaow over the phone, at the vets?! Such an amazing story! 🐱

Could do with just stories like that in the news & forget everything else.

Any other news and petty grumbles I will save for the next thrilling instalment ;)

Hello Barbara, oh no, sorry you have covid among the ranks, do hope everyone's as ok as possible! Will look out for news. xx

Hello Joan too, hope things as well as can be with you; hope Carol is alright - love to Kitty and anyone who calls in. xx

frogmorton

Morning everyone -1 here

@Arthuritis That little girls is going to be very very clever maybe a writer or looking at the picture even an artist? Seriously at 5?! Wow!

So you don't have children (is that a yet? Aren't I nosey🤭) but enjoy other people's me too now. They are funny I just love them not full time anymore though. Yesterday I got to give a little sweetie his lunch and rock him off to sleep. there is something so wonderful about babies smell. A neighbour's foster bably.

I hope you ate yesterday's unhealthy breakfast?

Kitty the cafe had turned a page yesterday we are all well the only person missing was Mike and oh yes Carol but she doesn't pop by every day.

The Aloo tikki chaat looks amazing l read the recipe there is a lot too it or looks like there is but I think it might be fairly easy really I might just give it a go😋ta very muchly!

Good news about Holly's Nan in fact incredible that she is out of hospital so quickly! Hopefully she is ok in spite of her dementia bless her.

I have to agree with you about that painting it's brilliant. That child will go far if she is nurtured.

Morning Joan. I have to agree it's lovely for Bill to have someone he's been through such a tough time losing Aidan then his Dad then Tosca in 2 months. Now he deserves to be happy. ((())) for you and Sue xxx

Morning Reshmi how are you today? I am ok sat here with a decaf instant coffee and a wheatbag on my back stomach 70% ok so all good I will say my prayers too to the Stomach Goddess. She must be back from annual leave soon surely? Will be ready to go soon I have to pick up the mens suits for the wedding and having my own hair done this afternoon so will be forced to relax then 😊

I would have wanted a soya chai latte are they high in calories do you know? I bet those smells were very enticing. Criminally immoral and in fact downright illegal putting the cafe beside pathology. To be honest the food they sell in these cafes just can't be good for you even if they are yum....

Good to hear BIL is behaving himself and is in your sister's good books😉 You wouldn't be if your sister peeped in our cafe, but it;'s all done in good humour. How lovely being around when the videocall came in from the boys. ooooh! Baby R can stand up and sit down bless him, but poor Lord A must have had his nose put out of joint BR getting all the attention. I am glad he did his monkey dance in the end I bet you were all ☺ smiling. No of course BR can't get his moment in the limelight that is LA's place!

Imagine that! If it's in your contract to have a lunch break and the boss hints you shouldn't even eat that is bad! LLF is just being dramatic as you say if it's part-time she probably doesn't need as long a break anyway. Poor Roger imagine implying you have to be a genius to write a psychology essay - oh I forgot it's her masters degree not a short course.🤭

Mealtimes are a key time for house eruptions I hope yours was relatively peaceful. Sometimes you know all we can do is the minimum just get through the day others we have more energy. I hope today is a good one for you.

Morning Barbara ah! not getting paid when you are off sick😕 That happens so much doesn't it? But she still needs to feel better before she goes back and must put her health first bless her.

The main thing is that YOU don't catch COVID.

Bill was really well and all I can say is his new chap clearly adores him.

No pressure just rest those eyes ((()))

Toady it is too cold far too cold and yes summers were longer and sunnier I remember getting proper rain storms due to heat and then them drying up just like that...sigh....

I thought about moving abroad - to France specifically, but when Lucy got ill decided I need to be able to communicate really well - emotions and the like? But holidays there do do me good - the world of good and the bones like it too.

Climate change don't get me started it worries me so much and I have DARK summers do you? We ahd one afew years ago it was warm enough but overcast for weeks. On the upside the longest night is now a month behind us (almost) and the days are getting longer 😊

I did indeed hear about the cat found by his meow on the phone! Such a happy story!

Bill is doing so much better he really struggled after he lost Aidan then his dad then his own Tosca all within 2 months. Now he has picked up bless him.

The W plans are going ok thank you. Enforced rest for me this afternoon - hairdresser.

Hope Mike is ok🤔

Sorry Arthuritis we need something hot so it has to be ready break!

Mike1

Hope Mike is ok🤔

Surviving thanks!

dachshund

Good morning everyone

Barbara ((())) it's nice to see you sorry about your problems good your son is better ((())) love to Mr B ((())) and your son ((())) and Niamh ((())) and your brother ((())) and his girlfriend ((())) and your niece ((())) and her fiancé ((()))

Toni (((())) they say snow by next week. One minute you can stop wearing masks and everything then it's with us for life I think it will be with us like the flu. Love to Paul ((())) and Charley ((())) and Annie ((())) and the carers ((())) and Lucy ((())) and Tia (()) and Kari ((())) and your lovely neighbours ((()))

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

Toady (((())) I don't like the cold it gets in your bones I say not much longer till March have a good day

Reshmi ((())) have a good day try not to worry love to everyone

Mike (((())) and vixen

Carol ((()))

bosh

hi Toni k how are you today? hope you relax when you have your hair done, yes I’m aware so you Soya milk chai tea lattes have less calories but still high sugar so they’re not really good for us at the end of the day apart from as occasional treats of course, I do know that hot chocolate from Costa regardless of what type of milk you have with it, has 20% less sugar than most brands. Yes each day is different, there’s no doubt there thanks for saying that though, HV erupted at bedtime yesterday. I had v blocked nose in the night wasn’t good at all but least that’s over until the next night perhaps, it’s in m nature’s hands. Hope your back stomach feels better soon. Tc. Xx

bosh

Hi Joan How are you and Sue today? I hope you’re having a nice afternoon take care. Xx

hi Barbara and Kathleen Hope you’re both feeling okay today? I may have not quite said has many hellos as I should’ve done or chatted adequately with everyone but I need to be careful with neck and not get obsessed, so bye for now. Xx

toady

Hello all, the sun has come out for me today which is probably more than I deserve, but it makes all the difference 😍 so am less whiney* today. (& sorry to grumble, even though I know we're allowed.. I never forget for a minute people are sleeping out in this etc 😥) Yes, always so nice to pass the shortest day, it's amazing how quickly things do change after that, evenings lengthening &c. The cold does affect me, as you say Joan, stiffer etc & just it's cold to go around the house & you don't feel like tackling jobs, do you, even little ones. I'm still tidying & reorganizing, which I enjoy, sort of, until it reaches the same old point where I realize no matter how much you move things round, you still can't get a quart into a pint pot as they say, and some things Must Go. It helped so much when charities sent bags round, especially if you wanted something to go then & there before you could change your mind, but I can see why they don't.

Thank you for the ready brek frog it was just the ticket.. along with a croissant 🥐 milky coffee & plain chocolate.. (well I have to try & put weight on, even though my gut is no happier than all us RA-ers, it seems, which doesn't help). If I was eating my croissant in France so much the better. definitely! even if I did have to manage with my O level French, what's left of it. (Have never been though sadly & won't now, I doubt. I quite see how you would have had reservations during Lucy's treatment, too. I keep thinking of all the people who made moves just before the Covid, and what a difference there must be in that it was the perfect move for some and the worst thing to do for others! - just the cruel luck of the draw there, for sure.)

Hope everyone else has at least some sun - I have put some washing on, about time too - love to all xxx

Hello Barbara 👋 😘 xx

*today's quick whine.. why is there no such thing as cheap & cheerful but not terrible quality any more.. I went to buy a spare room bed, only intended to be temporary, my last one cost so little even for the time.. but perfectly well made, with side pieces that just slot down into the head and foot, so no assembly, and all the weight is downwards & not on a 'join'. Everything I looked this time, the side rails come in 2 bits with a tiddly extra supporting leg, or the joins are just bolted into the head making a weak point.. and the reviews say the bars that make up the base bend, or (if wood) the frame or the slats break after 5 minutes. Never want to see the word 'flimsy' again. I own so many things the more I think about it that have lasted forever, solid, but were cheap - not these days. You think more than twice before replacing anything. 🙄 Anyway I have bought the least worst sounding thing, so good luck to me!

Turbogran

Hi everyone

The wanderer yet again returns. What a week it has been I think I said in my last post that my pcr test kit came minus swab last Friday. Rung up 119 and told them so they sent a new one out. That came Saturday took test and sent it off. And as yet still have not had a result from them. Yesterday after waiting 5 days from posting it I rang and having been doing daily lateral flows since Sunday the 9th (11 days) all negative I again rang 119 to ask when I should receive result but because I had thrown away the test packaging with the barcode on he could not check on it. But after asking me a few questions about why I was doing the test he said that it was ok to come out of isolation, as it was likely that after this amount of negative tests and the improvement in the cough dater taking the antibiotics it was highly unlikely that it was covid. So as of yesterday I am free to go out again to say I was pleased is an understatement.

I still have a cough but it is much better, after sleeping in the armchair for the last 7 days I am going to try returning to the bed with the spare quilt in the living room in case I have coughing problems. so hopefully I will be ok. Other than all the annoyance with the isolating and me not being well mr T and myself are fine. I have now got back my motivation and have got my interest in knitting and cross stitching again. And have decided all my birthday cards to family will made by me. 2 cards done and 2 more to do before 8th February.

Just a little photo for you of our gorgeous little great granddaughter Ava

Now 6 months old isn’t she just adorable.

I will say cheerio for now love and sparkles to you all ❤️❤️❤️❤️🌈🌈🌈🌈

Turbogran

this wouldn’t post last time along with Little ones picture. Card I made for eldest daughters birthday

love and sparkles ❤️❤️❤️🌈🌈🌈

Arthuritis

@frogmorton No kids, and with mtx sadly not likely anytime soon!

But yes, kids are hilarious, exquisitely sincere & honest in their ability to innocently embarrass & mortify their parents with what they will loudly say!

Here’s another gem…

“MY NIECE took her three-year-old son Rocky to the shop at the end of the street where her mother lived. In front of everyone at the till, he piped up: ‘Can we go to Gran’s for lots of sex?’

Mortified, she rushed him out to his buggy, and he asked her the same question again.

‘What do you mean, Rocky?’ she asked.

‘Well, Mam, you always say that we will pop into Gran’s for two secs or ten secs. I love her and want to stay for lots of secs.’

Jennifer Gilmour, Durham.”😂🤣

I vicariously eat all the virtual unhealthy brekkies featured here. Except the semi healthy ones like porridge oats, which I manage by myself!

I haven’t built up enough of an anti-inflammatory account to be able to eat any of the fun stuff. I tend to flare within 45min of eating any processed food or sugary stuff, even waitrose’s shroom & nut roast, veggy burgers, any animal products, virtually anything out of a box or ready to eat stuff, so no bread or biccies either. Even quaker oats or fruit have to be limited.

Having learnt the hard way I stick to raw veggies & smoothies. The only cooked stuff is steamed shrooms, spring veg, spinach, lentils & chick peas. Dessert is ground linseed & plain almond milk mousse. Occasionally with stevia vanilla flav. Seasoning seems fine, has no impact on my RA.

France is a distant happy memory… before Brexit, before covid and most of all, before RA.

My fav thing then was indulging in the south the very french habit of “d’être en terrasse” watching the world go by… avec du pain, du vin et du Boursain… or whatever fromage was left. mmmh croissants & nutella crêpes!

<sigh>

frogmorton

Morning!

I finessed my speech and am finally happy with it or as happy as I am going to be😁

Mike good to hear you are hanging on in there sending ((())) for you and

for Vixen!

Joan I intend to keep wearing my mask for now I think it's too soon to ditch yet. I hope the virus will continue to get weaker in time and actually only feel as infectious as flu but at the moment it really doesn't does it? love to you and Sue ((())) xxx

Morning Reshmi ok soya chai lattes are high in sugar just a treat then.....😕 sigh....never mind I have only had one or two ever so a treat is fine. To be honest they cost too much to have daily anyway don't they? Costa hot chocs eh slightly better except even with soya or almond milk they contain traces of milk so aren't vegan.

Hope HV is not erupting just now? You need peace and harmony at home.

A blocked nose is horrible I have no real solution as you say it's out of our hands. You can use sinex occasionally and some people sleep on extra pillows, but be warned that can hurt you neck or back - well it does mine anyway.

I see Toady also has an iffy tum. That is all of us what can we do. What do you think of Arthuritis' diet it's very like my sister's just before she had her gallbladder removed.

I hope you are up to a walk and your stretches and physio today. I am up to it though whether i will have time is another matter....weddings!

I believe Toady that Brexit is the bigger issue now you can't go to France permanently unless you are working age and working earning a certain amount! They don't have an NHS so want to make sure we can pay for our own health needs.

You would manage with your '0' level French it soon comes back you know. Our friends over there have had much tougher restrictions than us including curfews and masks have pretty well been mandatory the whole time.

I am the same I have been trying to clear out my spare room for a dressing room for the wedding, BUT where does it all go? Especially when your youngest who had been in scotland moves back home with almost an entire flat's worth of possessions! I do wish the charity shops were taking in and doing collections like you said.

On the subject of yesterday's 'whine': how right you are cheap and cheerful was just plainer back in the day and things just do not last these days. I (accidentally) had radio 4 on in the car yesterday and they were discussing electronic items (particularly but other stuff too) and the issue of not being able to get them repaired🙄 Hope your guest bed survives anyway.

Good morning @Arthuritis Yup going to Grans for loads of secs!! Kids are so innocent as well as funny bless that little one and the worried parents 😁 I very much hope you hadn't been desperate to have children. We have had people have them on here brave Mothers usually coming off their meds to have a baby.

Your diet sounds very simple and reminds me of my sisters pre her gallbladder operation a few years ago. It will work, but I hope longer term you can expand it a little. You are mostly veggie/vegan yes if I remember?

I have been veggie for decades, but vegan much more recently. When we used to go to Fraace i used to get a WHOL brie wheel and each it all week. To be fair it did give me belly ache, but oh was so worth it😏 I think most of us just drool over the naughty food here and don't eat it in real life sadly. Bellies or waistlines prohibit!

Nothing better than sitting in the sun with a lovely coffee people watching the French have got it sussed for sure life 😉

Morning Carol. Oh gosh yes I would have though it wasn't COVID I mean how long has it been? well on the way to 10 days and not one single positive LFT. Results from PCRs are taking many days ATM especially where you live.

I know someone who will be happy if you go back to your own bed and out of her chair!!! Little miss Cookie-cat!

Ava is adorable bless her. Gosh she has grown though and the family link is so visible with all your Grandchildren and Great Grandchildren!

That card is lovely your eldest must have been chuffed to bits. Is it a cross stitch? Looks more like tapestry? She will keep that and frame it I think.

No where or where is my Kitty??? I do hope all is well?

Sleek has got you this from catazon and will be over with it later:

Don't think it's to store cockles in, but she does bless her.

Have the new meds made any discernible difference?

Barbara I hope my reply to you is still on the page and you can find it easily enough. I am still thinking of you all and hoping you don't catch it.

Right breakfast

Kitty

Morning ducked, I’m hoping for an Asda delivery today, so popped in early to post one of my old poems which I’m not sure I’ve posted before. Start off slow, and graduajjy speed up as the train begins it’s journey. Love to everyone. XXXXXX

Locomotion

Clock hands creep at a very slow rate

at the station full of people who wait,

peering anxiously down the line

hoping their train will arrive on time.

Checking their watches,

checking their bags,

checking the details on the name tags.

Holiday makers with buckets and spades,

cool operators in sharp suits and shades.

Mobiles jangle and shatter the nerves

of commuters travelling from the 'burbs;

Carrying laptops,

carrying 'brollies,

swerving to miss the porter's trolleys.

The distant thunder down the track

as travellers leave and then come back.

The clank of wheels as they hurtle by;

the mournful echo of the horn's cry.

Where are you going?

How long will you be?

Will you ever come back to me?

dachshund

Good morning everyone

Kitty ((())) how is your Osteoporosis now ((())) love to Chris ((())) and Anita ((())) and Val ((()) and Emily (()) and your Dad ((()))

Toady ((())) I hope you have a good day to day. It's cold when we go out on our mobility scooters' with the dogs.

Carol ((())) I hope you are clear now that's a lovely photo of Ava ((())) love to Mr T ((()))

Toni ((())) I hope you are all wearing warm things on like long John's. What time is it on Monday. love to Paul ((())) and Charley ((())) and Annie ((())) and the carers ((())) and Lucy ((())) and Tia ((())) and Kari ((())) and your lovely neighbours ((()))

Barbara ((())) I hope all is well there ((())) love to everyone ((()))

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

Mike ((())) have a good day love to vixen

toady

Frog, you're quite right of course, France would not even have me 😂 actually I think that's a consolation.. I think? Yes, they have had a bad time of it, I have distant family there & have heard about the curfews etc. There is such an imbalance in the best and worst places to be in all of this isn't there. Ah well, I will have my pastries & coffee chez moi, then (life seems to have decreed that's where it wants me.. it took travelling off me, then cycling, then even more local trips to town & a browse round M&S for fear of the plague... I know when I'm beaten 😬). I would not get on well with Arthuritis' diet.. I'm not really sure what the deal is with me except I know I'm better when I'm very well controlled.. but can't digest the beans & pulses side of things.. no doubt I should be doing virtuous things with scrupulous food diaries &c but really at this stage it would be just one more constant reminder of one's poorly-person status and I'm past all that - I'm a terrible self manager all round. So I just eat what I can get away with basically. I would love to go vegan but at the moment am just a vegetarian who is inching their way towards it where I can. Yes (re the rubbishness of modern things), there is the side of it where they design things to have a short life, it's awful and you'd think we would know better now. I suppose there are some more repair projects starting up than there were once. Fixing laptops & passing them on to good causes & so on. I hate having to replace phones etc - because apps won't work & so on - I never want anything new for the sake of it. I'm still using a printer I rescued from next door who were chucking it - nothing wrong with it at all, just wasteful people. The thing is people have been saying for years now that their old washing machine or cooker lasted better than new ones, but it can't just keep on and on getting worse, can it? Anyway the bed is arriving today so we'll see if it too is 'flimsy'. The other thing that annoys me greatly, everyone will probably know (when browsing for beds but applies to other things these days), you see the same product over & over again, under a different supposed 'brand' name, & price - if you could weed out all those from the results, you could focus on what the actual choice is. Good luck with your tidying! A friend bought a caravan to take the overspill from their home work, can't say it's not tempting except things would get cold (and spidery! ugh)

Kitty I miss trains! 🚉 ..that brings nice memories of them back anyway. 😊 Hope your Asda goes well, I've been v. interested to read others' online grocery comparisons, I'm with Tesco.. I never knew any of them let you know your subs/ missing items ahead of time. Do you specify a sub, or just say that you will accept one? - you mentioned not getting an item at all so I wondered.

Joan yes it must be cold for dog walking, do they have little coats - I don't think they do in your profile pic? but my eyesight is not brilliant to tell for sure.

I wouldn't be able to do Carol's sewing for the same reason! Glad to hear you have had the all (ish) clear, hope the actual test does come back soon.

Have a good day all, & mike, bosh, & anyone not in yet - much colder. Think I will go & throw some midmorningish scrambled eggs together if anyone's interested 🍽️ xx

and of course kettle on too Barbara if you're passing xx

barbara12

Afternoon all cold but sunny ..excuse any typos please especially any naughty ones 😅

Toni I'm so pleased Boll has met someone abd more to the point he adores Bill ,hoe could he not

W speech done . See it will all be fine a l8vely day to enjoy ..yes we ate all ok thankyou ..covid patients well apart from one who still has a faded l7ne o the test xx

Toady you whine away ..sorry I had to laugh that France probly wouldn't want you ..😅sure they would ..I don't mind cold sunny days but the dark ones and l8ng nights get me diwn ..I adore spring not to hot or cold xx

Joan thankyou all is well here the covid seems to more more or less 3 days when you are jabbed 🤞apart from out eldest son..but he's now recovered..hope you are all well xx

Reshmi I love watching baby's when they find there feet abd voices come to that ..I have been proper naughty with chocalte lately..hope you gave a goid day xx

Kitty I love the poem ..very clever I remember the old days nearly there to the noise if the train xx

Carol what a palaver hope your 5est is sorted soon ..I am loveing the photo if the baby bless xx

Love to all xx

bosh

Hi everyone I hope you’re feeling more or less okay today hi Toni how are you? The goddess of stomachs may be back from annual leave but her voice mail is full same with her inbox I don’t know the stomach goddesses, they’re not as good as they’re advertised to be on television, FB, etc, lol. I am really feeling a bit sluggish I didn’t manage to have a proper sleep after my walk HV type problems again, I went out later than normal because of the weather which I really don’t like doing I’m an early morning person but yesterday the pavement scared me so I thought best to be careful, regarding hot sweet drinks from the cafés etc I sometimes make my own I haven’t done Chai latte as yet but I do tea with a bit of gingerbread sugar free syrup that I get from the skinny foods company online, it tastes really good actually even though no sugar in it whatsoever, you could try Pret A Manger coconut and rice milk hot chocolate‘s could possibly be vegan but not hundred percent sure, but be warned those really are highly addictive in my opinion I’ve only ever had that drink but once I enjoyed it so much I thought I’d better not repeat the experience unless I want to donate all my teeth to the dentist which may happen anyway given time but I didn’t want to let the dentist so blatantly have the upper hand, lol. I think I’d better leave it there Toni because my fingers are aching may have moved them Oddly or something like that sorry about that hope you have a nice day. Xx

bosh

Hi Joan Hope you and Sue are okay today? Tc. Xx

Hi Barbara I understand about choc lol and it’s advertised everywhere isn’t it? I think that’s definitely another problem oh well hope you’re having a nice day I hope it’s a little bit less cold take care Reshmi. Xx

bosh

Hi Kitty. How are you today? that’s a really lovely poem I really enjoyed it thank you. Speaking of poetry I thought I’d contribute to this very tiny poetic work, lol, nothing very great really just might make you laugh, lol, bil / bill is code name my brother-in-law btw, also the first line refers to a program I saw about fish and things like that Mack is mackerel but that’s not really very relevant but hopefully the last two lines are more amusing. Tc. Xx

Bill’s Secret

Healthy People eat the “Mack”

but bill hides in his secret shack

Eating pizza while watching the weighing scales go “crack”.