Val's Cafe

bosh

Hi Joan

how are you both?

mums ok ty

I’m tired but ok thanks

yes I need to worry less that’s true 👍

bfn tc xx

bosh

Hi again toady

so it was giant leech you’re right

i wrote the incorrect thing when tired and thinking of LA saying “massive pum pum” lol

blood test was okay thanks

I don’t want to go on too much about leeches, but you’ve given me a very good idea

what about just one annual blood test performed by the giant Leech him- or herself?

I wouldn’t even need a form, just maybe a plate of Christmas dinner for the poor overworked leech

it would certainly save the NHS a lot of time and paperwork lol

back is complaining a bit from time to time it seems so I’ll leave it there for now toady

bye tc have a nice evening xx

bosh

Hi Toni

how are you this evening?

back is complaining from time to time but paracetamol and rest def helped a lot thanks

I think BR will be sad then will be engrossed in his toys and feel better

mum is indeed v pleased about LA coming to stay

mums b sugar was ok today thanks

sorry not sure if I’m repeating myself bit tired

ill stop there T as don’t want to set back off again or wake up neckpain monster 😱

bfn Toni take care xx 🤗

bosh

Hi Again toady

i’ve rested my back a bit and I am just braving a quick message posting as it were

also am using voice control, even though it is not that reliable

just wanted to say that the symmetry and Google comment was very funny

I once watched a drama about a young woman, brought up in an extreme Orthodox Jewish environment she rebels and went to university where she asked a male friend whom she asked how to use the Internet and search engines. She said something like, “so I can just type in any question and the computer will provide an answer? What if I type in “is there a God?” Sorry about the punctuation- she was questioning her faith, her friend chuckled sympathetically, and said “best to start with something simple”, I think that drama was called “unorthodox” it’s really good even though perhaps one or two scenes are a bit disturbing, though nothing mega - disturbing. I suppose what disturbs one person doesn’t disturb another. Anyway, I really really need to stop waffling on for the sake of my back.

Hope you have a good night toady

take care xx

frogmorton

Morning!

Morning Joan. No appointment yet for you😕 frustrating isn't it? I had my annual (well the last one was 2019 precovid!) lung check up. I have a new inhaler and a medication to ease my cough 😊 So happy with that. Thanks for asking my friend is doing ok I think she has gone up to their caravan for the bank holiday. Love to Sue and yourself of course ((())) xxx

Morning Reshmi - I see you had your bloods done at the hospital yesterday. Much better. I was at the Drs too for my annual lung check up. Lovely pharmacist she certainly knew her stuff. She was pleased about my walking and has given me another inhaler as well as something new to ease the cough.

How is your Mum?

I am so sorry your back is not easing up without painkillers. Grrr😡 You are right to take it easy it would be very easy to set off the neck monster.

I think you might be right BR will miss his big brother every now and then when he is with you, but should be easily distractable by Mummy or Daddy.

Are you managing your walks at all with your back playing up? I usually try even when mine is iffy even if it's just s short one. Yesterday was so wet though🙄Today doesn't look very much better either.

Well you take it easy and look after yourself today ((()))

Morning Toady you are very sensible to dodge the computer morning noon and night. It's easy to get into bad habits. We need a pad by the laptop so when we think of something we should have done on it today, we write it down to do tomorrow instead!

No garden for me yesterday either ya boo. At least you saw the Mousie-clan and they are all well. Did you say your verbena is up?!!! Wonderful news☺️ I saw that Carol Klein smile and heard the little cackle alongside too! I'm so pleased! You will LOVE it. Fungus gnats again?😠

You had a wasp oh dear - I have a fly. That bit of sun certainly brought them out (and in) didn't it?🙄 So the painting is going well? Proper Linda Barker now are you as well as Carol K?

Eat the cake, Toady, think of the calories and eat the cake. Eat cake at your laptop. Eat cake when inspecting seedlings. Eat cake painting walls just don't pack any in nosegay boxes😁I can't remember the make but there is a lovely vegan apple pie I buy sometimes 😋

I have booked a one night stay for us in the motorhome I can't wait it is enough and Sleek shouldn't miss us too much.

Pusskin on way to do your housework....

Have a good day!

some sort of Jamie Oliver concoction probably not vegan but I can veganise it.

bosh

Hi all

wppl xx

dachshund

Good morning everyone

Kitty (()) have a good Easter we don’t have any eggs. Love to Anita (()) and Val (()) and Emily (()) and your Dad (())

Toady (()) Have a good Easter we don’t have any eggs a bar of chocolate is better. I hope you manage to get everything you want done.

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

Toni (()) your friend is doing very well 👏 yes it is very frustrating that I have not heard about the scan it’s just knowing when. Have a lovely time in the motor home. That’s good you had a lung check up and a new inhaler I hope it helps (()) love to Paul (()) and Charley (()) and Annie (()) and the carers (()) and Lucy (()) and Tia (()) and Kari (()) and your friend (()) and your lovely neighbours (())

Reshmi (()) that’s good you had your bloods tested i hope it’s alright (()) love to your mum (())

bosh

Hi toady 🐸

just wanted to say the Unorthodox programme is on NF in case you’re interested

bfn tc xx

bosh

Hi Toni

how are you?

I’m glad pharmacist was helpful 👍

Mum is ok today thanks but her and dad are having a big Barney

dads at fault really as usual

im hiding upstairs

my back is feeling a lot better today thanks, I couldn’t walk yesterday because of b test appointment so that made things worse of course

i might buy a back cushion for car as I had to improvise yesterday with rolled up coat and cardigan instead

BR is going to nursery over most of Easter apparently so he’ll be happy and occupied 👍

We’re seeing some Peter Rabbit cartoons with LA at cinema on Tuesday of next week mum told me aww 😀

there’s no restaurant they’re but there’s a Cost A Packet, so my job may be to hide the cookies, maybe with a giant inflatable scary Mr carrot , what do you think?

I’ll go for now as I need to shower etc

before it gets too hot and I accidentally put fan on to backache setting triple ook 😱😱😱

bfn Toni tc xx

hi Joan

how r u both today?

Thanks about my bloods

mum and I are ok thank you 🙏

bye tc xx

ps pic is just some colourful sari fabric xx

bosh

Hi everybody

A little poetic offering from myself again 😀

poem for VC entitled Bill The Easter bunny

there once was an Easter bunny

Who wanted neither eggs no honey

and he had the biggest tummy

that you’ve ever seen

he ate his sons’ chocolate and cakes

and marzipan- coated steaks

he left dirty dishes in the sink

till they began to really stink

his wife would get frustrated, He was such a messy guy

with no table manners at all, he would leave the foil on the pie

but even though he was none too clean

to her, he was both “Phantom” and “the pulse of the machine”

toady

Hi all 👋

Not late or early, just middling I suppose - realized that if I didn't get the one last Easter letter I had left to do off today it wouldn't get there til Tues at earliest (I sort of forgot about Friday 😳) so had to rustle myself together for the further away, non wide-mouthed postbox frog, to catch today's collection 😣 it rained on me of course and then turned bright after. But I'm all done now so thank goodness I can close open office on the laptop firmly & finally for a bit. Glad to see your Drs checkup was ok, and you got things out of it that you're happy with 👍️ hope they're helpful. Nice that you've booked yourself a nice little break too even if it is only little 🚐 😊. Hope the motorhome behaves itself & the weather is ok for you. It's nothing to write home about here today, but the ice-cream man cometh, he's a bit optimistic yet I think! Tea still, for me, definitely. And cake 😀 or apple pie, but yes no crumbs in nosegay parcels 😱 I'm always worried enough that I'll trap a hair under the packing tape 😬. I have 1 or 2 auctions up later, someone sent a question about some details of the item, then another message offering £10 less. For an auction ending tonight, I ask you 🙄. That usually dooms things not to sell so they can sit there smugly 😠. Fingers crossed. Haven't had time for painting, maybe tomorrow. Linda Barker, well it has 'worked out really really well' 😂 and no Teapots 😉. Hope your fly 'saw itself out'. Haven't done a tour of the garden either today but will do a combined seedling & tulip check soon. I have honeywort/cerinthe flowers out already, seems early! Have a good evening, Pusskin has been a huge help with the housework I was able to get on with other things and can have a rest now 😀 xx

Hello joan, I do get tempted to an easter egg but yes once upon a time they were just slightly nicer quality and not quite such bad value, but now I can't really get past the price for what you get. They aren't very inventive either mostly an egg with a bar of whatever variety in or a really measly few chocolates. I used to quite like thorntons when you went in store and bought things loose, but even online I was looking at some blocks today and every variety was out of stock 🙄 doesn't encourage you does it. Never mind I have some nice dark chocolate marzipan 👍️. Have a good day tomorrow, Friday already. I'm not busy today thank you I have caught up 😊 xx

Hi bosh, thanks for the messages yesterday, I did read the later one too it cheered me up when I came in from a dismal walk 😊 but I Dared Not start posting myself at that time. It was damp for my walk but also everything is a bit depressing round here at the moment. Last last's 'person passing me on bicycle' had a headlamp and a helmet lamp, all you could see was 2 white lights one 3 foot above the other, you didn't know what was coming toward you 🤔. Hope the neck/back pains are not too bad today especially as you had to have a makeshift cushion yesterday, & sorry you are having to lurk upstairs at the moment 😕 not in a too hot or too cold room I hope. One blood test a year is certainly a thought! 😮 I am slightly trying not to think how much the leech would want to take at once, or (for that matter) what it would want for its Christmas lunch 😱 I mean would that just be us 😬 or do you think one might train it to develop a taste for sprouts 😂. Anyway after it had tasted my not exactly 'fine vintage' blood I think it would even prefer a plain oatcake haha. Yes I do quite like the taste, I might have a bit of butter or cheese but not much, they are quite nice on their own just fairly dry I suppose. It's just part of trying to have a balance as you'd say so that not all biscuits/snacks etc round here are bad ones. Thanks about the drama recommendation (I really did get out of my depth googling the universe haha, ended up on a wiki page about 'Noether's theorem' 🤷‍♀️ they always say things like "put simply.." don't they, but it's no use the simple explanation is already way beyond me 😣) - I don't have NF & this doesn't seem to be available anywhere else 🤔. Shame. Bye for now :) xx p.s. have seen your poem since I posted - Bill has a taste for marzipan, it's a v. unfortunate coincidence that I have some 😱 I am off to hide it somewhere better! 🗝️

Love to Barbara, Kitty and anyone else not here at the moment 😘 thinking of you all at Easter 🌷 xx

bosh

Hi toady

thanks about the poem and Leech - related comments et cetera

really tired so I’ll send you a proper message tomorrow take care good night toady xx

frogmorton

Morning!

chilly start, but should be nice later.

Hi Joan it's so frustrating waiting for an appointment, but once you have the date (even if it's months away) you feel better. You just worry that you've been forgotten.🙄 I hope you have a good day love to you and Sue ((())) xxx

Morning Reshmi that pic was scary!!! well ok not that scary but did make me smile yesterday was indeed Thursday😂

Yes you should get yourself a cushion for your back for the times you need it. I was glad to see it was definitely much better yesterday.

Oh dear a bit of a HV situation? 😕Very wise of you to hide upstairs out of the way. I am sure your Mum will hold her own and you can reassure her later. Hope her bloods are good today.

Peter rabbit films at the pictures? Yes purlease! What time I'll set off now! Definitely worth missing the group for don't you think? It will occupy LA too for an hour or so😊Perhaps your Mum will have to take LA to buy the tickets and you go to costapacket on your own? I can't see that working with LA though so chances are it will have to be the inflatable carrot......

Aha! Great poem! I think that was BIL aka Bunny in law😁 brilliant you are on a roll lately! Keep teh creative juices flowing.

BR will be fine at nursery I always forget they aren't like schools, with 12 weeks closed a year, they are almost always open.

I hope you can manage your walk today as well as a nice warm 🚿 shower.

Take care

Morning Toady how are you doing today?

Oh dear! One missing piece of correspondence to post urgently! but you managed it and are doing well shutting your laptop early again👏Annoying getting wet but sunshine afterwards is just lovely. Today will be all day I am certain!

I was at Lucy's briefly yesterday and the ice cream man was there too. Quite often they are my vans have you noticed? Toni's Ice cream

Help yourselves! The 99s are on me!

If you trap a hair underneath the parcel tape of a nosegay shipment will they be able to clone you?😮 will there be multiple Toady's out there feeding small creatures and up to their elbows in garden compost??

Did the item sell that the person made their cheeky offer on? I hope so.

I think my fly must have seen himself out because I didn't have to rescue him myself. It's the bees I mostly get upset about, but all of them deserve to be free even wasps.

Thank you it's only 1 night in the motorhome, but that's better than nothing. Paul runs it every week to make sure it's ok so it had better start! I am stupid, but in that I feel like I'm anywhere I'd be happy in it on our drive!

Enjoy your garden today and let's see some pics of the honeywort.

Pusskins have been already so you ahve no housework to do at all. Not sure I'd recommend letting them help in teh spare room though....

not sure that would work out really well.

dachshund

Happy Easter everyone

Kitty (()) Have a good day (()) love to Anita and Val (()) and Emily (()) and your Dad (())

Toady (()) we have a bark of dark chocolate each better than an Easter egg. Have a good day.

Barbara (()) I hope you all have a good day. Love to Mr B (()) and your son (()) and your brother (()) and his girlfriend (()) and your niece (()) and her fiancé (())

Toni (()) have a lovely day away somewhere different to look at. It won’t be long before Paul has is result’s good luck to him (()) love to Charley (()) and Annie (()) and the carers (()) and Lucy (()) and Tia (()) and Kari (()) and your friend (()) and your lovely neighbours (())

Reshmi (()) yes it’s best to keep out the way you can’t be blamed for anything then (()) love to your mum (())

bosh

Hi everyone

happy good Friday

wppl. Xx

bosh

Hi Toady 🐸

how are you today?

I believe that the leech has been well trained by the NHS

to only extract our blood and put it in to test tubes

the leech has a mostly vegetarian diet, surprisingly 😂

Brussels sprouts are definitely a firm favourite

he I’m calling the leech a “he”, does enjoy eating meat, fish or poultry only on weekends and special days

i’d say the best dish to present to him on Christmas Day would be salmon, sprouts and maybe some nice fresh wholemeal bread, since he has to be careful about his cholesterol, it will also ensure that your blood is re- distributed in a pristine and sterile test tube and not an empty glucozade bottle, which does happen occasionally when the leech has drunk a bit too much alfresco red wine during the holidays🍷

shame about that program “unorthodox”

fair enough about oatcakes 👍

I think I’ll leave it there Toady as back is starting to feel a little bit ooky will go into a bit more detail about certain things in message to Toni

I hope you’re having a nice day so far. Weather seems to have brightened up here because it seems cold still.

bye tc xx

ps moon goddess or maybe toady - I will ask Google lol xx

bosh

Hi Toni 🌺

how are you?

quite the sauna in here

Ive got a sort of stiff shoulder thing getting worse in the cold, not too bad now after hot shower thanks

But I believe it’s just sleep position- related

yes I will def get a back cushion thanks

my backs not any worse than usual atm thanks, like you said car journeys aren’t good for our backs

also too much ipad time def doesn’t help too much so I’m trying to be concise and will of course stop the second I get “warning pains” as I call them lol

change of plan regarding EF, bill not coming at all as he’s working (and receive- a- rooing no doubt)

Ty about poem 👍

you’re welcome to join us for the matinee Peter rabbit extravaganza lol

might be a bit of a long drive though lol

and if you bring vegan cheese sandwiches I’m afraid you’ll have to eat them secretly in your car,

as LA can smell any form of sandwich from many many miles off - a veritable bloodhound lol.

I’ll go for now Toni as cleaners are there etc

oh just wanted to say BR is visiting with his mummy the both of them 2 days along with LA then LA solo for Mon and Tue.

hope you’re having a nice Good Friday

bfn Toni tc xx

bosh

Hi Joan

how are you and Sue doing today?

mums ok atm thanks 😊

happy Easter to you too 😀

that’s good advice about the arguments thanks 🙏

im not too bad atm thank you

bye tc xx

toady

Hi all 😊 beautiful day 🤩🌞

I had a very nice quiet morning, then a nice quiet potter outside, then cooked myself a nice quiet lunch, and the phone rang on the very pip of my dishing it up 🙄 - 'twas the boilerman, wanting to book in his annual service, as the repair didn't cover that. I knew this would be happening but come on, can't a person even get through Good Friday in peace. Sigh. Hope you are having a nice day frog, it was lovely in the garden, the first truly nice day of the year. I was warm, real actual warmth. I actually could have fancied a 99🍦didn't think I'd be saying that today. Let's enjoy it! damp next week. I put in some more lettuce and some bulbs, weeded a bit & prepared some other pots & general tidying - I have a sweet pea seedling I think, and 5 or 6 Verbena B now. Pics of honeywort attached 😊 I let them mostly self sow (from an original plant or two from seed), & collect some seeds too, they make more than I need - like little black teeth, you probably know what I mean anyway but pic inc. 😬. I've had a small test run with the auger, unfortunately hit something larger than it could deal with (large stone, lump of leftover concrete near the fence maybe) so will have a go in 'open country'. Should get on better over by my new bean canes I hope. At least I didn't dig up any pirate bones https://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/news/local-news/gardener-calls-derbyshire-police-after-8325623 😂. Oh the nosegay auction didn't sell 🙄 never know what to do then because I hate reducing in the face of silly watchers (5 of them) it just makes me want to put the price up. Cloning me from a trapped hair, nooo 😱 more toadys, that is not what the world needs 😂. Yes, maybe I would get on slightly better with the painting without helper kitties adding pawprints to the floorboards 😄 on the other hand imagine how good cat-tail-paint-effect would be if we're still in 'Changing Rooms' 1980s mode. Have a lovely weekend :) xx

Hello joan, hope you are both enoying the sun 😊 Happy Easter to you too 🌷. Lovely and quiet today and not even anyone mowing or strimming or DIY-ing, which is most unusual 👍️. Have a good Saturday :) xx

Hi bosh, oh I love further tales of the giant leech and his ways 😂 brilliant story expansion, brought the whole thing to life for me (I won't say 'fleshed out the details', bit too flesh-y in the context 😬) so so funny thank you 😀. The cholesterol, the Glucozade bottle, the too much red wine 😂 lol lol. I adore the little bun too, who is clearly not 'Bunny-in-law' as Toni dubbed him, he would not be down the fruit & veg aisle if he was 😉 . Hope the new EF arrangements work out as well as can possibly be expected, now minus Bil 😬 and not too many more rearrangements, I caught up with your updates to Toni, will keep up with news as you get it. I have had a nice day thank you, apart from telephone interruptions 😣 - time in the garden and not much else. Maybe a walk later, the lovely 'Pink Moon' full moon will still be looking super, thanks to the moon goddess (as for the question was that pic she or me, I will only say, I wish!). Have a good evening and see you next visit 👋 :) xx

Honeywort (Cerinthe major purpurascens) and their little teeth-like seeds 🌱

bosh

hi toady

thanks about leech story etc

Nice pics

not got iPad access right at this moment

so I will just say a quick good night take care xx

frogmorton

We're off tomorrow Joan. I'm quite looking forward to it. Have you ever been to Malvern? It's so pretty. Yes Paul will get his results soon I hope you soon hear about your scan. How long to give it before we chase them up is always my question. 🙄 Ah well. Have a good day ((())) xxx

Morning Reshmi how are you doing today? I hope you are well and your Mum too.

Has the shoulder eased off? I wish HV would stop so you could sit downstairs in better positions for your joints. Mind you i do agree too much techie time is very bad for our backs and necks. I also spot warning signs and take action promptly👍️

I was going to start off now walking a bit like this? Should be with you in time for the pictures.

Chances are I'll have eaten my vegan cheese butties long before I get within LA's sniffing distance!!

Aww so you'll get your fill of BR (and your sister) too before 'big boy' LA gets to stay on his own. He will love being the more adulk boy. Be extra careful though there may be toys on the floor to trip over for many days🤨

Hope BIL is really at work and not doing a mammoth fooderie and caffeine crawl around Maidenhead😁

Morning Toady how are you?

Gosh those seeds! They look like tiny horns a bit scary but the flowers/plant is lovely.

I got outside yesterday for quite a bit I am desperate for these frosts to stop so I can get my Veggies outside safely. I am hardening off though now. Weeded around the fruit trees planted last year (sticky weed) and the laurel hedge plants.

Oooh the auger works!! yes try again away from large stones and concrete. Please do not find bones of any description😮

You had a lovely time did loads and it was warm!! Just about perfect

for you! I am having a vegan choc ice can't remember the make though.

The cats do do rather good artwork on walls (terracotta paint) with tails and claws. they don't understand why we like 'bawring' walls now at all.

Do NOT reduce the item. Remove it or put it on at the same price.

Men ringing up to book things in ....mutter mutter.....can't even have a Good Friday in peace....mutter mutter. Still it's done and booked in now.

I am a bit well how do I put it? Erm....slightly slightly peeved that Paul is making me go to the car racing instead of gardening today. I will just have to suck it up won't I?

🙄

Have a lovely day!

bosh

Hi Toni Joan and toady

shoulder pain not so good atm

so just saying “hi” right now

tc xx

dachshund

Have a Good Friday everyone

Kitty (()) I hope everything is going well there. Love to Anita (()) and Val (()) and Emily (()) and your Dad (())

Toady (()) Nice plants. Not nice being interrupted when you are going to eat (()) have a good day.

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

Toni (()) No we have never been to Malvern. You enjoy it. Sorry about you going to the car racing you can think what gardening needs doing. Have a good day. Love to Paul (()) and Charley (()) Annie (()) and the carers (()) and Lucy (()) and Tia (()) and Kari (()) and your friend (()) and your lovely neighbours (())

Reshmi (()) have a good day love to your mum (()) don’t worry

toady

Hi all 😊 nice bright morning again.

Sorry some of us are being forcibly extracted from our gardens frog 😬 have a good time anyway and at least it may as well be fine for going somewhere than a horrid wet Easter where outings and gardening would be off (or less fun, anyway). Should be nice tomorrow too so you should get some more pottering time then, expect your weeding was satisfying 👍️ and yes, no more frosts thanks. Glad you are going to lovely Malvern again 😊 enjoy the beautifulness, I suppose you don't need to pack much but that's probably just where I'd forget something. You've got it all down to a fine art though I'm sure 😀. I'm still pondering the ebay item, anytime before Monday will do for this listing period - I did happen upon a handy little purchase for myself yesterday, so that mollified me a bit. Not much planned today - boilerman will be booked & done only when I ring him back, I didn't pick up - then I'll know when he's coming unfortunately & will have that looming feeling. Oh well sufficient unto the day & will try & enjoy the nice weather today, and do a bit of 'la la not listening pretend not happening' to everything else 😄. Hope to find something interesting happening in the new seedling line etc - I did pick up a new little cheap rose from the 'twenty shillings' shop, just because it was there, but it's the one thing I'm not getting in the order. Shame but as it was bare root I may have just got a dead twig, who knows. Have a good day.. all things considered.. 😊 Paul too. xx

Hello joan, nice again today 😊 hopefully no more interruptions. There can be post today, it doesn't feel like it so will jump if the letterbox goes 😬. Have a nice weekend it will be damp again next week 😔 but at least it's not so cold :) xx

Quick hi to bosh too and sorry the shoulder is being a nuisance 😣 hope it eases off but look after it and don't cramp over the ipad or anything til you feel like it, we'll see you when we see you 👋 tc hope everyone else well today :) probably will be in later for tea sometime ☕️ xx

bosh

Sorry Toni and toady

painkillers rest and shoulder pain day today

Bill is coming on Monday after all 🤷‍♀️

no biryani for him tho he can make his own👍

mum wasn’t well in morning

how are you all doing?

dick Whittington aka Toni is coming to Reading oh dear

Glad you’re liking weather toady 👍

gtg next taking next round of painkillers in a min

bfn all tc xx