Val's Cafe

frogmorton

Morning Joan how are you? You know it's lovely living in a village but you can end up doing too much and two couples have fallen out ATM - we like both so feeling very piggy in the middle🙄 Barbara is lovely lady we do miss her so much here she is always kind. Such a shame about her eyes isn't it?😓 Take care both ((())) xxx

Morning Keef how are you today?

Still windy here I nearly got blown over too yesterday was even worse. hope you are not obliged to do any DIY in the kitchen today🤭 How was the sound afterwards though?

Poor little Sucré having yet another cold. Mine were little that at his age they hardly seem to have any time without colds. Just their immune system starting to develop so all good really. They can't blow their own noses nor have anything like night nurse. Calpol and vaoprub is about it bless him ((()))

Well I don't think I needed telling what Loanda's hairbrush was like!

Coffee for you?

Have a good day and don't catch that cold! ((()))

Morning Reshmi

Love some of the crockery pics today so pretty.

How are you? Is your Mum ok after that hypo the other day?

What on earth is happening to that lady BDT?! I am horrified that she is being treated that way by her own family.

If she's on crutches really she should be being cooked for not doing the cooking! Sounds like everyone around her is being very nasty and selfish. Is she even safe in her own home you have to wonder. A new outfit is normally a treat isn't it? Hopefully a chat with you cheered her up a bit.

Hope you are ok after MTX Thursday. ((()))

Will you be seeing EF over the festive season at all? I bet LA and BR are so excited this year.

Take care ((())) xxx

Morning Toady Hope you are ok?

My goodness me what a day it was yesterday! Quite scary out, but not a bad one for me I managed to actually get out and visit some people dripping of wreaths/gifts. Hair looks great now as you can no doubt imagine😁

Managed the final two wreaths by 10ish the total money raised for the village has been about £250 so really good to be fair I am quite pleased. I had intended to do one extra special one - for P. But luckily there was no need as her lovely daughter was here yesterday which was so nice. I was able to have a chat and a hug and quick catch up.

So sorry one person has died so that leaves a Mr or Mrs alone this year very tough indeed. Huge congratulations to you for getting all your cards done you get a pat on the back from me for that.

I saw Mabel again yesterday (and Kari) which was nice and Winnie and Tigger/Minnie. Dropped off some cat litter and bought yet more grandkits and Grandog gifts while I was buying it.

Going to a supermarket in a minute while everyone else is still abed for one or two bits not available in my online delivery.

Hope your day is good. It is still windy so the catsi is booked again same driver I believe.

Take care ((()))

MERRY CHRISTMAS to any old/new friends who call by Carol, Barbara, Kitty Crinkly Emma etc....

Well everyone🎄

bosh

Good morning everyone wppl xx

dachshund

Good morning everyone

We are going into town today. I hope everyone has a good day with not too many problems (()). Sue sends her love.

Skinny Keef

hi Toni, I caught his last but one cold, but in general I don’t tend to catch them, Loanda gets every one really bad.

i got up to make tea this morning and managed to spill half a cup under microwave and all over my wood floor. Bit grumpy today. Loanda grumpy and tired with cold. I am not looking forward to Christmas at all. It’s just a wasted day. I’d rather be playing guitar. In fact I’d rather be playing guitar than doing anything else.

I think that will be my New Year resolution, play more guitar. I can remember the days when my body didn’t hurt where I would sit and play all day. I learnt the acoustic version of Tears in Heaven in a morning of going over and over and over the tune and then learning to sing it and play it at the same time. No interruptions, I didn’t even stop to eat or drink or take pills etc just play play play. Some people ( present company excepted) don’t realise the work needed to be a good musician and I find that frustrating. Joe Bonamassa says it takes 10000 hours before you start to get good.

okay rant over. Thanks for reading this far if you managed it.

Hope everyone okay today. I slept quite well again surprisingly.

crinkly

Thank you for Christmas greetings and my best wishes to you all. Hope you are able to grasp peace and happiness in the coming days, despite your many health concerns, losses and fragile relationships.

It's been a tough year for many of us so it's good to look back on the positives, be thankful for friendships and this unique opportunity of mutual online support. May we commit to building on them, just one day at a time, in 2024. 🧦

Luv - Crinkly & Co.

bosh

Hi Toni toady Joan and Keef

how are you all?

LA told me that he can’t tidy up the toys on the floor as no one does that in the Houses of Parliament!

my goodness, no wonder he likes making a racket, he’s going to be a politician, I certainly hope not lol

windy but mild here, I actually had an invigorating walk!

bit of a Vesuvius situation when I returned though

mums bs is ok thanks

Toni I think BDT was trying not too spend too much until SIL pressurised her unfortunately

ok pre - Christmas shower war needs to be waged

bye for now all tc xx

ps toady’s new HD deterrent - hat lol xx

bosh

Hi again Toni

yes BDT’s SIL was not kind at all

but her sons ( 3 or 4 of them think) are really kind to her as I think they didn’t know their dad well, then there was the divorce, so she’s all they’ve got basically bless them

mums bs is ok 👍👍

sorry if I’m repeating things

Dad has started an argument about who should provide which Christmas starters and trying to stop EF getting involved in the decisions- amphibians give me strength as toady might say lol

hi again toady

my hair could be called silky but amount - wise your own tresses are the winners lol, so your locks are taking up space In the Christmas Yule log cloud or whatever lol

BR thought granny had lost mima aww,

he said very angrily “ where’s mima?”

I have been released from the spider’s web, LA put up the bail money, it’s all made of Lego but no one else needs to know that

LA has made a new verb - to chatterbox - as in “granny you’re chatterboxing all the time!”

I prefer it to “to google”

toady put the letter - writing pen down, take a break, BR has made you a cake, it’s made of plasticine but is cholesterol- friendly lol

Bye for now tc xx

ps bill has begun his diet lol xx

toady

Hi all 😊 Gin & Tonic After 🕗️'s anyone? 😀

Sleek's timing was perfect today, she arrived just after I got back from a walk to the local shop with the aforementioned chocs 🤭 I haven't been plying your cat with alcohol, I got vegan kit-😺's to try too, she had one of those she is used to them at home she said (actually can't remember what you've said about them if at all, will report back anyway on my personal opinion). It was still pretty windy out but it's actually got worse rather than better so I'm glad I went then, I put Sleek back in the catsi with the nice driver in very good time, she should be long back with you. Looking really quite ookey out there now 🙄 sort of dark and glowering. Ugh. How nice P's daughter was able to visit 😀 was it a surprise? That is a very good total raised 👍️Hope you can tail off on xmas stuff now although you have meals I think, or Paul does rather, are you involved in any of those? Hope you got your supermarket extras ok. I will have a few more of those nice star mince pies if you are at a loose end over the next few days 😄 oh you mentioned about getting our post prepped as far as it goes next year, I do print out all my address labels so that's always one thing less, even if you do risk one getting unused 😔 yes the lady who lost her husband, very sad, she has sons & grandchildren (some nearby I think), but 1st xmas without will be tough. All my news is 'in' now I think so I shouldn't hear any more sad stuff. Very relieved to have finished all mine, yes, although that's not the emails & the replies to anything I've had in, but that's the lesser amount now. Have a good evening :) have you found your elf? Love to all and Mabel, I like how you phrased that, visited cats (and sister) in that order 😄 xx

Hope you got on ok in town joan, and sue if she went, how is she feeling now with the ankle? Hope weather not too bad with you, wind was supposed to be dropping here but I can't say I've noticed 🤷‍♀️. Have a good weekend :) xx

Hi bosh, that's hilarious about LA and the toys and the Houses of Parliament 😄 a few more MPs need to have learned to pick their toys up when they were told that's for sure. Very glad to hear you have been released from your spidery fate, hurrah 😄 well done LA for standing bail, I hope there are not too many conditions 🤔🤨. I have put aside my quill now yes, thank you 😊 nothing much for me to do now, went for a walk, hopefully catch up with rest and some odd jobs and hairwashing and suchlike, yes please pass the shower cap I love it 👍️. I was looking for something to put a very tiny bit of colour in my hair, not as much as the wash out in 3 or 4 shampoos type, can't find anything because it's either the right colour/product wrong brand or vice versa 😕. Perhaps I could brew myself up something of my own invention 🤔 a few toadstools here a few strong teabags and a bit of chocolate brownie for colour, it could work (no doubt someone has done it online, there isn't much people haven't tried if it'll get them on ⏰tok 🤨). Sorry about the starter wars, do hope all is resolved shortly. Hope your mum ok today, have a good evening :) xx

Sorry about the ups & downs of the last couple of days keef, spilling the tea (argh) and various sniffles going round, but looks like your sleep is in a better pattern touch wood, should help. Hope you get to put in the time on the guitar that you would like 👍️ new year's resolutions so far, hmm, shut a few hundred browser tabs for a start 😬. Hope Sucré feeling better today and Loanda too if she has this one. Is the speaker cab all done & dusted (dust being the operative word)? Have a good weekend 👋

Wave to @crinkly thanks for the seasonal wishes and the same to you 😊🎄and for the New Year xx

Just leaving a big kiss 😘 and a mince pie and glass of milk here for Barbara if she calls, oh that's for Santa isn't it 🤔 oh well never mind 😄 love to you and all family 💕 xx

& to everyone, have a good weekend xx

Skinny Keef

Got a new pain today. Actually last night. Bridge and sides of my nose hurt like enthesitis pain. Weird one or what? And my left ear. Pain woke me up.

getting to the stage that I can’t wear my reading/guitar glasses as that hurts my nose too much.

seems like i have a new pain every week. Falling apart.

had a nice ride on bike to see mum today, but she isn’t well and burst into tears when I got there. I like being on the bike. It’s like my body seems to remember i did it before it was in pain and everything kind of relaxes and it’s a natural pain killer, ‘till i get off and try to walk lol.

Hope everyone okay. If anyone has a diagnosis idea for my nose and ear I’d be very glad to hear it.

Skinny Keef

Hey Reshmi, apart from the nose and being a bit stressed out with Sucré keep hurting himself (bit his tongue eating home made pasta bake and then choked even though as soon as he started to cry I had him spit out what was in his mouth then after dinner fell over walking to my arm chair) I just about okay thanks for asking.

How are you?

Skinny Keef

I heard the owner of the big guitar shop near me playing through an amp that used to belong to Gary Moore. Sounds exactly like my little 0.5 watt valve amp in the bunker, which made me very smug and happy. I love music so much. 😁😁😁

bosh

Hi Keef

sorry about your pains

That’s a shame about Sucre

sometimes LA also does things like Sucre,

I remember we went to McDs and he got really angry because he thought someone had eaten some of his fries and managed to bite his tongue too

im not too bad thanks

i hope my stomach is more or less ok over the Christmas - related enforced rich food eating

bye for now tc. x

Skinny Keef

Hey Toady, the speaker cab mod is done. It was just an experiment really. Was the only closed back cab I’ve ever had and it sounded a bit boxey, lots of mid frequencies. Not sure if it sounds any better now but it’s only a little 8 inch speaker in a home made cab I knocked up with Sucré for something to do. He loved making it. I am yet to test it properly, but I’ve been running through the big Marshall cab as I mentioned earlier as I had to go back to a different amp when the main one blew, and I have only just got it dialled in. I couldn’t remember the settings. Don’t know why I ever side lined it as it sounds brilliant and has lots of dynamics and touch sensitivity more so than the broken one. I find the more professional something is with more adjustable parameters the harder it is to set up, but once there it sounds better than a simpler version that probably sounds okay whatever the settings. But then I sometimes suffer from option paralysis where I don’t know what to adjust and give up. Ha ha.

off to bed. Good night everyone.

frogmorton

Morning everyone!

Well Joan I hope you had a good time out and got to your café. It is a bit busy out there ATM isn't it? All is well here saw Tia's Grandad yesterday on his birthday which was lovely here will be with us here on Christmas day. Take care ((())) xxx

Morning to @crinkly thank you so much for your Christmas wishes and for next year too. I cannot (and won't try!) to top them just perfect. All I'll say is I hope you ahve a lovely Festive season and as healthy as possible New Year. ((()))

Morning Keef

How are you? Still not caught that cold? GOOD! Poor Loanda her immune system is taking a hit care of the wee 'un. Hope he is coping ok today at least. I hope you have not got infected sinuses....that pain sounds worrying.

I think teh cold probably affected his ability to swallow properly? I remember Chraley doing teh same with spaghetti and having to pull it out of her mouth while she recovered. Scary isn't it?

I hope 2024 brings you many many hours of guitar playing time and health to do so. I expect you are like my sister and her art. She just sits and creates for hours and hours forgets herself and the day is suddenly just gone. The only problem is when you stop I bet you have to find that pill box ASAP.

Regarding your little experimental speaker cab. How lovely having these 'jobs' to do with Sucré even if it sometimes backfires (the gate being a memorable one😣) Such lovely memories you are creating with him. He might be young but clearly he enjoys engineering already and music and you are just the person to nurture it.

Right in case you are going to be in the bunker all day:

Morning Reshmi

Hope you are doing ok? Glad to hear Mum's bs is steady again.

Did you win yesterday's (please read in a slow booming echoey voice) Battle of the Shower?

What is your Dad like? He should let EF do something towards the food honestly🙄. He is hard work for you all. I am glad at least that he is a pain in the rear to everyone not just you and your Mum.

I am so glad BDT's sons adore her. Sounds like they appreciate all she has done for them being a single parent. The SIL though can jolly well leave her alone. She probably doesn't have money to waste on new outfits.

What a great pic of BIL's new year diet. Good idea to start it early stands a better chance of success. Was that his starter you showed us a photo of?

Where did LA get the bail money from? I was a bit worried about his Mafioso connections🤔now I am very worried. Good job BR looking for his Mima again😍 Of course boys in the houses of parliament don't tidy up! No they have 'staff' for that! An future ex Mafioso politician for Prime Minister eh?!

I also had an invigorating walk yesterday it was fine I put on one of Lucy's old (hardly used) coats which has a fabulous snug hood which does NOT blow off.

Finally Toady just looks adorable in her shower cap.

Morning Toady I was just admiring the pic of you in your shower cap that Bosh posted. You look very sweet😍

Sleek is indeed used to the vegan kit 🙀 Don't they taste the same? She did enjoy herself yesterday and was very very scatty when she got home. I had to 'chase' her for ages (I don't need to go far just pretend) so I used her little spot- light thing so I didn't have to get up. Although my hands weren't over happy holding the switch down. No more wreaths till Dec 2024! Thanks every penny helps of course for the Church loo fund.

P's sister (who died the spring after P) had a visitor to P's BIL I managed a chat with him too he was very tearful and still struggling with all the losses. He hugged me! What! I smelt of his aftershave all day.🤢 The poor lady you know she will struggle this year for Christmas sounds as though she will have as much support as she needs at least.

Paul had works Christmas meal (well-remembered) then we all had a take-away with Tia's Grandad for his birthday at the nursing home. Special birthday for him next year. I still feel stuffed though.

I am glad to hear you have your labels done early that must be a help. Maybe I could work out how to do that on mine🤔must take a bit of inputting though?

Right best get on I am running late for me.

Sleek already there? She has brought more mice pies she made herself. She did thou wear your shower cap so not too much fluff....

Much love and best wishes to Barbara if she posts Kitty too Carol and Emma XXXX🎄

Skinny Keef

Hey Reshmi, I love that pic of the coffee swirling above the cup. How on earth was it done do you think?

I must have stared at it for about 5 minutes.

dachshund

Good morning everyone

Kitty (()) good morning have a good day and weekend love to the carers (())

Toady (()) thank you for thinking about sue she has a plaster on her leg that’s open in the front so it can be taken off when she wants she has to wear it till February. Have a good day and weekend (())

Barbara (()) love to you and Mr B (()) have a good day and weekend. Love to your son (()) and Niamh (()) and your niece (()) and her fiancé (())

Toni (()) Places are having snow today. Have a good day and weekend (()) love to Paul (()) and Charley (()) and Annie (()) and Lucy (()) and Tia (()) and Kari (()) and your friend (()) and your lovely neighbours (())

Reshmi (()) I read they have found a cure for bad skin conditions and they have a cream has well. Love to your mum (()) have a good day and weekend.

Keef (()) have a good day and weekend love to Sucr’e (()) and Loanda (())

Chrinkly (()) It’s nice to see you have a good day and weekend

bosh

Good morning everyone wppl xx

Skinny Keef

Sucré and I were just in the bunker playing piano and listening to some Dire Straits from the late 1970s and early 80s. OMG I’d forgotten how extremely good they were. The guitar tone on Telegraph Road is fantastic. And the production is superb. Sucré kept turning his head to the speakers for the stereo mix.

Skinny Keef

Hey Toni, yes still no cold, just stupid nose pain. I hope it’s not inflammation of cartilage as that sound quite serious when I looked it up online.

Hope you’re all good.

bosh

Morning everyone

how are you all?

hi Keef

thanks about the pic

im not sure how they achieved that effect either

hi Toni

how are you?

mum is ok 👍

wppl xx

ps Toni’s late breakfast low calorie drink courtesy of bill lol x

Skinny Keef

I asked Sucré if he wanted to go to Greggs for lunch, he said no too cold out, we stay at home. He had crisp and cheese roll.

He right though, we’d just come in from bunker and the wind was whipping across the yard and it felt freezing.

then he started being silly and mum mum said right that’s IT - BED!!!! I was already up there after taking my pills and the little fellow came with blanket and slipped in next to me for a siesta. He still asleep 90 minutes later, cold is really taking it out of him but he not on Calpol now and isn’t asking for it either, which he was when he first went down with it. I hate it when he is ill.

bosh

Hi again Toni

we’re going to MH for Christmas Day

im not sure if there had been a detente or if starters - war is still raging, I’m trying to keep out of it lol

I omitted to relate to you recent LA - gem

like a lot of littleys he likes a bedtime story

but he’s very particular about the nature of the story

no bespoke tales from mima’s imagination at nighttime oh no,

there’s a specific storybook that’s required

but please remember not to select story number one

because the theme of that tale is elephants. It has already been memorised by LA and may also bring back some painful memories of ELB

so the young aristocrat deemed satisfactory an entertaining tale of Betsy and her magical trainers

I woman- fully persevered with reading this long and intricate story tired though we all were, however I got halfway through when my stomach became my own internal gastric Vesuvius,

so then my mum had to take over - no chance of skipping a paragraph or two - LA knows!

how very ookey

necks hurting a bit I’ll stop now

bye tc Toni xx

ps purple dark choc gothic orange slices xx

toady

Hi all 👋

Well that was an interesting night 🤨 went off fairly early, having put out the milkman's crate (which is not toooo lightweight, anyway it was less windy by then) - round 10pm I heard it being hurled yards up the street. Had to go out (in my skull pjs, keef please take note 😂) rescue it, & the lid, which was several yards further away on my neighbour's drive. Could have hit their car, & far worse of course, both crate & lid could have gone into the road 😱. Replace crate, weight down with half a brick, back to bed. 12am ish, a helicopter starts going round overhead, round & round & round for about quarter of an hour. Nothing on my local social media, but presumably looking for someone. 2am indigestion, which is moderately par for the course. I was a bit worried by then what was lined up for a 4am interruption 😂 got up for the milk at about 6. The postman rounded things up neatly by nearly falling over the half brick where I left it under my front window & hadn't had time to move again because the universe never gives you 3 minutes 🙄, lucky I'm not being sued for xmas 😱. No wonder Sleek commented on the state of me today 😂. Sorry she was a bit wound up yesterday frog, we were looking at my xmas shopping which arrived, putting up a few decorations & generally getting a bit overexcited. The mince pies were lovely 😻 she has a very good paw with pastry. Glad you had a good birthday visit, not quite so much about the hands-on encounter with P's BIL 😬 poor chap though it's a hard time of year so many people not enjoying it at all for variety of reasons. Hope your extra meals have all been digested by now🤞and have a good Christmas Eve. The address labels, I just set them up on a label template one time, once I got the rows & columns right I now just have to edit it a bit, much easier than handwriting especially as mine's not the best, and no looking up of address books 👍️. xx

Hello joan, that's still quite a while for Sue's plaster yet then but it does sound much better to have that type now. I hope the ankle feels ok to her as far as she can tell. Have a good Christmas Eve, do you buy Lexi & Pepper something I think you may have said so 🤔. Rain for tomorrow and the 25th surprise surprise 😂 sunny for Boxing Day. Love to both :) xx

Hi bosh, hope your day is as ok as poss so far, might see you later if you're in. Best of luck with the excess/EF/MH xmas food will pass the cream crackers and antacids as required. Tired today having had sleep in 2 hour chunks 😬 hoping for better tonight! Might go for a walk in a min 🤔 then again I might not. Bye for now :) xx

What have you ruled out for your nose etc keef, when did it start exactly, no obvious cause like pushing your glasses into your face unconsciously while concentrating, or wearing goggles for sanding etc. I can wake up with a painful ear either side from sleeping on them, especially in the cold weather, have to wake up & turn over sometimes; that comes & goes. Hope everyone ok as poss and glad Sucré's cold is at least on the turn now. Love the Gary Moore amp story, brilliant 😊✌️. Sounds like the cab mod was worth doing anyway as an experiment and Sucré enjoyed helping. Option paralysis, perfect, never heard that exact term (or the album of that name that google turned up). Hope you all have an ok night🤞xx

Love to all, should be in & out over the next couple of days depending what's going how many phone calls I get roped into etc 😬 I will be seeing the occasional humanoid I expect so nobody need feel they should pop in with a spare plate of xmas dinner 😉 & to amuse me with cracker jokes, although feel free (the latter) if you have any good ones 😊 xx

Skinny Keef

Toady I absolutely loved that post. Was gonna click like but that wouldn’t have done it justice.

Skinny Keef

Just had call from sister, mum not too good, quite unwell I think is how my posh sister worded it.

Always stuff happens at Christmas.