Val's Cafe

Skinny Keef

I am 55 this year Charlestown. I was diagnosed about 12 years ago and have been on some form of prescription painkillers since then. I recently got diagnosed with inflammatory as well as osteo and have been on anti inflammatory stuff since then, but it makes my depression worse unfortunately.

The bunker is my converted outdoor wooden building (definitely not a shed) that is my music studio. Although I seem to be able to spend less and less time out there due to pain. But it’s my chill out space too. My wife Anda is into gothic decor and the house is full of skulls and weird stuff and isn’t always as tidy as I like (small house + 3 yo boy = lots of stuff everywhere) but so long as my bunker is tidy I tend not to mind. I used to have the large bedroom but then our son came along rather unexpectedly and I was evicted as he needed a bedroom and he was considered more important than guitars and stuff, I was going to put him in the - definitely not a shed. But it’s all insulated and converted so I can’t complain and Anda has never complained about the amount of time i am out there.

i was hoping to have the bulk of tomorrow out there tomorrow as I’m on my own as Loanda is working and nannie has the hooligan as I can’t have him on my own for the whole day but it’s 2:30 and I am awake as per normal as pain has woken me up so I will probably keep nodding off tomorrow lol.

Sorry for your loss, especially at Christmas.

frogmorton

Hi Joan how are you and Sue? You'll be up in a minute sat on your recliner with your dog on your lap and a cappuccino on the table next to you. I can picture you there😊 Hope Sue is doing ok? ((())) xxx

Morning Skinny K (I've given you a rapper name - not entirely appropriate but it will do!) how are you?

Sleek will deviate to yours with a duffnutt any time you like. She loves visiting people. She wants to know all about Charlestown's cats too. Duffnutts go very well with cups of tea you know but here is a coffee to start the day off

You do actually have it extra tough from the point of view of Anda working away a few days a week and having a little one so lively when you are in so much pain. Charley was 8 and Lucy 5 when mine proper kicked off requiring actual medical help instead of just painkillers. They were quite helpful to be fair.

Also your hobby has an element of physicality to it.

As you say the bike is more comfortable so when the better weather comes you are out a lot more. I'm glad the commercial buildings are at least offering protection form high winds. Being on the high street is why you can get to shops when the weather is better! Thanks for that i can picture you there too!

I went out in Penelope yesterday😊 she was a good girl as usual. Rain has got into the garage though so I am a bit worried. It's not the roof or the window I think it's through the door underneath probably that storm.

Take care ((()))

Morning Reshmi how are you? Is your Mum ok?

Good luck today with your bloods no vampire nurse you have the professionals much more comfortable and successful too!

Of course LA will want to stop BR coming to yours for as long as possible he wants to be special! But I have a feeling he himself started visiting at about BR's age?🤨 BR would probably love to come although he might be nervous. The two together might be too much for your Mum and Dad do you think?

So funny to think of your Dad doing an online gym class, a good thing of course, but is he shy? Could you not stay and join in😁

It's interesting so many people in the past did experience poverty in fact from the news you'd think it was a new thing. A lot of workers have the sense to eat filling and actually almost healthy foods. Here in Staffs we had a lot of mines and they invented the Staffordshire oatcake to take down with them and keep them full for longer:

I love them.

Good luck today see you later.

That beautiful baby elephant by the way❤️and yes please to the truffles😋Much nicer than hairdressers torture kits

((())) xxx

Morning Charlestown how are you today?

very good news that your own efforts have helped your nasty back pain even if it is miserable sitting like that.

We have recliners and so far Sleek has not got underneath. I think it's just a case of checking before you put them back down. We also now have adjustable beds only recently and gosh so far I really like them.

You have had a recent loss of course you will feel sadder than usual. I would too and your boy having an op too would be a worry. How old is he and is he still at home? The pub trip sounded lovely. This time of year does get a lot of people down in their mood too I see less people in the village so it is genuinely more isolating.

Our Bosh goes to a group once a week just to mix and get out. Is there a Versus arthritis group near you at all? When this first kicked off for me I went to one near me. Worth a try maybe? Being with other people who understand can help so much.

Swimming is not nice this time of year. I walk every day even if only a short one. So do Toady and Reshmi if they can, It helps my back, but be careful to turn round when you can still get home!

Do you have two cats? Names ages and colours too I will post some of mine, Sleek and my Grandcats. My girls have all left home the youngest very recently, but even she has two!

Take care and remember you are never alone with us lot!

Morning Toady Wasn't it blowy?! Glad you have no damage and hope your connectivity is fully restored. It's ok now though. Sleek is coming to yours anytime now. She is just getting dressed. She is bringing more doughnuts and plans to drop in to see Keef on her way back. She was hoping to meet Sucré, but I've told her he is at Nannie's for a few days.

What time is your shopping coming? She's ready to help unpack as you know she likes that job!

These iron tablets (vegan gummies) are ok peach flavoured and also contain vit c to help the absorption of said iron, but you can sort of taste the iron.....🤢

Hope you have a good day

Skinny Keef

Morning Toni. Well I have a sore head again hoping some drugs and a lay in will fix it. Just having some tea and biscuits, the posh ones you get on the side of your saucer at a nice coffee shop. I got them for Christmas. I don’t receive presents normally because I don’t like people buying me stuff (complicated emotions) but these were an exception.

Water under the garage door was a regular occurrence at my parents’ house. Did you clean the Fig? How was the jet wash? I am sure you already told me.

I am working on a new song, well actually it’s a very old song, I must have written it 20 years ago as an acoustic song, but I am giving it the full electric blues treatment. I was just playing around with riff ideas yesterday. Hopefully i be back out there by 9.

Skinny Keef

I had iron deficiency when I was abroad and the doc there gave me iron pills with folic acid normally prescribed to pregnant women as the folic acid helps the iron absorption. We laughed about me going back in a month “with child” with his Spanish/English language. Was funny at the time.

Maybe worth a try Toady??

Skinny Keef

I got first post on new page Again. I’ve never been so kewl!! 😁

I be wearing leather trousers and a top hat next, maybe my hair will grow back on top of my bald head too ha ha ha. 🤣

bosh

Good morning everyone wppl xx

dachshund

Good morning everyone

Kitty (()) have a good day thinking about you and your carers (())

Toady (()) sorry about all your internet problems. We had a lot of problems with our other internet provider the internet would not cover all the bungalow. Have a good day. I hope all your shopping arrived.

Barbara (()) love to you and Mr B (()) and your son (()) and Niamh (()) and your niece (()) and her fiancé (())

Toni (()) have a good day today. we have rain and wind. How old are the little Yorkie’s your friend (()) has. Love to Paul (()) and Charley (()) and Annie (()) and Lucy (()) and Tia (()) and Kari (()) and your friend (()) and your lovely neighbours (())

Reshmi (()) have a good day. Good luck with your blood test tomorrow. Love to your mum (()) she’s doing well.

Skinny Keef (()) I’m sorry things are so bad for you.have a good day. Love to Sucr’e (()) and Loanda (())

Charlestown (()) sorry your pain is bad I have not had sciatica. My sister and I are twins we have cerebral palsy. I have Arthritis. We are 83 this year. We have mobility scooters.I have plenty of energy but my legs don’t. I have had a Total hip replacement and a Tkr. I’m alright there are people worse than me.

Skinny Keef

Hi Dachshund, I didn’t know that you had cerebral palsy. And yet I don’t think that I have ever seen you complain on here about stuff. You must be a very resilient and selfless person, you are always asking after everyone else and never complaining, unlike me that is always moaning about pain and being miserable.

I try to remember what you said about other people being worse off but I don’t always manage to keep that frame of mind and quite often descend into a tail spin of self pity. I must try harder.

Have a good day. Thanks for your support on here. 😁

frogmorton

Afternoon Skinny K. I did indeed try out the car jet wash it was great unfortunately i did not have the energy/resilience to polish it afterwards so a bit cross with myself.

I think/hope the garage is on a slight downwards slope and the exceptional wind and rain was just the 'wrong way'?

I am very pleased to hear you are having a go at an old piece of music you wrote. I hope when it's all done we'll get to hear it?

Ah good folic acid I have that anyway so that's great to know. Funny how the tablets actually taste of iron though isn't it?

Leather trousers and a top hat! Honestly!

Joan my friend's dogs are 2 and 3 years old so they will be around to see her through this terrible time all being well. When did you two get to be 83?! Time flies doesn't it? Hope all is well with you both take care ((())) xxx

Hope Reshmi's bloods went ok.🤞

Skinny Keef

That was a reference to Slash from Guns and Roses. He was at that particular moment the coolest person I could think of.

its funny though, some of the guys on the music scene worked so hard at being cool they just looked stupid and others just oozed charisma and coolness without trying. With a bit of help from Anda I think I was somewhere in the middle, although when she was with me my coolness definitely went up a few notches.

yes i am sure the garage will be fine. My parents’ place was on a slight slope. Dad put a flexible plastic strip on the bottom edge of the door that used to flex as it hit the ground which helped a little. Mainly kept the wind out. It was some extreme weather we had. Maybe check again when we have normal rain.

bosh

Hi Toni

how are you today?

mums bs is ok 👍

the bloods went ok generally speaking thanks but the hospital nurse was very rude to me

I’ve not encountered that before

she said I took too long opening my folder with form in

and proceeded to be rude all through the blood test

for no apparent reason

im feeling better about it now as I was hungry tired and in the “pre - walk” stage as it were

so don’t worry, ablutions time for me now

proper post later

bye Toni and everyone tc xx

ps a green Parisian door apparently lol xx

Skinny Keef

Hi Reshmi, sorry that nurse was horrible to you. No excuse for that at all. Maybe you should complain it might not be the first complaint they have had about that nurse. Some people are just nasty I suppose.

Anyway I hope it didn’t ruin your day

tc xx

Skinny Keef

I am getting an early night. Been an excellent excellent day playing guitar today. Best day i have had in over a year I think.

i wish i could have more days like today.

now in bed with radio on chillin and resting my aching bod.

good night all

oh almost forgot. Bike MOT tomorrow 😟

bosh

Hi Skinny Keef

thanks about the nurse i didn’t manage to catch her name, otherwise I may have complained 👍

it was just quite an unusual thing to happen, who knows maybe she’s related to the vampire nurse lol

it wasn’t a great start to the day but mainly it was just one of those days when the house was too hot to rest properly, but that happens sometimes

glad you had a good day hope the pain eases soon

good night and tc x

hi Toni

the nurse was in a foul mood but anyway that’s over now 👍

mum is ok thanks

we’ve started watching a bit of tv together downstairs and telling dad the whole floor cannot constantly be his office / gym 💪

He does an online cardiac gym class he actually likes it but he “needs” two rooms for it as he is too majestic to close the connecting doors 🤷‍♀️

I see what you mean about workers and nutritious food 👍

that’s very interesting, I went to uni in north Wales, Bangor, so I definitely read about the history of the uni and how the miners got involved somehow so their children could have a good education and not have to go down the mines, something like that anyway, I know, a tenuous link, but it just got me thinking of these things, I agree wholeheartedly, if you eat something healthy filling and relatively easy to make, that’s the best “fuel”, once in the psych hospital I asked the nurse if I could cook some cabbage - some patients were allowed to cook - she looked as if I’d transformed into Lorenzo Cromwell or something like that lol. I remember I was allowed bake cupcakes (but not alone), but a woman cannot live on cake alone of course, neither can a 3/5 year old Lord ( but you knew that already of course lol).

Staffordshire oatcakes that sounds good

I think I’ll stop here as I didn’t get enough sleep

have a nice night Toni tc xx

Hi Joan

how are you both doing?

mum is ok thanks 🙏

im tired but ok thanks

I had b test today but nurse was a bit nasty

anyway these things happen

have a good night Joan tc xx

👋 greetings toady how are you?

have a good night everyone and take care

ps Terem Palace Moscow xx

toady

Hi all, once again just a line to say am ok, has been an absolutely foul day 🙄 this is as much internet as I have had all day, other than that it's been back for about 2mins in every hour, not exaggerating. Very trying and will be so so glad when this wind packs it in and the constant noise. Hope everyone ok tonight, will be in for a general grumble tomorrow all being well, if I'm not, assume same problems.

But: as you rightly say keef one has to rustle up a bit of gratitude from somewhere so am jolly lucky to have had enough internet yesterday to finish a grocery order and now have a fridge & cupboard full of food 👍️ (was down to my last teabag 😱), and of course could be having it a lot lot worse with the weather.

Love to all take care see you soon 😘 have a good night, am off to bed right this min, to sleep perchance to dream (fat chance of either tbh). xx

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frogmorton

Joan I hope you can see my reply to you on the previous page? ((())) xxx

Morning Skinny K I hope you slept well after yesterday. What a great day you had so productive. I am really pleased for you.

So Loanda is a looker then is she? Did your 'image' good😉

Good luck for the bike's MOT today hope all goes well and it passes first time.🤞

Coffee?

Morning Reshmi I hope you are ok today and lost no sleep at all, last night, over that nasty nurses unprofessional attitude?

I'm actually still fuming over it. Some people should not be in that job.😡

Anyway how is your Mum doing? I'm so glad the two of you are using your woman-power to gain access to the TV together. I am pleased your Dad is doing his cardiac rehab but he does not need the entire ground floor I agree.

Well that is a bit odd you could cook cakes just not healthy food in the hospital! I'm sure they were lovely and hopefully the other patients enjoyed them anyway.

What a lovely bit of history there about the Welsh miners. I get the link my brain does the same. It's done this now too - that they used to chew tobacco as well so not so healthy.😣

Beautiful Parisian door and that palace in Moscow just wow!

These iron tablets. Stomach does not like them but I am ploughing on.

Take care ((())) xxx

Morning @Charlestown I hope you are doing ok today? That you ahve had no damage in your garden or nearby with these storms and that you can get online unlike poor Toady!

Take care

Morning Toady I am so sorry it's so windy and it's affecting your connectivity like this.

We are actually ok although we were warned it might affect ours.

I hope you are able to use some of the time to get things done that you want/need to.

Sleek is coming in a catsi again not safe to come under her own steam I think she'd be blown right back. She goes out very rarely in this weather and very low to the ground....Slinky-Sleek.

Take care

Oh some of the ducks on the (now thawed lake) on the Chase.

the moorhens (very shy so not so easy to see)

on their own little lake.

Actually I suspect they are maybe old 'pit pools' from the mining days.

Some breakfast?

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bosh

Good morning everyone wppl xx

ps another French door xx

dachshund

Good morning everyone

kitty (()) love to you and your carers.

Toady (()) sorry about your internet it must be very frustrating yesterday I did a jigsaw puzzle on the internet and later had a game of solitaire cards. I hope everything arrived that you ordered. Have a good day.

Barbara (()) love to you and Mr B (()) and your son (()) and Niamh (()) and your niece (()) and her fiancé (())

Toni (()) thank you the years go quick. The carers are gone by 7-30 then we have breakfast then a neighbour comes in to see us. Then I can have my mug of coffee . 2-3 are lovely ages for the dogs. I was told a day in a our life is a week in a dogs life.have a good day when is it you have your results (()) love to Paul (()) and Charley (()) and Annie (()) and Lucy (()) and Tia (()) and Kari (()) and your friend (()) and your lovely neighbours (())

Reshmi (()) the nurse sounded has if she was in a bad mood perhaps she got out of bed the wrong way. Don’t worry love to your mum (())

Keef (()) thank you for your kind words. I think when you are born with something you get used to having things wrong are parents said to us you are born like this do the best you can. We ran a riding school wit 17 horses. I think everyone is better than me. Have a good day you are doing the best you can you don’t sit and want someone to wait on you. I have had arthritis for 30 years. Love to Sucr’e (()) and Loanda (())

Charleston (()) this life can be very hard at times I know. Have a good day.

toady

Morning all 👋

Apart from the odd flicker the internet has been fine so far, oddly it cheered up last night not long after I posted and was ok though the weather was not in the least bit less rough 🤷‍♀️. Gosh what a night though, am like a wrung-out rag this morning, the garden is a bit of a state too, it has done for one of my arches & chucked a few things around, no worse thankfully. Hope no problems for you on close inspection, Sleek tells me things were ok at yours when she did her last rounds. I remember that low to ground tactic of kitties in this weather 👍️ we are currently at the elevenses stage here and she is kindly listening to me grumble, well she may be thinking little cat thoughts of her own & just nodding politely occasionally, but who could blame her 😂. Chief grumble, al fresco yesterday was the last thing before a very very carefully engineered free spell - literally just before they got here postie brought me a letter asking for (routine) bloods so I did not get even 10 mins of 'nothing on my plate', I was very disheartened indeed 🙄. Sorry even the not-too-high-dose iron isn't agreeing with you, I just have a liquid formula but it's only a maintenance dose so not the same I realize. Maybe you will acclimatize? Hope all's well with everyone else - lovely pictures thank you 😊 xx

Hello joan, internet fine today touch wood, I shall get on with anything important while the going's good. I play puzzles and games online too 😊. I have all of my groceries thank you, all there. Did you read that they are discussing further options about the Post Office and we may be down to 3 or 4 deliveries a week, it would never surprise me. I heard a story yesterday about an author who when they lived in Suffolk (probably rural area) used to get a lift to town with the postman after he'd been, in order to be at the pub for opening time. The clever bit was that he would then sit in the pub and write himself a postcard & send it so that the postman always had to come 😂 wouldn't work these days would it!! Have a good day love to Sue. xx

Hi bosh, hope things are ok with you today, I'm ok thank you for asking apart from last night being so noisy, it didn't give up for hours 🙄. Had to just hope it was not doing much damage, now if we had beautiful solid French doors it would be a different matter, that's what you call a front door, sigh. Hope things quiet at HV not too many multi-room gym classes 🤨. Sorry your nurse was horrid, am just thinking of all the reasons anyone might have for taking 'too long' opening their folder, none of which would warrant someone commenting on it 😮 you always think, well come and have a go being in my shoes mate, you would have something to be tetchy about 🙄. They want to see me for bloods which is most annoying I had no plans to go anywhere for a bit 😕. Hope EF etc all alright, sorry if I've missed anything, are you skipping group today? Have a good afternoon in any case :) xx

Glad you had such a good guitar day keef 👍️😀 and hope the 'new' song is shaping up. Good luck with the MOT too. Thanks about the folic acid info, I didn't know that, I take a daily vitamin liquid type thing at the moment there may be some included I will check ta. Still a bit grim out there today but it's just such a relief that it's stopped making such a terrible racket, please let's not be due another storm in 5 mins time I haven't dared look but won't be as much of a gap as we'd like I daresay 😕 'K' is next I presume, it's not SK, storm keef is it... 😱🌪️. Have a good afternoon :) xx

Hello @Charlestown hope no damage at yours today now you've had a chance to check🤞. Yes horrid fence panels you are talking my language, hedges every time, or preferably a lovely stone wall, as frogmorton will agree we both always salivate over those in gardening books etc 😍. One of my hobby horses in the cafe is that people in my neighbourhood have done so much in the way of digging up lawns for cars, & cutting down trees, I wince every time I hear a chainsaw now 🙄. I'm in the Midlands ish by the way but I don't think the internet issues are geographical so much as specific to me 🤔, it plays up whenever it's very wet or windy, everything needs checking over really but I can't face another household job at the moment. Hope your connection is stable even if slow. Going back to you commenting on pain & worry about the future etc, I am very lucky that pain is not my biggest thing, but I do find people don't understand fatigue and I'm sure some think I am somehow 'letting' it stop me get on with things which is laughable 😕. The covid situation also made a huge difference to being able to do the few small social things I did still used to manage which is sad because as you say you don't what the future holds so don't want to lose out on anything else here & now. You were also talking about the cold & dark which is also becoming more of a factor because I now really resent spending half the year miserable, especially with the winters becoming more nasty, in hindsight should have tried to relocate to a kinder climate I think 🙄. Excuse rather depressing small essay! Roll on Spring for you too so it's nicer for outdoor activities 😊👍️ Glad to hear your sciatica is easing. xx

Love to all kettle will be going on! ☕️ xx

Hope Barbara Kitty Carol mig and everyone all ok in this weather too 😘 xx

bosh

Hi Toni

mum and I are ok 👍

how are you?

im at cost a packet it’s a sauna and I ate a cheese sandwich! don’t tell LA

more later bye tc xx

Skinny Keef

Storm Keef, I like the sound of that.

Bike passed MOT with no advisories. In fact they commented on how well maintained it is, but I can’t take credit for that anymore, it’s all done by Jacob my wonderful mechanic. He is an absolute star. So I am all set for the next year, bike needs an oil and filter change in the spring and the new cam cover fitted from my little mishap recently but I will probably do those myself maybe. Or I might not ha ha.

Unfortunately i have a lot of pain from riding, but not as bad as if I had been in the Anda mobile. Emergencies only now for me to go on in the car. Bike all the way, weather looking very favourable for bike which I guess after the last week of storms it not just me happy about.

I have been catching up on the coverage of this year’s Dakar rally which doesn’t go anywhere near Dakar any more. The bikes they use are awesome, and would be very comfortable for me to use to potter about on, unfortunately very expensive. There is something so special about a race spec vehicle don’t you agree Toni?

Bosh that eyeliner photo is so funny.

Well I am flying solo with the young hooli tonight as Anda has a tutorial on line for her degree course, so we will probably be in front of tv or in bunker, or even in bunker in front of tv lol. Ok i am just rambling now so will go.

I did them roast dinner tonight. Although I didn’t eat any as I was a bit grumpy but i am ok now. Just about.

Skinny Keef

Charlestown i love the name Oreo for your black and white cat.

We spoke about getting a hairless cat as Anda is allergic and I said we should call it immac.

(Our chihuahua of many years passed away in 2018 and is still yet to have a successor. )