Val's Cafe

Skinny Keef

On my own again ☹️☹️☹️

weather looks wet this week so probably won’t get over to see my lot either.

lots of music to do, to keep me ticking on and not too lonely. Have to make do with a video call but sometimes that makes me worse and i get so down i can’t concentrate on doing anything. Chin up though, get that bass out and have a play tomorrow.

oh i bought Loanda some plants for the garden today. Forgotten what they are. Will have to ask.

right then good night from me. I will have a read back over stuff tomorrow and see what went on whilst i was off being miserable and then the safari. xx

Skinny Keef

Good luck with the appt tomorrow Reshmi x.

Skinny Keef

Kettle is on and there is home made pear crumble in fridge if anyone wants a night time treat.

frogmorton

Morning!

Morning Joan Hope you and Sue are doing ok? Yes by now my friend should be feeling a bit better day to day really she should get back to work. She hasn't making too much fuss about leaving the dogs - she is only 50. The caravan is a real bolt hole and was their happy place hers and her wife's. Ah well 😕 When the girls first left it was tough I was always cooking far too much! Take care love to Sue ((())) xxx

Morning Skinny K

I am rather sorry to hear how the trip took it out of you. Cars really do not agree with your neck at all do they? To be fair i am better as a driver than passenger not sure why and also not for long journeys.

Well done though getting your signature bass 🎸 you will get a lot of use out of it and it sounds as though it's definitely and investment. Some people collect art/jewellery you collect guitars!

Oh yes you will always keep a few medical supplies (safely locked away) but with you from now on. That's how we learn isn't it by our mistakes. Bless him i was thinking exactly the same about Sucré and to a lesser extent Loanda this is just too many infections even for a little one and they get lots. Maybe start keeping records so you it's clear just how many he is getting?

Better keep Loanda's plants indoors if it might be too cold for them.

Pear crumble anyone say pear crumble?😋

Take care Keef ((())) xxx

Morning Charlestown how are you doing? Is the inflammation and swelling subsiding at all yet?

I can crochet but really only simple stuff my sister is the talented one. Our mum taught us and we did get the hang of it. Funnily enough crochet and knitting are quite fashionable amongst young people these days. It's just quite tough on your hands so I got some ergonomic hooks although a friend showed me how to make old ones fatter so i might have a go at that too.

Sorry you didn't get to the GC but if Skinny is right (it was 6 degrees here this morning) it might be best to hang on another week or so anyway if indoor space is at a premium? They have a fabulous selection at your GC if that is only part of it.

So far I have quite a lot planted tomatoes are up. Some geraniums and salvia some verbena and have ordered some of the hyacinth beans Toady recommended. Cucumbers are going in next week.

Take care 😊

Morning Reshmi how are you after those fish treats your lovely mum made? I hope you were able to hide your stomach issues from her?😣 Hope she is ok too.

I will check in with the pharmacists about the eye drops he's a really good one and I think cleverer than most GPs.

BR still needs his Mummy bless him. Still a break from one of the boys is probably still a great help for your sister.

I rather like the idea of crowd funding for extra cheese I'm sure with that by line ( All cheese goes to a good cause, feeding a (very) young scientist who hasn’t eaten for 20 minutes) you'll be inundated with donations of the curdled dairy product.

Maybe we should ask for an extra fridge too if enough donations come in for the (very temporary) storage which will be required?

I am more than happy to share on my social media maybe Kari will too she has 1,000's of subscribers.....

Thank you so much for my croissant cat! So clever!

4pm is an annoying time for rheumatology it's bound to be running late by then too🙄

Have a good day take care ((())) xxx

Morning Toady hope all is well in Toad's garden?

Oh no beware! Sleek just saw your reference to needing jaw slapping😮 just don't nod off while she's there or you'll have a good slap! I know what it's like too she's trying to fix mine - to no avail I might add.

A new word eh? orts? Ok I think we are supposed to sort of weave our 'ends' in I was planning on discussing with my ever so clever sister. I bet you a lump of cheddar she knows that word.

The cat book club are reading 'A street cat named Bob' ATM a great book I loved it but sadly Bob has passed on now I think.

Well done getting your Easter cards/letters written l don't have to send out many luckily. Tis Good Friday this week yes and then the clocks go forwards too. Mind I like lighter evenings.

The decking is much better Paul used the stuff the hospital consultant recommended. Should last 9 months apparently minimum. So I can do my ballet out there quite safely now🤥🤭

Have a good day Toad I hope you get outside with or without a decent watering can/mister.

bosh

Good morning everyone wppl xx

ps gulab jamun custard jars (as it’s the Hindu festival of Holi) xx

dachshund

Good morning everyone

Toady (()) good luck posting the parcel to Germany how long will it take it to get there. Have a good day.

Toni (()) It must be hard for your friend to get used to being on her own. She has done well. How is Lucy getting on with her job now I hope it’s better for her where she is. Love to Paul (()) and Charley (()) and Annie (()) and Lucy (()) and Tia (()) and Kari (()) and your friend (()) and your lovely neighbours (())

Reshmi (()) good luck this afternoon with your appointment (()) love to your mum (())

Skinny Keef (()) have a good day I hope you manage to have a play on your new guitar. Love to Sucr’e (()) and Loanda (())

Charlestown (()) have a good day I hope your pain has calmed down a bit.

love to Barbara and Kitty

Skinny Keef

Well I woke up to neck and head pain, again. I am alone, and so miserable. I keep crying, i am so fed up of this pain. I don’t want to burden Loanda with it as she trying to get on with her career and do her degree and be a mum.

i have done a doctors form online and am waiting for them to ring me. I think it must be a throw back to the car journey coz it’s really bad.

bosh

Hi Toni

how are you?

mum and I are ok thanks

I’m just a bit tired

bye for now tc xx

Skinny Keef

Docs rang. Basically said he had never know neck pain like mine corrected with surgery so no point in mri scan. He did agree to try and get me an xray to see if they could identify the root of the pain but was doubtful this was going to get approval and said only thing I can do is manage it with pain killers or anti inflams which doesn’t really help me much. I said i am losing at least 40% of my life to being incapacitated due to pain and he was sympathetic but said nothing he can do as its being treated with pain killers and anti inflams.

i went out to the bunker and got the new bass out before coming over extremely hot and prickly thinking i was gonna be sick i put it away and gave up. I am convinced its all down to nerve compression in neck but the doc doesn’t seem to think even if it is it can be treated so i am back to laying down until it passes.

i have text my private osteo lady to see if she can recommend a private doc or specialist i can see.

so all D & G here atm. Sorry if this drags anyone down but feels good to get it all out.

toady

Hi all ☕️ kettle on. Last day for nosegay listing for this weekend offer perios so am multi-tasking as per usual.

I would be good if I had actually finished my Easter things frog, but they are still a work in progress 😬 mainly while I think of something to put in a letter. I bought some nice very vintage style postcards this year so what I lack in news I will make up for in bunnies and flowers & whatnot 😂. Rained here first thing I was v cross because my carefully compiled charity bag might not be able to go out after all, but it stopped round 9 and I risked they had not been already. Gone now 😊. I doubt I will get out again today I have seen my 2 robins though 🐦️ and yesterday a Mrs B, but I could not get a good enough look at her 🤔 fingers crossed, I will soon know if I see her close to. My seed spuds are here, I have decided my new bin is too nice to go outdoors 😳 you know me 😄 maybe one day, but this year I am going with spreading them between a mix of tubs, spurred on by an article where someone reckoned that a dustbin sized container gave the same crop as a bucket or potato bag. We'll see, it also means I can do them in slight succession more easily. Do hope we get some sun soon, all we want is an even break really 😕. Hope your day is going well :) xx

Hello joan 😊 parcels to Europe don't usually take too long but if you use the shipping method on the selling site, it means sending your item to a central place here first and then they handle the rest of the delivery outside the UK. That extra stage adds a bit more time but it's simpler than posting it yourself though I do occasionally. Now we've got Easter it will hold it up a bit but it should at least leave the UK by Thurs or so. Quite nice sun here today but it was rain overnight and I left a few things out that I shouldn't have, tools etc 🙄. Have a good evening love to Sue :) xx

Thinking of bosh who is currently being seen or maybe still waiting but hopefully not. Hope all goes well 👍️ and that the cold is only mild, sorry about the cardigan situation. Do hope it's not your turn for the stomach rota for long either I expect sensible eating will have tidied you over the appt🤞. Not much going on with me except nosegay stuff, no walk today but I will tomorrow when I've finished some letters, yes it will be a postbox walk 😄 . You're right about the letterbox gifts, I have seen a few that have a bit of thought & effort but a surprising amount seem to be a couple of very ordinary unimaginative things indeed for the money. Perhaps there are many others who consider it a small price to spare their friend or relative answering the door, understandable 🤨. I am quite attracted by the ones where you get a surprise 2nd hand book wrapped in brown paper or newspaper etc with a couple of bits & pieces, stickers fancy bookmarks tea small choc bars or whatever, but that's only because I'm a sucker for mystery things (I always loved 'lucky bags' 😄) & again logically it's silly money for what you could put together yourself. Lovely custard jars, would go down well with Keef's crumble. Have a good evening I hope :) xx

Pear crumble very nice too SK 😊 I was in an hour or so after you in the night as it happens, never mind I had the remains of mine for breakfast. So sorry you haven't been able to enjoy the new bass 😔 I would think your GP would push for an xray to satisfy themselves too as to what's going on, but who knows the workings of NICE and the powers that be or whoever dictates these things 😕 hope someone can suggest something useful to you, keep talking to us anyway, it's all good. Hope family feeling better today :) xx

Hi to Charlestown 👋 hope your day is going ok. I put a charity bag out for collection this morning - one down, lord knows how many to go 😄. I meant to say your forsythia bushes were a good price, hope they do well for you 😀 I love them but I wish they kept their leaves. Good luck to your son too with his growing, we need the sun don't we 😣 not much sign of any in my forecast. Hope things as well as poss with you, how much longer with the steroids? have a good evening :) xx

Love to all 😘 xx

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bosh

Hi Toni SK toady Joan and C

how are you all?

my hospital appointment went better than i expected thanks 👍

they’re going to increase mxt dose

and refer me for to physio for leg etc

stomach behaved but only as I didn’t eat much

LA’s parents’ afternoon phone call appointment was today

has the scientist behaved?

we will find out soon

thanks about the custard jars toady

👋 C only my parents and I live in the house but sometimes nephews etc come to visit

👋 Toni yes please enlist Kari’s subscribers lol, mind you if LA has been behaving less than scientifically I may start a cheese - ban, even though I may lose my certificate for “mima of the week”

bye for now everyone very tired tc xx

ps Istanbul xx

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frogmorton

Morning Joan hope you and Sue are ok today. How is Jaki's Dad doing? Lucy is doing really well bless her she's enjoying her independence I think on the whole although she still needs her Mum😉 Take care ((())) xxx

Morning Skinny Keef. Take the X-ray then might be worth asking for a referral to a consultant dealing with necks (neurosurgeon?)whether the GP is happy or not. At least if you hear from the mouth of the expert you will feel reassured. The GP said more or less the same to Paul (who did have an MRI BTW) they only do surgery if the risks of not doing it outweigh the risks of doing it. Meaning if you are likely to be paralysed if they don't operate. They found extensive osteoarthritis in Paul's neck along the length of it pretty much and some stenosis.

You really do have my sympathy it's dreadful my neck can play up I also have cervical spond, but in general I can deal with it pretty well. 100% you and Paul are far worse than me. Talk to your osteopath see what she says.

D&G is fine that's what we all do for each other ((())) xxx

Morning Charlestown

On the lower dose steroids already and you can feel improvement well that is really good news You just take care of yourself now and keep resting when you can. If it's raining like here it will be quite easy - not much else we can do!

Well as long as you enjoyed your KFC yesterday now as you say back on the wagon. Slimshake with banana? So that's like a milkshake with a real banana? Sounds quite filling?

I do have a lot growing and yes I do have a greenhouse but nothing is out there yet it's too cold. So all windowsills and propagators inside for now.

I know exactly what you mean - there is nothing as cute as a baby in handknitted clothes. I am not that skilled I think my sister could do something like that though.

Take care ((()))

Morning Reshmi Hope you're ok and your Mum too?

Well done for yesterday physio sounds good as does the increase of your MTX you are coping better now it's in injection form aren't you? Thanks to the gastric oracle for her kindness allowing you to get there comfortably.

Kari has 21.4 thousand subscribers so that could potentially be quite a bit of cheese. Hopefully the report on the young scientist was good this week so we can go ahead with the cheese-funding.

The last thing anyone would want would be for you to not be Mima of the week. You'd be so ashamed everyone would notice your lack of sticker😣

Thanks for the gulab jamun custard jars I hope they do a vegan version for me. I bet they do. They look lovely.

Have a good day - is it group today? Sometimes I get my days mixed up😳 ((())) xxx

Morning Toady

Hope you are ok.

Well done thwarting the weather and getting your charity bag off that is great👍️

Your Easter cards sound lovely. Sleek was trying to tell me about them reckons I should get some. I told her for next year as i wouldn't get them in time for this year. Definitely they will distract recipients from the lack of words I think.

I do hope that Mrs B was your Mrs B! The robins too. I saw plenty of birds yesterday too the weather being slightly less wet. If you know what I mean? Lighter rain. It's wet here already. I know someone on Orkney she's had lovely weather🙄

I used potato bins but left them for the new owner when we moved to the bungalow. To be honest the ants farming black flies on the potatoes gave me the eebie geebies😳 The potatoes were always fabulous though. I agree do your best to spread them out as long as possible.

I can't hear rain now so maybe? Fingers 🤞

Take care

Skinny Keef

morning all.

thanks for all the support.

rode over to see Sucré yesterday evening. I simply couldn’t not go i was so down. I think the bike must have rejiggled my neck as i have less pain today. Nice evening and they home tomorrow for long weekend so that’s good.

i did lots of neck stretches yesterday evening once i got home. I was watching the first half of topgun 2 as i wanted a late night in the hope of sleeping better which i did. Straight through from midnight to 6. Second half of film to watch later so no spoilers please. Although it’s not exactly a convoluted plot.

so hopefully the pain will stay away today and i will be able to get some music stuff done and give the new bass a play. From the five minutes check over and play in the shop i already know it plays better than my 6 string (this is a five string Nathan East model in white). It’s a bit Liberace in white with gold hardware but all the black ones were gone. I have two other white guitars that are a bit less bling so I am sure i will get used to it. I think Nathan wanted white for dark stages and being at the back by the drummer so people could still see him lol. He is one of the most recorded bass guitarists of all time and an absolute hero of mine. Being black he reminds me of the first black guy I ever met. I was about four years old and i went out with my dad in his car for a ride. One of my favourite things to do as a child. He would ask if i wanted to go for a ride and i would always say yes and ask where he was going to which he would always reply, “Just up the road!”. This particular trip was to see a fellow bass player that used to dep for dad when there were gigs he couldn’t do. Dad introduced me to this huge guy called Sid. I was absolutely terrified but he was the most gentle and softly spoken man I had ever met and I absolutely loved him. I could never understand racism after that.

Anyway, kettle is still warm if anyone wants a brew, and yes there is still crumble left as I had dinner out yesterday. wppl 🤪

bosh

Good morning everyone wppl xx

ps varanasi India, morning on river Ganges xx

frogmorton

Well that is really good news Keef

Long may the neck be ok.

I'm so glad you went to see Sucré yesterday I think it really did you good in more ways that one. I bet that little boy was over the moon to see his Daddad🤗 and they are home tomorrow? Even better nice and early.

The guitar sounds lovely - what's wrong with a bit of bling anyway. As you said you'll get used to it. Nice to hear about all the trips you had out with your Dad as a lad. You know how important good memories are.

Enjoy your music today and take care ((())) xxx

Beautiful sunrise Reshmi.

dachshund

Good morning everyone

Toady (()) I read yesterday that things are changing how parcels are posted. Have a good day. Sue said there was nobody walking in front of the hearse. Do you like cheese crackers.

Toni (()) I’m sorry Paul has Arthritis so bad (()) that’s good Lucy is happy (()) Have a good day (()) the days go so quick. I will see Jaki tomorrow morning. Love to Paul (()) and Charley (()) and Annie (()) and Lucy (()) and Tia (()) and Kari (()) and Your friend (()) and your lovely neighbours (())

Reshmi (()) that’s good your appointment went well (()) love to your mum (())

Skinny Keef (()) that’s good you feel a bit better (()) love to Sucr’e (()) and Loanda (())

Charlestown (()) If you don’t mind me saying have you descaled the coffee machine. Have a good day. We have the sun.

love to Barbara and Kitty (())

toady

Afternoon all 👋

The Easter letters are progressing, with the help of the odd bit of cut & paste (well these people will never meet & compare), so there is light at the end of the tunnel 😀. Definitely more tea though please.

Hope you are having a good day frog, no wet here, not that bad actually but definitely don't need to look at the forecast to know it's dropped as to temps. Nice weather on Orkney, well that seems hardly fair does it, but they have their share of bad stuff so will let them off. Short cool windy summers, says google, no thanks. Am waiting to let my 'best' tulips out from their cloche they are pressing up against it, but will hang on a bit just in case. Seedling head count today is oregano lavender are up 😊, one or two Delphinium Pacific Giant, and my allium bulbs outside are coming up, they haven't bitten the dust after all, hurrah 😀. Yes not overly keen on the ant farming I do get them on the runner beans sometimes 😬 not in their droves thankfully. There are worse things that go on in nature I suppose. Haven't had a chance to do birdy watching yet, will do a 2nd round outdoors in a min. Love to everyone have a good afternoon :) xx

Hello joan, hope your & Sue's day is ok so far. Doesn't feel like a Tuesday. I will look up about the parcels, they are always changing something, and stamps are going up again soon of course 🙄. I don't buy cheese crackers very often; I don't mind them but I like a plain cracker or a seeded type and just have cheese with them for preference. No mourners then, maybe it's not a thing they do now. Do you remember the episode of Only Fools and Horses where Rodney was roped into doing that, poor thing. Have a good afternoon :) xx

Waves to bosh, I will see you on a Part 2 later 👋 hope you are not too tired now. Glad the appt went ok I hope the new mxt will be ok, I never noticed a difference with doses probably going up a bit at a time you get used to it. See you anon proper chat then :) xx

Hi keef, well done getting the neck to settle, long may it continue 👍️. Will hold my hand up to not knowing anything about Nathan East so I will go and look him up. Hope the bass is everything you want it to be. Glad you got over to see family 😊 have a good evening, no danger of Top Gun spoilers from me not my thing mind you not a big film fan all round. Lovely story about Sid 😊 xx

So sorry about your aunt @Charlestown 😔 how awful to lose another member of family. Are the aunts on your mum's side? What family do they have? Hope your day is ok today all things considered. Hope you do get the chance to use the leisure centre etc at some point. Few more seedlings up today and my allium bulbs look like they might be ok after all 😀 well unless the frost gets them but I will protect them with something if poss. I know the mouse carvings you mean, nice things, yes that's a different sort of hoarding altogether to newspapers and jamjars isn't it! Have a good afternoon, good luck in advance with tapering the steroids 👍️ :) xx

Love to everyone 😘 xx

toady

Few beetroot that were left in a pot over winter, pulled them yesterday & had a couple they were fine 😊

bosh

Hi Toni

how are you today?

mums bs is ok thanks

I’m not too bad either thank you

good point, I didn’t see a vegan recipe but I found this one (at the end) which is vegan, gluten free and without custard

LA is doing well at school apart from sometimes he and Lorenzo roll around on the carpet at story time lol

he thanks Kari for the cheese 🧀

Bill is visiting tomorrow to help dad with some financial matters and to stuff his face no doubt

BR might be coming too not sure yet

I’m planning to go to group tomorrow

yes mxt injections are suiting me 👍

had a takeaway including veggie burger very delicious

👋toady Joan SK and C

bye for now all time for ablutions xx

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bosh

Hi C

How are you?

yes my mum is a very good cook thanks but she doesn’t make Indian desserts much now as it’s bad for everyone’s health especially hers as she had diabetes, glad you had a productive day

bye for now tc xx

👋toady

how are you?

It was a good hospital visit thanks

mxt dose increased 👍

thats interesting about mystery bags etc, I don’t think I grew up with those kind of bags unfortunately

I do sometimes end up getting mystery offers and so on, but they do tend to be pure rubbish, like mascara I’m allergic to or whatever lol

LA had started telling a new porky pie now, he keeps misleading his long - suffering mummy by saying “ no one feeds me at the after- school club” when in fact he was fed in abundance and what’s worse he’s taught BR the same trick too! Basically this pair of cheeky monkeys are pretending that no one fed them at their respective establishments so that they can get an extra meal cooked by their mother - who of course has nothing else to do! My goodness and bill of course has sneaked off to the lounge loading up the espresso machine (not on doctor’s advice obviously) and working hard on his laptop / aka the tv streaming pick’n ’ mix - in Maidenhead rhyming slang lol

I’m glad the Easter letters are progressing 👍

bye for now toady tc xx

ps this is myself/ Spock when bill asks me how to make toast 😂 xx

toady

Hi bosh 👋

Bill coming to stuff his face, oh that made me lol literally 🤭 presumably with the added leverage of pleading having had no lunch, like a certain pair of little pinocchios 🤥🤥😂. Whatever next. I like 'the tv streaming pick n mix' 👍️. Hope it goes well tomorrow it will tie your Dad up for a bit anyway if they get entangled in sums & the like. Finished my letters, they were not too bad in the end, I've written worse 😄 I was rewarded by having it rain buckets for my postbox walk 🙄 didn't seem much point leaving it any later, with a forecast of 100% and the dreaded 'double raindrop' symbol 😣. Done now anyway. Lucky bags, they were more or less like a little party bag you'd get now I suppose, not the fancy sort, just where you get a couple of little rolls of sweets and something like a mini colouring book, pencil or little toy etc. You'd buy them yourself at a sweet shop for pence, just pocket money stuff. Spock didn't get any crayons in his obviously 😄. Oh that look, so withering 😬. Have a good night :) xx

'Night all 😘 xx