Val's Cafe

toady

🌷🌼🌿🌱 Gardening bits & pieces 😊

Well my bulbs arrived today too frog but it was far too drizzly at the time and dark by the time it stopped 😟 but I did manage to finish preparing a couple of pots. Here is where I am definitely going to realize I am overstocked with alliums 😳😄. I do hope you did get some or all of yours in 😊🤞. How are their waistband measurements? 🤭 I read someone's review that complained of daffodil bulbs being not as big as advertized and had to be told er it's circumference not diameter, well I didn't know that either I don't think. Never having given it much thought. Yes hollyhocks are wonderful 😍 I have left some seeds they are welcome to spread, rust and straggliness and all. I have new varieties from last year, will look forward to seeing them if they do ok. As for L. latifolius, might consider a mix of colours something along these lines maybe & see what I get? 🤔.

Yes only a couple of perennial-ish sweet pea types are scented aren't they I was reading up on Lord Anson's Pea for example; I then spotted a comment about L. latifolius being a primary host for long-tailed blue butterflies which was interesting 😊 and this quote "Ironically, here the rare butterfly has laid eggs on Lathyrus latifolius, everlasting pea, an invasive escapee from gardens considered a pest by conservationists, who seek to remove it from native flower-rich chalk grassland." All a constant balancing act isn't it. Probably would not get any this far north unfortunately.

I have a couple of climbing Maurandya I can consider for next year too if I can overwinter them.

I have just picked up a little gardening book called Sticky Wicket (no relation 😄), wildlife oriented gardening, you may know it.

Here are a couple of the plant marker videos I was looking at, posting because they were quite interesting in ways I'll comment later, as much as for the actual ideas themselves: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aeoxu7DWKVs and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXKQwJsnKIo.

Have a good evening 😊 xx

bosh

hi Toni

How are you?

Mums ok 👍

Love the badge 🙏

Great that Joan is doing well

My goodness my foot hurts wore new winter boots but forgot to put insoles in!

What a silly mima

Group and meal were nice 👍

But what a stodgy meal my goodness I’m still rather full

Did avoid dessert though 😇

I ate roast chicken with lemon and herbs plus some kind of killer mashed potatoes - I wonder how much butter was in that? 🤢

Nasty M condescended to speak to me - my goodness maybe the Christmas season temporarily changes her - a reverse Gr*nch or something like that lol

LA also said that the Gr*nch monster eats little brothers but Brace Hook fact - checkers couldn’t confirm this they said he only eats tender-stem broccoli, rather posh if you ask me lol.

Ok bye for now tc xx

bosh

hi again Toni

You know there’s a fb guy, he writes me poetry lol

Don’t worry he’s far away and I’m not meeting him or taking any form of risks or anything like that - and the pm symptoms have gone away thank G** - but he’s writing millions of poems about my eyes or something like that lol - it’s an odd place really isn’t it fb? Surreal to put it mildly

On a slightly more prosaic note the mini journal is going well thanks sometimes I just write down initial thoughts in brief in the morning and then try and use some of those ideas for these posts, but yesterday all I had written was “cheese” 🧀

Oh dear that young dairy - fiend / mathematician has infiltrated my mind again

J the leader had a vegan burger but to be honest it didn’t look too good - Hope het stomach is ok

Ok on that gastric note,

Goodnight Toni and tc xx

Ps I’ve found the tablet - panacea 😂😂xx

Stuartknee

Hi

Had my injection yesterday no probs, woke up early muscles in cramp mode doing stretches, may have to reach for pills again.

frogmorton

Morning Stuartknee it can take anything up to (honestly!) 10 days for the jab to work so plenty of time yet, but if you need painkillers in the meantime do go ahead fingers crossed🤞 for you (())

Morning Reshmi I hope you are feeling well today especially after the dairy filled mash you ate yesterday. I also hope your Mum is well.

Did l really read this correctly? Nasty M deigned to speak to you😯 Good job I was sitting down when I read that. She must be full of the Christmas spirit that's all I can say. Glad I did not have to eat the vegan burger it sounded dreadful. Foodbank Christmas meal is next Wednesday for me. No idea what l am eating.

You have a FB fan do you?! It is a really odd place I have to agree. Although there are weirdos out there they can't all be can they? You are a wise woman I know you know how to keep safe online.

Cheese. You wrote cheese in your journal?!🤣what was that about?!! LA's doing no doubt at all. I am pretty sure the grinch likes broccoli I mean who on earth doesn't?

Mima Beamer I thank you profusely for the tablets I think they will help very much I resume different colours for different problems.

I hope today is a good one for you take care ((())) xxx

Morning Toady I still haven't found my address book so will get onto that this morning. The rug has finally dried out soli might get my tree up today maybe😊 I remember Sleek trashing our brand new tree when she was a kitten the very first day Paul and the girls put it up! I wonder whether Kari will brave one for Mabel who celebrated her very first gotcha day yesterday💕

Sleek said you were being good saving your money for Christmas, but will have some posh coffees too. I am after the Chestnut Praline Latte with maybe oat or soya milk instead of cows milk. It sounds lovely😋Probably 3 million calories though🤭

Today I have to visit my friend up in Stoke I don't mind too much I love the little yorkies they are so bouncy.

You are very brave doing letters as well as cards you do have some help though a certain small furry person loves writing letters. I suggest you just let her dictate - her spelling isn't always perfect as you know. As for mince pies yes definitely this and the next shop! 100%!

Gosh it was busy at the foodbank yesterday. We are the main site so support several satellite sites in the area yesterday we did 3 massive and I mean massive orders. Multiple normal boxes for people in trouble and the rest I just can't tell you. It's a rough time of year for some people. Our 'boss' is on steroids oral temporarily for a COPD exacerbation and is so pleased about how her knee is better!!!

Take care Toady have a good day ((())) xxx

Right the gardening notes:

Glad you found some scented everlasting S peas that would be amazing😊mine dies back in winter then just reappears so a really good plant for colour and reliability. Imagine a rare butterfly laying eggs on one though! No wouldn't get up here too chilly.

Climbing Maurandya that looks lovely too so it's not pretty come winter, but gorgeous in summer…..wonder whether it might do for my arch?🤔

Honestly some people a bulb is a bulb! Sizeist comment. I don't think I have ever measured a bulb have you?!!!! poor bulbs being ridiculed like that.

I watched the labelling videos and like you still feel unsure. I am thinking maybe of the wooden ones and buying a burner thingy if they aren't too expensive? Then you could use any old bits of wood lying around😊The slate ones were lovely, but I can't see me managing to cut it can you?

Does our @stickywicket realise that there is a book named after her? Or did she in fact write it herself🤔

Sending love to @Skinny Keef hope he's doing ok ((())) xxx

bosh

good morning Toni

Wppl xx

bosh

hi lovely Toni

How are you?

Mums ok bs - wise 👍

But she’s got leg pain unfortunately

Mxt day so I’m feeling 🤢

I actually scribbled a whole phrase but I could only read “cheese” lol

More later

Bye for now Toni tc xx

Ps Posh Moroccan mint tea for bill lol xx

frogmorton

Message from Joan she hopes we are all getting on alright.

She is doing exercises to get her muscles moving in her leg so it can take her weight. Although it's getting stronger it seems to be taking a long time.

the bungalow isn't finished yet fingers crossed for next week.

☺️

toady

Hi all 👋 well this is revolting 😕 rain stopping in a bit, not for long I don't suppose, anyone else got wind speeds of 40/50 plus forecast for overnight tomorrow and every single hour of Sat and on into Sunday afternoon?! 🤪 good grief.

No bulb planting for me frog 😕 had to make do with allotting places for them in my head, the daffs look super (I didn't take a tape measure to them 😄) only about 70-odd alliums to go 😄 at this rate imaginary planting will be all I can do 🙄. Oh well I'm sure mopping up leaks & trying to get the front door open will keep me busy 😒. Not sorry I had a grocery shop today! I gave Sleek strict instructions to stay put at yours til this awful weather packs it in, catsi or no catsi, so she promised and went off with a little goody bag of mince pies (with stars ⭐️) and some shortbread. Christmas letters will keep for now but I look forward enormously to taking down dictation (you do realize I more than half believe all this you know 😸). Hope things not quite so grim as this where you are today especially as you were going out to Stoke 🤞 hope little Peanut going on ok. Glad it was not an awful day for foodbank duties too, it did sound all go, if only it wasn't, that's the ideal 😔. Ought to get to my al fresco or Piddle at least once & donate, or may just have to be online. Did you get your tree up 🎄😊? Yes wood-burning labels might be fun, more so than an angle grinder! (trust a man to want a noisy power tool rather than a dymo printer.. 🤨). He did quite amuse me 😄 but yes that got very un-simple very quickly, driving round random builders' merchants, don't think so. I liked her black painted wooden ones and I really liked her handwriting 👍️. I probably wouldn't get the Lord Anson's Pea well not for climbing, as it's not its habit, but maybe for somewhere. Our arches have given us aggravation haven;t they one way & another but we'll get there. The Maurandya is maybe perennial if you're lucky, 'in a sheltered spot' with frost protection mulch etc, I might try one potted one outdoors and see. Have a good evening, thanks for passing on Joan's news, still early days for getting her strength back isn't it. Yes I'm sure your fb boss is thrilled with her knee, if only steroids were harmless, they have done things for me that are nothing short of miraculous. Take care love to all 😘 xx

Thinking of you Joan 😘 in my grocery shop my butter tub had a prize thing on it to win an aeroplane Wing Walk, I thought 'Joan would say I should enter' 😂 (they could have come up with a slightly more inclusive prize..). Love to you & the dear dogs :) xx

Hi to bosh, sorry your mum has leg pain today, hope it's short-lived. Hope your day is not too bad, after the meal etc too, it sounded nice glad it went ok. I have a biccie shortage here at present 😱 there is no chance of me being a dragon-master on half a pack of digestives and some sponge fingers 😔. You will be interested to know I had to resort to literal odd not ood socks yesterday, one black one grey, oh well no-one to see. I am plodding on with writing letters but JA did not have to put up with the gasboard digging the road up outside so they are not likely to be little gems of fine writing, destined for the Collected Letters of a Toad, are they. And the midnight postbox is not seeing a lot of me lately, in this weather, for all I know it may have relocated itself somewhere nicer like a sensible postbox. Have a good evening 👍️:) xx

Sorry about the cramp Stuart but hopefully the injection will kick in in due course 🤞 glad it went ok 👍️ xx

Take care all, SK and anyone absent, kettle is going on xx

toady

Just a topical wintry Calvin & Hobbes cartoon for us 😁

Stuartknee

Hi

Went for a walk to test the knee out a slight twinge.. Woke up stiff as a board put brace back on.

bosh

good morning Toni

Wppl xx

frogmorton

Morning Stuartknee it's very very early days for a steroid injection. The reason if felt like it 'worked' straight away is they often put a painkiller in too, but the actual steroid results can take anything up to 10 days. My shoulder took at least that. Don't give up hope yet I have everything crossed for you ((()))

Morning Reshmi thanks for the tea just what i needed. I wonder whether it helps with our MTX side effects….

I hope the Moroccan mint tea will settle BIL's stomach, but I doubt it. All he really needs to do is stop over-filling his poor gut😉

How are you and your lovely Mum today? Is she getting arthritis too now in her leg maybe? Getting close to her birthday isn't it now, but you are ready aren't you? I need a card for lucy and my brother I have their gifts ready.

That is so funny what you wrote while half asleep! the only legible word being 'cheese' I am sure you were dreaming about a certain cheese monster😁

I hope your MTX symptoms have worn off wish me luck for later take care ((())) xxx

Morning Toady

Sleek is thinking about coming over today she was bored yesterday she said and missed you. (I half believe the tales too!!!!) the rain has stopped so she is looking to order a catsi maybe late morning I know teh driver and she won't be coming if the winds pick up. She helped with my tree which so far it has only got the lights on it. Will finish it later I hope.

She ate her food parcel a tad morosely and had a catsapp video call with Mabel. All of my vegan squirty cream has now gone so I will add that to my next order.

I safely got to Stoke before the storm came we even managed to walk the dogs. We did it straight away before the rain started and I only risked two cups of tea. Peanut is so well he is incredible bless him. I left pretty early as the rain started so far no rain has got inside the door or the ceiling what about you? I think major winds tomorrow maybe🙄 Maybe you will be able to get some of you bulbs out tomorrow whatever size they are😁

Today I am busy this morning only (I hope!) I will be at the big old Church in the actual town centre making cuppas for their Christmas tree festival. I will be with another lady from the village. This afternoon will be all about me or it had better be it's been a busy week.

Joan is really struggling with swelling in her operated leg as people on here have said many times post op. But she is being good and doing her exercises so it will settle. I hope she might get to her won bungalow next week. If I was a builder I'd work extra hard for her she is such a lovely lady.

Such a shame steroids are a double edged sword isn't it them being a miracle cure. I know their worst consequences though I mean Lucy's hip and then having a shoulder replacement because of them. Darn it if there was no side effects we'd all be much better.

My handwriting is pretty dreadful unfortunately, but It doesn't need to be perfect just so I know what plants are where! I thought the same about the chap it seemed like such a good idea til it went on…and on….I have 4 beautiful slate labels my bro bought for me. I use them for my veggies every year and I expect they cost him a fortune.

Love the peanut joke Peanut himself might not 'get it' he really isn't that bright. His sister though Pippa is although obviously not as clever in any way as Sleek😉

Take care Toady have a good day ((())) xxx

A quick wave to @Skinny Keef 👋 hope all is well for you Keef ((())) xxx

bosh

hi Toni toady SK and S knee

How are you all doing today?

👋 Toni

Mums ok at the moment 👍

Her pain has improved, she thinks it’s the way she slept

I’m tired but ok thanks

Nice and cold today isn’t it?🥶

I’m working on a private poem for you - pm related subject matter

Ok ablutions time

More later

Bye for now all tc xx

Ps vegan hot chocolate xx

Stuartknee

Hi

Staying up no chance of sleep tonight with this storm. Catching up on my reading.

bosh

https://community.versusarthritis.org/discussion/comment/729065#Comment_729065

sorry to hear that

bosh

hi Toni and toady

I sent u both a pm

Ps random temple lol

bosh

hi again Toni

How are you tonight?

I hope it does somehow help with mxt

How are you feeling on your mxt day?

Glad you liked the mint tea, yes bill will never learn unfortunately

Yes I’m ready for mums birthday thanks

That’s great that you’ve got L and your brother’s cards etc ready

Yes a cheese monster - related dream indeed 😂

Mostly yes the symptoms have gone

But I’m extremely shattered now so good night Toni take care xx

bosh

hi toady

How are you?

Mums leg is improving thanks

The meal was good 👍

Biccie shortage outrageous! Lol

I do like sponge fingers though

Nice play on words

Good for you, yes JA was spared the indelicacies of modern life of course unfortunately

The time - travelling postbox where does it go in the stitching hour? Maybe back to Chaucer’s time when a cucumber sandwich was as rare as a R Brek and marrot casserole - or something like that

Goodnight toady and everyone tc xx

toady

Hi all 👋 internet a bit iffy as you can imagine in this weather, just popping in quickly so you know I'm ok 👍️ hope you all are too, it's certainly sounding hair-raising out there, just hoping it will swerve away or calm down even a bit.

Hope to be in tomorrow but if not assume it's just technical - will catch up then, although am also expecting possible plumbers in the week (date unspecified as yet just a vague 'see what I can do'..) so will be a bit fraught, & this weather not really conducive for cleaning is it, much rather be hiding under the bedclothes.

Hope all's well with you frog and your bro had a nice birthday, Sleek was sent off home long before this all kicked off and I will see her on the other side of it 👍️ but it was a lovely visit, we had our heads together whispering and giggling about secret christmas presents, nothing I can pass on ofc. (Talking of which any sign of her thawing towards the tower?) In the meantime I will borrow that lovely ginger cat what a beauty 😍. Take care back soon :) xx

Thinking of Joan do hope all's well at yours and the exercises will pay off and reduced swelling very soon 🤞 😘 xx

Thank you for the post and the poem bosh I will get to them properly at my earliest convenience 👍️ I have actually seen the postbox this very day but as to the stitching hour, well yes that is probably a very different story and I'm certainly not going to look 😱. Take care in this hope not too awful where you are and no-one has to go anywhere tomorrow, see you anon xx

I don't think any of us will have much of a night Stuart, I am off to listen to the radio, hope everything will be ok and secure where you are 🤞

Night all 😘 xx

frogmorton

Morning everyone

Gosh it's not good out there no walk for me today I can see there being a fair few floods here and in lots of other areas. We won't be the worst hit of course some areas will be far worse hit, but it's still not nice is it🙄 They had a tornado in Stoke yesterday afternoon. I am dreading daylight coming to see what damage has been done.

Joan says she hopes we all have a good day with less pain and problems. I myself am very very glad that she is safely with Charlie while this dreadful weather persists. Anyway as usual she cares more about us lot that herself! ((())) xxx

Stuart I can quite understand you not even attempting to sleep last night, but at least I'm sure you are resting your knee still. Do your cats go outside at all? (())

Morning Reshmi

How are you this morning? I hope ok feeling fine post MTX had a super early night thank you. The rain and wind are lashing down outside, but so far it's nice and cosy in here. Is the weather ok with you? Were you supposed to be seeing EF this weekend for your Mum's birthday?

Glad to hear your Mum's leg is ok now we do not want her adding arthritis to her health problems do we?

I love love love that poem honestly Reshmi it's possibly your best yet. I've commented in the PM properly.

Poor BIL will only understand on his own what will help his stomach no-one can help him, but himself I'm afraid sadly. His love of inappropriate food is still too strong for him ATM.

Loved the tea pic and the cats you sent to Toady so cute😍

Rest up today my friend and probably stay inside if you can. Maybe just quietly read a book or something out of BB's way. ((())) xxx

Morning Toady

I do hope the internet lets you on, but if it doesn't we will try not to worry. Sleek reckons she has a way to check in on you???? Is it one of Aidan's 'gates'? Or will she try to get a message to you via the cat communication channel? (CCC) I believe they communicate with each other in some way to check in on people. So, if there is a tap on your door or window from a furry paw do invite her in it is will be one of Sleek's friends.

She loved yesterday and was happily bashing about in her ickle house yesterday when she got home so she must have had some ideas….🤔 As for the cat tree no luck yet but I did put some treats on it when I was sat on the window seat and she put two paws on it to get them. It's a start🙄

Have you got your tree up yet/decs? If not that is a job you can do while you are trapped inside. That's what i am going to do and maybe just maybe start my Christmas cards. I have a new bauble for Arya and Charley and Annie had the photo of her with myself and Paul the day she was born made into one too. ATM they are the only things on the tree!!!!

Pre-plumber cleaning oh yes maybe that too in your case even though it will be the last thing you want to do.

Take care Toady just stay dry and warm nothing else really matters does it? ((())) xxx

A very quick wave to Skinny keef. I hope you are ok and your man-cave is dry and toasty ((())) xxx

bosh

good morning Toni

How are you today?

Mums ok 👍

I’m very drowsy, probably the weather and the thermostat

But otherwise ok thanks

Bye for now tc xx

Ps two pics, how greedy lol, second one is vegan stollen with marzipan xx

toady

Hi all 👋 hope we're all ok.. no damage here but it's pretty awful 😣 so wearing and frazzling.

Hope all ok at yours frog, yes rain and wind lashing, getting even more wrung out now by the wind than the rain and that's saying something 🙄. By mid afternoon I was at the 'please please stop I beg you' stage, imagine if they said there would be a week of this, I truly don't think I could stick it 😔. You will have heard word of me via Sleek already ofc via the CCC, definitely a thing, like the way cats have 'meetings' 🤨. Hope she has tucked herself away in her ickle house and stayed there. Have I put up decorations, er no 😬 my track record for merry xmases is not exactly legendary, I tend not to bother now it's just tempting fate 😱. Well you've started with 2 really lovely baubles even if they are alone so far, how nice 😊 enjoy the rest of it hope you have some of your own greenery somewhere after your hard work. I did get some daffodils in a pot yesterday, I was sitting on the back doorstep, can you believe, it was quite nice! and did some other jobs. It feels like that couldn't have been possible now. I can't wait to get out and restore order but it won't settle here til late tomorrow and even then it's a 'moderate breeze' and that tends to be an understatement 😕. Just have to keep fingers crossed it's downhill all the way will take a yellow alert for sure over a red/orange. So bad elsewhere doesn't bear thinking about 😟 internet has been ok the main thing is hanging onto power, the odd flicker of the lights eek 🤞🤞 will be v glad to get in here for tea tomorrow, take care love to all xx

Hope all ok at Joan's have looked at your weather forecast seems pretty much the same as mine 😕, hope you & Charlie managing and the dogs are ok 🤞😘xx

Hi bosh, do hope all's well at yours it hasn't let up hardly for a minute here, hope you're all safe. Glad to hear your mum's ok today, I've been sleepy as well, listening to an audiobook this afternoon and kept finding I'd dropped off and missed a bit. Not sure how I got any sleep last night but I did get bits, hope you did. Nothing happening here needless to say, I expect EF have kept you posted how they are, lucky it's the weekend I don't know what the schools would have done but shut I guess. Hope you have a good night I may as well have a little of that stollen while I'm here, and yes give me tea! If ever there was an appropriate day for that, I have a big flask of hot water in case of power cuts there can be no tea outages 😱. Thank you for the pm reply over there 😘 take care xx

Hope everyone else safe & sound, fingers crossed for a quieter day ✌️ xx

bosh

hi Toni

How are you?

That’s good that you feel better due to a super early night

Glad it’s nice and cosy

Bad weather here too, mum and dad went to their friend’s birthday celebration in s restaurant but it was only a short drive so luckily they were ok - it was the nhs queue - jumper’s birthday no less 🤢

No the EF plus cousin and his family - related meal - celebration of mums birthday is next weekend luckily 👍

Poor lovely Joan- I’m also indeed glad C is looking after her

Yes thanks that’s very true

Thanks Toni I’m really glad you like the poem

Sorry I’m really struggling with the thermostat situation and energy levels today

Hopefully tomorrow will be better

👋 toady how are you today?

Goodnight all keep warm tc xx

crinkly

Noticing that there have been fewer visitors to the cafe recently I decided to drop in and enjoy a cuppa before I head out into the storm to do a night shift for the national listening support service where I've volunteered for 30+ years. (I leave home soon after 10.30pm and return just before 4am on Sunday.

Between answering calls I will think of everyone whose pain adds to the storm and disrupts their sleep tonight so I hope you will sense that 'someone out there' is thinking of you.

No, it's not easy but it certainly distracts me from my own discomfort in a chaotic world and reminds me that there are so many folk with overwhelming problems and no supportive community to which they can turn. We must be always thankful for the thoughtfulness of those who read our posts, give whatever advice they can and understand our pain and frustrations - even when their response makes us think, 'Been there, done that, worn that tee-shirt'!

My experience of widespread OA goes as far back as my volunteering so I am well practised at confronting the restrictions as they increase with time and leave me hoping to avoid more surgery. I understand those who find pain-relieving medication more problematic than helpful other than in dire circumstances. Sadly I have no magic wand to wave in their direction and it seems trite to say that each of us must find our own path through the maze of pain and disability until research into OA leads to radical new treatments. But I have nothing else to offer…..

Consequently I post on this forum only occasionally but I browse it daily and know that, if I hit a point at which I feel desperate I can reach out to Verasus Arthritis - especially to sit in a quiet corner of Val's Cafe. My thanks to the 'cafe regulars' for being there and providing a collection of your experiences and thoughts to read. One day I must try to produce some entertaining sagas of my own.

My thoughts are with you all as you summon up the energy to prepare for Christmas activities, knowing that you may have to sit on the periphery of family celebrations, watching others dance while smiling at joyful overheard conversations and longing for bedtime.

Wishing you a very Happy Christmas - regardless of whether you recognise it as a religious festival. I am thinking of you and yours!