Val's Cafe

chris8

@frogmorton No internal swimming pool or front room water feature that was meant to say :)
@dachshund Hey I'm ok thanks hows you? I try to do bits but not to much and not to little... hows things yourself hope you and Lexi andre are both ok and it's still sunny in Swindon :)
Hi @kathleenT hope you're ok, another awesome poem and fantastic recipe! :)

frogmorton

Good Morning everyone

We have sunshine - maybe not for long, but for now at least and I have my Click and collect Tesco order this morning and it's MY BIRTHDAY 😮 I had a 🐱 in my ear singing happy birthday at midnight! She has to be first🙄

Joan at first I couldn't come in the café without crying and missing Aidan so much ((())). As for Bill i just think how much harder it's been for him and he's a lovely man which is why Aidan married him.

Oh Chris yes rice crispies! We don't need to eat them to snap crackle and pop do we? Yes we are lucky to have the choice of netflix and Amazon prime these days. I am even thinking about watching the whole of Downton Abbey...I've never seen it!

No internal damage thank you we were lucky as it's not long been decorated!

Now I must ask apart from you elderly neighbour who lives with you? Don't answer if you don't want to of course.

Kath I LOVED that Lear poem too! He wrote great poems for animal mad people like us! such a good job the duck had socks else it would never have happened. Sleek said she has some 'tailz abowt Pepay to tel Kaff 2nyt' so be warned!

Iceland is who Lucy is shopping with and she seems happy enough. She is meat mad these days after her cancer odd isn't it? She was a staunch veggie before.

I do hope Anita has told her team about the side effects of her treatment? Is this normal? I'm sure it is but you can't help but worry. I think she'll have her op soon now though things are starting to get under control. Did you hear cancer Dx are 70% down? People are just leaving things and not seeing their Dr! Scary!

Barbara I am glad you liked Chris7 too she was a nice lady. I hope she lost touch because life picked up for her fingers crossed.

Lucy and I do facetime and I do with Charley too. They have Covid bad at her place now, but they do have the face shields as well as aprons and gloves and masks. Poor people and poor families 😕 Are your GD and her finacée still safe?

Glad your bro is still being monitored. I rang the QE for lucy's apt (today) and they said it should have been cancelled for now they are doing active treatments only. With blood cancers there's no time for delay I suppose.

Aidan did indeed teach me well as Tosca did Sleek!

Feel free to leave the beans out although l LOVE refried beans myself!

dachshund

Good morning everyone

Kath I hope you and Chris have a good day (((()))) love to your Dad (((())) and Anita (((())) and Holly (((()))

Barbara I'm glad you are getting the meals alright (((())) love to you all

Chris8 it must be difficult doing your job having Arthritis (((()))

love to Toni ((()))Carol ((())) Mig ((())) Bill ((())) Yvonne ((()))

barbara12

afternoon all..thankyou to the lovely Yvonne for helping me get around fiefox security..thought I was lost forever..and Im on my laptop so can do smilies...😁😁😎

Toni a Very HAPPY BIRTHDAY to you ..hope... well know you will have a good day..even though it is at home..🌷🌺🍹🎂 xxxxxxxx

And thankyou for breakfast..must try refried beans..xx

Chrsi you made me laugh ..I know the rice crispies sound... well no creeping up on anyone..you can come and design my house..its a real mismatch..😂xx

Joan I hope you and Sue can get out today ..we have rain then sun and back to rain..I really look forward to the meal delivery ..tell you I am spoiled now no more cooking..well for now..xx

Right will leave you all for now stay safe and well

Thankyou again Yvonne xxx...

Kitty

Daily Poem (I'm back to my older and miserable ones) 🙄

Waiting

by ath T.

In night's dark cloak he comes to me,

he whispers how it ought to be.

I hear his step outside my door

and I am seventeen once more.

Through dreaming hours we blend like mist;

my brow, my eyes, my mouth he's kissed.

Our souls are one, we cannot part

for long ago he stole my heart.

But as the dawn breaks he is gone,

vanished where the sun has shone

and I awake to live my life

as someone's mother, someone's wife.

Every day I grow more weary,

wasted hours - so long, so dreary.

The love I never had must hide

'til darkness brings him to my side.

Toni, More Tales of Tosca and friends, I wish I could write a series of poems about them all, but I can't focus at the moment. Tell Sleek I apologize if I fall asleep, Not boredom, just sheer exhaustion. 😴 Anita has told her team about the SEs of Letrozole, it is common.

Well done Yvonne for helping our Babs with Firefox.

I hope Joan, Sue, Carol and Chris are all well, and mig of course.

I've got to log on to Iceland at 4pm to sort out a slot.

Vegan  Avocado spaghetti

Pasta is always a go to quick and easy meal option.

Ingredients

• 350g of spaghetti 
• 2 avocados (de-stoned and peeled)
• 2 medium shallots
• 1 lime (juice)
• 1 garlic clove (crushed)
• 1/4 cup (60ml) of light olive oil
• 1/2 tsp of chilli flakes
• Pinch of salt and pepper
• Coriander (optional)

Method

1. In a large pan on the hob, pour in water to the top and sprinkle in some salt and a 1/2 teaspoon of olive oil. Once the water has come to the boil, place in the spaghetti.
2. Whilst the spaghetti is cooking, make the sauce. Place the avocados, garlic, shallots, lime juice, chilli flakes, salt and pepper and oil into a food processor and whizz up until smooth. This will take a few minutes.
3. Once the spaghetti is soft and has fully cooked, drain the pasta and place into a large wok.
4. Add 1/2 a cup of boiling water to the avocado sauce and mix the sauce into the steaming pasta.
5. Gently heat until the desired temperature.
6. Serve whilst warm and enjoy.

Recipe taken from Holly Jade at The Little Blog of Vegan

chris8

Afternoon all!
Happy birthday Toni! @frogmorton hope there's a Birthday cake on your click and collect :) hope you have a great day! I've not watched Downton Abbey either bit sounds good (let me know what you think) :) Glad there was no internal water damage, and I live on my own so all peaceful :) not really seen much of the neighbours with all this...
Hi @dachshund yeah it's not easy at times but plenty others worse and lot worse than me so I'm just trying to keep plodding on :) hope your ok yourself.
@barbara12 Hey Hows things? Yeah certainly no creeping up on anyone lol us Snap, Crackle and Pop people wouldnt make good 'Cat burglars' haha I'd probably get ideas and inspiration if I was designing your home lol

frogmorton

Morning everyone!

Thank you I had a lovely birthday! It was up there with the one i had when Lucy and i were in hospital on the teenage cancer trust ward. I annoyed everyone that day singing '"It's my birthday it's my birthday I must spend my mo-o-ney!" then scootering up and down the corridor on drip stands with the nurses and my bro brought me a cake which all the kids ate. This year he left me a face mask on my doorstep! How times change😁

I will post some pics later...

Joan were you and I posting at the same time yesterday? I think we were ((())) to you and Sue.

Barbara is IN thank you Yvonne! She is such a star getting you in on your laptop and now you feel more like you able to express yourself with your smilies!

🐱

I did indeed have a great day i will post pics later it will make sense then :) Kari gave me some damson gin she made from our village's damsons last summer. We had a drop each.🥂

I hope your delivery was as YUM as usual and no cooking just what a girl needs!

Kath more pasta the best food on earth is pasta 🍽️ and vegan too ta very muchly!

The poem is a little sad maybe - I also had a true love at 17 - possibly the happiest time of my life(no responsibilities!!), but life is good now too. I have a different love and love being this husband's wife! Wouldn't be without my kids either. That lady needs to count her blessings.

Go Sleek she has many 'tails' of her life with Pepe and Tosca and a few with Cookie in it too. Sleek said not to worry she is trying to get you off to sleep with happy thoughts 🙂

Glad Anita has passed her concerns on and all is well. Good to see the PM saying that all cancer treatments are back on!

Chris I didn't have cake on my click and collect, but had it from a lady in the village who made cakes last year for possibly the whole of south staffs via our village cart. I will post a pic later so you know what I mean. It's almost gone...!

Not sure about Downton, but this is a good opportunity isn't it? could do my wasgij jigsaw at the same time...?

Had virtual choir practise last night....and we have to do exercises shoulders and the like before we make a racket....we were all bowls of rice crispies. Nope useless cat-burglars!!! Must think of an alternative career....🤔

Some breakfast anyone?

Vegan/veggie bacon available....

frogmorton

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1O2CG08VFQUBam-nX89GToiH4r-rtQGag/view?usp=sharing

Our village cart for Chris8. Last years' pic we decided not to do it this year due to COVID.

chris8

Good morning all hope you all have a nice Friday and Weekend
@frogmorton @dachshund @kathleenT @barbara12 @Turbogran @YvonneH and whoever else I may have missed out...

@frogmorton Good morning Toni glad you had a good birthday! Maybe you can have a 2nd birthday also whenever the current events simmer down?! Glad you managed to get a cake, and both the village cart and Breakfast pics look lovely. Hahaha made me chuckle too the alternate career comment also lol :)

dachshund

Good Morning everyone

. Kath I hope you get a slot to book your food (((())) and Chris ((())) Anita (((()))and your Dad (((())))

Chris8 Have a good weekend (((())) we take the dogs for a walk through the woods it used to be long to a big house quite a few acre 's it also has an ice house so the 1'st of May people do a dance there about 4in the morning not us.

Barbara that's good you got your smiles ((())) Yvonne is clever ((()) love to your brother and his girlfriend ((())) have a good weekend (((()))

Toni that's nice you had a good birthday ((((()))) love to Charley and her friend ((((())) Lucy ((())) Tia ((())) and Paul ((())) have a good weekend

love to Carol (((())) Mig ((())) Bill ((())) Yvonne ((()))

Kitty

Daily Poem

She Walks in Beauty

BY LORD BYRON (GEORGE GORDON)

She walks in beauty, like the night

Of cloudless climes and starry skies;

And all that’s best of dark and bright

Meet in her aspect and her eyes;

Thus mellowed to that tender light

Which heaven to gaudy day denies.

One shade the more, one ray the less,

Had half impaired the nameless grace

Which waves in every raven tress,

Or softly lightens o’er her face;

Where thoughts serenely sweet express,

How pure, how dear their dwelling-place.

And on that cheek, and o’er that brow,

So soft, so calm, yet eloquent,

The smiles that win, the tints that glow,

But tell of days in goodness spent,

A mind at peace with all below,

A heart whose love is innocent!

Hello everyone, guess what, we are having our very first order from Iceland on Sunday between 9am - 11am. It's not a huge order, as we have a Tesco delivery today (pre booked weeks ago. But it was a try out, and we will use Iceland in future instead of Tesco.

Toni, smashing breakfast, thank you.I hope you like today's poem, You can pretend the picture is me if you like. It isn't of course but go back 50 years and it might have been. 😉

Joan, thank you for the good wishes for Anita and dad. I hope Sue and the doggies are well.

Hi Chris8, glad to hear you are coping and the ouchies aren't getting you down. 🤗 (ouchies is an Aidanism, he was kind and thoughtful).

Barbara, I hope you found a delivery slot for the weekend. There were loads for 28th May when I looked first thing, but they've all gone now. 🙄.

lemony basil creamy vegan pasta with broccoli & sundried tomatoes

INGREDIENTS

• 8 ounces whole wheat pasta (see Recipe Notes)

• 3 cups broccoli florets
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
• 3 ounces sun-dried tomatoes, sliced (see Recipe Notes)
• 4 ounces arugula (a few handfuls)
• Kosher salt and ground black pepper

lemon basil cashew cream sauce:

• 1 cup roasted, unsalted cashews
• 3 cloves garlic

• ½ lemon, juiced
• 1 cup packed fresh basil
• 1 cup water
• ½ teaspoon Kosher salt

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Boil the pasta: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, generously salt the water. Add in the pasta and cook to al dente, according to package directions. About 2 minutes before the pasta is al dente, add the broccoli florets to the pot to cook with the pasta as the pasta finishes cooking. Reserve 1 cup of the starchy pasta water. Drain the pasta and set aside.
2. Make the lemon basil cashew cream sauce: Add all listed ingredients to a high-speed blender. Blend until smooth and creamy. Set aside, or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
3. Cook the veggies: Add the olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add in the onion and bell pepper. Season with 1 teaspoon Kosher salt and ½ teaspoon ground black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the veggies soften slightly, 3-4 minutes. Once softened, add the sun-dried tomatoes and arugula to the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sun-dried tomatoes soften and the arugula wilts slightly, 1-2 minutes.
4. Finish the creamy vegan pasta: Once the veggies are ready, add the drained pasta & broccoli to the skillet. Pour the lemon basil cashew cream sauce over top. Toss to combine, adding a little of the reserved starchy pasta water as you go to reach your desired consistency. Taste and season additionally with salt or a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, as desired. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

 

NOTES

• Pasta: Obviously, to make this pasta vegan, use your favorite vegan pasta. I love DeLallo’s whole wheat pastas – they’re totally vegan-friendly. While I prefer a textured short noodle for this lemony basil creamy vegan pasta recipe (it clings to the sauce really nicely – pictured here is rigatoni), you can use whatever shape you like best.
• Sun-dried tomatoes: I find 3 ounce bags of sliced sun-dried tomatoes at Trader Joe’s & they work really well for this recipe. You’ll want to make sure to use dried sun-dried tomatoes for this recipe, not the kind that comes packed in oil, to ensure your creamy vegan pasta doesn’t get super oily.

barbara12

Afternoon all..back on my phone but so no smilies
Toni I am so glad you enjoyed your birthday..how nice to have gin made by your sister:) and other presents if course..you deserve it...
And thankyou for another good breakfast..the egg looks free range and so they should be..xx
Chris..dont think you will get much inspiration frim my house...its all magnolia...hahaha..xc
Kath a proper sad poem..the first one I mean I also lift my fist love at 16..
The second poem is so beutiful..I remember it well.
.I always have frozen brocollie in so will try the pasta recipe..you should be proud you gave got me cooking again...hahaha...hope you get all you ordered from iceland they were very good when we used them..xx
Joan was the bit house were you used to live..gish I bet it was nice walking through the woods..so peaceful...xx
I booked an online test yesterday for covid..for the over 65s..I got my log in num and then the list of places came up..the nearest one with any places is 15 miles away...so wont bother till we get one nearer..you can take up to 3 people with you from your household the only reason I booked it was that our son that lives here has a sore throat..hope it doesn't develope..
Love to everyone
Xxxxxxc
.

frogmorton

Morning everyone the sun is out ☀️ Hope it stays out!

Barbara i do hope your son's throat does not develop into anything. Paul was all hot and cold yesterday so i was worried about him. Of course we are worrying unnecessarily I hope because people can still get colds of course they can!

Oh yes all café eggs are free range we wouldn't use anything else!

Thank you it was a good birthday we shall save the rest of the gin (tiny bottles) for another special occasion.

How is Naimh doing have you had a facetime chat lately?

Kath of course the picture is you! and yes I do like yesterday's poem. I forgot though so say (and must do so quickly or it will go out of my head!) The Owl and the Pussycat! Our girls all read a bit each at our wedding so a REAL special one for us 🙂 Charley was 10 Tia 9 (nearly 10) and Lucy 7.

More vegan pasta! Oooh monsieur you are spoiling us!!

Let me know how it goes with Iceland. Shame to stop with Tesco over this they WERE great for you are very helpful and reliable.

Chris ah yes a different career😁 What are those clicky things they use at football matches to make a noise? I could be one of those!

The sun is out time for Pink Panthering! Out you go for 15 minutes think of your vitamin D levels...

Our village cart was an amazing success last year we sold allsorts extra veggies people had grown, books, sweets, pop and above all ever FRIDAY cake!!! Oh yes cakes 🍰

I'm sure i was going to post a pic of something else....🤔

Joan what kind of place do you live in? It sounds amazing apart from the unusual dancing😮 imagine an original ice house! Love to you and Sue ((())) hope all carers are well xxx

Carol I hope all is well with you and the family and Mr T is behaving himself! Are they all back at work yet? You should receive my order soon for Flamingo. I am after some of the crafty stuff to be honest....boredom has set in a bit....

Some breakfast for us all..

Turbogran

mornin all just a quick note to Toni about your flamingo order, You will soon be receiving a communication from flamingo just to advise you on delays on getting orders out, as they are working with reduced staff And heaps more orders. As customers are ordering more via the traders websites not being able to have face to face visits from their individual traders , due to lockdown. It rest assured you will get your order. I have one of the craft kits Myself I have the roses haven’t made them yet but I will be trying them soon.

will post again later speak with you all soon.

❤️❤️🌈🌈

dachshund

Good morning everyone

. Kath how are all your aches and pain's I hope they are behaving ((((()))) love to Chris (((())) and Anita (((())) and your Dad (((())))

Barbara I read chocolate was good for a sore throat (((())) love to Mr B ((())) and Niamh ((())) and your Brother (((()))

Toni we live in a bungalow the field's with the big house is a few streets away it's called the Lawns.a lovely place to take the dogs.

I'm sorry Charley ((())) still poorly and her friend ((())) it's good they have one another. Love to You ((())) Paul (((())) Lucy ((())) Tia((()))

. love to Carol Mig Bill Yvonne (((())))

Talula

Hi everybody can anyone join in at Val's cafe?

Ruth

Ellen

Absolutely Talula

The people who use the café are lovely and welcoming just have a read back and tell them a little bit about yourself.

Ellen

frogmorton

Ruth @Talula the kettle is always on in the café we are just a bunch of people who chat to each other pass the time of day and eat virtual food drink virtual cuppas...

You are very welcome. Pop in day or night and leave us a message/leave food! we will reply when we are next in!

I will leave you some cake (well for anyone who happens by!)

and put the kettle on

Kitty

Daily Poem

Garden Blues by Kath T. (I think I might have already posted this)

I can no longer go out to our garden

me knees won’t let me you see.

And when me spine buckles -

my what a kerfuffle,

the air turns a delicate shade of blue.

So I stand Gazing out of the window,

wondering what to do,

when all of a sudden I spot Alan Titchmarsh

and the “love Your Garden” crew.

I rush to put the kettle on

and break out the chocolate Hob Nobs

but when I get back, the whole lot have gone

leaving all those gardening jobs.

Me garden is still neglected,

and a tear runs down me cheek,

I now feel so lost and dejected,

with no paddle, I’m stuck up the creek.

Ellen, what a lovely thing to say about we cafe dwellers. All true of course. 😀

Talula (Ruth) we welcome all who wish to join, Please tell us about yourself, because we're a nosy bunch but love making new friends. Quite a few of us are vegan so any recipes I post are usually vegan or veggie. But I eat anything. We are a mixed bunch but all have at least one form of arthritis among other things.We always talking about our beloved friend Aidan(Matron, Bubbles) who sadly passed away last year. We were all bereft and still miss him muchly. We al adore animals of all kinds (especially pusscats.

Joan, my aches and pains are all thriving thank you. I rang dad this morning and he's keeping very well.

Toni, I think we will probably stay with Tesco and just occasional Iceland. And guess what, my food parcel arrived yesterday - parcel - I could use the box to move house with! It contained: 2 litres of UHT milk, a bag of spuds, a bag of carrots, bag of rice, ditto pasta shells,. 3 tins Baxters soup, 1 tin beans, 2 tins tomatoes, 1 tin white kidney beans, bag of apples, oranges, a ginormous onion, a huge grapefruit. Small bag of teabags, packet of instant coffee, bag of porridge oats, large packet of digestive biscuits, a Radox shower gel, and a tiny soap bar. to last a week - I could live on that lot for a month. Thank you for breakfast.

Carol, do you think Mr T could play anything from Phantom of the Opera?

Barbara, the only smile we like to see is the one on your profile pic. I got you cooking again? Go on with you. I'm watching The Queen again, Michael Sheen is brilliant, did you see him as Chris Tarrant in Quiz?

VEGAN SAUSAGE CASSEROLE WITH BANGERS & BORLOTTI BEANS

Confession time: this recipe was going to be a ‘Bonfire Night’ Bangers ‘n’ Borlotti Bean Stew, posted in the week before 5th November, in time for you to shop for ingredients then enjoy with a backdrop of fireworks. But life happened, and here it is a couple of weeks late…. oops! This vegan sausage casserole is perfect for coming home to after a chilly autumn walk.

Vegan sausages, baby carrots and borlotti beans in a thick, tomatoey gravy – this is a speedy 20 minute meal, helped out by one of my favourite ‘cheat’ ingredients, instant gravy granules. They thicken the sauce, and give it a deep, savoury flavour at the same time – just check they are vegan, (most are).

VEGAN SAUSAGE CASSEROLE

Leaving the sausages whole can create a bit of a portioning problem if you’re serving anything other than 2 or 3 people, so if in doubt, just chop the sausages up into 4 or 5 big chunks before browning, and voilà… no more arguments.

Vegan Sausage Casserole: Bangers & Borlotti Bean Stew

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

15 mins

Total Time

20 mins

 

A comforting vegan sausage stew with baby carrots and borlotti beans in a rich, tomato-ey gravy.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive or rapeseed oil
• 6 vegan sausages
• 1 red onion
• 8 baby carrots (eg. chantenay)
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp garlic purée / ready-chopped garlic
• 400 g tin borlotti beans (drained and rinsed)
• 250 g passata
• 2 tbsp gravy granules (check they are vegan)
• handful baby spinach

Instructions

1. Heat the oil in a large, lidded casserole dish of frying pan, and fry the sausages on a medium heat until golden brown all over. Peel and slice the red onion and add to the pan, then trim the baby carrots and slice them lengthways into halves or quarters depending on their size. Add to the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes.
2. When the onion has softened, add the garlic and smoked paprika to the pan and stir well. Drain and rinse the borlotti beans and add to the pan, followed by the passata, 250ml water and the gravy granules. Bring to the boil then reduce to a medium heat and cook for 7-8 minutes until the sauce has thickened and the carrots are just cooked through. Taste and add a little salt or black pepper if required.
3. Roughly chop the spinach and stir through the sauce just a minute before the end of cooking time, and serve immediately with a baked potato, rice or mash.

barbara12

Evening all..very cold here at the min..
Toni thankyou for more lovely eggs..and white chocolate.oooh now I must try that...
If course we will all get cold.. it does make us paranoid especially had I have been sneezing a lot due to the pollen....I hope Paul is ok...xx
We has a country have done really badly compared to some :(..
Tulua welcome to the cafe has you probably know we are a bit mad..and it helps. calorie free cake nothing nicer xx
Joan how nice to have the grounds of the house to have a ride in with the doggies..its sounds so nice....xx
Kath the poem made me laugh I am always on at my family to get Alan Titchmarsh to come round and do my garden....anyhow they say dont tidy your garden it attracts wildlife...:)
We are hopefully having sunday dinner delivered tomorrw..its a first for our pub..so I am looking forward...me and my food hahaha
Have a good evening all
Xxxxxxxxxx


;

Talula

Thank you for the welcome Barbara, calorie free cake? you will never get rid of me now. I hope you enjoy your Sunday dinner, it sounds lovely xx

frogmorton

No Chris? That's a bit odd🤔 I hope all is well....

Talula did you see the cake I left for you? It's above somewhere I hope you like it. It's never ending cake too. As Kath said we had a lovely chap Aidan (and ex Matron - hence Matron's Munchies) who really was the core of the café. He had a heart attack on 9th December and died unexpectedly. His husband keeps in touch with us - he's the 'Bill' we refer to.

Now Aidan LOVED cake - any cake, but especially chocolate cake! He used to post pics of cake all the time so rich and creamy, but totally calorie free!

Barbara is having a Sunday dinner delivered today! and there's me cooking one😂

White chocolate is absolutely gorgeous, but i am yet to find a half decent vegan version sadly....

I want Alan Titchmarsh and so does Kath! Do you think he'd do us a 3 for 1? garden is making you sneeze? at least it might make the neighbours avoid you😏

Kath yes you did post the garden poem before but i like it and it's well-worth a second read 🙂 I've just said to Barbara shall we see if Alan Titchmarsh will do us a 3 for 1 and do yours hers and my garden?

I love borlotti beans so thanks for the sausage casserole very much. I think Mike1 would love it too! Probably with 'normal' sausages.

Your food parcel sounds AMAZING!! No wonder Mikey said it was hard work those boxes sound very full and must be heavy!

Let's hope when this is all over Tesco get back to their normal excellent standard of delivery service for you. You have been a regular reliable customer.

Joan 'the lawns' even the name sounds gorgeous! Lovely to have it so nearby. we are in a bungalow now as you know. Did you realise we moved here 5 years ago next month! Charley is much better now and back at work. Lots of the residents of the nursing home have the virus so she is really busy. Love to you and Sue ((()))

Right breakfast:

it is after all SUNDAY!

dachshund

Good morning everyone

Hello Talula it's nice to meet you this is a friendly and helpful forum to come too ((()))

Kath that's a good order of food you enjoy it (((()))) love to Anita ((()))and your Dad ((()))

Barbara I hope. you and Mr B enjoy your meal (((())) love to your brother (((()))) and Niamh (((()))

Toni our bungalow is housing association but it's quite big the kitchen is 17 by 12.

I remember you saying about Charley going back to work I thought the virus had come back (((())) yes I remember when you moved into that bungalow lovely ((())) love to Paul (((())) Tia ((())) and Lucy ((())

Love to Bill ((()))Carol Mig ((())) Yvonne ((()))

Kitty

Daily Poem (inspired by an old sient movie called "Das Kabinett Des Dr Caligari)

Defiled

Gentle dreamer on snowy bed,

visions of light surround your head:

but what gaunt spectre gazes through,

his shadow dark cast over you?

Do not waken, slumber on:

for over roof tops he has come.

The walls are scaled

their purpose failed,

your purity has been unveiled.

When you waken, fresh as dew,

will the sunlight shine on you;

and will your mind still tell you lies?

Or will the shadow cloud your eyes?

Forget your plight

shut out the light.

Hide the spectre from your sight.

Think only of your snow white bed;

then you won't know that you are dead.

Barbara, a bit mad? Come on, admit it - we're completely bonkers. A second poem, of course, one in memory of Aidan which you will all remember.

Pottering

Aidan’s in a dither

and can’t think where to start

should it be the ironing?

or in the kitchen making tarts?

Now Toni’s had a frightful scare

and feeling quite afraid

those naughty spids don’t really care

whose bedroom they invade!

Those 8 legged peeples MUST be taught!

We’ll give them jobs to do.

If pottering is good for us,

it’s good for spiders too.

Sorry Toni, I'd forgotten it mentioned SPIDS. 😏

Thank you for breakfast. 3 for one, hmm, We could ask Charlie and the Rich Brothers, that's 3 for one.

I'm in a massive flare, hands wrists and elbows (not hands, shoulders knees and toes) But my mouth, ears and nose are pretty awful too (Sjogren's) and my Vasculitis is flaring too, rash on legs keeps scabbing. 🙄. I think I either need an infusion of Truxima, or an increase in dose of MTX. I'm certainly NOT increasing my Pred. Anyway, I'm glad Charlie is back at work, bless her. My Iceland order was delivered at 9:50am. Only 3 items missing. The chappie wore a face mask. I wonder why Tesco don't?

Love to Joan, Sue, Lexi and Pepper, mig, Talula and anyone else I've missed.

Beetroot & red onion tarte tatin

Ingredients

• 400g beetroot
• , cut into wedges
• 1 red onion, cut into wedges
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp soft brown sugar
• 2 star anise
• flour
• , for rolling
• 500g block puff pastry (we used vegan Jus-Rol)
• 1 orange
• , zested
• peppery green salad, to serve

Method

1. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. In a bowl, toss the beetroot and onion in 2 tbsp of the oil, the vinegar and sugar. Add the star anise and season well. Heat the rest of the oil in a large, ovenproof non-stick frying pan, then nestle in the veg so that they cover the surface of the pan. Cover with foil and cook in the oven for 45 mins.
2. On a well-floured surface, roll the pastry to a thickness of 0.5cm and cut out a circle the same size as your frying pan. Carefully take the pan out of the oven, remove the foil and wiggle the beets and onion around in the pan to make a compact layer. Put the pastry on top, tucking it in all around the edges, then return the pan to the oven and bake for 35 mins or until the pastry has puffed up and is a deep golden brown.
3. Slide a palate knife around the edge of the tart, then put a plate on top of the pastry, serving side down. Flip the pan over to turn the tart out onto the plate – be careful not to burn yourself with the handle. Top with the orange zest and a sprinkle of sea salt, then serve with a peppery salad on the side.

chris8

Good afternoon people hope you're all well! Was busy yesterday sorting through Clothes yesterday, 'Spring' cleaning I think they call it haha oh and all the while to try and avoid the treating myself like most seem to he doing to beat the lockdown blues :)
@frogmorton Hey Toni those things at Football matches I think was called Clackers but I'm not to sure lol as always Pink Panthering tip toeing about hahaha too lol liking the Cake pics that much I needed a sweet fix so not cakes in I demolished some Galaxy chocolate. Ooops haha that Hot White Chocolate recipe looked awesome too mmmm hope you're all right x
Hi @barbara12 how you keeping? I can relate to Magnolia as I've had that as my base colour for well over a decade at numerous places lol always a neutral, airy colour hey. Wow I was even giving it the interior design patter then?! Haha but no Magnolia is a really good go to colour! Hope you're weekend going alright x
Hi also to @Turbogran @dachshund @kathleenT @Talula @Ellen and whoever else I may have missed. Hope your all well and having a chilled Sunday x