Val's Cafe

We haven't had any thunder. I'm always telling the children not to worry as lightening goes for the highest object but have seen a few burnt rooftops on the TV. Applerose you must have jumped a mile!


in fact I haven't seen a drop of rain for over a week either. The hollihocks have some deep purple flowers (thought it was labelled as a red one when I bought it). a spot of rain would be welcome, just a little mind you.

Lucy came home in tears from the first violin concert. Apparently she was holding a tissue at the start ! Then she dropped it onto the strings and it messed up her playing so she rushed off stage before the end! Another performance tonight so hope all goes well. I nearly said to her to make sure she was prepared at the start and tissues were tucked away.

Cate it sounds like you have a lovely garden. It is great that you have a regular gardener that you are happy with.Nice to read you have had luch out but I know what you mean about not being able to eat much in this heat. I think I've lost about half a stone (much needed I add).

I hope Lexi is now okay after her op. those hoods do get in the way!

I'm not a soap fan either Applerose. But I do enjoy masterchef!

I can sit in the sun and tan very easily. since being off mtx I no longer go all patchy. I like to sit out in the garden and lately we haven't had the loud music like before so I can sit and read. Mind you got to do another shirt for Lucy's concert and I hate ironing in this heat.

I have a king size bed but we disturb each other terribly. OH snores in the early part of the night so I can't hear the TV and I snore later and wake him up. Mind you he slept downstairs in the cool last night but Lucy took his spot, I think because she was worried it might thunder.

Okay off to check gas and electricity prices as our deal ran out a few months back but I always take my time looking around.

Elizabeth xxxx

Hello Barbara, Joan, Christine, Elizabeth, Cate, how are you all on this hot afternoon? Not too bad I hope. :?

Barbara, I feel sorry for anyone who is afraid of thunder and lightning. It must be dreadful. I've always quite enjoyed them. As a 10+ year old my dad turned our then attic into a fantastic bedroom for me. There was a tiny dormer window which looked out over our roof. I'd open it wide and sit on the sill with my legs out on the roof, and watch the lightning flashing above the neighbouring houses. Although I'm not actually afraid of storms, I don't like them as much as I used to. Age I supposed. :?

Christine, I certainly felt like getting in the fridge. We have a stall on our local market that sells floaty dresses, but I'm too fat and stumpy to wear one. I think you must look fantastic in them though.

Joan, glad this hot weather is suiting you and Sue. But make sure you don't get heat stroke, and drink plenty of water. I hope Lexi soon recovers from her op. I bet the hood makes her hot though.

Cate, how lovely of the young man to tend your garden for you - hope that didn't sound too rude. :shock: Must get my mind out of the gutter. :roll:

Elizabeth, how upsetting for Lucy, I hope she has a more successful performance tonight. GOOD LUCK LUCY. I do like Corrie and Enders, but sometimes their storylines get silly. I'm not averse to watching an interesting documentary at times like that.

We are supposed to get a thunderstorm tonight and overnight, so we won't get much sleep.

Emily has put a couple of new blogs up, with photos of a couple of her outfits. Plus one of her best pal Alex who is her dressmaker/furniture restorer/general dogsbody. I don't know how she finds the time, as her husband has Cerebral Palsy and is in a wheelchair. Alex is his full time carer, although she is a lot younger than he is. They have no children, which under the circumstances is probably quite wise.

Hope you all manage to get a reasonable night and that you all have a good weekend.

Couldn't log in today-I must have had caps lock on or something!


Anyway just to say Lucy's concert went well. I was holding my breath on her return...Thank you for the good luck wishes Kath and Barbara. She only has her violin grade 2 to do next week and that is the really important one.

Charisse I hate this desire to hack everything back. My OH does it too and it has caused many upsets between us. I used to love gardening but can barely manage now, just a bit of pulling out the tall weeds, nothing low down and I feel guilty if I buy plants because somebody else has to plant them on my behalf.

Happily it poured down last night as we so needed it and saves a lot of effort doing it ourselves. The brief thunder and lightening storm scared Lucy but Dan was fine about it.

Wind definitely scares me Charisse as we have tall trees next to the house and I'm convinced they will fall on us. For some reason our neighbour has let a tall fir tree grow right outside her window so it blocks all the light for her. I can't understand why she didn't cut it back when it first started growing.

I'm following the Greek vote this weekend. I hope it doesn't end up as a Greek tragedy with riots and mass shortages of essentials.

Hoping to get a chance to sit in the garden but have visitors all day, most to get their bikes fixed by OH but also a friend is using our parking space before heading to a concert.

Also lost yet another friend this weekend, but do not know how she died and it is quite a unexpected shock. Another friend lost her Brother, he was so unwell he has had a difficult time with sanctions as not well enough to even get out of bed most days.

Sad times and another load of cuts next week....

Elizabeth xxx

Elizabeth.. That's great with Lucy's accomplishment and good luck to her on the next exams.
The M&W workmen don't just hack things back they completely destroy them.. there's not a smidgeon left of any plants now and when I complained to the council these people then almost destroyed one of my blueberry bushes by yanking the whole (enormous) pot out of the ground and pulled out the mint I was growing in a little pot..and that one 3 times! I go on and on when I start about them I'm afraid.. useless lot but as they say..beggars can't be choosers. :roll:
So sorry about your losing another friend .. very sad. ((Hugs))
I think as we get older it so reminds us of our own mortality doesn't it?

Waiting for Andy to play.. hope he wins this year!

GO ANDY!!

Yep stick with the vit B complex Kath if you have seen improvements. That is what I do and why I stopped taking humira. I've seen a big improvement with the lungs and breathing. self diagnosis works for me.

Its been such a lazy day yet I have tons of ironing and forms to fill for Lucy's new school. I just can't get myself motivated.

All the visitors have currently gone so I'll have an early night if I can.

Who remembers the advert where the Mother spends all day rushing about, housework ,cooking etc and when husband returns home she has just sat down and he says 'feet up again darling?' Think it was for Rolo's?
Elizabeth x

Just watching Andy play, the tennis has been brillint this year..anyhow thought I would look in the cafe while watching it... ooh Andy has got his trainer coming on
Cate I still turns things off when its thundering..I know it can cause a surge in electric..dont want mi new telky blowing up :shock:
Elizabth sorry I must have posted at the same time earlier..so glad to hear that Lucy did well..hope..I rember an advert were the good women puts his dinner on the table and she sits down without any... so sorry to hear about your friend..
Kath you sat with your legs out the window and it was thundering.. tell you I have been under the stairs befor now, my sons dont mind it si I must have put on a goid act when they were young
Charisse enjoy the tennis its certainly livened up
right im off to watch more...

Hello Elizabeth Kathleen Christine Cate Barbara Charrisse and anyone else I missed.
Elizabeth good luck with Lucy's violin test. I hope it goes well.
Kathleen I bet that was lovely sitting with your legs out side.
Christine I hope you've had a good weekend.
Cate i'm sorry about your shoulder's I hope the pain goes as quick as it came.
Barbara I hope you had a good weekend. my I have not got my ap for my ankle yet I cannot put any weight on my foot.
Charrisse welcome to the forum it's nice to meet you.
lexi might have to have a nother op tomorrow as the swelling wont go down she's happy she plays with her dumbbell.
take care everyone
joan xx

Hello everyone,

Sitting here waiting for the rain they said we'd have this afternoon/evening. Bet we don't get any.

Cate, I'm glad you had a good sleep on that bed, it is comfy isn't it. Not watching Black Work, even though we usually watch most of Sheridan Smith's work. But the Syndicate - WOW! Love sir Lenny in it, and Anthony Andrews and Melanie Hill. Yes, Kay Mellor is a brilliant playwrite.

Joan, it was lovely sitting with my legs out - wouldn't do it now thought. :shock: I hope Lexi's op goes well tomorrow. As long as she's happy and can play with her dumbell - bless her.

Christine, Emily's blog is so good, she's started me off on one as well: http://lifegardensandotherstuff.blogspot.co.uk/ Mine's a bit boring though. Sorry you are having to put up with all that noise. I expect you're like me, and was brought up to be quiet at night when people were in bed. It doesn't seem to be the case any more.

Barbara, I know lots of people who end up under the stairs in a thunderstorm. Good job I don't need to, there's no room.

So Princess Charlotte has been christened today. Haven't seen any news yet, but I like to see what outfits the queen wears to these events. I'm sure she's lost a bit of weight. Must ask what her secret is next time I'm invited up to the palace. Her Majesty has arthritis too, not sure what type though, but those meeting her are advised to be gentle when shaking her hand - know how she feels.

Well, it's gone quite dull now, so maybe they were right about the rain after all. Take care everyone. xx

Joan, I hope everything goes well for Lexi tomorrow. Hope you get your app soon for your ankle.

Cate, I have set the tv to record both Black Work and Humans. I'm enjoying both but they are on at the same time so I watch one now and the other tomorrow. The Syndicate's been good too. There's supposed to be 2 twists in the final part. I think whoever is in the bed next will appreciate the fan.

Kath, I spent the afternoon scorching in the garden then decided to take a video of it. Just as I finished, the heavens opened. Been dull and raining since. I'll read your blog when I post this or I'll end up losing it. Be sure to let us know what the queen says when you're next there for tea.

Barbara, hope you had a lovely day with your GC. It's such a shame when it rains when there's a fair on. Spoils the day. It can be funny when the electricity goes off. I keep thinking I'll go upstairs to watch tv or switch a lamp on when the light won't go on. Oh my goodness. I hope the girl who was hit by her boyfriend is ok. And the neighbour.

Had a quick chat with my son this morning. My GD is going to Paris tonight with the school. Just hoping things are ok at Calais and they get there ok. My son reckons things have calmed down now. Skyped my daughter and GC then spent the afternoon in the garden tidying up till it got dark then poured down. Spent the evening sorting some more photos in to albums. Just get one done then find a couple of photos which need to go in the middle so have to move the rest down to fit them in.

Don't think Mig's been in for a while. Hope she's ok. I'll leave the kettle on for any late comers.

Hello everyone, thought about going into hiding from those who might have braved my blog and found it boring. But no, you are all too nice to be rotten to me.

mig, I hope you've recovered from your painting marathon.

Christine, the Queen and I don't speak much when I go to tea. We're both too polite to talk with our mouths full.

Barbara, I hope you didn't end up under the stairs again. Fancy that man hitting his girlfriend AND the neighbour too. :shock:

Joan, I don't know what time Lexi is having her op, but I hope all goes well. :?

Hope Elizabeth, Cate and Toni are all well.

Evening All! Had a rather bad couple of days with the old bones I'm afraid! Does get me down. I have two types of pain.. one is "like" sciatica which makes my left leg very numb and sometimes I tend to drag my foot.. but the other, which is much harder to bear, is in my groins and prevents me from standing up so even getting to the little room as a nightmare.. :?
Well.. that's enough of a moan for now methinks.

Kathleen.. Loved looking through your blog..lovely pictures and lovely family too.
Love watching the queen and although I know she doesn't dress herself the clothes she wears are so gorgeous.. and the colours too.
I agree with the comments about Lenny Henry's part in The Syndicate..so well acted.

Another warm day here.. went out to lunch.. nothing fancy but it does ring the changes and gets me out of these four walls for a wee while.

Andy through to the next round.. Yay!

Hope you all had a good day.

Hi all, just a passing visit to say I still keeping my eye on you all. Bloods tomorrow & rheumy to follow sometime, so just working my way round to them things, not much else.

Have spent the last week or two like most of us I expect, being either hot or slightly cold (today the temp dropped well down) and about 5 minutes that were just right. :roll: I think Cate said why do we get such daft weather. Never been sure where in the world would be just right especially as hot = insects & whatnot. And as Barbara said, it does make people go a bit mad dogs & englishmen. :shock: At least there seems to be no shortage of ice-cream in the cafe fridge

Anyway hope those we don't like it have coped with it. The thundery weather was certainly dramatic here, some fantastic lightning, I don't mind it but not right overhead for preference. Especially as Charrisse mentioned, there's the thought that something may 'come down', which being the pessimist's pessimist, I always expect the worst.

At least the garden is self-watering at the moment which is handy. Wondering what on earth they will be doing on Gardener's World that's NSFW, applerose? Can't begin to think. Will be going to look at Kath's blog after this.

Sorry to hear TK has lost a friend. Seem to have plenty on your plate as usual with visitors, forms to fill in etc. And shopping around for your energy suppliers etc, I don't have the energy and I don't have anywhere near the other demands on your time so well done. Glad Lucy's concert went well 2nd time, extra hard to come back from a tricky start, my nerve would have gone. Good for her. Whenever I hear mention of Masterchef my first thought is.. 'buttery biscuit base'. If you don't know what I'm on about, google at your peril. I feel flustered even watching someone cook under pressure like that. Hot & stressful, no thank you!

Hello to joan, poor Lexi, isn't she good to not mind the vet and having to have the collar. My cat had to have one once and even though she didn't mind too much I was so happy when I could take it off for her.

Love to all & see you soon xx