Val's Cafe

My dogs woke me up barking I think they heard cats fighting cup of tea anyone.

Morning!

This is where we arrived yesterday and are staying now for a whole 3 nights (2 left) in Provence. there are photos not just words:

Well done Joan the rose looks lovely really pretty. Glad to hear Pepper is coping with the heat. Kari says Sleek is doing fine she is keeping the front curtains shut to keep the sun off. Take care ((())) xxx

Morning Stuart I am so sorry you are struggling so much😕 I don't think excessive heat helps much as it also saps your energy. ((())) xxx

Morning Jojo how are you feeling today I think it's Sunday? Tricky when you're away isn't it? Have you tried ice/cool ever on your joints? I was going to say the same to Stuart sometimes it is better than heat. Either a cool pack on crushed ice in a teatowel. Worth a try. ((()))

Great poem Skinny K🤣 Very Val's caf silly so perfect. Toady is now calling us poet's corner! You got 1st on a new page two in a row😉

Thanks the motorhome is perfect for us just the right size not stupidly big but has a loo and shower as well as a fridge freezer and cooker. I would take interior pics if it was a bit tidier! no must never let your guitars get over hot!

I hope Stuart is taking some comfort from your experience getting diagnosed and like the rest of us living with pain. Jojo too it really is pretty miserable isn't it?

That'll teach you offering to help Anda with the watering🤭Take care ((())) xxx

Morning Reshmi Hope you are well and your Mum's back has eased.

I am using caps not hats atm (bucket hat repossessed by Lucy) it's just so hot here. Without the aircon I would be in real trouble. Got up to 37/8 yesterday.

Oh dear BR not happy with his hat indeed he is a very dapper young man and should not be expected to go out in public in last years' fashions!😂 What on earth was Mummy thinking?😮

Finally we are here in Provence and tomorrow will go to the lavender fields today we will go across the river into Avignon itself.

Loving the edible afternoon teas!

Take care and keep cool! ((()))

Morning Toady you have a bench😊 I am so glad you needed it in this heat to have a rest from existing!

Well done getting a rug washed and no doubt dried too.

Elfie is having a great time and has sent Sleek postcards (she may start bringing them to show you soon) and catsapps too he is behaving well although I think the heat is getting to him a bit.

Saône river behind. All I can hear just now being early are birds. l have seen one pusskin today and stroked another yesterday too🤗

Tomorrow we are driving out to see some lavender fields I absolutely cannot wait! Today a short boat ferry across the river into Avignon itself.

No sure why pics don't look sunny trust me it is! PHEW!!!!! 🔥

yesterday.

Take care Toad ((())) xxx

when I was playing guitar in bands Toni I used to suffer with a bit of tendonitis in my fretting hand/wrist and the French lavender oil used to work wonders and getting rid of it. My ex used to moan about how expensive it was, but the cheap stuff didn’t work.

You’ll remember the -“I don’t want to eat grass!!” Incident with Sucré recently.

Here’s another.

We had been out to the park and stopped for lunch on the way home. Once home Sucré wanted his water play stuff out. He was really warm and he had a mild touch of heat stroke a few days ago so I am paranoid about keeping him cool now. He didn’t want to wear a hat and he has LOADS of hair so I got some room temperature water and wet his hair. He moaned coz it got in his eyes etc and got his top wet.

About 5 minutes later I saw he was wearing a very kewl skate themed T shirt and as an avid skateboarder up till a few years ago I said to him I really like your T shirt son!

He replied, Yes I like it too -PAUSE FOR DRAMATIC EFFECT- when it’s not soaking wet!!!

Afternoon all 👋 raining cheerily away out there this morning 🙄 wasn't too much, just blowing and quite nasty now. 19 degree forecast for tomorrow, meh.

Lovely lovely pictures frog that view to the bridge is gorgeous 😍 and j'adore Elfie in his little car, absolutely perfect for him. Sitting in the continental driver's side as well I see 👍️ jolly good. Glad to hear he is sending proper postcards, nothing like a nice postcard imo 🖼️📧. Enjoy Avignon and yes hope the lavender fields trip is a lovely drive and experience 😀. Nothing much doing here, rain as mentioned, did get the rug dry luckily as there would be nothing doing today - also slight snag in that the washing line hook came out of the brickwork yesterday when I was picking something else it, I'm surprised the quite heavy pulley thing didn't have a go at swinging back & clonking me on the head, it apparently being 'try & injure yourself' season 🤪. Glad you are stopping in one place for a bit longer that will be nice, have a super stay in Provence 😘 xx

Hello Joan, there hasn't been enough rain for me to monitor the leak, but have had a heavyish bit earlier so I should check I suppose 😬. Wonder if you have had any it saves a bit of watering. Hope your frozen goods will find their way back home soon 👍️ sounds like it might be at closing time 🤭. Glad Pepper is well, have a good new week 😘 xx

Hi bosh, thanks about the burger, yes tends to be the same here, meat substitute is the term I was looking for & couldn't think 👍️. Glad your mum's back is feeling better and hope your day is ok so far. Dapper is indeed a lovely word and that's a sweet little story 😊 when do you get to call anyone dapper though not so much 'these days', it's all shorts shorts shorts 🤨 I suppose it's only fair (there was a bbc article just, is it ever acceptable in the office ie shorts for men at work), should men have to be hot in trousers? But there are degrees of better & worse shorts that's for sure. They're the workman's uniform now pretty much, my grandad probably went to work carpentering in a waistcoat & tie, & might have loved a tshirt I suppose 🤷‍♀️. Anyway rambling. No news here, just lots of teabreaks and not much getting done between them. I adore those little chairs & tables, I feel I want to make some little cracker furniture myself now 😀. Take care have a good evening 👋 xx

Hi Keef, yes a lot worse things to teach you at school than bike suspension, something practical would have been really cool 👍️ it's better now I guess. Ha to Sucré and the dramatic pause tshirt punchline, I was going to say dry retort, not that dry 😁. First post 2 in a row, you've cracked the secret formula haven't you 🕵️😉. Glad you've all been having some nice fun in the outdoors :) xx

Sorry you were up having been disturbed Jojo, posted a minute before Stuart, the tea would still have been hot in the pot for him 👍️. Hope your day has been ok and you did get some more sleep after that :) xx

Hope you are doing as well as poss Stuart and neighbours have been quiet, no-one has even mown a lawn here so far today, wonders will never cease 😮. Must get out and look at the garden but at least it's had a bit of rainwater 👍️ xx

Hi frogmorton I'm not too bad thanks hope you are well yeah it's Sunday today. No I haven't tried ice much but the cold weather tends to make my joints worse I think heat is good for my joints thanks for the advice though.

hi SK

That’s a funny story about Sucre.

How are you feeling today?

Have a good night tc x

Going to be a long night I can't get to sleep though pain best heat my heat pad up again.

Tried to post via my laptop no box to reply in how odd so apologies this will be rubbish!

JoAn that was kind Brenda offering food to you. Have you got the new freezer now? Your rose is lovely judt think how big it will be next year! ((())) xxx

Have a lovely day with the kids today Jojo I loved teachers training days when the world was working but you had them with you👍 hope the film is good. ((())) xxx

Oh Keef! Sucre can certainly cut you dead can't he?🤣🤣🤣 Still I am on your side heatstroke is not to br sniffed at and an accidentally wet t shirt is probably good.

You will have certainly driven past the lavender fields yes they look grey from the roadside. Pure lavender oil nothing like it good for so many things.

Take care ((())) xxx

Morning Reshmi

Glad to hear your Mum's back eased and it is getting cooler?

Glad Dapper brought back such a good good memory for you. I certainly applies to BR in my mind anyway. Oh abd clearly I am not Dapper enough for a bucket hat.

My caps will have to jolly well do.

Lavender fields today so eye drops and antihistamine taken! Still it will be so worth it❤️

LoVe the cucumber sandwich! But how did the do the eyes.

Had a terrific meal out in Avignon yesterday after a boat ride over the Rhone!

Take care and keep 😎 ((())) xxx

Morning Stuart thanks for the cuppa. Hope you and your Mum are cool enough? Xxx

Morning Toady hope the rain helped a bit? 35 here today apparently still no rain but what did i expect?

lavender fields today! Yippee! What I cane for I can't wait.

Elfie can't either!

His postcards Haven't arrived yet but Kari is keeping an eye.

A lucky escape that the waking line didn't hit you! Honestly could have been bad.

Enjoy your bench sure you are seeing more Elfie selfies courtesy of Sleek. Take care ((())) xxx

Beautiful canal in Avignon Le Rue des Teinturiers.

Hi toady not slept much at all really I'm pleased I'm off work today the dog woke me up around 6am so I had to stand outside then couldn't get back to sleep I felt awake and hungry. I hope you got some sleep I hope you have a great day.

Good morning everyone

Toady (()) yes I have my food now. The rose has 10 buds on it I don’t think they will be out all the same time. Sorry about your washing line coming out of the wall. Have a good day

Toni (()) enjoy the lavender fields do you get a free sample. Do you remember when the ladies walked around town selling lavender for five pounds. Thank you for the photos.

Reshmi (()) have a good day love to your mum (())

Jojo (()) I hope you have a better day to day and night.

Stuart (()) sorry you are in so much pain love to your mum (())

Skinny Keef (()) Sucr’e is lovely have a good day all of you love to Loanda (())

hi Toni

Good afternoon

How are you?
nice to hear from you on cats nap 👍

Mums ok 👍

Lovely pic I’m glad you enjoyed your meal

Yes It’s getting cooler here today thank goodness

Thanks about the dapper memory, yes BR is also very dapper in his own way of course

He showed his family the “ the granny walk” recently, which involved him walking with a stick almost bent double with a very grumpy face and eyes narrowed almost into slits, big bro said “ BR, don’t you mean this is the mummy - walk?”, but no he said granny, never mind haha.

Don’t worry about reaching “uncool” status when it come to bucket hats etc lol

I reached that status in the family a long time ago as sis and mum are widely perceived as having good fashion sense, whereas I’m an eccentric mima who may wear eccentrically coloured socks and rather unusual looking cheap sun hats if left to her own devices haha

Yes thanks about mums back

Sis is progressing very slowly but at least she’s not getting worse - thanks for asking

No I’m not sure about the eyes either

the boat ride sounds nice

I was watching b carb & custard - the animals ate special popcorn that made their stomachs bloat but also made their whole bodies float up into the sky like gastric balloons 🤢

Custard said his stomach was also aching, but he could not discipline his body enough to float down in order to buy medicine from the chemist - Oh dear, the floating pharmacists - it’s certainly beats “…cahoots” 😂

Have a good afternoon Toni tc xx