Mumsnet Talk

Welcome aboard.

The first rule of the tea room is - No fisticuffs.
The second rule is - Put the kettle on and lets have a or open a bottle of if its that time of day. Pull a sofa and relax. Parents of one, more (or less) children are welcome to hop on board and chat about anything and nothing. Introduce yourself if new and if you name change give us clue please.

Ooh a shiny new tea room, how lovely! I'll pop the kettle on, on 2nd thoughts it's Friday night, I'll go locate the corkscrew .

<<Bounces in with >> Very posh new home.

Very nice ! I'll just arrange Donkis hay nest and some celebratory carrot a la mode

<< distributes life-jackets, copper sea-sickness bands and copious amounts of >>

(Stupid Yahoo will not let me on! Doesn't it know I have VIE -- that's Very Important Emails! -- to send?!)

very stupid yahhooooooo . Could you not just yodel loudly?

I know I can be loud and shout quite well when necessary, but not sure they'd hear me in Philadelphia....

I know I've shared before but it still makes me smile.

::Dons stripey t-shirt and a jaunty cap::

Land ahoy! This is lovely, UniS, thank you.

And many happy returns, Donki, you very ::cough:: old lady.

In keeping with the spirit

Oh Scout, I knew it was going to be that.

::bliss::

I'm glad I didn't disappoint.

MrScout should go to bed so I can play YT videos at volume.

For Scout, Tee, Jacksmama, CatherineMacaulay and all (North) American Women

I had a feeling it was that one, Maud.

Well, I have my favourites too. Including (despite the picture quality) this one!

Who doesn't love The Muppets?

I need help -- what to get an 11 year old neice for Christmas and then her 12th birthday three weeks later? Keep in mind she goes to boarding school abroad where they're only allowed to take one "thing" from home with them. Books are censured and mostly meant to be left at home, she already has a tote back for weekends, washkit, etc, she doesn't have any sort of music player (wouldn't be allowed to have it even if she did), has a camera (which apparently she's not allowed to have at school, either). Oh, and we have a budget of £20 per gift-giving occasion (or combined £40 for the two so could go £10 & £30, IYSWIM).

Does the one 'thing' just mean toys and ornaments or does it cover bedding/kit too? Would she be allowed something like a nice rug or duvet cover for her room, either at home or at school? They should be within budget.

Toys and ornaments. Apparently they're not even allowed to take photos with them. Things like bedding I think might be provided and they're not allowed to "decorate" their room in any way. Again, . I'm thinking maybe a watch and a set of pjs. They seem so [meh] but I'm really at my wits end. Even my MiL and SiL don't know what to get her (and they usually know spot-on what to get her). My SiL (the mother of said girl) would say religious or school books and, frankly, that's boring too.

Pooh Singing this sweet song to myself I'm heading to bed. Small boy gets up stupidly early. Good night, Lovely New Tea Room and it's residents.

Wow that's tough Scout. It seems she's not allowed have anything! Tbh I'd struggle to think of anything a girl of that age would be interested in anyway, even if she was allowed stuff at school.

Just watched Bad Teacher. A bit sick of dh being away all the while. He'll be back on Monday night, but then gone again on Thursday morning. Ho hum, that's just the way it has to be right now.

Off to bed now, LittleDeer annoyingly is in a 9.15am swimming class on Saturday mornings.

Oh, what about itunes credit if she has an ipod. I used to get that for much younger little sister when she was a teenager.

Am V. that DN's school don't even allow photos, Scout! They sound awfully strict and not very nice
Is she allowed a mobile phone? perhaps some credit for that? Although that's not a great present in itself, it would be useful.

What a very nice floating tearoom this is - nice wood panelling an' all - but where are we? Did we go to the Mississippi, can I hear giant paddle wheels and dixieland music?

Deer, sorry to hear that the way things are at the moment isn't suiting you too well - I know you're short of things to do outside as well, can you take up a new indoor hobby, like painting or something?

We went for our Posh Dinner last night to hear Sir Chris Bonington speak - and jolly good it was too! He's an excellent speaker, very fluent and moving, especially when talking of all his friends on the expeditions, including the ones who tragically lost their lives. We even managed to pushily get a photo of me with him (thanks DH!) which I shall post up later in the Other Place. Lovely food, great hotel and amazingly no bad head this morning (overdid the free fizz a touch ).

Oh, and belated happy birthday to Donki!