Tea Room the Nineteenth

[amberlight]

All in need of a restful break and a chat are more than welcome to the nineteenth Tea Room.

We find ourselves in the South of France, where the warm sunshine is just the thing for those who are missing the summer. The tea room has its aga and its distressed chintz sofa...and its potted plants. The usual fictional tea room inhabitants are here, as ever: Mellors, the gardener/handyperson with the handy ways with massage; the collection of tea room animals including the horses, camel, bison, guineapigs and sundry others; the Bishops and other faith leaders who joined us a while back and potter in for the occasional cuppa. It may not make sense, but that's not important. What matters is the lovely people here and the chance to just relax.

[ASmallBunchofFlowers]

This is delightful! And look! We even have a verandah from which to look at the cerulean sky.

[teafortwo]

BLIIIIIIISSSSSSSSSS!!!!!

[thumbwheel]

oh and there is a large field of lavender behind the tea room - how fantastic! Lovely scents (and if lavender is not appreciated by some then magically it will smell of something else) wafting across on the balmy breezes.

I find these sunloungers very comfortable, and am glad the verandah is large enough to have so many of them.

A suitable drink - must be chilled fizz, I feel, or perhaps a champagne cocktail? No, I have it - a wine from the Languedoc Roussillon region! With some canapés of your choice, of course. And a bucket of Surpris de twiglet, naturellement.

A votre santé!

[Scout19075]

'Tis very nice, Amber, thank you!

[UniS]

afternoon.

Unis takes this opportunity to introduce devon cream teas to teh natives... they were not best impressed, think they expected more garlic.

[teafortwo]

Ug, blaaaauuugh and ooooooooblaaaaahshwaaaaztah - two down two to go...

[teafortwo]

I am doing all my paperwork for work and on a grey day nearing the end of school holidays it is very hard to feel enthusiatic about it.

[amberlight]

Have another tea. Works for me. In fact, today I've done almost nothing other than drink tea and try to recover from yesterday by doing something positive like praying and, er, drinking yet more tea

Any of that devon cream tea left, without the garlic? Avec du vin et les twiglets?

[MaryBS]

As I recall, from this area there is rather an exciting drive to Andorra over the mountain. Anyone fancy a trip? Stock up on duty free for the tea room?

[teafortwo]

Milk is laying on the dog making a sort of dreamy moaning noise... I think I am going to press pause on the work front and go and do something fun for an hour...

[teafortwo]

yes please Mary!!!!!

[thumbwheel]

just amused myself slightly by imagining Dick Emery doing his "more tea, Vicar?" sketches.[saddo emoticon]

Andorra? Sounds good - although drives over mountains not quite so good

[MaryBS]

There is also a tunnel route, for those who don't want the adrenaline rush of trying to stay on the road and not fall off the mountain :o

[Scout19075]

I've never been to southern France (only Paris and Caen) --- do they have fabulous moutain roads with no rails on the side of the road?

Have been doing a lot of thinking lately. Feeling very overwhelmed with the baby, the house (I have a pack-rat of a DH who refuses to throw away anything and we out-grew our house long before BabyScout because of it though I am taking matters into my own hands and am dealing with all of his crap stuff) and all of the extra-curriculars. I'm wondering how much of a pain in the bum/would people panic if I asked to NOT step up to Guider-in-Charge in September but to wait until BabyScout was just a wee bit older. I realize he'll be almost two years old when it's time for me to step up, and his patterns will be completely different by then. I'm nervous. I'm not sure I can handle being GiC for two units with a two year old especially if I'm going to have to deal with more and more "you can't take babies/non-members" to events/programs.

Am I a wimp/chicken?

Hot chocolate to warm you as the darkness rolls in?

[ASmallBunchofFlowers]

Yes please to hot chocolate!

I can't remember how old SmallGirl was when I stepped up to be GIC (involuntarily, as the GIC unexpectedly chucked it in). She was just 3, I think. The biggest problem for me (even before I was GIC) was getting SmallBloke to come from work early every week to take over on the home front - it was always lovely to have SmallGirl at meetings but at that age she couldn't really join in and catering for her needs distracted me from the job in hand.

I think being GIC for two units is A Lot, with or without a two year old. You're not being a wimp, just being realistic. You've got some time to find someone else to step up to the plate.

[Scout19075]

Thanks Small. I guess I've been afraid of letting people down since, for the last five years (since I started with the unit in Nov 2005) it was assumed/discussed/agreed that I would be GiC when MrsGuider retires at the end of 2010/11 school year. I was the GiC equiv in the States for YEARS but was happy being an A'GiC here while I learned the British way. If it weren't for BabyScout I'd happily do it. But he's knocked my confidence a bit.

I'm also struggling with MrScout getting home. He can't get home early, so BabyScout comes with me and MrScout collects him. But if there's problems with the trains, traffic jam, MrScout has meetings or needs to work late, it gets very difficult. It also means BabyScout is up late and it's not fair on him.

I still want to be involved -- I'd miss it terribly if I wasn't.



BabyScout has been asleep since 2-ish. First swimming session in two weeks and I think it tired him out. That, and a short morning nap. At least he'll be fresh for Seniors tonight!

[Scout19075]

Oh, and yes, I agree, I am VERY distracted with BabyScout there. He is very good, and the girlies are brilliant with him, but they are not there to babysit. And I can't give them my attention and keep him from knocking himself out (slippery school hall floor), stop him from crying, change his bum (rare occurrance at Guides, but one must always be prepared!), etc. It doesn't feel fair to either BabyScout OR the Guides.

[ASmallBunchofFlowers]

I think you need to be very careful of overload. If you take on too much, could it bring back or worsen your health problems? I would concentrate on finding someone else for the role. Ten months gives you plenty of searching time.

[teafortwo]

small is very wise scout I AGREE 100% with her!

I am sooooo excited Eccles made a friend today - a little dog that looks JUST like her and we are going to see if Eccle's nounou can take them both for a walk together so they can have lovely doggy fun during the day when all us owners are hard at work!

[UniS]

eccles nounou??? eh, wot are you talking about.

UniS is very bemused.

Got to go and make phone calls Dh doesn't want to make, he NEVER makes sodding phone calls about anything domestic, tis always me who has to sort stuff out. Just as well I love him.

[JBsmama]

I think that's a fair statement re: most DHs. Good thing we love them. And, no doubt, some days, good thing they love us!

Thank you to everyone who was asking about my knee. It's improving. I find it's quite stiff in the morning, and the first few weight-bearing moments after getting up are Not Fun (ditto after I've been sitting for a bit), but once I'm moving it loosens up and feels mostly fine. It aches at odd moments, but not enough to think about paracetamol or suchlike.

[roslily]

Argh, no sleep today. Was like a constant battle between me and him.

But...he took 3 steps unaided!

I am feeling down as I have lost weight with slimming world, been doing well. But I have eaten so much crap today and yesterday and all over weekend. I feel like I have thrown it all away.

[JBsmama]

Oh, oxeye - I wanted to tell you what an idiot I am... when I read one of your posts in the last TR, where you said something about OxPoppins having a personal calamity, I was all upset because I thought you meant your DS!!! And I couldn't imagine what kind of a personal calamity a 3 or 4- year-old (I forgot how old he is) could have?? Not until the end of the thread did the penny drop that you were referring to the OxHousehold's own personal Mary Poppins... I do hope it works out with her. And thank you for asking, JB is comparatively much happier at friend's with nanny and but still feeling upset and bereft when Mummy has to leave him :(
I picked him up yesterday and he clung to me and said, "I didn't play, I was sad!" But my friend winked at me behind his back and said that he had ups and downs but did play and cheer up occasionally.

[ASmallBunchofFlowers]

Well, shall we crack open some Veuve Clicquot, to celebrate our arrival in le plein sud?

[teafortwo]