Margaret Hale Academy of Tea-Pouring & Wallpaper Selection at the University of Milton Northern

[ComeIntoTheGardenMaud]

Welcome to our new common room which, as you would expect, is decorated in impeccable taste (despite the limited choice of wallpapers available in Milton Northern). Above the marble mantelpiece hangs a portrait of the Vice-Chancellor of the University. As we recline elegantly on the chaise longue, we partake of tea and ratafia biscuits and discuss the works of Plato, although in the evening the finest wines and Polish cordials may be served.

Must go to bed now though.

Will do my John Porter research tomorrow.

Oh lucky you, Lady D. so many delights to come. I should think RH would be fine for your DS though what do other mummies think?

Goodnight anyway, and have fun with JP tomorrow!

::Totters in::

Alas, the puncture befell me when I was but a few leagues from the school and was most inconveniently timed, necessitating as it did the unwonted detaining of my offspring in that educational institute. The unexpected sojourn with dear, dear Jasper was the only compensation.

LadyDamerel - My own dear offspring was of much that age when first she became acquainted with Messire Gisborne. She gives not a jot for the (ig)noble Lord but is most enamoured of fair Marian.

I must, though, dispute that Mr Darcy is the ne plus ultra of cravat wearers. He does undoubtedly cut a fine and manly figure, but for the stylish and elegant wearing of the cravat, there really is only one matchless example. I imagine that dear Jasper in his Regency stock may look not dissimilar (and I was much heartened by references to his nightshirt, considering it, as I do, a most becoming garment for any gentleman who is shapely of leg, as dear Jasper must surely be) .

Hmm I think our dear Maud, might have something of a tendre for dear Jasper already. Not that he could ever take the place of dearest Johnny of course.
So does this mean you are without your kirchen supplies, Maud? Dixon must be in such a taking.

At the moment, Massive, what most intrigues me is how much dear Jasper resembles Mr Rochester, for whom I have long had a minor tendre (and particularly since his embodiment by King John dear Master Stephens) - the older man with a Wicked Past who is (as I imagine dear Jasper will also be) redeemed by the love of an innocent ingenue who has seen almost nothing of the world but recognises the Spark of Goodness which still burns within him, Despite All. And no, nobody could ever supplant dear, dear Johnnie in my ample affections.

Truth be told, kitchen supplies were but a small part of my mission. I was rather more concerned with a visit to the drapers and haberdashers, to buy more frills and furbelows with which to bedeck myself. All this had been done and I was but moments away from the Institute of Learning to which I daily entrust the Girl when the mishap befell me.

But now I must hie me to my bedchamber. Sweet dreams, dear friend.

::Looks back at you::

And I fully intend to adopt the expression to make a cake of oneself and use it at every opportunity.

And to you too. You must be exhausted after your Trials and Tribulations.

Oh I used to love that expression, and quite forgot it until Venetia exploded on my consciousness in audiobook form

Morning all.

Sorry to hear about your tyre Maud, I have to admit to being completely useless at changing a wheel much to DH's disgust. I know how to do it but have never once attempted it and nor would I. That's why I have the AA cover - so I don't need to get my hands or clothes dirty!

Another manic day today but at least the sun is shining. After last nights conversations I may put on a bit of Jasper to get me through the day.

See you all later.

That was short and sweet, Twigs

Rather like myself... :) Yes, I'm fine ta, just not found much time in the evenings to come and play lately. And we are out tonight because I found out that 2-for-1 voucher we had for DrTwigs' b'day doesn't expire until this week so we are going tonight, hurrah!

Spiro, me too on the summer trips to London! I am currently trying to decide between 2 railcards as to which will be the best deal and it's driving me crazy to try and work out!

it's hard to appreciate Lucas properly from behind a cushion

Take out "a cushion" from that sentence :o

As for RH, I think it would be perfect for your DS. My DD watched it at that age and, whilst she didn't understand a word of the plot, she loved it. We were watching it together but then she got up early one morning and watched some more by herself and suddenly she's finished them all and I'm still halfway through Series 2!

Hello, Small! Hope you are hanging in there! I couldn't change a tyre either - I wouldn't know how to do it either, so you are good for even knowing that! I don't know anything about my car, it's pathetic - no idea how to top up windscreen washers, no idea how to inflate tyres I do know how to put Venetia on the CD player though!

Now, LadyD, you MUST give that nice Mr Porter a go. For want of a better phrase. Herewith the evidence You can fast-forward through the yucky bits. Much of Spooks isn't scary either. Lovely Lucas was my first introduction to The Man so he is my fave. Look at his little puppy dog face when he heard you didn't want to watch him :)

::Staggers in::

Polish ... cordial ... please. It ... gets ... worse. Car ... broken into ... overnight.

::Hears Small saying "that's what you get for living in Beirut"::

Nothing was stolen - dear Jasper and Venetia are safe - but mega-hassle all the same.

::slumps on chaise longoo::

Oh nooooooo, Maud!! How awful! Am so sorry for you - was it damaged, do you have to do the whole insurance process thing? Oh, what a nuisance :(

LAdy D I forgot to say, the Small Boys watch RH with me and Small Boy Major is the same age as yours. They pretend not to like it (they would rather watch Ben 10 or Star Wars on CN) but they sit glued to the TV when it's on.

Twigs, sounds like you have the most important car knowledge sussed

Maud, poor you, I am refraining from any Sarf London jibes, we have had ours broken into here too. Glad the didn't take the CDs though! Perhaps now you should ask your DH to park the Aston in the garage in future.

Muad - what a nightmare! Hope the damage isn't too serious.

Not much to report here, although I have found someone who is up for coming to the Tracey Emin exhibition with me so that's another trip to fund and plan for - am going to need to win the lottery at this rate!

Alas, Small, one of the many deficiencies of this crumbling Victorian dump vast and palatial abode is that the builders did not foresee the invention of the motor car and omitted to build a garage.

But where did you get that picture of Bloke? Have you been stalking me?

Have got a bit carried away since my DJing sesh yesterday and was thinking if I'm going to do it regularly at school I may as well have a bit of fun with it and come up with a name. So googled my first idea and there was loads, so googled DJ Spiro...and there are loads of them too!

Curses, MN just ate a huge long post and I don't have time to redo it.
So sorry to hear about Maud's car, hooray for Twigs and her night out and Small, I am thinking of you and cheering you on so you can get work sorted and come back and play here more often.

Oh, and I have no difficulty whatsoever in watching Lucas from behind.

Spiro, we shall have to get you to DJ a night for us on here, should be a lot of fun!

::smiles, at the same time both enigmatic and smug::

My speed-dial arrangements, Twigoletto, are extensive and ever-expanding.

Doesn't that make your browser a pain to load, Maudie?

Err, I don't know. They're only saved as links - would that slow things down?

::IT dummy emoticon::

For Twiggy

If I said you had a beautiful body, would you hold it against me?

Yay, Maudie! Archivist Extraordinaire!