Just parking my butt on the Friendship Bench

[Crocvillagemum]

I have home-made gingerbread men with wobbly Ribena icing if anyone wants to join me?

Anyone up for a coffee sometime soon?

I'm in. I don't drive though so does depend on location. DS is in preschool Tuesday and Wednesday mornings but pretty flexible on days otherwise.

Depends if you want to be with or without DS I suppose! Which venues are doable for you? Tap Room is a favoured haunt in St Ives proper...

Argh, this keeps dropping off my 'threads I'm on'. Yes, am up for coffee soon, I'm all mended I can't do this week, I'm on stand-by for baby sitting duty for my friend's DS while she's in labour with DC2.

Ok, how about a week Thursday?

28th? I've got a dentist appointment in Huntingdon, I'll check what time. My last one got cancelled and I've got tooth ache so I can't skive off. I'm free next Friday and then the following Mon and Tues.

Any day works for me TBH. Just varies as to which DC I have on the day!

Is Johnsons closed on Mondays?

Unfortunately yes

Gah, everything's closed on Mondays! We went to Hinchingbrooke on Monday forgetting that the cafe was closed- no tea and cake for me :(

Where are you based, Toriv?

It's a nightmare isn't it, the Hinch CP cafe being shut on Mondays! Alternatives are, I guess, Frosts in Brampton, HGL again, Crystal Lakes, Leo's Funzone or somewhere in St Ives proper. Anywhere else?

I think you've covered everywhere! There's a Leo's in Huntingdon as well. I've never been to the St Ives one, is it good?

Hi, thanks for the heads up Crocmum.

The Leo's in Huntingdon is meant to be much nicer than Crystal Lakes. Have never been, but am often found loitering in both the above garden centres.

Shame there aren't any child-friendly cafes in St Ives, they're just too small for pushchairs, although Slepe Hall fits quite a few in.

I've never been to Crystal Lakes. The Leo's in Huntingdon is very nice though, never too crowded and very clean. I don't know St Ives very well so can't help there. There's a nice cafe with a small soft play in Sawtry but that will be a trek for everyone except me

I've been to both Crystal Lakes and Leo's. CL is bigger, but the food is deep-fried crud and it's a tiny bit more grimy (not that I particularly mind either of those factors). DS will probably cling to me and refuse to play in any event!

Hello? Can anyone join this thread? I was looking for info on meetups on the cambridge board but nothing doing and then saw this.

Hello it. We like gin!

Becketts, has your friend dropped yet?

Yes, last Tuesday. I had a scary drive to Somersham in the fog at 4am (suicidal muntjacs). Can do Thurs or Fri this week.

Scratch that, I've got the dentist on Thurs.

I can do Fri but I warn you now: I will have DS with me. He is 3, and will have spent Tues, Weds and Thurs getting knackered at nursery. So on Fridays, he may be angelic. Or he may be the mardiest little gobshite that ever there was. Just in case anyone is tempted to comment unfavourably on my abilities as a parent twould be fair enough actually.

Friday sounds good, although my DC1 currently does half days at nursery school which has been really restricting how much we can get out and about.

There will be no judging, honest!

Thanks minor!

Relatively amusing incident at Anglesey Abbey today. DS was getting a bit skittish after finishing his lunch in the cafe, while I was trying to get some more grub down DD's cakehole. Two terribly genteel-looking ladies at next table, complete with cats'bum mouths. One of them glared at DS (who really wasn't being that bad) and muttered (voce not very sotto) "These young mothers who don't control their children properly". I gave her a big smile and said "ooh ta, it's ages since anyone called me young! I am nearly forty you know..." And then buggered off to the bogs

if anyone is around to meetup on a monday or tuesday let me know. have to pick up ds from school in the afternoon but mornings are good?

I can do Mondays always (with the aforementioned DS and DD), and Tuesdays (minus spawn) until mid-April (when maternity leave finishes). And I want to get in as much coffee and cake as I can before I go back to work!