Tea Room 17 - The Tropical Beach Hut

[amberlight]

Welcome to the 17th version of the Tea Room. We find ourselves on a tropical beach, with the tea room now in a beach hut on stilts, the waves lapping on the golden sands beneath. Palm trees surround us. Our virtual gardener/beach surfing dude/handyman, Mellors, is here to tend to your every need. He looks like the person of your dreams (male, female or otherwise ). There are of course holidaying Bishops and other leaders of faith, the Camels, the Bison, various guinea pigs, the tea room horses, a life-size cut out of George Clooney, the NMBs (please don't ask me to explain how Mohawk Babies joined us, and a wide variety of other virtual followers. We chat, we relax, we share how life is. All in need of friendship are most welcome. The kettle is on...and the distressed chintz sofa has of course made the journey over. Enjoy.

Amber am even more at the way these people are treating you! Hoping (in a very un-Christian like fashion) that it rains on their parade BIG-style. Mary - you do it, you tell them what a bunch of hypocrites they are!

Am very excited. Have just booked tickets home for me and miniThumb. MrThumb refused again - he's not ready for England just yet, which is a shame because it would have been really nice to do a quick hop over the channel to France as well, but I'm not doing it with just miniThumb, it wouldn't be worth it at his age.
It will be good to be back and see people though - and the best day for us to go was the same day we left England last year! How ironic. So, we are in the UK from 19th August until 9th September, which I hope will be at least warmer than it is here, if not hot - we don't need it to be hot, just warmer than here and enough that miniThumb can go out and play in Dad's back garden (so a bit drier as well ). We got a good price for the tickets as well, amazingly - but only on that Wednesday. And with BA! I don't care what other people say about them, they're still my favourite airline. Although Cathay Pacific are pretty good too.

USQC - mayhem? What is going on in your life that is so disordered?

Amber, am so that someone would say that sort of thing. Tis obviously not in their 'gift' to have any empathy or compassion at all.

Fab news on the trip back Thumb. Will you have room in the suitcase to take back a little tearoom gift ? I could send you a micro parcel

The Game Fair was amazing. We didn't even get round half of it (and were there 9am till 5.30). There were some Difficult Questions moments, and DS was too little for quad bikes, but we had a fab time. And went on the Land Rover course twice.

A restorative drink ? And twiglet a la mode

Yes, I'll have a little snifter, Cmot. Twiglet a la mode sounds, ahem, interesting. Do you think UniS could rustle up some twiglet ice cream?

Thumb - Does this mean that a bijou meet-up may be possible?

Amber - Am thoroughly on your behalf.

• 'tis fab Amber, just like you!!!! Ignore your critics and drink more mojitos they actually count as one of your five a day in the land of the tearoom!

Evening all.

Amber -- I, too, am very on your behalf.

thumb Very exciting that you're coming home for a bit! I know how exciting booking those flights home can be!!! And I agree I've only ever flown BA back and forth home and they're really good. And the flight crew, despite all of the disputes while I was in the States last time, were so WONDERFUL when they realized I was travelling alone with a six month old.

Hello zazen, nice to meet you!

Hello Serpent, hope things are a bit calmer today!

Anyone for a bolly?

now then scout- deep breath, count to five and calm down dear.

Amber- tis amazing what bollocks some "godly" people find to waffle isn't it.

Thumb- I do sort of have an ice cream maker. A battery operated on that goes in the freezer to do all teh stirring. I just make teh custard, add flavours and creaM, MIX TOGETHER AND PUT IN ICE CREAM MAKER THEN INTO FREZER OVERNIGHT.
sorry, didn't mean to shout, just hit caps lock by mistake.

My Quiz team managed to win the wooden spoon tonight. HURRAH, we actually got a prize- sweeties.

YY UniS, that's what I meant - the stirring thing. I have Appliance Envy now, although I think that MrThumb would have a small fit if I said I wanted one (ditto breadmaker) as I am notorious for wanting things, using them once or twice and then leaving them languishing in the cupboard (see pasta maker). He of course wants to then throw things out on the grounds that they aren't being used, not understanding that the whole point is that they are there to use if I need them.

Smallbunch - bijou meet up sounds very possible and a grand idea - hope we can work it in! Dad lives near Hampton Court palace, which is a useful landmark (and semi-useful meeting place - used to be better before they started to charge to go in the back garden)

CMOTD - a micro parcel would be lovely - are you not already on the swapsies list then?
The games fair does sound brilliant but I don't like when exhibitions/fairs are too big to get round in one day.

Amber - sending more rain vibes at the bullies.

Scout - I've never understood that either - I think maybe the smaller one might be harder to put together or something (what are we talking about here anyway?)

I am thinking that I'll have to get another big suitcase cos miniThumb's luggage allowance is the same as mine - and then we can get all the clothes in one suitcase and have a whole other suitcase for all the chocolate stuff we need to bring back.

YY UniS, that's what I meant - the stirring thing. I have Appliance Envy now, although I think that MrThumb would have a small fit if I said I wanted one (ditto breadmaker) as I am notorious for wanting things, using them once or twice and then leaving them languishing in the cupboard (see pasta maker). He of course wants to then throw things out on the grounds that they aren't being used, not understanding that the whole point is that they are there to use if I need them.

Smallbunch - bijou meet up sounds very possible and a grand idea - hope we can work it in! Dad lives near Hampton Court palace, which is a useful landmark (and semi-useful meeting place - used to be better before they started to charge to go in the back garden)

CMOTD - a micro parcel would be lovely - are you not already on the swapsies list then?
The games fair does sound brilliant but I don't like when exhibitions/fairs are too big to get round in one day.

Amber - sending more rain vibes at the bullies.

Scout - I've never understood that either - I think maybe the smaller one might be harder to put together or something (what are we talking about here anyway?)

I am thinking that I'll have to get another big suitcase cos miniThumb's luggage allowance is the same as mine - and then we can get all the clothes in one suitcase and have a whole other suitcase for all the chocolate stuff we need to bring back.

Dammit! Stupid computers - sorry!

I have an ice cream maker. It's part of my KitchenAid stand mixer. Scout will probably know what that is. It has a bowl that goes in the freezer, you add the ingredients, and turn a switch. Ten minutes later - a million flavours of frozen goodness.

Am sat here by the open front door, delighting in my new soaker hose, which soaks, rather than spray, the front flower bed. Conveniently, the computer desk is by the front door so I can admire my flowers and waste time MNing work at the same time.

Not a good day in JM land. Still feeling very scratchy and irritable and emotions flying all over the place. Poor DH is bearing the brunt of it. What's worse is that I'm incapable of explaining to him how I feel because it's all such a tangled mess, and I don't want to take the cheap way out and blame it all on AD withdrawal. Where does that end and where does me just being a bitch start? I wish I was a nicer person . In fact, a random comment on FB by someone I don't even really like very much started me thinking that I really need a personality makeover. More than anything I wish I could be the kind, thoughtful, pleasant person people seem to think I am... when in reality they'd be appalled at some of the really rather horrible things I think on a daily basis, sometimes about the very people who think I'm so nice. I know I'm a grumpy, stressed, sarcastic bag in my head most of the time. Thank goodness that only shows occasionally or I'd have no friends at all. And the worst thing is that sometimes when I do let what I think is the real me hang out, people think it's hilarious and love what they call my "sarcastic sense of humour". And I'm left thinking "errr no, that's not my sense of humour and I'm not being sarcastic, that's really what I think!". And then I feel like a complete bitch again.

How does one go about becoming nicer??? Any ideas?

Shoot, I forgot to say, Amber, the people you have to deal with are making me so for you. I'm at a loss to understand how they can treat you so badly and think that's ok. If you need a volunteer to go and kick their collective arses, pick me. I write really good scorching letters to fuckwits mean people, so Mary and I could put our heads together.

MMMM - have sent you a message. Might help.

You are all such lovely people...thank you...

No need for people to leap about on my behalf, though I am humbled that people would wish to. Some learning is being done by that particular charity, and I need safety and recovery time more than I need confrontation with them at the moment, I think.

Who's for a large cuppa??

Yes please Amber (I am also on your behalf but got here a bit late, sorry - got distracted looking at the fish in the sea and wondering about Mary's and hoping she too has a good holiday...)

MMMM - don't be too hard on yourself - its been a long time - its bound to take a little while to settle down.

We had a long drive up on Friday - should have been 6.5hrs - ended up as 8.5hrs as bad traffic in places.... Some people in worcestershire got a surprise visit when I had to come off the Mway at the next junction and just find 'somewhere' for mistlechick to have a wee - it couldn't wait for the services at the following junction... We coped - in general - although it wasn't easy. I think I will have to invest in a portable dvd player for the next long journey we do - would make life a lot easier.

Can we have an update on the present swap list please? I've sort of lost track of who I am sorting something out for - and can I suggest that we do something 'virtual' for anyone that doesn't feel able to take part in the 'physical' element of the swap for whatever reason - consisting of something like a link to a favourite picture, a link to something to read - or something written out - and a virtual 'gift' of the most appropriate fascinator(/hat)?

MMMM - There is a huge gap between what you are thinking about yourself and what is true. Your post made me shed a tear. I could have posted the same thing a few years ago - what a horrible place for your thoughts to meander to! I am busy this afternoon but will e-mail you tonight. xxx

MMMM you're lovely just as you are. As is everyone else. Never doubt it.

thumb -- I was looking for mini loaf tins. Since I can't buy Twinkies easily or cheaply I thought if I made mini loaf cakes I could use them in place of Twinkies. But individual pans are a bit too big, though cheap for a set of 4, and the ones that are the right size are about six times the cost. DH has offered to go to the American food shop in MK since he's currently based there, but I can't justify £5 or more for treats I don't even like.

Ooohhh, MMMM, very nice KitchenAid attachment. The only one I have is the meat grinder one, which was a birthday present last year in anticipation of making baby purees/mashed food disks for BabyScout. Is very handy but not sure what I'll do with it when I stop making food disks for BabyScout (as it is, he gets a combo premade baby food, jars/pouches and things from my plate).

amber, may I have tea please? Sugar, no milk. Thanks!

MMMM, I think you're lovely.

BabyScout just woke up screaming with pins-and-needles. How do I know that was the problem, you ask? Because five minutes before I checked on him and he was bent in half sound asleep. He was sitting and must have reached for something and fell asleep because he was bent completely in half, his legs under him, his face on the mattress, his arm around Blue. Poor wee man, if only I could explain pins-and-needles to him.

Scout - mini loaf tins are dirt cheap here! Want me to send you some? They wouldn't cost much to send since they're, well, tin so very light!

Thank you everyone for your kind words. Am currently diving into an enormous bucket of coffee.

Bucket... has anyone seen/been in contact with Donki recently?

Agh, I have scrambled eggs for brains... I keep forgetting things currently.
Wanted to say, in case anyone is ever tempted to try it - Do Not Stay Up Until Nearly Midnight Reading Patricia Cornwell. Especially not on a very hot night. For one, you're going to have really awful dreams. And secondly, you're going to be hot and uncomfortable anyway so you'll be prone to waking up a lot and you'll think you're waking up because you're hearing odd sounds and will get All Creeped Out. Sadly, the chills from the book do not effectively combat the heat

MMMM - Sorry I can't find your address.

I suppose I just wanted to say this...

www.countryliving.com/cm/countryliving/images/Pink-Yellow-Flowers-Vase-HTOURS0706-de.jpg

So you know that you really are not alone!

scout - If no-one is looking I think it is unacceptable any other way round!

Unfortunately HubbyScout is here, so he's looking I guess!

Hi guys!

I'm still down at my parents house. Dh joined us here for a few days. We go back home tomorrow. All is good here. Haven't had a chance to read through the posts but I hope everyone is well and offer hugs to all those who are not .

Lovely job on the new tea room Amber .

Will be back in the tea room full time once I'm back at home!