Tea Room the Eighteenth - the Cricket Pavilion

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Welcome one and all to our new abode - a lovely old-fashioned Cricket Pavilion, with decks outdoors and a rather lovely Members' Bar, complete with deep-seated leather comfy chairs and any drink you care to mention.

Our outdoor amenities include the well-tended cricket pitch, kept immaculate by Mellors, our multi-purpose man; a couple of tennis courts round the back for those who prefer the Wimbledon scene; and another multi-purpose pitch (can be used for hosting Fine Lad-style rugby matches, or Little Kickers' football, or the occasional All Comers' Lacrosse Tournament.

Bishops abound, mostly snoozing in the leather armchairs; there are sundry animals around - guineapigs and bison mostly - and of course the Naked Mohawk Babies, fetchingly attired in cricket whites (most unusual for them!)

The cricket pavilion tea room is open to all - those with only one child who need a safe haven predominate but having more than one child is fine - come in, have an egg'n'cress sandwich and a glass of Pimms!

*other fillings and beverages also available.

oh dear JM, Hope your week improves.

sorry for spelling last night. effects of pub I fear.

Horrible rotten day. Can I please start over?

On a positve note, BabyScout doesn't have a throat infection (yay!) and I have steroid cream so hopefully my hand will stop hurting soon.

oh dear Scout - do you wish to offload?

Good news re BabyScout and hope the cream does your hands some good (although you know that steroid creams make the skin thinner, don't you, so be careful with your hands)

JBM - had the family around for too long, have you?

We are off to Dubbo tomorrow - it is a 5 hour journey (minimum) so we are taking a picnic and will stop for a couple of hours on the way; then get to Dubbo and stay overnight 2 nights, going to the Western Plains zoo on Wednesday. Then back on Thursday with long lunch stop again. Fingers crossed it is neither wet nor too hot (both possibilities).

Oh, just generally a crappy day. Nothing to do with BabyScout. He's been a star.

I'm already treating my hands gingerly and am going to get a box of gloves to use when changing BabyScout and doing his nose so hopefully I can cut down on the hand washing (which I'm sure is aiding to the unhealingness factor). I feel like it's all I do is wash my hands between nappies, noses (his and mine), my own loo needs and cooking, I'm constantly at a sink. I already use gloves for washing up and cleaning duties.

Have a good trip, thumb! It sounds like fun!

After sleeping from 12:20 until 3:45, BabyScout is sound asleep again at 6:30.

I have a plate of coconut kisses here, if you need a sugary, chocolatey, coconutty indulgence .....

Mmm, thanks Small!

Pumpkin pasta with rosemary

?340g/12oz pasta such as conchiglie (large shells)

?1 small pumpkin

?2 sprigs rosemary

?1 clove garlic

?1 shallot

?140ml/5fl oz carton double cream

?1 tsp Dijon mustard

?2 tsp chopped flatleaf parsley

?30-55g/1-2oz butter

?150ml/¼ pint white wine

?½lemon, juice only

?salt and freshly ground black pepper

?grated parmesan, to serve
Preparation method1.Preheat the oven 190C/375F/Gas 5.

2.Peel and de-seed the pumpkin. Dice into 2.5cm/1in and place onto an ovenproof sheet.

3.Chop the rosemary and sprinkle over the pumpkin. Season and drizzle with olive oil.

4.Place in the oven and cook for 45 minutes.

5.Cook the pasta in plenty of salted boiling water as per instructions.

6.Chop the garlic and shallot, gently pan-fry in the butter for about 1 minute.

7.Add the mustard and wine, bring to the boil. Simmer for 2-3 minutes.

8.Add the lemon juice, seasoning, cream and finally the parsley.

9.Drain off the pasta and remove the pumpkin from the oven. Fold into the pasta in a bowl.

10.Pour over the sauce and mix together. Check seasoning. Serve in a bowl with the parmesan cheese over the top.

Oooooh, yummy.

Do you think Mellors could make some for supper? We must have some pumpkins in the veg garden, surely.

The potager round back of the pavilion does have a fine pumpkin patch. Just enough bright orange pumpkins for soup AND Halloween carving purposes.AND for scout and JM to have one each for thanksgiving pie use on their relevant days.

I didn't paint the giant pumpkin today, our conservatory windowsills were more urgent to get done before the weather breaks. The coach is in a shed so I can paint that tomorrow in the drizzle.

Boy is STILL whining about not having had ANOTHER story , 15 mins after being put to bed. Ho HUm, he will run out of steam eventually, he's cream crackered and its only monday.

HURRAY for the cleaning timetable!!!

Things got worse... this morning was a mess (my morning job is to walk the dog while Beer and Milk wake up and Beer gets Milk ready but... they went back to sleep which I only discovered 10 minuted before Etime (Exit time) and I was v v v v close to being late for work!!!

It was at this moment things got better and now the timetable is suddenly working wonderfully!!!

Getting everything together for tomorrow swimming and Seniors and am suddenly panicing. Tomorrow night is the first Seniors meeting I'm stepping back and am not "running" the meeting. I've been trying to get the girls to take charge for a few weeks now, but they're still in Guide mode. The girls at the last meeting came up with the theme and are supposed to be sorting out everything they need to bring along. Fingers crossed!

Fingers crossed for the Seniors, Scout.

Meanwhile, as Strictly fever begins to grip the SmallHouse, I give you .

Many primary school children will be herded about today, whilst helpers, teachers and staff pray fervently that none will kick the Bishop's ankles or otherwise run amok. Here we go...

That will ensure that I don't go AWOL for so long again!!! Finally caught up... Although didn't find any breadcrumbs and had to look in the 'usual' place. I'm glad the Aspidistra made it - clear the added seaweed did it some good as it looks particularly fine at the moment.

Scout - when my hands get REALLY bad (they will bleed after 30 mins outside if they're in a state in the winter, even if its not really cold) I find that cracked heel cream does a treat

I'm afraid I'm not of the 'carrying' mistlechick around brigade - he's just been TOO BIG - I had to stop using the baby bjorn carrier because it hurt my shoulders when he was only about 4mo old - DH could cope for a bit longer! Had to go onto other methods if I wanted to carry him.... although had a scare when I feel overbackwards when I was mowing the lawn with him on my back once - luckily I twisted and fell on my side - he was fine - I was really shaken mentally although not hurt!

UniS - I'm sending you a parcel. I'm blaming it partly on why I've not been on - as its still work in progress Must get onto FB and see what's happening there too!

We're currently trying to persuade mistlechick that he doesn't sing with a girly voice when he's singing 'nicely' - and that he doesn't need to put a silly operatic voice on - or shout... Tough going.

Yorkshire Parkin and coffee?

Am having a meh day. DS was a pita this morning

For anyone that wants to see my wedding outfit, pic is on my profile

Love it! I wish I could wear red... just clash too much!

Cape - took me back to school days I'm afraid - cloaks were part of the uniform list [apparently because the boarders could throw them on over their PJs in case of fire ) although I did like my cloak - it was worn over your blazer - which you needed to wear during the school day in the winter (over your wool jumper) becaue it really wasn't that warm... Although only played lax in fairly deep snow once - ball kept on disappearing into snow drifts

We mamaged to get to school on time for ds's yogabugs at 7.30am this morning and I only told ds to eat his toast about 4 times - record lack of reminders!!! Was rung up and ds invited to a birthday party - to be held this afternoon after school - doing some cooking at an Italian restaurant, then pizza - apparently it will end at 6.15, so should get him home in time to get him packed off to bed - he can't have a bath - as dh is refusing to turn off the stop cock even though I can't do it (so that I can replace the washer ) and, in any case, no hot water - boiler man coming out tomorrow morning (what joy!)

Fantastic outfit, Cmot - I love that 50s look! And the obligatory mother-of-one fascinator. Perfect.

I was just looking at hats on Ebay and almost bought a red one but had a horror flashback to years ago when I wore a red hat to work and a coarse colleague chortled 'red hat, no knickers'. But it's a gorgeous hat. What to do?

That reminds me, Mistle. Must get the boiler man to come and wrangle the recalcitrant valve. Oh the joys of domesticity.

I've left a jug of hot chocolate on the aga, for those in need.

Smallbunch - secretaries at work said 'red shoes no knickers' - but then they looked at the shoes and decided that they weren't the 'right sort' of red shoes for that saying ... However, I'm still more inclind to think 'white stiletos...'

Maybe 'red hat, no knickers' is a London thing, then?

I have several pairs of red shoes. What a minefield. Mind you, I learnt recently from MN that hanging one's knickers on the washing line is a sign that one is, ahem, making oneself available.

Does that go for the whole family's knickers/pants and boxers being on the line at the same time?

That's a very good question. Mistle. I didn't dare enquire, but I suspect it's only for adult women who are [apparently] [allegedly] just waiting for the milkman/window cleaner/Kleeneze man (delete as appropriate) to fulfil their every need. I thought I had been transported back into a Carry On film.

Perhaps it also depends on the practicality of your choices of underwear - see my red shoes comment earlier

Exactly. Anything bought in bulk from M&S is unlikely to qualify!

.... added to the fact that we don't have a milkman, window cleaner, kleeneze man or gardener... No hope for me is there!