Tea Room the Twentieth: The Greek Island

[asmallbunchofflowers]

Welcome to the twentieth (yes, really) Tea Room.

We find ourselves on a sun-kissed Greek island, where our whitewashed, blue-shuttered house nestles in the dappled shade of a gnarled old pine tree. In the olive grove, Mellors the gardener/handyman/factotum is tending the tea room menagerie of horses, camels, bison and guinea-pigs, recently joined by some recalcitrant old donkeys. The distressed chintz sofa, aga and cardboard cut-out of George Clooney have survived the relocation from the south of France and the aspidistra has pride of place on the mantelpiece.

Come in, put your feet up and join in the conversation. It may not make sense, but that's not important. What matters is the lovely people here and the chance simply to relax.

Amber, that is truly mind-boggling. "Might have to repeat bits and do stuff again". Who's running this event? Benny Hill? I know you're not making this up because, really, who would?

The sun is over the yard arm so here is a vat of gin and brandy chasers.

It's because of the pre-recording of the event for radio, apparently, for later release. To get it perfect, they ask people to repeat hymns or whatever else over and over if necessary/go back and forth in the service until they get it right for broadcast.
And no-one thought about whether someone autistic can do that, it seems.

Ah, I assumed it was going to be live. I remember when we hosted a radio show there was a bit of to-ing and fro-ing. But even so they must surely have some sort of timetable/running order they'll be using. It can't just be a random free-for-all.

Grrr on your behalf.

It's what I've been told so I can't risk it. Thanks for the supplies - had to cancel meeting this evening as I can't cope.

Amber - gah. I'm appalled at the poor response, and the delay in responding, and the contents of the response. Just... GAH!!!!

But I am curious, if you don't mind telling us: which church, of the ones you listed above, are crap at including you?

AP still very sick and rather confused, after course of antibiotics. Seems perfectly reasonable and coherent when I talk to her, but then contradicts totally what she said an hour ago. Does this sound familiar, CMOT? Finally conceded that she hadn't been eating properly for days if not weeks and that this could be causing part of the sickness and ate and piece of toast and marmite, I went out all encouraged to pick up Wriggle, stopped for a cup of tea, very quickly to make sure that I got back before the Ocado man could possibly deliver, got back and found that he had delivered an hour early, she had gone round to open the garage doors for him, had fallen and was very shaken and upset when Wriggle and I got back, and covered with blood.
Gave her rescue remedy and sweet tea - couldn't think what else to do - and spent the next two hours washing up, cleaning, feeding animals, making supper, drinking wine, soaking blood-stained clothes and wondering if this is what life is going to be from now on. Wriggle has just dropped a vase and is crying in the log basket becuase I threatened to smack her again. Obviously I wouldn't.
As days go, not one of the best.

And don't mean smack her again, I mean threatened again.
Oxeye, bread sticks dipped in humus and home-made croutons (cubes of white bread with a little olive oil, a tiny bit of salt and garlic power) are our favourites. And letting them make their own popcorn and eating it naked. The popcorn, not the children.

pre-recording specially for radio (or TV)rather than recording an event "as live" warts and all - its not exactly a free for all. But it will be directed by one person who is making it up as they go along in some ways, the director/ producer has to decide minute by minute if what they have recorded will "do" or if it need to be done again and if so, done the same way or changed? Its bit of a head fuck for NT people never mind some one with an ASD. Quite unlike a regular church service.

Pass us a tot of that there brandy, its nippy tonight.

UnSerpent - (((HUGS))). What a day :(

X post- but LOL at naked popcorn.

Here, have some clothed popcorn.

Bugger, naked popcorn again.

Hugs to all that need it.

Wine for all those who need that too.

Milk has decided she is defo going to be a vet when she grows up but ONLY work with MICE!!!????!!!!! Or at a push a few puppies but mainly just mice.

We rode with the driver on the metro again today. It is sooooo coooool. When I grow up I want to be a train driver for sure!!!

Mary... huh? What?
What's an unsecrated grave? And what does blessing it accomplish? And if you're allowed to bless a hole in the ground, why can you not bless a person? Surely a person needs blessing more than a bit of earth?

Hey, ladies, we're most active!

Gah. Unconsecrated grave, even...

Hmmm, that didn't work. Oh well.

Graveyards in churches are "consecrated ground". Public graveyards tend not to be. So if I am to bury a Christian in a public graveyard, I should bless the bit of ground they're being planted put in. I can't say "bless you" in a service, because only priests can say that, so I have to substitute "bless us" when pronouncing the blessing.

We may be most active, but since most people thing we're a quiche, I doubt we'll have any visitors. I don't care, I'm grumpy. Went to a very trying birthday party yesterday. JB was the only boy. ALL the mummies there had only girls, not one even had a boy and a girl. There was loads of sugar (in the form of cupcakes, birthday cake, candies, etc). Cue bad behaviour all around, from JB definitely, but just as definitely, from all the other little princesses children.

Cue lots of disapproving glances and comments such as "boys are so (insert favourite put-down here)". (For example, pushy, rowdy, undisciplined, so much more physical, loud - you get the idea.) And comments such as "well, you don't have girls, you wouldn't know".

Would I be unreasonable to put this as an FB status update:
"Dear Mums of Girls Only.
Please don't sit there all smug-like and pass judgment on my boy based on your one observational experience of him at a sugar-laden birthday party. If you've not raised a boy of your own, you have no idea "what boys are like". You can only say with certainty what girls are like, because that is what you have. From my own observational experience at this party, I could not tell you what girls are like. I could only tell you that your daughter, Mummy A, is a whiny tattle-tale, and that your daughter, Mummy B, has the makings of a class A bully. And your daughter, Mummy C, is absolutely delightful. But I wouldn't presume to generalize to the entire population of the world's girls by what I've seen here - the only conclusion I could draw would be that a birthday party is guaranteed to cause sugar-highs, overexcitement, and a nice cross-section of behaviour. Thank you."

Rant over.

So Mary, if someone sneezed during a service, you couldn't say "bless you"?

:o

Not unless I sneezed too, then I could say "bless us"! :o

MaryBS - I have an important day on Wednesday (see tother pleeerce) and would love you to give me a special live body tearoom blessing with the aid of champagne and twiglets ready for my big day if you feel you may in the realms of the tearoom where anything is possible.

Amber - Seriously twaaaarling it is THEIR loss!!!

Someone in my rl circle goes to a rock concert style church every Sunday. They dance and clap to rock hymns with hundreds of other worshippers and everyone feels deeeer leeerve ov Godd. I was once with her when she bumped into another God Rocker. They felt over-whelmed by the love of God, held hands, closed their eyes and started rocking and chanting. It was a terrifying beautiful moment. I dunno they are very happy and get lots out of their particular faith but IMVHO there is something ahhhhem (whispers) extreme and therefore worrying about it for me...

omg, sudden shivers. Can't stop shaking. Brrr.