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.

Scout - yay for shoes and real snow! FB is playing up a bit recently with photos - I think too many people using it, or their updates are affecting it.

Tea - glad you had a good meet up (was BA there?)

Heathers is a good film. So is Ferris Bueller's Day off.

Small - you may have sprained it, you need to look after it more and stop using it. get some stuff to put on it, tiger balm or ibuprofen gel or something - and immobilise it a bit. If it's inflamed, using it will aggravate it more. (any more useful tips, JM?)

UniS - never had mulled cider - is it good then? Mulled wine, of course, has grapes in so is just as good for you.

Think I'll be making mincemeat today - way later than I should - made my puddings a couple of days ago but had a bit of beef suet left over so mincemeat it is.

Small, all I can add would be slather it with arnica gel, and try either alternating hot and cold (if you have a double kitchen sink, fill one side with very cold water and one side with hot; alternate between the two, 30 to 60 seconds in each, for 5-10 mins) or ice massage. Ice massage as follows: using a flannel to protect your good hand, grab some ice cubes and massage the sore are for exactly 5 mins. Ice directly on skin. Keep the ice moving, that's how you protect your skin from ice burn. The area will first become cold, then achy, then cold-burning and will then go numb. 5 mom doesn't seem like a long time but it's a long 300 seconds when doing ice massage. It's not pleasant, but it works like a charm on sprains, strains and inflammation. Slather on arnica gel after, if you have it.

For the first time ever I am unable to get a same-day GP appointment. I am not here at the next available appointment.`

Afternoon all.

Mulled wine, anyone?

please...

Was just reading a thread and a "nursery disco" was mentioned. Really? Discos for three years?

Did someone say mulled wine???

Yes please for the mulled wine

Please may I have some mulled wine.
I believe it is a sovereign remedy for colds and sore throats...

I think the sovereign hasn't turned up yet - she may be along later.

No time to read back - sorry!
Small, how did you injure yourself?
Scout, I speak a little French, but I feel the moment may have passed.
Mulled wine - perfect.
Have been sledging today, the spagetti cooked by DH in front of new Tinkerbelle film. Life is getting very little-girly. Now drawing fairy rabbits asI have found my sister's old Pookie books. Does anyone remember Pookie?

I think I have finished christmas shopping now. But quite how I am supposed to wrap DS's poo picking set I do not know

Festive twiglets anyone ?

CMOT - now there is a challenge!
You could find a humungous cardboard box, or just wrap tinsel and ribbons round the handles...

At least you don't have to try and wrap up Donnie!

The mulled wine is making me feel quite merry much better thankyou.

And the carrots in the bran mash were a nice touch :)

Sorry cmot - WHAAAAAAAAAAAT????????????

I find a large box for the poo picking set is just the solution. Or a load of bubble wrap first.

Oh the fun of buying horse-related gifts!

Like this Tea. You have to remove the poo from the field on a regular basis, and it's easier to scoop it into something, than having to put each bit into the barrow.

Theres lots of brushes, a fleece rug (it was on offer), a personalised lead rein, and matching pony bags for ds and his friend.

DS is being either a Jack Russell puppy or a snow monkey currently . When will he be himself full time I wonder ?

What is in a poo-picking set these days? My mate just used to have a pair of Marigolds, a shovel and a wheelbarrow - has it got more "high tech"?

Am wrestling with my tight eco-oriented soul re. wrapping miniThumb's presents - don't mind the boxed stuff, but he has a balance bike as well - not sure whether to wrap it or just hide it in a big bag. When my parents got us bikes for Christmas, they hid them behind the front door curtains (huge curtains so easily done) and just put a sticky ribbon knot on the handlbars.

Good evening my lovelies.

Thank you for the hand injury advice. Have one of those elastic support thingies on it at the moment and will do ibuprofen gel at bedtime.

Anything mulled and boozy still available?

CMOT: To be honest, I found a large plastic shovel and my foot (suitably encased in a wellie) did the job better than the poo picking kit (Especially in the spring when the new flush of grass makes the poo a bit erm loose. But then my hooves are "economy size" as you might say...

The mind boggles at "poo picking set". You don't want to know WHAT I imagined until I realized we're talking about cleaning up after a pony.

Had knee MRI this morning. For anyone who wants to know, an "MRI arthrogram" means a contrast study of a joint. So, logically, the contrast medium goes in the knee. By needle. Also for anyone who wants to know, there is not much extra space in any given joint for more fluid to go in. Which means any extra, especially a lot extra, really hurts.
Quite how I managed to forget that little factoid - the one about the contrast going directly into the knee, by needle, rather than, say, into a vein via an IV, which bothers me not at all, I have no idea. Because really, if I'd had my head screwed on straight, I should have remembered that there is just no way for intravenous contrast medium to make its way into the knee joint capsule.
I seriously questioned both my IQ and any professional knowledge I thought I had when that little factoid was revealed.
May I say I'm most impressed by my ability to fake it and say calmly, "of course it goes in the knee, would you like me to sit or lie down on the table?" while inwardly cringing and looking at the assortment of medieval torture instruments sterile equipment on the bedside tray.
I am in idiot.

Would you like some analgesic Bolly, Jacksmama?