Tea room 22- A Farmhouse kitchen, anyone for a cuppa?

[UniS]

Welcome to the 22nd incarnation of the tea room. This time we are watching for spring from a cosy farmhouse kitchen. There is an aga for baking virtual cakes and an inglenook with toasty fire and settles to rest weary bones on. The distressed chintz sofa and footstool have arrived safe and sound and the priest hole is around here somewhere. On the Window sill is an aspidistra its pot surrounded by a hand holding circle of nearly naked mohawk babies, they have placards and a brazier.

Outside in the surrounding fields can be found the tea room horses, Earl and Lady Grey, also a herd of bison AND a Ha Ha to keep the bishops from invading.

Usual rules apply, no fisticuffs, if you want an argument go else where. Mellors the butler / game keeper will supply all sorts of things on request. Welcome Mums of one, none or many to the tea room of requirement.

::forms an orderly queue for rolls tres suggestifs avec jour soup::

Parenting? No time for 'experts' on such matters. Every child is an individual, and so is every parent. Sometimes we all make a bit of a mess of it, sometimes we get it right, sometimes we annoy each other, sometimes we don't...and that's exactly what teaches children how to cope with real life.

Hello all. I hope you won't mind me gatecrashing your thread, but I noticed it was a tea room. Now, I love tea and drink a lot of the stuff. I'm currently running a campaign for a teacup emoticon on MN, and wondered whether any of you might be interested in joining?

If so, you can find it here

Hope to see some of you there!

Delighted to meet you, Norman. Why not stay for a

Thank you LaVie. I'll stick with a cuppa if you don't mind, it's my favourite! Very kind of you.

But of course. What will you have? Lapsang souchong, Earl Grey (the tea, not the tea room equine), rooibos or builders'? Or any other variety?

Builders' please - seeing as I am a builder. Thank you, you're making me feel most at home.

Are you a girl builder, Norman?

I'm actually a Playmobil builder, and I belong to SoMuchToBits's ds. SoMuch has kindly allowed me to log on under her registration so that I can do some teacup campaigning.

::Hands over the mug of tea, which is so strong that the teaspoon will stand up unsupported::

::Scans the tearoom for little building jobs that Norman could do while he's here but, of course, the indefatigable Mellors has already taken care of them::

I think this is the first time we've had a Playmobil person here.

::Puts up bunting::

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Afternoon all.

I'm very sniff today because it was LCT's first day (finally) in the Fledgling room. And he cried when I dropped him off, it was chaotic in the room compared to the baby room! Part of that was because until 9a Toddlers and Fledglings share a room. As more children and staff come in, they split. I'm sure he was fine after 5 minutes.

Hello Norman. I've seen your Tea Cup campaign and will join. Provided I can have coffee in my cup as I don't care for tea?

I would have to agree with Boffin and Tech here, purple. Just another psycho-babble word to feed the masses.

I'm impressed by the bunting, though not sure I deserve it. Just as well the jobs have all been done, as I can relax and enjoy my tea. It's what I do best!

Thank you Tee for joining the campaign, you are welcome to fill your cup with any beverage.

Oh, and by the way, SoMuch has a one child family (just her ds who is my owner), so I don't feel too out of place. (Not that it matters probably).

Gosh this marking I am doing here on the side is laborious. . Could I have a geranium oil aromatherapy massage with a bit of chocolate as an 'extra' please?

You want Mellors to rub chocolate in as well? Why not!

I've given up work for the mo and decided to have a whirl on Google Street Maps to see where dh and I are going for our wicked weekend on Friday.

Please stay as long as you like, Norman, and invite SoMuchToBits to drop in too. The door is always open - we are so broadminded that we have ushered BoffinMum in, even though she has a prodigious (by our standards) quantity of children.

::Hope BoffinMum does not object to the joke::

Where is your naughty weekend, Amber?

Would anyone like an apricot and date flapjack?

::Joins queue for massage::

Oooh, thank you LaVie. I do love an apricot and date flapjack!

We are amusing ourselves in Wells (not the round things with water in). A bijou cottage avec swimming pool and jacuzzi. Just had a very strange conversation with the owner who said 'where do you want the beds to be, luv?'. Well, in the bedrooms, really, I think

You certainly may.

::hands over the right beverage to achieve that::

Hard day?

Slightly challenging. BabyScout been very good, playing nicely, lots of cuddling, etc. Only had 45 minute nap this morning, though, which I only put him down for one because he was practically begging for one. Put him down for one this afternoon and after an hour still bouncing. Got him up, we had cuddles/books/playing for an hour, put him down again cuz he was fighting sleeping on my lap. Took another 30 minutes of bouncing -- was just about to get him up and give him paints while I made his dinner and he's just passed out. 4:30 he finally gave in. ARGH!

I feel like I have achieved nothing today.

Thanks Amber!

Wells? How lovely. Haven't been there for yonks.

Any tea left in the pot?

In my defence I was mum of an only for 10 years or thereabouts.

The rest was my DH's idea.

BoffinMum is right about teachers. Don't take too much notice of their parenting tips. I have sat through many a conversation in the staff room about the appalling parenting causing all the problems suffered by our pupils, very often by teachers who have no children of their own. And 'not bonding' is such a good stick to beat mothers with. (Metaphorically, Amber; no need to send Mellors to the rescue.)

By the way, BM, do you take knitting commissions? I would love to find someone to whom I could post off the jumper started by my Aged Parent several years ago. She has now very bad arthritis in her hands and cannot possibly finish it, so it sits in the corner of her room and makes us sad. There is not much to go, but I am a rubbish knitter with half a dozen projects of other kinds to finish. I have nearly finished jumper, wool, pattern and needles.

Wells is lovely. I like the Vicars' street with its miniature houses - do go and look at it, and the swans which are always far to stuffed with bread to ring the bell to be fed in the moat of the Bishops' Palace. Enjoy!

Does BabyScout's very late nap mean that he will be up until midnight?

I used to knit quite well, but since I developed a thyroid problem both my knitting and my piano playing suffered a bit. However WI ladies in our village will finish off knitting for people and the most I have ever been charged was £20 for a jumper for a five year old with a slightly tricky pattern. I could make enquiries if you like?

But perhaps you meant purpleknitting?

BoffinMum - Is it rude to ask what the age gap is between your oldest and youngest? Oh well, I've asked. I have no manners.

Amber's trip reminds me of the gag about the French translation of the Bishop of Bath and Wells as l'Evêque des Bains et des Puits.

Sun is over the yardarm and I have to go out to a meeting which may be both difficult and tedious. I'm having a large Harvey's Bristol Cream for Dutch courage. Would anyone like to join me (in the sherry, not at the meeting)?