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Tea Room the 23rd - The Canadian Rockies

996 replies

Jacksmania · 11/02/2011 16:49

Welcome to the 23rd incarnation of the One-Child Tea Room. Not to be misleading - although its inmates inhabitants mostly have just one child, we also have mums of many (but no dads yet... hmmm...). Everyone is welcome.

The usual rules apply - no bunfighting. If you like that sort of thing, go elsewhere.
Other rules: bring Wine. Or [tea]. :o

We find ourselves in a lovely spacious log cabin in the Canadian Rockies. Enormous west-facing windows show a gorgeous view of the sunset over the mountains, and there are log and/or gas fireplaces in every room, even the priest hole (which is a Hiding Spot of Requirement for Those In Need) and the bathrooms. In the open-concept living room, we find the Aga gently simmering against the wall, the bar fully stocked, and the cappuccino bar prepared to dispense any hot beverage of your choice.

Fluffy duvets and colourful pillows abound on the deep, squashy couches and armchairs. Outside, we see a vista of deep snow, dotted here and there with deer and bunny tracks. The walking trails and access roads have been ploughed clear of snow by our able (and hunky) handyman, Mellors, who is also available for massages and facial treatments in the Log Cabin Spa.
There is a hot tub outside on the west-facing deck, with a mini-bar conveniently nearby.

There are no aspidistras in this log cabin, as the cold of the Rockies causes them to shrivel and die. However, the Naked Mohawk Babies have come along and are swarming along the rafters, and in the adjacent stable, the Tea Room horses, Earl and Lady Grey are available for snowy rides. The bison are frolicking in their snowy paddock, and I have no idea if the bishops followed the trail of breadcrumbs or not.

(For newcomers, the last paragraphs obv. makes no sense - just go with, all will be explained.)

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
CMOTdibbler · 20/02/2011 15:43

DS is coughing too - as soon as he gets a cold he is all chesty. But we have an escalation plan for it. The sudafed is a godsend for drying up the mucus

teafortwo · 20/02/2011 18:22

Milk gets a lot of coughs and sniffs and so do her cousins on both sides.

I started off banging on all sorts of drs doors to try and cure Milk. The whole snot isssue does not bother her in the slightest and I have decided that I think some children are simply natural snotbags and as they grow it slowly passes.

Milk is having a blast in Brittany - see my youknowwhat pg to see a few pics of her prancing about in the garden my MIL cares for. I am a VERY PROUD Mummy tonight!!! Smile

Catitainahatita · 20/02/2011 19:52

Hi all. Sorry to hear about Minitee not feeling. I'm just back from the equivalent of the out of hours service with Kittenito who has a throat infection. All three of my charges have gone for a nap so I am going to enjoy a quiet dinner.
boffinmum I feel for you. Last December I forgot I was scheduled to do a radio interview one Friday morning. I remembered ten days later. Since then I have got a new phone with a calendar which reminds me repeatedly of my engagements. Oh the shame.

teafortwo · 20/02/2011 20:54

Cat - How can you forget a radio interview??? Ha ha ha - just shows the exciting circles you move in.

[in awe emotion]

UniS · 20/02/2011 21:20

ging gang goooly goooly wotcha.

Evening all. sounds like it was a good campfire yesterday, did teh rockies rock?
Can I get any one soothing throat sweets tonight.

I spend much of today out in teh garden, doing "yard work" re hanging the woodshed door and starting to reclad teh wood shed . One face done ( including teh door), 2 to go, then a bit of a shelf reshuffle and re stacking of wood and hopefully it will work better and we will have dryer wood next winter, some has gone a bit damp and mildewish this year as teh shed didn't let enough air through.

Boy is one party down, 2 to go in this half term birthday party marathon week.

Scout- I'd love a GS 100th patch. Will see what I can come up with to swop. maybe this year I will find some different Devon patches.

Tea- is milk still having fun, have you got used to the silence yet?

ComeIntoTheGardenMaud · 20/02/2011 21:33

Heyla shayla heyla hoooooooooooooooo!

teafortwo · 20/02/2011 21:52

UNiS, thanks for asking. Hmmm - Twas quite lovely timeout for me actually until Beer and I had a disagreement over dinner. Now I am all huffy and mning because I know if I go to bed I will stew and won't sleep. Grrrr!!!

We decided to call every other night so Milk and MIL don't feel too watched. Tonight milk screamed down the phone excitedly "Oh hello Mummy, please don't keep phoning all the time. I am quite busy at Grandmama's and don't have much time to talk on the phone."

According to all sources she is completely confident, happy, self sufficient and acting like she has never lived anywhere-else. I am very pleased for her - it is a big and so far successful step for Milk.

What seeds should be planted around now - I thought I would take some seeds to Brittany to plant - what sort of things should I take?

ComeIntoTheGardenMaud · 20/02/2011 21:59

Oh, it's lovely to hear how independent and confident Milk is being.

Seeds? You could start hardy annuals now, I should think, in Brittany. Poppies are always good and nigella (love in a mist) are more or less indestructible. Calendula?

UniS · 20/02/2011 22:17

Today Dh and boy planted our first spuds-Pentland Javelin, a VERY early salad potato. Just growing 4 of then in bags. Will plant maincrop spuds later in the new veg bed.
Garlic was planted a few weeks back.

Or did you mean flowers?? Sorry, I get a bit preoccupied with edible gardening.

teafortwo · 20/02/2011 22:36

Hmmmm - edible is quite a good idea actually.

I will go to the garden centre tomorrow and float around the place looking earthy and full of gardening knowledgeGrin.

ComeIntoTheGardenMaud · 20/02/2011 22:42

Garlic is often sown in the autumn but that could probably be sown now too.

mistlethrush · 21/02/2011 09:11

Morning all.

Child free this week - am I still allowed in?

Mistlechick was EXTREEMLY annoying yesterday - mainly because he was utterly shattered but we hadn't enforced a nap on Sat pm becuase we knew MiL was driving all the way down to London with him Sun afternoon.

So I got told off by MiL.

DH, of course, was in bed.

He announced that he'd hung the washing up when I got back in from choir practice (Israel in Egypt at lunchtime today) but when I got upstairs I discovered that as the washing fairy hadn't taken all the dry washing down, the wet washing was simply laid on top and crammed up..... I really don't see why it should be 'my' job.

Oh - and to top it all he left at 4.30am this morning and when I came to let the dog out I found the key in the back door and the door unlocked - so I've been asleep in an open house this morning. I know we've got a dog - but she's a bit ancient now. So DH is also somewhat in my bad books at the moment.

amberlight · 21/02/2011 09:24

As strictly speaking I don't have a child at all (in theory he's an adult now), I hope you're allowed in, otherwise you and I will have to peer in from outside Grin

Blimey re DH and indeed MiL. And Grr. And eek. Have a large cuppa.

mistlethrush · 21/02/2011 09:37

You have Fine Lad - and he's still at home!

But you're right, I'm not going to exclude myself just because mistlechick is not around.

However, the silence was bliss this morning Grin

A large cuppa would be good, thank you!

UniS · 21/02/2011 09:48

Wow what a lot of obliging grandparents these children have. Boy has not yet been to stay with GPs, the 3 hour drive each way is a slight impediment. He has stayed over at a friends house.

Gosh is fine lad 18 now.

Any one for Brunch, leisurely, with or with out children. Bacon lardons and garlic mushrooms on toast ? Teas of choice or fresh squeezed OJ?

I was Ver cross with census job people last night, have calmed down now, they sent a mail on Friday inviting me to phone interview. Being the weekend I didn't have PC on so much so only noticed mail yesterday, tried to book slot and none were available. Have calmed down now as have looked again this morning and Lo, slots are available, al be it only on one day in teh middle of half term. I'll load boy up with a DVD and do interview in dining room I guess. At least we do now have a wander phone.

Tee2072 · 21/02/2011 10:12

Ah, to have a child free week! At least today is a child free day! LCT was much better this morning and off to daycare. So I've done some work and am off for a soak in the tub in a bit. Then I have my first acupuncture appointment this afternoon. I do hope it helps!

Large coffee for me, please, with brunch!

mistlethrush · 21/02/2011 10:12

mistlechick travelled 4 hrs yesterday - possibly slightly over.... He will be picked up on Weds (1.5hrs) and then will have another 3.5 hrs travelling next sat (split by a visit to a nat. trust property for hand over) - had to fight off MiL for a bit because she wanted him when he was too little - but now I'm happy for him to spend time with them on his own - he gets lots of different experiences that way (eg he loves doing electronics with Granddad)(who is trying to think of basic woodwork too...). MiL is under very strict instructions to have him actually in bed by 7pm at the latest though - none of this having supper at 6.20pm.... Grin

CMOTdibbler · 21/02/2011 10:31

Am Envy at GPs having children for half term too. Mine can't, and dh's won't - but ds is sleeping over at his friends on Friday so we get to go to the pub

teafortwo · 21/02/2011 10:41

Milk went down on the train (three and a half hours) with a babysitter. It was very exciting!

She is spending her days dancing around a big garden and evenings watching tv and eating lots of very healthy, fresh and good food.

The brunch is perfect UNiS! x Yum, yum!

ComeIntoTheGardenMaud · 21/02/2011 11:08

Yummy brunch! Just what I was looking for.

We always manage to juggle work so that GardenGirl doesn't need to go to holiday scheme in half term, but it's sometimes been a narrow squeak. The GPs would cope with a sleepover but I doubt they could do the full week.

Raspberry pavlova for pud, anyone?

teafortwo · 21/02/2011 11:49

Right now I am on holiday too Maud (hense my current addiction to fb, mn and radio 4)! Milk asked to go by herself and we thought it was a worthwhile experience for her and it really is!

She wants to go skiing by herself too. Luckily for my nerves, in our town, she isn't allowed to go until she is six. [phew emotion]

Grin
amberlight · 21/02/2011 11:55

Brunch? Yes please!

teafortwo · 21/02/2011 13:52

Amber, I have a dog question for you:

Whenever I try and read a book Eccles comes over and sits on said book and wags tail proudly - You know "Oh you must be soooo pleased with me Mummy for sitting on your book".

I try and move her beside me because it would be quite nice to read and stroke her tummy but she moves back to the book and repeats the whole "Aren't I great sitting on your book, you must be proud" routine.

She also does a version of this when I am sorting washing, loading the dishwasher and annoyingly (because sitting on a full hoover bag is messy stuff) did it when I was changing the hoover bag last week.

Do you know - What is happening in her head to make her think I want her to sit on whatever it is I am busy doing?

amberlight · 21/02/2011 14:07

Just attention-seeking I think - and a sign of great intelligence in working out where your focus of attention is at that moment.
I'd use a reward system to get her to move where you want her each time e.g. she must sit by the side of you to get attention/treat/clicker-reward/whatever. If she's not getting any attention when she sits on things, she'll learn the new way to do so fairly instantly, I reckon.

Our cat does the same thing at the moment for the same reasons, and he's proving quite a challenge to retrain! Grin

ComeIntoTheGardenMaud · 21/02/2011 15:34

Tea - I was talking about holiday play scheme - ie day care - rather than holiday with GPs. GardenGirl would love that, I am sure, but GPs are no longer physically capable of keeping an energetic girl occupied for a week, alas.

Tea and a cinnamon bun, anyone?