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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?
ComeIntoTheGardenMaud · 03/03/2011 11:25

Could this be the new dunking emoticon?

Biscuit Brew
amberlight · 03/03/2011 12:27

So it is! Grin

JazzieJeff · 03/03/2011 17:24

Loving the dunking emoticon! Thankyou for the lovely welcome Smile

::notices laughter lines when smiling... Gulps nervously, makes a dash for the oil of olay::

Ice cream parlour with DS and DH today, lovely afternoon for it. Met a lovely little family there, with a DD of about 4. Parents about our age and it turns out they've decided to be a one child family too. Refreshing! It's quite rare around here because it's a military town so you get lots of people in quarters with 2 children because it's a much better housing situation that way. If you stay with one child, they stick you in crummy 2 bed flats with damp. If you have 2 children, you get a 3 bed house. For lots of people, it's a no brainer; the military actively reward people with more children Hmm but anyway, it's nice to know we're not alone. Still getting plenty of 'so when's the next one planned for?' comments....

MaryBS · 03/03/2011 17:43
Biscuit Wine

(yes, I'm a pleb)

amberlight · 03/03/2011 19:13

dunking biscuits in wine? Excellent! Never tried it! Pass me the ginger nuts, will you?

Tee2072 · 03/03/2011 19:39

Anyone know anything about asthma? I don't see a topic on MN about it and LCT is wheezing and coughing and just not breathing well. Keeping a close eye out for blue lips or fingers. Luckily it doesn't seem to upset him to cough so much or wheeze. But it upsets me and MrTee!

amberlight · 03/03/2011 19:45

Could be asthma, could be general lung virus thingy. Does getting the room warm and steamy help?

Jacksmania · 03/03/2011 20:47

No advice, sorry Tee (((HUG)))

Welcome JazzieJeff and JeffBaby! I'm Jacksmania (formerly known as Jacksmama but galwaygirl renamed me by typo on another thread and it fit so well I adopted it). I'm the Tea Room's Canadian Content so I post at odd times. Big advantage for me, it's wine o'clock in the UK when it's probably way too early here but I don't let that stop me :o

What do you do in the military? And which service branch are you, if I may ask without wanting to offend or out you? I'm strangely fascinated by the idea of women in the Forces, would love to know what drew you to becoming a soldier/airman/marine/sailor. But please feel free to tell me to butt out if I'm being a nosy old cow :)

Hand that over, at 41 I need it more than you do :o

OP posts:
Tee2072 · 03/03/2011 21:04

Attention JM: Make a move on Words with Friends, the game is waiting for you!

Amber warm and steamy does nothing. Cold makes it some better. Every time he gets a cold, he wheezes. Tonight he was coughing so hard I thought he'd never catch his breath. He has some steroids to take this week but no one will tell me how old he has to be to be referred to asthma clinic. I've heard 2 but I don't know if it's true. Nothing worse than watching your baby trying to catch his breath. Especially as he came into the world trying to do that and spent 9 days in SCBU!

::hands 'round some beer, as she is partaking and it is rude to not share::

Donki · 03/03/2011 21:05
Jacksmania · 03/03/2011 21:33

Tee - if cold makes it better, it might be croup. Best thing to do with croupy babies - bundle up warm and sit outside if they can't breathe at night.

OP posts:
Scout19075 · 03/03/2011 21:55

Tee-shirt/Hoodie for Maud

Royal Wedding Challenge for Maud

FINALL have internet again. It's been driving me nuts.

to everyone.

teafortwo · 03/03/2011 22:00

I used to get croup a lot as a child. My Mum would run the hot tap in the bathroom and shut the door. I have a memory of the kettle being boiled with no lid on in my room too.

I think I am going to live to regret what I did tonight... I taught Milk how to use the phone. Shock

In the under three hours between learning this new skill and bed she phoned her Dad three times, left two messages on my mobile and had an hours chat with my Dad... Hmm I think this could get messy.

ComeIntoTheGardenMaud · 03/03/2011 22:13

Guess who I met today, everyone!

Scout19075 · 03/03/2011 22:24

Going back to the HE thing for a minute (only because I haven't been able to answer the question before) I agree, when it's done well it's fantastic but when it's when it's not you're setting your child/ren up for failure. I have encountered people who are ultra-structured and some who are so autumnous (sp) they're practically asleep. The family I know who is ultra-structured is related (ack!) and the older the children get the more their spark seems to be diminishing. Teaching wise sometimes it seems they are so focused on behavior that they seem to forget they're children (trying to learn). They also only seem to mix with other children who are in their little religious bubble. I feel they are being set up for a huge, horrible shock when they get out into the big, bad world. Then again I have met some who are so the other way that the children get away with murder and I'm not sure how they can function in society when they're older.

We are going to start off home schooling, primarily because of the area in which I live and the schools. They are not academically inclined, even the "good" ones. I say "start off" because I have always said that we would review the situation at each level/stage. We are going down the mostly-structured route -- as in, we'll have "school" time to cover essential subjects such as reading/writing/math/science/social studies but will have time to allow BabyScout to pursue some of his own interests, go to clubs and lessons, etc.

We're already involved with a local HE group as I wanted to talk to more parents/families, meet children of various ages and stages and do more reading/research before we made the final decision. It wasn't easy especially knowing that BabyScout is (most likely) going to be an only. I have met several older boys (older being 10-15) who are onlies (or have siblings so much older they might as well be onlies) and they were confident, intelligent, well-read & well-spoken young men. And I was impressed at just how respectful they were -- to their mothers, to the other parents, to the smaller children and to the other people around not involved in the group (first met them on a "field trip" to the local zoo). I know a lot of that is parenting but it convinced me that I can raise BabyScout and teach him and he will still be confident, social, polite and well-educated.

It's scary and exciting and the teacher in me will constantly be re-evaluating the decision. If I find it's not working for BabyScout and/or me, if he has needs I'm not meeting, etc., we will search the earth for a school for him.

So that is my long-winded answer.

Scout19075 · 03/03/2011 22:24

Who Maud, who? Wink

ComeIntoTheGardenMaud · 03/03/2011 22:27

Oh, some nice American lady I met in a cafe. She had this really cute toddler in tow too.

Scout19075 · 03/03/2011 22:27

amber -- It's good to see you in good spirits. I continue to pray that things remain as positive for you.

Tee -- Poor LCT. How are you coping?

teafortwo · 03/03/2011 22:27

Will Self

ComeIntoTheGardenMaud · 03/03/2011 22:28

Eh?

teafortwo · 03/03/2011 22:29

American lady...

Will self

Urrrmmmm...

Sarah Palin

teafortwo · 03/03/2011 22:30

Nice...

Sarah Pailn

Scout

Jacksmania · 03/03/2011 22:30

WHO???

OP posts:
teafortwo · 03/03/2011 22:31

Tee

That one off of Sleepless in Seatle

Scout19075 · 03/03/2011 22:32

LOL @ Maud. Crazy Americans, you need to watch out for them! Especially those with toddlers.

How was the lecture? BabyScout chattered at me all the way home -- not sure why he waited until the car to do so, though, as he's normally chatty.