The One and Only Tea Room - Now Hanging in Babylon

[ComeIntoTheGardenMaud]

Well folks, here we are, transported through time and space to the Hanging Gardens of Babylon.

Golden couches and the distressed chintz sofa are arranged on a terrace overlooking the Euphrates and, as we recline on the exquisitely-soft cushions eating peeled grapes, we can enjoy the warm fragrance of the gardens' many exotic blooms. The garden is tended by the indefatigable Mellors, with occasional help from the bishops, rabbis and any passing world leaders. Somewhere behind the terrace there is an aga and a priest's hole, with optional massage table.

Please come and join us for a celebratory drink and conversation ranging from the profound to the profoundly silly.

Yes please

What would you like, amber? Anything and everything is on offer!

I'm sure they'd be glad of the support Scout. :(

Hope you are OK CMOT and not in too much pain.

We're off to the Vendee for halfterm, catching the Eurotunnel first thing next Monday morning...

Thanks, Scout. I think a full English Breakfast would be just the thing whilst trying to get my brain in gear.
Mary, wonderful prospect!
CMOT, arrgh re arm.
Oxeye, eek re four weeks up the limpopo
Unserp, ooo eck re the situation you're in too.

Keeping everyone in my thoughts.
Will build up to full sentences later I hope

Enjoy the sand Mary.

morning all. may I have a full english with extra lemsip on eth sde. May I also have finger that will type please. Not doing well today, full of cold and snot.
Short jobs list looks long IYSWIM.

Uni retreats to distressed chintz sofa and snuggle under a flecey blanket witha hot water bottle.

Busy weekend - not much to show for it - although the meadown that the lawn had turned into is now back under more control... now just need to remove some of it from the borders whilst I can get a fork in. In fact, might resort to the weedkiller that you can spread on for some of it - have a couch grass problem in one bed with some large shrubs in which makes weeding difficult - and my last attempt seems to have multiplied rather than diminished the problem.

Took Mistlechick to Karate on Sat - first non-school session - clinging to coat tails to start with, but his friend turned up and he soon got into the swing of it. Good to have the mixed ability though - meant that he had some very good people to copy rather than just the children a year above him. I'd have been shattered by the first 5 mins

Scout - sounds the best option.

CMot - hope that you can get something sorted for the pain.

Serpent
I don't know if these will offer inspiration?

here is the ASE technicians section

CLEAPSS. They also have a job vacancy listing - but I don't think it extends to France

Link to PDF about school technician as a career

HTH

Thank you, Donki. He is applying for a job in a local private school as 'senior lab technician'. He isn't a lab technician at the moment; he is a lecturer/instructor in a subject which has elements of science and has foten set up his own experiments, etc. Trouble is, he has also worked in engineering and car building (not so relevant). I was just wondering if there is anything I could add to the application form to make it more attractive to them.

And thank you to everyone else. I think maybe I shouldn't have ranted here. . I think everyone is right about house near Nice - I keep agreeing with him about it in the hope that this will make him feel better, keeping my horror to myself, which is why I had to tell someone. He says it will be very practical when we are in our 80s, as the patisserie is next door and there is a tram into Nice. In spite of my enormous age, I do have the odd decade to go until my 80s.

Tea, I hope things are better now with you? Is the Zoo meet up on?

Serpent - that's what the tearoom is good for - having a bit of a rant, perhaps getting some other perspectives - but at least getting a friendly ear and a - its just your turn today. I hope that its helped a bit getting it off your chest?

Can I interest you in a freshly baked scone with some clotted cream from near UniS and some just picked, sun warmed strawberries?

[although its just been bucketing down here - good for the garden!]

bucketing down here too, or rather, gently filling the air with moisture so you get wet but it doesn't hurt sort of thing. I have just come to teh conclusion it will be as cheap to buy a made up cable as to buy the bits and do it myself. Ho HUm.

UNiS levers her self off teh sofa. I got to go collect boy soon. wonder if he will still want to do his bike race "training" in teh rain. Should be doing 10 mins round and round the rec or school field today.

Oh Oh, spoke to soon, here come teh buckets.

MT, I'd love a scone and cream.
Have upgraded my phone to an i-Phone 4. Will I regret this, I wonder?
Anyone know what's happening re meetups?? Gone v quiet in t'other place so maybe it's been called off/I've confused everyone into submission/I've missed an update elsewhere?

Amber - I think that my weekends in a suitableish location were a) rather packed with rehearsals and b) not suitable for everyone else, and that the visiting party also found that all weekend days had been fully accounted for....

My parents have been complaining about feeling like a hotel - so perhaps I'll come down in the summer hols at some stage - it would be good to meet up, even if equine appreciation is the main talking point so that its on neutral (ish) territory etc....

I think that Unis and I are still planning to meet on a beach somewhere down south when we're both sort of in the same neck of the woods at the same time.

How many more exams has fine lad got? And did you have any feedback re interesting clothes for exam situation?

He's got most of them still ahead of him. Next one Wednesday, in which I will be encouraging him to remember to take clothes with him. Not a word about his unusual attire last time, thankfully!

Amber - you'll have to start doing what I do - have a bag of spare clothes in the back of the car for 'emergencies' . OK, mistlechick's are currently more likely to be falling into a lake, a river, the mud or getting very wet by refusing to wear his raincoat - but they do come in useful!

Hi all

Absolute gale force winds out there. So bad MrTee is picking LCT up from nursery as we're afraid I'll lose the pushchair! And because I feel like crap today.

Finally got MrTee's biopsy results today. DX: fatty liver. RX: lose weight, exercise, cut down on booze. So not a big deal, really!

Anyone up for an afternoon and ?

::forms a queue for the and ::

picks up a and would love .
Boy home from school via 15mins of cycling ( training) in the rain. Tea now cooking - burger, chips and beans! wow , I think it will first time boy has had that combo at home.

Or is it too early for ?

I think could be fine. Just assembling an emergency bag of clothing for FineLad...

Virtual would be lovely. I think I'm off the real stuff for a bit. Really want to shift this last stone!!

I bring cake.

Serpent - I second or third the idea of M Snake talking to a union official, even if he doesn't want formally to raise a grievance now. And, err, there is no easy way to ask this, but could it be six of one and half a dozen of the other? Could he sometimes be as difficult at work as he sometimes is at home?

It's breezy here, but not fence-blowing-down weather as it is in other parts of the country, I gather. Commiserations to all for whom the weather is causing difficulties.

I would love to hear of any date and venue for a meet-up if one is ever fixed. Have railcard, will travel.

::Joins the queue for Mellors' healing massage::

Maud - I would hate to work for him, but I think he is really very different at work! Always ready to help anyone and terribly easy to bully. He wouldn't have said a word in the meeting but he wouldn't have made eye contact, which was what appeared to enrage her.

Far too breezy here and rather bleak. Have put on Christmas lights which are somehow still up around the mantlepiece.

Lost post! Agh!

Serpent - agree with Maud et al re talking to Union. And positive vibes for a happy outcome wafting your way (on the bilowing gusts swirling around here too, shouldn't take long to reach you like that!)

Scout - think your letter was just right and you have been v sensitive throughout, in a very difficult and emotionally overwhelming situation.

SBoy has been ill for the last few days and it has meant very little sleep here. So am going to bed in a minute.

CMOT, so sorry to hear how bad your condition is, I hope the future may bring improvements. And a very belated Happy Birthday to Tiddler!

night all, have had my final lemsip and now I must depart.