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.

Ah yes. Mellors' First Nation phase.

::goes misty-eyed::

Ah, 10cc. One of the great pop bands of the 70's. Really must drag arthritic old self off the sofa and towards bed. Will feel like such crap tomorrow. GET THEE TO BED, RABBIT! (that was a note to self)

G'night all

lol at misty-eyed Maud. Still not sure why you need that tent, MT?

G'night again

Why are you hiding in a tent with bouncing chick Mistle?

Rabbit don't start me on Spider Solitaire. I'd have had tome to run 6 miles a day and write 10 novels in 10 years but for that sort of dversion. Oh yes. Then I'd be Santa Sebag Montifiore ... I always wonder about such wonder women, how disciplined are they? When do they footle around aimlessly clicking Internet links and watching tmrw rubs of crap tv??!!

Re runs of crap tv that should be... Phone typing is a bit cr@p

Thanks again for all the stories and reassurance feel much less crap about myself today. TS had a lie-in (8 a.m. ) which is much appreciated given how many times he had me up in two hours last night. He seems fine he's sitting on the bed with me, eating his (dry) Cheerios and watching Wednesday morning cartoons having a cuddle with Bunny and his Mommy). He has a big top lip and a bit of a scrape on the part between his nose and lip (what is that part called?!) but seems none the worse for his adventure yesterday.

In my calm, more rational state I looked at the report the medic gave me and he didn't check any of the referal boxes and had written (in brief) "fall involving hitting face. No obvious signs of head injury. Blood stopped. Advice given and mother happy to monitor." I guess, as well, if he suspected something more sinister he could have found a reason to get the big ambulance and take him to A&E.

Apparently every toddler has a story of falling/A&E/trauma to share, we just don't remember it. Mine was around a similar age to TS -- I fell out of the car onto the concrete. Sickening crack, blood, etc., but I bounced as do most other tots it seems.

I'm not sure how the Bison happened. I do think they arrived due to me, but the exact circumstances are lost in memory.

Scout, so pleased that TS is okish.

I'm taking a nice plate of breakfast and going out into the gardens for a peaceful stroll after what was a stressful end to yesterday (braving the whole will-writing bit, just in case of unexpected disaster on things medical). Anyone care to join me?

I also need to write a will. Don't know how basic it can be... really must get something done though.

Mistlechick and I are in a tent due to some sort of north -sarf divide that appeared to appear - but it seems it was only relating to London, and mistlechick was so wriggly I came back into the tearoom and left him to it - the tent is pitched very close so I don't think that there could be any problems (and, following the thread on tent fires I saw yesterday, there are no matches, lights or cooking opportunities anywhere nearby).

BTW, does anyone know where you stand on having, for instance, a Swiss army knife on your keychain - I use mine for sharpening pencils and pulling out corks - but could I be charged wtih having a dangerous weapon if the police were to see it???

Was sunny, now overcast. Might take Friday off to do gardening - have to go and see mc's 'open' music lesson on Friday morning anyway.

MT, all depends whether you can prove a reasonable use for it. If it's clear you have a need to sharpen pencils and remove corks whilst out and about, yes. If not, in theory the police could be unreasonable about it. But in reality unless you look like a thug, I'm fairly sure they won't care in the least what's on your keyring.
Wills can be basic, but there are big pitfalls if it's the wrong sort of basic (e.g. if the house is owned jointly with someone else and you've not got the right legal basis for it etc) Worth a good solicitor.

Our solicitor came up with stuff we hadn't thought of, even though our case is pretty simple. It wasn't very expensive to do.

Glad to hear TS is good this morning.

DH seems to have turned a corner in the depression/stress saga (cross fingers, touch wood), but is now in the mode of doing stuff with vigour. I am hiding from this

Morning all.

Already made one batch of cupcakes. They look quite nice if I do say so myself. LCT showed no interest in helping. Oh well, maybe next year!

MT MrTee and I have very basic wills but we did have them done by a solicitor, mostly because I am not a citizen and we weren't sure if that would affect anything.

Right. Next thing is to go view a house. Then more baking. See ya!

let teh time wasting commence....

Tis showery day and I'm supposed to be getting some paper work done!!. BUt as some of that paperwork is now DONE I am rewarding myself with a little 10cc.

I've filed a load of papers that have been sat there for almost a year. Hurrah!
Where's that ? 10CC? Excellent.
Hope the house viewing yields good results, Tee.
FineLad excelled himself this morning by forgetting both his trousers and his shoes for school (having gone in wearing jeans and trainers, thinking the suit and etc were already in there). Do they get more organised when they're 18, I used to ask, but it seems not

Ah Amber - there might be hope for MC then - this morning, whilst going out of the door in his PE kit, with shirt and shorts in bag, he asked where his tie was....

holiday booked. 2 nights in a yurt and 2 nights in hotel with pool. cycle tour. Hurrah, I have achieved.

Next task- find a new ballet teacher.

Sounds good UniS re holiday.

Ballet teacher - why? I thought Boy enjoyed his lessons or are they becoming rather biased towards the pink tuttus?

The UniHoliday sounds fab, but why the need for a new ballet teacher/class? I have over a year's worth of filing to do. Sigh.

Mistle - I think there have been instances of artists and craftspeople being charged with possession of an offensive weapon which has been a Stanley knife or similar required for their craft/trade. This was of real concern to me when I was sculpting and would have an array of fearsome implements in the car. However, I am sure that (as Amber says) the police would usually take a sensible and pragmatic line. You certainly can't take a Swiss Army knife, however tiny, on a plane though. Bloke's SAK was possibly my most inspired birthday present idea, ever!

Yes, the tent fire thread was very sobering.

Cmot - Glad to hear of DH's progress. Is he on a phased return to work or still at home?

So glad that people haven't forgotten about 10cc. When we were in Paris, I remarked to Bloke that one night in Paris is worth a year in any other place and, sigh, he had no idea what I was on about.

DH is still at home. He has made progress in that he will now answer the home phone and make phone calls to order a chinese etc, but still anxious about anything to do with work. But has started reading his prof magazine again

UniS, the recumbent you mentioned seems v suitable, and the vv nice man at the company tells me that any adaptations would be foc, but unlikely to be necessary. Much nicer bike than the specialist disability ones too

sculpture Maud ? I would love to be able to do that, but am sadly v inartistic. My patchwork was a study in mathmatical methods only

CMOT, progress of a sort re DH, then

UniS, hurrah re hol.

Maud, you sculpt? Excellent. My sculting is pitiful, but I'm alright with a paintbrush.

I haven't done any sculpture for years but still miss it. My work ::ahem:: is all over the house and garden. I find it easier than painting (rendering the three dimensional in two dimensions seems very problematic to me) so take my hat off to you, Amber.

We went to Hemingford Grey at half term -setting of the Green Knowe books - and saw Lucy Boston's very impressive patchworks. Have you been, Cmot? 'Tis a lovely spot.

I 'should' do more drawing - I could actually make some money doing it but just don't do enough or get round to it. I also should do more sewing (I like patchwork too) knitting, have forgotten how to do crotchet, embroidery etc etc etc. In fact, if I was a lady of leisure I would have busy hands all the time. I'll just have to leave things until I retire I think.

The real green knowe- WOW. Is it as fantastic as in the books.

Re ballet teacher- not just for boy this time, the lady who has been teaching in the village for a few years now is moving away ;- ( so we need to find another teacher to take the classes on if possible. preferable to 45 families having to travel to classes else where . Encouragingly I have had a few responses to my e--mails to RAD registered teachers in the surrounding area. Next step is to give those responders a bit more info.

Boy has a friend coming to play after school tomorrow, fingers crossed he will manage sharing his toys Ok this time.

The shameful truth, UniS, is I don't know because I've never read the books, but the house is beautiful and the gardens surrounding it are stunning. Girl, though, loves them and I gather from her that the house is just as the books describe it. There's lots of the original artwork on display and at the end of the tour you get to open the toybox and hold the ebony mouse.

I wonder how Scout and TS are doing.

::arranges enticing buffet of lemonade, , Twiglet Surprise and gingerbread::

must get my copies out and start reading them to ds, thanks for the prod!

Oh yes, I love Hemingford Grey. I went with mum when she was still compos mentis, and Diana Boston was so charming. She let me handle the quilts (gosh, the memory of the High Magic one), and it was magical. UniS, you could imagine them all there, especially in the little bedroom up the top of the house with the rocking horse.

Maud, really ? Not ever read them ? You have missed out. Very enjoyable indeed.

Thanks for the gingerbread