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.

Good morning! and croissants over here!

On the subject of texting during labour... Mr Bean spent a lot of my labour doing crosswords - he did text my sister to let her know what was happening and then asked for the answer to '14 down'.

Crossword Beanandspud - priceless!!!!

Dh went to work. He did come back when I asked him to though. No texting until afterwards - when he managed to send out a text which gave FAR too many gory details out about the whole thing to all and sundry... including my work ! I think that he was too traumatised by the whole thing by then to be able to think of doing anything else.

Scout - I agree on the text stuff re your problems - the whole family sounds really difficult to deal with tbh!

Anything planned for the weekend? I could make silage with the lawn so will have to do that - and might take MC to a karate class on Sat am.

DH didn't text during my labour - but then neither of us had a mobile 'phone 8 years ago.... (luddite emoticon)

I still can't get in into my head just why we need to take mobile phones with us - agreeing to meet someplace at a particular time always used to work......

I do understand the "in case of emergency" bit when out and about in the car....

However, (back to labour), my MiL and assorted relatives came to the hospital whilst I was in labour - because they were supposed to be visiting us that day anyway, and the YD was 3 weeks and 2 days early. They hung around until the YD was born and then came up to the delivery suite.... and Donki's Husband (emphatically not dear at that point) then decided to persuade me to let them in to see me and the YD because they had a long drive to go home.

DH still does not understand why I cannot forget this incident...... grrrrr (or maybe I was being unreasonable and DH was right?)

Making silage sounds like an interesting way to spend a weekend.

Keeping quiet on subject of texts etc as I use social sites/text etc a lot as a way to communicate if I can't manage words very well, so for me it has its uses. But I accept that it can be very rude in other situations.

I am upto my ears in trying to sort out Milk's new toys from her birthday.

She now has some sets of Playmobil and a few Syvalian families. Basically lots of little and fragile things and I can't work out how to keep them so the place looks tidy, she can be creative and things don't get eaten by Eccles, the hoover, Milk...

ADVICE NEEDED!!!!

Funnily enough - My Father thinks the Syvalian families are beautiful but on account of their fragility suggested to Milk with not a single sense of irony that she doesn't play with them and just looks at them so they don't get spoilt!!!!

Must go and read back now.... x

Wriggle has a few Sylanvians too. I keep things in themed sets in labelled (with pictures) old shoe boxes on a set of shelves. I soon intend to also have a bin for items found lying about and throw everything in there and involve WRiggle in sorting it out. (Sad teacher emoticon) But some of these things are expensive and we have never found the figurine of Kirikou which she thinks she stuck to the underside of a shelf with bluetac by its feet.

That's very inventive of her Serpent.

I just have several big boxes that things get tossed into. No organization at all for toys around here. Every time I try to get them organized, a certain small boy just upends them all when I'm half way through or as soon as he gets home so I gave up!

Scout, I am SOOOO sorry at your news.

I am a Miss Phone at times - but don't think I would have text in that situation.

My sister, while giving birth was on gas and air and had her phone in her hand - she DID NOT stop texting me a huge, whole load of rubbish!!!! During a healthy birth with texty AND key point intimate people - yeah sure! But a bad situation with people you are a bit 'eeeegggrrr' with anyway... texting, well - it doesn't seem right.

Thanks, tea.

Yes, agree, very creative Serpent! Like Tee's LCT, TS is a whirlwind of toys all over. But when he's a bit bigger I'm hoping to have plastic boxes w/lids with pictures and the words on them of what's inside. Figure I'll start in a few months but for now it wouldn't have much value to TS. However, things like blocks, Duplo and cars are all in separate containers now (blocks in a drawstring bag, Duplo in one of the plastic containers his big set came in, cars in a canvas toy bag).

Not sure what our weekend involves. Probably getting TS new shoes, finding a dress to wear to the wedding next weekend, grocery shopping. I might get MrScout to take TS to the playground so I can have 20 minutes peace/Scout time.

Hmmmm..... confused now.

No funeral (fine) just a blessing at the graveside. SiL/BiL aren't expecting people to attend though I'd be welcome.

Wonder if I should email my other SsiL and see what they're doing.....

I would - in the circs, best to go along with what other members of the family are doing.

We have no toy organisation at all I'm afraid - just big boxes.

DS delighted with his birthday presents, and fortunatly his replacement skates arrived today - mum sent him baby roller skates, and fortunatly we opened the box to check, so have spirited them away and ordered some appropriate ones. He will think they are from mum and dad though.

Later, we have two other children sleeping over - all of them are onlies !

Am now out of plaster, and into a splint that I can only take off if quietly sat down.

Good to hear CMot - how's it feeling - hope you're not in too much pain.

Good luck with the sleepover!

cmot - I am all confusid with so many birthdays (Milk has six parties in the next four weeks to attend - eeeek and there have been several in the tearoom too!!!)... is it cmottiddler's birthday today?????

If YES - hippily happily birthday from us... xxx

I loved my rollerskates when I was a girl. What a fab idea for tiddler's prezzie!

scout - My advice - in theses circumstances - head down follow the other sheep [sadwink] I REALLY feel for you. x x x

Yes, tiddler is 5 today. Its the first time he's really counted down to it

Hand still hurts, but its much better now i can give it a rub and soak it in hot water

Happy Birthday Tiddler!!!

Happy Birthday Tiddler!!!! Wow, 5!

Happy Birthday, Tiddler!

CMOT, really hoping you get some relief from the pain and it heals to some good effect.

Sending birthday wishes to Tiddler and healing wishes to Cmot.

I have ginger cake and homemade lemonade if anyone's interested.

::enticing::

Somehow I missed CMOT needing healing! Have some healing vibes and some .

Happy Birthday Tiddler!

Here CMOT have some carrot wine - it has (this being a tea room of requirement) fabulous healing properties.....
I hope that your hand heals as well as it can - and is less painful soon.

Scout - thinking of you. I think CMOTs advice is very wise. Not that my opinion is necessarily to be listened to on social etiquette matters - I'm rubbish at it.

Maud yes please! to the ginger cake.

Yummy.

Would you like some carrot wine with it? (It goes very well)

Donki, a question for you: Wriggle wants to know what viruses eat. supplementary question: she wonders if they eat margarine.

yum, ginger cake and lemonade.
Hurrah for the tea room

Happy Birthday Tiddler.

Obviously I am asking because I don't know the answer to the first question. I think the answer to the second is 'no'.