Turkish Tearoom? Turkish Bath? Anyway, a Turkish delight awaits...

[MaryBS]

Picture the scene...

From the edge of every terrace and every step hang brilliantly white stalactites, and you can hear the joyful splashing of the waters of the hot springs as they cascade down over slopes where their flow is impeded only by clumps of oleanders.

Nearby is an oasis of refreshments, in our Pamukkale residence, air conditioned and with white washed generously proportioned rooms, with Mellors at the ready, to offer Turkish Massage to anyone who wishes.

The NMBs are in their element, whereas the bishops seem to have found their speedoes again.

Priest's hole is at the back, in a quiet shaded area, stocked with What Car magazines, Turkish rugs and Turkish delight

Mistlechick's been parcel forced asap too - he wouldn't want to miss out!

Catita - I'm getting excited for your move - so pleased to hear that you are finally able to get out - and that you've got school and house etc arranged so its not quite so traumatic! I do hope that whilst you're there something happens jobwise so that you don't have to go back - would be such a relief!

Scout, hope today goes as well as possible - and that there are no additional 'issues' to deal with.

Northern meet ups - well Donki and I were talking about visiting the nearby Donkey sancturary - or linking up with Justabout and visiting the Sculpture Park - but its not happened yet. However, I have had a southern meet up with Unis whilst on summer hols - now two years in a row. Boy and mistlechick get on remarkably well.

CMOT - scones for lunch? Wonderful!

Hope you're all better soon Scout. I also hate carpet in a bathroom! For me, kitchen and bathroom floors need to be able to be mopped!

Daughter of out meeting a mate, I have some tidying up to do but as always the computer is distracting me!!

In England I always had carpet in the bathroom/loo and it wasn't usually a problem, but the bath mat and pedestal mat made up for a lot of potential ishoos.
However, here in Oz we have a tiled bathroom floor and I was tremendously grateful for that the day miniThumb threw back his entire bowl of butternut squash soup all over it.

Scout - hope you feel better soon and do manage to get off on your hols.

CMOTD - the digger sounds like fun!

Scout - Hope today goes as well as possible given the circumstances and that you feel better soon.

Tee - My parents, brother, two sisters and associated spouses/offspring all live in Florida!

Steep, stick and any other newcomers -Hi! I have been in the tearoom about 1 and a half years on and off. I have a 4 year old ds (LittleO), he turns 5 in Oct and starts school this Sept! I live in Ireland, much to my dismay !

CMOT, DH is at theis very moment landscaping the garden (in the rain) with a mini digger. Wriggle's best friend, for whom it would be small-boy heaven, is rather unwell with something lingering and worrying, so sadly he is not here, which makes Wriggle rather sad, since it is not half as much fun on her own. (Also the fact that I have spent the morning with AP and the counsellor and am rather emotionally fraught and inclined to snap at her when she whines.)

I hate carpets. I should at this very moment be hoovering a bowl's worth of sugar off the stair carpet, before it absorbs the moisture from the air (like a sauna here with the rain outside and the doors open) and turns into syrup.

Oh dear, what a moan! It was supposed to be a brief up-beat comment along the lines of 'Oooh, what fun; we've got a mini digger too!'. Don't know where the other stuff came from.

Unserp - there appear to be scones left over from lunch - and there's clotted cream in the fridge - and I've just found a jar of strawberry jam on the shelf - would that help at all?

Serpent, moan away - you need somewhere to vent, heaven only knows.

And I'm sure your dh will do a better job with the mini digger. DH appears to have mismeasured the gap at the side of the house which is the only access to the back garden

How did the sugar get there ? Or shouldn't I ask ?

DH has his first counselling session tomorrow, so hope that will help

oh no CMOTD!
Hope the counselling goes well for your DH

Serp, sounds like things are getting a bit pent up inside so you probably needed a good vent. Don't like the sound of Wriggle's friend's illness - do they know what it is yet? poor boy.

I think it will go through - he has discovered the thing that widens and narrows the tracks now. Neighbours are starting to pop round to see what is happening - men can't resist a digger

CMOT, yes, it took us some time to discover that thing! DH is still going on digger, 11 hours after starting. He had a short break when a couple of Wriggle's friends came round to have a turn and Wriggle prepared for Glastonbury by 'falling' into the mud 123 000 times and having to be hosed down with cold water, but now he's back at work. I am very impressed that your DH is willing to accept counselling and hope it goes well.

Sugar ended up on stairs because AP dropped it - she has to crawl upstairs on all fours and often drops things, which causes great frustration. (Obviously I take things whenever possible, but equally obviously she wants to be independant.) And I still haven't hoovered it up.

Friend's illness is identified, not permanent but debilitating and disfiguring and I could weep if I let myself think about it. Wriggle, I think, is scared by it and I have had to realise that a four-year old has to learn that it doesn't matter what happens to your friend; they are still the same person. She has been frightened and upset, but is coming out the other end of that now.

I hope that you are coping with mother leaving, Tee. Do you live in Belfast? My sister used to live near and loved it - in fact she lived in Belfast until the endless troubles got her down, then she moved out to a village. We visited once and were shocked by the red white and blue kerb stones .... The countryside around is beautiful - I remember driving around the lough.

AandO, I can't work out whether you are dismayed about littleO starting school in September or about living in Ireland.
/
Cream tea with strawberry jam sounds perfect! Did you make the jamHave just pickled 6 jars of garlic.

Would AP use a one handed tray? It is v useful as it is easy to grip as well

I didn't make the jam - think I would be a liability, and I can't risk burning goodhand. And it did come from the farm down the road who grow the strawberries. But the scones turned out beautifully, so am pleased with those

What is pickled garlic like ? And what is MSerpent doing to the garden ?

Sounds like serious garden work Serpent!

Dismayed about living in Ireland I'm afraid. Hate the constant grey and rain. We have no summer here. I'm looking forward to LittleO starting school, he needs more stimulation, he is currently throwing himself of couches, he has too much energy at the mo. Does Wriggle start school this sept?

You wait all this time for a mini-digger in the Tearoom and then two come along at once .

Back later after tea...

Ah, Long post now gone!!!! I hate that.

The highlights:

Serp I live in Belfast City Centre.

AandO sorry you hate Ireland.

LCT would love a mini-digger. Too bad we live in a flat!

AP uses a basket, which works in the same way as a one-handed tray, I think, but is too wide to sit on our narrow, steep stairs. DH made her a beautiful wooden one-handed tray when she started to need such a thing ... a real piece of art but so heavy it takes two hands to lift it empty ....

Yes, Wriggle starts school in September and I so haaaate the idea. Although if it would stop her throwing herself off couches ...

Pickled garlic is delicious and far less garlicky than raw.

I do remenber, AandO, when we spent our summer in Ireland, coming back to England was like moving from autumn back to summer. Although, since DH goes on and on about moving to the Soouth of France or Spain, I relish every summer I am allowed to enjoy the gentle cool drizzle ....

Mini diggers around here are like buses -- wait for ages for one.....

Service/burial very nice. TS well behaved. No more issues on the ill TS front and though he refused lunch (before we went) he did have some chicken/fruit/jelly at the buffet after the burial so feel better that he's on his way to recovery.

We're convinced MrScout and I have had food poisoning. We're both now starting to feel hungry again. We're also both in bed with our laptops, treating ourselves to being potatoes in bed. I'm probably going to go to sleep soon, though -- feel physically and mentally drained.

How lovely and luxious that sounds, Scout.

Having a cup-a-soup first. First thing all day I could face.

How's the mini-digger, Serp? Is TS too young send 'round for a go? I'd let him do it, personally, but since it's not mine I thought I should ask before putting the stamps on the box....

Today DH was moving soil aided by a two-year old (and a couple of four-year olds). I think TS would be fine. Does he like bouncy licky dogs and guinea pigs?

Slightly sad as have just had to renounce camping weekend for more earth moving activity. But also quite relieved that I don't have to do an inordinate amount of packing/buying/searching/sorting/loading trailers for two days in a tent.

Sending BOy off by UPS for digger action ASAP. Actually today I packed him off to childminder ( I was doing some paid work) with a bag containing full waterproofs, wellys, sun hat, sun screen and a change of clothes... CM was un fazed and said, that will be useful, don;t know what we're doing today but we might go and have tea and cake at the village hall "cafe" . I just figure that as shes got 4 small boys for the day on the edge of the moor ANY THING is possible. Boy came back tired but happy.
We are festivaling this weekend, but its only half a mile from home so we shall also be showering, sleeping in our own beds and a baby sitter is booked for all three nights so DH And I can go out in the evenings. Spoilt rotten aren't I.

That cream tea was very nice. Would any one care for a night cap?

Oh, yay! I'll send TS right over! Yes, he's okay with dogs doesn't mind them but prefers cats. I hope your bouncy dog speaks fluent cat as TS mews at any animal. I don't think he's ever seen a guinea pig but loves rabbbits so sure he'll be fine he understands "softly" and "gently" in reference to animals. Shall I send his tent & sleeping bag?

well thats half teh Tea room kids sorted for eth weekend then. What do the big girls like Maud and PKM? .. could we get them all down here in festival mode. lots of dance workshops if they like that kind of thing.

Thursday evening ?

Unserp, pickled garlic sounds delicious. Do you pickle whole bulbs or cloves? My absolute favourite is roasted garlic bulbs that we sometimes have as a Sunday tea with crusty bread and a baked Camembert. So sorry to hear about AP - that must be really tough, you should never have to apologise for venting here.

Scout - I do hope you are all feeling better. It's no fun being ill with a small person to look after.

Unis - that sounds exactly like the sort of festivalling I could cope with. I have a romantic picture of tents, mud, and chilled out happy toddler in wellies but I know the reality is that I would last until I had to visit the first nasty portaloo.

Tried to upload pic of mini digger but no joy. Think there is a strangely sideways picture of Wriggle in the mud, though.