The moving castle tea room touches down for the 29th time

[UniS]

Welcome to the tea room. Open to those with one child and those with more and maybe some with none ( hi dave the trucker).

This time we are heading to the mists and mellow fruitfulness of Autumn in a moving castle with a mind of its own. The roaring fire is maintained by magic and Mellors the gardener handles wine and spirits along with massage duties.

The first rule of the tea room is this
No fisticuffs.
The second is this
Put the kettle on for and help yourself to a

Hello!

Hi Scout!!!

Good day, bean?

Yes, pretty good although a very tired boy meant that the last couple of hours before bedtime were like walking on eggshells! I think I sometimes forget that he is still quite little. We did have a lovely seafood lunch though overlooking a little fishing harbour.

Can I interest you in a glass of local ? How was your day?

Cheers for the . Day here okay. Not nearly as exciting/fun as yesterday. Went and did the grocery shopping then off to get Toddler's feet checked (his shoes seem to be getting tight) then to HobbyCraft to get paints so TS can start to make his Christmas presents. Now we're watching XFactor then Downton Abbey.

oh boy- why do holidays cost sooooomuch.

skiing for the 3 of us will cost at least 2k , a week in Italy in summer about 1.6k gonna struggle to afford both. Maybe if I actually looked for some extra work??

No no no to Christmas in September. Christmas foods already in supermarkets and our local agricultural/DIY store had a Christmas display in the window last week.

In France, apparently, swedes are also rutabaga and are only grown for animal feed. I have bad memories of swede at school but have found it delicious at others' houses - suspect butter and cream were involved.

I love Charlie and Lola, as does DH. I bought him Wriggle a boxed set, which she will never allow to be shown, I suspect because we both enthuse about it and even (gasp, if you will, at the temerity) occasionally request to watch.

Drop in for a CandL fix any time, Maud (as long as Wriggle doesn't catch us).

I fear I have to think about Christmas in September given the size of the family and the fact that we talk all of the presents for the Americans with us when we go back in November.

Serp I was agog at the Advent calendars! Advent isn't for 2.5 months!!

Scout, this is why I use the internet for US Christmas shopping.

?

To those with older boys, what would you get one for a 6th birthday? Preferably something no more than about £10-£15.

Unis - we started looking at skiing holidays for next year and I am at the cost. DH would love to take Small Bean but I find it really hard to justify the £££ particularly since there are no guarantees that he will like it - I think we will wait another year. I first went skiing when I was 30 and I am a terrible skier but in Small Bean's case I don't think another 12 months will hamper his chances of Olympic success!?!?!?!? We have an indoor ski slope not too far away and I am looking forward to going there first.

Christmas starting in September is just wrong

Scout - my experience of buying for DN at that age was hoodies, tops, pyjamas etc. They get so much other stuff that DSIL was always grateful for something practical. As he got older it was good to be Cool Auntie Bean that bought stuff his mum wouldn't buy.

Otherwise I would go for Lego!!

Don't have older boys but Wriggle has male friends. Just bought a 3D hologram jigsaw puzzle which has skeletal pirates on a wreck in the manner of Pirates of the Caribbean. About a fiver. [Mean emoticon]

Thanks bean and Serp. I do try to get the neices/nephews toys or something as their parents/grandparents do all of the clothes/school stuff buying (home ed family so SiL is forever putting school stuff on the kids wishlists as I'm convinced she doesn't ask what they want -- no four year old requests curriculum materials!). I had thought Lego or maybe a board game?

Sounds like good days all round in the tearoom.

Poor Little Stick has hand, foot and mouth. A couple of the other new starters had it last week. He was a bit off colour today so I had a look in his mouth and unfortunately found quite a lot of red blistery things. He said they don't hurt much thank goodness, but I think they might feel more sore tomorrow.

He is fast asleep but drenched in sweat. I am trying not to worry. Google has not been my friend this evening by highlighting possible (rare) complications. I am usually more relaxed when he is poorly but I guess that as I know the worst is yet to come I feel a bit apprehensive.

I love haggis, and swede and potato mash is a big hit in this house (although I find swedes devilishly difficult to peel and chop).

Poor little stick! hope tomorrow not too bad

Re other girl - teacher seems remarkably good (I have really high hopes this year in fact) - she has spoken to both Mc and girl and said to both that its probably a good idea if they don't play with each other at breaktimes because they clearly wind each other up. She's asked the TA (who keeps an eye on them at break times) to specifically keep an eye on things.

Have got another appt with a different Dr sorted (she apparently is the one that deals with 'this' sort of thing - and I'm going to write her a letter and email it so that I don' thave to go through things with mc there.

Met up with a primary school friend of DH's today - 110 miles away... on way home mc slept nearly all the way.

hello loverly tea ladies!
6 year old present if not lego then new meccano is fab and science museum (on line) have great and cheap stuff

oh we are in despair looking at cost of skiing next year

all frenzied here sorry not to post more

::clasps Oxeye to her ample bosom::

::wanders off to bed::

we have quite a lot of orange mash but mostly not swede (because it IS difficult to peel and chop, yes!) - we have sweet potato or butternut squash mixed with normal potato (for texture) - but we do make an effort for Burns' Night.
Will email the blokey who sold us the haggis (I have his card) and ask him about the frying thing - after all, he was the one frying it! Although, he might have been deepfrying it and I can't do that, I need to shallow fry it. Hmmmmmm.

Christmas already? No. I checked with our local post office about sending things to the UK via seamail for Christmas - I have to do it by 23rd September to make sure it gets there. It doesn't take 3 months, and I can't get involved in Christmas this early. So I have discussed it with my sister and exchange of money will take place, each of us buying the presents in situ instead. FAaaaaaarr easier!

swede is OK to peel IF you use a sharp large knife and accept that you are slicing away the outer bit rather than peeling off a thin skin.

I've done the Christmas shop for the USA relative already- one big Amazon order to do Christmas and a few birthdays between now and then. If I make it a big order I'm more likely to hit 4 for 3 offers and the like.

Will any body join me on teh sofa of procrastination? we could have another and pick our nails and avoid doing the jobs on our list for a bit longer.

Sofa of procrastination sounds great to me. Jobs list on the whiteboard is v long, and we need to get on with things as dh is having hand surgery on Weds, but I also get my cast off that day. In a cunning plan, he drives to his appt, I stay with him, he has his op, we both go to my appt, I drive home

Our deck is finished at last and looks fab Now the rest of the garden needs to be finished

That sounds like ver cunning plan CMOT. hope it works.

Still procrastinating here.

I have a Risk assessment to write, some paper work to look out and 2 phone conversations to have... and some house work.

Littlestick has a sore mouth this morning but he seems fine otherwise. DP popped into school to explain his absence (I left early for work), and his teacher said if he feels OK he can attend even with hand, foot and mouth. So DP has dropped him up there and will collect him early if necessary. I am a little surprised that they encouraged him to attend!

Mistle, teacher sounds as though she is on the ball. That must be a relief to you. Also, the Doctor's approach of avoiding you having to speak about things infront of MT sounds very sensible.

CMOT, I hope your plan works out. If they don't remove your cast for any reason, will you still be able to drive both of you home?

Unis, I love the idea of doing Christmas shopping in one fell swoop on Amazon. Unfortunately, I tend to wander around shops feeling indecisive and procrastinating so it could be a very good plan. I didn't realise Amazon did 3 for 2 offers.

I haven't been skiing since before Littlestick was born. I don't think either me or Mr Stick are competent enough to teach him ourselves but, he will be 5 next spring so I guess he would be old enough for ski school (think I would be a bit nervous leaving him though, overprotective mummy emoticon needed). It would be wonderful to all ski together. Sounds very expensive though!!

Amazon US do have 4 for 3 offers on certain books regular. It took about 2 hours to chose and buy and do gift notes for about 12 presents . SiL does the wrapping so we don't waste money on gift wrap.

Still procrastinating a bit. but have done SOME jobs.

Re skiing- DS is 5 and we have put off skiing until he was old enough to cope with ski school and childcare. DH and I ski at a competent holiday maker lever. or at least we used to but have had 6 years off.

Raining again.

Poor ole little stick, hope he continues to feel allw=rigt in himself. Boy was basicly well when he had HF&M teh first time , but had a hideous looking set of spots. 2nd time he was a bit under the weather and ran a temp as well as the spots.