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Original poster

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

999 replies

UniS · 07/09/2011 21:09

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 Brew and help yourself to a Biscuit

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
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Tee2072 · 19/09/2011 20:02

Are they a Christmas thing? The one website I read said they used to make many animal shapes. Confused

CMOTdibbler · 19/09/2011 20:08

I think you used to get one in your stocking, but not exclusively a christmas thing

ComeIntoTheGardenMaud · 19/09/2011 20:09

We used to buy them on the way home from school.

::I wish I'd looked after me teeth emoticon::

Scout19075 · 19/09/2011 20:37

Do you think sugar mice would ship well?

CMOTdibbler · 19/09/2011 20:51

Oh yes, they are solid as anything. No problem to ship.

Mmm, the happy days of 10p on a Friday to buy sweets. Funny its so strong in my mind as it was only when I was at infant school that I'd have walked back with her from school/her work.

Scout19075 · 19/09/2011 21:16

OMG

Oreo cookies anyone?

Tee2072 · 19/09/2011 21:17

OMG is right. That's insane!!!

Oreos? Yes please!

ComeIntoTheGardenMaud · 19/09/2011 21:19

Some people have a very great deal of money and very little sense.

::mean thrifty mummy emoticon::

Scout19075 · 19/09/2011 21:25

That's more than twice what Toddlers actual, real life, stroller/pram/whatever set cost. ACK!

Scout19075 · 19/09/2011 21:25

Toddler's, even.

Tee2072 · 19/09/2011 21:29

Ooh, thanks! Any Double Stuff?

Scout19075 · 19/09/2011 21:30

Sure. After all, this is the Tea Room of Requirement. In reality the pack I have open has chocolate filling.

Tee2072 · 19/09/2011 21:34

I have never had chocolate filled ones. Must find those!

Stickwithit · 19/09/2011 21:34

I think they would ship well. My mum always used to put one in my stocking and they kept for ages. I think they just had kitchen string as a tail.

I fear I may spend far too long on the chinz sofa of procrastination Blush.

I usually refuse to consider (wispers) Christmas before December and as a result end up stressed and short of time. I want to try to start earlier this year and be much more decisive about gifts.

Little Stick still seems to be OK, a few more ulcers have appeared though. He seems to only have a mild dose though, fingers crossed.

Stickwithit · 19/09/2011 21:37

I took so long to post my last comment that I missed the Oreo offer. Yum, thank you.

Tee2072 · 19/09/2011 21:40

I forgot to say I hope Little Stick is better soon. I'd never heard of Hand Foot and Mouth or Slapped Cheek until I moved to the UK. We've not had the first, have had the second.

I really should get to bed. Another busy day tomorrow!

beanandspud · 19/09/2011 21:42

Good evening!

OMG too!!! I have a memory of having a hand-me-down Silver Cross doll's pram when I was little but tbh I was never really into dolls. And it certainly wouldn't have cost the 1970's equivalent of that one.

Fond memories though of the Penny Tray - mojos, rhubarb and custard lollies, aniseed balls and sherbert. 20p pocket money went a long way in those days.

Original poster
UniS · 19/09/2011 22:34

www.sweetjunkie.com/blog.asp?view=6 not quite why mice, more how mice. I guess mice are small and can be made in a mould with no sticky out bits. Maybe Rabbits got the rights for blancmange and mice got those for sugar. Boy and I made Marzipan mice at Tudor Christmas thing we went to last year, so it seems sweet mice were in favour several hundred years ago as well.

Ohh my, the penny sweets shelf... bliss it was to be alive in those days, when 10p would buy you a whole bag of chewy sugar. jelly goldfish at 2 for a penny. jelly dominoes, liquorice torpedoes, black jacks, fruit salad. No wonder I have a mouth full of fillings and crowns.

OP posts:
Original poster
UniS · 19/09/2011 22:45

Good grief that pram is spendy! I had one in navy blue as a child. Over indulgent Granny trying to prepare me for the arrival of little sibling. It was so flipping big I couldn't see round it and barely ever took it anywhere. t became a toy box on wheels and sat in the corner of my bedroom over flowing with soft toys for many years. It was eventually donated to an SN www.logcabinuk.org/web/ play centre, where I hope it was enjoyed by taller children with enough space.

My pram ( as a baby) was the full size version, it did me, my brother and then assorted cousins quite well. It also carried LOTS of shopping and was nice to push. Mum not being a driver I suspect these qualities were important to her. We had a silver cross pushchair as well, that was still in use when I was a teenager, mum used it as a shopping trolley and I used it for my paper round.

OP posts:
ComeIntoTheGardenMaud · 19/09/2011 22:59

On reflection, I guess my dolly pram (hand-me-down from considerably older cousin) was a Silver Cross. I still buy Fruit Salads when I see them.

::nostalgia::

Original poster
UniS · 19/09/2011 23:15

chewblackers are not as good as blackjacks.

OP posts:
Thumbwitch · 20/09/2011 05:36

I have a very old story book about the sugar mouse. It involved a mouse who had a magic tail - she could pass her tail over anything and turn it into the sugar equivalent. She lived with an old woman who was very poor. INitially the old woman was content for the mouse to just pass her tail over her own food - and got candied fruit, sugared almonds, butterscotch (from butter), coconut ice from coconuts and so on.
But then the old woman got greedy and got the mouse to do more and more so that she could sell it - and she started to keep the mouse locked up so she wouldn't lose her. If the mouse didn't make enough sweets, the old woman would punish her by refusing to feed her.
Eventually, the little mouse was so sad, tired and hungry, that she decided the only way to stop it all was to pass her tail over herself, which she did and made the first ever sugar mouse. The old woman was very sad when she realised what her greed had driven the mouse to do, and she learnt to make all the sweets the hard way, and made sugar mice in recognition of the mouse friend who had done so much for her.

Nice little folk tale :)

I never liked sugar mice much - a concentrated block of sugar on a string was too much for me. we used to get one every year in our Christmas stocking though - and mine would last all year until they cracked and had to be thrown away.Blush

Scout19075 · 20/09/2011 06:44

I think TS's £9 stroller is just the ticket. Even if he was a she I'd feel the same way. £350 for a toy?!?! TS still loves his stroller, gets excited when it's out and just wants to walk/push for ages (and he loves them at toddler groups, too) so I see possibly needing a replacement one at some point but £350?!

So....need to go out at some point, preferably before swimming this afternoon. HOWEVER, am also expecting some packages, one of which won't go through the slot and delivery ALWAYS comes when I'm out, no matter what time I go, even if I'm gone 20 minutes. So do I stay or go?

Scout19075 · 20/09/2011 06:46

Hit send too soon....

Who's for a Brew this morning?

Tee2072 · 20/09/2011 07:59

Yes, please, Scout! Already dealt with one tantrum today. Why? Because he wasn't allowed to play with a sealed bottle of water. Hmm

Anyone ever used a spectacularly wonderful removal company that might also exist in NI? I'm having a hell of a time getting quotes!

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