The Nordic Tearoom (Number 31)

[beanandspud]

We have moored the barge for the winter and have moved to a beautiful, cosy log cabin in deepest Scandinavia overlooking a frozen lake and surrounded by pine trees.

Mellors has lit the log fires and candles, it is snowing outside and there are comfortable seats for everyone and fleecy blankets to snuggle up in. For the more active tearoomers there are skis and sledges outside as well as a steaming hot tub for winding down after a busy day.

So pull up a chair. The kettle is on for and there is always plenty of depending on your mood and time zone. (Alternatively there is schnapps, smorgasbord and smoked fish).

Everybody is welcome ? share as much or as little as you like ? but no fisticuffs please!

Hail here at times today, not got as far down as 2 degrees tho, about 3 or 4 most of the day.

DH came home and said he thought teh house was cold, Boy and i hadn't noticed as we were busy dressing the front window with a tinseltastic display of shiny stuff and fairy lights.

My plan is to do christmas cards tonight, music suggestions welcome.
I'm starting with sung by Kate Rusby.

I'm always cold and have a feeling now that I'm properly cold I won't be warm again until August. Boo. Poor Toddler, having to suffer my ice blocks called hands during nappy changes.

Maud, I'll check in again when I have more of a clue what's going on. I have several things to give to you.

Christmas cards on my to do list for tonight. So are making mulled wine kits and wrapping Guiders and Senior Section gifts for tomorrow's meeting.

Not so seasonal, but if you like Kate Rusby .

I really must get into gear and stop snacking!

Hello all and nice to see Thumb back. Fourth birthday sounds great.

Didn't go to GP but saw mental health social worker who is also a acupuncturist who has known AP for years. She was very honest; yes AP is absent minded, forgetful and very lacking in confidence, but no, she doesn't have typical symptoms of Alzheimers in her opinion. All her symptoms can be explained by PTSD and anxiety - the more anxious she gets, the less she can take in under pressure. And having camp victims appear in your kitchen does cause anxiety and prevent clear thinking. On the up side, we had several long talks today; it was just pleasant and peaceful. (Wriggle was at school and with a friend - I need to separate them sometimes so that they are not competing for my attention all the time and threatening my sanity.

Now, really enough about my issues - who has some good news about today?

That sounds good, Serpent - the essential, I think, is to get an opinion from a health care professional and you have done that. I don't think it much matters that it's a MHSW rather than the GP.

As for good news well, no, not really from me. But no bad news either. Same old, same old.

I'm glad that your AP has seen someone anyway, Serp - did she have any ideas how to treat the PTSD and anxiety? There are things that can be done for those conditions, definitely, and not just drugs. PM me if you're interested :)

Still no voice today :(

Must think of a Christmas name - not doing too well this year. How about Thumbinnapuddingwitch?

Same old stuff, different day here, too. Did lose one of my Senior Section members about an hour ago, though, so boo to that. To be fair, she only came once this term and missed most of last term, too, though throughly enjoyed camp. I've left an open invite to her to return if/when she wants. (I did that to another girl who had to leave Guides and she's come back as a SS member.)

not a lot of news here either beyond tinsel. I'm working at school as a TA 4 afternoons this week, so will be able to afford the christmas dinner evening I've committed to at end of next week- I think thats good news.

Serp
for looking after your Ma so well.

Thumb- Can I tell them?? or shall I keep it secret?

I'm having a nice day - am in southoflondonairporttown doing software testing for 3 days, and have just had a lovely curry and with colleague.

Serpent, I'm glad you got some reassurance about AP

Scout, if you have cold hands, can I recommend a HotRox - a rechargeable handwarmer you can switch on and off. Luvverly

I need an opinion.

I'm doing Christmas cards for my Seniors and putting in a badge I bought for them (for their camp blankets) from the States. Seeing as I'm the leader and Toddler goes to every meeting and they all know MrScout (cuz he does camps, special events, field trips, collects TS, etc), is it weird to sign the cards from all three of us? Or should I leave it just me? Or should I do it from me and Toddler (since they all agree he's our unit mascot)?

Scout, I would sign from all of you. Cold hands - CMOT's suggestion sounds great. Never heard of it before. When I was a mere youth we had metal handwarmers with burning sticks of charcoal inside.
CMOT, how nice to go out.
UniS, TA work is usually fun, but how come you do various odd days? Are you a TA on supply?
Maud, sameold sounds very reassuring.
Off to bed now, to recover from excess of emotions. We have two of Wriggle's friends to child mind for the next two days, so I may be yearning for the reletive peace of one.

CMOT, will have to check out the handwarmers. It's usually always hands or feet or both though I find once my feet are cold the rest of me is, too. I live in fingertipless gloves most of the winter, even longer sometimes. When I was working in an office I was known to wear them in the summer, too (darned AC was always up too high). The person who had me for Secret Santa one year even got me a funky pair for work.

Thanks, Serp. I was hoping someone would say it wasn't weird. I work under the context of the girls all know us, as do the mothers and some of the fathers. Most of these girls (and parents) I've known five-six years, since they were Guides. They know the situation (MrScout's crazy schedule, me needing to take Toddler, etc) and are very understanding/accommodating but I didn't want it to seem as if I was overstepping bounds by adding MrScout to the cards. I'll have Toddler give them out, along with candy cane reindeer, tomorrow at our Christmas party.

Heat holder socks are the dogs Scout - they are soooo warm. Or silk under socks. The raynauds association also have wrist warmers with a pocket for a handwarmer on the back which look great.

Goodness Serpent, how did you end up as a childminder too ? You are Too Nice to people

Scout - agree, sign it from all of you. Only weird if none of them know the rest of the family, but since they all do, not weird.

UniS - no problem if you want to share! miniThumb was in The T-shirt today for his playgroup party - he looks supercool in it! And someone was impressed enough with it to ask me where I got it from

Still no voice. Boo. Getting a bit fed up now - especially as I have an important singing engagement this Saturday as part of the choir, but since our choir master was summarily dismissed, the choir has shrunk to 1/3 its size, and if I don't go there will only be 2 first altos! . Fingers crossed that my voice returns by then...

CMOT, you have made my day! I wonder if it's too late to show them to MrScout as what I'd like for Christmas....? Those socks would be FANTASTIC for taking Toddler to the park this winter (and Guide Camps ad life in general). Yes, I think I need a pair (or five ).

I see they do them as tights too - I may be buying some .
Testing is not going well stuff that was supposed to be ready for us to do is not sorted, and we don't have the time to just wait for it

CMot - going better than DH's contract - which was theoretcially renewed for 3 months at the end of last month - but he found out on Friday that one person didn't sign (so his computer therefore wouldn't log in) and no joy yesterday either... Not that he's doing anything useful in the meantime of course.

Will look into handwarmers on reynaulds site for my father as he suffers badly. I'm currently ignoring the fact that I'm getting sort of pins and needles in the outside of my RH... although I'm worried I might start dropping my bow (viola) if it carrys on and gets worse.

Glad the Tshirt's being admired TW! I'd love to be able to get updated versions (although I'm not sure mc would manage to stay in the 'right' age for the year because he now seems to be wearing size 8 clothes quite happily.

Scout - no not wierd at all. I wonder whether you might see if friendly person would like to meet up for a coffee another time during the week at conveient location for the children to play (or meet at playground with cafe nearish) - if she's had invite for that long in her bag she might well be open to the suggestion. Of course it doesn't mean that you're necessarily going to be best friends or anything - but would be someone to socialise with a bit not at toddler group potentially.

I'm drawing a blank -- I need some "festive" games besides "Pass the Parcel." Do you think "Snowball Fight" is festive enough? Keep in mind the most I'll probably have is 5-6 teenagers. We won't have much time since we'll be working with the Rainbows at their party/dance for most of our meeting but I have about half-an-hour to fill.

Snowball fight would be fun! If you want something quieter, how about a festive Kim's Game with baubles, bits of tinsel, candy canes and so on?

Or the game - can't remember what it's called - where everyone rolls a dice and anyone who scores a 6 gets to dress up in hat, gloves, fairy wings (we always had fairy wings lying around the house) and other funny stuff and eat chocolate with a knife and fork?

Oh yes, the chocolate game. A favorite Guide game. I have no fairy wings, sadly, but the Rainbow/Guide leader might have some we can borrow. I might even have chocolate so no trip to the shop. Would plastic cutlery be too cruel?

Bobbing for oranges instead of apples
Mince pie eating races/ competitions
Christmas balloon body races (hold the balloon between your knees and pass it to the next person, or chests, or whatever)
Pin the tail on the reindeer - oh they're probably a bit old for that
Name that Christmas cheesy tune from the intro
Beetle but with snowmen instead of beetles (do you know how to play Beetle?)

Thumb, the cheesier/younger the better Seniors revert to Rainbows at meetings/camp and love to play. That's why I love this age level it's a safe space where they can stop being 16 and enjoy being a little girl.

I don't think fairy wings are compulsory for the chocolate game, but they certainly add to the fun!

Did you do the cupcake relay race from the cupcake challenge? 3 stations around the room - one with plain cupcakes, one with icing and one with sprinkles. Girls race to see who can be first to come back with a fully iced and decorated cake (but this probably means a trip to the supermarket for the ingredients).