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!

I need a nap -- do you think Mellors can make dinner for me so I can sleep?

I'm sure he can, hes on his way to help. listen out for sleigh bells and a Ho Ho HO.

Does he do the washing up, too?

Life is too short for washing things by hand Maud - my machine has a hand wash delicate cycle which I do use on occasion. It also has a denim setting which I haven't quite found the need for yet

He is skilled in all aspects of domestic management and will cook, serve dinner, wash up, dry the dishes and put them away.

Nah, you need the NMBs in speedos for that.

I agree, Cmot, which is why I put stuff on the gentlest cycle (which isn't actually handwash) and hope for the best - but my first washing machine did have a handwash cycle and I'd look for one of those again.

Anyway, WM Doctor got here too late so any such decision is delayed sine die.

Hello - I thought that I ought to drop by to say hello to all the lovely Tea Room Ladies (and Dave the trucker) - and dust off my hay pile

I am definitely not ready for Christmas and the HT is muttering that she thinks OFSTED will descend the first week back after Christmas.

I have a sack of carrots here for any NMBs who will help with the pile of cards (and marking and preparation for tomorrow)

Not to mention getting ready for the YD's birthday party on Friday... perhaps I should book Mellors!

surely even a delicate cycle is not good for bone china mugs?

UniS
I found that it was the spin cycle which did the most damage...

ahhh- so with "no spin" engaged, plates should be fine? Do they actually come up clean tho?

at UniS and Donki

JM - In the Dim and Distant past, towels and underwear and some cottons were given a wash code 4 which was a 50 degree wash. This wash temperature is ideal IMO for underwear, as 40 deg isn't hot enough to kill bugs, and 60 deg is too much for the elastic. So for me, a Laundry Dinosaur, a 50 deg wash is a must.
The advantage of having a machine that does the 50 deg wash is that I also have access to a range of wash temps for different washes - so I can choose to do delicates at cold, 30 deg or 40 deg; and cottons can be done on any multiple of 10 from 40 to 90 deg. I used to do miniThumb's cloth nappies at 70 deg. I lurve my variable temp machine. :)

Donki - argh!! to Ofsted etc. And having too much to do - the week leading up to miniThumb's birthday was a manic one here as well.

UniS
Clean and in large pieces instead of small ones..... the fabric conditioner didn't seem to help.

Pass me the Wine please....

Goodnight all!

But, the most important question -- how do the machines treat Bunny, Toddler's most prized possession and best friend?!

Actually, can dish washers handle friends?

Who's ready for snacks-a-gogo?

Not sure about dishwasher and friends...think they might wonder why you're trying to tempt them into it...

I have decided that I'm not good at falling over. If I was better at it, I could land gracefully rather than in a crumpled heap clutching one knee. The words 'silly Amber' apply.

Oh dear, amber. What did you do?

Wish I knew! One minute upright, the next, not so upright! Can't do a thing with me.

Ah, twiglets! And there's Mellors with a relaxing knee massage...

D'oh! Are you okay, though? No trips to A&E?

Not bloomin' likely! I nearly live in hospitals as it is!! No, just bruised, I think.

Gentle restorative ((((HUG)))) at Amber. Falling over is Not Good.

Came home from work at 6:44 pm to find that JB had fallen asleep on the couch and had been complaining of a headache. DH said he'd been super snotty all day - nose, not attitude. He had a snotty nose all weekend and was trying to pass it on to me (sore throat the last few days), looks like his cold got a little worse. He's never really complained of a headache before and like all mothers who are health care providers and know too much, and who chose not to follow the traditional vaccine schedule, what does my mind leap to? The dreaded M word - meningitis. Gah. What doesn't help is that JB is rarely I'll so I haven't become more used to childhood lurgies. God help me - I swear, if there's something minuscule to worry about, I will worry. My middle initials should be WW. For Worry Wart.

Rarely ILL. Not I'll. Duh.

::UniS holds up cards reading " technical mastery 9.8" " artistic impression 5.4" :: Sorry about your fall Amber.

Fabric conditioner doesn't help?? that's OK, I don;t have any. clean and in large pieces.. excellent, might try that as an alternative to MiL washing up. Clean will be an improvement, as will intact.

Why is there always some idiot who thinks its OK to splash permissionless pics of other peoples children (and the school name) around on face book- grrrrr.

Twiglets a gogo will be huge help, thank you.

on