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!

opps to toddler says moment.

Thumb- MmmmWah, you shouldn't have, bless you, thank you. The Ozzy card is very cute and different .

So - I have done a full scale vacuum clean of floors ( even moved our bed and disturbed lots of dust bunnies. I have washed kitchen floor, I have dusted ( I did that bit first) I have wrapped a parcel for Dh and Boy ( had to wait till BOTH were out of th house, this is rare in school hols.). I have cleaned the loo.

Bathroom can wait after boys bath. bed can be made when DH is about. Boy is due home from a friends house in about 30 mins. I think I'm going to productively spend some me time on the internet and biscuits.

Care to join me?

Ooo go on then. If there's and going, I'm game!

Am going to tackle decorating my first ever Christmas cake tonight. Various websites on how to marzipan/icing one says marzipan should be 1/2 inch/1 cm thick -- really?!?! That just seems sooooo thick. What do other people do?

Oh, and yes, I realize I probably should have done that part earlier in the week but it's been a bit crazy.

Quick message to say I've been under the weather (still coughing) and frantically busy at work - and I've got to do some tonight so that I can go into the office and send it off tomorrow. Miss you all

a good cm of marzipan is just the best on home made cakes, shop cakes always have such a piddly thing layer that you can hardly taste it at all.

Thanks, UniS. When I asked the family here, who eat/like Christmas cake, they all said 1/2 inch was too thick. I think in the end mine was about 1/4 inch based on the amount of marzipan I had available.

I should have taken a picture of my cake before I put on the marzipan. Oh well. It's "hardening" and tomorrow I'll put on the other layer and decorations (which I'm making).

Why is it things that I don't like to eat are so much fun to make? (mincemeat, Christmas pudding, Christmas cake)

Fear Toddler has given me his bug. Boohoo. Too much to do -- no time to be unwell!

It appears as if Toddler has been busy shopping/making things on both sides of the Atlantic as there are now more presents under the tree with labels saying "To Scout, Merry Christmas! Love, ToddlerScout" Last year I had none from Toddler. I think MrScout has worked out that it would be nice for him to do something with TS (and he gets presents from TS any gift-giving holiday). Curious to see what's in them (am not bothered by the rest of the gifts with "Scout" on under the tree). I am like a small child!

I think next year, when Toddler is a proper big-boy toddler, shopping/making things with him will be really fun when he'll understand it a whole lot more.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Aww, that's so cute! What a clever pair of boys you have.

We always had presents under the tree from us to our parents and when we young my grandparents would take us out shopping for them. Sometimes we'd go out with one parent to do something for the other (birthdays, primarily) but Christmas was usually with grandparents.

Toddler has managed to open one, just one, of his American presents. However, we made sure it was his camera and oh the joy/excitement! And the collection of pictures we now have of his toy car and Nana's mug from lunch at the park is immense. My mom wants to see the pictures he takes the first few days -- I'm sure she's going to regret that request when she sees close-ups of the car.

arrrrrgh

::UNiS runns across teh tea room screaming in frustration::

can you guess who has been in my house for teh last 4 hours.

Happy Christmas tea roomers, see you on teh flip side, if I survive.

Would this help, UniS? And I heard your nice Mr Backshall on the wireless this morning, so maybe you should imagine him in his wetsuit, proferring mince pies and solace?

Tiddler was watching Deadly60 yesterday and MrB was stripping down to lycra shorts, which was entertaining

Peace and quiet here, but have been to the panto (ds's no1 wife got picked to go on stage) and to Christingle service. Now to wrap presents...

all round

Downs in one.

Have been to children's crib service, spent hours wrapping presents and am now looking forward to something schmaltzy on tv, although first there will be the series finale of Merlin.

I've only seen very brief snippets of Deadly 60, but he did sound likely a lovely bloke this morning.

Oooh look. DH has opened a bottle of champagne. Cin cin!

Or even like a lovely bloke.

::Blames the ::

I'm about to make RL mulled wine to ease freyed nerves keep everyone merry -- who would like some?

:: hands round glasses of fizz::

I know this is very early but 'Happy Christmas!' to all of the Tearoomers. I hope that you all have a lovely day tomorrow (or for TW later today?!?)

We have been carol singing in the village today, back for Small Bean to have his tea, bath, hang up stocking and watch The Snowman before bed. He is fast asleep and, like TS, dreaming of sugarplums (bless him). Lovely dinner with my parents and Santa has left his presents already!

Happy Christmas everyone!!!! The Bishops are having a knees-up in the back room later, and I see Mellors has entered the festive spirit already

For sale: One tired, still full of cold, overly-excited Toddler.

He's finally stopped whimpering/calling for us we put him down for a nap before lunch so he'll sit nicely, eat and then play with his cousins when they come after lunch. He was definitely ready for a rest, he just didn't want to give in. Still only through a fraction of his gifts from Santa and from us. He saw the train set and that was it he (and MrScout!) played for nearly an hour with it. Who said young toddlers have no attention span?! We've had to hide the train now, though, before his cousins arrive. Shame, really, that they can't be trusted to play nicely with it because I think it would have been a hit.

Did you ever get my PM Scout?

Merry Christmas to everyone! Although we've definitely kept it down compared to previous years, we've all been righteously spoiled. Did anyone get any really good gifts?

We had our main Christmas yesterday (in both our families we celebrate on Christmas Eve), turkey dinner and all, and it turned out quite nice. The. We exchanged presents from the family yesterday and reserved a bunch of presents for JB from Santa for this morning. He slept until 7:30, thank goodness .
I'll admit this here only: I dressed up in honour of Christmas, dress and tights and left my knee brace off because it would have looked stupid I was feeling fine, and this morning, after a day of standing, cooking, cleaning up, getting up and down etc all day, I feel like I've been kicked in the kneecap. First considered action upon putting weight on my leg was to find the brace and put it on. Next: JM hobbles off to find the Advil and the Tylenol. Which I haven't had to use since Tuesday.
Yeah ok, lesson learned.

Speaking of owies, thumb, how's your ankle?

Merry Christmas everyone! We've had a lovely day - helped by the fact that The Girl only came into our bedroom at 8.15am.

::civilisation emoticon::

Mellors is now serving a buffet of turkey sandwiches, twiglet surprise and hot spiced apple juice.

Merry Christmas all !