Episode 32 - The New Zealand tea room

[ComeIntoTheGardenMaud]

Well folks, here we are, beside the hot springs of New Zealand.

The tea room (with the customary distressed chintz sofa) overlooks the steaming, bubbling lake. For the bold and sporty, hiking, biking and sky-diving are on offer. Personally, I'm not planning to leave the spa.

Please come and join us for a celebratory drink and conversation ranging from the profound to the profoundly silly. The cardinal rule remains: no fisticuffs.

Good evening all!

There was snow here last night but I was in a meeting about 70 miles away today and there wasn't any snow at all - no wonder the chap I was meeting thought I was a bit odd when I suggested that I might not make it!

Small Bean has his first proper swimming lesson tomorrow - please keep your fingers crossed for us...

Hope you are now warmer Scout? Bah to broken boilers! We have an annoying condenser one that shuts down in very low temperatures but touch wood seems to be rescued when you chip the ice from the outside pipe.

On a different note we had a RL hot tub last night in -3 degrees - it was most lovely!

I have lots of - who would like a top up?

anyone?

No takers?

yes please

Me too! DH and I have actually been out on our own for the first time in 10 months. Finally, I think we have a babysitter! !!!

hi everyone, might not be online for a while, had PRK laser eye surgery thurs to correct my vision, takes a while to heal. everything is blurry, both far and near, should improve in a week or so. dint want anyone to worry if im awol. will update when i can. love to all of you. hope ypure all wll. xxJM

Good luck JM - hope you have a speedy and uneventful recovery.

Woohoo Bean - a good babysitter is a wondrous thing

Yay for a babysitter for SmallBean!

Still in the warmth of my P'siL house. Looking at all sorts of toy catalogs and wishing we lived in a shoebox instead of a matchbox so we could have just a few more toys for Toddler. I've been having a declutter and re-arrange and realized he really doesn't have very many toys for his age (lots of train track and some people (fanfare still much loved and played with, Maud!) and loads of books). I'm not saying he needs loads, but a bit more variety would be nice. MiL gives Easter presents so has given me catalogs to look at so she can buy him something.

Found out more about my SiL and that branch of the family. It makes me sad to hear how things are going (or not) over there and how they treat my PiL.

MrScout's gone off to the home improvement store. I might go to the craft shop after lunch and have a Toddler-free wander.

Does anyone have a toy cash register recommendation?

?

Scout! Yes please to !

I don't have a cash register recommendation I'm afraid - I believe the ELC do one that gets good reviews though.

I have been trying to think about the toys that Small Bean has had most use from and despite having a lot of 'stuff' he always goes back to his trains and cars. I would recommend the ELC Big City Garage and fold-up Big City if you are looking for ideas - hours and hours of fun! We have a lot of tractors, cars, aeroplanes etc. that still get a lot of play. He is just getting into Playmobil but think TS might still be a bit too little? Other 'hits' were the Crazy Coupe car for outside and also his trike and scooter.

JM - fingers crossed for a speedy recovery. I have often considered LASIK but unless someone can guarantee me 20:20 vision (I am very, very shortsighted and have worn contact lenses for about 20 years) I don't want to take the risk.

Thanks, bean. Yes, TS likes the crazy coupe but we simply don't have the room so we leave those sort of toys for groups. He has a scooter but we haven't taken it out yet due to the weather. He loves anything with wheels and his train is the biggest hit ever. I know, though, that he likes cash registers (always checks them out in shops and at the one tot group that has some) and MiL wants to get him a toy for Easter so I thought that might be a good idea. We have some play food and a set of play dishes (I think it's called a "coffee set" since it came with a coffee pot and not a tea pot) so a register would add benefit to those, I think.

(Settles down next to the sofa so she can lean against it) hi I have a 3 yr old daughter and am joining the thread to benefit from the collected wisdom!

Whoops. This dropped off my 'threads I'm on' list.

We're going to the Muppet movie tomorrow. Wey-hey!

Welcome ChoccyJules! Not sure that I can offer much in the way of wisdom but I can generally be relied on to have and nibbles.

I have a Small Bean who is just 4 years old. Make yourself at home - we don't always make sense but we are a friendly bunch!

Hello Maud - my greenhouse arrived yesterday and I am just waiting for slightly-less-baltic weather to put it up .

Hello ChoccyJules! Welcome!

A greenhouse? Woohoo!

How did fine lad get on? He wasn't in teh 5 nations was he??

We was in the midlands and the ground was frozen very hard indeed, we went for a walk across a marsh, no danger of falling into deep muddy places this time ( unlike one or two previous walks there)

Boy has a day of off road cycle training and racing tomorrow! I am expecting he will get VERY muddy, have complete change of clothes packed for him and am thinking I'll take garden overalls and wellies for me. and 2 flasks, one with hot drink, one with warm water for a wash down of boy before he's allowed in the car.

FineLad's game was called off due to the snow. No, he doesn't play for the 6 nations - he does national 18-20s. But we are so just excited as we've found out he's got into Uni from September. (Those who know FineLad's situation will know why we're so excited).

available.

Hi Choccyjules!

Hi choccyjules, welcome.
I'm the Canadian member of the Tea Room, currently in Toronto visiting my mum. Home is near Vancouver.

Oh look, I can see you all more clearly. Phew. About time. I have to say that this PRK vision correction is not for the faint of heart. I had LASIK many years ago (16 actually) and it was a breeze, 5 hours later my vision was brilliant. This is a bit different and I found it really scary. Could hardly see anything for the first two days, then yesterday it all became more clear.

Oh, and it's JB's 4th birthday today :)
Happy birthday my sweet love!

Happy Birthday JB !!!

Welcome ChoccyJules . I have a 5 yr old DS who has a lot of energy. And cheekiness.

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Happy 4th birthday JB!!!

What day is it?
Gosh, that time already!
Happy Birthday JB!
Welcome to ChoccyJules :) I have a 9 year old YoungDonki.
Congratulations Amber to FineLad - you and he have come a long way.

I am hoping to get on top of things over half term - instead of having them on top of me...

Carrots for anyone who wants, on the side!

Boiler a big problem. Think it may have just stopped again, 1/2 hour after plumber left.

Also had a burst pipe to the back garden tap even though the stopcock was shut off (it must not have been tight enough) because we don't use it.

I'll come back in a bit to say hello properly.

Juice for birthday boys and ((hugs)) and for those with plumbing problems!

Hello, Choccy! I have ToddlerScout (aka TS), he's 2.3 and great. But I'm biased.

YAY!!! for FineLad! I think this is a good cause of .

Happy birthday, JB!!!! And it's good to see you, JM.

Thanks for the carrots, Donki, and for the flowers Maud.

Boiler still churning out heat. But it's so cold. I think it's going to take several days to get the chill out (and it's pouring with rain outside). I'm going to go weep.

All of the groups we go to are cancelled for half term, even the Children's Center ones (which is strange). We can't go swimming tomorrow (no child care for TS's best friend's little brother and friend isn't confident with two kids under 2 1/2 in the pool (don't blame her, really!)) so instead the three kids are going to check out the new soft play place in Guiding village.

Had hoped to make some sweets & treats this weekend for V Day but boiler issues meant that's been delayed. And I was going to have TS make a valentines for his friend since we'd be seeing her tomorrow.