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.

SCOUT I FOUND THEM!!!!

Right here in my local grocery store!!! They come in boxes of 10. They weigh nothing. How many do you want?

Hello you lovely lot. I "met" Thumb and Amber this afternoon and was reminded of the glories of the tearoom. So I thought I'd stop by and see how you were all doing. And after reading the thread belonging to this incarnation, it seems rude of me to close the window without saying hello.

I'm sorry to hear Scout's news and also concerned for CMOT's mother. I hope things don't go the way you fear, CMOT. JM's operation sounds hard going, but I am glad she had a nice time with her mother. I hope Donki is getting into her stride and finding a way to deal with the YD. Happy birthday to LittleBean and Jackboy (and JM!). A wave and hug to Maude and Oxeye.

I'm six months into my sabbatical and it hasn't gone all that well. I wasted all last semester on job applications, interviews and the like. Unfortunately I still have nothing to show for it. One of the jobs I had a good chance in was given to an internal candidate with half my cv in very dodgy circumstances, I am currently making a complaint to the Head of School about it. It probably won't help me at all, but I am furious that such blantant nepotism still goes on. MrH has one job application still unresolved, although the way things are going it looks unlikely. The most likely scenario therefore is a return to the city of doom. I am trying to resign myself to it, but it's hard. MrH is being a bit of drag about it, in the sense that he seems to favor going back and appears to think I am being over precious in my opposition to living next door to a police garrison once more and listening to gun battles on my street corner of an evening (or even afternoon, or morning or whenever, really, those with guns aren't that fussed on maintaining appearances. This is becoming a source of tension between as you can imagine, as I dislike being required to distort my view of reality just because he thinks that things will blow over soon and I am being unreasonable.
Ho hum. Hopefully something miraculous will happen between now and July.

Oh dear Cat :(
I'm so sorry things haven't worked out well - yet, anyway, I believe in Miracles and even though I'm no kind of a Christian, I will do my own version of praying for one for you. I can't imagine going back to the circumstances where your house is. I'd think, having left there and having had a respite from that kind of violence, the thought of going back is worse than if you'd never left. If that makes any sense.
((((((HUGS))))))

The eye thing was hard going. They do tell you "you won't see well for about three days" but they don't really spell out that that means you can see neither up close not far away. Or in between. And that's really unnerving. But it's much better, I had a check-up yesterday and it all looks good. Not having to wear my glasses when driving is bliss! Uncomfortable dry eyes though. Ugh.

Anyway, enough moaning from me. Nothing to complain about really :)

You hit the nail on the head there JM. I kind if wish we'd never left, sometimes.

I am glad that your eyes are working well again, enjoy the no glassesness!

Yeah, I get that. Completely. :(

Cat, lovely to see you. I do hope something turns up unexpectedly for you.

1st Sat in March I will be playing down in London just in case anyone wants some culture and doesn't live too far away - although I am not expecting any one to come, thought I'd better mention it.

Grey, miserable day here - although not too cold.

UniS - should we return to our 'normal' patch with the nice play beach or should we strike out and go further west?

Catita!

::Clasps you to her ample bosom::

I was thinking of you just a few days ago, when David Hume was on the wireless, so to speak. I'm sorry the sabbatical hasn't yet yielded what you hoped, but will join JM in a fervent wish for a miracle of whatever type of theology (or absence thereof) you're most comfortable with.

I may be game for your concert, Mistle. I need to check my diary.

How about going North Mistle, teh north devon ( and cornwall) coast has a bit more surf... good fun for playing. certain beaches do allow dogs all year, certain do not.

Coombe martin has Dinosaurs.

That said, I think we will be going south and west ourselves, aiming for the eden project as final destination but taking 2 or 3 days cycling & camping to get there. North coast we do as day trips from here. Have to get boy a body board next time...

when we went further sound and did Eden last time, I actually enjoyed our day in the lost gardens of Heligan more than Eden (although do have some VERY cute pictures of mistlechick toddling round Eden as he was just walking then).

anyone?

Hello Cat. I'm sorry to hear things still aren't going very well for you.

JM, you rock!

I'm still a poorly girl. (And I've decided that MrScout's current boss is an a** for his comments to MrScout last night about my being ill and him wanting to come home on time. He has yet to be home on time any night this week thanks to him.)

UniS, I did I ever send you council badge from my council in the US? I can't remember and have come across a spare one today.

--v--v--v--v--v--v--v--v--v--v--v--v--v--v--v--v-

Happy birthday, Bean!

Happy birthday Bean !!!!

Bolly all round, and twiglets a la mode

Happy Birthday bean

Unis offers bean first choice on teh choc box of requirements.

Scout- I don;t think so, what does it look like or say on it? I can check the blanket. I sewed a few more patches onto Boys blanket the other day and he now has it on his bed, 15 patches so far IIRC. 3 of them swimming badges he has earned, two letter-boxing awards and the rest are souvenirs or gifts.

Mistle- yes, heligan is properly a better "day out" than eden, we have locals annual passes for eden so don't tend to stay there all day, last few years we have mainly used it as a cheaper, same sort of size but easier to park at ( than plymouth) ice rink . I do find the med biome a bit depressing in winter, there always seem to be fallen fruit rotten under the citrus trees. Rainforest biome has changed a bit in last year, you can now go right up into teh roof space on a walkway, not for those who dislike exposed heights but fascinating if you can stand it.

Thank you all! [Unis - I'll have the coconut chocolate if that's ok ]

I have had a lovely birthday - the best bit was sitting in bed with Small Bean this morning eating boiled egg and fruit salad thanks to a very lovely Mr Bean! And a picture of me drawn on Small Bean's card - "You have six legs mummy just in case the first two stop working".

Cat - So sorry that it's not working out as planned. I do hope that the right thing comes up - I will be thinking of you. It's good to hear from you - please let us know how you are.

Unis/MT - I have very fond memories of the places you mention - lots of lovely family holidays when we were young. Haven't been to the Eden project yet but would love to visit - I heard Tim Schmidt at a conference and he was inspirational.

Scout - can you pop TS on a train north and you can get a rest? He can play trains with Small Bean.

Happy Birthday, bean!

UniS, it's large-ish. Is in the shape of the Pennsylvania keystone and says Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania (there are pictures on it as well).

My ears feel like they're on fire they're so hot to the touch.

I think I have missed the bit about you being ill Scout. I hope you feel better very soon.
Thanks for the good wishes everyone, they are very much appreciated.
I'm enjoying being with friends again and the terrible twosome are loving playing with cousins and the dc of said friends. My aim is to make the most of the next six months and see how things go from there.

Unis hands round teh cheese board and crackers, any one fancy a nibble this evening, we have all sorts of cheeses, soft one, smelly ones, waxy ones , holey ones... I'm partial to a bit of cheddar with fruitcake meself.

scout
nope not got that one and it sounds cool. next time I have sewing machine up and running I'll have a try at a second tea room patch for you. Maud had the prototype.

Hope your ears stop burning soon and you feel better. Is this meds induced side effects or just plain old being ill?

Ohhh, UniS, is there any baked camerbert on the cheese board? I'm not a fan of cheese, really, but do like camerbert (I blame my SiL for that).

Just plain ol' ill. I haven't started round two yet. Though given how quickly and severely this came on I'm wondering if round one didn't permanently mess with my immune system. The paracetamol is sweating the fever out and now I'm too hot to sleep.

Fingers crossed Toddler stays illness-free.

Baked Camembert - yes please!!!

It's not my day. Internet was out at work so I couldn't MN return anyone's emails, I was too tired at the end of the day to go to yoga so I'm now home and feeling faintly dissatisfied with myself, and I missed cheesecake on the Plurker's thread and cheese on this one.
Oh, and chocolate cake for Bean's birthday!

Happy birthday Bean although you won't see this until tomorrow.

Mistle, I wish I could come to your concert. It's just a bit of a commute.

that would be somewhat beyond reasonableness to expect you to come JM! Indeed, I don't expect anyone to come, just thought if someone was twiddling their fingers on a Saturday night and fancied a bit of culture, it might just do the trick.

I went to the gym on Monday and rather over did it - about feeling OK now - I have discovered muscles in my legs that I didn't know extended so far. I think it was the somewhat sadistic gym coach to start with who was showing me what I should perhaps be doing, rather than the pilates or the 20 lengths swimming or the aqua aerobics - although it might have been the later althoguh I didn't actually feel as though I was doing hardly any work at all at that and certainly didn't get out of breath. In fact the only thing I thought I might feel in my shoulders didn't cause me any problem at all.... Going downstairs was worst - and balance affected because it hurt to adjust!

Catita - I think that sounds an admirable plan.

Scout - hope you're feeling better soon.

Bean - sorry I missed your birthday - belated greetings - and looking forward to seeing you!

I think Toddler's becoming a poorly boy.

Oh bugger Scout. :(

Here, have a and a (((HUG))),

I am going to hide in the priest hole for a while. Dealing with a massive PITA at work.