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.

What's whiskey mac? If it has booze in it could I have that instead?

yes it has alcohol, and here, there is still some cheese available, make yourself comfy down there. Amber may have left some reading material with a landrover theme, shout up if you prefer something different .

I can make you an irish cream coffee flask up instead JM ? I found out the other week where I'd been going wrong with it all these years - its a shot of coffee in the Baileys, not the other way round

Cheers!

:o CMOT
Thanks, that's made me snigger :o

On the bright side, i have just found out that the British import store near my work sells PG Tips tea!!! They even sell "The Strong One"! I have just spent way more money on tea than I should.

Hurrah for tea ! Now, as you are feeling cheery, would you like a pop at my, um, frozen shoulder ? It seems to have stuck...

I would love to. In fact I have often wished I could teleport myself to the UK and look at you, I'm professionally really interested in all that's going on with you - as well as personally :( :( :(.
Really wish I could.

Make room in the priest hole, JM, I'm comin' down!

I'm still very unwell and Toddler is poorly boy, too. And quite frankly I want my mom. MrScout, while lovely, is working every last nerve (after several days of unwellness I'm getting touchy, I'll admit it) and I would really just rather be at home (I'll take TS with me, of course, so he can get some GrandmomScout TLC as well).

Has anyone else read the "only one" in discussion of the day? I've been unnecessarily wound up by it (and my only is only 2.3+). Argh!

Make way!

Incoming!

OD

I've just been looking at that thread, Scout. I worry about the people who think so simplistically about only children versus (and they do seem to see it as versus) children with siblings. Do they see other aspects of life in such simplistic, black and white terms, I wonder? If so, they must find life very difficult and confusing.

I got chatting to a woman of an only daughter (aged 3+) last week who has made the decision to only have her DD. We both agreed that there are pros and cons for families of any size & shape but that we've made the right decision for us and our families. It was refreshing to have that conversation in real life, with a stranger (we got chatting at the laundermat when she praised TS for his behavior and "gorgeousness"), and not have someone (read: another stranger) hassle me about "when are you having another?"

It must be exhausting, though, having to judge all children based on their birth order/sibling status.

I have just invited anyone who wants to enter a stereotype-free zone to drop in here.

But it is amazing, isn't it? People who would never dream of saying "all tall/short/black/French/curly-haired people have the same personality" because they would recognise it as untrue, offensive and naive to the point of stupidity nevertheless feel comfortable saying it about only children.

I saw the thread. Made my comment about the shag o'bite Pombear posted and then decided to forget about it. Don't need any more unnecessary winding up.

Donki, what's up?

all children have their wonderfulmoments.

I had a lovely walk this afternoon with boy. we played pooh sticks, crossed clapper bridges, explored and island and found frog spawn. AND he wanted to hold my hand. He can be very sweet sometimes.

oh, and he was asleep in bed by 6.45 result.

We picked MC up at the weekend from grandparents - he's apparently been very good all week although he mangled a finger in his scooter on Monday. Yesterday, however, he was playing up. He told DH that it was because he felt I was abandonning him - because it was my rehearsal weekend. I get 3 of these orchestral concerts a year at the moment - its the best playing I get so something I really want to do. He doesn't throw the same kind of strop when DH does his playing - has no problem with the two of us being abandonned for several weekends in a row.

It was lovely to have him around though - he's very cuddly. And he managed to get himself completely ready in time this morning. And he's probably the only one at his school in summer uniform (his choice - he remembered I said he could wear it after half term!!!).... teachers looked at his bare knees and grinned.

Hello, all. Just having a long and tiring week and realised that a) it's only Monday and b) I missed talking to you all. And I miss the days when Wriggle was Elliptical, not just bloody minded and un-motivatable.

New Zealand is a great idea, Maud. I have always vaguely wanted to visit, if only they would move it to right next to France due to my plane aversion. I read a lot of Ngio Marsh when younger.

Jeaslous of frogspawn - had a lovely walk and play in the river on the way back from eating Sunday lunch outside the pub in the sun IN FEBRUARY; the only thing missing was frogspawn.

Mistle, we have now a choir in our village! It started with a note in the pub about an informal singing group, endured a few months of staggering through some rather second rate pop songs and has now mutated into a choir with things called 'altos' and 'second sops' and music on paper with lines on! This term we are singing Down In The River To Pray and Oh Happy Day, among other, stranger, titles. We are a very mixed bunch though, of very varying abilities. some of us have shown a worrying tendency to watch Gareth Malone and have ideas well beyond our capabilties.

And there is a BIG fuss every Monday evening about Wriggle being abandonned for a whole hour.

I of course already do that on a Sunday evening (after MC is in bed!) which I believe is not considered acceptable either.

Let me know if you need any suggestions for music.

Rehearsals went well over the weekend - fab pianist for the Chopin

::Claps Serpent to her ample bosom::

How lovely to see you - look out for a PM. Your choir sounds delightful - I'd love to sing those songs.

The Girl used to weep when I left the house to go to Brownies, although The Bloke was supportive up to a point (ie he would come home almost in time for me to get there, although he used to arrive at the house at the time I should have been arriving at Brownies, thereby always making me very slightly late).

hello serp, nice to see you.

Mistle- I think boy and chick may have been conferring, boy trotted off to school in shorts and long socks today. Only child in the school in shorts so far this year.

Maybe I abandon boy tooo little, he never seems to make a fuss about weekends I work :-( just delighted to have a daddy day I think. I'm planning on DH bring boy along to watch a show I'm lighting in a few weekends time, need to big up dance a bit at the mo ( thanks to Beavers upset) . I'm hoping a show with "big boys" dancing will do the job.
Pretty sure he still likes dance, he was asking today when the next competition ( just broom dance in the village ) is .

MrScout isn't going to be home until 10:30 p.m. (if we're lucky). I'm lonely and today am struggling with my SAHM-of-a-toddler status. We didn't make any groups today (my fault, really) so I haven't had adult conversation beyond the cashiers at the store.

Mistle & UniS, that was my brother -- shorts 24/7/365 if he could. I have a feeling Toddler's going that way.

If MrScout is around Toddler doesn't even notice I'm gone. Daddy is the favorite if he's around. I'm not bothered but it does mean I get to sneak off without guilt or worry.

Ok, Scout. In the words of the song, .

Who doesn't love a bit of Olly?