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 sale technique prancing, 200 is fab. Think I only ever managed about 25 quid at an NCT sale, but we did borrow and return some of the big stuff. OR managed to use to the point of not sale worthy ( boy broke his cot! jumping up and down in it).

TEA- nice to see you again, mwah, mwah, have some to brighten up half term. They fly well these ones. Gosh your half term is 2 weeks later than ours was.

I have to get up EARLY tomorrow - work alert, I'm about to do some "real" work , scary, hope I can remember what to do, haven't lit a show in a "real" theatre since this time last year :)

Can I pour a Lambressco on ice for anyone? you might like to try it with one of these cheese on a stick from the back of a grapefruit hedgehog.

Hello Tea! Good to see you again - have an unmumsnetty hug!

Ooooo, a Seventies evening? Strangely, I have a fondue set in the boot of my car at the moment, let me get some melted cheese on the go (and I hope that bowl by the tearoom door isn't for car keys ). Should I get my flares? And yes, a martini would be great thank you.

"Real" work tomorrow sounds like fun UniS. Is it local? It sounds really interesting.

Good selling Prancing! I do an NCT sale every six months or so, it still makes me sad getting rid of baby stuff but I'm always pleased that it's going to a good home (and Small Bean gets a bit extra in his piggy bank!)

TEA!!!!!! I was just thinking of you the other day and wondering if you'd ever come back to us. I've missed you.

Pheeeeeeeewwwwwww.... birthday bash over. Much fun, cupcakes and ice cream had by all. Parents all over Langley are now dealing with kids on a sugar high :o
OTOH, so are we
It was fun though.

The snacks are all at our house. And I really do mean all of them. Anywhere in the world. They're all here. We got a leeeeetle too much food :o

Your party sounds fab, JM!!! I woke up with a dog on my head - I think she missed me when I was in Liverpool - hehehe

at waking up with a dog on your head :o

JB didn't go to sleep until 10:30 pm last night. Oh. My. Dog. And not before a hysterical exhaustion-induced meltdown.

It's 07:45 here and DH has just left for the airport. Off to California for another course. Fortunately we are going to join him on Weds (Laguna Beach, temps in the 20s, aaahhh...) because if we weren't, I would find myself getting well grumpy over all the longer-than-a-weekend courses he's been taking last year and this year. He acknowledges it himself, he's been away a lot, but I'm getting to the edge of my tolerance with it. It's hard to explain - I fully support him in all the classes he wants to take, but at the same time, I'm at the "enough already" point. I've been doing really well stress and anxiety-wise, so much better than last year, but the last couple of weeks have been very stressful, and while I still feel ok, I know I need to de-stress a bit - I don't feel fragile, exactly, but can tell that the warning lights are starting to blink, so to speak.

I just wrote a huge long post detailing it all, and then deleted it because it's all stupid-stressful stuff, nobody's hurt, everyone is healthy and it's nothing compared to some of the things some of you have been going through, so I felt a bit silly. It did help to put it all in perspective though.

Coffee over there -> if anyone wants. And most of the snacks are still here :)

::scoffs handful of snacks::

JM - The interweb just ate a slightly longer post in which I said that, however much one supports the basic purpose of one's partner being away or just not very available - training, personal and career development, blah blah blah - it is still stressful being the one picking up all the domestic slack and you're not being silly at all in giving voice to that. But, still, .

I know :o. Can't wait.
Thanks Maud - it's good to be understood

JM, I understand too. MrScout has been working stupid hours (6 a.m. to 9 p.m. and later) thanks to the current numpty of a "boss" he has on his current project. It's draining for MrScout, keeping those hours, and draining for me being more-or-less single parent during the week AND trying to maintain/sort out the house. I live for the weekends now more than when I did when I was working so I can see MrScout and have a little relief from Toddler (as lovely as he is, I love the hour or two on both Saturday and Sunday that I am toddler-free). Friday, when he was able to work from the office in YOUT, was lovely a lie-in for all involved and MrScout was home before bedtime so he did bedtime with Toddler while I made dinner. We need more days like that.

Thanks for the snacks, JM! Sounds like a wonderful party. I want to throw those sort of parties for Toddler -- lots of snacks, silly games, prizes, music, etc.

tea, any plans for a trip to Scoutshire?

Impressive take, Prancing. I've been giving away Toddler's baby things to friends who need/can use them. I love giving the things to someone I know who needs them and will get lots of use from them (and, this sounds naff since I don't want the things back, but who will take care of them).

How did the "real work" go, UniS?

Who's up for a glass of ?

That's fab, Scout. .

Oh, and yes please to the and many thanks to JM for the .

Oh, Maud, I forgot to tell you that Toddler posted something to you on Friday. You should hopefully receive it tomorrow.

I will look forward to that!

In the words of Toddler, "Ost Mummy ost!"

Aww. I've got a penpal.

Toddler runs to the door when he hears the post being put through the slot and calls "Ost ost ost!"

Does anyone have an antacid? I ate too much yummy dinner and feel a bit sick now.

Really?

You know what they say, Scout. Only in America.

Really really?!

maybe maybe....

Have a bun.

Work was fine, not enough chocolate, but we did finish in daylight which is always nice ( and slightly unusual). I was lighting a dance show.

Now lightning to the Now show on iplayer, very funny.

Hello!

Glad your day went well UniS. And I can sympathise Scout and JM with hard-working husbands - I am frequently a 'single parent' and whilst it is generally fine there are occasions when I need someone to share the responsibility/mornings/bedtime etc. Mr Bean has been away since the middle of last week and I have to confess that after doing swimming lesson, shopping and birthday party yesterday I was wondering how lone parents cope day-in-day-out.

But Small Bean is fast asleep after a busy weekend and Mr Bean is finally home - hurrah!

I took Small Bean to a famous sushi chain today (his request - I think the idea of food going round on 'train tracks' appealed to him). I wish I had a picture of his face when he tasted wasabi - for those of you that have seen Cars2 his favourite bit is when Mater has a plateful of it in Tokyo and he has been desperate to try some

? and I also have antacids and chocolate cheesecake...

yum, chocolate cheesecake, my favourite kind, nah, make that teh only kind of cheesecake I like.

Would you like a little raspberry syrup to drizzle along side your slice.

Scout- I need your help- what kind of chocolate is good for teenage girls you want to be nice too? are Celebrations OK? She is parting with her climbing frame, I'm thinking of 20 quid in an envelope ( she has just started driving lessons) and a box of chocs ( and bottle of wine for her dad). Nee dto chat to her dad and check its OK for me to go and clean teh frame up in their garden this week before we move it on friday night after boys in bed!.

UniS - for what it's worth my experience of a teenage niece is that cash wins above anything else! How about an Easter egg rather than chocs - maltesers or similar (rather than Thomas or Peppa Pig!!!)?

Evening

Aching somewhat after last night's concert. Should do more practise then it wouldn't be as bad. Went well though. Pianist was fab.

Long drive up in the heavy rain though this afternoon - have not gone to choir as exhausted.