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.

Thank you, Bean. And would you like some twiglets a la mode?

would be lovely. Have had a lovely day outdoors, but then the usual difficult conversation with my parents. Mum manages 4 minutes on the phone these days - she can't put the words together or take in what you say

Cmot! I was just thinking of you, as it was (if I recall correctly) you who devised twiglets a la mode.

::Enfolds Cmot too in her ample bosom::

I am sorry that things are as they are with your parents.

Yes please to twiglets.

CMOT, that sounds tough, big hugs from me as well.

Maud - I am down in the 'big smoke' this week but suspect I won't have any free time - I am desperate to invite myself for a tour of your garden

You would be very disappointed, Bean. It's smaller than many people's patios and, because I am always trying to make 'improvements', it's always a bit of a mess.

ohhh, twiglets a la mode, how very very. yes please.

today i cleaned the conservatory. going from winter (muddy boot dumping ground) mode to Summer (nice place to eat tea and maybe even breakfast when its warm enough) mode. Tomorrow I shall plant more garlic and have a look at planting some other seeds. 1st spuds have poked their little green leaves above compost, hurrah. This is the salad variety in bags.

Ah, UniS. I still have Charlotte spuds chitting. Should I get them planted?

I would love a conservatory. Hardly anyone here seems to have one - I suppose because the gardens are too small - but I've seen a couple of splendid Victorian originals nearby.

spuds planted? no idea. I planted mine when I did because they were chitted nicely and I had some time to spend in the garden 2 weeks ago. I'm afraid I don't garden biodynamicly or by lunar cycles, I garden by what Have I got time to do now. and a bit of what does it say on the seed packet or what does Mr Hamilton say in the book.

Lovely to see you LBD! Its been a while! Hope you are feeling better soon (and you CMot)

Exhausting weekend - DH was at a conference and didn't get back until Sunday midday. So I had to sort everything out for MC's bday party on Sun pm on my own - and work in karate class and another child's birthday party on Saturday. MC was extremely overexcited and was threatened with going home twice - but we survived. DH set to and massively over produced sandwiches (again). The cake was a sucess though (even if I do say it myself )

So, yet another weekend goes by with nothing being done in the garden....

fluffer nutter ice cream for any one? I'm looking forward to trying out all these ice Cream ideas in next few months. This weeks mint choc chip was loverrrly.

and er, HAPPY BIRTHDAY mistle chick.

Thank you Unis - I will pass it on, although his actual birthday isn't until Friday. Unfortunately I have a concert so will be rehearsing in the afternoon and concert in the evening, but hope to do something nice in the morning.

Getting a trampoline I think - with contributions from parents too!

Trampoline sounds like a good idea, boy is still in love with his climbing frame and slide. He likes sitting right on the very top.
4 days into teh holiday and boy is tired boy. tomorrow is not planned to be tooo busy but we do have to do a big food shop as I've run us low on some things and I won;t be about next week.

Can I pass you some twiglet supreme and a glass of to help your evening along?

thank you UniS, I don't mind if I do.

MC still likes his climbing frame. Its particularly good for standing on top of and finding out what the twins are doing next door. At which point then normally want to come into our garden as its much more interesting.

Trampoline, though, will be strictly one child at a time. And if twins fail to abide by that rule they will be going home.

good rule to have I feel.

The child living next door to us on one side is only a small baby as yet, 2 doors up the other side is a teenage girl ( who's climbing frame it used to be). Boy has to go 200 yrds down the lane to get to his best mates house.I Suspect he will be doing that solo within a year or two.

What shall I do with myself this evening. DH is out at choir, I'v no list of stuff to watch on iplayer currently and I want a break between vampire novels ( just finished one, expect to start the sequel tomorrow. um, Maybe I'll go and play auditorium again.

Ahoy mateys! It's your friendly Canadian pirate here :o

Very natty JM!

Snow here

Ahoy CaptainJACK! Or is it CaptainJACKS? Or CaptainSpareribs?

Anyway, AHOY to the friendly Canadian pirate!

I think it's Jacks or JM as it was before - I'm just trying out the nn, not sure if it's going to stick. I'm not hiding behind the new name, don't care who knows it's me :)

I like it JM

How's things with you at the moment?

ahoy there JackS., how blows the wind for spain me lad? Or in your neck of teh the wood, maybe that should be how blows the wind for the mysterious orient?

We are now reading Olga Da Polga- thank you oh wise ones of the tea room for recommendations. A jolly fine book.

Today was expensive, new shoes day. walking boots and crocs and trainers for the boy. Thankfully trainers were a hand-me down that fitted and he loves, hence buying mock crocs as well as boots, I THOUGHT I was going to have to shell out for trainers too at breakfast time, but had a lucky bump into someone with an older child at the mobile library. SHame their feet grow sooo fast, but maybe just as well as he is shooting up in height as well and if his feet didn;t keep up he might over balance.

What size boots is he into now UniS? MC tends to be bought the Geox not quite trainers as his outdoor shoes for home and he largely wears thouse when he might have worn walking boots - that way we at least get a reasonable amount of wear for them. They're no good at wading through rivers though. Its really expensive on a new shoe day if you find you need new school shoes, new home shoes AND new trainers. Some of the other children have football boots for football club - but MC has to make do with his trainers (which are fitted properly and probably a lot better for his feet in any case)

MC got a Mr Magica book from school as his reading book. We got up at an ungodly hour this morning for several reasons and he read his book to himself whilst eating breakfast. He surprised himself by going from page 43 to 95 Its SO nice when they start to be able to to do that - and just get absorbed in a book and read it for the love of reading it and finding out what happens. I don't know whether he's just got onto more interesting reading books from school or whether its another example of his teacher being so much better than last years, but the books he is bringing home are much more appealling for him (and us!)

Snow gone. Hard frost instead this morning.

Hello Tearoom ladies! I keep losing you - having troubles focusing and keeping up.

LaBelledame - did you used to be merciless?? If so, I did NOT know that was you, iyswim!

Happy belated birthday to MC [balloon][balloon]

Have had a very hectic time since being back - went to Brisbane to see How to Train Your Dragon (fabulous!) and yesterday took MiniThumb to see Harry Potter exhibition again before it closes on Monday (very spoilt but he's not getting anything else for a looooong time now).

Today was more exciting for me and DH - had a scan, have a wriggler, and an EDD of 14 Oct. Mild excitement - long way to go, am also Pretty Ancient so fingers crossed that it all goes well. Minithumb was at the scan too but I had to explain to him what was going on - he seems fairly unfazed so far.

Cautious congratulations Thumb!

TW- wow.
MT -You had snow. Wow. just frost here.

Boy has gone to his first holiday play scheme day- multi sports. at least 2 others from his class there and several others from his school. He will be fine.