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.

I bet your house is fun, CMOT!

Bet the CMOT house is NOISEY too.

DH dusted off his trumpet today. but most of the noise in our house today was boys incessant talking and singing. he really likes the acoustics of the loo for singing. We were treated to a blast of "sing hosanna" and some christmas carols.

Happy Easter all!

We have a houseful of family at the moment.

Additional reasons why I only have one child...

The noise
The washing
The noise
The cooking
The noise
The trying to get everyone in one place at the right time
The noise
The cost
The noise

I love my family dearly but I fear I am not a nice person at the moment.

I've had a message from MiL to say that ds is takeing turns at firstly reading quietly to himself, completely rapt with the story (both harry P and How to train your dragon something or other)(at the same time) and then being extremely energetic and boisterous. I'm not sure what she thinks he's going to do with all that stored up energy he's not using when he's reading if he's not overly exuberant afterwards, but I suppose she's not used to a normal day / week month with him....

So very quiet week for us until we pick him up at the weekend - and he's booked in for a sports camp next week ( 8 - 5pm) so hopefully will enjoy that too.

I ventured onto the lawn this morning - its really soggy, so I don't know when I'm going to be able to get onto it to cut the lawn

Happy Easter, all.

Feeling rather better now but still really need a good sit down after lunch and chest so painful at night it invariably requires a quiet pace round and sob in the night. Have become aware of a new phenomenon - new to me, that is - it's the inverse of Man Flu. A man has a nasty cold and is in bed for a week being brought beef tea with the blinds down and passing horses' hooves muffled; I was in bed for four days and in hospital for a check up and I heard DH tell a friend on the phone "... oh, Serpent ... she's fine ... bit of a cold but she's fine really ..." So I presume a wife with double pneumonia has 'a slight sniffle'.

Anyway, I actually dropped in to take Mistle up on her offer of some good ideas for songs for our village choir for summer. I thought about 'Summer is i-cummin in' ... any other ideas, anyone?

If you're any good at part songs I love 'sweet suffolk owl', although it has two soprano parts. Will have a think and suggest some more....

Have you tried propping yourself up on pillows? I ended up with about 5 last time I was like that - and then sometimes resorted to the sofa as it was even more sloping. Hopefully we'll get some sunshine soon so you can go and sit in some, I'm sure that helps.

We can do part songs! I am officially a second sporano! (Totally astonished at this hitherto underdreamt of talent - Iwas one of those who were ordered to only mime at primary school - although it only works in a group situation.

Unseemly pillow tussels do happen at night.

I see your second sop and I raise you an Alto, boy is also an alto. any one else for the Tea room choir? I watched the BBC program on Salisbury choir school last week, maybe the TR choir could have cloaks too. DH is a baritone who mostly sings bass but is being pushed into stunt tenor more and more these days.

nice part songs? I'm a bit useless as I only sing with the christmas choir... but I did like " the bell ringing" which DHs choir did the other summer. This recording is a bit "prisey", can be much more earthy and still very nice. Its pub song round her ( not in 6 parts tho). I was ringing tonight. gradually getting less rubbish.
DHs mob have had fun with and blue skies in recent years. Also Abba's "supertrooper" along with Rutter and Tallis.

I love the idea of a concert programme combining Supertrooper, Rutter and Tallis!

hello all. Happy Easter etc
Thumb that is exciting news, of course one can be cautious but excited too!!

LaBelle boo hiss I too have been thinking much about you and yours sorry it is a slough of despond with you at the moment - propped pillows sounds good

happy birthday mc
we have a ukelele which is a great instrument
singing confined to the shower

I have been watching Happy Feet 2 and thinking what a fine fine film it is. I suspect my brain has turned to mush

Serpent, may I suggest a bean bag instead of your pillow wrestling? (assuming you have such of course) I find it works better for fitting to my back so I don't get backpain. Sorry that you're still struggling with the pneumonia effects, hope it goes away very soon.

Hope you all had a lovely Easter - our weather was grand but then turned wintry yesterday, single figure temps no less!

I have just discovered that I am no longer a qualified marker of student work. I have read the project I have been allocated to mark and wish to give it a much lower mark than I probably should; but having re-checked criteria for marking, it appears I don't "understand" what I'm reading so have had to schedule an emergency Skype chat with the supervisor this evening to discuss my incompetence the situation. This has Knocked my Confidence somewhat. :(

I have sung as everything from second soprano through to tenor, in concerts and everything! I have a big range but not strong enough at the outer extremes for close examination - although I've discovered that my low range has got lower, while not losing my top end - this is good, no? Summer part songs - hmm. Used to know some, not so sure now - I used to sing with a very small group that sang old English stuff, I know there was a Tallis one in there, also one by William Byrd but I can't remember the names! There was one about nut-gathering (a popular allusive subject, I believe!) and one about swans... (not really helping here)

I'm very definitely a 1st Sop - and based on the fact that ds appears to be able to go even higher than me (up to where the bats will get an earful) I think he probably is too. I'm very glad that I've managed to get him to sing rather than shout in tune....

I'm having a wobble and need a hand (please). I offered my friend (the mum of Toddler's best friend/girlfriend) clothes that no longer fit Toddler for her nearly 1 year old son. She has said yes, she could make use of them and whatever I give her would be lovely. Talking today I said I have an array of 12 mos, 18 mos, 24 mos and 1-2 yr clothes (of summer and winter variety) I was putting together for her. But as I'm putting stuff in the bag to give her I keep thinking things like "oh, I loved Toddler in that jacket/coat/shirt" and "oh, maybe I'll keep that back." Surely I should really only save baby-baby things and toddler clothes shouldn't be that hard to pass on?! I had no little problem giving away his baby things (though did keep a few things in my treasure box). Why is this next stage proving more difficult?! Is it overly sappy to keep a few things from this stage as well?

(I should mention I did keep out my absolute favourite pair of stripy Oshkosh overalls that he practically lived in -- even though they still have lots of wear left in them I absolutely LOVED him in those and couldn't part with them.)

Someone, please, slap some sense into me!

I won't slap you, Scout. I'll just suggest that you keep a couple of things for your treasure box (as I did with The Girl's stuff) and hand the rest over. It is hard to part with things but the alternative is to have it cluttering up the house.

Have some for Dutch courage.

Also ... A friend of mine read a book on decluttering which suggested that, if you were really struggling to part with something, you should take a photo of it, as a memento. You could do that, although as MrScout is a photographic whizz you probably have photos of ToddlerScout wearing all of these things already.

We've got someone that's hopefully on her way over or will arrange another time to pick up lots of stuff... Some things don't hurt at all - eg bed... Other things that I packed away carefully so that they could be used again I still find hard, but I'm doing it. I've got tons of clothes to get rid of. 0 - 3 probably. It was all carefully packed up in the loft.

The good thing is that the loft is looking almost clear and we can therefore put some of the muddle from the rest of the house in boxes in the loft. I would like to regain some control of the house - would be really nice.

that's a nice idea Maud

Thanks Maud. I don't mind keeping a onsie or a sleep-suit (since these were the last ones he's had since they stop making them at 2 yr old) but it's things like jackets I feel a bit about. Obviously kept shoes and, as I said, the striped overalls I refuse to part with. My Treasure Box needs to be bigger because some of what I kept is bulky first winter coat, shoes, etc. and of course first Halloween outfit, Christmas outfit, first swim trunks etc.

I definitely don't want the stuff to clutter up the house any longer. The clothes are in great condition with lots of wear left in them, so I want them to get used and loved and appreciated.

Scout - one of MC's favourite Tshirts (and mine tbh) was a lovely green one with a 4 made of skull and cross bones - but not large print so that you didn't really notice them (but he knew they were that). We were at least its 2nd owner. I passed it on to UniS for Boy and she passed it on to Thumb so its now doing the rounds that way. I'm pleased that other children (and hopefully their mums) that I know are also getting some enjoyment out of it - it does help.

Oh yes, it definitely makes things easier knowing who the clothes are going to. I know they'll be loved and worn well. And I'll have the added bonus of getting to see the little ones wearing them.

Have just rescued one of Toddler's first "real" footie PJs from the bag. Not this one but this principle -- all-in-one with zipper not poppers. He had two or three of the size but I only kept one. Also found his first hat & mittens set (as opposed to the all-in-one of his first coat).

My big boy used to be so small (even though he was on the bigger side for his age).

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH

nice coat- very Hi-vis.

Excellent coat. Tiddler has a high vis body warmer for riding which he adores - I also put a high vis hat cover on him so he is easily visible on the yard.
Tiddler and I have a week off next week, so are looking forward to relaxing lots

Mom & Dad are going away next week and are hitting the various outlets on their travels -- Mom said she'd look for that jacket for me. For some reason I love it. Though I think the matching "fireman boots" might be a step too far....

I bet Tiddler wouldn't think so!

Why do they make so many boys' coats in drab, dull, dark colours? Its the last group of colours you want your child in because they blend into the background so well. I'm really pleased that we've found a yellowy green coat for MC for the winter that is really bright - he loves it and you can spot where he is easily. But its too hot now and he's just in his red raincoat when its damp and no coat the rest of the time.I really should invest in some strategic coat hooks on my person to make carrying his most of the time easier

Have laundered and ironed (never before!) 6 grobags and the case of my bf pillow and they're packed up in the boot ready to be sold to a friend whose sister is expecting. Easier than sorting them out for an NCT sale and I get them out of the house in one go.