Episode 33 - The Orangery - Tea anyone?

[mistlethrush]

The tearoom has traveled back to the Orangery for another visit. There are bluebells in the nearby woods, and Mellors has Earl Grey and Lady Grey ready for some excursions. Mellors has, indeed, been overwintering away from Canada for some reason - I think he's been helping Maud out in the garden. There are tulips out in urns outside, and there are a few tables out in the sunny courtyard for use between showers.

Whether you have one child or several, pull up a chair and share a or a . The only rules remains no fisticuffs.

Here comes Mellors with a tray loaded with Twiglets a la mode and Smores a gogo.

LaBelle my rabbit lived to be about 9 or 10, never spayed. Of course she might have been a he but I don't think so....

Thank you Mellors! I'll have a twiglet thank you!

How are you Maud? I was in the Big Smoke today and thought of you.

That was kind of you, Bean. I am old fat and tired very well, thank you.

I was tempted to but a pack of smores pop tarts... the extortionate price put me off. posh wanky sweet shop in nearby city that sell lots of imported goodies at very high prices.

DH has managed to get boy to do about half his home work so far... spelling will wait till tomorrow. Fact finding thing was entertaining. boy ( and his partners) have to find a few "facts " to present to class about ... the UK. other pairs have other Olympic nations.

Can I have a boast? Small Bean came back from swimming today and he has passed two more badges and been moved up a group. He is so, so proud of himself and we are too .

Anyone for Saturday ?

Bean - congratulations! What did SmallBean have to do?

Just been to the village fete - lots of fantastic things to do, such as trailer rides, pony rides, tombola, white elephant, ice creams ... I spent the while time face painting and couldn't even take LeBelleChien to the dog show - first year without a rosette. Next year I an not doing face painting; I am going to have fun!

LeBeauChien!

Yes, I think I'm going to just take TS and enjoy the Torch event. Was hoping to go to the spot closest to my house then maybe get in the car to beat it on the A-road between my town and the next and pulling over (there are places to do that sort of thing) to watch it go by on the bus with the escorts. I met someone who did that and said the experience was just as good, if not better, because it was unexpected so they were standing on the side of the road with their flags and waving and the bus slowed down and waved and honked. Not sure I'll be able to do it but it would be exciting for Toddler--.

Toddler is train obsessed. We asked him what he'd like to do today and he said "Forest. Playground. Railroad." Well, we did all three but in reverse order. We pulled into the heritage railway car park and he nearly burst with excitement "Diesel train, diesel train!" He was given a choice of steam or diesel and it was "Steam train!" But the steam train that took us one way had an accident after it uncoupled and was heading towards the opposite end of the train to do the return so we had to wait for a diesel to come for us Toddler was so happy he got to have both a steam engine AND a diesel engine ride in one day.

Torch seems to be near my parents house when mini's staying with them - I think I'll probably suggest that they might take him as we missed it here because of the 90th birthday party down in Suffolk.

Or come to Suffolk again next weekend, MT.

I think it's going really close to my school and the whole school is going to watch. [bored with Olympics emoticon]

I too shall be bored of the Olympics by the time it happens... This week I have teh joy of the "primary school Olympics" as nearby town secondary school is playing host to all 14 feeder primary schools for a week of sporty fun n games... Having a first aid cert and knowing where the loos are.. I've been asked to go along as an additional adult. Still, I'll be getting paid, so there is a silver lining.

Sunday night- what are you listening too? I'm about to hit spotify and find some more yoshida brothers tracks.

I think I will, too, but I'm looking forward to the torch relay at the end of the week. After that, who knows. I do like a couple of sports (to watch, not participate in -- I'm rubbish at sports) but MrScout's so anti I'll have to watch during the day but miss anything on in the evenings.

Can anyone recommend any good books about or that star trains that aren't Thomas the Tank? We have the original series and the "new" series/stuff out there is just creepy.

Can only think of Chuggington.

At my school we are drawing towards the end of a whole term focussed on the Olympics. Every day I deliver the same lesson (obviously suitably adapted and differentiated) on Olympic values to four classes. Thank God for PPA time, or it would be five classes. My level of boredom with the Olympics is nearing screaming point. And we still haven't done our sports day.

I can't remember when boys sports day is, can't ask in the office AGAIN, I've already asked twice and forgotten twice... I know its not this week.

Just listened to a spotify play list from an old boy friend he had good taste in music then and he still has good taste in music... funny that. even funnier is that his DS has same name as mine!

erm trains... underground ernie?

Little red train - they annoy me coz teh driver is tottal muppet and should be sacked, but DS quite liked them.

choo choo clierty clack - I love this book. not all trains , but short poems on transport, great pictures with lots to look at and talk about.

peters railway books look good, but I've not read them.

Thanks LaBelle and UniS.

We have two of the Little Red Train books (they don't really bother me but Toddler LOVES them and I swear we read them 20 times a day). We also have one of the Peter's Railway books and I think my MiL has bought him another one to be given either on holiday in August or his birthday in October. The Peter's Railway book is quite nice (we have one of the paperback ones and MiL bought one of the hardback ones). It even has detailed drawings of the inner workings of the trains in them. Very cool.

Anyone know/read Ivor the Engine? MrScout remembers the television program ("not my favorite but not awful so I wouldn't mind if Toddler watched them") but never read the books.

Toddler also has a couple of older "first reader/non-fiction" books about trains (Usborne and National Geographic, I think). He's not so into them yet but I don't think it will be long before I have to include them into the rotation of reading. I'm just getting tired of reading the same four/five train stories (the Thomas books get read a lot, too, but there's more of them to choose from so Toddler goes into the box and pulls one out). When we go to the PiL "The Little Red Caboose" gets added to the mix -- that's one Toddler can recite almost word for word without the book.

Our caterpillars are very big and very fat. I think they're going to start cocooning soon. Toddler's amazed. He says hello/goodbye to them every time he goes past (they're on the not-turned-on radiator in the entry way so we pass them to go in/out of the living room, to the door, to go up the stairs, etc). It is very exciting.

We've got the Ivor the Engine DVD - its Lovely!

Apologies, but I need a small moan. Tomorrow it is grandparents day at tiddlers school -concert, take your gps round school, do activities with them. Last year, tiddler had no gps there. We thought he wouldn't this year either, but pil have arrived back a week earlier from their 3 month holiday than we thought - so DH asked them if they'd go. MIL was underwhelmed to say the least and was trying to make excuses, so dh told them tiddler was upset to have no one there. Grudglingly agreed.
They have not gone to one thing for him in his whole life. Never around for his birthday, don't want to see him ride, dance, sing etc.
For the other 5 grandchildren, they went to everything in their early years, had them to stay, took them out. And ds gets nothing.

I am prob more grumpy about this having had an hour of my dad decompressing to me on the phone about mum today.

Pass the eh ?

here, have .

it's my birthday tomorrow- DH bought me flowers today bless him.

I spent today stood about on a wet increasingly muddy sports field as the primary schools Olympics took place in driving drizzle. Sooo glad I took and wore waterproof trews.

Boy has his turn to get soggy tomorrow, then I'm back for more with year 3 & 4 on wednesday.

have to make a decision... planing on going out for lunch tomorrow. do we go to
a - nice foodie pub some miles away- one of us will have to drive or
b - local pub with intentions of being foodie and a brand new chef in a new kitchen... they started doing meals today.

(((Cmot))) its rotten when there's preferential treatment. I don't know why parents can't see how problematic it is not only for the grandchild but also the middle generation. Makes for bad relations potentially with other siblings too.

UniS - hope its not wetter for tomorrow. Mc's was ages ago - I managed to miss it again this year due to work.

UniS - b, definitely. Give them some support and avoid driving.

CMOT - are the other g.children much older? Have the inlaws lost interest? You don't know any older neighbour or friend whom you could adopt as an honorary gp?

Happy birthday, UniS, in case I forget in the excitement of buying Wriggle school shoes at dawn tomorrow since hers disolved today in the rain.

The other grandchildren are much older - 21 to 15 atm. So they are much older now, but they are well enough to drive round in the US for a month and so on. Just a bit of enthusiasm would be nice - but DH has had 2 texts since April from them, nothing else, so it may be more general.

I missed ds's sports day too MT. You might know though, it is speech day/prizegiving on Saturday. If ds hasn't been told anything, he hasn't got a prize has he ? Just I would rather do something nice with ds than sit in a tent watching other people get them.