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.

[Scout19075]

No, not death. Telling him the cat "went to sleep." I've been struggling the last two weeks to get him to "stay in bed and go to sleep." I'm afraid if I tell him the cat "went to sleep and is gone" he won't want to stay in his bed to sleep (he already gets up & down for, on average, 20 minutes per bedtime which is down from the initial 5 hours it took).

He's already aware that Foff was old and tired and unwell. We regularly told him that, which I think is why he was very good about leaving her alone -- we hammered it home that she was elderly and poorly and just wanted to be left alone to sit in the sun, by the fire or on Nana's lap where she was comfortable.

But because she wasn't directly a family pet I'm not sure how much he'll register that she's not there.

[mistlethrush]

Wait and see what happens when you get there next?

[Scout19075]

That was my original thought. But it was MrScout asking me what I was going to tell Toddler (as in, today/tomorrow) that made me a bit .

[ComeIntoTheGardenMaud]

I think MrScout may be falling into the trap of assuming that everyone is as attached to the mpg goes as PiL are. I go through that when we visit the in laws. BiL drones on about which cat has been taken to the vet for which ailment and is oblivious to the fact that they all look the same to me.

[ComeIntoTheGardenMaud]

Ugh. That was meant to say moggies. How does one turn off predictive texting?

[Donki]

I went with the matter of fact approach. It worked with the YD, but then we had been walking through graveyard to get to toddlers most days, and he had asked a lot of questions about some of the graves with flowers and some with toys...

[UniS]

" granny is sad because foff died. Foff was VERY old and their body wore out and didn't work any more and they died. "
Expect a few questions about things dieing over teh next week or so. maybe best telling child BEFORE going to see granny so your not still in mid death fascination phase at grannys house.


We had to do this with boy at toddler age (ish) as my parent's cat died. Granddad sent us a card with a photo of the cat to remember it by!

[mistlethrush]

Unis - that was the approach we took too, and, yes, Mc gets sad about it, but gets over it and its not such a surprise now ifyswim.

Very active day - I went to the gym whilst DH took ds to karate this morning. After some shopping and lunch ds and I took the dog for a walk, and then went swimming. No water in ear this time which was a major benefit.

[Scout19075]

Happy Mother's Day!

[CMOTDibbler]

Very nice in here, and a lovely view of Mellors.
I have been at a conference this week, and am exhausted. Being nice to people solidly for 16 hours a day does me in.
Came back to lovely sun, and a nice dressage lesson.

[mistlethrush]

How's that all going CMot? And do you get the same horse each time?

[CMOTDibbler]

Riding is going really well thanks MT. Have entered an actual dressage competition (just unaff, walk/trot, but its a start) in a couple of weeks. Feeling pretty good about it now as everything went v well today
I tend to ride the same horse all the time as I luv him, but you can change if you like, and hacks are pretty much pick your own for adults.

[beanandspud]

Can I pour anyone a G&T - it is a lovely evening here, a bit too cold to sit out but one of the nicest evenings for ages.

CMOT - welcome back! Are you at home this week or away again?

We have had a weekend of blitzing the garden - decking all stained, weeding, planting, grass cutting, tubs all emptied, some veg planted out... I suspect that neither of us will be able to move tomorrow but it looks good and we just need some sunshine now! Very satisfying.

[Jacksmania]

I'd love a G&T, thanks
Happy Mothers' Day to everyone celebrating today! I was brought coffee in bed, and given some gorgeous jewelry :o - a bracelet made with tiny macaroni tubes, and a necklace made from larger pasta tubes, all liberally covered in paint and glitter glue. I am of course wearing both proudly :o

[CMOTDibbler]

At home this week Bean - my to do list went into 5 pages after the meeting, so I'll be trawling through that . Well done on the gardening - ours is still a mess

I'm sure you look gorgeous and glittery JM

[Scout19075]

Oh, JM, how lovely! (Do we get to see pictures?)

We spent another day exploring mills (mostly of the wind variety) to celebrate National Mills Weekend. Toddler was in heaven.

[UniS]

Hurrah for glitter and pasta.

Have tired boy out this weekend.

Off to ask Mellors for a nice gentle foot rub in teh potting shed.

[Donki]

CMOT You've got tickets for Grade 1 para dressage.... cheer them on for me! (quietly so as not to spook the horses).

I must be mad. 8 hours on a train in each direction... with the YD (he changed his mind) ... but we have decided to go and see the cross country.

(YD, you know we'll have to sit on the train for HOURS, and I don't want to hear the B.O.R.E.D word half way round the cross country course... or Iw ill be a very fierce Donki)

[UniS]

Good decision donki. once in a lifetime opportunity and all that.

soup d'jour and roll avec sugestion for lunch, anybody?

[Donki]

I can offer spicy carrot soup - and will gladly have a GF roll tres sugestif!
Thanks UniS
(How do a type e with a grave accent? I can type acute accents....)

[Donki]

Is that glitter sprinkled over the rolls Uni?

[CMOTDibbler]

Show YD some of the youtube videos of eventing falls, and he'll be agog to see if anyone gets dumped in the water. Water falls are ds's favourite

soup and a suggestive gf roll would be great here too

[mistlethrush]

Yes please to the soup!

MiL is still outraged at how long the park is to be closed to the general public (even though I think that she probably only really uses it when we go to stay). Having seen the schedule of how long they expect it to take to reopen parts, I'm astounded at how quickly they're going to get parts of it open again.

The long train ride is why we've not been very enthusiastic about her idea of travelling to see Swiss cousins via the channel tunnel. Funnily enough she's not mentioned it since we said that she was very welcome to take him on the train and we'd take the plane and meet her at an appointed time.

Donki - just out of interest, that restaurant is doing 6 course GF meals on special evenings which is an interesting idea.

Oooh and CMot did I see you'd been picked for tickets for a bit of camping and culture too?

[CMOTDibbler]

Yes am dead chuffed as it looks great and will be tiddlers first camping festival. Lots of different music

[mistlethrush]

I didn't see the thread unfortunately :( Although I'm not really sure that I would cope with camping for the weekend....