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.

ummmm, sleep.... must get some.

Toddler has taken to crawling into bed with us sometime between 2 & 5 a.m. Half the time I don't even wake up. But I wake up in the morning sandwiched and overheating. Then I don't sleep as well for fear of rolling over onto him.

Scout - if it is any consolation I am getting less and less broody. I think part of it is that as Small Bean gets older there would obviously be a bigger and bigger age gap between him and a hypothetical baby. Therefore the 'ideal' (and I use that word very loosely) of having siblings close in age who might be great friends and play together just isn't going to happen.

Also, as we have gone past the 2-3 year 'window' when a lot of people have a second I find that I get fewer of the 'your turn next?' comments and that also makes it easier.

I was with a friend and her newborn last wek and whilst it was lovely to have a tiny baby asleep in my arms (and I admit I did have a 'what if..?' moment) I couldn't imagine myself going back to nappies, sleepless nights, weaning, toilet training etc. All of the reasons why we just have one haven't changed.

It's helping that I've made a friend who has an only son who's about 3/4 months younger than Toddler. He, like Toddler, will be an only. We had a lovely "playdate" yesterday and it was nice just having to worry about the two boys instead of babies or bigger children.

Surprisingly, even though Toddler's rapidly approaching three (eek!), I still get asked if/when I'll have another. Some random man, back in the winter, told me I HAD to have another so that Toddler wouldn't be spoiled (then proceeded to tell me that Toddler already was spoiled ). I just thought "that's not a good enough reason."

I really do need to figure out who to call to find out why I haven't started round two yet....

When I met DH - within 3 weeks we'd checked that the same sort of life goals were in order (ie children featuring at some stage) - then got married within about 2 years, when I was 29 - thought we could leave it 18months before starting to TTC - mini arrived 6 years later. So I had rather a long go of it. And, yes, would have liked a 2nd. However, that's not going to happen - and mc is wonderful, so we're really glad that we've got him. I do think that the broodiness does decrease - and certainly the questions about having a 2nd do stop. The worst, though, was when someone was bemoaning being pregnant and that she was going to have two under two when the new one arrived.. just about the time I would have been due had I not had another mc. Its that sort of comment that still gets me.

Anyway - having, yesterday, said he didn't want to go to sports camp and didn't want to have a water fight, got him there agreeing that he didn't have to do the water fight, then had to ring DH up to take spare clothes and his water gun as he decided that he did want to take part after all... This morning MiL asks him when she could come and pick him up... 3.30? No, that's too early.... Clearly can't be too bad!

Today was one of those days where I was very grateful I only had Toddler -- he was a handful. He's cutting molars (it's taken him 3/4 of a year to cut the first) and has just been miserable. I've been keep Calpol close at hand but it seems to be wearing off before I can give him more and that time is a struggle.

I love him dearly but I'm so happy he's in bed.

Chocolate cake, anyone?

yes please to choc cake. I need to go and make another slab of brownie- we have eaten too much of the 1st one for me to send 3 decent pieces to the village show tomorrow.

I'm dropping some of the veg classes( garden not cooperating) and one cake ( out of time and ideas) , got to do brownies...

Good luck with the show UniS. We're off playing music so I might be a bit quiet over the next week...

just as well I abandoned making a sponge cake- I was out of sugar! Made brownies with soft light brown sugar instead of granulated, hope they turn out OK. I'll find out at breakfast time tomorrow.

Boys flower arrangement is nice. and his photo of a snail on DH's welly boot.

Boy was racing his bike today, came 4th again - 3 races in a row.

Toddler, who's not quite 2.10, broke out the word "Pendolino" yesterday afternoon. Out of no where but in the right context (and very clearly!). MrScout and I nearly fell over in shock and amusement. Toddler looked very pleased with himself like a small boy who has had that word stored for a very long time and was just waiting to be able to use it. MrScout says we're raising a geek (then he changed it to a train spotter) I say we (Toddler & I) watch too many train DVDs. Yesterday morning Toddler spent a good ten minutes or so just chattering one long stream of consciousness which we think he was telling us about his new DVD about the Flying Scotsman (there was a lot of unintelligible chatter but a lot of words including "Flying Scotsman", train, steam, chuff-chuff-chuff, broken, "'fubment" (refurbishment, we think), etc.).

What is a 'pendolino'??? Sounds like a pizza with tomatoes. Probably as small one.

I used to foster children, long before Wriggle, and I remember one 3-year-old boy who knew that Latin names of lots of plants, by working with my DH, whom he adored.

Pendolino.

Yummy. Pizza with tomatoes! Sounds like the ideal breakfast.

We are moving this Friday! If anyone would like to see the house we're moving into, PM me and I'll send you a link to the YouTube video that the realtors filmed of the house when it was put on the market back in April :o

I'm so excited!!!!!!!

::clasps LaBelleDame to her ample, garlic-scented bosom::

Yay for vocabulary and house moves! Look. Here comes Mellors with a tray of crystal champagne flutes, full of Veuve Clicquot.

Ample, garlic-scented bosoms - my favourite kind!

Wriggle lost her second tooth this morning and took it to show to the dentist in a jam jar.

Off to pm Jm (sounds like a tongue twister).

::Raises champagne flute to company::

Excellent! Solitary drinking is not good for the soul and Mellors is looking exceptionally splendid in his tuxedo tonight.

Cin cin!

Hola!

All is well on holiday with The Beans. Don't have much chance to post but I am checking into the Tearoom between swimming, visiting places, trying to get more than 10 mins with a book and drinking wine.

Hola, Bean! Have some cava Veuve Clicquot!

Oh, I'll have some Veuve! Love the old widow. Bottoms up!

Have put a link to the new house in the other place :)

::Clinks glasses::

And just think of the new gardening opportunities!

Can you paint the walls some other colours JM?

Evening all. bottoms up. Can I top up your glasses or has Mellors taken care of you all.
Can I be bothered to go and make my self a light weight summer dressing gown? Not sure I can. Have fabric but no pattern. Thinking of Japanesse Obi style. But may end up being more of a Kaftan.

UniS; if it is anything like my projects, your summer dressing gown will be finished in December ... 2014.

We will definitely paint at some point. Not this year though, definitely. In person the walls aren't quite as green. They're nice enough to live with for now. The really great thing is there is nothing that needs to be fixed. It's in perfect condition (built in 2005).

Oh, the gardening! I'm so excited!!! In 2-3 years, my garden is going to be the showpiece of the street.
Must. Not. Hyperventilate. With. Giddiness!

doh, yukata, NOT obi, obi is a belt... I really should try and remember things.

Found a good tutorial for a Gi ( short yukata) still, made no move towards the sewing machine however...

UniS - I think I still have a very simple dressing gown pattern, fairly yukata-ish. Would you like it? It's probably cut out to size 12/14 but I'm sure you could tweak it. I have promised The Girl I will make her a summer dressing gown.