Episode 34 - The Tearoom moves to New England

[beanandspud]

At this time of year New England is famous for its glorious foliage as billions of leaves change from green to a kaleidoscope of colours. The air is crisp and cool ? perfect for hiking, biking or a drive along back roads, where farm stands are piled high with crunchy apples and orange pumpkins.

Everyone is welcome. There are tea, cakes and wine aplenty so pull up a comfortable chair and join us.

The usual rule applies - no fisticuffs please!

Adult beverage coming up Scout...

I think you deserve it after the tree-climbing! And I love the train jumper. Although Small Bean is still train mad he just wouldn't wear things like that now as they're not 'cool' - whatever 'cool' means to a 4.5 year old

I think I may join you in the . My day went like this: drop Small Bean at breakfast club for first time keeping fingers crossed that he'd be ok; drive 2.5 hours; sit through meeting; drive back 2.5 hours; pick up Small Bean just in time and then home for bath/bed etc. Repeated tomorrow as Mr Bean is away.

:: waves at Banderchang ::

Sorry I haven't really said hello. I have a DS who is 4.5 and I am usually running around like a loony whilst drinking wine in the tearoom and eating the cake which is permanently on offer here. I do remember the schools dilemma well (Small Bean started in September). Until then I couldn't understand why people spent so much time talking about/comparing/debating/criticising schools. Now I know!

I will read your bulb recommendations properly later Maud. Do you tend to buy on-line? Can you recommend anywhere to get good bulbs?

I wish we were going and then going straight from California to Pennsylvania for three weeks but there's no point in whinging.

Hello Bean.

::smiles at thought of you being married to Mr Bean::

I buy most of my bulbs via my gardening society, but otherwise I use J Parkers (mixed results - some of last year's weren't in tip top condition - but otherwise OK and pretty cheap) or Crocus. Van Meuven have a very good reputation but I've never used them.

How annoying re the hat - but at least you got it back - good climbing Scout!

I'm also a bit about other children... Mc was lovely to a new starter in his class at the beginning of the term. He told me today that this one child organised lots of other children to attack him at lunch time - and a teacher intervened and asked them whether they would want to pay for a new uniform for him....

Revolting things, other people's children.

I'm frequently staggered at how RUDE some children are to their grandparents ( who pick them up after school). If I got wind of boy talking to his GPs like that he wold be in big trouble and all PC privileges withdrawn.

however I am a proud mum today, Boy managed to earn extra golden time this week for extra good behaviour - he got team points too so it must have been good. Extra golden time apparently means you can go in early from afternoon break and get first dibs on the activities. I expect he will chose to play on the PC ... ho hum.

Egads, UniS. Toddler isn't even allowed to get away with talking to adults like that and he's two. Well done, Boy, for extra good behavior.

Grrr at MC's angry new starter friend.

Bean, I'm going to get that sweater for Toddler and put him in it as long as he'll let me. He doesn't care what he wears unlike a lot of girls of the same age I know.

Hello Banderchang, glad you jumped in. I fear lurkers look round work out think we're mad and run off! I am Oxeye I have one boy aged 6 and one DH who is lovely but Manly so he goes away on Expotitions up the Limpopo etcetera

I have been at work for 12 hours today, now home, supper and more work albeit at home this time ... I am feeling so tired I am a bit (tea room special)

Mellors is easy to understand - he is heaven on a stick so for me right now he is plumping up a lovely duvet and bed with clean sheets, making me a lovely cup of tea and he is going to read to me because I long for some reading time but am too tired to actually do it and then, well because we can, he is going to give me a massage which I will enjoy even though I will fall asleep ....

Scout hats off for the tree climbing - if that's not a sore point!

Bean beware the fickle taste of a child, when we looked at schools one school (damn their eyes) gave Oxboy a cup cake. I ASK you - he still says he wants to go there three years later!!

DH thinks boy may have been away with the fairys while rest of class were rampaging noisily, and thus was rewarded for " being quiet and sat down" . This is possible.

Gah! In a minor strop (as in, I'm not 100% happy so I will throw Bunny on the floor to show you!) Toddler threw Bunny down and he landed in the toilet. Thankfully it was a "clean" toilet (as in flushed but I haven't scrubbed it this week). Now Toddler doesn't understand that Bunny has to stay in the shower cubicle until after swimming when he can give him a bath. He thinks because Bunny got wet in the toilet he's already had a bath. Gah! I can't handle the whinging for Bunny. He has Dopple for this reason but no one not Dopple nor Creamy (his second favorite behind Bunny) nor Chocolate nor Baby Bunny nor Baby Creamy Bunny (the newest addition to the warren and he arrived this weekend) will do. Gah! And a bit (Tea Room Special).

Poor Bunny. And poor Scout, having to deal with toilet-drenched bunny.

Poor toddler and bunny. Its never funny having to retrieve objects from the loo.

I am having a vvvvvv not fun day. I tripped over yesterday, sprained my ankle, skinned my knee and hurt Bad Hand. This morning I went to minor injuries who extensively x rayed me, no fractures found, but am seeing hand bloke tomorrow to check tendons as v swollen and painful.
And this morning my mum collapsed again and has been whisked to A&E - dad is at home, I'm 70 miles away, and A&E are impossible to get on the phone.
Poor dad is in a right tizz.

and for all.

Sorry to hear about hand and mum CMot

Scout - DS has an elephant. When he was small, sometimes the elephant would (strangely) be found in the top cupboard in his bedroom. However, then it was noticed that sometimes the elephant's sister came to visit - and then went away again. Now, regularly, both elephant and her sister are carried around / tucked into bed together (luckily its only an evening and early morning thing now). If one is missing, that's just about OK - but if both are missing, not his dog, the other two nearly matching dogs, the ferret, the 3 teddies, duck or polar bear is adequate substitution.

CMOT that sounds bad about your hand and your mum. Is your hand a long running problem? I've had lots of surgery on my right wrist following a fall about 15 years ago so I can sympathise. Hands are so fundamental, aren't they? I had trouble brushing my teeth or hair using that hand at one point and it was awful.

We viewed 3 schools today, with Banderchanglet in tow, and we're shattered now! I LOVED the one which was furthest away (typical), and the 2 close to home were fine but I didn't get excited about either one. The further away one was brilliant and I could totally see DS there and having a lovely time. Although it's furthest away of the ones we're considering, they're never oversubscribed and currently have lots of children who live a lot further out than us. So I think we will get in. We'll just have morning hassles because it's the opposite direction from work. Worth it though - I would have paid to send him there.

Oh Cmot.

Mum is now in their 'not quite admitted, but longer than A&E' dept. Nurse is phoning me after docs have seen her, but have told them about her dementia and lack of comprehension/speech.

The hand/arm is a long running thing Banderchang. My hand is pretty much non functional, my wrist is fused, and I can't rotate at the elbow. Its a PITA

(((((((((((((((((((CMOT)))))))))))))))))))

Sending you lots and lots of love.

And everyone else. Busy day. Will try to pop in later.

xxJM

Hi Middy, welcome to the tearoom. Its just about teatime, so can I offer you a and a calorie/allergy free sticky cake ?

I have a 6 year old livewire ds, live in the middle of england, have a mad job and many animals. And elderly/frail parents.

shuffling in from the rain
Hello, please may I join you in your lovely snug tearoom? I am a mum to a 7YO DS, definitely an only child & was planned to be that way.

Anyone got tips to deal with sibling rivalry between DS and DM (Daft Mutt!)? Thank you.

Welcome, Middy and QueenofLouisiana! Two more new members. Wahoo!

Would you like some virtual champagne. We drink an awful lot of it here.

::Asks Mellors to hand round the Veuve Clicquot::

I say Mellors, I do like the waiters outfit, but is it not a little chilly in just the apron and bow tie ?

I am dumping the diet tonight and having a takeaway. Mum is being admitted to the ward proper till at least tomorrow which is a relief.

How is the sibling rivalry expressed between ds and dmutt Queen ?

That sounds good(ish) about your mum, Cmot. When my dad had to be admitted, he was in that betwixt and between unit for days, which did him no good at all.

::Hands Mellors one of the fluffy white bathrobes usually reserved for his massage clients::

I would love a glass of champagne, are there out of season and so very expensive strawberries to go with it? They would finish off my own take away meal rather well!
The sibling rivalry is particularly intense today as DH is working late- DS has draped himself all over me, DMutt is pawing and sticking her head on my knee! I read with DS, DMutt wants the garden...I walk DMutt, DS insists on coming to play football!

Wahoo, new residents tea roomers! Welcome Middy and QueenofLA. I'm Scout. Toddler will be three in 2 1/2 weeks.

CMOT, I second goodish about your mum. I hope everything is okay with her, your dad and your hand/arm. Ouch.

Banderchang, when do you have to choose a school for Banderchanglet? Will you be able to visit them all again?

MrScout was supposed to go to Geek Club tonight which meant I'd had have an evening alone watching cheesie television and making chutney but he's just messaged me saying he's coming home. Boo.

I managed to wash and dry Bunny without Toddler seeing though he knew it was happening but oh the joy and happiness at the reunion! You'd have thought he had been lost for years not just out of commission for four hours.

QueenofLouisiana - The joy and delight of Mellors is that whatever you want within some fairly minimal standards of taste and decency he will provide. So fresh strawberries coming right up!