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!

I think it would be worth finding out what it is, at any rate. But :( at putting the poor old girl through a boopsy.

Biopsy

A boopsy might be more fun - whatever that is :o

I think if we don't have it done we'll possibly be thinking for ever 'I wonder' and 'what if...'....

Poor dog.

A boopsy?! HAhahahahahah!

Thanks for the food suggestions. They are for adults who act like big kids. I'm struggling with what to get my siblings for their birthdays/Christmas this year (sister's b-day is 4/5 weeks before Christmas and on Thanksgiving Day this year and brother's is 3/4 weeks after). They're a lot younger than me so we've always been at different life stages and now that I live here and they live there I've realized that in a lot of ways I don't know them any more. I love them they're my siblings and generally good eggs but because I see them once a year presents can be tricky. I've been thinking I might make them a movie care package each a couple of DVDs and lots of British snacks, drink, etc. I just need to figure out what to put in and if I'm able to smuggle-- take it through customs.

Poor Mistledog .

That sounds like a lovely idea Scout - don't forget the jelly babies please!

We have been persuaded to go on a family ice skating session in a few weeks with friends. I am far too old for skating and haven't 'skated' for about 20 years [at least not since I had a crush on a guy called Mike that went to the local ice disco on a Thursday night]. DH is even older and has never skated. Small Bean has never skated. This is going to end badly isn't it???

::waves at everyone::

bean, I think they might have "toddler" or "training" skates. At least they did at YOUT winter outdoor rink when they were still doing them. They were strap onto the shoe skates with two blades instead of one. Good luck! I take Toddler roller skating but parents are expected to put on skates, too.

I have suddenly realized my wedding anniversary is on Monday. Oh crumbles.

Small bean will be fine as he gets a penguin to hold onto. As an adult you don't ! Ds went whizzing off to the middle of his rink as I tottered round the edge...

At our local ice rink, you can book a teacher for parties and groups. Could that be an option? We don't, alas, have penguins.

To risk sounding stupid -- a penguin? How does a bird help you to skate?

::ponders over a possible substitution for an 'adult penguin'::

::wonders whether taking the wheely bin to cling onto would work::

::considers filling wheely bin with to take the edge off the experience::

Scout - The penguin is a large (compared to a child or even a real penguin) frame-y kind of thing that the child holds onto as it skates. I'm not sure that every ice rink has them, though.

Bean - I think you will find that Mellors is, amongst his many other attributes, a gifted figure-skater and will be delighted to accompany you and twirl you around the ice while MrBean (oops) gnashes his teeth.

Penguins in Brighton

Penguins and adult polar bears in telford.

Brilliant!

Fab! But I think I'd prefer Mellors.

That's it... I need a Mellors and a polar bear... sorted!!! I'll pop Mellors' appointment on the Tearoom calendar.

CMOT - that brought back a few memories, that's where I learnt to ski in a manner.

Rushing past on my way to bed before huge complex special school day tomorrow, blowing kisses and leaving a trail of home-made jam and tomato sauce ....

Jam and tomato sauce? Delicious!

Lovely to see you, LaBelleDame.

Toddler and I watched his first feature-length Disney film and it was a lovely break from train DVDs (though we did it over two days). There was drama, suspense, friendship. He clearly enjoyed himself. However, the parts I thought would scare him didn't bother him in the least and a part I thought he'd like he didn't. But he was able to tell me what was happening and indicate when he didn't like something so it's all good.

Aww, Scout. Which one was it?

The first film that The Girl saw in the cinema was The Incredibles. I thought we might have to leave part-way through but she was entranced by it.

DS just got into Disney films when we went to stay with my parents and my mum had recorded Aristocats and Beauty and the Beast for him to watch. He loved both and seemed to understand the stories, so that was nice. Like Scout, I found it a lovely break from Thomas or Jake and the Neverland Pirates.

Now I want to buy some of my favourite Disney films to watch with him, but was shocked how expensive they are on DVD. Think I will keep a look out at the TV schedules and record them!

We watched Cars there's no real scary characters, dark parts, etc. And it's about, well, cars. He didn't seem fond of the tractor-cows when they go "cow tipping." Other than that scene he was a happy chappy and spent the film having a cuddle and talking to me about it.

well done scout - boy still refuses to watch Cars as its too scary. He HATES teh bit where lightning gets lost. Lightning is scared and so is boy... he has prehaps too much empathy with story characters. Thought we were in for a refusal to finish a reading book last night as teh story was " too scarey".cliffhangers.... Boy doesn't like them at all.

I know Toddler is scared or doesn't like something on television when he gets off of my lap and distracts himself. He started to do that with the cows and I asked "Do you like this bit?" and he said "Too scary." So I forwarded it past the tractor-cows and he climbed back on my lap and kept watching. I just have to make sure I don't end his viewing there but let him watch the next bit so he's calm/happy again.

Cars was the film where we had to leave the cinema because The Girl found it too noisy (very small cinema with the sound cranked up).