tea room 36 - Teh Alpine Chalet

[UniS]

Welcome to the Tea rooms newest incarnation. A cozy log cabin with a roaring log fire, comfy chintz sofas and a dedicated man about the house, our Butler, Mellors. Out of the windows you can see sparkling white snow gently drifted up under the green Christmas trees and bright blue skies. Children can all be packed off to play healthy outdoor stuff while we stay snug n warm in here with our mulled wine, tea,artisan hot chocolate and other beverages served in mugs, glasses or buckets.

The usual rules apply - no fisticuffs. And no messing with the aspidistra.

11 am. Trailer 1 unloaded. coffee made and sticky bun sitting next to me.

I have been reading the first chapter of Don't Shoot the Dog.

Excellent food for thought.

1 pm 2nd trailer unloaded. Lunchtime.

I will lend you a book that's very interesting on positive behaviour.

Thank you MT :)

Oh, carrot cake - mmmmm....

I'm glad everyone got a giggle out of my male carrots :o

I am feeling depressed and discouraged today. 6 yo boys can be difficult when they're learning that they have their own preferences and are developing a mind of their own which has nothing to do with what mummy wants. I am so tired of every morning turning into a battle. When does that stage end where you have to ask them to do something eleventy million gazillion times before your head explodes and you resort to shouting? I am turning into a shrew. One of those horrid shouty mums. I hate when I'm like that. It's 12 noon here and I'm at work and honestly, I could sit down and sob right now, I really could.

Also other physical stuff going on, but I'll spare you the details, have been transferred to a different urogynae surgeon but not seeing him until end of August, and who knows how long after it will be before surgery... I'm tired and in pain and am really really struggling.
Any support and handholding gratefully received.

JM
Here, have a hoof to hold, and a bucket or two of wine (carrot or not, to your taste).

I think that was the stage at which I instituted "time out" - for me, if I was starting to get shouty.

I remember reciting "this too shall pass" rather a lot (still do for that matter)

Oh yes, the mantra of "this too shall pass". I didn't get very far through it, but I also found some of the basic ideas in "How to talk so kids will listen" very helpful (although as I never finished the book I may have missed some of the subtleties).

I'm sorry things are so difficult for you at the moment, Jacksmania.

::Holding your hand::

Sorry it's hard at the moment Jacks, 6yr olds seem to have a way of choosing the most infuriating moments for, ahem, exploring the boundaries.

I too find myself being 'shouty mum' and I hate it. Mornings go well when there are no distractions so it's up, breakfast, dressed, teeth all in the kitchen with no television etc. until completely ready to go. Mr Bean doesn't always help as he likes to have the news on in the morning and then Small Bean gets distracted and it's game over.

When you find the answer to the 'selective deafness' please let me know, I find that's the hardest bit when I just keep repeating myself.

We have shouty sessions sometimes too JM (sorry if that depresses you... its meant to be standing beside you...). But I think we're coming out the other end mainly.

Yes, we're a bit further along the maturing process than you and it does get easier.

I'd second that, Lush.

Even though I know this, it's still very difficult when I'm in the thick of it.

Mornings are hellish on a regular basis at the moment due to my youngest.

I feel your pain and frustration, and empathise with the shouty thing. I just about managed to hold it together without shouting at DC4 this morning, but instead snapped at my other daughter who'd been an absolute angel . This is much worse than shouting at the one who was the cause of all the chaos, imho. I felt especially shit about that, but DD2 just gave me a hug and told her sister not to be so mean to me!

Anyway, my point is that it doesn't seem five minutes since it was the one who is now an angel, was behaving like this, and her siblings before her, which is promising, I think.

How are you feeling this evening, Donki? Better, I hope. Probably sleeping...I've just seen the time.

Fingers crossed for a better morning tomorrow, for those of us who need it!

Another day!
We had a thunderstorm last night, with very heavy rain.

Th pygmy goats were gorgeous. They are named after 3 supervillains!

The dog in the household is a mini schnauzer (he is gorgeous) - who is a similar size and shape to the goats, although he doesn't have horns.

They look lovely - better not show them to MC as he'll want one! Not sure what mistlehound would think of it though.

I heard rumblings but we didn't have a storm overhead so I wasn't sure it was thunder. Mistlehound and I did go out and she had the most wonderful run - its lovely to see her actually doing what her type of dog has been bred to do (she's not a pure breed, but a lurcher - and not even necessarily a simple cross - probably lurcher x lurcher but we don't know as she's rescued). She was panting like a steam train for quite a considerable time and was too tired to eat any more than the sardines in tomato sauce I gave her.

Awww, so cute!

JM, hugs, and heres hoping the new surgeon can help.

I am in East Anglia today, in a beautiful hotel (that was strangely cheap) which is one end of an NT property. I have spent the day teaching vets to treat horse lumps, and it was all very nice for a change.

CMOT, I suspect I know the hotel you're at and you're just down the road from me....

I shall wave madly out of the window! It is gorgeous

I love East Anglia.

Stupid phone at my last attempt at posting so will try again from a proper keypad when SB is in bed.

JM, fingers crossed regarding the new surgeon. Why the transfer?

SmallBoy's only 4.6 but we've also had one of those weeks, JM, so I can relate. We have spent the better part of the week clashing but today managed to mostly rub along peacefully.

How are you today, Donki?

CMOT, how long are you in E.A. for?

Just tonight, though I may be back at the end of the month, and would love to come back to the hotel with dh and ds

Been bell ringing again this evening.

I have forgotten so much.

Started to get my ropesight back though! :)

And rang the bells down for the first time in 3 decades.

that was one thing that we didn't do on a regular basis - always really difficult as a result

Scout, the transfer to the new surgeon was done to expedite this surgery happening some time this century year rather than next. It's hard to explain because our medical system is to different to the UK and even the US. There are only 3 urogynaecoligists in this area, and they are all beleaguered. Unfortunately that is the kind of specialist I need. If I needed a straightforward hysterectomy, I could have had it done any time last year. But it's a bit more complicated than that.

And thanks everybody for handholding - it's just been an exceptionally difficult week.

, anyone?

Hurrah! Slept much better last night.

I feel positively bouncy by comparison with recent weeks.

I hope it's not just a one off.