Would anyone like a cup of tea and a muffin?

[MadBadandDangerousToKnow]

I'm tired and in need of refreshment.

The tea room is now officially open, serving hot chocolate, tea, freshly-squeezed orange juice and a range of home-baked muffins. Tablecloths and crockery are charmingly mismatched antiques (no Cath Kidston here). We overlook an attractive although somewhat overgrown garden, with a distant view of rolling countryside.

Everyone is welcome but house rules dictate that anyone indulging in fisticuffs will be ejected.

Please come in.

big
elephants
can
always
upset
small
elephants

... to be fair it was a typo not a speeling mastayke - but seeing as I did the crime - I feel I had to do my time!!!!!

is it still quiet in the tea room? Good thing MJ is not around as there is a limit to how long his 'quiet' voice lasts before the loud one takes over.

Hoping the T family are feeling somewhat less after their ordeal. Have a biscuit (proper ginger ones here) and a mug of hot chocolate...

Currently ds's favourite toy is smelling of olbas oil as it seems the most logical place to put some for the night - luckily she does go in the washing machine fine - although we might have to dose the 'spare' up so that he doesn't notice! Its really obvious though that it is affecting his hearing as his speach is significantly less clear than normal. One thing I wish he hadn't inherited from dh...

Duck food - reminds me of my mother's story of the muscovy ducks around the manor where they first set up home in a 'flat'. Lots of ducks and geese around the back - so all kitchen scraps could be thrown out of the kitchen window. She once bought some meat from a different butcher and despite long cooking it was too tough to eat so, not thinking, it went out the window with the rest of the scraps. One muscovy drake got hold of it and got it halfway down where it wedged - mum thought it would kill him - but he eventually (ie several hours) managed to get it down!

oh tea big hugs sorry to miss the drama, but you did well and got out Just In Time - wonderful Sapeur Pompiers - do you have big Days for the wonderful SP in Paris? They do in the small village where we go on hols and it is wonderful

Snuggling Milk4tea in her Cath Kidston cloth

Racing sorry that Wriggle is still ill, and can't believe your biscuit plan - I once substituted rosemary for thyme in a recipe. That too was truly horrid

Love the ducks. Daisyboy is here with wellies and a wide grin and a large red waterproof suit ready to go out and FEED!!! but we will need some biccies he can nibble too....

Outgoing/ Ingoing onlies? I think it just underlines the fact that (drum roll) kids are kids and will do their kiddy thing whatever the number. Life is full of influences and I think we are only sensitive of their being onlies when it is something that troubles us/ leads to lots of fatuous comments from others --- out bubbas just plough on

My Daisyboy is outgoing to a fault - chats to all and sundry - but really likes his own company - which makes him a mix of DH and me!!!

racing love my long black hair!!!

JM I can't do anything emotional to do with little ones anymore - mind you Dumbo always used to make me cry....

Ooohhh - those mince pies look good. I think I'll save one for after my soup - and ds has been at the roll-making again so we have more inappropriately shaped rolls here to accompany it. Have brought two varieties of soup today - butternut squash and sage or leek and potato. Both nice and warm and filling for a cold day.

Was it snowing anywhere else today? We had quite a heavy shower first thing this morning but it has not snowed since (good thing too - although I've moved north, people up here seem to have no concept of how to drive safely in the snow - this coming from a southerner - we used to get TOTALLY snowed in in the village I grew up in - once for three days (tractor went out to the next village to collect milk and bread for the whole village on about day 2) - great place for toboganning too!

oh, Mistle, I want your life!!! thanks for soup, love the butternut one please and Ha Ha Ha rolls, I'll have that particularly, umm, thrusting one please

No snow here, but blimey if we have snow where I live well, it's a bit of a surprise really

Ds is particularly keen on rockets at the moment

Of course, in RL at desk at office... [blush

Mmmm. That butternut squash and sage soup was lovely. I'll try to make my own - there's some sage out there in the garden somewhere. And well done MJ on another batch of unusual bread rolls, which may be of interest to NASA or the Vice Squad (or both)!

Well, it's getting dark so shall we have a hot drink and a cake? We have some rather nice apricot and coconut muffins today.

Ooooooh, here you all are......dashing in and out veeeery quickly as t'is already Arsenic Hour in the Bucharest household.....will catch up later......Bocca, you look splendid in that festive outfit....x

Lovely lovely cafe folk

Do you think Fircone will venture into this snuggly homey little cafe? Well done Bocca for getting out there an inviting her in

Thanks for the muffins and oooh, a cuppa in my favourite HMP Mug!

Where is BBPAnts by the way!

Hey Bucharest, where have you been????

Ciao, Bucharest, come stai?

It's good to see you again. And daisy is quite right, we haven't seen bbpants for a while.

I do hope fircone will venture in - she sounded as if she needed a therapeutic muffin - but I always hope that customers wil come of their own accord and won't feel they've been kidnapped!

I'm off out for a bit but will be back later for champagne and rehearsals of the Tea Room Panto (incorporating the Rhythm Of Life, All That Jazz and the Palm Court Trio).

Who wants to direct the panto?

Ciao, Bucharest, come stai?

It's good to see you again. And daisy is quite right, we haven't seen bbpants for a while.

I do hope fircone will venture in - she sounded as if she needed a therapeutic muffin - but I always hope that customers wil come of their own accord and won't feel they've been kidnapped!

I'm off out for a bit but will be back later for champagne and rehearsals of the Tea Room Panto (incorporating the Rhythm Of Life, All That Jazz and the Palm Court Trio).

Who wants to direct the panto?

Ciao, Bucharest, come stai?

It's good to see you again. And daisy is quite right, we haven't seen bbpants for a while.

I do hope fircone will venture in - she sounded as if she needed a therapeutic muffin - but I always hope that customers wil come of their own accord and won't feel they've been kidnapped!

I'm off out for a bit but will be back later for champagne and rehearsals of the Tea Room Panto (incorporating the Rhythm Of Life, All That Jazz and the Palm Court Trio).

Who wants to direct the panto?

Crikey! What happened there? It was the air kisses which were supposed to be in triplicate, not the post!

Guess what ds and I (and dh) are having for supper later - and guess who stirred the topping on the cooker ('hot, hot hot!') and cut most of the mushrooms up and some of the pepper with his own 'My safe cutter'

I do like doing Pampered Chef - have lovely things to cook with in the kitchen and helps ds join in too - isn't it nice to have what is effectively a hobby that also pays!

(sorry, got over come. Promise it won't happen again)

Mistlethrush - are you a Pampered Chef hostess? I attended one party and it was like joining a cult. The stuff was lovely but I was still getting e-mails five years later!

Mind you, that pizza looks delicious. I'll make a salad to go with it. Have you brought your Pampered Chef salad dressing maker thingy with you?

Yes (although we're called 'consultants' really!) - sorry about the emails - clearly not from me, but still sorry! I'm sure you could get taken off the list if you want to!

Pizza was delicious - anyone else want a bit - there's plenty left.

Ds has opted for dh on bath duty this evening

LOL!!!! Singing in bed... I'd like to be in a good enough mood to do that!

Yes, 'tis very cute to listen to, I haven't really the heart to go in and shush him

Could you do a Tequila Sunset for me?
Thanks!

Good evening, all!

I'd love a cocktail, but know nothing about them, apart from being a barmaid at the age of 18 and thinking a Snowball was very sophisticated. I'd like something creamy, sweet, deceptively innocent. What would you recommend?

Bocca - good Christmas name; must find out how to change my name - I have in my time written, directed and produced a couple of awesome school plays. Can I help with the tea room panto?

Glad the biscuits went to a good home. Must say I hadn't noticed the duck pond, but, as you say, Mellors' mind is just not on his work.

Tequila Sunrise and Pina Colada coming right up!

The trouble with Mellors is that he's spending too much time moonlighting.

We had rather a boozy new year before we got married - a group of us ended up mixing cocktails for the colour rather than by the book. Some of them were undrinkable!

I've discovered that gin and casis is rather nice [rather tipsy]

Budge up on the sofa - racingpig's nest is taking up rather a lot of room at this end...

Mistlethrush, would you like the Sunrise or Pina Colada? Was planning to slurp both in quick succession, but luckily you have saved me from myself.

Would anyone mind if I took this rather nice plaid rug and the remaining Cath Kidston tablecloths and piled them in the wing chair in case I have to drop in with sick Wrigglesnake later in the night?

Always wondered exactly what plaid is. And funnily enough, even with one in my hand, I still don't know ...

Thinking of another sick WS night and work tomorrow, better go off to bed now - may not be many hours of sleep ahead.

Feel pleasantly mellow after Tequila Sunrise and accidently finishing off Mistle's glass as well.