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.

RS visibly relaxes in mellow tea room atmosphere, the gentle hubbub of conversation and the strains of James Brown. The cocktails may be helping, too.

What happens to the old thread? Is it preserved somewhere? We will need to refer back to it when they film the highlights.

Bocca, in your resume you forgot to mention the dc playing in the garden supervised by Mellors. I would not enjoy myself half as much here if I didn't know RC was here with me.

(In her bed now, of course. Only a Very Bad Mother would have a 2-year old asleep here on the sofa beside her. If you hear any snoring, it must be Racingpig. )

I knew there would be other things to mention in the resume so I hoped others would add to it. There's probably a whole chapter to be written about Mellors. And did we ever establish what had happened to the Norland nannies who were here in the first few days for childcare: did he seduce them all scare them all off?

Mmm, we need to think some more about The One And Only Tea Room: The Movie. Who will direct it? Write the script?

In the film, I will be played, I hope, by Dame Judy Dench in the manner of M (fierce but with a warm side and a few witty quips).

And, Reindeer, it's James Taylor, dear. If it was James Brown we would definitely have to strut our stuff.

Feel nervous about posting now, as every thread draws the end of the tea room as we know it inexorably closer.

REALLY want someone to have read Howl's Moving Castle, but am now concerned that BabyBocca may still be too young (in spite of Onliness increasing her vocabulary and raising her reading age), so book might need checking with this in mind. if she's not ready this year, she will be soon.

Sorry about the Jameses. There is no limit to my ignorance of all things musical, which makes my membership of the mums' drop-in choir all the more special and remarkable. Our big concert on Sunday; last rehearsal yesterday. Have dropped the Coventry Carol in favour of Gaudete after RC and friend joined in on the line 'Lullay, bye baby' by bellowing 'Bye bye baby!' at the top of their voices, waving madly and doing lion impressions. Now worried that may be pronouning lines of Gaudete incorrectly and incur the wrath of Jacksmama.

Bit concerned about navity panto - we seem to have made little progress recently. I was rather overwhelmed with my own cleverness at 'There's no room at the inn/Oh yes there is' and someone kindly added a scene in the style of Monty Python, but that's where we have stuck. Ideas, everyone, please!

BabyBocca for Mary? She seems to be the only dd here, apart from RC, who is less than reliable in the limeight.

Bocca do you ever drink just champagne??? It is quite wonderful just like that!!!

Jacksmama - I am hearing you loud and clear - I have a friend who I really love. We have known each other since we were both difficult and awkward teenagers. She has no sisters so I say to her well I am the sister you chose and who chose you... but.... like your friend she builds me up and then lets me down... cue for a song me thinks...

www.youtube.com/watch?v=iol0B-clFFM&feature=related

By the way on this thread I always go back to my last post and then read forward.... tonight I had a nightmare because I had forgotten about my new name!!! [thick emotion]

Off to bed now - will the tea room be here tomorrow????

What shall we call the next thread???

Let's quickly decide while we have enough space... and then make a link to it so we don't loose anyone and hopefully gain lots of people too!!!!

christmastea - I certainly do drink just champagne (hic!) but at Christmas I feel the need/urge/desire for cocktails. Of course, there are many other things in the tea room drinks cabinet ...

I know what you mean about need/urge/desire at Chrissy time - Do you know what I really want.... a mince pie!!!

I have been craving one since 2/12/08 - that is just over a week now... and I am not in the UK until 22/12/08!!! - I think I will need some serious handholding and tearoom hugs to get me through the difficult last days!!!!

Did someone say mince pie? Oh my mouth is watering!

Hello Zazen - here is a champagne cocktail for you...

I was talking about how much I want a mince pie - Hang on - LOOOOOOOOOK - there are some on the counter - I think they are something to do with Bocca's Christmas Bazaar - but I think we should snap them up and tuck in... so... Zazen - how's your day been???

Hi, zazen. Good to see you. What brings you in here? Was it the sparkling fairy lights or the cardboard cutout of George Clooney in the window?

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ff3aoSyYOVs

Here is a lovely Christmas song for you all and now I am off to bed!!!

Good night x x x

Name for the new thread: "Welcome to the one-child tearoom/ bar/ cafe... if it's liquid, we have it".
fgrin]

Morning all - could I have one of those tasty looking mincepies with my morning cup of tea please?

JM - I know exactly what you mean. I did antenatal classes with a group and thought we all got on well - we saw each other regularly after the children were born for a while, then all started going back to work. We were then meeting up 2x per year for a meal with the children. Howeverthe last few mail messages I sent round the group trying to set one up went unanswered - and I know that at least two of the group have got 2nd children. I'm going to spend my time on people that are worth spending time on!

Mind you, I don't blame them. Ds is SO much better looking than ANY of their children !!!!! They must always have felt jealous when we met up

I would like to consult the tea-room posse. Do any of you have any idea what song ds might have misheard? He asked me to sing the song that went 'Polly has a thorn in her bottom' !!! Apparently the choirmaster at church will be able to tell us what the tune is and its one that we've been singing in our rehearsals. I wonder whether it should have been 'seated one day at the organ' (The Lost Chord) but can't think of anything else it might be.

(Waxwings: finches that sit quite tall and have a crest and a yellow stripe on the end of their tail as though they've dipped it in a paint pot. Winter migrants only)

This time last year I got terrible pain in one foot and could hardly walk - the Doctor said that it would probably need an operation and gave me the name of a private podiatrist as I'd probably have to wait about 6 weeks for an initial appointment going NHS (and I was desperate!). It has been completely solved by having insoles specially made - it does rather restrict the choice in shoes though, and they certainly are not compatible with heels! The interesting thing is that it has also helped my back - I think my general posture is better.

Better go now and finish my report

JM- it's really hard dealing with that kind of friend isn't it. We have a set of friends that we have known since we were 18, and for years, in spite of geographical separation were very close. Since their latest move, they have become very involved in an evangelical church which has sort of taken over their lives and means that everything else has to work around that. They always say how much they'd like to see us etc, really miss you, but then when we set things up (other friends live close to them so we stay the weekend there every other month whilst the boys play their game), they will say that they will come/meet up etc and then just don't turn up. Which is really annoying as the day will have been worked out to meet them at lunchtime or whatever, and then we get a phonecall cancelling. Have now decided after many disappointments, that if we see them, great, but not to make specific efforts.

MT - when my feet were bad I had custom insoles, and they were fantastic. I still have them for if I have a flareup.

Cinnamon latte and a mincepie I think for me !

Does anyone know if shrews are endangered ? Cat-the-elder has brought one in every night this week, and I have concerns about the population

Shrews - I think not. Water rats - definitely...

CMot - the podiatrist says for me to use them for another year, then we might try to see if I can gradually reduce useage and stay oK

Oh good - I accept the need for her to bring us tasty morsels, but always worry that she will take to killing off something less common than rats, mice and blackbirds. I have to keep a close eye on the green woodpecker, as finding him on the hall carpet would be too much

The Change is getting awfully close! What if I am alone here when it happens??

Alone, that is, with RC (at present asleep and snoring on the wing chair after terrorising Sainbury's and causing massed 'tutting') and Racingpig and Mellors, and a large supply of sultana scones ... ... we could be away some time ...

Oh, Bocca, you named a cocktail after me! I am a bit overwhelmed!

Bocca, we need you to turn up and link for us to the new cafe - like JM's suggestion and we could just repost the first post IYSWIM??

Or we could call it "Welcome to the One-child and Racingpig cafe"?

Feeling nervous about posting! Will be back to ceck later, bathtime for Daisyboy

Actually, we have about 30 posts to go, so who am I kidding?

Right, I've got Mellors out of the garden and he is starting to pack things in boxes - there go the loo roll holders, there's the gold club covers....

HANDS OFF THE BOOZE!!

gosh, you ahve to watch the staff

by the way, the Norland nannies are all busy making films about how damaged our children are as a consequence of having to go in forward facing pushchairs!

The NNs left us because our hygiene standards weren't up to scratch - they don't as a rule allow Racingpig onto the furniture

not to mention Dastardly and Muttley

and Mellors....

I don't think the NN's would approve of Mellors full stop. He may be a little earthy for them.

So Racing, did RC collect up the toy guinea pigs again ?

Chez CMOT is a haven of drying washing as we attempt to make the house into a respectable place for many visitors this weekend. For some reason we only have one good set of bedlinen for the spare beds, that in someway goes with the rooms, so they all had to be done today.

Anyone for a sea breeze ?