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The One and Only Tea Room: Tea, muffins and champagne served at all hours

962 replies

BoccaDellaNativita · 11/12/2008 21:38

Well folks, here we are!

We were on the brink of filling the old thread so I thought we'd better start a new one now. There was a rumour that we were going to be evicted from our old premises, but we managed right at the last minute to get an extension on the lease. So it's business as usual. We're still in our charming old tea room, overlooking our beautiful garden complete with ha-ha and duck pond. And Mellors the gardener.

Please come and join us for a celebratory drink.

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
christmasteafortwo · 28/12/2008 01:26

Sorry for my recent low tearoom attendance. Since being back in the land of mincepies, The Outsiders (why did no-one tell me about this fantastic prog!!!!), baths and sales I have been rather busy with one thing and another.

Jacksmama · 28/12/2008 01:33

Could someone fill me in on Mellors' many functions? I do see the use of the fabulous pecs but surely the man should be able to make himself a bit more useful than that!

I'm so sorry to hear so many of you were struck by illness over Christmas! How miserable.

I'm still gobsmacked over the picture of Sandrine Whatsername... she can be me any time!! Can't tell the rest of her figure but if she's tall and rather stick-like, she'll do. I am with all the women who lose weight while breast-feeding. I'm roughly ten pounds thinner now than I was before I got pregnant. Jackbaby, on the other hand, is a little porker sturdy little man, so we know where it's all going!

On the materialistic end, all the gifts given and received in the Jack household were lovely this year!! I have a favourite store in Bellevue, Washington (about two hours' drive south of here, across the border), called Title Nine. It's a casual/ somewhat athletic wear type of shop, and I could cheerfully wear just about every item. My wonderful DH got me a burgundy messenger bag that has a lime-green scroll-y pattern on the flap and a lime-green strap - it sounds horrible as I type this but it's beautiful. And my MIL got me a wrap cardigan in a wonderful merino wool, it's also burgundy but with a camel-coloured lining, and it has a shawl-type hood so the lining shows. Also a kimono-print vest that was delayed shipping so Christmas will stretch out! Mum got me polar-fleece and down puffy slippers for my eternally cold feet, and the most wonderful camel-coloured 600 thread-count bed sheets... since we co-sleep and our sheets are frequently covered in breast milk and baby wee, I may delay using these... or not... That's the catalogue of presents received (, on to the catalogue of presents given: my mum, who is an outstanding cook, got a chef's knife set she's been craving, and a picture frame with pictures of her and me when I was a baby, and pictures of Jackbaby and me now. (Cue mummy tears...) Dh got a gorgeous chocolate brown leather briefcase, and some yummy cologne. I have been sniffing him suggestively but he has yet to take the hint . And we banded together and got my MIL a huge chimenea (outdoors fireplace type thing), and my stepdad a heated vest. Racingsnake briefly popped into a previous thread of mine to comment that he was lucky we got him anything at all, LOL - he has been known to be a rather ungracious receiver of gifts that he doesn't like... but everyone was lovely this year.
So... as you can gather... I will be needing to work a bit in the New Year to pay all these gifts off - but worth it from everyone's very pleased expressions.

BTW, as you can see I have name-changed back, so no feelings will be hurt if the Christmas decorations mysteriously vanish!! I would love to see hyacinths... there are metres of snow on the ground here, and as the temperatures have risen rapidly, it's all melting, there are lakes of slush on the roads, and we are threatened with flooding. So a breath of spring would be most welcome.

reindeersnake · 28/12/2008 01:34

Oh good. Can we get rid of our Christmas names now?

I think we rather see you as Blondie, Tea. (Young version, obviously.) Very interested to see how you see yourself.

Jacksmama · 28/12/2008 01:40

I still see Reese Witherspoon as tea.

Hi racingsnake! I saw you pop in on my "ungrateful recipient of Christmas gifts" thread... we were so pleased that our gift idea was a hit

reindeersnake · 28/12/2008 02:11

Thought you might enjoy my holey tea towel Christmas present, JM. In the tea room we will all see you as Sandrine Whatshername, if that's what you would like. I'm sure that's what you look like in rl anyway. That's why I suggested it.

Off to sleep NOW as this is a silly time to be awake.

Bonne nuit!

Jacksmama · 28/12/2008 02:21

Yeah, the holey tea-towel had me shaking my head, wondering if I'd drunk so much I was imagining things.

OK, Sandrine Thingy it is.

I do rather see you as an Emma Thompson or Helen Mirren lookalike.

racingsnake · 28/12/2008 08:41

I am so tired of sick people and long holidays! Will it never end?

Good to see that the aga is well stoked up and there is already a basket of logs by the tea room fire. In fact I think I see Mellors out in the garden with a billhook! Has he been listening to conversations again and thinking that he needs to (metaphorically) pull his finger out? He is sccowling in a Mr-Darcyist manner which some would no doubt find not unattractive, but I rather stronly dislike scowling, so may keep Wrigglesnake inside for a bit.

racingsnake · 28/12/2008 09:19

Just been out into the garden to top up bird feeders. (See this.) and discovered that scowling was simply due to blisters. (Unacustomed work ) Mellors actually eager to stop for tea and chat and remarkably eager to be helpful re bird feeders. Promised us a de luxe supa doopa bird table right by the window and a fence around the duck pond before the end of the day.

Off now to feed RL chickens before they turn up in the tea room garden to join Mellors' flock!

teafortwo · 28/12/2008 16:03

However, T42 does have time to reads through seven billion times before posting incase Bocca, Jacksmama or Daisy are quoted as posting this when the film is announced in next Sunday papers hopefully on p6 because p7 is so last week. Teee heee heee!!!!

Keep smiling tearoom friends and talk soon!

BoccaDellaNativita · 28/12/2008 18:48

Good to see you, tea!

OP posts:
mistlethrush · 28/12/2008 18:49

Phew - what a relief to get rid of the Christmas Decorations on the name at least.

We've managed to get by without ww3 breaking out in the mistlethrush household, and most things have gone fine. MJ has a junior camera which he loves and is insisting on taking everywhere and taking lots of pictures of people's feet, hair, and rubbish... Cooking went fine - no turkey as my parents and I are vege - I managed to find a recipe on Weds lunchtime to cook on Thurs - which worked remarkably well and went down very nicely!

I'm glad Mellors has not been sacked - I do think that he adds a certain 'something', although I do agree he does not really do that much gardening...

Bocca - I raise your Shetland pony a Highland pony!!! Its either that or a cob...

Sorry that everyone seems to have been a bit under the weather - hope you're all getting a bit better now.

BoccaDellaVerita · 28/12/2008 19:12

Ok, then, Mellors stays but we need to have another conversation about Pulling His Weight. Anyone feel able to tackle this? Downside is that you might need to be stern, upside is that you may get to look closely at Mellors' bare chest manly physique.

Mistle - I will have to research the difference between a Shetland and a Highland pony. I'm glad Christmas went well.

I think the lurgy may finally have departed Chateau Bocca - hooray!

teafortwo · 28/12/2008 19:16

I fancy a nice calm piece of music.... any ideas Bocca?

BoccaDellaVerita · 28/12/2008 19:34

I don't think Billie Holliday has appeared before in the tea room, so for one night only Lady Sings The Blues.

teafortwo · 28/12/2008 19:42

What about this....???

uk.youtube.com/watch?v=dOlkmx2sMR4

DH bought me a new computer for christmas and because it is my first fruity one I am a bit wobbly on it... I hope the link works!

teafortwo · 28/12/2008 19:48

BOCCA - Sorry - the link took me so long to do we cross posted... Hey...you knew what I needed more than me.

I am a massive Billie Holiday fan!

Here is another good one....

uk.youtube.com/watch?v=1EBPtV449Uw

BoccaDellaVerita · 28/12/2008 19:51

Great! This is my favourite bit of Clapton unplugged.

What's next?

teafortwo · 28/12/2008 19:54

uk.youtube.com/watch?v=KBtN8h85F-I

aaaawwwww.... yeah!!!

If I give him my last nickle
And he leaves me in a pickle
Ain't nobodies business if I do!

There are certain lyrics that belong to certain people - this sad version belongs only to Billie!

cmotdibbler · 28/12/2008 20:01

CMOTDad would adore to trim the grass/tend the livestock/lean on the gate in the manner of a yokel and discourse on the weather/local history/local family feuds. I am totally unable to think of anyone to play him.

You would have to be aware though, of his amazing ability to witter. Before my mother retired he used to invite the Jehovahs Witnesses in to chat to during the winter months when he didn't see so many people. They stopped coming....

We had a lovely day today at the Black Country Museum, although slightly marred by being at least 10' lower there than at home. DS delighted by eating chips out of the paper from their relocated chip shop, but more so by the horses

teafortwo · 28/12/2008 20:01

Oh Bocca, thanks thanks thanks for the musical refreshment!

See you soon
x x x

BoccaDellaVerita · 28/12/2008 20:09

Great - Cmotdad has got the job and will be credited in the film as Himself. Is the Black Country Museum the one with lots of salvaged/relocated buildings? If so, I went there years ago.

One of my favourite lyrics of all time is

If I should get the notion
To jump into the ocean
Ain't nobody's business if I do

Meanwhile, the Lady has agreed to sing another song for us.

cmotdibbler · 28/12/2008 20:44

Yes, it's the one with the canals. I like the way they have set it out as a village, although we were spoilt with St Fagans when we lived in Cardiff, which is a superb open air museum.

Excellent music tonight - the Clapton is a special favourite of mine.

racingsnake · 28/12/2008 22:03

CMOT - I think that this is the place to witter. CMOTdad will fit in just perfectly and make up for Mellors' taciternity.

Nice to see Tea back and must make note to book Debbie Harry for The Movie.

What about you, Mistle? I have trouble visualizing you as te chello gets in the way. Or sometimes it is a harp. Who do you think should play you?

racingsnake · 28/12/2008 22:04

the cello

Escaped 'h'

daisy99divine · 29/12/2008 01:13

Whoo Hoo!
Hello!

I have missed all the Christmas Festivities in the Tearoom!

so sad to miss MM on Desert Island, saw her on Blackadder retrospective, she's top

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