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

[BoccaDellaNativita]

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.

Incidentally, we are getting dangerously close to 1000 again. Are we going to have to re-make ourselves again?

Wow, town planning. I imagined you played in an orchestra! Town planninf probaby more secure.

planning

Thanks for the reassurance about the collective.

No, Signor Bocca and I have about two outings a deux a year and this wasn't one of them. I went with a colleague. To an art house cinema full of Bright Young Things. It was very enjoyable and reminded me of when Signor Bocca and I were courting and went to the cinema about once a week (although in those days, of course, it was called a pictue palace). Except there was no canoodling tonight.

And, has anyone seen daisy99divine recently? Have we scared her off?

Cheers, everyone!

Was thinking that Tea is probably in the UK tonight.

I have spent all evening trying to put together a collection of 'people who help us' in French uniforms suitable to show 4 and 5 year olds. The trouble is, every time I try to google french fireman uniform I get various Frenchh firemen and women who are definitely not wearing uniforms. Or at least not much more than socks and hats. That made me think of Teas firemen coming to her rescue.

I bet she could direct me straight to a site full of child-friendly imges of civil servants. But she has more serious matters on her mind.

So I shall soldier on, wading through endless images of topless firemen and postmen.

Yes, I find it very exciting that we're heading towards our 2000th post. I'm surprised and delighted that the tea room has fared so well. So we will need a new thread - can anyone suggest a title which shows that it's still the tea room but is not an infamous MN quiche clique and is open to all? I do worry that potential new customers may be deterred if they think this is a private members club like moldies.

MT - What do town planners do when they don't work for the local authority? I thought LAs had the monopoly on town planning.

Has no one noticed that I haven't brought the horse back yet? He's fine, by the way, couldn't get him through the turnstiles at work, so I took an impromptu day off and went for a ride. He's tied up outside now because he's eaten my entire lawn and is looking a bit peckish.

DCMB - You look very fetching in those jodhpurs and riding jacket!

Would you like a glass of wine?

How about a new poster for the tea room:

'The One-And-Only Tea Room is looking for new customers. Drop in for a chat and complimentary muffin. All welcome - one child, lots of children or no children. Special rates for those interested in muffins/horses/dogs/guinea pigs/George Clooney/champagne cocktails/rugged gardeners. (Certain standards of behaviour will be enforced)'

Or more eloquent words to that effect.

Staying home due to total incompetence in not arranging back-up child care should Aged Parent be ill. AP is very ill and dh and I are shuttling backwards and forwards today to supervise WS. We will be driving 100 miles today to achieve this and the earth's temperature will rise noticeably.

Might as well whizz up a batch of drop scones to stand next to the aga for anyone in need of sustainance this morning.

MMmmm warm drop scones - just what I need as I've just got back from a very cold site visit (it was fine whilst we were in, but then we went out to have a wander round the area we are considering, and it was bitter - a lot colder than I thought it was this morning).

What do I do - I help people try to make their way through the tangle of red (and other coloured) tape that is the planning system - too often a planning officer's answer will be 'no' but you can sometimes make it into a 'well..., if you put it that way and do z, y and x, well, yes then' - or if not, get an independant Inspector to make the decision. So I get involved in a really wide range of different types of project, all over the country. And I get paid more than I would do playing in an orchestra, so that I can opt to play what I want, when I want...

That sounds interesting. So you get to go to different places and meet different people. I like the idea of that.

Bocca, how elitist/snobbish and simply mysanthropic would it be to ask Mellors to put the National Treasures thread onto the next bonfire now that it is including Russel Brand, darts players and East Enders? These are exactly the people who make my life much less pleasurable.

racingsnake - My original intention had been to let everyone have their say and not to veto anybody's nomination. There have been a few recently which have undermined my resolve, but it's too soon, I think, to ask Mellors to put the list on the bonfire!

How about "The One and Only Tea Room: A Warm Welcome to Everyone"

hugs to tea re grandpa

double hugs to RS for AP situation

Great to see Jacksmama. ((big hugs)) Trouble is, I now see Tea's idea of us all as the Teletubbies ....

i rather see us as a large group of Charlie's Angels

Your text, JM, is simple and elegant. I wish I could see myself as a Charlie's Angel, but I fear I am a teletubby.

Bocca, I feel that the momment for tolerance is passing re Treasures. I don't like the company some of our Treasures are keeping. Interesting, however, to watch how the tone is slowly changing.

RS, how you see yourself in RL has nothing to do with how you are in the tearoom!!!
xxx

Ah yes, I was forgetting.

Shall I open up some bubbly ?

Oh please do!!!!
Jackbaby is having a playdate with a friend so I can safely have a glass of bubbly or two, they are entertaining each other in the most adorable way!

I've just been working out flights to be in Canada in May. My work calendar is not looking good for the next few months

Plans for the weekend ? We have to go and see DH's 95 year old grandmother who is having her hip re-replaced next week, and DH is going to a Childrens Centre Dads event on Sunday morning. I shall luxuriate in tea and Sunday papers for the first time since DS

Oh cmot, thank you - where in Canada? My end of the country perhaps??

Plans for the weekend? Work tomorrow morning. After... I'm feeling my inner Nigella wanting to come out. Our eating habits have been pants over the holidays and last week. Must do a massive shop and then want to pre-cook a bunch of healthy meals to have in the fridge that we can grab and eat rather than resorting to crackers and cheese or takeaway.

[*boooorrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrring] emoticon,
I know

Alas not - Toronto. Which will be nice as I have only been there in passing (wheras I have spent a full week in your fair city)

I rather like batch cooking - although our freezer is chaotic and hard to find things in.

Am feeling virtuous as had a lovely browm basmatic and many veg stir fried rice for tea. Heres hoping that it cancels out the full fat greek yogurt and cherry sauce I had earlier

oh it's too sweet - the babies are babbling at each other and making kissy noises

more champers please, this is brilliant