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.

At least the wailing wasn't at-hand... I have had some interesting phone calls when it has been impossible to hear the person on the other end due to the amount of noise emanating from MJ... There was one time that I had to shut two doors between me and MJ before I could hear enough!!!!

The best thing about working from home is being able to put laundry loads on and out in work time. The worst is never actually leaving work or home.

Are you off right over Christmas and New Year Bocca ? Am officially working till midday Christmas eve, but then off till the 5th of Jan, which will be lovely

Yes, am having a lovely long break. I'm hoping we will do lots of fun but improving cultural things - by which I do not mean watching re-runs of the Two Ronnies Christmas Special 1974 (fantastic as I am sure that is) - and maybe start on some DIY. The house is going to be my Project next year.

CMOT same here... but I'm looking after ds's best friend and best friend's older sister for three of those days so I will definitely need a holiday by the time I go back! Although I was informed (the best friend's father today) that ds was 'challenging' today - feel rather [fsmug] .. particularly as he clearly thought ds was older rather than younger than his son!!!!!

(feeling [fsmug] on the basis that the father's clearly knowledgeable and high IQ - and he was still finding ds challenging - was quite flummoxed by the number of questions.....!!!!!)

DH also has manflu now. Should we be dipping our laptops in vinegar to cut down cross infection? He is lying upstairs in a darkened and freezing room, being VERY ILL.

RC and I will be spending the night here on the sofa in front of the tea room fire. (Don't worry if you all feel a sudden desire to light the lava lamps and power up the juke box. Such is the magic of the tea room that the two activities will be mutually compatible)

Sadly, we were off to Brussels for the weekend the day after tomorrow and I'm not quite sure I can see it happening.

Gah! I find man flu so exasperating, especially as - generalising wildly from the one example of SignorBocca - when they do have something fairly substantial wrong with them they won't go anywhere near the GP and insist on putting on a show of Being Brave.

T42 stumbles in carrying Treeandmistlejoe - Bocca helps lay her on the sofa. Well there is always one, hey? He he he!!!

So the craft fayre was a complete success - well done Bocca!!!!

A glass of champagne for everyone apart from Treeandmistlejoe - who clearly has had enough Bolly at the craft fayre!!!

(reminded of my student days when, as my room was next to the bathroom, I often found myself nursing party casulties.)

My but that Santa is GOOOOD!!!

Sorry to miss the Fayre ladies, but I am a little saddened my knitted loo roll holders didn't make it over

I did, however, love the singing, Santa and I could hear it from upstairs! May I just say how apt Day 12 is???

We have escaped Man Flu so far but DaisyBoy is into incidental vomming. He will be fine, but then says MUMMEEE and then sicks up. On me

Today I just got back from work after a 7 hours meeting to be greeted at the front door, thus

Budge up on the sofa and pass a little Apple Cracker please, I do love this Tearoom....So peaceful

Sorry for your melancholia RS I do know what you mean, just give RP a huggle while you can

glad they were not all sold Bocca!

Thanks to Daisy being up at a silly hour of the morning , I've been able to put the bread in to cook already - I have had to move racing pig though - he/she is back on the sofa - I have a feeling a new nest might be under construction.

I wonder whether any of the stray visitors to the craft fair might put their noses in here now, particularly after the singing. I'm glad I didn't miss it all.

Daisy why were you up at 3am putting logs on the fire - or was it that 'Santa' disturbed you again?

Ooh, lovely, fresh break for lunch!

Hello all - can't stop am cleaning - cleaner not turning up for three weeks running = house looks like a crack den!!!

This is a big problem seeing as police are coming here to check all is ok after boiler accident today - I am v busy cleaning where they can see and being careful with lighting - to make the flat look cute and bohemian instead of dirty and illegal!!!!

Panic panic panic!!!!

For you RS !

Plague pit still in action. Regret to say that DS is still drinking a Fruit Shoot H2O a day as he can keep it in bed without spilling it as he gets really thirsty in the night. In the morning I'm awakened by 'mummeeeee, need a cup of teeaaaaa'. At 5am, he doesn't get one, but gets to get into my bed and cuddle. Whilst being a baby horse/lamb/kitten/llama.
Dh welded to the sofa.

That soup smells delectable.

So sorry that you're still in a house of contagion.

((hugs))
((supportive pats on arm))
((chocolate))
((wine))

oooooh - get well soon cmotfamily!!!

• phew survived Police visit!!!

They were very very sweet - can't imagine either of them arresting anyone!!!

Great that the police visit went well, but when you say they were sweet, is that because - like police officers in the UK - they now look so young?

No, Bocca, actually - it is because they were from the special Jelly Baby squad!

... well, doesn't that prove my point about police officers getting younger?

Mmmm... thinking about it - I suppose so but a better example for your arguement surely would be the "Glint in the milkman's eye" branch!?!

I see Mellors has decided to give a uniform a go... It does look quite realistic as far as I know anything about police uniforms. However, I'm sure that they don't normally have that much velcro on - surely it would fall off if you were chasing a felon over any distance etc....

CMOT I hope that you're all feeling better soon.... Have some more chocolate and some red wine (both are meant to be good for you aren't they?)

CMOT - love the idea of sharing a bed with a baby llama Plague pit still thrives, too. DH dragged himself ou of bed for a couple of hours to lie on the sofa, coughing and sneezing, covered with my duvet. Will wash duvet when we ge back from Brussels.

Trip seems to be back on. DH feels he will be ale to drag himself along.

I'm feeling much better thanks, and although DS is still snotty, managed to stay at nursery all day.

Dh making the most of being ill. Much as I love him (honestly)I really can't cope with him when he is mildly ill - properly is OK, but my sympathy runs out rather fast.

I have made some mulled cider with a little slosh of apple brandy, and have broken out the emergency Green and Blacks with sour cherries if anyone would like to share.

I was thinking of Mellors earlier when DS insisted on showing me how his 'moose' pyjamas can be removed by just pulling the top at the top of the buttons, and then slpped down your arms. And back again.

RS - glad to hear the trip is back on. This evening it was baby cat, and I had to tickle his tummy and scratch his ears This animal phase makes a change from 4 months of being a motorcycle display team, but can be a little confusing for others when your son greets you with neeeiiigh

RS strange isn't it - that he's fit to travel and have a nice weekend - but clearly not up to helping out with dcs at all...

I had to share a bed this morning (for a short while) with a small ds with ants in his pants (as normal).

He's been staying with his best friend while I've been at work today and yesterday - its really interesting, one minute he'll be saying 'I don't want to come and play at his house' and the next 'why can't I stay' etc. Also had tears this morning when I said that there wasn't going to be any school until the new year.... Makes me slightly less that he's started school rather early...

Notice rhat previous post was afflicted with flying ^ again.

I have just had two good ideas; one for rl, one for the tea room. In rl, and inspired by the tea room, I shall finally give up the endless frustration of trying to have a house wuth shining surfaces (or at least visible surfaces), fresh flowers, clean and hair-free carpets and sparkling windows. Instead, I shall browse though this stack of Lovely Lifestyle magazines and when I find the perfect room, I shall rip out the page, smuggle it out of the tea room, frame it and put it up over the mantlepiece. Then, instead of cleaning, tidying, dusting and hoovering, I shall just look at my picture.

As for the tea room, I just bumped into T42 out on mn, and she inspired me to bring in two of my favourite books to put into the old oak book shelf which I have just noticed in the corner. We might occasionally need to read something other than Lovely Lifestyles.