The One and Only TEA Room: Everyone Welcome (bring champagne and muffins please!)

[Jacksmama]

Wow, we're on our third thread!!!
Previous (second) incarnation of the tea room.

A warm welcome to everyone, whether you have one child, none, or ten. This is a tea-and-muffin or booze-and-sofasorcanapees sanctuary for all. But certain standards of behaviour continue to apply - anyone engaging in fisticuffs will be ejected by George Clooney, ably assisted by Mellors the Gardener.

Cheers all!

The eggs are under the chickens I think that we have Marans, so lovely coloured eggs

My DH has rather a lot of aspie traits, and is horrified by random hugging (and even me hugging at times), so I only hug if requested

Hi CMOT! Sorry for rushing off the other day, had to go and pick up DS. Thanks to all for the warm welcome, your coffee is the best.

Eggs in the charming tea room kitchen, complete with scrubbed wooden table covered with oil cloth, butler's sink, larder with slate shelves etc. We could make eggy bread. BTW, they are eggs from our own chickens looked after by Mellors.

Don't worry about dozing off, Amber; the tea room is frequently inhabited at night by various combinations of customers/offspring/livestock etc. All are welcome and comforting plaid woollen blankets are stored in the aged blanket chest (where else?).

Hugs are not compulsory, and, due to the magic of the tea room,automatically convert to friendly waves if they inadvertantly encounter an unwilling recipient.

Morning all. Cups of tea all round?

Aaah - lovely cup of tea. Eggy bread would be great - I haven't had it in years.

Sam- nice to see you back. The tea room is often chaotic with popping in and out - my speciality is random posts from airports

Took my little spoilt brat only child DD to ballet yesterday evening and was slightly smug when the other Mums were tearing their hair out over how to collect their DS (or other DD) from assorted sporting events all over the county at the same time as being back in time to collect their DD from dancing. It's at times like these when I remember why I only had one. I have great admiration for anyone who can juggle more than one child. The only draw back for me so far has been a lonely DD on holiday (but she makes friends quickly).

HSMM - its nice if you can find somewhere where they can make friends isn't it. We've booked a holiday close to where we were last year where there is a lovely beach with a stream coming down (good for dams) - last year ds had a wonderful time playing with another boy (a little older) whose sister was not quite crawling so not very interesting. Provided dh has got a job by then, we'll hope we'll be going back....

BTW - HSMM - nice to see you - would you like a cup of tea or coffee in a charmingly mismatched bone china cup and saucer - and I think that there is some eggy bread around somewhere... Someone will probably bring some muffins or cakes in later in the morning in time for 11sies...

Morning all!! Particularly Amber and Sam and welcome HSMM!!

You will soon find your way around the tea room. Don't worry, Amber, just as hugs turn into pats if that is what the recipient requires there are no rules, rights or wrongs in the tea room so you can't be undiplomatic.

We all know we have different lives and views, and nobody tries to be rude. If they should actually mean to be rude, well the magic of the tea room means that Mellors escorts them to the door, firmly but fairly, while Racing Pig nips their ankles and Earl Grey gives them a good kick and they fall into a trunk to go to Timbucktu (as in Edgar and The Aristocats!)

Thanks for the wonderful eggy bread. And I always have tea in a mug!

Mistle - I have missed the story of your DH work - has he lost his job? Clearly things are tough in Mistle Towers, just sorry not to have caught up earlier....

Amber, I like using a mug too - except I either like having an entire teapot to myself with one mug or make 1 teabag do two mugs (at work). Cups are generally not comfortable enough, or large enough - and they do rattle about a bit don't they.

So far I've managed to be in 3 different versions of the tearoom without upsetting anyone (I think) (although I did rescue the aspidistra several times and I do hope that that didn't put anyone out ). So, as long as you're not going to say something unfriendly (like 'there's a troll' or 'two children are better/more hard work' etc) I think you'll be fine. Since Mellors isn't doing any gardening this morning as its raining, perhaps he can help with the cleaning of the counters? You'll have to ensure that he behaves himself though - don't let him get too cheeky!

Daisy - the co. he worked for went into administration on Friday. No pay for January, no redundancy, no notice. Apparently the bank went in and effectively pulled the plug at 10.30 on Friday morning but the bosses (who had ensured that they were OK) didn't tell the staff to s*d off until 4.30. (Sorry, not best pleased with them, dh went for voluntary redundancy 3 months ago and they refused...)

I have a nice pint mug of tea. In a nod to the tea room, it is from a delightfull local pottery though. Tis black with a blue salt glaze overlay

I have to go test drive cars later - the terms of my company car mean that it has to change every three years, and I hate having to make a decision. DH loves it as it means getting all the magazines and doing research and then negotiating. I can only think that if I make a mistake I'll be stuck with it for 3 years.

Feel bad about moaning about this, but it's the last thing I need to do at the moment

Cmot - we were in the same position nearly 2 years ago when, when I asked if I could now have a co. car, my co. said yes. Down to 3 different types/makes. But we found that its amazing how quickly you get seen in a new car showroom if you have your toddler with you running around the showroom

Goodness me, I've only the one child and have had plenty of experience of people being, er, undiplomatic about it so definitely won't be doing anything like that. And I wouldn't know a troll if I fell over one, so you're safe there .

Mellors can help me with the counter cleaning?! This may take a long time

Oh Mistle, that is truly terrible, poor you and DH and all

Cmot LOL at DH research - I got a camera for my birthday. It's lovely. It takes photos. NO says DH and whisks out 4 magazines and about 20 pages of research on the thing

I've never had a new car..[wistful emoticon]

Muffin anyone?

Latte?

Yes, def a Pratchett fan here...

So, I need something with room for me (5'10) DH (6'3), DS, plus room to actually seat an adult of reasonable size. Luggage space to accomodate a couple of desktop PCs and monitors (in boxes). Not huge though, as the mileage rate won't cover a bad mpg. I like speed and handling, but not something I have to rev the nuts off to enjoy driving. Currently I have a Merc B Class 200CDI Sport and love it, but it looks a bit mumsy iykwim.

Current shortlist: Merc C Class, Audi A6, Mazda 6. The Mazda would seem to be the sensible choice, esp with their deals at the moment. But I like the C class

Muffin and a latte please Daisy . I also got a camera for christmas. DH showed me all the reviews and everything - they are obviously of a mind

I think Mistle better have first pick of the muffins, and an extra-strong latte too. Goodness me

But yes please, if there's one spare?

Yes, I'll have one of both please - I mean, I can't do it in RL (lactose intollerant, allergic to chocolate!) but if I can't indulge here...

We've got a Skoda Octavia estate (so not so up-market as you CMot) - but can fit in 6' dh, 6'4" df, 5'8" me, 5'6" dm and ds in his seat (hopefully the last we'll have to buy of those) with room for the dog. In fact, so much room in the boot for the dog that she feels very unsafe and prefers the passenger side footwell with feet and legs of the passenger!

We had to get something big to cope with 2 adults, ds and doublebass - the polo just wasn't big enough as soon as ds went into a larger seat. I do love the way that when we now go on holiday, the back seat is only occupied by ds and mistledog with all the packing for a week selfcatering in the boot (inc saucepans as well normally!)

The Merc definitely has a better 'street cred' but both that and the Mazda are fine cars to own. Guess it depends which ones feels the best to drive for you, and how friendly/fiendish the dealers are? Our local Merc dealer is SO rude and always trying to charge people for work they don't need, so no-one here has a Merc.

Very nice muffins, by the way - thanks

Hmm, we have a Subaru Legacy which is fab. Very old but goes and goes and we all fit in it, can do 2 adults and DS in back and BIG DaisyHound in boot with packing for a week (but if self catering or longer and LOTS of stuff need roof box)

It's great, and AWD so good in snow, but pants MPG....

I'd be intimidated by a Merc, so grown up
(which of couse has nothing to do with being 73)

No idea what any of the dealer are like yet - have only been in the area 16 months, and the nice little man from the Merc garage just turns up and takes the car away for it's service then brings it back.
It was a consideration last time - the BMW garage were soooo rude to me that I refused to go there again. Bit like when I was buying my motorbike, and one place totally ignored me, even when my (male) colleague pointed out that I was the one with the money.

FIL has an Octavia estate (bought so they could drive to their house in Turkey, tour France etc) and doesn't find the economy very good. This may just be the way he drives it though !

For some reason friend and I were talking the other day about what size car you needed to transport a db around - actually I remember now, it started with which instruments we would encourage the children to play, and went from there

If you get them to play the piccollo you could manage with a bike!