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!

What do you mean, very funny name? That is her actual name. I was just wondering whether I'd have picked the same if I'd been able to consult MN ...

oh that's ok then justa - I saw your flounce thread shortly after you started it so don't need to revisit it.

Have looked at the super race one though and am deeply unimpressed with many of the comments there, as usual.

Have just seen your post on the geriatric mums thread, thumbwitch. You have given the game away. You are much much younger than me.

Anyone for more champagne? I have to go and read 200 pages of a book so need a little, ahem, refresher first.

pah! that was well found of you bocca, have I lost my grumpy old bag status now?

champers, ooh yes, pass it over - I can't have any these days because if I open a bottle I have to drink it all myself, and I only have one glass a night, cos DH is off the alcohol indefinitely (until he thinks he can handle it again - his choice) and he is rubbish on champagne anyway - it always goes to his knees.

Oh no, just a lucky break. Whenever I see a thread title in active convos which mentions geriatric mums I have to go and look. And what a bunch of amateurs and wannabes these so-called geriatrics usually turn out to be!

Here - have a glass of bolly, you young slip of a girl.

Who else would like one?

Justabout? Your progress with your thesis must be worth celebrating. Or have you had too much already?

that's just PhD-induced lunacy - I expect, I mean I only did an MSc and I got like that with my dissertation!

Ok, I'm going to have to ask Bocca straight out - you said a while ago that you were 73 but that can't be, can it? If BabyBocca is 7...?
I don't need to know your actual age but maybe you could just say "late 40's" or "early 50's" or whatever. Honestly, it's making my head hurt and I can't stand it.

Justa - it's all ridiculous. (((((HUG))))

Amber, thank you for the explanation of "aspie", good to know it's not PC to use for non-aspie people. I liked the horse comparison too.

Took Jackbaby to playgroup this morning where he was his adorable immensely sociable self, and then to the pool where we had even more fun (don't tell DaisyBoy). He is now completely zonked out on the bed and has not moved for an hour and a half.

If there's champers around, may I please have some? [hopeful emoticon] Maybe MummypowerxxxJen left some more... I do hope she comes back!

Oh...mumsnet suggests I take a break from posting to see if I get my strength back, so I guess the tea room might be the one place that counts as taking a break.

Coffee is on, and I've made almond, cinnamon and apple muffins (gf, wf, df and refined sugar free)

Did you get the reading done Bocca ?

Jacksmama - 73 is my virtual age (specially first thing in the morning when my joints are creaking and my eyes won't focus). As for my actual age ... all I will say for now is that, like Miss Jean Brodie, I am in my prime.

cmot - I'm afraid that, as so often, I faffed about on here (nearly getting drawn into a 'we hate school uniform' thread) and so that eroded my reading time. I'm seriously behind and may have to skimp the housekeeping today in favour of reading. Oh dear, what a shame. Where are you off to today?

The muffins are lovely - where can I find the recipe?

Today I am 'in the office'. Actually, currently I'm working from sofa waiting for the Ocado man to turn up and writing up my notes from Friday and yesterday. And waiting for my office to warm up - it has a big bay window (that the desk is built into) and one teeny radiator so gets a bit chilly overnight.

What are you reading ? My non fiction book of the week is an oral history of the SOE. Of course yesterday I got to read two novels - bliss !

Courtesy of JM, here is the recipe:

Almond muffins ? GF/WF/DF

Preheat oven to 375F. I think that's 175 degrees C or thereabouts, depends on how hot your oven is. The original recipe I was given said 350F but I found 375F worked better for me, perhaps my oven is slow.

Beat together:
2 1/2 cups ground almonds (doesn't matter if they have the skin on or not - I've ground my own whole almonds or have bought the blanched ground ones)
3 eggs
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup butter or applesauce
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
large dash vanilla essence
huge dash cinnamon

Pour in muffin tin (makes about 12), bake for 20-22 min.
They are especially yummy if you sprinkle the tops with cinnamon and brown sugar (and tiny chopped walnut pieces) before baking.
Enjoy!!

I'll give those a try - sound a really good idea.

I'm a bit with MrMistle this morning. He said a week ago Saturday that he'd still be getting up at the same time and getting the dog walked 1st thing as normal, then spending the rest of the time sorting a job out. Of course, what that means is that, just as I'm about to drag myself and MJ out of the door for the school run, I have to go in and wake him up. And, by the time I got in yesterday, he still hadn't looked at the job descriptions I'd found him on Sunday evening - although he did find time to be doing Facebook things. And, having got out of a 4 hr marathon meeting, somehow I had to take over with MJ immediately I got home - shovelling supper and bath... I wouldn't mind if he was spending the time job hunting...

Sorry, rant over

CMot - but they're not df if they've got butter in (sorry ) - and what is 'applesauce' - I'm sure its an Americanism but if its just pured apple, I can cope with that....

Mistle - I'm just about to go and put a batch of muffins in the oven. But, before I do, would you like to take your pick from

((hug))
((supportive pat on the arm))
((relaxing shoulder massage))?

As BabyBocca is wont to say, that's the trouble with men. Don't know where she gets it from. Ahem.

Sorry MT - I should have said that I always make them DF with no butter and just apple sauce (the sort of cooked apple stuff you put on roast pork is what I use - with the little lumps, but pureed apple is the same). It's easier than butter or df spread, and the apple taste is gorgeous.

Men eh ? When DH was made redundant a few years ago he set himself a timetable to keep going - and redecorated the house. But he knows what he can be like, and would have stayed up all night on the PC and slept all day if he wasn't careful

I've written it all in an email then removed all the angst and saved it as a document I could show him this evening if things are not somewhat improved. I thought it would be a bit bleak in an email when I won't see him until this evening...

Anyway, looking forward to trying the muffins!

Aaargh. My batch aren't dairy free as I used butter rather than make apple sauce, but as this is the magical tea room that ought not to be a problem.

10 minutes until unveiling time .....

Did someone say muffins?

Hurray I've found you all! oops trips over prone body lying in recovery position!

Maybe I'll just lie here for a bit - it's a lovely carpet [snooze] poke me with your zimmers if I'm in the way.

MT - sounds like a good idea. DH likes written things, and a plan of what I would like him to do. It sounds officious, but saves nagging on both sides

Shall we also put some soup on - and I think there are still a few of MJ's rolls in the freezer which can be warmed up in the aga. Who would like leek and potato and who would like minestrone???

Oh! Hi Zazen, I didn't see you there at first - nice to see you in here. How did you find us?

CMot - has the office thawed out yet?

I've just spoken to dh and 'suggested' some things he might do after he gets home from walking the dog...

Lovely to see you, zazen.

Would you like one of these fresh muffins? They're GF not but dairy-free as I used butter. But if you've read any of our old witterings posts you'll know that the tea room is magical and so nobody suffers from allergies or food intolerances here.

What brings you here today?

(Louder, as she prods zazen's supine form): Can you hear me, dear?

office is warm - but so am I, and the sofa is comfy.... And I'm doing my expenses and booking more flights, so nothing that can't be done horizontally

Mistlethrush - Yes please to minestrone. I'd love an early lunch before I go and do some (more exciting than usual) errands.

I'm just wondering whether we should add a chapter to the Tea Room Guide to Parenting, to cover matters matrimonial and the management of husbands (rather like Mrs Beeton on the supervision of cooks and housemaids). Would Mistle and Cmot like to co-author that one? I will read it avidly for long-overdue tips proof-read it for you.