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!

CMot - I like those names. You would feel a twerp calling your dog Heisenberg mind you as its a bit of a mouthfull to shout across a large field... When my parents got a 2nd dog (puppy) we had to rename her as her name was much too close to existing dog's name... Humbug would have been great in terms of appearance, but we thought that we might get funny looks. She eventually was named Dottie - because she had spotty skin under the black and white coat - but it turned out to suit her nature perfectly . We did have a cockerell that was called Waterloo (as in battle of) - he needed a name a bit like that and it was the same sound as his crow.

yes - but we shout Heisy when trying to attract her attention

As a child, I had a drake called Sir Francis. I think this was my low point in naming animals

Lovely cake Amber - and how embarrassed was that bank manager ? I do get asked if we are actually married on a fairly frequent basis. And DH's family have never quite got the hang of it all - but I refuse to let him send back incorrectly addressed cards with 'not known here' written on. Which is his suggestion..

Low point in pet names? I had a gerbil called "Dobby" because I wanted a horse

but he didn't come when he was called either

Cmot maybe you can dress up in leather while you are understanding each other's foibles? [hopeful]

thanks for the vanilla sponge Amber!

oh, when I got married my MIL said "well, why did I ever change my name" and tried to go back to being Maiden, but the others just laughed. I was touched by rather unlikely rash of female solidarity

Having both also leads to complications - fed up of having to explain why a cheque payable to me as Mrs Maidenname is actually me and that it should go into our bank account under Mrs hisname as my mother still hasn't worked out that I'm no longer Mrs hername except when I'm at work...

Spinach and Marmalade?? Ooo no thanks, but if there's any winter vegetable and daisy, that'd be great?

Amber - ds has been helping - no daisies, but he's found some buttercups (his favourite) so we've got carrot and buttercup - its a lovely colour!!!

Thanks Daisy
there were a lot of crumbs on the carpet - I was wondering if the ten hour rule prohibited me from having a nibble! Oh, incoming fresh ones from Mistlethrush though I think I'll pass on them!!

Now, what are you all wittering on about

Do you mean like this Daisy ?

When I was riding my motorbike to work, I found that the shop floor guys always wanted to chat to me when I was on the way to get changed. In fact, getting out of the house in my all in one leathers was tricky too

I have a batch of Green and Blacks cherry choc brownies here

At least you won't be suffering from any crumbs or chocolate patches in uncomfortable locations when you've eaten your brownie thus attired CMot - although I did think that you normally had a little bit more leather on for all-in-one mc suits...

oh GAWD I am being proposed as soup! [feeling slightly faint]

Justa no, you are not wrong, you are very right. I think it is lovely to "play down" from time to time. My DaisyBoy still has milk in a bottle at night and morning if he wants and until recently at mid morning and sometimes tea too. He has a teeny bottle (only 4oz a starter bottle) and an up to 6 month teat. He is 2 1/2 and spends rest of time drinking out of a cup with no handles, even a glass sometimes, but it is good to relax and refresh....

Mind you I found myself saying "No DaisyBoy the swimming pool man is closing the pool today because it is so sunny he wants all the children to play in the park" [not today obviously] so what do I know

Cmot I am feeling faint as a soup, you in leather and heels, well, now I am going to lie down

Before I do go, though, cheque moment, Mistle. We have a bank account in France. They don't do different names. In fact, woman don't even get credt cards, its only in DaisyMan's name

So our account is M. et Mme Hisname

Only after about 5 years I realised I sign it Ms Hername cos that's my signature. Nobody has ever batted an eyelid but once you look the signature bears no resemblance whatsoever to the name!

I dont' care because of course euros aren't real money are they

You're alright Daisy - no daisies to be found, just buttercups.

Who could believe a little question about 2nd hand clothes could get SO heated and bitchy! Another reason to stay here for the afternoon...

I feel like getting on a high horse - might take Earl Grey out this afternoon. Amber, do you know if Lady Grey can keep up at a good lick if we go out on the sand? She won't overtake us will she?

Hello everyone. Lovely soup - thanks again, Mistlethrush. And thank you, Amber, for the sponge.

My mind is boggling from the diversity of topics being discussed. I very much like the idea of motorcycle leathers as a way of increasing one's allure but sadly don't have the length of limb to carry it off.

I've always been tempted to return post addressed to Mrs Hisname, as that was my late MIL and not me, but always capitulate. My even bigger bugbear is when I ring up utilities, the central heating company and their ilk to transact whatever business and then they write back to SignorBocca as if I were just his messenger. How very dare they!

And what is this tiff about second-hand clothes? Dare I look?

Apparently some people consider it icky to put your baby in second hand clothes, but in saying this, manage to insult those who see no problem in it.

We jest about DH's fancy woman who obviously is somewhere in this house as she gets post addressed to Mrs Hisname on a regular basis. Occasionally someone asks for Mr Myname - I like to think he is tall, slim and buffed

Crikey! Was it that Ebay thread that's been in active convos since at least yesterday? I just had a peek. How utterly mad.

I think the problem with MN is that it so often gets so dogmatic. Everyone offers their own version of the Incontrovertible Truth - often in a SHOUTY way - and can't concede that there may be some merit in what the other person says. Maybe that's the way to proceed with matters of vast significance, but second-hand baby clothes? Really?

gosh hadn't realised such a seemingly mundane topic would be so vicious!

Exactly, justabout. Three cheers for hand-me-downs and NCT sales (where you get a very good class of second-hand goodies, I found)!

Seems to mostly be one person who is accusing anyone of selling stuff on ebay to be "tightarsed losers"

Great for that person if they have never been so hard up that they don't need to make any money possible or, otoh save as much money as possible but really - how incredibly patronising!

Anyway, have come away from it now as was quite disturbed - I felt a tad guilty that I didn't buy my DS any new clothes at all until he was nealry 6mo, because I had had so many hand-me-downs from friends and gifts! I haven't bought any on ebay as I don't like it, especially with all that Paypal nonsense, but have got DS some nice stuff in charity shops - I even got him a rainbow stacking tower for 20 whole pence on Monday! Should I be considered a tightarsed loser for not buying him a new one?

Daisy -thanks for the sympathy. I did nearly sit down and cry. I certainly found that I no longer wanted supper. Actually I just gave up and took WS to bed. It was the first time in her life (2.5) that she asked to go to bed. "Tired ...blanket ...biburon (bottle)" then went and lay down on the changing mat.

Rassuring to know that DaisyBoy still has a bottle at times. WS has suddenly wanted her bottle more often (in the evening, in the morning, sometimes a bottle of hot chocolate when she is tired mid afternoon). I had been feeling I shouldn't allow it, but then, why not?

Speaking on MNers knowing everything better, I remember a thread about someone who had seen an older child in their garden tdrinking from a bottle and wondered if they should go to social services (???????????!!!!!!!) WS will in future only be allowed out with dark glasses and a false moustache in case we are recognised and reported.