Welcome to the Seventh Heaven Tea Room (BYOB. Biscuits, crisps and cake provided)

[Catitainahatita]

Hello and welcome to the seventh incarnation of the tearoom.

If you have found us by chance and/or curiousity you must know that the tearoom is a virtual safe haven for all those seeking a friendly word, a good cuppa and plenty to snack on. By virtue of its magic nature, no food can cause any physical damage, so chocolate, alcohol, transfat and all such can be consumed guilt- (and magically calorie-) free.

We have a wide range of soft-furnishing to relax on; a lovely garden with a swing and a ha ha; a variety of animals; a spa and (for some unknown reason) an apidistra.

Everyone is welcome, if you have one child, ten or none at all. We are a tolerant and fisticuffs-free zone. Instead we employ our energies swooning at Mellors the Gardner cum handiman thinking a silly things to get up to.

Please come in and say hello. You never know, you may end up joining us ...

Amber - whats the damage different between a bull in a china shop and a bison in a teaparty?

Drat Phew!¬- I missed the ogle fest embarrassment of seeing Mellors in a state of nature.

Good to see you again, DCMB. I think of you everytime I listen to the Voice of the Beehive.

Would anyone care for soup and a lewd roll for lunch?

Hmmm... I see that the inhabitants of the tea room are taking my question in a more philosophical sense than I anticipated... I was asking because if I wanted to contribute to the financial support for a mum and two young children on their own, I'd want to send enough for a week, and have no idea of the cost of living in the U.K.

Wow, that brass bed in the Tea Room is really proving to be distracting, isn't it?

But my really burning question for the day is has anyone seen Catita about?

JM, thinking about your question. I don't realy know. It would depend on the week. Living far(ish) away from shops, at least of the supermarket variety, we tend to shop erratically, with a big Lidl shop once a month or so and store lots of stuff. Then DH buys a couple of things every day on his way home from work, so it is really hard to work out an 'average' week. The figure of £110 shocked me, I think we spend less than that, what with Lidl, DH bringing home salads etc from work and chickens in overdrive, but then we have organic meat, which is expensive .....

Jacksmama - we usually spend about £80 plus costs of school meals. Not wildly extravagent, but not by any means trying to be particularly frugal... (I can manage on £50 if I really try, but DH starts bemoaning the over representation of fish and pulses and the lack of meat, 'tis his own fault for refusing to eat offal!)

Yes - I think that about £80 should be about right. We can cope on less than that - but depends on me doing the shopping and not buying any meat and coping with all family being vege for the week - not something that dh and ds are completely at home with!

Birthday cake anyone? (DH's yesterday and mil brought a cake)

OK, so about 100 pounds should do it?

Morning/afternoon all (delete as appropriate).

I see you all have had a wonderfully varied weekend here in the tearoom. Its nice to see DCMB again and obviously its good to see two new people as well .

DH bought a paddling pool for DS. It is a bit big, but hey we all fit in quite well. We've been in it all weekend, coming out only for meals and bed. DS goes bonker when he sees it he shouts (it means water) and tries to dive straight in. We used the water to water the garden last night and the pool is now emptyy DS was a bit put out this morning when he dragged me outside after breakfast. Still, if he asks his papi nicely he may get it set up again for the afternoon.

Hi Catita, great to see you! [relief emoticon] Was a bit concerned. How are things in Mexico?

A real life electrican is coming round at 3pm to install the a/c [extreme celebratory emoticon]

Other wise all is well here. I am confused o the swine flu situation, but from my reading of the local newspaper it appears that noone has died do far and infection is less severe than firt thought. Yippee!! We may be back in work on Wednesday at this rate.

On another thread I see that the antiviral drugs are being given to all families in a South London school as a precautionary measure after a schoolchild became ill.

Query: this is not dangerous at all then? risking that people without the illness take the drug? Does this not risk that further mutations of the virus become immune??

In Mexico that would no happen, due to the fact that the antiviral medicine is strictly rationed to those ill only (because there isn't that much to go round anyway). Damn it, we haven't even got enough facemasks to go round.

Oh yes, Justa's news, I did spot that - NMBs on snails, GPs can't climb, Justa in an interesting condition. Knew there was something I'd forgotten. Priorities you know.

In RL ... DD has learned to swim, I've got an extra job as an examiner, survived Easter holidays. That's about it.

Amber, I've looked back, it was thumb that said GPs can't climb, I did say I had trouble keeping up with the conversation!

Keep up, DCMB, will you?? Sheesh! [foot-tapping emoticon]

Polonius, is that you?

Oh I'm glad it wasn't me - I thought I really should lay off the virtual bolly for a while there! Meantime, I'll be in the tearoom priest hole for a quiet half hour or so after a very alarming bit of reading...just ignore me...

Amber - what were you reading?

I've spent another day in the garden. I have managed to finish the bed for the fruit bushes that I bought in Lidl for very little - two sets, each just over £3, result - 2 different currents (red and black), a tayberry, a gooseberry and raspberry canes. I've covered it in landscaping fabric and some woodchips on top. It does, however, look as though I've needed to bury something as its about 8" above ground level, about 7' long and about 4' wide - perhaps a giant?

Aaargh!
Dad doesn't want to go to Alaska because

1. He has now decided it would be too tiring and
2. Problems getting health insurance for the USA

Not a problem

He would quite like to go to Iona

I have found some accommodation for a week in August (and have booked it on spec - we can always go by ourselves)

But now he is fretting at being constrained by the school holidays - and indeed by the need to make any decisions whatsoever....

He has also had a massive row with his sister from Alaska who is staying with him to help out.

I know he is having a rough time - but it does sound as though his sister couldn't win whatever she did.

All I can do is wait, and listen to him when he wants to talk. And wait some more. And send virtual hugs to my aunt. And to Dad. Seperately.

Bldy Hll

Aaargh!

Don't ask. SN board - a 'hate poem' about autism. gah!

Don't ask. SN board - a 'hate poem' about autism. gah!

And DH is busy dying in bed with a cold. I know he has asthma and that he really is struggling and can't keep going, but sometimes I just want to scream!

And now there's Bl**dy tea everywhere...

At least it's only virtual!

Oh Amber!
I'd give you a hug if you wanted one and I could.
Some people don't think.
And some people are just malicious.

Shall I guard the priesthole for you?

Strange - it's posted one message twice.

Why does being in the tea room really help? Must be the lovely people in here...

Tea and carrot cake, anyone? I'll lower some down to Amber in the priest's hole. You make a very good guard donkey, Donk!

Tea and carrot cake, anyone? I'll lower some down to Amber in the priest's hole. You make a very good guard donkey, Donk!