Tea room the Eighth - sun, sea, sangria, and perhaps a sandy Mellors

[DontCallMeBaby]

Greetings, welcome to the eighth incarnation of the tearoom.

The tearoom has been, and will be again, a virtual safe haven for anyone up for rather random chat and a comprehensive range of virtual snacks. Nothing in the tearoom will make you fat, or drunk (unless you want it to) or cause an allergic reaction.

The new tearoom location is a beautiful beachside cafe (no need for factor 50, the virtual sun will just lightly tan you, bring out your freckles or simply warm your skin, as you prefer) with a range of garden swings, hammocks, sunloungers, deckchairs etc (as well as a rather incongruous, but well-loved, chaise longue). For those in need of sanctuary, we have managed to fashion a new priesthole out of woven grasses.

Our fellow residents include Mellors the rugged gardener of few-but-well-chosen words, the naked mohawk babies, a coterie of bishops, various domestic pets, and a selection of others. On the human side, all are welcome - while we live in the One Child topic some regulars have more than one, and we are welcome all (except people who put their heads on one side and tell those of us with one child that it's just not fair to have only one child).

Please help yourself to a glass of Champagne and a canape on the way in ...

I do tooo, JUST. I remember Going to Television centre on an outing with my mum and little brother to see teh petra memorial... guess mum was REALY bored that school holiday.
We did only live a few miles away.

I remeber Shep too, and can crack Dh up by iuncluding Shep in teh name game. memories of a very drunken christmas party spent playing teh name game to every sillier minimalism. ending up with mime, YOU try and mime Noakes burying a dog....

www.bbc.co.uk/cult/classic/bluepeter/pets/shep.shtml

I think I remember Petra and Patch but might have been from the albums. Shep was my era. And Goldie. (If Catita starts calculating my age there will be trouble.)

Surely, Mistle, it can't matter what you look like because these are all radio stars?

Daisy, always lovely when you visit. Could we put your little marquis out on the beach for moonlit evening drinks?

Is Amber ever coming back?

Could someone who is in email contact with her please tell her love from me and I miss her? Thank you.

JM - I will do.

I've suddenly thought that I don't have to worry just about what I'm going to wear - but also about what MJ is going to wear. And I'm now panicking about what he might say at any particular time... particularly when he sees some people that might not fit his perception of 'normal' - but perhaps he'll just accept everyone at face value and not completely let the side down [fingers crossed very tightly emoticon]! Lets see - very eloquent 4 yo with piercing voice - and a long period of time in which to make embarrassing remarks - I've not got a hope have I!!! I'll have to palm him off to MiL for some of the time and hope that she has to cope with most of the foot in mouth episodes

Off to bed now after a long evening fraudulently backdating action plans tidying my files in preparation for inspection.

Might just sit down under this little marquis with a glass of something rose and listening to the sound of the waves under the stars for a couple of minutes. Thank goodness that awful wind from RL does not appear to penetrate here.

Wriggle has learnt to say 'lovely day' at intervals when we go out together. (I take this to mean that she is having a lovely day, not that she is making polite conversation about the weather.)

I'm a "Valerie Singleton, Peter Purves and John Noakes" girl. Plus Shep and Petra, I'm pretty sure - cos Peter Purves looked after Petra and John Noakes had Shep. I remember Fred the tortoise who turned out to be a girl; and although I didn't see the infamous baby elephant scene when it actually happened, I did see John Noakes' travesty of an omelette!
I remember Goldie too..

RS - that's very cute. miniThumb is still trying with words but the only one he consistently has right all the time is "up". "Juice" is a close second though but he has taken to referring to my milk as juice as well, which ain't quite right!

Btw, I am totally horrified that you are sitting under a member of the aristocracy - surely you should be sitting ON him, not under him? Or is it because he is a little one?

(or did you perhaps mean marquee? )

Good morning! In Amber's absence I have gathered up a few glasses and rinsed them under the hot tap, stuffed some twiglet packets into the bin, let Racing and MissPiggy out into the garden with a stern warning to look out for buzzards and filed Mellors' latest expenses claim in the bin on the spike next to the honesty box.

I have put the kettle on the aga and chopped up this bowl of fresh fruit to have with some of MadBad's home-made muesli. Do help yourselves.

On closer inspection, yes, it was a marquis, not a marquee. I don't know who was more suprised and embarrassed. I think it was because Daisy was pronouncing it a la francaise. Has anyone seen the bishops? Perhaps Daisy's marquis could join them until she needs him.

I think I saw the bishops trying to do synchronised windsurfing - but its clearly a bit difficult to manage in vestments and mitres....

It looks really tidy - thank you RS!

Another grey day here - I'd much rather spend it on the beach in the sunshine....

Soup and a lewd roll anyone? Tomato and basil I think...

Sounds delicious. Thank you.

If the bishops persist in their efforts to windsurf while clad in their vestments, we may have to send out the lifeguards.

I think that the vestments might be doing more of the wind catching than the sails by the look of it

BTW, have you seen Mellors about today?

Wasn't that Mellors getting changed into the Australian-style lifesaver's outfit?!

Hmm. Wonder if anybody will be coming in tonight?

Sweeps in with some coconuts, rum, umbrellas... What else do you need to make interesting cocktails?

If anyone in London sees CMOTchap, could they send him home please ? His ETA of 6.30 is long gone, and no answer on his mobile
I am suspicious that he knew that I would be late back (had to be in a meeting there today too) and had a babysitter arranged, and has gone to the cinema

Must wrap DS's birthday presents now. Yesterday afternoon I realised I was a Bad Mother and had failed to buy a card/cake/presents (intend to get sandpit at the weekend), and had to do an emergency dash to Tescos

Ten minutes later.

Golly. I need a cocktail. As it is CMOTjunior's birthday tomorrow, shall we have a toast to him? I've found some pineapple juice in the fridge, so would anyone like a pina colada for that authentic 80s vibe?

Happy birthday CMOTjunior! Here's some birthday bunting.

--- -

DH just phoned. They 'got into discussions and lost track of time'. I am slightly concerned as he was going to see people of the same profession as Daisy, and am wondering...

Cheers for the pina colada

My thought for today - why are fishnet tights considered racy ? I was wearing nude micronets last week (these give colour and bruise concealment, but don't snag or run), and they were considered a bit 'wayhey' by my colleagues when spotted up close

I don't know why, Cmot, but they are. I quite often wear black fishnets, but I doubt my colleagues ever notice (and, if they do, only to wonder why such a wizened old crone would wear them). MadBadBloke does think they're a bit wey-hey though. He is old, shortsighted and desperate.

Anyone else for a rum-based cocktail? Thank you, Mistle, for providing the ingredients.

CMot - are your legs like mine then - covered in bruises all over, particularly the shins?

Tights - don't you remember fishnets in the 80's - very racey...!

I bruise very, very badly, so am constantly covered in them - particularly shins, but also round my calves.

I think that large net is , but these are only noticable as fishnet when we were crammed in the back of a taxi together. None of my male colleagues would notice I have to say. Too busy leering at the patent shoes

CMOT - We know of course that you (like all those who grace the tea room) are a total babe, but do you work with a bunch of foot fetishists?

I also seem to bruise very easily - it's to do with platelets, I once read. Anyway, that's why I prefer patterned tights. It always used to be lace or opaques, but fishnets (micronets probably, I'm a bit hazy about the distinction) are a relatively new discovery for me.

I've just been browsing a tights website. It's amazing.

I don't bruise badly - but my shins are still covered in bruises. Normally due to ds launching himself at me from the otherside of the room and land on my legs with his knees, giving me a hug at the same time - the hug is normally compromised by me yowling in pain.

Just phoned a friend with whom I had made a vague arrangement that our two families go out together for Sunday lunch.

Me: So did you talk to DH about Sunday?
Friend: Well, he says it would be OK to go for lunch if that is a day he is milking, but if not he would rather that do something fun. I don't know if you want to make another arrangement with someone else.

NotverymuchfunSnake will obviously have to do something en famille instead.

It was that last week, all the ladies had blossomed forth in new patent shoes, and apparently the men liked this.

Aw, Racing. I'm sure that he just meant going somewhere, rather than that you weren't fun.

DH has just missed the last train home..