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 ...

oooh I hate being asked "what do you do" - it used to take forever to answer it! Because I was half self-employed as a massage therapist etc, and half employed in a private college, where my jobs ranged from lecturing through advert design, sub-editing the professional journal we produced, and lots of other stuff. No title as such; although I started off as the Administrator, much of my administration role was taken over by other people, so I was left a bit Nameless. Bugger of a thing to tell people who were only asking to be polite!

Donk! Hold on a minute. Where are you going?

Q: What's the difference between a [insert denigrated professional here] and a trampoline?

A: You take off your shoes before you jump on a trampoline.

[extremely fick emoticon]

Argh, I thought Donk was being philosophical and spring-cleaning, not boogering off somewhere - DONK!! Where you goin'? Do you need an emergency back scratch/ear rub? Come baaaaaacckk!

MadBAd - I have seen that joke used in non-professional ways as well...

[very fick and dopey emoticon]

Oh durr! I was worried that Donk was boogering off or (dare I say it) flouncing.

I'd never seen that joke before and thought it was far less offensive than most on lawyerjokes.com or wherever Google takes you to. Shame if it has been used in a malicious way (I know that all jokes are to some extent malicious or cruel, but for me it's all about the ratio of funny:cruel, if you get my drift.)

Carrot muffin and a cup/bucket of tea, anyone?

now donk really needs to come back and explain what she was on about, hey! I'm sure you're more on the money than I was, Madbad - after I re-read her post, that is!

Carrot muffin with a little marzipan carrot on top (w/o NMB) would be lovely ta - I'll have a bucket of fennel tea too.

A carrot muffin would be lovely

I think Donk may have gone to Australia - isn't she off on a visit?

Yes please to muffin and here's the coffee!

Awww Thumb bless you for answering my craft question on another thread! I should have just asked the tea room!

I shall beetle off to LongAcre. I am doing a party for DaisyBoy so am in need of Craft Items and Inspiration

Ah, Daisy, I've just butted into that thread.

What can we do to tempt people back to the beachside tea room?

Slinks back into the tearoom quietly, and hopes no-one notices she has been missing ...

Lovely to see you, Mary. Would you like cup of tea?

(Knocks on the door) - hello, room for one more? Olives sound lovely, although a G&T to accompany them would go down a treat,

Wilkommen, bienvenue, welcome, ljhooray.

I think we can find a few olives which I didn't eat at lunchtime in the fridge. And here's a gin and tonic.

Sit down on our charmingly distressed sofa, put your feet up and relax. What brings you here today?

oh, MadBad your spread looks lovely .... and the buffet isn't bad either

Actually, I think we should arm ljhooray with a large G&T and set up Tea Room the Ninth - my sandy tea room is taking hours to load...

Gowon MadBad, you were instrumental for the first, why don't you give us a new one for this evening? I fancy maybe some 70s glad rock disco with a cool boho edge?

Or maybe camping given our recent outings?

Hello all.
Things are not going well in the great Hatita expedition. On Saturday night DS started being sick, a lot. We ended up with the emergency doctor. He said it was just something he had eaten and that as long as he was looking better there should be no problem on flying.
So we went on Sundauy morning to Mexico City to spend the day with some of our sister-in/laws before getting on the flight that night.DS was more ore less OK until then. On the plane however, he developped a temperature, got diarrehea (sp) and was very unwell. Somehow we got through all the changing of planes and made it to my parents late on Monday evening.
I phoned NHS direct for help. The nurse said 38oC wasn't that high and I was to carry on givinh him calpol etc. And if he were to get worse (ie lethargic) I was to call back. By 10pm I was calling back . Then the questions started....
They learnt we had just come from Mexico. Cue silence and panic. Calls from nurses and doctors and at 3am a visit from a gowned masked man who took a few samples and buggered off without so much as taking DS's temperature or listening to his tummy.
DS has not got swine flu. He has none of the symptoms bar the fever. He has got a tummy bug and needs medicine for it, but all we've got is the acursed Tamiflu....

Happily I managed to get him off to sleep at about 6am and he got a few hours in. He woke up with a diminished temperature and hasn't vomited or had diarrehea since. He won't eat however and has only had two half bottles of milk.
He went back to sleep about 5 ish and is still out for the count. My Mum says this is good sign and I am inclined to believe her, since his temp has come down now too.

Still, I am a bit peed off with the general ppanic. I am all for them being cautious etc. but, the Dr. could have at least examined the lad as well as taking the samples...

Since I am on my Dad's computer I've got to go off now. Just wanted to off load on you lovely people. I feel a lot better now

Catita - sorry that things aren't going to plan. Have you got any dioralyte (lite?) - really good for rehydration for small children - it kept MJ out of hospital aged 10mo. You can get it in normal chemists and the supermarkets that have pharmacies.

Where has Donk gone? I hope she's coming back.

I play the viola - always the brunt of instrumental jokes...

BUt in terms of profession I have to always qualify it with 'but I don't work for the Council'!

Oh Catita. That sounds really grim. Here - have a virtual gin and tonic, hug, shoulder rub and supportive nod of the head. Here's hoping for a further drop in ds' temperature tomorrow. How long until your conference gig?

Tea room the ninth? My mind boggles. And don't you think people are tired of seeing my name on stuff? If I dub it the glam rock tea room I may be here on my own for 1000 posts.

(((((((((HUGS)))))))) to you and DS, Catita. What a pain in the arse that people immediately leap to the wine flu conclusion. As if you're not stressed enough.

Here's a relatively useful tidbit of information I retained from nursing school millions of years ago: if you don't have any Pedialyte or whatever, the best rehydration fluid is to mix apple juice with water (1:1 or 2:1 ratio apple juice to water), add a tablespoonful of sugar and a level teaspoon of salt (or a bit less). You can barely taste the salt (or you shouldn't - if you do, add more liquid). Works like a charm and is a much cheaper and just as effective as Pedialyte.
Hope the little man improves quickly!

Errrrmmmm... wine flu, indeed.

What could be on my mind????

Is it Merlot o'clock?

Most definatly

Big hugs for you and DS Catita

So, JM. When are you in Anaheim ?

I am loving the idea of Jacksmama - plus a lot of Trevors the truckers from Ontario, dressed up in white trousers and Canada t-shirts, masquerading as Jacksmama - chasing Cmot around Disneyland. How will Cmot know which is the genuine Jacksmama?

Pic on profile MadBad