Tea Room the Eleventh

[amberlight]

Goodness, we seem to have run out of space on the other one!
I shall assume that we are still in the same premises as for Tea Room Ten for the moment until wiser people tell me otherwise!!

'ello all...

Oh yes C o E is a rather nostalgic thing for me... When I wasn't going on trips to the Fitzwilliam in my teenage years I was ringing church bells (getting paid for weddings and funerals so a nice little earner for a youngun')!

We had a new lady vicar (yes... think Dibley) and we all thought her very high church for lighting incense at Chrismas time...

"Urrmmm... actually..." she confessed at the bell ringer's tea and cake party "... it wasn't incense it was a candle that fell on a flower arrangement!"

Aaaah - decor... We have a tiny apartment filled with vintage furniture (we can't afford antiques) and some Ikea (we can't afford Habitat). I aspire to have a place that looks like a Habitat photo shoot. A dear friend of mine says "Oh God.. that is so Habitat". The fact I thought it was a compliment and she meant it as an insult says a great deal about her and I!!!

I aspire to space and light. I feel that we live in a junk shop. With the shutters shut. But that could have to do with a lot of things at the moment.

Tea, you have obviously achieved the look you aspire to! (Especially if you singe the odd flower arrangement for extra atmosphere.)

MadBad, you are on a roll with your recipes!! (A rather delectable sun-dried tomato roll liberally spread with mackerel paste and raspberry jam?)

Our abode is also in the junk shop boho chic style. We have an assortment of pieces which came from MadBadBloke's (cough) ancestral pile and other things which came from the local auction (and in one case from a small ad in the paper). These, I think, should be classed as vintage rather than antique (but they will be antiques in another 20 years if the woodworm doesn't get them first!) And we have the mandatory Ikea bookcases. I envy Tea and her French vintage - my French friend talks about hiring a van to go and buy lovely things from rustic brocantes. We've seen some lovely stuff while we've been on holiday - I lust after an armoire - but couldn't squeeze it into the car. But having said I don't like mdf, I do like Ikea's funky fabrics and would quite like to burn all our curtains.

Speaking of French vintage, would anyone care for a glass of Veuve Cliquot? There's also a plate of avocado, horseradish and rhubarb vol-au-vents, if anyone's peckish.

Yum! (But only if I can have a litle honey on top.)

No RS it is nowhere near - but thanks for the positive vibes!

yum, avocado, horseradish and rhubarb, my favourite combo
Any one for Marshmallow and tortilla sandwich.

Nicer than it sounds, the sweet gooeyness over rides teh chilli and salt and its sweet and crunchy in goo . I have spooky shappes marshmallows to toast on teh dying embers of teh HUGE bonfire on Thursday. I also have beer ... I am so looking forward to NOT having to drive after teh fireshow this year.

Our current abode is very sparely furnished, not minimalism, just a rented house that is too big. Bit of mash up of Ikea, Pine shop and grandparents 1970s cast offs.

If we buy teh house we are currently considering, I think pine will be teh way to go. Going to put an offer on tomorrow and see what Vendor says.

Amber never mentioned this service was my licensing (commissioning as a minister), in the Cathedral, I am now officially a "blue scarved menace", the blue scarf indicates my position in the church.

Would have been on here to post about it, but have been sick since Sunday. Am still sick as well . As are the kids

Oooh, Mary, I had wondered whether it was your licensing - you mentioned a while ago that it was coming up. Was Justa there (Amber mentioned other MNers)?

I'm so sorry you're sick now - was it caused by an incense overdose? I remember that at midnight mass on Christmas Eve once, someone stood too close to the censer and got such a lungful of incense that she fainted! Here's some health-giving broth with no incongruous ingredients.

UniS - Fingers crossed for the house buying. Pine is good in the country, I think.

DutchOma was the other MNer who attended. No such thing as an incense overdose - love the stuff, but there wasn't any on this occasion.

The blue scarf indicates your position in the church? What, you hold it forwards for "I'm at the front", whereas if you're at the sides, you have to hold it sideways??!

All very confusing...

Hope you feel a lot better soon.

Broth, tea or coffee available for all.

V. impressed with the blue scarf/licensing thing, Mary!

Am a bit in - we increased the Thumb family by one today - we now have Thumbpig as well! (of the guinea variety, not any other type). Thumbpig is a rather pretty little girly g'pig with mostly white hair but brown patches around the head and eyes. I think. I haven't seen her since she was put in the cage a few hours ago

Welome to the thumbpig .
Wonder how catita is.....

All OK here, gymgirlie still sick, so we have been sitting on this (DFS ) sofa for days and days. She has been prescribed tamiflu but really doesn't seem to need it as she's at this stage just got a bad cough and cold. I'm really hoping she'll go back to school tomorrow as I really ought to go to work someday soon.

Congratulations, Mary, welcome, Thumbpig. Amber, my scarf is indicating that I am about to leave the building for lunch.

Mine's indicating that I need another cuppa. Any takers?

Greetings, ThumbPig. Have you yet met RacingPig and RacingMissPiggy? They have a love nest in the distressed chintz sofa, so you'll probably find them there, at the end with no stuffing left.

Sorry to hear that Gymgirlie is still poorly. Would she like some of yesterday's healing broth? As this is the tea room of requirement, we never run out.

Are things any better chez Mary?

I too am on tenterhooks waiting to hear from Catita.

Thank you for the offer to tea, Amber, but I skipped breakfast and feel in need of some early lunch. There's some carrot and coriander soup. Rather a dull and predictable choice, I know, but the licquorice and lavender croutons probably make up for that. Would anyone else like some lunch?

Got up after midday, am now considering whether to return to bed again... not brilliant, ARGH. Fed up of feeling like this!!! DD has gone back to school. DS is still ill at home, MAY go back tomorrow, we'll see...

Oh dear, Mary. That still doesn't sound good. Shall we send Mellors round to cook dinner and generally minister (no pun intended) to you and the rest of the family while you stay huddled under the duvet?

Ooo that would be wonderful! Perhaps I'm allergic to my new scarf?

Some hot toddies would go down well too - my throat is SO sore!

oh no. I have just looked at the Fanjo Pendant thread. I thought it said pedant and wondered how your fanjo could have a point of view. But it is worse. Much worse

Now, Daisy, I have quite deliberately not looked at the fanjo pendant thread. I know my limitations.

Come to think of it, my bedside table and the blanket box in the spare room are things which my dad scavenged recycled from a skip.

Mary - Have this hot toddy to keep you going until Mellors gets there.

Oh MadBad I wouldn't have looked if I had known

Didn't like my biscuits? Try my nettle and olive scones instead

Nettle and olive scones? Just the ticket with my peach and parsnip jam and a dollop od clotted cream.

There's a thread about what?!? Where!?! No, second thoughts, I'm too young...

Yes please to anything that's going.

Marmite, anchovy and apricot croissants anyone?

DH is due home soon, to take DD to the Cathedral for choir practice, then he can come home and give me some TLC (until Mellors arrives)