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!!

Yes, Mellors has a lovely voice. But, then, he has an excellent backing group.

Mary, so for you - have the Christmas Carols from Christchurch CD as well. Very uplifting.

Happy birthday Gymbunny - hope you had a lovely time! I never went to work on my birthday as it is in late July so I only ever went to school once (my 5th b'day) on it, otherwise it was always a holiday.

MadBad - am impressed! Shame there isn't mixed synchronised diving in the Olympics - you could partner Tom Daley...

yes, I am up again - the leg was hurting so I have covered it in antiseptic and a nice big dressing that MIL pinched acquired for me from the hospital she works in. It feels a bit better now but am not sleepy.

Anyone for hot chocolate? With or without whipped cream and floaty chocolate bits?

Mellors has so many unexpected talents.

Thumb, hot chocolate sounds wonderful. You can't possibly imagine the wet, the squally winds, the endless drizzle interrupted only by torrential downpourings. A quite deluvian feeling to things. And, heaven knows, maybe we can shore up the banks of the various rivers with bankers of another kind and therefore avert divine wrath.

No, I don't mean Daisy's.

Hello all,
I'm writing in the calm between the twin storm that is Kittenito with a nasty tummy bug and Gatita suffering from colic. We have a lot of crying at the mo in Hacienda Hatita (copyright Daisy ta very much). I'm coping so far, but could do with a few whiskies and lots of chocolate.

Mary I hope you are feeling a bit better the now. I'm lowering you some of the chocolate I am virtually eating....

you'd be surprised, RS - there were flash floods in northern NSW a couple of weeks ago, just prior to the immense heatwave. Today it rained all day and we stayed in (again) but it is nothing like what you are having to put up with (or should that be "up with which you are having to put"?) so I shouldn't complain. Plus it's infinitely preferable to 42deg heat.

Catita - sorry to hear of your waily woes - how awful to have 2 littlies with tummy trouble at once, albeit different types. Hope it all clears up soon! Have some lovely single malt and some G&B of your choice.

Sorry you won't be in Paris RS. Don't worry - it is always there for another time. We will always have Paris!

Tell me... - Whereabouts in Brittany are you hoping on buying your apartment...

(Is it near the Lannion, Paimpol, Treguier area? )

Hi all... gosh, I have fallen off the thread, haven't I? I'm sorry. Have not caught up with everything, only that Catita needs earplugs at Casita Hatita, and that it was gymbunny's birthday (happy happy to you!) and that there is flooding...?

Nothing really of moment to report Chez Jack, just busy with the daily rut. He is 21 months old and a very energetic toddler. His mummy is not. (Energetic or a toddler.) And it's been peeing down rain here... we are on our 21st out of the last 24 rainy days. Not Fun.

Hot choc with Creme De Cacao, anyone? Plus pumpkin and walnut loaf. Seems appropriate for our weather.

So its raining pretty well all over teh worlds then, not just here on saturated dartmoor. Have damp patch appearing on a wall , think water has been driven under the flashing around our roof windows.

House buying or not continues ugly.

Sorry to see teh priest hole is in use again, commiserations Mary.

HAppy Birthday GymBUn.

NMBs- get away from that priest hole, MArys need is grater than yours, you can hold a disco somewhere else, how about the stables.

Strangely blue hot cocoa drink is available should any one wish to partake again

Very hazy about the geography of Brittany, but DH interested in Morlaix. Is that near anywhere you mentioned?

Re Charlie and Lola project - which would you prefer - 10 softback C&L's for £10 or 5 smallish (30cm) hardbacks for £12.99?

JM - GREAT TO SEE YOU!!! Yum, yum - I love the pumpkin and walnut loaf.

That reminds me... I have decided to take in a big beautiful basket of satsumas for the Thanksgiving party at Milk's school - does that sound OK, JM? This is because I said I might make a Pumpkin Pie and the French Mummies said "Bleeuuugh" before they knew what it was so then I decided on Brownies and another Mummy said "But I am doing chocolate cake!" [rolls eyes]

So then I thought do the healthy thang and go for fruit!... Are satsumas OK??? Do Americans eat them at Thanksgiving time?

(Psssst - I know you are Canadian but thought maybe you can see the US better from where you are - there is a fog over the pond so I can't see a thing from Paris! )

Satsumas should be just fine, tea. at French mummies turning up their noses at pumpkin pie. I don't like it much either, I find the texture a real turn-off, but I'd be happy to post the pumpkin loaf recipe for you. I sprinkle brown sugar on top when it bakes so it caramelizes and it's just too, too yummy.

RS - it is near where I mentioned (as in under an hour away)... but really (trying not to sound bossy) You should also at least look in all the towns I mentioned - they are cute, more laid back and a bit more holidayish than Morlaix. Morliax is OK but Lannion, Treguier and Paimpol are all rather special.

When we are not in Paris we are often hanging out around these parts too so you can join us for some fuit de mer!

In terms of Ch & L Soft backs are fine RS!!! Merci!!!

I will go to the bookshop for Wriggle on Saturday.

JM - Yes please re recipe!!!

Tea, sadly a (very brief) look at the places you mentioned have shown some prices that are a bit eeeek.

Now ... ... now, what DH we want is somewhere very affordable, in a town, where there will be things to do for children, reasonably easy to access and preferably a property which could be divided into two so that there would be someone there when we weren't. Oh, and preferably near the sea, since DH has a sea-faring and ship-building past. Hence Morlaix.

Any other ideas?

He has been wondering about this for some time.

Oh yes and yess please to recipe for pumpkin and walnut loaf, due to large number of large pumpkins littering the living room.

Coo. It's busy tonight.

I'm sorry to hear that all is not well in Hacienda Hatita (which I think is © Moi but I am happy to share ). I hope it passes soon but meanwhile the tea room mop is at your disposal. And some fine earplugs. And a very fine single malt.

Good to see you again, Jacksmama.

So, Racing, what exactly would be the plan for that extremely French-looking immeuble? Would you divide it into two flats? Would the other be for holiday lets or would you sell it? Formidable!

Still so much rain. I think I might join Catita in a scotch - it always seems a cold weather drink to me.

Hi Madbad! So... what is happening your side of the tearoom? Has Madbadbaby been cast the star role in the Nativity this year? - From what I know about her, I do feel the part could be hers!!!

RS - If your DH goes for said apartment I think it is a good idea that Mellors is your lodger while you are not there and with his handyman skills and work ethic he can get it looking just right for you in no time !!!

Given your criteria - I think you might be buying a house in Morlaix... but if I have another idea I will let you know!

I have been about, MadBad; it's just that I have been:

1. Writing a beautiful and complex lesson plan with bells and whistles on for a demonstration lesson I am doing tomorrow, watched by teachers from five other schools
2. Trying to reduce the complexity of DH's lesson plan for his quality control observed lesson on Thursday
3. Looking after a very sad hot and bothered Wriggle with a temperature, cough and conjunctivitis
4. Browsing property in Brittany
5. Chatting in a preocupied fasion in the tearoom

Tea - whatever happens, we must meet up! How are the storms chez vous?

www.residences-secondaires.com/annonces/?xtor=SEC-10

Here is a link so everyone can play at buying a beautiful place in France...

night night x

Some rather lovely houses there. But I am feeling rather happy to be in my less-than-lovely bijou country residence over looking open countryside and the main road.

They are photographed in a very picturseque manner for French immobiliers, who do not make a great effort to portray the most attractive side of any property. They apparently just stand in the middle of any room, without tidying or arranging, and take one photo, often without actually putting their eye to the viewfinder. Browsing properties on the internet is therefore less than illuminating, if very honest.

"Look, darling, that house has got a staircase/window/sofa."
"Yes, and they had moules for supper last night and are obviously waiting for someone to volunteer to do the washing up."

My favourite shows a rather small living room dominated by a huge suitcase in the middle of the floor. (As in "Our house is so awful we can't wait to get out.")

Anyway, to keep in with the theme francais, Mellors has nipped to Waitrose across the channel and laid on a sumptuous petit dejeuner with croissants, brioche, pains au chocolat, tartines, jus d'orange and chocolat chaud or good strong coffee in tiny cups.

Ooo, a prezzie for me? Wow! Chocolate, anyone?

Yes please.

Want to share?