Tea Room the Twelfth

[RacingSnake]

Come in, come in, to Tea Room the Twelfth! We now inhabit a rambling log cabin, surrounded by mysterious pine forests and mist-covered mountains (but also, strangely) easily accessible by regulars, new-comers and passing bishops, ferried in by Mellors driving the troika. All the usual rules apply and all are welcome!

No time for a proper post but, Thumb, please feel free to vent here as much as you like.

ohh Madbad, you and teh hoover!!!!! I think you and Mellors may be easier to get my head round.

Am about to to and make toffee for 1st time. wish me luck with the washing up, tis sure to generate lots of stickness.

Toffee sounds good! Hope its not jawbreaking!

At the end of a busy week for me... took school carol service on Tues, went to a conference Wed/Thurs, speaking at conference on Thurs. Today I preached in the morning and took the carol service this afternoon. Phew!

nope, its the crunchy kind of toffee, rather good.
some on the table for you. if a bit's too big, hit with hammer and it'll shatter to smaller bits.

What shall I do with a knackered 3 yr old tomorrow. I've made the decision not to take him to local theme parky day out as planned. guess I'll fall back on DVDs, biscuit making and playing with lego.

Its snowed, so if there is still snow on ground he will enjoy a run around in the garden I guess.

At Church nativity play this morning Boy was a very energetic ( and cute) angel, in white robe with purple tinsel round his head. PFB alert... he looked most angelic helping the preacher to hand out pipe cleaners* as shaft of sunlight made his face and wings glow with a golden hue.

• Congregational participation in sermon! we were asked to create a model of something to represent a new beginning.

I have just returned from a terrible third birthday party. I left thinking I might cry and with a huge horrible headache. Think 25 children under four and no organisation beyond a little hand bell the Mum rang every so often to announce for the foty-fourth time the cake would be served soon, not one thank you for any presents given and just before Milk and I left instead of being thanked for coming we were shouted at like dogs because I suggested, seeing as the step had gone missing from the little toilet room (the place was upside down and I couldn't find it anywhere!) that Milk should stand on a little children's wooden chair to reach the basin to wash her hands!

I feel a real emotional wreck tonight and very very fragile!

here is wine, bolly, hot chocolate and toffee for all

UniS I would take boy to a museum but that is probably not so easy in your rural idyll. Snow in garden, lego, dvd and cooking something to eat would be high on my list

We had a christmas party here today. It was lovely. 20 3 year olds. I hope I was a better host that Tea's mum's party one. DaisyBoy was a star, hosted everyone wildly and crashed out by 6:30. DaisyBloke was also a star but I think he'd rather be up a mountain/ paddling the Limpopo etc!

I have just returned from a 5yo party at the very local venue that is attached to a pub. Play area OK. One table, with seating for max 5 set aside for the 'party' (which of course, had 12 or so families attending). One really major disadvanage of the location is the number of tacky £1 (or more) a 'present' machines selling things you really don't wnat them having/eating. Then they get called in for meal, and the meal doesn't arrive for at least 10mins - there is pass the parcel (sugary lollies) but too much waiting around.

But the nice thing was that, despite mistlechick having been one of the children always getting into trouble, particularly during the first half of term - everyone was saying what lovely manners he had, how helpful and thoughtful he was, and what a strong personality he had...

Thumb so sorry to hear your news - please come back to talk to us. I was on a lovely thread that helped last time I had that news - particularly as dh was out late that night.

Might end up back at the Dr tomorrow. Spent the afternoon (pre-party) on the sofa under several rugs and my duvet.

Mistledog is back at the vets tomorrow for her follow-up and hopefully feedback.

So many different party experiences in one day! We went to a lovely crafty Christmas party for 30 children in a village hall a rather long slippery way away. Lots of tables with loads of glittery things to stick/colour/paste/ice etc, then tea for all the children and lots of chocolate cake and cocktail sausages left over for parents. Then 20 minutes mad running round in circles, then Father Christmas, who had a pair of wings and a wand for Wriggle. (Although she had requested a cat - she does miss Marmite the Cat terribly.)

Tea, what an awful party! I hope it wasn't a very good friend. Any books yet? I will start looking for replacements after Christmas. And I hope that the black-hearted scurvy nave who has our books gains no pleasure from them!

Yay for MistleChick's good manners.

UniS - tired 3 year old - yes to cooking and maybe a good dvd and playing in the snow.

MadBad - was Mellors by any chance helping you with the hoovering?

MaryB - would you like Mellors to prepare the mustard footbath? When he has finished helping MadBad, of course.

Thumb - please tell us how you are.

Wow! It's party time. We too have been hosting a little soiree, but the last guests have departed - without me having to shout at them - and I am now charlestoning around the room listening to Bix Beiderbecke.

UniS - I managed to do the hoovering single-handed (I am woman, I am strong, I am invincible) but you are quite right, it would have been good to have Mellors on hand to help. And to hand round the amuses-bouches* once the guests were here. Preferably wearing black tie and with a sardonic twinkle in his eye.

Yay to all the partying tea room offspring. And to anyone who has had 20 three year olds simultaneously in their home. (We always hire the Albert church hall). And yay for all nativity play performers and carol service leaders.

Bolly and twiglets all round, I think.

• Could one of the genuine French speakers please help me decide where the s goes in the plural of amuse-bouche?

Terrible news! DH has just discovered RacingMissPiggy apparently lifeless outside the back door, flanked by the two RacingMoggies. Have just brought her in. She is breathing and we can't see any blood, so we have brought all three inside for the night. We'll see what happens in the morning. And DH shouted at RacingMoggies and one has run away and they are not supposed to be outside at night, here on the main road, after what happened to Marmite, Wriggle's cat. and double

That children's party sounds awful. I'd have shouted back or brained someone with the aforementioned wooden chair. I'm sorry it was such a horrible time. Gentle (((HUG)))?

I have an extremely cranky toddler on my hands - he is completely over-tired because he napped way too late yesterday, and then stayed up until silly o'clock... and only slept until 7:45 this morning. Gah.

BUT - I had a GREAT day yesterday - worked a few hours in the morning and then went across the border with my friend to go GIRL SHOPPING!! We didn't even go NEAR the children's stores, it will as browsing for us!!

BTW, I"ve invited someone from another thread - mum of one DS, she recently had a breast scare but all is well, so be nice to loupiots if she pops in (not that we are ever anything but nice ).

Puts on smile for possible new person!!!

RACING - EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEk re Racingmisspiggy and Moggies. Poor things!!! I hope it is an uneventful night and all are well in he morning!

JM - The thing is I am always deeply shocked when shouted at and can never think of anything to say, instead I stew over it for days, VERY unhealthy I know! This isn't the first time she has been so aggressive - So I have to be careful here. Actually I have decided to be VERY careful and look after me a bit by distancing myself from this relationship.

Racing I am worried about Cats and Pigs with you

Tea tell that non-friend to bugger off. There are other lovely people around you

One funny thing at our party - Father Christmas arrived and his presents were Charlie & Lola books - but I couldn't see any evidence of postage to France! I had to do some mad prancing in the street waving bells. I think my reputation with the neighbours may (if possible) have plumbed new depths ...

Hello girls/ladies/Dave the trucker from Birmingham.

Life in the Hacienda has been a leetle hectic since my MIL and FIL and BIL came to stay last week. They went home last night. I should be but am actually . MIL makes me feel so inadequate vis a vis the crying and well, she was driving me up the wall telling me about how her food supplements (she sells one) have cured people of their diabetes.

I haven't been able to read all the thread, but have seen Thumb's awful news. I'm sending a big (((hug)) down under and all the thoughts in the world. It's an awful thing to deal with, and just now, even more unbearable. I wish I could say something to make you feel better, but know from experience that there is nothing. ((Sends more silent and heartfelt sympathy)). Do tell us how you re feeling, we care, and lots. I'll be thinking about you.

Awwww crap, that's what I get for only reading the last post but one - thumb, I wasn't being insensitive on purpose in not acknowledging your news, it was purely accidental, and i am so, so sorry.

for you.

Catita I was wondering how you were and how wonderful to hear from you!
The ony supplement we have in the Tea Room is Bolly! You are safe now!

Morning, all! There's coffee on the stove and I am just taking the next step in locating Milk's books. I hope that Daisy, being of a legal persuasion, will be able to advise on 'reasonable force' when we've caught the felon.

Bad news - RacingMissPiggy is no longer with us. But the cat got home safely [grr]

((((((hugs))))) to Thumb and I don't think you were insensitive, JM. But I'm no great judge.

It was party central in the Tearoom yesterday wasn't it ? We had the inlaws round for drinks and Waitroses finest lovingly handmade canapes. The assorted teenagers behaved well, and CMOTiddler enjoyed serving drinks and handing round food.

I am slightly worried about him actually, as he decided to clean the downstairs toilet, and then was delighted to scrub the kitchen

Poor RacingMissPiggy

RacingMissPiggy est morte! Quel dommage! I am sorry, Racing, is Wriggle very upset? Has anyone broken it to Racingpig yet, as he sits forlorn and alone in his lurve nest?

Daisy - at mad prancing in the street with bells. Perhaps you could say it was a solo morris dance. Then again, that's probably not going to help to win the neighbours over.

Catita - Just remember the Chinese (I think) proverb that house guests are like fish - they stink after three days.

Hot chocolate and a buttered crumpet anyone?

Poor RacingMissPiggy.

CMOT worry not. Tiddler sounds entirely normal. The best bit of DaisyBoy's party yesterday? Mopping the hall before everyone came

I'm glad it's not just DS then ! Although I am encouraging this tendency as much as possible.

May I recommend the London Duck tour btw ? DS was utterly delighted with the bus that drives into the river and the sight of the fire boats and boat petrol station

Good morning all - how are you? We have had pouring rain all weekend, and it continued overnight... I shall be singing "I'm dreaming of a greeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeen Christmas..." this week, I think.

re RacingMissPiggy. Oh dear. How did Wriggle take it?

Thumb - what news? Do you need more hugs?

We bit the bullet and put up the Christmas tree yesterday afternoon. I know - probably shocking to those of you who may have had your tree up since mid-November but we tend to be rather late with ours, out of both laziness and wanting to avoid a nearly two-year-old tipping it over. However, he has been very good with it so far! And it does look pretty. Although I'm not in a very Christmassy mood... it does feel like the bottom has dropped out of the holiday since my parents aren't coming. So we've only put up the tree, a wreath on either side the front door, and a few poinsettias... that's enough for me, thank you.

Four hours to get home in blizzards and sheet ice! What a drive!!
Will be more articulate later, but hello everyone...