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!

FWIW, my recent experience of choosing between two outstanding schools was based on this - I chose the school where the children still had a bit of bubble. What I mean was that as the head took me and DS round, the children wanted to tell him about what they were doing/they were playing their first hockey match/their birthday. And he listened, but still had the odd gentle word about uniform/running which was taken seriously, but not too much so iyswim.
I liked the mix of staff ages, their flexibility (I asked about reading scheme, and they have 5 different ones so that they can swap children to one that suits them better if needs be), and that sort of thing. I did also know that it wouldn't be too hard to move DS later if needed

That prob doesn't help a lot does it ?

Cmot - Bubble is exactly what I was trying to describe when I said some boys seem a little squashed. Perfect word!

to Catita. Hoping things are getting a little easier in the hacienda.

Being shown round by the children on open days was revealing too - I liked it when they wanted to mess about in the early years rooms (they were yr 6 children at both schools), and their general way of interacting with each other and the teachers

I like that in yr R and 1 they have to have a tracksuit to wear over their uniform for playtime so that they can get less mud. And have a practical uniform where the coat/jacket is a 3 in 1 waterproof and fleece

I've left a parcel of gingernuts and other soothing and nourishing things for you Catita

Hello!
Am back from Ireland and racing in to say hi. Will try to pop bacl later when there is more time, but wedding was gorgeous and we ate and drank ourselves into oblivion. Have just about recovered having been to bed later than 2am for three consecutive nights

Wow, gymbunny! You clearly have stamina.

My poor dh had to laugh yesterday. I know he's going a bit grey, but he's hardly in his dotage. Imagine his surprise when the young lady at the gym said to him that there was a special offer for pensioners and that he was entitled to a free cup of coffee as well.

Hello all. Made a pot of soup (of your favourite type), and a selection of home-made bread rolls to go with it.

Delicious soup, Amber, thank you. And these mitre-shaped rolls are very tasty. Proving very popular with the bishops, too.

I feel a sense of solidarity with your dh. I have been taken more than once for MBBaby's grandmother and, likewise, MBBloke has been taken for her grandfather. Being an older parent may, ahem, bring wisdom and knowledge but it also brings such minor irritations and embarrassments.

I think he'll be staring at the hair colouring products for men with renewed interest at this rate

gymbunny, hope you're fully recovered from going on the Piste quite so often

General comment re schools - choose the one whose head teacher you smile about and trust with your child's life.

Hello all!

The Granny thing works both ways. My Mum is a funky Nanna who due to her youthful looks ( - I have my Dad's genes unfortunately for him and me we aren't aging as well) on occasions she has been mistaken for Milk's Mummy!!!

On a completely different theme altogether...

DH made a few mutterings about him and I having a litle city break together (just us)...

AIBU to have said "Can that be our Christmas present to each other?" to make sure it REALLY happens... Even though my xmas prezzie to him was going to be to say "O...K... if you really must have those bleeerdy flying lessons you keep going on about off you go, my dear!"

???

Tea - But that gets to the heart of my neurosis anxiety. I kid myself that I look quite funky, but do I in fact look like a groovy granny?

A city break? Where do you go when you live in one of the city break destinations in Europe? It does sound lovely and you are right to manoeuvre ensure it happens. So YANBU!

Thanks for the school feedback. Actually school (b) is much as Tea described. Both private. Lots of vim and energy in boys - one thing I like about (b) is it is robust, you can hardly tell who are boys and who girls - all sent to kick around and sport for 1 hour + per day....

We think, go to (b) and if not working, move. Wise words about choices, really indeedy....

MadBad am intrigued as to how you had to rearrange ideas about me ....

Tea - yes, do the joint pressie thing! Make it happen!!!

Daisy - Dunno. Can't put it into words, but I 'spose I didn't visualise you as the sort of gel who was still playing lacrosse virtually at the door of the maternity unit. But then you are married to Indiana Jones, so I should not have been surprised.

Disregard this question if too identifying, but will DaisyBoy's school involve corduroy?

Daisy - while as usual I hate to disagree with MadBad , I think the Head of a school actually can be very important. If the Head is relaxed, flexible, keen on fun and very interested in individual children, at least most of the teachers most of the time have a chance to be the same, wheras if the Head is overtidy and only talks about SATs results, children will probably not have much fun. Of course, you may be most interested in the academic side ... I feel that most of us are intelligent and literate enough to ensure that our children learn to read, write, count, etc, but it is the magical, creative group experiences which are harder to arrange.

Some younger teachers, yes, but don't assume that all young teachers are fun and full of creative ideas. Some are very keen on government initiatives and box ticking and they will not have a lot of experience to bring to unusual children or situations, (Mind, I know at least one teacher in her fifties who is fixated on government initiatives, very tidily-ticked boxes and hammering square pegs into round holes.)

Mistle - was amused at your idea of a 'small school' being one with a one-form intake - I have never worked in anything larger and the school where Wriggle will, I hope, go (split an infinitive, moi?) has 10 in year 1 and the combined mixed age class is well under 30! Don't worry too much about the music/ICT - the total amount if each is probably the same as in any other school. There are rules about such things.

And on another theme, entirely, has anyone seen what Mellors has brought us on the last sleigh load of groceries? What is he thinking??

Madbad - I was mistaken for Milk's Aunty on Sunday. I think the moment to panic is if we get confused for Grandfathers!!! For the record on t'inernet you seem to be an actually extemely very Yummy Mummy to me - (I have always thought you are probably one of the very mysterious Mums from Charlie and Lola's friendship group who we never see cose de Mums are always mumsnetting or shopping for fabulous clothes and cushions)!!!

I am glad IANBU re Christmas!!!

For my our Christmas present I was quite hoping on...

www.lonelyplanet.com/russia/st-petersburg

What do you think? Has anyone beeeeeeeen? Is it good for a few days?

Racing - Please stop banging your tete on the mur. It looks painful.

I don't think there's any wide disagreement between us. What I was groping towards saying, in my usual incoherent way, is that although the headteacher will do a lot (or so one hopes) to set the tone and direction of the school, it does not all begin and end with the head. The rest of the school staff will also be hugely influential (it seems to me) in determining what the children's experience of school will be like. That's why I think a change of head isn't/shouldn't always be a disaster - if the culture of the school is right, it ought to survive the head's departure, especially if the governors have chosen a new head who will build on what's already there instead of demolishing it.

It really does worry me that I portray myself as such a tyrant that everyone must agree with me and concuss themselves when they don't. +

Afternoon all! I have tracked you down at last.

I have no useful input on schools, miniThumb too young as yet.

I too am an ex-lax player but not since school - I wasn't that keen on it. No tracksuit legs for us either, played in all weathers so had cornbeef legs a lot of the time (although we never played in settled snow (SE England, didn't happen that often). Does that give us enough players for a team now?

Love this new tea room - and the hot tubs outside look very inviting, although I'm not sure it's entirely appropriate for Bishops to be doing naked snow angels when they come out of it...

Also went a bit misty over Daisyboy's singing and the WW moment - I had a bit of one of those with miniThumb when he saw his birthday cake with candle alight - his face was such a picture of joy!

welcome to gallusbesombaubles - great name, hope you enjoy it here - it's a lovely place.

All well here - temp too hot, most un-Christmassy and I have had to forego a real tree this year as the only potted specimens yo be found were straggly 4 footers that cost $100 (about £60 at current exchange rate). So we bought a potted one that is a foot high for much less and will try and keep that going - should be usable in about 5 years!

Hope all unwell tearoomers are feeling better now - we have just been informed that a second wave of Swine flu is due to hit Australia and they are making vaccines free for the under 10s. I still have to register with the GP here but am scared about being railroaded into having a pigflu vaccine I don't want. I know they can't force me because it constitutes assault but it's a pita having to put up with the harassment to have it when I don't want it.

Phew, have found you! Will be back later!

I think teachers (and headteachers) that actually talk to the children are important too.

Music/ICT - no, I think that he has the same length lesson of each this year

I had my own misty eyed moment today - nativity play (actually, 'Whoopsadaisy Angel') and mistlechick was on amazingly good form!!!!! He was one of the wise men. Even if I say it myself, he delivered his line the best of the class. He did take his hat off, but put it back on again, and managed to stay relatively still on his seat, with only a bit of swinging of his 'robe'. Personnally, I would have left him (and the other kings and shepherds) with their trousers on underneath their ankle length robes, but at least we weren't all shown which pants he decided to put on this morning . And he was good at singing and carried on with all the words despite what was going on.

Just turned on the television in the corner of the tea room and saw a program called Dusty Bluebells. Reminded me of the only playground rhymes and songs I remember at primary: The Big Ship Sailed On the Alleyoh and My Mummy Told Me I Never Should Play With The Gypsies In The Wood. Maybe we were particularly deprived?

And well done MistleChick. Obviously a great performer in the making.

Gluhwein anyone ? And lebukuchen to go with them.

DS is asleep in the new spare bed (passing of an era, the bed that was in there was DHs first ever double bed, bought when we were newly together, and he was living in a v manky shared house, and it broke when DH and DS were bouncing on it), having declared that he must try out UncleJ's bed. I had brought 'The Miracle of Jonathom Toomey' for him, and it was a good thing that he was entranced by the pictures as tears were rolling down my face all through it.

Sometimes, this time of year makes me think about my lost babies more than I ever do normally . Don't know why really.

RS did you not have skipping rhymes? I wasn't very good at skipping so only really managed at the level of "when its your birthday please jump in, January .... etc" . or "Salt, pepper, mustard vinegar" , there were some rhymes for French elastic I vaguely remember, " Big Ben strikes 10, half an hour late again".
I remember " the big ship" and "in and out the dusty bluebells" but not your gypsy one.

Daisy or whoever it was, CORDROY!!!! for school, don;t the reception class just end up with playdough ground into it never to be removed.

The school here is 30 kid intake, next school ( about 4 miles away & our 2nd choice ) is a 10 child intake and under subscribed.

Please tell me that pritstick style butter was photochop joke.

"No banging heads on the wall.
No using pritt sticks for putting butter on the tea room toast without permission of the management.
The OFSTED Tea Room Inspectors will be here at 9am prompt tomorrow and they expect you all to turn up sober and properly dressed for the occasion, and that includes Mellors. There will be tests on identifying hot crumpet, roly poly and spotted dick"

Madbad, you're not in the least scary etc .

Yes please I'd love a glass of whatever's going. Not that we can in real life thanks to son's social life requiring us to get him from a wide variety of parties at all hours, tsk. Wait till he learns to drive - then it'll be our turn for revenge...

CMOT, probably all the obsession with babies? Sorry you are feeling sad. Wish I could think of something helpful to say. I find it is just worse at some times than others.

Just listening ro Wriggle singing (through gritted teeth and resisting the urge to shout - she should be ASLEEP BY NOW) She broke into her favourite 'Twinkle, twinkle' and I rather liked line 4 "....la la dinosaur on high"

No Uni, was rubbish at skipping - could never even 'jump in on my birthday.