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!

Mellors looks uncannily like Mr Darcy, particularly when he's been taking Earl Grey for a gallop on the beach, but its not really the right climate for Earl Grey round here - we'll have to wait for the tearoom to find somewhat less chilly climes for more Mr Darcy impressions. Although Mellors does seem to do a good job letting his shirt unbutton when he's splitting logs for the fire here in the tearoom....

Ooh. I've just been googling him You knew, I guess, that he's an only child?

its like fate

We ought to compile a list of handsome inspirational only children some day. For now, the only other famous only child I can think of (dear to many MNers' hearts) is Johnnie Boden.

We ought to compile a list of handsome inspirational only children some day. For now, the only other famous only child I can think of (dear to many MNers' hearts) is Johnnie Boden.

What's with all the double posts tonight?

LOL at MadBad's double posts.

Glad to see you all haven't frozen or been snowed in - I've seen pictures of the U.K. under its blanket of white... looks like Canada!!!

bum bum bum. boys preschool is shut today, so I have no childcare, so I can;t go to work.

looks like another day of playing in teh snow and seeing if we can cadge a sledge.

oh UniS, how sad for you. I feel for you, I really do!

It's been raining here again - hurrah - much prefer it like this tbh.

MrThumb is starting to get concerned that it will still be snowing when I get to England but I bet it isn't.

Hi Panda! Hope you enjoyed your relaxing massage with the Man of Your Choice (I'm voting for MadBad's understanding of him, myself..)

Snow and more snow. Ran out of places to shovel it to. There's literally mountains of it. Just amazing, considering this is the damp and boring bit of the Thames Valley/Oxon borders where Nothing Exciting Happens weatherwise.

I'm putting the kettle on and encouraging Mellors to get the Husky teams out for later.

Amazing isn't it Amber - my parents live in the thames valley (south oxon/west berks border), and they literally never have snow. Can count the number of times on my hands. Yet they have loads currently.

Dug DH's car out this morning, and deposited DS at nursery, DH currently shovelling drive so that his isn't sitting on the road, and that we have a chance of getting mine out

I see he's already harnessed up some reindeer so that we can have a more sedate outing whilst gearing up for the huskies.

Mistlechick's school has reopened for today so I've not had to take the morning off to field small children (probably nearby school friend and their sister as well as MC) whilst dh goes to an interview. (Please cross fingers ladies, we could REALLY do with this one - in same city, not too far from where I work, not bad pay, certainly would help out and also help with dh's general attitude at the mo....)

hot chocolate and banana muffins anyone???

Ooo, fingers and everything else crossed for your dh, MT. Yes please for the hot choc and muffin

CMOT, good luck with the efforts to get the car out. This is where having a driveway that slopes up towards the road is Not Handy, we find.

amber - us too - Dh had to give me a push the other day as the car couldn't get any traction on the compacted ice. Mass exodus from work to go an push a colleague up the hill in the car park as she'd got stuck!

crosses fingers for MistleHusband

Meanwhile, Mr DCMB has gone to work, taking a mere half hour to get there on his bike (it took me well over an hour on foot yesterday). The car is still abandoned on the road that leads to our road - there is traffic moving now, but I'm still very wary of trying to get the car out, I'm only going to do it to get somewhere as I don't think I could get it up the drive even if I could get it up the road. In a bit of a quandary as DH has a day off booked tomorrow anyway, which he's going to take, I'm assuming school will be closed, so I could go to work ... but how? I won't cycle, DH cycles every day so is a bit more expert than me. Don't really want to risk the car, and don't want to walk again (my knee hurts!) I could stay at home and do some online training I've been meaning to finish for ages, but while that would mean I wouldn't have to take so much leave it wouldn't get any actual work done. Hm. I move to a new job at the start of February, I don't want to be held back because I haven't finished this one!

On (I think) a more positive note, DD is having her friend over for a sleepover tonight! Little friend is, I hope, currently having a nap as she has a heart condition and is usually well ready for bed at 7, while DD was awake at 9 last night. Exciting! I think ...

Mistlechick was awake at 8, 9.15 and 10.30 last night....complaining about head ache and tummy ache and not asleep (very unusual - normally very lucky and can get him in bed by 6,30 and not hear from him until 6,30 the next morning).

Feedback from interview - apparently went OK, and they want someone to start asap - and dh did get there when the weather's bad, so proves that he is willing to make an effort... Hope to hear positively soon.

DCMB - don't cycle - not safe. If its not safe to take the car out and you can't get there any other way, don't go!

Fingers very firmly crossed MT.

Do the online training, and any other admin things that you can DCMB. Don't cycle if you don't normally.

Drive shovelled, pavement cleared, and ridges in road flattened. DHs car moved successfully - just as I was going to start my complicated reverse to put it back (DH at the ready to push if req), a number of neighbours trundled along to gossip with DH - v offputting.

am now fed up to back teeth with boy. Whiney stroppy, lazy child. currently taking 15 mins to wash his hands. I WANT TO GO OUTSIDE he doesn't.

STarting to wonder if working every thursday is helping to keep me sane as I get a day away from boy by doing so. If preschoolis shut tomorrow I'll go bananas.

DS here was temporarily overjoyed to find school is still to be closed tomorrow, then dismayed that he's still going to have to log on to the remote server and actually do some work (tee hee hee).

just told DH I had gritted bottom of drive ( ours slopes up from road, fairly steep) and after telling me it was naughty to use council grit from grit box to do so he said " you did shovel the snow off first? " "er, no" I replied, " you have the spade, I wasn't going to do it with a garden trowel."

I've worked out WHAT is annoying me so much about boy today. He is constantly saying mummmy, mummy, and wanting to know where I am, but shouting rather than bothering to come and find me. Also being utterly hopeless at self care, no attempt to get self dressed, coat on or off, wash own hands etc.

Give it a year UniS - and he'll be even worse!!! (at least, some of the time, based on Mistlechick!!!)(sometimes he can be remarkably independant...) We had got to the stage where we put his breakfast bowl with cereal out for him, and his cup with juice concentrate (Suma before you all jump up and down) and he could get the milk out of the fridge and poor it on, add water to his juice and take them all into the sitting room and watch cbeebies for an hour or so before we had to get up on morning at the weekend (provided his 'alarm' had gone off). Now we seem to get woken up by 'my alarm hasn't gone off yet' (growled response - why are you up then), 'I need a wee' (well, go then) and 'is it breakfast time' (has your alarm gone off - if not its not breakfast time then).

ANd work definitely kept me sane. Don't be ashamed about it!

My sympathies, that is the sort of behaviour guaranteed to get on your nerves.

Oh wow - isn't panda a fun loving chick!!!??? Welcome welcome!

HELLO all!!!

Tonight has been one of those crazy nights... the dog somehow got painted blue when we made a start on making Milk's Thank you cards so needed a bath which meant the entire apartment got one too and then a shower when she started shaking. Now Milk is currently sitting on a towel completely naked covering herself toptotoe with body lotion rationed by me in milk lids and put on in thick tribal patterns!

That sounds fun Tea? How did the first bath (I presume it was the first bath?) go? Mistledog is a very happy swimmer in rivers, but hates baths - although she does just stand in the bath and look miserable. Better than my parents' collie/terrier cross who used to leap out like a slithery salmon whenever she had the opportunity - and she was really slippery!

And how are you going to deal with the excess body lotion?

The body lotion was well rationed so it is fine!

The dog's bath was the second one... first one was on account of over excitement and going to the toilet at once - Actually the bath is fine - just used Milk's baby bath!

Milk is now sitting on the sofa dressed up as a fairy 'reading'. The story says "Once apon a time they were freinds. Lets all go to the exibition. This exhibition is no good lets go home and eat honey. And so they ate honey in September and went to school. Honey is so delicious!