Tea Room the Fifteenth - The Viking Hall

[amberlight]

Here we are in the 15th instalment of the Tea Room for the One Child Family board. All are welcome, whether parents of a single splendid offspring or any other number.
We are this time in a Viking Long Hall tearoom, complete with optional helmets, roaring log fires (in case of chilly spring evenings), rugs aplenty, and all the usual mod cons of life as well.
Our Viking tea room contains Mellors the gardener/handyperson with a talent for relaxing massage (amongst a variety of other characters including Bishops, camels, bison, horses, guinea pigs, dogs, etc etc for reasons that would take too long to explain but you're welcome to read the other Tea Room threads and prepare to have your mind thoroughly boggled). Plenty of tea/coffee/cake/virtual bolly always on offer.
Join us, relax, chat, enjoy.

Do I apply for the only part time job that I have seen this year (Science teacher) that is even vaguely within reach? It is an hours drive each way (if traffic is goot)or just over an hours train journey with 10 mins walk this end and 40 mins the other end.

Supply teaching is no longer working. Short term supply is almost non existent now that cover supervisors are prevalent. Long term supply is mostly full time (which I would find hard to do) and I might as well find a permanent full time job - but would find that really hard to do on top of the housework, the garden and DS

donki I don't know what to advise, having a job with huge amounts of flexibility and lot of home working, and within 30-35 minutes biking distance.

But it does strike me that if you are adding a minimum of 2 hours' travel on then you might be turning a part-time job into (almost) a full-time one - and it would depend very much on how the hours were distributed through the week. If you had to travel 2-3 days a week then that would be bearable in term time, but if it's every day (and I guess you have to add in parents' evenings, meetings, training days) then you'd probably struggle. So I'd say apply if the teaching is blocked in a way to make it manageable. Would you have to pay for childcare? Or could you work around DS?

I'm so so lucky (though the downside is that I end up working after dinner a lot of the time)

An hour each way DOES sound a bit much - how desperate are you to work?

Have to say, on the subject of working in smelly sheds, I'm hypersensitive to smell and wouldn't be keen on even the faintest whiff of horse poo!

Still have 2 sick kids... spent most of the night cuddling DS, who, in addition to being incredibly hot and ill, had dreamed that a crack had opened in the wall (he's recently started watching Dr Who!)

Mary sorry about sickies...they are very very large sheds - can accommodate about 2000 poor wee souls hungover students. Massive. Scary.

My DP had tonsilitis a lot as a child and spent a great deal of time watching wobbly walls...

I"m not doing very well with the minutes, am I? Woke up very early this morning (not DD's fault - she snoozed until 7.45 ) so feel wiped out now

Donki - I applied for some jobs an hour or so away; I am very glad that I didn't get them and only have a 30 min drive. It depends how desperate you are.

Am having slight wobbly moment as Wriggle tonight said that she did not want a bottle of milk before bed (I know I know; she's three ). She started having a bottle when I stopped BF in the attempt to conceive Wriggle2 when she was about 13 months and now has decided to grow up! Actually it will be rather less embarrassing when off staying with sensible friends/relatives over the summer, but still ....

CMOT, supportive arm rub.

SmallBunch, don't go off, just restrict yourself too safe places; here, obviously, chicken keepers, the odd foray into recipes when lacking inspiration, a quick look in at bilingualism ... and back here for a top up.

Thumb, keep hold of that doctor!

UniS, I think your food combining ideas work.

Chicken keepers? Bilingualism? I doubt that either of those would have me ....!

Oh dear, Racing. All these little Rubicons to cross. I remember the lump in my throat.

Thumb's doctor does sound lovely. I hope Jacksmama's was equally lovely to her. Has anyone seem Jacksmama recently?

Thanks all. And a supportive rub to Racing - all these growing up points can be strangely emotive.

Will be racing back from foreign climes to vote. I was explaining about the election to DS the other day, and he asked if he could be in charge of the country. One day, I said..

I have seen JM on FB, and she is v busy, and was feeling a bit down the other day, but is OK

RS - I had a sob when I got into work on mistlechick's first day in reception. FGS, he'd been at the same school for a year!!!

CMOT - I was so glad that ds managed not to arrive 2 wks early but just one - my first edd was also the last chemo injection I had - which really put the dampners on the day so know exactly how you're feeling (((hugs)))

Tea also seems to be missing, I hope that she found the pebbles that we laid out to show the way...

TW - well done for going, and good news

Amber - sounds a very 'interesting' event, and I'm glad you're not flapping quite so much in the priest hole. Probably with ds's exams, that's not helping you - added tension etc.

Mary - given what you do re church, perhaps a discussion with someone to say that you're having to think about whether you should move and if things don't improve you will have to ... whilst it might be difficult doing something like this through school, church might be a different kettle of fish (ifyswim) - most parents would be horrified to know that their child was making someone seriously consider uprooting school, church etc. But I would also see if dd is a bit friendly with anyone else at school and see if that friendship can be encouraged - those girls don't sound to be good material for friends - just need them to stop being horrid.

Donki - do you know any other science teachers? Is there any chance you could do a job share with someone - how about applying for full-time jobs but asking to do as a job share - I'm not sure how this works - but there must be others out ther ein the same situation as you.

Smallbunch - just stick around here - doesn't take up too much time that way!

MT - thanks for the suggestion, it is very difficult though, because of who the parents are though, IYSWIM. I wonder if part of the girl's problem is that her mother has gone back to full time work and her father works silly hours anyway, and this is her way of dealing with it? If it comes to it, that's what I'll have to say, but I can see it causing all sorts of problems. Relationships are never easy, give me a computer any day!

Kids are both sick, have made an appt at the Drs. They were both up in the night, DS's cheeks were almost too hot to touch! I wish I knew where I put that thermometer...

Mistlechick was up at 10.45 with a bad dream and a headache - but luckily calpol worked its magic (and he didn't even come into my bed until 6.20 - result!). I can't tell whether the slightly warm forhead this mornign is illness or just him jumping around as usual. Hope your two get better asap.

MAry hope your DCs are better. I am with your DS though, I dreamt about cracks in the wall and I don't have a fever - it was the EYE that did it.... and the creeping up behind ....

CMOT oh, here's a day late but full of love hug. we are seriously thinking Womad, but DH will want to come too - would that be a problem?

TW no arms up ra ra ra is wrong. Maybe the Aus are worried they'll fall off the bottom of the earth

Saw Nick Clegg. In the playground. I think he was after the swing voters (HA HA HA HA HA HA !!!) I told OxBoy "that man wants to be Prime Minister and lead the country" he said "why" which was impossible to answer!

Small Bunch I have thought "Emmeline" and marked my cross, makes bog all difference here, but it's the principle. I mean not many people have gone under a horse for me... I still feel wibbly with the responsibility...

DLMC your job sounds very helpful. I do know the after hours work jag though

Donki hard to say about the job, I think the work blocks would be important. A good friend of mine got her teaching job "flexed" when she went back after maternity. First year fine, lumped into two and a 1/2 days but now its spread over 4 and the travel is such she spends much of her "off" time lurking in the schoool.....

JM come and tell us about your bits

I think tea is off being Paris in the Springtime....

AandO wondered if you were having a better week with O

Mistle hope chick is better

Racing I know that sob - remember when Tea told us parenting was separation by a thousand cuts? I still choke on that... there is a book about a dad teaching his daughter to cycle and I can't get to the end of it without howling

Love and kisses to all, Amber here is a lovely piece of cake lowered into the priesthole, the rest is on the side with a pot of coffee

UniS I might rename you HestonUni

DS got an A for his drama exam with the bath, swimming goggles, fake blood etc etc!

Lentil and vegetable soup with spiced rolls today.

Vikings on standby for those needing rowing to other continents.

Donki, 1 hr each way can so easily become 2hrs with roadworks. Imagine roadworks in mid winter in the driving slush and dark...if it still seems like a splendid plan, go for it?

Mary, hoping the doc has some good ideas re the children...eek

Smallbunch - no wandering off. Perfectly good distressed Viking sofa to recline on in a "I'm not on mumsnet really" sort of way.

Hello everyone else. Have a cuppa.

Fantastic Amber - many congratulations to Amberboy the wonderful Actor!!!

wonderful news Amber and you sound a bit more chipper too

What does a chipper sound like?

Its very noisy. I have got ear muffs for dh and I when we're using it in the garden - and mistlechick is not allowed anywhere near...

Quite noisy actually - they usually feed left over Christmas trees into them, once they (the trees) have served their purpose...

DC have both been put on antibiotics. DS chucked up in the Drs office, but i was "on hand" as it were to catch it before it hit the floor ...

amber - hurrah for the Fine Lad and his A! your props obviously made it easier for him but fantastic news.

Mary - and re. DC, especially DS.

RS - sympathy re. wibble moments - I'm getting DS's hair cut again next week and every time I do he looks more and more grown up - and it makes me a bit teary every time. Silly me.

I am glad I am not in the UK and don't have to decide where to stick my cross, tbh. I missed the 1997 election too (was in HK that time) although then I would have been voting Labour - the next two elections were much harder - I "wasted" my vote by voting Green in a massively Tory area. Had to vote with my conscience because it wouldn't have made a blind bit of distance anyway.

At least I'll find out the election results at a decent hour tomorrow rather than having to sit up late at night like I always used to!

Don't mention looking grown up after a hair cut. It's the cut plus the sudden vulnerability of the neck

Evening all - did you know there was a small polling station round the back of the viking hall? I've voted for Mellors. He's standing on a massages and free weeding service for all platform. In fact he's standing on an actual platform and isn't dressed entirely appropriately for the weather. I think there may have been other candidates, I didn't really pay much attention.

Racing, DD also 'gave up' a bedtime bottle at 3. And when I say 'gave up' I mean 'we took her to stay overnight with her grandparents while we had a night out, forgot the bottle and left them to deal with the fallout'. There was no fallout.

I voted for Mellors too, I managed to avoid the VNP (Viking National Party), the candidate was rather threatening! The VIP (Viking Independence Party) were also making a stand, but were only talking to other Vikings.

Kids are both on antibiotics - fortunately the taste wasn't too horrible for DS - otherwise it would have been a REAL job getting him to take it!

I'm back - just as it turned lovely and sunny where I was. Flight delayed for an hour and a half as two stag parties had been fighting on the outward flight and had to be arrested.
DH departed for up north as soon as I got back, and DS and I went to vote. DS wants to be in charge, so look forward to his name on the ballot in 16 years time.

We have new floor, but no furniture downstairs again yet, so am in bed with a flask of tea, a bowl of misshape chocolates, and my laptop. Bliss

Congratulations to the fine lad Amber - do you tell him that the strange women in the computer send their congratulations ?

I'd look for a jobshare too Donk - that commute would really put me off.

Bolly and a straw anyone ? And the other 1kg of chocolate misshapes are joining the tearoom, and not my bed..

Many thanks for all your words of wisdom. The problem is that I have tried applying for jobs on a job-share or part-time basis (with no job share partner) and failed entirely to find a job share partner to apply with...

OTH I remember thinking that commuting (pre-Donkboy) 35 mins each way was a PITA, especially when roadworks made it into 60 mins!

I don't know what to do!

I too cast my vote for Mellors - entirely because of the manifesto commitment to massage, weeding and tango lessons and nothing at all to do with the absence of his shirt. Well, it was quite sunny at the time and he did have a very fetching purple rosette stuck to his manly chest.

Would anyone like to try my new cocktail - the Universal Suffering Suffrage? It's made of

Campari
Blue Curacao
Yellow Chartreuse
Creme de Menthe
Creme de Cassis

I can honestly say it's like nothing else I've ever tasted.

I would say it certainly would taste interesting, Smallbunch!

I have memories of a Uni cocktail party - we made 3, a blue one, a red one and a white one. Each bucket contained at least 3 spirits. We decided the best one was actually a combo of the blue and red one = purple - so at least 6 spirits. I was verrrrrrry sick - 2 day hangover.