Tea room 16 welcome to Shangri-la

[UniS]

Shangri-la = a hidden valley with beautiful views and crystal streams of course, and some inter-far eastern type of chalet things set around a Serene Courtyard with ever-blooming Japanese cherry trees, lots of refreshing fragrant teas, silk cushions, tinkling tiny waterfalls and bonsai trees, Gardens of Tranquillity etc.

Home to teh 16th Tea room, a haven for those with one or more or less children who like cake, tea, talking nonsense and oggling Mellors ( our handyman/ butler). If its your first vist, pull up a cushion .Mind out for the guinea pigs and other pets and do take care not to squash the teeny tiny naked mowhawk babies ( nmbs
, no longer naked and now toilet trained you will glad to hear)as they go about their duties helping Mellors.

Confused... come on, jump in and have a hot chocolate.

Yes, if they automatically renew it, it should be on a direct debit - so ask your bank for a list of your DDs. If no joy there, then DH says to google Midlive - they will tell you if you are insured, and can track the policy.

Small -- sorry, I can't find my sheet on edible fires, but I have found this on the web. Also this has lots of websites. The first link is pretty similar to how I would do it. Obviously I substitute treats/items with what I can find in the UK. Also, and I know the website mentions it, but I always "clear the land" (give a plate), have a fire bucket (cup of juice or water) and set up my fire circle or cooking space (rocks/bricks).

Google found 82,000 (or maybe 82,000,000) results, many suggesting that I have a mid-life crisis. Any more clues?

Checking direct debits is a good idea, but it will involve lots of telephoning and I have to go and get Wriggle from nursery. It's her birthday today! She is wearing fleecy boots she found yesterday in the Spare Shoes Box, which we have designated Birthday Shoes and French Niece has been renovating a dolls house we found at the tip.

(Happy Birthday, Wriggle!)

RS, I think you'll be needing www.askmid.com/ Motor Insurance Database. It tells you for free if your car is indeed insured, but if you need more detail it looks like you have to pay. Cheaper than duplicate car insurance, though...

Happy Birthday Wriggle!!!

Scout, I'm not sure, but having just gotten thoroughly windswept and more than a little damp coming back from the shops, I'm hoping for a return to summer very pronto.

Happy Birthday Wriggle!!!

Racing - I think that you'll find its called 'recycling' and is quite the done thing

Have, I think, done final planning for tearoom meet up down south with UniS - I THINK we're meeting on Tuesday... in an email I have suggested 10.30ish, but if that's no good I'm going to hope to catch up with that on here - althoguh that depends on the dial-up signal....

I managed to pack in 38mins last night - except I also did the washing up and moved the chinchilla's into their cage, and put the dishwasher on in the same time - so probably a bit less than 38mins.... I wonder what I've forgotten. The camera. Never mind! [MT goes off to look for the instructions for her new phone on the internet as she's left the instruction book behind too]

Happy Birthday Wriggle! Love the fleecy boots thought and the renovated dolls' house - far better than a new build, y'know, a house with character. Hope M. Serpent is on good form.

Minithumb and I went to an indoor play centre
today - the first time I have ventured into one! Noisy, aren't they.. Still, he had a good time and that's the main thing!

MT and UniS are meeting up now, hey? It's catching!

We're off to the Blue Mountains this weekend for my birthday - three days away (including Monday) - it's going to be great! But no internet so I won't be posting anything between Saturday and Tuesday.

CMOT -- In case you're on-line while at your conference, I found this today in one of the online Philly papers and thought it might interest you: restaurants Tell my fellow citymen "hello!" for me.

!!!!HAPPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR WRIGGLE!!!!

Another DH-less dinner tonight. Anyone fancy fish 'n chips with me?

Ate my dinner alone and am now watching Big Love. Should be cleaning or something but am enjoying an hour of Scout-tv time.

How lovely and peaceful to eat supper alone.

Wriggle thanks all for their good wishes. When the present box was opened, what seemed to come out was a real tame squirrel, uncannily like the one we followed down the road on out way to nursery this morning, with Wriggle shouting 'I want it! Drive after it quick, Mummy!'

In RL she spent quite a while at her party in the garden pouring water in and out of the plastic glasses M.Snake bought to save on washing up, ignoring her presents, breaking off only to state 'I want four candles on my cake 'cos I'm fwee.' M.Snake had a pancake party, allowing all the children the chance to mix them and toss them, using every plate in the kitchen and then washing them up!

(Scout wonders why, not for the first time, does the baby in Big Love have a newborn cap on when it's clearly sitting up/weaning and it's in UTAH in the spring/summer where it's warm/hot.)

(So very bored!)

UNis thinks scout has too much time on her hands if she is worrying about baby hat fashions in Utah. Its Utah for heaven sake, even I know they are a little bit odd in utah.

Evening all. as its piddling down out there, shall we gather under round the fire pit in one of our pavilions and watch teh rain drip off those over hanging eves, the little streams gurgle merrily across teh courtyard and into teh pool and the cherry trees drinking deeply. and rejoice we are not out in it.

You know, I've never seen an edible fire before. Yes, chocolate banana is banana boats, just a different name.

Today I made meringues, and they stayed white, hurrah. I think teh trick was using half icing sugar and half castor. I'm celebrating the end of a work project, did a last couple of hours on it this morning, then spent the rest of me "work day" playing with teh bosses new freelander and hunting for geo caches.

A very happy birthday to la Belle Wriggle!

Ooh, is Big Love that thing about Mormons a polygamous household? We used to watch it. I think SmallBloke saw it as a warning.

I want to watch my new Monty Python box set , another MN-inspired purchase, but the DVD player has gone into a sulk, so SmallBloke is now poking it with a stick while I get on with important MNing work.

Would anyone care for a soupcon of Bolly?

Yes please to a bolly!

And yes, Big Love is about the polygamous Mormon household. I have the boxed sets on DVD -- get them every Thanksgiving as a treat for myself. DH doesn't "get it" so tend to watch it when I'm home alone. And yes, they're a bit odd in Utah. Had friends that lived there for a while, but they were from Idaho originally. Even there is a bit different. Beautiful part of the country, though!

Edible fires were something I used to do regularlly with my girls in Philly and my girls in Minnesota when I lived there. I introduced them to my unit here and now they've become one of those "yearly" activities we do ever summer term in preparation for outdoor cooking night and summer camp. It's good fun.

Asked Mom to order an Advent Calendar for BabyScout. It's a reusable one and think he'll use it until at least part way through primary school.

MT- thanks for e-mail. Yes to timing. fab to pudding. I'll not make ham sandwiches then
Ironing?? what is this ironing of which you speak. I never iron.

Slightly bigger bossy boy- fantastic, they should get on just fine.

PS- MT again

No bolly, but lashings of ginger beer should be possible.

Boxed sets? It must have run for longer than I realised - I think we saw one, maybe two, series.

They're either currently showing or just finished the fourth season on HBO. I only saw one season on UK tv. I have seasons one through three on DVD.

Today's bottles washed and sterilized, the overnight and early morning ones prepared; check prepared to drop off at the leisure center (Aquababes again in the autumn -- BabyScout loves his swimming!); checks written for Guide camp shirts and finale program; DH still not home. Really want to go to bed but starting to get a bit concerned.

Wish I knew who the panelists on Question Time are.... I'm usually clued in and know who most of the people are but feeling stupid tonight.

Happy birthday wriggle!! Lo she is very close to oxboy in birthday save a year apart c
glad she liked the squirrel and m. Snake sounds dreamy today
how did the money box go down tea? Great idea. Personally i thought milk q delight
small you know your DVD pplayer isn't broken it's just a very naughty boy

As it's quiet tonight, I've asked DJ Mellors to set the glitter balls spinning and put a few kicking choons on the decks.

Oh. Crossed post. Am coming home from work now Scout so if I see your dh I'll tell him to hurry