THANK YOU!

I just want to say thank you to all those who took the time to comment about the tea room I will be opening very soon.  (I am trying not to think about how many days it is or I might just have a little panic attack).

You all gave me some great ideas.  There will definitely be homemade cakes - as well as the old favourites, I am looking forward to playing around with what I am growing in my allotment - at the moment, lots of rhubarb.

I am just looking at soy milk (the one I tried curdled for a flat white coffee, but it seemed ok for a cappuccino).  The current menu is very bread heavy, so I am going to try a few salads and lighter things.  Definitely put in more choice for vegetarians and a vegan choice - since becoming vegetarian I am very aware of how meat dominates most menus and it is usually a cheese sandwich or a veggie lasagne for non-meat eaters.  There is never anything suitable for vegans.

Mrs Accidental - that is a great idea about the colouring paper and pencils.

SFT - I completely agree about the menus, they must be clean.  And clean toilets are a must.  My job next weekend is to decorate them.

Lisa - thanks so much for commenting.  Funny you should mention not liking drinking out of clear cups, I had a customer come in the same day and say the same thing.  I have been out and bought a few mugs as I think a lot of people prefer to drink out of mugs.

Kay - if you could point me in the direction of some good vegan/gluten free cake recipes, I would be very grateful.

Thank you also Fostermummy, Jane and Chris, Phillipa Jayne, Sandra, Dannie,  Datacreata (The Peacock Tea Room looks fantastic!), Lissy Lou, Keeping it Simple and Mrs No Spend.  I really appreciate your comments.

You are always welcome to come and have a free cup of tea with me!!!

This is my little place.  It is only small, but I have big plans. 

Exciting Changes

I have been a bit absent of late - I have 'written' lots of Blog posts in my head, but have not had chance to type them up.

The reason my mind has been elsewhere, is that from the beginning of next month I will be running my own tea room.  I have been working in a little tea room in the village since last year, as an opportunity has come up for me to take it over.

Not exactly what I had in mind in my career plan, but it could be good.

So I have been doing lots of planning and thinking about menus and advertising and all the other stuff I hadn't originally thought about - there was me thinking it would just be baking a few extra cakes.

I want to make this the best I can, so I would love some input - do you ever go to tea rooms/cafes etc?  What do you like/dislike about them?  What do you like to see on the menu?    And anything else you can think of that could perhaps help me.

Tonight I am going to be designing the new menu (in between a bit of blog reading).

This is not my tea room, but love the look of it......

Japan and home again

Yesterday I spent a lovely afternoon in Japan, then got home in time for tea. 

Peace and quiet.

This is the lovely Japanese Meditation Gardens which are just down the road from where I live.  It seems rather odd to find this little gem tucked away in a Nottinghamshire village.  

There wasn't a soul around, so I just sat and listened to the bird song.  

A rare treat to just sit and think and do nothing, before heading home to the usual noise and demands of everyday life. 

Ahhhhhh, so relaxed. 

P.S  Thanks for all the messages left on the last post, in fact on all the posts.  I don't always have time to reply, but I read them all and I am very touched that people take time to comment. 

Sad news from the Duck Maternity Ward

We found our poor wild duck dead today.

Pretty Mrs Duck sitting by the bluebells

We thought she might be poorly as she normally comes over and feeds when we go outside, but she had not left her nest for a couple of days.  We put water and food next to her, but she didn't seem interested.

This morning we saw her up and about under the apple trees so thought she might be better.  Then sadly at lunchtime we looked out of the window and saw she was dead.

We were unsure what to do with the nest (partly as it is illegal to move eggs).  We had a look at the eggs and I don't think any were viable (we shone a torch through them and there was no sign of life) I think they might have got cold early on when she first got poorly.

Part of me wanted to try and save the eggs, but it is not for me to do.  This is part of nature.

The children were ever so sad and were struggling with the concept of death.



A sad day in our little garden.

April budget has all gone to pot

It is only the 14th April and already my budget for food for the month has nearly run out.  Ooops.  I have £19 to last me until May.

We have had a very sociable couple of weeks which seems to have eaten all my money.

We had my sister and her family to stay - all of whom eat different things and prefer branded stuff (they came to the wrong house here then!).  We then had an Easter party for 20 people, a dinner party for friends last night, husbands family coming for lunch today and we are out again for dinner tonight.

So my poor food pot is looking very empty.

I am not really complaining as it has been lovely to catch up with so many people.

I shall just have to make the most of what is in the cupboards and freezer. Plus work our way through the stash of Easter eggs that we have been given - I didn't think I would say this, but I think I have gone off chocolate!

Tuesday Morning Quote

'The price of anything is the amount of life you exchange for it'.

Henry David Thoreau

Happy Easter

How I have spent my Easter Sunday.......