Fishy request

Day off today, and time to go the library, bank & obligatory charity shop.
Yes. Another pin tray, another teapot. Two more plates.
I was reminded when I opened up this morning of our strangest jacket potato filling-combo yet.
It was yesterday. Sunday lunch.
It was so strange that I thought the order must be wrong. I sought out the 20-something man to check whether Jacket Potato with Tuna Mayonnaise and Chilli really was what he wanted?
Jennifer said this morning that she never had liked that surf 'n' turf.

Salad Shirking

Of the many who ordered our homecooked-ham-salad-with-new-potatoes yesterday, two had amendments to make.
The first was a lady in her thirties: Ham salad please, but forget the salad.
Did she just want the ham and new potatoes? Yep. Can't stand rabbit food, she said.
Not even tomatoes, a little cucumber? I moved gently. Nope. Won't eat it. It would be a waste.
The second was an older man: Ham salad, please. No lettuce.
He would have all the salad except the leaf variety.
Not allowed it, he said. He looked downcast.
He'd cheered up by the time he came back for two slices of coffee and walnut cake.

Young Shoulders

Strange day.
Blue skies, then showers then blue again and a group of sponsored walkers who covered a 6 miles circular walk from the tea rooms.
Apparently the Court featured in the Telegraph gardening section yesterday and in a Times competition a couple of weeks ago. Whatever next?
Overheard this weekend...
Dad: This is the best scone in the world.
Son (aged around 9): How do you know? You haven't tried them all yet.

Dampener

The busy week has just ground to a halt.
I've nipped home to print off the next staff rota because there is just one family of four enjoying paninis as I write (at least I hope they're enjoying them). They came in sodden and complaining that their waterproofs were not.
Yesterday was a favourite day. The warm afternoon brought families in straight from school pick-up. There was a feeling of reunion about the place. Lots of people knew each other and the kids all wanted cake and cheese scones.
A local artist has brought in a print she's done of Lady Rachel. Our garden belonged to the Lady in question when she lived at the Court. Anne (artist) has painted her from a photograph and says she looks terribly sad, though she's tried to perk her up a bit. Anne also told me that Lady Rachel drowned in the Irish Sea.
I'll go back now. The sky is brightening so perhaps a few more folks will venture out....

All the Tea in China

I have to admit to an addiction. It's become clear over the past few months that I can't pass a charity shop without checking whether it has any bone china. At first it was just tea plates. Then it became cake stands (very few and far between), then bread and butter plates.
Then it was entire tea sets, often missing a jug, or a sugar bowl, or with a chipped cup or cracked saucer. I didn't care. I'd buy the lot.
Since the tea rooms reopened on April 1st I haven't been near a hospice shop, or an RSPCA outlet, or an Age Concern boutique. I thought I had it under control.
Today I had a day off. Oh dear. I hit three different towns and four different shops and discover that my addiction is stronger than ever. Now I'm searching the shelves for teapots and, here's a new thing entirely, little pin trays.
The tea paraphernalia I can pass off as a business need. But bone china pin trays?
They're so beautiful though.

To each his own

Another great Bank Holiday when the coffee drinkers came early:
"Are you open yet? I've brought my 92 year old mother" was first in. He thinks the whole country is in better form since the Royal Wedding on Friday.
Then the lunch takers came. I congratulated everyone who came before midday on their wisdom of arriving ahead of the crowd.
Then came the crowd to test my eleven strong team.
The most frustrating customer (who of course is still always right) is the one who stands in the queue waiting for his order to be taken, then when asked doesn't know what he wants. Or the one who sends a small child out at that very moment to ask whether mum wants tea or coffee.
Actually all the customers, without exception, were very pleasant today. One family had even brought rugs to sit on the lawn in case there wasn't an available table. Which there wasn't.
We reunited a pair of glasses with one customer and an ipod touch with another.
Yesterday I heard one woman telling another that redbush tea is disgusting and she can't work out why anyone would want to drink it.
Today a couple told me that they judge a tearoom as good only if it stocks redbush.
Phew.

In Tiers

A Sunday to be reckoned with. Another bright, warm, busy one.
Customers included a couple on an internet date. How do I know?
He came in to order for her and asked whether we had biscuits. I pointed out the little bags of shortbread rounds made by Angela and he looked perplexed:
"Doesn't she like shortbread?" I asked.
"To be honest," said he, "I don't know what she likes."
And told me the story.
There was a request for a decaf earl grey which I couldn't fulfil.
And another to buy six slices of the ham we'd given them for lunch as it was the best they'd ever tasted. Which I could.
We were also visited by the Bride and Groom from our afternoon tea wedding in June together with her mum and dad, sister, grandparents, aunt and uncle and the photographer and his girlfriend. The last time they were at the tea rooms the garden was covered with snow. This time it was in full sunshine and she brought me a photo of a cake which she'd like to have on the day. Two levels of sponge sandwiched with cream, strawberries and blueberries. Looks delicious, very girly and not in the least bit fattening.
I am now getting almost daily requests from people who want to buy our tiered cake stands. Perhaps I should have a sideline....
Tomorrow is yet another Bank Holiday.
I'm going in early, although I sense that even if I were to go in now I wouldn't be fully prepared for what's to come.