Sara works with toddlers on a Monday and at the tea rooms on a Friday. She's great with kids. I overheard her today: "have you been caught in that naughty rain?" she asked. The middle aged couple looked a little taken aback, and I didn't hear their reply. I don't even know if they stayed.
My favourite customer today was a lady on a diet. She ordered coffee and searched her bag for sweeteners and asked her husband whether she could allow herself a little milk. He sighed and smiled and said that he didn't think a drop of milk would make a difference given that she was about to eat a large slice of chocolate cake.
Friday, 30 April 2010
Thursday, 29 April 2010
Ramblers
We made £70.50 for the charity. Pam, the radio reporter, showed up at 1020. I made us coffee and hoped someone else would turn up. She was to go on air at 1110 (with whom? Me, Nancie and the ice cream delivery man? Did that count as a coffee morning?) Just in time the cavalry arrived in the form of friends and two ladies who'd heard about it on the radio. We had a mini party. We talked about gaffes and Nancie told her radio audience how she was hugged by Adrian Chiles.
Pam stayed on, mining the rich seam of "good talkers" willing to give her some material for the Bank Holiday weekend programmes.
Then the rain came, and groups of very wet walkers arrived for coffee. And stayed for lunch. Then stayed on for tea, still dripping all over the carpet.
Two ladies were meeting for their annual catch up. One had driven up from Somerset this morning, the other down from Cheshire. Our place was about half way, they thought.
Someone rang this afternoon to ask if we could handle 40 pensioners for Sunday morning coffee. I think I'm going to need more help.
Pam stayed on, mining the rich seam of "good talkers" willing to give her some material for the Bank Holiday weekend programmes.
Then the rain came, and groups of very wet walkers arrived for coffee. And stayed for lunch. Then stayed on for tea, still dripping all over the carpet.
Two ladies were meeting for their annual catch up. One had driven up from Somerset this morning, the other down from Cheshire. Our place was about half way, they thought.
Someone rang this afternoon to ask if we could handle 40 pensioners for Sunday morning coffee. I think I'm going to need more help.
Wednesday, 28 April 2010
The answer, my friend (2).
Gordon Brown has certainly made me feel better about my riff-raff comment.
A quieter day which dawned with another call from BBC Hereford and Worcester. We are now hosting a coffee morning to raise funds for the Noah's Ark Trust. TOMORROW. A radio car and reporter are being sent at 1030. I pointed out that we may not be very busy (given that we don't open til 11) and have spent the rest of the day urging friends to turn up.
I met a new dilemma this afternoon. What does one do when a man ordering coffee bends slightly to look at the cakes in the display cabinet and ...well...breaks wind? I chose to ignore it, as did he, but I must look up whether there is any protocol to observe in such cases.
A quieter day which dawned with another call from BBC Hereford and Worcester. We are now hosting a coffee morning to raise funds for the Noah's Ark Trust. TOMORROW. A radio car and reporter are being sent at 1030. I pointed out that we may not be very busy (given that we don't open til 11) and have spent the rest of the day urging friends to turn up.
I met a new dilemma this afternoon. What does one do when a man ordering coffee bends slightly to look at the cakes in the display cabinet and ...well...breaks wind? I chose to ignore it, as did he, but I must look up whether there is any protocol to observe in such cases.
Tuesday, 27 April 2010
Highlights
Today was a proper day off. I dropped off the bread, turned on the coffee machines and left Sue, Mary and Jennifer to it. I went to have my hair "done". BBC Radio Shropshire rang. They were doing a feature on things to do on Bank Holiday weekend and a listener had suggested Witley Court. Would I talk to them on air about it? I sat outside Staples in my car (I needed more order sheets. I do not get my hair done at Staples) and waffled on at length about the glory of the gardens and the fountain and the scones. Unfortunately I may also have said something about keeping out the riff-raff which apparently didn't sound ironic.
At the weekend I'm now expecting either a] lots of angry Shropshire folk who think I've insulted them to descend on the tea rooms wielding banners or b] that no Shropshire folk ever cross the threshold again.
Last week a man on holiday told me our coffee was the best in Shropshire. I gently pointed out that we're in Worcestershire.
At the weekend I'm now expecting either a] lots of angry Shropshire folk who think I've insulted them to descend on the tea rooms wielding banners or b] that no Shropshire folk ever cross the threshold again.
Last week a man on holiday told me our coffee was the best in Shropshire. I gently pointed out that we're in Worcestershire.
Monday, 26 April 2010
Salad Daze
Another first - the first coach party in for lunch. Forty six folks from the Childswickham Evergreens.
They were due at 1215.
They arrived at 1045. Cue panic as the Evergreens ordered 5 cappuccinos at a time, and three members of the coffee making team hadn't yet arrived (nb arrival time).
One lady ordered two espressos for herself and a friend. I have to say I was pretty impressed. She didn't look like someone who'd down a shot of caffeine in a gulp. When I delivered the doll-size cups to her table she looked astonished. "I didn't realise it would be so small" she said. I asked if she'd prefer a filter? Yes, she would.
They all went off to see the church and the grounds and then trickled in for lunch. Of the forty six (plus driver) Freda and George made 32 ham-salads-served-with-new-potatoes in rapid succession.
Thankfully both Freda and George drink espresso.
They were due at 1215.
They arrived at 1045. Cue panic as the Evergreens ordered 5 cappuccinos at a time, and three members of the coffee making team hadn't yet arrived (nb arrival time).
One lady ordered two espressos for herself and a friend. I have to say I was pretty impressed. She didn't look like someone who'd down a shot of caffeine in a gulp. When I delivered the doll-size cups to her table she looked astonished. "I didn't realise it would be so small" she said. I asked if she'd prefer a filter? Yes, she would.
They all went off to see the church and the grounds and then trickled in for lunch. Of the forty six (plus driver) Freda and George made 32 ham-salads-served-with-new-potatoes in rapid succession.
Thankfully both Freda and George drink espresso.
Sunday, 25 April 2010
Steel
Becky wrote a shopping list for me today. It had one item on it: knives.
We wrapped loads of knives in preparation for two private gatherings. One was a Christening - Rich and Rachel had their three children baptised at the 1030 service and came down afterwards for sandwiches and scones. We had enough knives.
After the service a bench was dedicated to Nancie's husband. Her family and friends had ordered a substantial lunch. For which we had enough knives.
The issue of knives became apparent only when everyone else arrived, those who weren't there for Nancie or the Welch Family. A man and his wife ordered quiche and they needed a knife. Each. The teacake eaters couldn't get by without them, and a ham salad can't be tackled with a fork. You might think you're on safer ground with the soup orderers, but even they need knives to butter their mini baby cottage granary rolls (yes, that's what they're called).
Becky is right. About most things.
We wrapped loads of knives in preparation for two private gatherings. One was a Christening - Rich and Rachel had their three children baptised at the 1030 service and came down afterwards for sandwiches and scones. We had enough knives.
After the service a bench was dedicated to Nancie's husband. Her family and friends had ordered a substantial lunch. For which we had enough knives.
The issue of knives became apparent only when everyone else arrived, those who weren't there for Nancie or the Welch Family. A man and his wife ordered quiche and they needed a knife. Each. The teacake eaters couldn't get by without them, and a ham salad can't be tackled with a fork. You might think you're on safer ground with the soup orderers, but even they need knives to butter their mini baby cottage granary rolls (yes, that's what they're called).
Becky is right. About most things.
Saturday - sorry
I didn't get round to writing yesterday. When the tea rooms closed I went out to our village's very own Come Dine With Me which involved a complicated dress code. Therefore I failed in my duty to the blog, but I do have a pair of fake-tanned legs. On Saturday people came in their droves. Most of them wanted ham. And toffee cake. And filter coffee. And bizarrely, the vast majority of sandwich orders were for white bread. That has NEVER happened before. There weren't as many smiles as usual. Are we taking the sunshine for granted so soon?
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