Today we picked up a “new” suitcase for Patricia from the free site. Have I told you how much I love the free site? The idea is to give things you don’t need to people local to you who may need them and in return take those things others don’t need anymore. This saves things from going in the landfill and giving items away to people in your town cuts down on gas and emissions. This weekend I gave away a bunch of stuff I didn’t want/need (old questionable grass seed, chicken wire, an old kiddie pool, a non-induction pot) and then today ended up with a slightly used pink and rainbow flowered rolling suitcase for Patricia. Patricia was delighted. And she did not care in the slightest that it had a little tear on a pocket because “mommy can fix it”. When we got home she immediately filled it full of stuff “for Florida” including about 27 recipe cards, a pixel art kit, a bunch of books, and, my favorite, a real can of lentil soup that she took off my shelf – for a snack perhaps?!
I love when Julius and Patricia play together. It is probably my favorite thing ever. Tonight they kept whispering to each other and while I was putting Julius to bed Patricia came in and Julius said to her “don’t forget the plan”. When I asked them “what plan”? They said, they couldn’t tell me and that it was a secret plan. Later Will found Patricia sleeping on Julius’ bottom bunk and we decided this had been “the plan”. Sneaky. But, let’s be honest, also adorable.
The kids put up with an awful lot of silliness having me as a mom. Well silliness and sometimes sheer frustration. Patricia pushes everyone’s buttons (especially mine) but most of the time she is just a cheerful ball of energy. So despite some contrary nature the kids most of the time go along with my harebrained schemes. We have tea parties more than anyone else I know (which is only like once or twice a year but still). I inherited my grandma’s tea cup collection which I always adored. After Sunday dinner we’d each get to pick a tea cup and try some tea from her collection. This is definitely where my fondness for tea comes from, though my fondness for Earl Grey, my favorite of her tea collection, was not one shared by my grandma, who one time remarked in awe, “we never thought anyone would like that one!” I also always drink my tea black which seemed to baffle her.
My absolute favorite tea I developed a liking for in college. Everytime we’d have a formal dinner in the Statler hotel for some such event, recruiting, Eid, SWE etc they would bring out what my sophomore roommates and I deemed “the fancy tea”, which is the Harney and Sons sachet collection. My favorite of which is Paris, a delicious black tea with hints of vanilla and bergamot. Like an upgraded, more subtle Earl Grey. Just the smell has me drifting off to my happy place. Perhaps needless to say I buy it and their decaf Paris version in loose leaf by the pound. If you ever want to try it just stop by and ask me for a cup.
Sorry I’ve once again digressed. You see? Tea just makes me wax poetic. It used to be wine but honestly, after 4 years of pregnancy/nursing I’ve become a bit of a teatotaler (see what I did there). Anyway, the kids, when home sick from school or on the weekends always beg me to make them tea (I keep many tisanes on hand for this reason). They almost never drink it. So last time when we were running late, I negotiated to do a tea party the following weekend instead. They were all for it. So I went all out. I made homemade sourdough honey wheat bread (note: the bread was delicious but didn’t rise tremendously), and two tiny batches of desserts for the 4 of us and we had tea in place of lunch on Memorial Day. The kids picked out their own teacups and saucers from my grandma’s collection. Oh and one final note – if you have never had homemade crumpets with jam and butter you don’t know what you’re missing!
Afternoon Tea
Menu
- Crumpets with Raspberry Jam and Butter
- Cucumber and Cream Cheese Sandwiches on Honey Wheat
- Egg Salad sandwiches on Sourdough
- Miniature Raspberry Financiers
- Miniature Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Assorted Teas
Tea party ready to commence.
Now the same picture with me!
Top to bottom:
financiers & cupcakes; crumpets; egg salad hearts and cucumber sandwiches
I should have taken a picture before I dived in!
Julius’ favorite was the egg salad.
Will’s digging in.
