Good Morning Dear Friends, tis the season to make tea and see who comes to call!

Good Morning Dear Friends and Welcome to Tea.  The kettle is on the boil and I am hoping that you have missed sharing the news around our table.  Mic the cat is poised on my desktop which challenges me to write with eyes closed and hope that its coming out just right from the first tiny space to the last.

The storm that ravaged our east coast brought cold and rain to Michigan and I didn't hesitate to add fingerless gloves and a new scarf to my jacket before heading out the door to go to work.  Yes, I am still out the door early, while the sleepy eyes of all the windows in the houses here about are still closed up tight.

I am very grateful that my early years of training in caring for people has benefitted and served people with goodness and joy.  I cannot help but be very happy in deed to be useful into my 60's and putting on my scrubs and lacing my shoes for each day fills my world with lots of work.  It is right here that I have to think about having a bit of fun to add to that, but that's still in the planning phase.  Dear husband Alan is poised to start work at the ski lodge in Holly along with his postal duties and I do have to be very creative to plan between his schedule and mine.

I am learning to...read a sentence instead of a whole chapter in my beloved books, and to watch much less tv, although I was never what my mother would caution against...being a TV Hound.  That makes me smile as she swore that too much attention to 'the box' would ruin a good life.  There are many things that ruin us and I suppose that it is rather too much attention to technology that should be warned against as it steals time from real people and tasks that need our attention.

OK Mic the Cat has curled up nicely so I can see the screen.  I am sitting here with a simple cup of Twinings Revive Lemon Ginger Tea and hoping with all my might that a few of our friends in the former posts will see and join in the revelry of tea.

Along with the usual parts that make a day, cooking and cleaning, laundry and lots of little errands, I find that I am grateful beyond what is normal, for the strength to persevere and the joy found in a simple cup.  Running two households and making the occasional walk through the doors of new people who need  a little tlc and organization to bear advancing medical conditions and age is the best life I could dream of.

It's funny how time stretches like saran wrap over a full bowl to take in a little bit of this and a lot of that when people depend on it.

Hello-ween....has passed with children at the door and I was indeed as happy as a witch in a broom factory to fill little pumpkin buckets.  I can feel the pull of Thanksgiving at the hem of my pants as I rush here and there.  I will be working that day and I have a little tiny gleam in my eye as I wonder how the feast here will commence without me manning the stove and rattling a pan or two.  Time will tell.

I have done the first ordering of Christmas presents which makes me remember that the closet I hide them in needs to be sorted out.  Tis the season to make merry and that is exactly what I plan to do.

With a happy wave and a little tune to hum while I work, I hope that all is well in your homes and that the hearth is crackling with a log or two as the evening comes.

May I still sign myself as your hostess to tea?  I hope so.  I remain always, your grateful friend,  Mary

Good evening Mary and all the other Tea Angels

I am so glad the door to the tea Roome is open and the kettle is on.  I hope many of our friends find their way here.

We were very lucky with the strom.  Was that only last week?  We lost power overningt and into the afternoon but it was not a problem.  A couple of days was the most anyone around here suffered without it.  Not at all like our neighbors in NY or Nj.  How devastating.

Its time to start thinking about Thanksgiving.  mary, will you have to prepare the meal for your client?  it will be rewarding knowing you can bring them some comfort on the holiday.  Will you be home in time to enjoy dinner with yor loved ones?

Keep the kettle on.  I will be back with some pumkin bread sometime soon.

Hedgie

Glad you are here to chat.

My mom and dad will come to our home (about 2 hours away) with a Thanksgiving dinner they will buy at a restaurant in St. Louis. That will be less work to make that dinner!

I'm still crafting Christmas gifts. I have over half of them done, but still need to make the rest (about 7) wire angels, then paint a glass small "screen" (one that folds). I have a few projects for crafting for me that I will work on at the same time- even though I know I shouldn't do multiple projects until the Christmas stuff is done! I like giving out Christmas gifts to everyone at church because I just love seeing their faces when I give them a hand-made Christmas present.

Mary S.

Good Evening

I can use a nice hot cup of tea right about now.  it is snowing outside and so cold.  I am not rerady for tis, especially after having a tropical storm just last week.  The weatherman said it might be in the seventies on Monday.  This kind of weather always puts me in a baking mood but I so tired from stying up late last night watching the election results that I think i will pass on that this evening.  I wouldn't be surprised if we have a delay for the schools tomorrow.  And to think Old Man Winter is still over a month away.

Have a nice evening

Hedgie

There is a good recipe for a pumpkin roll that I had made last year for others, but this year I'll make it for our Thanksgiving dinner. It may take more time to get it all right, but sure tastes good.

The weather is in the 70's today, but tomorrow, rain will come. It may drop 20 degrees during the day, and freeze at night. Everyone is in shorts today, but when that cold front comes through, it will be coats and blankets!

Mary

Happy Thanksgiving

I hope a lot of our Tea Friends can take a break from the preparations for the big day to sit down and have a cup of tea.  Mary M I am sure your time is being taken up caring of you clients and I know they appreciate e ery minute of the TLC you provide.

Mar, I usually make a pumpkin roll too.  It is a recipe I found on Epicurious.com a few years ago.  It has a rum whipped cream filling with a little gelatin added and is served with home made caramel sauce.  It is so good!

Elza, have you setteld into you new home yet.  Will you be having Thanksgiving dinner there.

Hedgie

Good Morning Dear Friends.  This is one of those times when a little pause took over the best laid plans.  I hope that you will forgive me for not coming and sharing news sooner but it just proved to be beyond me.

We wrestle each year to keep the loss of our little Nick in perspective along with living our present lives.  Between working and planning Thanksgiving, my FIL passed away.  He was up in age and had several complicating illnesses, but losing him suddenly shocked everyone. 

Wile a cup of tea is the most soothing remedy for life's difficulties, it is like a promise in a cup for celebrations of the most pleasant kind.  I am more than grateful for it. 

We are spending today adding the finishing touches to the decorations inside and out that will usher in Christmas beauties.  How lovely it is to have records spin on the old stereo while colored lights twinkle and the scene is set for the celebration of the birth of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 

Up until now, I have managed to stay out of the hubbub of Christmas shopping, but, I find that there is a joy in being swept away in a sea of happy faces.  It lifts the spirit and turns one's attention to the ever present.

Our weather had gone up and then down and today it is decidedly chilly.  We had furious flakes of snow yesterday and heavy cloud cover which gave way to peeks of sunshine.  I donned the world's fluffiest earmuffs and my pink parka for the out of doors, and was more than tempted to retreat under cover to watch Hallmark movies. 

Yesterday we observed our traditional meal of Christmas Spaghetti, which was promptly overturned by the jumping of our wild foster dog Kayleigh.  She is quite the live wire and I joked that we needed not only to wire our tree to the wall but to assure that Jesus wouldn't be kidnapped from the cradle, marked with puppy teeth.

I can't tell you how many times I have wanted to return her to rescue, but then, she does something unbelievably sweet and cute, and so, she stays.  Why God chose to put her spirit in such a big dog and not in a tiny package I have no idea.  She loves to lap sit and has such a gentle glow in her brown eyes, it melts snow.

While I would love to go on and on, pouring cup after cup of tea, I have also a restlessness born of duties to perform.  I hope all of our friends had family and friends gathered for the Thanksgiving feast, at a lovely table.

With a rustle of table lace and the ring of a silver bell, I pray that we will meet soon and share the comfort and blessings of friendship and shared tea.

Your very grateful friend,  Mary

The Christmas tree was put up last night. I never seem to want to put up decorations before Thanksgiving, because I want to honor Thanksgiving too.

I have a lot of turkey meat left over, and I put it in some recipes that call for chicken, and tastes great. Today I'll make a Turkey Tetrazzini in the crock pot. The turkey carcass will be used for soup next week (we took most of the meat off, and froze it that night).

There is some snow/rain mix in the upper part of the state, but only predicted to be 44 degrees here today.

Great that you chat!

Mary S.

Oh, it's been too long, and I am just now making my way to the Tea Room. This has been a month of many changes. On November 1, I was in Louisville -- since then we have moved out of one home, and moved into another. DH is finishing up his first semester at his new job as a university professor, and I interviewed yesterday for a new job for me -- hoping to get a good response to that.

Our new house is beautiful -- we love it -- lots of windows and light, and our back yard is woods. I have several times seen deer strolling through in the mornings. But -- you knew there would be a but! -- the walls inside are kind of a mess, with so many nails and screws and tape left on them, and there are wallpaper borders in almost every room, which we really don't like. So, we have hired a painter to come and do the entire house -- remove all the wallpaper and repaint every room -- which will be wonderful, when it's done. Until then, I still have boxes because of course I'm not going to put up curtains or pictures or books in bookshelves till the painting is finished. I'm ready to be more settled but keep reminding myself of how nice it will be when it's all done!

I don't have a Christmas tree -- we sold our old one before we moved, and so will probably just get a small table-top tree for this year. May try to buy a larger one after Christmas, if we can find something nice on sale. I do have a wreath on the door, and all my Christmas mugs out for my coffee & tea!

Good Evening,

I just got home from an evening with friends at church.  We had our annual Cristmas party, yankee swap and cookie swap. It was fun but now I am ready to put my feet up and have a nice cup of tea *decaf) before hitting the bed.

Elza, you sound rrady fro a break. Will you join me fro a cup of tra and some of the cookies from the cookie swap?  I am glad your move went well and you are enjoying your bew home.  Moving and them fixing a house up to your liking to make it a home is such a monumental endeavor.  I hope the person that interviewed you decides you are the perfect fit for that job.

Mary, I miss your posts.  I know as a caregiver you are kept busy making the lives of those you care for more pleasant.  I hope you Christmas preparations are going well.

I will sign off now, put the kettle on and get out the knitting needles.

Good Night all

Hedgie

Good news -- I got the job, and I start on Monday! I'm enjoying this last week off, though, and I've been cooking lots of stuff to go in the freezer.

I'm enjoying the Cuppa Chocolate Teas from Republic of Tea -- the Peppermint Chocolate and Red Velvet Chocolate are a nice way to treat myself to a little something in the evening.

It's so nice to hear everyone talk of good things, instead of "depressing" thoughts. We must keep up the good thoughts to keep our minds correct.

Mary

Good Morning Dear Friends and Welcome to Tea.  The days are flying by with the satisfying smile of dreams and plans tomorrow.  I had the pleasure of attending a lovely Advent service with a ladies tea afterwards.  I was completely mesmerized by the lovely table set by our hostess, with care to every detail it was truly a work of art.  The teas offered were a cinnamon black tea and a lovely herbal mint.  I enjoyed the latter along with a lovely, made to accomodate my allergies, fruit salad with candied pecans.  The other ladies had the same selections of fruits in a cream cheese merangue cloud. 

Entertainment for the evening was provided by a lovely young lady who sang, while her father accompanied her on the guitar. It was wonderful.

My days are filled with good hard work and just enough time each day to take care of my family and home before bed and then, doing it again.  Sometimes I take weekend work, but with the holidays I really am leaning towards keeping those days free. 

This weekend is the Linden MI Christmas Festival and the Holly MI Christmas continues through next weekend.  Our celebration in Fenton was last weekend but I was otherwise engaged and could not attend.  This year, there was a fireworks display and with very mild temps it was well attended.  

Today rain turned to snow and now everything is wearing a coat of white fluff.  The pines in the vally are frosted on the tips of their branches and it looks very Christmassy indeed.

My ears went south before the weather hit and its very uncomfortable but I hope for some relief soon.  As always there is tea at my side and this mornings blend is a very lemony green tea with lemongrass which I love.  I searched in vain for a holiday tea but really love my Mariage Freres blends that I long for it.  With feet in cozy slippers and an extra layer of clothes, today feels sweetly comforting.

Dear Elza, I am dancing with all the changes in your life!  To have sold your home and bought a new one that you are preparing to redo, a new state to nestle into and a new job!  That just brings smile after smile to my face.  I am sure that the Christmas tree of your dreams is in your future.  Is the weather much different than you are used to?  I hope you and DH are very very happy with new worlds to explore.

Dear Hedgie, You always have the most wonderful events to share!  I hope your holidays are filled with joys of family and lovely sights to see.

  Dear Mary, I am sure you are putting the finishing touches on your crafts and making lovely plans to get together over the holidays, please share your enthusiasm and join me in a cup of tea. 

Now for the big question....What is on your Christmas lists?  What fair and wonderful thing has you wishing and hoping to find on Christmas morning?  I myself asked Santa to put in a special order for....a 'Barbie Blackberry".  That is my own description of a device that would be easy to use that would organize my many lists at a touch...and be pretty too.  So far, no one has made such an item but I have wished for it for many years and every time I lament about it I always hear a chorus of, "I wan one of those too!".  So...if Apple or someone has a personal Santa...maybe....hohoho

With a twinkle in my eye and my hand laced around my current cup of good tea, I wish everyone a splendid day at work and play.  Your very grateful friend, MaryM

Mary, I haven't gotten a Christmas tree up yet but we are very happy to be in SC -- the weather is much warmer and we're loving that. I need to start getting in a Christmas mood because I am going to have guys to feed -- both DSs and DS#2's roommate are coming for the holidays. The roommate is from Vietnam so he is going to get a little bit of an education, with all our families and some good ol' Southern holiday cooking.

One of the nicest things about my new job is that I do not have to work on Saturdays. So, DH & I are taking a quick trip to NC this weekend to see my younger sister and her family, including my 4-year-old great-nephew whom I have not gotten to visit with yet! Can't wait to see them all.

Good Morning Dear Friends and Welcome to a little cup of comfort and joy all wrapped up with bows, lights and tinsel shining.  I am blessed and happy to be right here and I hope for company as the spirit of Christmas descends sweetly on the world.

The highlight of today is our trip to Frankenmuth to celebrate our DS Aaron's birthday.  Such a wonderful snow globe awaits our sleigh/van   I am working tomorrow but such fun we will have at our traditional Christmas Eve feast!  If I can stay awake midnight mass is where my spirit will sing.

Dear Elza, I am practicing 'ice walking' and breathing cold air without cringing as our temps have plunged.  We have a thin cloating of skating quality ice but little snow.  Just enough to frost the ground like a cake.

I am glad you are settled and ready to perform kitchen magic for your company and I hope your visit is one that makes you smile for miles.

To one and all I send the happiest of smiles and a gentle wave.  Please, let me pour you a cup of your favorite tea while we share the joy of friendship.  Merry Christmas Eve to come.......jingle jingle jingle.......hohoho.....