Tea by tea and

Day by day: my wonderful life.

My local mini mart, which also serves as our post office and a coffee/tea and snackroom tries to be innovative. One of the manager’s social events is an “after work” on Friday nights from 18:30 – 20:00. I have attended most of them and it is amazing how many people one doesn’t know or see in the village as they work in town and only return in the early evening. I have met some very interesting people and although he didn’t hold them the coldest nights of February he will be re-starting them this week.

Another activity is tea-tasting: yes, you read correctly. On most Thursday mornings there is a lady who comes out and with a proper tea pot (for want of a better word: this is more like a samovar that the Turkish and Russian and Middle Eastern countries use).

 

Not the actual one, but her's is very glittery like this one.

I had taken my car into the garage for its annual check last night and had intended having breakfast at home. That is until I awoke to – finally – gloriously blue skies and the sun, which I had begun to forget.  I walked up for my usual coffee. That in itself did me a lot of good, but finding the tea lady there as well I of course had to sample today’s offering.

A “chocolate” tea. I was pleasantly surprised as one didn’t really smell chocolate, it was simply a very subtle flavor on the palate once one had swallowed.

I did not buy any although I had also loved her “Russian flavor” a couple of weeks ago as I myself have some 25 different types of tea in the house – and my younger son in leaving left another dozen or so. I am not likely to run out of tea any time soon and am slowly working my way through all these teas by brewing a pot every morning.

the "tea box" at home - almost empty

The tea our Thursday morning lady sells.

But only once I have had my coffee!

So tea after tea and day after day I continue to enjoy life.

A pot of tea

A gray day, light rain – all foreseen: a good excuse to make a pot of tea and, in the doing so, to reflect upon why this is such a comforting activity.

I am a coffee drinker as any of my family or friends know, but occasionally I “do” tea.

This has come from partaking in a “cuppa” with so many friends. To the point that just getting out a teapot brings fond memories of conversations and sharing.

If at home tea is usually something I drink if I awake too early and it then precedes breakfast coffee, in the mountains I have tea often as a welcome change from water -

making a pot almost as soon as I have finished with my coffee and breakfast.

Just this past week I had lunch with two very close friends, both of whom I have known for over 40 years. The one gave each of the other two of us the lovely small flowering balls of Jasmine tea – we were celebrating our common birthday. The container and tea had stayed in my car and was a wonderful reminder this morning of friendship and time shared with these two particular women.

The aftermath

It had been just about two months since my last tea and scone “fix” so when I proposed trying to fit in an outing to the Théière qui Rit or Laughing Teapot (15, Rue de la Cite, Geneva 1204, Switzerland 022 310 36 40) my housemate was more than happy to schedule it with me.

I inevitably have the “petite folie” (little madness), which is a pot of their chosen tea accompanied by a scone, butter, jam and cream. As good as in Cornwall? Perhaps not, but certainly the best that Geneva has to offer in this niche.

You know the saying “Veni, vidi, vici” ("I came, I saw, I conquered"). Below is the aftermath. And, yes, lunch will be light!