21 February 2010

Tea and Sympathy

I went into the garden and threw a swath of saffron silk over my eigthteenth century potting table. I was thumbing through a first edition Jane Austen when my dearest Stefanie came to call for tea...

Well, no...but I do follow blogs that read like that. Ideal lives, in the garden while the rest of us are thawing out in pilled sweat shirts and tubesocks. Still, I read the idyllic posts because I need someone to be living a content warm life somewhere. However Friday afternoon I was writing a post in my head that did sound a little like that...

I had gone to the school book fair. Parents donate books all year then same tired parents return to scoop up the discarded books of others. I expected loads of paperbacks but was surprised to find many old books and sheet music as well. I took armloads from the very first shelf. I had to drive up while children hauled boxes then loaded the car. For. Thirty. Dollars. Seriously, who gets rid of a field guide?


We brought the books into the library and started going through them. My daughter delighted at a book of quotations which, in turn, delighted me. 

I took the opportunity to show her a rare and unexpected gift I had received from my sister as a kid. The Treasure Chest is a book of quotations I feel in love with when I was close to my daughter's age.

The phone rang. Stefanie was nearby and wanted to come get a box of books (again) that involved a poor book club timing issue on my behalf. She offered to help me out with that. As we sat flipping through these old books Stefanie pulled up {in her MiniCooper which is so her because she would be called Sporty Spice in a diffeent set of circumstances} and she was  bearing a cup of tea.

A hot cup of tea. In a birdie and nest mug. Bird and nest. She knew I had been sick with a cold all week and she knows first hand what is to care for a fading mother. And she knows me.

I do not know if Stefanie really knows what that mug of hot tea meant to me. I settled back inside, sipping tea, perusing old tomes and wrote this post in my head.

I receive that tea and friendship Stefanie. Thank you so much.

9 comments:

  1. It sounds like this Stefanie is an alright gal. And yeah, who does get rid of field guides?

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  2. Stefanie, how sweet you are! I love that tea cup. So, what spice are you, Robin?

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  3. You crack me up...I was like "where the hell do you get a 18th century garden table in Oklahoma?" lol....
    It's a fine line to walk, blogging. I don't want to sound like a dreamy dummy living in la la land, but I also want it to be a pleasant place where you can relax and enjoy the art.

    What a great sis you have...that cup is perfect. And oh...I love a good book sale. There's nothing like getting that great read for a quarter! Hope all is well in your nest!~

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  4. I'd like a Stefanie in my life..she's a keeper! That tea cup is ROCKIN'! Good to see you yesterday and that Ali is a DOLL!

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  5. LOL! I too like to think someone is in a dreamy world like that right now! You have such a talent for writing and you are an amazing photographer too!

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  6. Aww, how tweet! (Please forgive me! I couldn't help myself!)

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  7. Thank God for our friends that carry us through out lives!

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  8. Hot tea is always better in a bird and nest cup. That's a sweet friend.

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  9. So glad for Stefanie to the rescue! It's friends who get the "little things" like that who mean so much in our lives! So glad you got some great books and sheet music. It always makes my heart sing to find treasures like that.

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You have no idea how much this comment means. I really thank you for taking time to connect with me. This is why we are here, isn't it?

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