27 July 2013

Let's sit and have a cup of tea

Hello again, how nice to see you, do come in and close the gate behind you.


I can't believe another month has flown by and you are with me again for our monthly catch up. It was so good of you to stop by. If you were with me now I would greet you at the gate with a tray of mugs, the big blue teapot and those cakes I shared a sneak peek of on Thursday.

You would pull up one of the creaking chairs and I would position myself under the umbrella. As has become a tradition I would mention the weather as we poured the first cup. It's overcast but muggy today. After several weeks of the most glorious hot weather, the news is that we are soon to return to form with more rain and more grey days. Still, we can't complain. It's not often that Britain has a heatwave.

If you were sitting with me now I would point out the different things in our garden. The passion flower which has grown at a phenomenal rate, the fig tree that is threatening to overtake the wall and the beautiful roses along our border. I am not a gardener I would tell you but I have enjoyed watching my mum in her first year of tending this beautiful walled garden. I enjoy seeing her in her element pottering about pruning and in her words "titivating".


I would offer you the tin of cakes and laugh because since they were baked they seem to be going rather quickly. You can't beat vanilla and chocolate chip muffins. I would tell you that I am settling into holiday mode. That I am establishing a nice pattern for my days. I would tell you though that I really miss university. I miss having my friends down my corridor and going for long evening strolls and laughing till the early hours over a cup of tea. With a smile though I would recite that Pooh Bear quote which reminds me "how lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard."
I would sit back, mug in hand and listen to your wise words on friendship and family and nod that yes, this time in all its guises needs to be savoured.

I would lean forward and confide, trying not to laugh, that as of next month I am going to be a "national trust lady". If you weren't British you would probably look at me quizzically. The National trust is a huge organisation that works with restoring land and preserving stately homes across the country. I am going to be working at an old abbey with the children. Organising activities for their families. It is volunteer work but I need to be kept busy. Looking deep into my tea I would quietly mention that the job hunt was and still is unsuccessful. I would tell you how disheartening it is to receive not a "no thank you" but no response at all from everywhere I applied. Still, I am one of the lucky ones. Volunteer work will be fun and always looks good on the old cv.


Gosh, I can waffle on. How rude of me to not ask about how you are getting on with your summer. Are you working, holidaying, relaxing? I would tell you as I bit into my second muffin that I am heading off tomorrow with the boy to France. I cannot wait for some time away with him and his family. I have him to myself for ten days and I am so excited.

The door is open to our house and out of it comes the cacophony of sounds that greet the hour. The grandfather clock chiming, the cuckoo cock calling and the clock in the lounge dinging away. You smile at all this noise and it reminds me that soon the lunch needs to be started. We drain the dregs from our mugs and I finish up our chat by telling you the big news here that my Granny has come to stay. That she has made the brave move to relocating next door to my parents. I would tell you that she is such a character and is in turn exhausting and hilarious. "next time" I tell you, "next time" you can hear all the Granny stories.


On that note you pick up your bag and I walk you to the gate. We embrace and I thank you for spending the time with me today, for reading my blog and for being a genuine friend.


If you were meeting with me now, what would you tell me? 

If you would like to write a "tea" post please add it to the linky at the bottom so we can all sit and share with you! The linky will be open for a week so you have plenty of time! 


21 comments:

Cate Brickell said...

I can smell the passionfruit! I do love reading your posts each month, and this month I joined in! Thanks for the invite to tea!

alexa said...

I have so enjoyed just being in the garden with you! I am in a little strip of green near the city conference centre where I am on the third and last day of a course and it been a wonderful break to hear your news,rejoice in your upcoming holiday and admire your resourcefulness in finding useful work to do this summer. Looking forward to the granny stories too! Thank you so much for a lovely time :).

debs14 said...

I can really feel the tranquility of your garden - it has been great to visit. In my post today I share my trip to London for my son's graduation yesterday - the other end to the Uni experience!
Enjoy France !

Barbara Eads said...

There is no better place to have a cup of tea and visit with a friend than in the garden!! Thanks, I had a nice time and I think the cakes were wonderful!

scrappyjacky said...

Your garden sounds such a lovely place to sit and drink tea....and I think volunteering for the National Trust will be interesting, fun and a great learning opportunity as well.

Miss Smith said...

I can't help wishing I could do this for real! Hope you have a great time with the Boy and enjoy being a National Trust Lady!

boysmum2 said...

It can be horrible when applying for jobs to never hear anything back, not even a 'no thank you' I found that last year when unemployed for 7 months, some companies can be so rude!
Sitting in your garden has been beautiful and relaxing and I thank you for inviting me in, enjoy your volunteering with the NT, I use to love visiting their buildings when I lived in England

Amy said...

I'm a little late to tea, by this stage I am sure you are well on your way to France ... sigh, it is such a big deal from down here to holiday in France!

Enjoy your break and the work in the NT, I would find it fascinating and you will do well working with children and families.

Karen said...

I'm also too late for tea, but always enjoy catching up with you!

Maria Ontiveros said...

I would tell you that I so loved University that I never went home for the summers. I stayed in the dorms or a house near the University.
I would tell you not to be discouraged about the job hunt; that the economy will turn around some time and you're right to find some good volunteer work to keep you busy and fill your resume.
I would also tell you to hold strong to your faith that what you need will be provided at just the right time.
Rinda

Maria Ontiveros said...

Abi,
I meant to tell you the linky will be on Wednesday. If you can link up, great! If not, schedule a post for Wednesday and I'll link it in for you.
Rinda

Miriam said...

I expect you are away now Abi, Thank you for such a lovely afternoon in your garden. A walled garden is something I have dreamed of...Have a wonderful time in France, well done on the volunteering role it is such a worthwhile thing to do. Thank you also for this lovely meme.

Fiona@Staring at the Sea said...

Another one who is tardy for tea! Like Rinda, I loved my Uni experience so much, I didn't return home after that first long Summer away from my friends. Have a wonderful time in France with The Boy and enjoy working for the NT on your return. We visit their properties often and I'm sure you'll find it both interesting and rewarding work.

Unknown said...

Well what an enjoyable excursion I have had today, visiting with so many talented ladies - time zones mean nothing & I am literally sloshing with tea. I started my jaunt with Alexa and through her introductions, I have met with the other delightful ladies. It almost makes me want to create a blog myself... Umm that is too much tea talking. I look forward to next month's tea-a-thon and thank you for inviting me.

Alison said...

have a great holiday, Abi....volunteering for the NT sounds like great experience for you,but hoping you find something permanent soon!
Alison xx

Sian said...

Hi Abi! I'm a little late dropping in, but very glad to be here catching up all the same. Your new blog design is beautiful and I did enjoy reading your insight into how you went about it and what you discovered. I think you are right - it's going to be as good as you are prepared to make it. And you have made it perfectly!

Hope you have a wonderful time with the NT

Deb @ PaperTurtle said...

You're so sweet, Abi, thanks for the lovely time! By now you are in France with your boy and I do hope you are having a lovely time! Can't wait to hear about your trip when you return!

Jo.C said...

Enjoy France and can't wait to see the photos. Sorry for the belated comment - I linked and then my computer shut down :0)

Sinead said...

I'm VERY late Abi, I'm just back from Italy and returned to lots of blog posts to catch up on! I hope that France is going really well, loving seeing your photos on Instagram and keeping up with your adventures. Your National Trust volunteering sounds really interesting and will definitely look brilliant on your CV - I can totally empathise with the lack of jobs out there at the moment and how disheartening it can be. I cannot tell you how excited I am to meet you in person SOON!!! A proper email will be coming your way tomorrow xxx

JO SOWERBY said...

Hhhmmm methinks perhaps the abbey begins with an L? If so I might pop over, actually I should just arrange to pop over to really have tea and cakes. Not sure how busy you'll be over the next few weeks or so but hey let's do it?
Loved having tea with you and the garden sounds beautiful,
Jo xxxx

Sandra said...

Oh what a lovely visit I've had with you, thank you so much for the catch up and I'm looking forward to hearing about your volunteer work more xx