Meet-up With a Dear Friend

In the fall of 2001 a tearoom opened in the city where I grew up - Wyandotte, MI.  A fruit and produce market was transformed into a beautiful Victorian tearoom, and the owner's name was Shirley.

I was a newbie to the tea world at that time, after having just become smitten with the beverage and all its pleasures in 1998, so I was most eager to visit this tearoom.  On my first visit I asked the server if the owner was present, and if so, would it be possible for me to meet her? 

Shirley was in her office.  She came out and introduced herself, pulled up a chair and visited as though we had known each other for years.  Our mutual fondness for tea made it easy for us to form an immediate friendship, and we attended many tea conferences and events together over the years that followed.  Shirley was a great mentor in the early days of my tea journey, and I visited her tea room often.

She sold the tearoom in 2008, but our friendship continued on.  The recession took its toll on the tearoom and it permanently closed its doors in 2011.

Life has kept Shirley and me busy in recent years, and we haven't seen each other as often as we'd like, but she came for a visit last Saturday [Feb. 4th], and we went out to lunch.  The beautiful thing about good friends is no matter how long it's been since you've seen each other you pick up right where you left off.

We had a nice long visit over multiple cups of tea...

And a yummy Chicken Pecan Salad.

Shirley remembered today is my birthday, so she came bearing gifts, and one particularly brought a smile to my face!

I wish I could say I am the Phyllis who created this Michigan Cherry Scone Mix, but alas I'm not! I'm anxious to make them, however, and will report back on their taste.  Being a Michigan made product, I wish I would have known about them when I planned the Michigan Tea Tour.  It would have been a fun product to put in the participant's gift bags, and a perfect accompaniment to their tea.

Shirley also gave me the lovely bracelet pictured below that says Friend.

I'm so grateful for the wonderful friends God has blessed me with.