Tea, Friendship, and Glad Hearts

I recently received a phone call from an out-of-state friend telling me someone dear to her had recently moved to an assisted living facility in Michigan not far from where I live.  She wondered if I'd be willing to pay her a visit and have a cup of tea with her.

I told her I'd be delighted to, and last Friday I packed a traveling tea party basket and set out for the assisted living facility.

A traveling tea party doesn't have to be elaborate - tea, tea cups, napkins, and cookies or scones.

Tea is such a great connector. We chatted and sipped tea as though we had been long-time friends.

As I left the assisted living facility, I smiled knowing a cup of tea and a little bit of kindness had brought gladness to both our hearts, and the seed of friendship had been sown.  

"...Those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed."

Proverbs 11:25 NLT

A Traveling Tea Party

Yesterday I packed a small cooler and picnic basket with all the fixings for a traveling tea party, and took my ninety-year-old mother to visit her last remaining sister, who is six years younger.   You may recall I blogged about the St. Patrick's Tea I had for them in my March 16th post.

Ready to hit the road!  My license plate clearly identifies my car.  

 The two sisters, L-R Frances [my aunt] and Alice [my mom].

They visited in the living room while I set the table and put the food on.   Knowing they had both dined in the downtown J.L. Hudson store in times past, I prepared Maurice Salads [which I blogged about on March 22nd].  They loved it and said it brought back memories.  A late 195o's Hudson menu I recently obtained priced the salad and a roll at $1.45!

Our tea was Persian Nectar - organic Indian black tea and organic peach from serendipiTea.   The china, linens and flatware were all packed in my picnic basket since I didn't want my aunt to do anything except enjoy herself!  Four place settings because my hubby accompanied us.

 

  

Dessert was a Sander's hot fudge ice cream puff - another Detroit specialty.

I intended to set a floral folded napkin in each teacup.  It would  have coordinated nicely with the roses on the vintage Homer Laughlin Eggshell Nautilus dishes.  But by the time I finished prepping the food before we left there wasn't time.  Below is what it would have looked like, and  I will do it another time.