Checking-in

It's been a few days since I've posted, so I just wanted to let you know all's well in Michigan.  Life's been busy preparing for three presentations occurring on the heels of each other.

This Sunday [21st] I'll be at Shore Pointe Assisted Living for their monthly tea and program. It will be about New Year's traditions and customs in our country and around the world. I've learned tidbits I didn't know about the Crystal Ball Drop in Times Square, the Rose Parade, and that New Year's resolutions began with the Babylonians as early as 2600 B.C.  I hope they did a better job keeping theirs, because the average American abandons their New Year's resolution within six weeks of making it! 

As with any holiday, food plays a major role on New Year's Day.   The Chinese New Year is coming up on February 16th [lunar new year], and the most popular food to accompany the celebration will be oranges and tangerines.  Their orange/gold color represents wealth and good luck. I'm sure lots of tea will be consumed too since China is the birthplace of tea, and the country is the largest producer of tea in the world.

Did you know that China also invented fireworks which many countries use to welcome in a new year?  Fireworks are a central part of their celebration because they believe the noise will scare off evil spirits and misfortune.  For Americans, fireworks are festive.

   
What treat will I take to the residents this month?  I thought fortune cookies and Brach's candy orange slices would be fun.  I bought the fortune cookies at an Oriental Market today.

On another subject, my two pairs of Honey Bear HotSox arrived from E-bay, and in my search to find them I came across another tea-themed pattern to purchase.  I seem to be on a sock craze lately, but they sure feel good on these cold, wintry days.

Ebay and Honey Bear Socks

I browse ebay and make occasional purchases - mostly dishware - but the high cost of shipping usually causes me to ask myself, "Do I really need this?", and quite often I don't.

I was singing the praises of Ebay yesterday though, as well as a very kind and helpful blog reader who read my post about Michigan Charming Charlie stores being out of the tea-themed Honey Bear socks that Angela McRae blogged about at Tea With Friends.

Jo in Kansas sent me an e-mail informing me the socks were available on ebay.  I promptly went to ebay and purchased them.  They are on their way to my house, and were the original price at Charming Charlie's with no shipping fee. Yippee!  I never would have thought to check ebay, so a huge thank you to Jo!

As a bonus I discovered they not only came in mint green, but pastel pink too, so I got them both!

Raising my teacup to Jo, Angela, ebay, and life's simple pleasures!  
Note to self:  Next time something is out of stock at a particular store, check ebay!

Charming Charlie's and Purple Door

My tea and blogging friend, Angela McRae, at Tea With Friends, blogged about a pair of tea-themed socks she recently found at Charming Charlie's store in her post yesterday.  The pattern is called 'Honey Bear.'  Aren't they cute?  

I happened to be near a Charming Charlie's store yesterday afternoon, so I decided to pop in to see if they had them.  To my dismay, they aren't new inventory so they're sold out in all four Michigan stores, as well as online.  'You snooze, you lose!'  ;-)

My granddaughter, Brianna, loves the store as does my daughter-in-law, Samantha, but unless I'm with one of them I don't usually shop there.  I'm thinking I better change my ways!

Even though I didn't find the socks, I did find a cute navy blue wool cloche hat that came home with me. It will go perfectly with a navy blue dress I recently purchased.

On two other subjects...  For local readers I wanted to mention I'll be doing a Lucille Ball presentation at the Purple Door tearoom on February 7th.  Tea time is 12:00 noon.

Advanced reservations are required.  The cost of the tea is $37.80 and must be mailed to Purple Door Tearoom, 701 Livernois Ave., Ferndale, MI 48220 in advance.  They only have a seating capacity of 30, and some reservations have already been made, so call about availability before sending money.  Phone number: 248-268-3275.  Hope to see you there!

Also, if you read my January 8th post about Lady Fiona's Come and Dine contest at Highclere Castle, she added an update in the Community section which is a video titled Come and Dine with Highclere Castle.  It's a guide about how they set the table at Highclere.  It's interesting and beneficial to watch even if you don't plan on entering the contest.

The video states the following:

• Choose table size to suit the number of guests
• Choose cutlery for the number of food courses
• Place the cutlery so guests work from outside inwards
• No cutlery is placed above the place settings
• Fold napkins to match decoration
• Ensure that all decorations are no higher than candles

Studying Hannah

Today was our first Bible study of the new year.  Sadly one lady was missing - my neighbor, whose husband passed away on January 5th.  After our Bible study and lunch we all went to the funeral home together to give our love and support to her.

Our Bible study began with some thoughts from Dr. David Jeremiah.  Just as Joshua told the Israelites to keep their eyes on the Ark of the Covenant [which symbolized God's presence] "Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before." [Joshua 3:4], we too must keep our eyes on God for guidance since we have never traveled the uncharted territory of 2018.  We don't know what lies ahead, but our Heavenly Father does and He has promised to never leave or forsake us.

Hannah was a wonderful woman of the Bible.  She took life's difficulties to God in prayer and He honored her by giving her the son she so desired - Samuel.

Since I didn't have the ladies over during the holidays, I left my Christmas decorations up for an 'extended holiday.'  Now I'll packed them away.

I used my newly acquired red tartan plaid dishes for lunch.  Not all the pieces are identical, but they were fine mixed and matched.

I made chili for lunch [ground turkey instead of beef] and cheese quesadillas to go with it.  Tea was Harney & Sons Paris blend [black tea].

Dessert was Ree Drummond's recipe for Pecan Pie [aka The Pioneer Woman of Food Network] with a scoop of Butter Pecan ice cream.  I used the pecans that one of my blog followers from Biloxi, Mississippi sent me for Christmas.  We all declared the recipe a winner, and it can be found here.

Come and Dine

Lady Carnarvon's blog post today was titled Dine and Dream.

The US press stated that Highclere Castle [aka Downton Abbey] is the one place in the world where people most dream of staying.

Guests are welcomed for tours, but only a few go for dinners and an overnight stay.  While Lady Fiona, the 8th Countess of Carnarvon, was visiting the U.S. she observed that Downton Abbey fans held dinner parties on Sunday evenings after viewing the episode on TV.

So she came up with the idea of asking fans to conjure up a Downton Abbey style dinner party this February, with recipes, tablescapes and fashion.

[Commemorative teacup I brought back from my 2015 visit]

Beginning the week of January 11th she'll be posting videos of Highclere dinner parties in the community section of her website.  After fans have held their dinner parties, photos can be sent in and a winner will be selected.  The winner and guests [total of 8 people] will fly to England, and dine and stay at the castle - which, of course, includes Afternoon Tea!  Viking Cruises will sponsor the flights.

She's calling the contest, Come and Dine.  To read her entire post and details click here.  Are you up for the challenge?  Good luck!

Zulily Purchase

I just returned from my annual check-up with the ophthalmologist that was hastened when my glasses broke during the Christmas holidays.  Today was the soonest I could get in.  I've been trying to make do with lenses that are three prescriptions back because I used the current frames for two prescriptions.  My eyes are dilated, and the computer screen is glaring, so I'll make this post short. 

Have you ever purchased clothing online from Zulily?  I placed my first order with them on December 29th, and it was waiting on my front porch when I came home from the eye doctor.

The red tartan plaid tunic top caught my eye since I've been acquiring red tartan plaid dishware [which I blogged about here].  Now I can coordinate with my dishes!  ;-)  I don't normally like to order clothing online because I like to see things in person and try them on before buying, but I decided to take a chance with Zulily.

Now I feel like I should go make myself a cup of strong Scottish tea in a red tartan plaid teacup, and sip it while listening to bagpipe music!  

Ancestry DNA

My hubby and I both activated our DNA kits online today that we received for Christmas. We filled the tube with saliva and placed it in the mailer that will make it's way to Utah tomorrow.  In roughly six to eight weeks the results of where I came from will be sent to me online. Amazing, isn't it?  I'll keep you posted.

I probably wouldn't have bought the kit myself, but our daughter-in-law bought one for Steve a year ago at Christmas, and being the inquisitive history buff that he is, he was anxious to compare his DNA to ours to see which one has the greater influence.  Hence he purchased our kits.  His DNA was European with 45% Great Britain, 16% Ireland, and other regions with lesser percentages.  Genetic information is, indeed, fascinating.

While science and technology provide newer and more detailed genetic information, I also hold dear what the Psalmist said of our Creator/Heavenly Father in Psalm 139: "...You created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb.  I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.  Your works are wonderful, and I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place.  When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body.  All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be..."    

Our neighbor of 38 years lies in ICU tonight, after having just celebrated his 75th birthday yesterday.  His brief, unexpected illness is sobering.  While I may not know the earthly regions of my ethnicity yet, I'm so thankful that through Jesus Christ I can be certain I've been adopted into the family of God, and He is my eternal Father. Someday it won't matter where I came from, but it's imperative that I know where I'm going and preparations for eternity have been made.  

January is Hot Tea Month, and I can't think of a better way to keep warm during the frigid, record-low temperatures and blizzards occurring across the country, than by drinking copious amounts of hot tea.  It's 1 degree in southeastern MI right now.  As the song goes, "Baby it's cold outside!"

Here's to tea and staying warm!