The Importance of Tea (Part II)

"Societea"

There are few pleasures more delightful than time spent in the company of friends.

Contrary to what my job performance appraisal states, I am not by nature a social animal. My first preference is always to be writing. However, after a few days lost in my own head, I generally find myself in need of interaction with my fellow beings. This past week was sublime in the creative department, but like a mother stuck at home with an infant, by the end of it, I was ready for some adult conversation.

Yesterday, Ter and I were half of a quartet attending Sunday Afternoon Tea at the Manse, hosted by a wonderful woman who began life as my supervisor, and who became a treasured friend after her retirement some years ago. The fourth member of this little group also worked with us in that office, and is my tea buddy in the office where I work today, though she came to the inner circle as a member of the family, being a niece of Ter’s best friend in high school. (This makes her a friend, a colleague, a daughter, or a kid sister, depending on the day.) This eclectic group gets together two or three times a year, always for tea, always at one home or another, and inevitably for less time than we need to catch each other up on what’s transpired since we last met.

I revel in these occasions. No matter who is hosting, there is always too much food, lots of tea, loads of laughter and fond reminiscence. Yesterday we covered everything from the recent BC election to gluten sensitivity to grandchild-minding to residential relocation to updates at Ter’s office (where we all once worked together) to appliance replacement, to movies, e-readers and writing, and would still be talking at this instant had Ter not heeded her domestic hardwiring and begun clearing away the dishes after four hours had passed. We parted with massive hugs and promises to keeping touch until next time. I came away as always, overstuffed and loved to within an inch of my life.

People drop in and out of life as required. Some, like my family of origin, are mine by default. Others are people I work with but don’t see beyond quitting time. A precious few become friends who will meet me for coffee or a midweek lunch. Even rarer are those for whom I will punch a hole in my schedule to accommodate a visit. An invitation to tea is a truly special summons if only because I care so deeply for the women I will see there. I adore Ter every day. I cherish my little office tea fairy. As for the Mistress of the Manse … she is so utterly cool that I want to be just like her when I grow up.

 

 

The Office Tea Fairy, Mistress of the Manse, and Ru

(tea at "the Laurels" December 2006)

Ter was the photographer