Teatime Tale #52 — A Year of Teatime

A Year of Teatime

December 31, 3 p.m.

Dear Journal,

            I’m not sure I should tell Rick about my latest dream. Ever since Katie and Josh gave me that Old Country Roses tea set for Christmas last year, I seem to have been on a real tea kick, going to tea rooms, shopping for teawares, and sipping more cups of tea than ever before in my life. I can’t help believing that’s one reason tea has been a part of my dreams on quite a few nights this year.

            Thank goodness I’ve made a habit of writing them down, because otherwise I’d never have recalled all those odd tea dreams of the past year. I remember having that first dream where my teacups were jealous of each other. At least that one made me conscious of switching out my teacups and not using the same old ones over and over.

            Then around St. Patrick’s Day, I had that vivid dream about leprechauns magically disguising themselves on teacups and traveling to America from Ireland. How bizarre! And just this fall, after I visited Florida and took granddaughter Olivia to see Cinderella at the movies, I dreamed about going to an antiques shop where I spotted a poor but beautiful forgotten teapot and her ugly teapot stepsisters.

            I can’t believe that when I told Rick about that one, he gently suggested, “Marsha, maybe you need to collect something else — like first edition books.” Sourpuss.

            I have to say, though, that I was more than a little pleased when I got that new Old Country Roses casual style teapot from Katie, Josh, and the children on Christmas day. And of all things, that night, I dreamed that I wrote a book that included all these strange tea tales. Like anyone would ever read such a thing …

            Still, I’m glad my daughter’s family got me hooked on collecting teawares, and they have certainly gotten me addicted to “all this tea stuff,” as Rick puts it. He’s just saying that because now I’ve gotten our granddaughter hooked on teatime too.

            Just as she usually does, Katie arrived early for Christmas, and I was thrilled to have her here, but I was especially delighted to have our adorable grandchildren, Olivia and Ethan. I can’t believe Olivia is three. And it seems like only yesterday I was headed down to Florida and Katie was giving birth to baby Ethan. Five months old, already!

            I’m not sure I’ll ever understand exactly what Josh does for a living there in Florida — something to do with cyber security — and why he has to come up later in December, but I don’t mind having some quality time with Katie before her husband gets here.

            On Christmas Eve, Rick and I gave Olivia a cute little tin tea set in a cardboard case, and after she opened it, she and I had tea together every day until they left. I do enjoy my loose leaf teas, but I don’t think I’ve ever had any tea I enjoyed more than those pretend cups of tea — just regular tap water — I had with Olivia.

            This Christmas, my heart has been so full. Really, my whole year has been. As I look back at my entries from January, I see I’d forgotten how worried I was about everything. I was worried about the new baby coming. I was worried about not having a long enough list of New Year’s Resolutions. I was worried that I worried too much. Who was that woman? I don’t miss her.

            Looking back to one year ago, I think Rick and Katie were right when they said I worried too much. I gave up thinking life is all about racking up accomplishments, and while I haven’t quite conquered all my Type A tendencies, I do think I’m much better about letting things go. Don’t you, Journal Dear?

            I mean, I no longer harp on Rick about all those ballgames he watches at this time of year. (Plus, I don’t want him harping on me about all the tearooms I’ve started visiting.)

            I didn’t worry about whether or not I got my two-mile walk in every single day. (And interestingly enough, I’m ending the year ten pounds lighter. Go figure.)

            I see I had also vowed not to worry about whether Josh could afford for his wife to be a stay-at-home mom. Whatever his job is, he must be good at it, because he got a promotion, and they bought a new SUV right before the baby was born.

            So I think I’m probably through making lists of anxiety-producing New Year’s Resolutions, and I’m going to stick with my goal of not worrying about things. Life was so much easier this year.

            Besides, I like what the pastor said on Sunday about how worrying means we’re having “faith in the negative.” I’ve always said I put my faith in God, and it’s time I started living like it.

            Finally, Dear Journal, one thing I absolutely do not intend to worry over in the coming year is my newfound passion for teatime. I think I have had some sort of teatime almost every single day of the past year! I always thought teatime had to be a big production with invitations and a guest list. I’ve had some of those, sure, but some of my best teatimes were those quiet moments in the afternoon that I spent with a cup of hot tea, enjoying a book (or writing in this Journal), all by myself. I predict that’s a tradition that will continue for many, many years to come.

            So thank you, Dear Journal, for joining me on this journey for the past year, and since you’ve still got a few more blank pages inside, I’ll see you in the new year too!

Love,

Marsha