A Christmas Tea with my neighbors

Two years ago, one of the best things possible happened. Our treadmill broke. It was Christmas, so we didn't rush right out and buy a new one. Instead, I started walking through the neighborhood on those cold afternoons, and I began to meet some of my neighbors I'd seen only in passing. Today, I am so thankful for that broken treadmill, because it led me to two new friends, Carol and Amanda, and a third friend, Amanda's sweet little baby Kelly, has joined our group as well. Yesterday, I did something I'd been wanting to do for a while and had them over for Christmas tea!

I must say, I love my neighbors and wish I'd gotten to know them sooner!

Our menu consisted of cucumber sandwiches and …

Pimiento cheese ribbons and chicken salad sandwiches cut into teapot shapes.

We had chocolate chip scones, and they were served with cream that I had in a Christmas tree–shaped dish (forgot to get a picture; y'all know how it is).

Our sweets included peppermint pecan fudge brownie bites …

White chocolate cheesecake balls …

And brown sugar shortbread (forever grateful that my pen pal Sandy shared this easy, never-fail recipe).

The three dessert plates (and I have only three) were perfect for this gathering, and I have them only because my tea-lover friend Joy up in Blairsville found them for me! (Thank you again, Joy! See, I'm putting them to good use.)

They matched the teapot and two-tiered server I already had, and Joy found me the sugar bowl as well. I think of her every time I see these! The teas I served were Victorian London Fog from Harney and Coconut Tea from Adagio. We drank many cups of each!

 

And in some news I did not even mention on Friday because I doubted it would actually happen, we got snow here in Georgia! Several inches!

 This snow-deprived child was quite happy to look out my office window yesterday morning and see … this view! We rarely, rarely get snow in the South, and certainly not several inches of it, and when they predicted a dusting, I thought it was another case of the boy who cried wolf and didn't even take the forecasts seriously. Happily, the snow came at the perfect time, and I wasn't worried about it ruining my tea because my neighbors are close by. Most of it has already melted, and oh, how I envy those of you who are blessed with this beautiful white gift on a much more regular basis. It made an already fun weekend extra special!

P.S. We did get a new treadmill, but I don't use it for fear I'll miss out on making a new friend. I'll stick to the roads!