Tour and Tea

Margaret's Garden Club tea meeting started off with a garden tour.  Well, actually, it started with some members fawning over James (and Paul :P). 

It wasn't too cold or too hot and the rain didn't come. 

James seemed content enough sitting in the car seat stroller with the occasional friendly face poking in (mostly Audrey -- she's a well experienced auntie). 

I could focus then on Margaret's garden.  This time (a month earlier than last year), the kale was a little less monstrous and a different set of flowers were in bloom. 

(Left: James dressed in gifts from the Garden Club ladies.)


Happy bees buzzed around.  We checked out some native beauties (milkweed, blanket flower) in the far far back -- no space is wasted, flowers and plants right into the alley!

We retired to the front yard for tea and discussed upcoming events: The tour of Wilf Maul's acreage is on!  Also of interest is Alberta Open Farm Days at Northlands on Aug.21st.  There will be farm tours, demonstrations of honey harvesting, and talks on beekeeping, keeping chickens, and backyard farming.

During the actual meeting part, James fell asleep.  The mosquito cover from Jasmine did a great job for him... I had to rely on Erica watching my back. 

Late Birthday at Padmanadi

"We actually do like each other."  But you would be forgiven if you didn't think so.  Wayne in particular was in trouble, somehow anchoring the "triangle of aggravation" (and you thought sitting Wendy and Joseph away from each other would solve things :P).

After searching and comparing reviews for something good and interesting near our place (finalists: Habesha Cuisine [Ethiopian], Lan's Asian Grill [Thai and Laos]), I found they weren't open for Sunday dinner.  Darn.  Paul comes up with Padmanadi -- we did have a lot of fun the last time we were there -- and maybe it's just interesting enough for this group's discerning palates.

Meataterians need not apply. 


We managed to get a private room to contain our rowdiness.  I left the others to decide and gladly dug into the all the interesting looking dishes that arrived.  Everyone was concentrating on the food so much!  Is that ham?  Or fish?  It's all soy!

Joseph and Li quoted Choy Lan (Chua Lam), HK food critic, who said its just ridiculous for people who commit to being vegetarian / vegan to eat these types of dishes.  What's the point?  Why try to artificially mimic something else, when you know it's fake?  Just eat things the way they appear.

(Left: "Ham" or "fish cake" vegetable stir fry)

(Right: Deep fried "Shrimp")

(Below: "I can't believe they're not chicken strips")

Between bites, we did manage to catch up a little:
- Wendy and Will's Disneyland visit - didn't follow Joseph's (pro-vacation-planner) advice exactly, and missed out.
- Updates on Tim from dragon boating - was described multiple times as "interesting" (but in such a tone that it seemed negative -- an outcast kind of word...).  


And some people even weighed on working at home - some even said they would end up sabotaging their work!

We didn't finish up all the dishes, but they insisted I have dessert.  Three desserts.  One was from the restaurant.

I figured they must have been using trick candles (but, more likely, just another sign that my flute embouchure is completely gone). 

And then finally everyone came over - for more dessert!

But first a tour:
- Wayne felt claustrophobic in basement and especially in the Hobbit Hole.
- Wendy kept saying how clean the walls were (Is this her "thing", like mine for people's gardens and bookshelves?)
- No one seemed to be believe some of the nice things in the house were originally from me, like the little wooden, plaid-upholstered chair (Yeesh, just because my stuff is secondhand doesn't mean it can't be nice!)

At least next time they'll believe me when I say they should choose what kind of tea they'd like.  Else, they'll get the same as Wayne's "Surprise me" tea (Red Rose).  Which apparently was the worst tea he's ever tasted.  Hard to believe after his "bitter tea" wedding test.  Be forewarned!  

Remedy for Plotting

What plotting looks like:

Plotters Plot

Ugh.  Autumn is definitely here.  It's chilly and damp outside, and I'm glad to not need to go out.  Instead, I made my fellow "plotters" come to me!  We had tea, devised a plan, assigned duties... things are taking shape. 

Paul comes up to visit, but mostly stays away until dinner.  And then it was all, "Stop saying kolrabi!"  But that's what's in the dish...

Birthdays Tea with Duchess

She tentatively took a bite.  And no one hit her! 

We cheered.  After years of being negatively reinforced by her sister for eating cherries (i.e. she got smacked), Steph, with our peer pressure, ate one and actually, kind of, sort of enjoy it. 

Not everyone can have such breakthroughs from having tea with friends, but it certainly did feel soul healing for me to be there -- I'd missed them.


I missed how we could be silly or rude or gauche while dressed up as if we were "proper" ladies.  How we could indulge in our sweet and rich food with little guilt -- all in the name of celebrating birthdays (both Sophie and Na's).  How Rem stayed silent and made these funny expressions when we went off on a tangent (re: P&P or Benedict Cumberbatch).  It was just too bad Jenn was sick. 

(Above right: Paris Brest at Duchess / Above left: Goodies from the Duchess - the chocolate plate.)

In the past, the location for these celebrations would have obviously been the Rutherford House.  But unfortunately, their restaurant recently closed.  (We "wondered" / suspected what happened.)

Steph wasn't going to let that stop her from having a tea.  She took on duties to host and we made a trip to Duchess Bake Shop to supplement the menu, which already included lovely, homemade cucumber sandwiches and cheese pinwheels that were just as tasty as Rutherford's. 

I ate too much, drank too much tea, and just had so much fun laughing.

In between all that, I tried to get some photos...

 

The one I missed / wish I caught: Steph, Sophie, and I dressed for tea, stomping along under colourful umbrellas and in our extremely fashionable wellies, holding our treasures from Duchess.

I guess we'll just have to do it again...

Pride and Prejudice, Part I

We didn't play the drinking game*, but we certainly drank a lot of tea!

Sophie was as usual a fabulous host, setting out plenty of goodies and hot tea to accompany the watching of a Jane Austen movie.  Rem (who couldn't make it) and Ken (who didn't want to stay*), also help out with the proceedings by contributing some delicious baking. 

The Jane Austen Movie Club has been going on for a while now.  I, somehow, by the grace of the organisers, am still included on invitations eventhough I've been super delinquent on these movie meetings (i.e. my first and only attendance was for an extremely tearful Sense and Sensibility... years ago?). 

The others (Steph, Cynthia, Rem, Paul, Sophie, Carmen, and others) had gone through the entire cannon (as far as I know), plus Austen inspired movies (e.g. Becoming Jane) and have doubled back to the original that started the club. Yes, the BBC-Colin Firth-Jennifer Elhe mini-series version of Pride and Prejudice. Or as most in attendence seemed to think of as THE version. 

And then I admitted I'd never watched the entire thing through. 

GASP! 

Oh, yes, there were clips here and there (mostly in my one university English class), but not the entire thing.  And I've certainly heard / read of the lake scene many times over (e.g. Bridget Jones Diary the novel; Steph). 

Who'd have guessed it was so funny? 

Steph: Why did you think we like it so much? 
Me: Colin Firth and the lake scene? 

Watching it and not studying it (for that English class), and the audience commentary probably helped.  

 (Left: My semi-slightly-healthier first plate included one of Ken's scones.)

 (Right: But this happy fellow called out to me.) 

 

Before long, Paul was pointing out Dawn as a child and a little after that it was the end of the first half... which didn't include the lake scene.  And I know I'll have to wait for that a bit longer.  The main thing, I have a newer, happier view of the book. 

 

* Though perhaps Ken would have wanted to stick around?  Full rules for the game can be found here :P

 

Morning at Mandolin

or Drinks at My Local

Ah!  So much snow again.  Was glad Clarence made it safely from Calgary and had a fairly smooth trip to meet me at Mandolin Books & Coffee Co. (which I've taken to as "my local"). 

The server prepared just what I requested (tea in a mug large enough to wrap my hands around to warm), while Clarence had his breakfast.  We were the only people there.  (Below: I think he approves of their coffee.)

 

I tried to remember the last time we were together just to talk.  Or when it was just the two of us.  It's been a long time.  Where to start?  The bandage on his finger is as good as any!  He said Christiana had two kinds, but he picked Princess over plain, knowing we'd appreciate it.

I confessed I didn't check facebook often enough to know what's going on in his life.  But he told me he censors what he posts - what's important, what's he's really thinking or feeling won't likely end up there.  Which made me feel only slightly better.  But not absolved for not checking in with him more often. 

Technology is nice though.  On his phone he showed me photos of past travel (Istanbul - before my wedding - was in part a decision to go somewhere different because he noticed his travel photos were looking too much the same) and talked about upcoming trips. 

Hearing all this from him, I felt inside a desire to try something new and travel somewhere different too (within reason - it's still a thing Paul and I still have to negotiate).  But I also felt a huge tiredness.  The house, health, and uncertainty at work (and winter?) were all having their say. 

We talked about staying positive and getting older. The need for stretching, to actually think about taking care of our bodies... the fact we have the same (looking) foam roller.  He's enjoying the running... I'm not enjoying not dancing...

My scheduled couple of hours were up (his visit, as usual, was completely packed).  Part of Clarence's parting shot was a huge hint at families and children.  A light hearted joke?  But my reponse was serious: More than ever, I feel like I need to be able to take care of myself (the big kid) first. 

Some Horrible Things

There was some more tidying up.  Paul cooked dinner while I attempted another food experiment.  When Rem and Steph arrived, we were ready.  A short tour later (of rooms and not of kitchen cupboards -- some of which had not actually changed since Rem unpacked them :P) we sat down for dinner.

Paul's (beef) Lancashire Hot Pot had turned out really well.  As we ate, Steph updated me on Sophie's health and that an old friend might be moving back to Edmonton.

After eating, I was ready to clear the table to start some games, but Rem suggested moving to "more comfortable chairs".  What a strange thought - we were already in the more comfortable chairs.  But he had meant the ones in the living room.

Though it was a small change - moving less than 10 feet - it proved to be a quite a different experience.  We don't usually sit in the living room.  And now, what were we going to use as a table?

Aha!  The versatility of the t.v. tray once again comes to the forefront!

And so, with that last bit figured out, it was time to see if Rem and Steph were also horrible people.

After laughing at painful diseases, menstruation, and other politically incorrect things, I thought maybe again, we are all horrible.  But when Steph chose "A hot Latin lover" as UN universal right... There just might be some hope for us.

We took a short break for tea, Steph's brownies, and my experiment. (Below: Not quite Battlestar Galatica but still high in iron from the cream of wheat.)

Another round or two, we started a game of
Things.  Some slightly more questionable than usual answers appeared -- our brains had been tainted by playing Cards Against Humanity!  Paul suggests we combine games... Hm...