Memories of being invited to tea

And we know that all that happens to us is working for our good if we love God and are fitting into His plans.

Romans 8 : 28

Opposite our Famona garden was open land/veld/bush.  It was an exciting place of smell and sound. The rain on dry dirt, ant hills , bark and leaves was delicious to smell and the morning sounds of chatting sparrows with the evil laugh and shriek of the butcher bird made this area special.

If you could see through the thick bush up into the hills of grey granite rock there was a beautiful home.  It had the kitchen and dining room downstairs and then up an open stairway, curving round the natural granite of the rock face to the left, was a lounge. The lounge then to the right had glass doors from floor to ceiling leading to a wide balcony. This balcony looked over open land/veld/bush and with a little imagination you could see our Famona.

In this home lived a family of three.  The son was seven years older than me.  He was tall, blue- eyed and blonde, well loved and a good friend to anyone who wanted someone like him.  It is easy to realize that getting to know people through sharing was not difficult as at this point in the history of our country we were on rationing for petrol.  You could only buy as much petrol as the allocated coupons allowed. (For example my Grandad who lived on the farm gave my Dad some of his coupons so we could visit once a month) Our tall, blue eyed friend gave many of us lifts to Friday night meetings, toffee pulls, popcorn evenings. We had a lot of fun as a group.

Then came the time for me to leave our country to study in South Africa. This may have been why we were invited to tea.

Mum looked lovely, (she often did especially when dressed in her pristine nurse’s uniform, ladies were very much influenced by Marilyn Monroe. She didn’t disappoint). We enjoyed slices of cake, little sandwiches and pleasant company. It was a friendly tea time. It was also a time to think of our futures. My future had four years of study ahead, his had learning to take over his family’s company. Just the two of us, went out on the balcony to look down at the long stretch of land/veld/bush that drifted far into the distance to where I lived…

(possibly to be continued)

Thank you for reading my post. My favourite tea is what I grew up with Rooibos Tea. Here are some sayings about tea. I wonder which one you will like.

Life is like

a cup of tea

to be filled to the

brim and enjoyed

with friends

Unknown

Each cup of tea represents an imaginary voyage.

Catherine Douzel

Life is like making tea!

Boil your ego.

Evaporated your sorrows.

Filter your mistakes.

Get a taste of happiness.

Unknown