Let's sit and have a cup of tea

Hello, hello, it's so good to see you!
I wave at you across the market square and the wind buffets you towards me and we hug tightly.

If we were meeting now I would link a thickly gloved hand through your arm and lead you off to one of my favourite coffee shops in Durham. The one that is off the beaten track, that serves lovely big pieces of cake.

We would sigh as we entered the warm building and smelt the freshly baked scones.
We would pick a quiet table in the corner, looking out over the city and I would start to unwind and take off the many layers I have on.
I feel the cold.

If you were with me now, I would order us a big pot of tea (or coffee or even hot chocolate if you prefer), lean towards you and ask you how you are? We would comment on how nice it is to see each other again and how much we look forward to this catch up every month. I would tell you how blessed and amazed I feel that so many people choose to meet with me for tea like this and how wonderful it is to hear everyones news, big and small.

Oh look the tea has arrived. Your cake looks delicious. I may have to steal a sneaky bite! As you poured the first cups, I would tell you how the first week back has been. Busy sums up how I feel. Already? you ask and I sigh "yes, so it seems". I fear that that is the Durham way of life and I am learning, every day I am learning to just take the busy as it comes. Secretly I know I thrive on it so whilst it can be a culture shock after a long holiday, I really relish the challenges that come with having a lot on!

If you were opposite me now, I would curl my hands around the hot cup, letting the warmth seep back into my fingers. You would ask me about craft and I would tell you all about my ideas and plans. That I am making a quilt for my best friend and I am so excited to get working on it over easter. Laughing I would confess that I have three quilt blocks waiting on my desk and they all need to be posted. I am really enjoying being part of this year long collective and it is definitely making me think of new ideas for each block. I would ask you if you are part of any blog swaps/pass alongs etc?

Your eyes sparkling you would ask me about scrapbooking. Project life is going well I would tell you. I am liking this no pressure approach. Posting every other week is wonderful too. A new template can definitely freshen things up and I am enjoying creating my own elements. I often sit and look through my book from 2013 and it is definitely an incentive to keep this project up!

How is your cake? The portions are large aren't they? I would ask you how your crafts are going? Have you tried anything new? I would point to my scarf and tell you with just a little bit of pride how I made it on my loom. Laughing I would sit back and tell you of the weaving disaster and how the scarf was very nearly abandoned if it wasn't for my Dad. It's a story that needs to be told on the blog and I am saving it for the right time and the right words.

A second cup of tea is definitely in order. As I poured, the conversation would move to friends. I would tell you that I am enjoying being back in the company of my housemates. I didn't realise how much I missed just sitting in the kitchen in our pyjamas, drinking tea and eating biscuits. I think you would probably breathe a sigh of relief when I told you that I am getting to bed much earlier this term and I can already feel the benefits. I think you would then roll your eyes! I know, I know, I should have worked that one out! Smiling you would ask about the boy and I would thank you for doing so. He is well, busy in his final year. I feel very lucky to have him, he is a great guy and definitely keeps me laughing.

We would look down at our plates. Crumbs now and dregs of tea. I would start to wrap the scarf around my neck, ready to brace the Durham winter. We would stand up and stopping and pausing every few feet to talk, we would make our way back to the cobbled street.
Thank you, I would say. Thank you for joining me again this month. Meeting with blog friends is just the best.

I would hug you tightly as we got back to the market square and make you promise to see me again, this time next month.

If you were having tea with me today, what would you tell me?

If you would like to write a "tea" post please add it to the linky at the bottom so we can all sit and share with you! The linky will be open for a week so you have plenty of time!