I am humbled.

Thank you to our loyal readers + followers, long time subscribers, and all you new Tea Lovers! There’s been heavy traffic since being back for a week now. Oh yeah, we’re back on Instagram too! @parTEAwithmeBlog Follow us! (making a mental note to link to this blog…) I’m grateful to those who leave comments too cuz I wanna know your thoughts + experiences as well! Keep em coming. Keep it all coming! I am loving this, it’s giving me life.

Since July 2014, when my friend suggested I start a blog and write about our trips to each Tea Spot, I have only posted once a month or once every couple months about each Tea Room or Tea House visit. (Then only a couple posts in the last few years…shh!) I think you guys deserve more. Don’t you? 😉 I am hoping to write a bit more frequently (cuz I love it so much) about my background/history/experience with tea. So you know who I am as well, and whose words you are reading! Does that sound good to you?! Feel free to leave comments with questions or any subjects you’re curious about too! I’ll do my best to answer as fully as I can.

Okay, My First Tea…

I was in Richmond, California. We had just slept over a cousin’s house, and his dad was making us all breakfast. I must’ve been just 4 or 5 years old, is my best guess. There was at least 6 of us, and he had to feed each of our hungry little mouths. I remember watching him move around in the kitchen. My bio mom never allowed me to be in the kitchen with her, ever. So I was intrigued as to how he was gonna make this breakfast happen for all us rambunctious children! Meanwhile, the rest of them were jumping on couches and “watching tv”.

He called out to us, “Hey guys! Time to eat. Wash up.” We took turns washing our hands in their hallway bathroom. The same bathroom we would wash up in after playing outside. The same bathroom we washed up in after they took us to McNears. They were a fun aunt + uncle.

Afterward, we all found seats at either the dining table or the counter bar. I got a seat at the counter. I remember him setting down a little plate. On it was a toasted dinner roll. Inside: a little dollop of mayo and a folded piece of ham. (the good kind of cold cuts) On the side of that, a plain white teacup atop a plain white saucer. Inside that? Strawberry tea!

Now I never had tea before this. My bio mom drank tea, but she never gave us any. So this was my first! A brand new experience for me.

It was steaming hot. Smoke slowly rose from the top of my cup. (blow) I put my lips together and blew my tea, so I wouldn’t get burned. I felt like such a grown up! When I thought it was cool enough, ever so slowly- I carefully took my first sip…

MMM!! That was so good! It was like hot juice! But not that sweet. And it felt so good in my tummy. It warmed my whole body up! I was so happy. So content.

I sat there and finished my little toasted ham sandwich with my strawberry tea as the good little girl I was. I remember even being so bold as to ask for more tea. 🙂

I don’t have very many fond memories of my childhood. (it was about to get dark right here, but I saved it! I saved it!) But this is definitely one good one. So much so that for breakfast sometimes, we serve this exact meal to our kids (and my inner child) to celebrate that memory. I hope you try it and serve it to your family too! Let me know how they like it?!

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