Tea for Two

Did you ever have something sort of ordinary turn out to be completely wonderful? Not to complain, but sometimes the very opposite happens to me. Today, though, I was in for a sweet surprise.

Let me start at the beginning...For awhile now, my oldest has been going through a "phase". A little clingy, a little whiny...I'm not at all sure exactly why this is- unless it's sort of a "growing pains" stage. At seven and a half, with a four year old sister, she has suddenly wanted to be babied again, as if she feels herself on the threshold of leaving her "young" childhood behind and having to plunge into the less secure, older part of her childhood. And perhaps she's more than a little tentative.
This is something new to us, since up until recently, she seemed more than eager to always want to do things herself and be such a big girl. Now she just to wants to cling onto my apron strings with a tight grip.

So while I'm trying to get to the bottom of all this, I decided that in the meantime, maybe she and I should have a mother\daughter date. It has been too long since just she and I did anything together.
I suddenly remembered the charming tea room that one of my best friends and I have luncheoned at a couple times. What if we dressed up a bit and went there- just the two of us- like little ladies?

She was very excited at the prospect. "Mommy, you must wear a dress...or at least a skirt."
So I did, and she donned a lovely dress and we were off.
Meanwhile Daddy and Lil Cherub had a date for a yogurt parfait at the elegant Mc D's...(or as the girls call it, since it was hard to pronounce, Naked Donald's.)

She was almost giddy with anticipation as we drove the nearby town, and she was just as thrilled when we actually entered inside. It's a small tea room which houses on the other half, an antique shop, and so the whole area is filled with all things vintage. There is jsimply not a more charming place with simple elegance around for a mommy\daughter tea!

My little girl had a decadent scone with cream, while I chose a chocolate croissant. And she relished in pouring her own tea into her English cup from a little teapot!

And as stated at the beginning, this Saturday afternoon tea held surprises and delights even for me.

After our tummies were warm and full, we began to stroll through the antique shop section...when suddenly, I looked down and saw a real, live gigantic poodle, groomed to perfection and lying as obedient as if she were part of the decor. The manager seemed pleased to show her off...and then, asked, "Do you want to see my other poodle puppy?"
We followed him over to his desk area, waiting for this tiny poodle to emerge, when out pops this HUUUUGE Andre the Giant poodle, making the first one look like a shiz tu. (I should have gotten a picture of him, too, but didn't want to appear to be- like- touristy about his dogs.)
Apparently he was 14 months old, and had not reached his full size. I'm telling you all, it was taller than my seven year old on all four paws...complete with a coiffed poodle-do. We were simply amazed and enchanted at the same time.

After we oohed and awed, my daughter asked me if we might try on the old-fashioned hats we passed by in a box. I wasn't sure...so we asked and were told to help ourselves. Then the real fun began...we modeled and tried on hat after hat, complete with boas, and we snapped pictures like crazy. But we did it all, with the quietest of voices and dainty giggles.

As we finally left and headed home, I realized that in my endeavor to give my oldest some extra attention and mom-time, I ended up enjoying the afternoon as much as she did. And I think we're just going to have to have many more little dates like this in the near future.

However, I think this simple, unassuming little dessert at a tea room will have an extra special place in each of our hearts. I know it will for me.