Luncheon with friends

A "close-up" of place setting. I tied three sticks of Jill's ( from Bittersweet) soap sticks in a doilie and tied with string. I know they will love her soap!

One of my last 3 hydrangea's in the Fenton bud vase. Mixed up the china, some Homer Laughlin, other old Noritake, and some Fransiscan.


My friends Joyce and Linda, already busy chatting away! We enjoy our monthly gettogethers.

Luncheon Menu
Tossed baby greens with cucumbers, tomatoes

with strawberry vinaigrette dressing
Optional topping for salad, crumbled Gorgonzola and sliced toasted almonds
Horseradish/cheddar cheese and crackers
Baked Chicken Francais on Basmatti Rice

Asparagus

Hot rolls
Apple Tart with ice cream and caramel sauce

Wish you could have been there too!

Hello Everyone,

Had a great time getting ready for our luncheon. We usually go out to eat, but I thought this would be a fun break in routine and I enjoyed planning and preparing. Haven't done much entertaining and really should as I am fairly flexible in my daily schedule!

Tomorrow is Woody's 14th Birthday! He and his mom are going to a sushi restaurant for dinner...neither Paul nor I enjoy sushi, so we have invited them over for cake and ice cream after their dinner. Have invited the other cousins and aunts and uncles as well...but it is last min. and it is, after all, a Friday.....but 14 is getting up there......

Where did THIS WEEK GO???

Hope you have had a wonderful week...Did you see the full harvest moon? Awesome.

ttfn

tts

Cathy

This is a test

Not as much of Sophie, a bit of my sister and folks tho....well, it is a "test" right????

Wednesday Hellos to one and all...

Are you wondering who this is in the video? This is my sister and brother-in-law's pug Sophie Meyers! She is one charming little lady who has a mind of her own about treats! This is in my mother's kitchen. I tried to find a video of one of my tots, but Sophie was the only video I found so hey, this is Sophie's big debut! I just had to see if videos worked or not, haven't seen a whole lot of them used on blogs, so wanted to find out why. Let's see how this works....

Right now, my dog Fiona (who is a bit put out with all this attention on that pug....wants her walk!) So, out we go,

ttfn

tts

Cathy

I AM FOR WAR!

Hi everyone,
Bet that got your attention! Well, I want to comment here after reading some other blogs. Now, must first say that I enjoy these ladies blogs, love their talent and enthusiasm, covet their goodies sometimes even.....but I am getting a bit tired of folks who make comments on one side of the issue that get people all polarized. I mean, who is really for war???? Come on. And knocking President Bush has become a legitimate hobby for folks out there. Come on. I cannot keep silent on this one. I will never believe President Bush orchestrated the attack of 9/11. I must continue to trust our leadership....be they Democrat or Republican. I still believe we are the good guys. I will not become a cynic. I am old enough to remember Vietnam...as a matter of fact my husband's military career spans the Viet Nam era to the end of the Cold War. I have friends and family who fought and died in Viet Nam. I have a patriot in my family who fought in the Revolution too....you know, back then there were lots of people who thought those "patriots" were subversive and evil.....Time will tell, history will show, our great grandchildren will judge the outcome of this battle for freedom....I just hope they are "free" to make that judgment!
This is a free country.....contrary to some people's opinion....and everyone is entitled to their beliefs and can freely express them. So be it, so have I, AMEN
Now, if you disagree, that is great. Get your own blog, make your thoughts known! Don't tell me, it won't make any difference as I am steadfast. You should be too.
Wow, this was a serious blog today and I am sorry for the detour. I had seen several comments on other blogs, and rather than dispute them on their own blog, I decided to be heard on my own site and well....leave them to their opinions and not argue. I do not like arguing. Really.
ttfn
tts
Cathy

Wedding *STARS*

The Beautiful Bride!

Izabella sings "Carried Away"

Jazmine and Woody play Amazing Grace with Zion holding their music


Izabella blew everyone away with her wonderful voice and poise as she sang to the large audience in the wedding

Woody is growing into a handsome young man and is just as kind and sweet as he is good looking

Beautiful Jazmine

So, the wedding was lovely and very nicely done. Brandye and her groom Kyle are extra wonderful people full of love, talent, joy, and creativity, they made this their special day and we all benefited from being there! Brandye entered the ceremony to the classic song "At Last" it was too cool. Course, our talented grandchildren added a touch of whimsy and sweetness too, in my not so humble opinion. (smile)

So, the bride and groom are heading to Texas to live happily ever after. We are sorry to see them leave as Brandye was part of our family and we will miss her, but we are so very happy for them both as not a nicer or more perfect couple exsists! Mozel Tov dear friends!

ttfn

tts

Cathy

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BILBO AND FRODO!

Today is a very special day in the life of all MiddleEarth fans.....an auspicious occasion to celebrate with much tea and mushrooms and all sorts of treats, the birthday of these two excellent fellows! Join me in celebrating their birthdays!
There is no other volumn of works I have ever been more a devoted fan of than those of JRR Tolkien. Love the movies, have the unabridged books on tape, fabulous....am missing my set of the Hobbit, which I loaned to someone.....anyone out there with them???.....should have written it down, oh well. I just think they are awesome.
On to today!
We are going to a wedding in Magnolia, NC! Brandye and Kyle will be tying the knot this evening and we will be among friends and family wishing them a long and happy life together! A wedding is such a joyous occasion. I am glad to be invited and attending! I won't ever forget their anniversary as it falls on the Baggins Boys Birthday!!! Hope to have some photos to share with you later. It is warm and kinda muggy again here in NC, but sunny and by the end of the day, it should be a bit cooler and nice for the event. Hope you are having a wonderful weekend.
ttfn
tts
Cathy

Another FRIDAY!!!

Hi Everyone,

Today, I have tons of errands and then....I'm gonna have lunch with my friend Mary! That is smiling Mary in the photo. Mary is also my one and only stock holder! She has been a steadfast and true friend during most of my tea adventures and has been there to make sandwiches, load vans, unload vans, make apple smiles, serve tea....anywhere anytime.....taster of unusual concoctions and level headed thinker!!! I am so very blessed to know her and look forward to a fun time today!!! She is also the very famous "Miss Mary" storytime star!!! (the other ladies in the photo are also dear sweet friends, Linda and Sally. They had just helped me serve a huge tea at the Mall....over 400 in attendance....TEA FOR 400...............THAT WAS A BIG DEAL!

Well, I have my list of "todos" that's to do, not spanish. (ahem). Will have much to share I bet when next I post. Hope you have a wonderful weekend.

ttfn

tts

Cathy

I had a tea room in Durham....

I love the opening line from Out of Africa...."I had a farm in Africa...." it is so haunting, so that is how I feel about my tea room. Actually, it was a real tea shop! I sold over 90 loose-leaf teas and tisanes, all types of tea wares, offered instruction and education on all topics concerning TEA. It was pure heaven. I was in charge, the boss lady, made all decisions, crafted all visions, it was awesome and wonderful. Decided to leave the mall for many good reasons but not because they (the Mall) were anything but grand to me, really, just thought it was time to change venue. Packed up, stored the entire shop, and was waiting for the new location to become ready for me to move in....never happened. So, Allmytea waits in a storage location....for the past two years! What should I do???? I would love for some tea-shop in progress to buy the entire contents...such great "stuff". Friends keep hoping I will open again somewhere else...that is pretty close to impossible....BUT, who knows what the future holds? I am open to anything and wait for God's leading as I know He knows.

ttfn

tts

Cathy

MY "VIEW"

Hello Friends!

This is a photo of my bulletin board that hangs just to my left as I work on my computer. I have added more since this photo, but it gives you an idea of what is going on in my world. The big certificate is one from the world tea expo, makes me feel accomplished. In truth, I stick things on the board so I won't forget......that happens alot. So, I know where important "notes" are now and I have some photos up there to remind me who I am and what I am about!

Hope you are having a good Thursday. It has been a nice easy slow week for me. The weekend is going to be busy as Paul and I have an out of town wedding to attend....Brandye and Kyle.... and then Sunday I have a tea party to do...so should be a faster pace than usual.

ttfn

tts

Cathy

The Tea Spa!

Unidentified attendees at my first Tea Spa!!! These brave ladies (names unknown to protect the innocent) look like they are actually enjoying themselves!!!! Honest-to-goodness it was alot of fun and what good sports! They are "wearing" a rooibos and mayo masque with cucumber on their eyes.....it really did feel good! After rinsing, they used cotton balls to apply a green tea toner which was also delightful!!!

The hit of the spa was a Let's Do Tea Carmel Rooibos!

Thanks to Lindsey, my hostess and her friends for being such great guests!

Remember...."have mayo, will travel!" and Tea is good for all of you......................

ttfn

tts

Cathy

Where did Friday go?

My daughter Sarah

Hi all,

Friday was a "change of plans" kinda day....I had planned on having lunch with my Flybaby friends, but my youngest daughter, Sarah, called (something she doesen't do often) and wanted to hang out a bit, so of course, I changed my plans for the day! We had a nice visit, lunch at Panera Bread then she was off to pick up her children from school early so they could head out to the mountains for a weekend family-type getaway! Sounds good to me!

So now it is SATURDAY! I am off to do a Tea Spa! Will let you know how it goes. Maybe they will let me take some photos for the blog???

I will let you know how it goes.

ttfn

tts

Cathy

Can you believe it is Thursday already???

Hello everyone, I am thinking all day it must be Wednesday....wow. Wish I had a photo because I think it is so nice to see something...but alas, I don't have one for today, maybe tomorrow. I am meeting up with my Flylady buds for a quick lunch at Applebees at noonish Friday. Do you know about Flylady? Check out her link here I am a huge fan and love all she has to say about getting your act together! One of the best quotes I have ever heard came from a Friendship Bible Study I did maybe 25 years ago...goes like this "Knowledge without application is bondage". Isn't that great? Think about it....we KNOW what to do, but we don't DO IT. We are "bound" in a cycle of defeat. So, as NIke says "Just do it". (I know, easier said than done, but do it anyway!) Today was nice. Someone came to look at the house...we have had it on the market for 2 whole months now....just waiting for the person who is supposed to have this little home. We would like to move on with our lives a bit so hope they find this "dream house" soon.
Finished Mary Kay Andrews' book Savanah Blue, a fun read. What I like about my life now is I have time to read, it is great. I have Mary Higgins Clark's I heard that Song Before to read next. Maybe will treat myself to a m ovie tomorrow, would love to see Being Jane Austin...is that it? well off for now...
ttfn
tts
Cathy

9/11

I was born after WWII, but have always wondered how it felt to live life during those dramatic days....I have honored Pearl Harbor Day each year, and remembered D-Day as well, just seemed the right thing to do. Having a husband who made a career of serving in the Air Force, helped me to serve as well. I am a patriot. No apology. Might be my Ulster heritage, but I am and have always been a proud American. Six years ago today....wow six years already.....life began as it always had, but changed dramatically before 9am! Things just will never be the same. I have not forgotten, nor will ever forget. It is no small thing to remember..................
ttfn
tts
Cathy

Tea Spa Goodies

Above are the ingredients for a wonderful bath soak! Fresh, organic lavender, epsom salts, tea tree oil (very soothing), essential lavender oil.

Mix all ingredients well.....


Make some very very cute tags and put 1/2 cup bath salts into bags and tie with cute ribbon ties

VOILA! You have some tub fun ahead. I also made 10 large tub tea bags with Egyptian Chamomile, rose hips and fresh mint!

I have been enjoying myself being creative and using tea! At the spa we will make green tea masques, a refreshing green tea toner and munch on cucumber sandwiches (the other half of the cuke goes on our eyes of course!). We will also be sipping delicious herbal concoctions from Let's Do Tea inventory.....sound like fun?

My kitchen sure smells lovely now.....

Remember TEA IS GOOD FOR ALL OF YOU!

ttfn

tts

Cathy

Good Monday!

This is a shot of where my cute crow is living right now on the entry-way table

A wider shot of the entryway of our home. See the Cute Crow?

Close-up of crow on neat white pumpkin.....remember shopping on Friday???

Another shot of cute crow on her pumpkin!

Hello everyone! This is the crow! I am still trying to figure out how to do the photos....they did not upload in the right order, sorry.

It is Monday, I have some photos to share. I promised photos of the cute crow...she must have a name, if you have a suggestion, please share! So, this morning I also made some great items to give away at my Tea Spa this weekend! I used our Lavender Herbal Tisane....and Chamomile to make two wonderful bath products. Packaging is a bit sketchy as I wanted to use what I already have on hand and some of my stuff is in storage while the house is on the market, soooooo I used sandwich baggies, but have cute cute tags and inside is great and that's what counts! First CUTE CROW PHOTOS.......

I am going to start fresh with the photos of the spa goodies.....

ttfn

tts

Cathy

Friday Fun

Hi Everyone!

Well, I did very good all week long....spent absolutely NO MONEY, that is thrilling to me, honestly, I used to love, I mean love, to shop! Oh, I'd buy just a very little of this and that (which mounts up, believe me), but shopping was therapy. I have been trying to turn my life around, change my habits and live more simply. We had a fire in March of 2005 on Arrowhead way..... Photo on top is a view from my office ceiling into the attic and photo below is a view of "stuff" from the attic the firemen threw out the upstairs windows during the fire! Well....long story short.....we got rid of alot of things you might say "the easy way".....Just became the movitator and wake up call for me particularly, to stop acquiring stuff, slow down, and simplify my life. Changing your lifestyle is not easy! On the other hand, I have acquired new skills, new goals, new priorities and new routines. I highly recommend trying the simple life, even one step at a time, is a beginning.

Back to Friday....I did shop a bit today....a trip to SuperTarget and Michael's is like cheap wine for a drunk.....terrible temptation.........I was on a mission, to buy an eye dropper. Just $60 later, I had that dropper and also two white artificial pumpkins, a fake crow, some glitter, a cupcake decorating kit and two kinds of cupcake papers, a die for my die cut machine to make tags, and a couple of fall plastic folage picks .....am I bad? But wait, that was just Michael's....at SuperTarget my item to buy was epsom salts....got 4 one half gallons of es....then got Fiona's dog treats, 3 magazines, olive oil, a way cool wreath stand (the big purchase) and a little plastic purse full of cute buttons! Ah, that is my fix for a couple of weeks now! I needed the epsom salts for the Tea Spa I am doing and also the dropper....the rest was for getting into the swing of autumn! That fake crow is darling! I will take a photo and show you....tomorrow....

So, I am a backslider. Oh, I did buy a great huge orange plastic storage container with a black lid to put all this autumnal accumilation into when the Christmas decor goes up!

Met an instant friend while in Michaels, after over an hour of chatting, we had to part because Fiona was ready to be picked up at the "beauty shop". Her name is Cheryl, will probably never see her again, but she was lovely and we hit it off! At least, I think we did, but maybe she was just very polite, whatever, it was fun to chat about this and that. We got to talking about American Girl dolls and that led to....well just about everything. I have no secrets...she even knows about "Gastro-land".................Oh my, I bet she thinks I am a nut case. Maybe I am. She did tell me about her mother-in-law, so feel we are on level ground. Perhaps we are both nuts, I am happy with that.

Have a wonderful Friday night.

ttfn

tts

Cathy

Gastro-land

Well, Dr. Pai is very understandable and professional....so I will give him a try! I go for some blood work tomorrow....then maybe a genetic marker test...whatever that is....more blood he says. I HATE having blood drawn, boy do I hate that. If, I have this genetic "disease" of high iron...the treatment is to have lots of blood drawn about every 3 months. isn't that ironic??? Course, he has alot of other "tests" he will want to run, yada, yada, yada. I told him quite frankly, I am heading into my 60s, my kids are grown and I feel great, if something is wrong with me and I have symptoms of any kind I will deal with that...BUT I am not going to go hunting for something. He kinda said "I see", then proceeded to say we might need to get a liver biopsy! (forget that one!) I am no poster child for the AMA that is for sure. He mentioned the big C (colonoscopy...sp), but I let that slide too. Oh, I guess I did pretty well on my first adventure in "Gastro-land". No photos....not much to see but big, huge, gigantic posters of innards.
ttfn
tts,
Cathy

Jazmine

I told you about my granddaughter's birthday...well here's a photo of Jazmine. Here she is with her violin, quite a lovely young lady, if I say so myself!

HAPPY 12TH BIRTHDAY JAZMINE!!!

Fiona

Well, before I go, I must tell you we are off for a walk...and the we is me and my dog Fiona. She is a darling West Highland Terrier or Westie . She has been our little girl for 8 years and Paul and I are sold on Westies!

Here she is with a couple of her "friends" And one in a tea hat! Westies love Scottish Breakfast tea, with cream too!

another thought

The quote below is easier read when you click on the photo and enlarge! This was in Real Simple magazine this month's issue....well, off again...this time for real. Great day in NC, warm, sunny and terrific. Hope your day is as well....
tts,
Cathy

Great Quote

Just love this quote and photo....says it all!

Day two of my blog-life

Good Thursday morning friends!
My dance card is rather full today as this is my first meeting with a GASTROENTEROLOGIST! I have no idea why I am going...my nice gp...Dr. Zhang, who is Chinese and I love dearly, but cannot understand most of the time .... has referred me to Dr Tip....I think that is his name...so I am off to meet with him. If I can't understand him, I am outta there, sorry. But, I will give him a chance. Will let you know how this goes.
I will come back home and begin experimenting with making some tea-related items for a Tea Spa presentation I am doing next Saturday! Will try to upload some photos....big big deal for me!
Finally, will go to our eldest grand's baseball game. Woody is playing "fall ball" and we are committed fans!!!
Also today is our dear granddaughter Jazmine Sky-Breen Chesson's 12th birthday!!! Happy Bday J-bird, we love you.
More later...
ttfn
tts (taking tea seriously)
Cathy

a link

Hi again....
I guess it would be nice to just put the address as a link so here goes
http://www.nctealady.phanfare.com how's that????

Get to know me!

Hello once again! I have put together a couple of slideshows on my phanfare website that you might be interested in looking at if you have some time
nctealady.phanfare.com is the site and "teatime" is the password
One is of my home, another is of my tea shop in Durham, NC (which is closed now) but still you can see all the fun we had! Let me know what you think,
Taking tea seriously,
Cathy

Hello out there!

Wednesday, September 5, 2007.... my official very first blog entry!
I have been visiting many blog sites for over a month and have enjoyed meeting vicariously lots of talented very likeable people! I wanted to be their friend! I would like to begin a bit of journaling and who knows where that will lead me! For now, my faithful friend Fiona....the fearless westie...is anxious for her morning walk....ttfn, Cathy, who is taking tea seriously!

Hello out there

Wednesday, September 5, 2007

My very first blog entry. Wow! I have been visiting many many blogs and have enjoyed meeting vicariously many new friends and people that I really really like!!! All so honest and kind and BUSY living and doing and making and raising and whatever!!! Well, it is my chance to journal a bit at least and I hope someone will enjoy reading what I write...someone....somewhere...sometime!

taking tea seriously,

Cathy