Booming Banter

I sit and stare at my Mom in the same way most mornings until she gives in and takes me for a walk.

When we are not meeting Auntie Denise it is more difficult but now she has work she has to be on the ball pretty swift.

This morning she got diverted by an internet discussion about of all things the best Tea. She plumped for her Moms favorite a good Irish blend.

She’ll have to import it for the store.

She left pretty soon after our walk with a haul of mint that she is using as a floral arrangement. Says it’s in keeping with the tea theme. Well whatever works for the woman works for me.

That wasn’t her only plan though. She’d spotted a sign for an auction yesterday just around the corner from the tearoom and just had to spin past. Hum!

She wasn’t there five minutes until she snagged a huge haul of old LP records for a dollar. The auctioneer didn’t even make her get a bidding card he was that glad to get rid of them.

Seems they smell a bit dodgy but the mint might mask that and apart from this minor defect she thinks she did good. There are about forty of them.

She has them all priced and sorted so let’s see. Even if she sells none they are decorative in that sort of « you are entering a different time zone » sort of way.

I’m just so glad she doesn’t bring these Treasures home anymore and that I don’t have to deal with all her nostalgia!

Blessing #1097-Under the Hammer

Do you ever wake up and know the time just by the sky? I do because I can smell dawn and sometimes Ma does too by some means unknown to me.

You maybe don’t hit the time to the minute but you get a ball court by experience.

Same thing with the weather when you see those fluff ball clouds that Salvador Dali liked so much you know it’s going to be a fine day regardless of what the weather man might say.

Today is a very good day in the USA because our covid numbers have come down low enough for the CDC to advise that masks can come off the humans. I’ll be able to see all their fangs again!

Blessing # 1096– Unveiled

Our friends are all really kind people. We love them very much.

Today my Auntie Karen who lives across our street and whose garden I arose regularly gave Mum a lot of beautiful things for the store.

It was another day when the trunk of the car was filled with wares and these are real antiques. Now they have found the ideal spot in their new home at the main entrance.

They go so well with the rural roads that Ma takes each day and that I’d really very much like to take too.

I can imagine them in a farmhouse or one of those big old barns.

Once more I was left home with Dad but I’ve been promised a ride up soon for being such a patient and understanding puppy.

Blessing # 1095 – Country Ways

Auntie Denise is back from her trip to the west coast and I sure am glad.

It means I get out for my big walk in the dot of 7:30.

It was a bit tight this morning as we didn’t get up till 6:45 that’s late for us but we are sleeping so much better these days since she has started up the shop.

I nearly killed Denise with kindness when we met her. I’m so glad to see her but for sure not nearly as glad as her pony Penny.

Ma left pretty early as she had to do her shopping for the week. She also did some « flower » arranging.

She thinks all that mint we grow is a perfect thing for a display at the tearoom.

It’s not bad at all. Kinda fits the green theme.

Some ladies who came for tea today suggested Ma make a signature Tea I have visions that mint may have further applications.

Blessing # 1094-Blends.

Sometimes Ma is nasty to Dad. This morning she chewed him up. If you guessed till Christmas you wouldn’t guess why.

She said he bought too much ice cream.

Now who shouts at someone because they do something like that?

Poor Dad he was only trying to stock up on her favorite just in case she had a craving or needed crisis therapy.

Ma sees it another way though. Those who know Dad well know that he always buys things in multiples.

He can’t get one of anything. There is not a single inch of space to spare in our freezer. It’s coming down with chapathies, chicken burgers and ice cream oh and of course that key lime pie.

It’s not like we live a million miles from a grocery store and we go shopping every week. But why on earth do humans get riled up about such nonsense?

I could yummy up that sea salt caramel before you could say Jack Robinson.

Blessing # 1093– Sweet Solution

I’ll sleep well tonight as I’ve been on a road trip since 10:00 am and am just home a few minutes ago.

We went all over mid-Ohio today.

First trip was to the tearoom to pick up some plants that had been residing there over the winter.

Next up we had to go to a notary to have them certify that Ma and Pa are living so they can get their pensions from Nestle. I could have done that but paws are not accepted it seems has to be official stamps.

After that we headed East to get the news on the parents tax situation and are delighted to say that everything is ready to roll on time to meet the deadline of May 15. That made Dad very happy as he’s worked so hard preparing everything. I gave him a kiss.

With that done and dusted we headed South to do some shopping and found a new thrift store where Ma picked up some useful little dishes to hold jam and cream. She realized last week she hadn’t enough of these as she hasn’t time to get what she has washed in between customers.

Finally we headed home and when Ma went to put her geranium plants on the patio she found a disaster. The Bizzy Lizzy’s that she kept in our bathroom over the winter and that she’d put outside last week had all been ravaged by frost and rain. Poor souls I’d grown attached to them. Maybe there’s a chance if I bark nicely they’ll come back to life.

In the meantime we’ll put a bag over those geraniums if it doesn’t warm up soon.

Blessing # 1092 – Buds and Blooms

Rained, make that poured ALL day.

Ma and me had a trot and got soaked to the skin. I was wearing my usual fur, she her thickest raincoat. Mines better!

She said the state of her nighty that was underneath reminded her of wet T-Shirt contests when she and her mates went to Spain to party. Made her chuckle. Especially since good old Paddington has on his sowester.

She ate the face of the bro by text before going to Church because he only left her a card for Mother’s Day. Turned out his present was in the freezer. He’d bought her a Key Lime Pie and Four Creme Brûlés. She had to admit she’d judged him wrong.

When she got back from asking for forgiveness he’d made pancakes and eggs for her breakfast. He’d cooked enough to feed a family of ten. I helped.

That made her feel better and so she did his tax return for him. He’s going to get a good chunk of change back from Uncle Sam!

She then did all her sums for the project and nearly fainted at the amount of money she’d poured into that place. Thought I was going to have to get the medics to bring her round. She’ll need to sell an awful lot of Tea not to mention uncover some series Treasure to make this work.

So now after much deep breathing we are relaxing and she has decided to binge watch her favorite Call the Midwife from the very beginning.

Turns out she never did see the very first episode but had read the book. May the Lord Bless and preserve me as I see visions of a week long session ahead. All that screaming!

Blessing #1091-Filed and Filled

Ma is all smiles again tonight.

After patiently waiting since February my darling Auntie Lori was at last able to have her party at Mom’s tearoom.

Auntie Lori was adamant she wanted to host her birthday party there even though she had to postpone it three times she hung in there and didn’t give up.

Ma so appreciated her patience and her willingness to be the first party at the T&T and to bring her friends there too.

I’m just waiting for some snacks. Auntie Lori always gives me those when I see her and a little birdie told me she sent me a few home with Ma. Big loves.

Blessing # 1090-Supporters

Ma is hyper happy as the story of Tea and Treasures made the front page of the Marion Star.

The newspaper was once owned by President Harding and his dog Laddie Boy. I just know we are related. Bet he was my great great great great uncle.

He was so supportive of his human just as I am and was in many a front page of the Star too.

For sure he attended many rally’s on the Presidents porch when he was campaigning for the 1920 election and helped draw the crowd.

I do my best to help my Mom too. My greatest talent is taste testing. I have as my auntie Pat Pol says a fin bec. I’m sure Laddie boy did too.

Wonder did he like scones?

Blessing # 1089-Headline News

Dad and I had a decent day playing and cooking.

Ma is just in and is in an excessively good mood. She sold a book to her first customer who is not one of her friends.

She brought home a box of yummies as she has to trash them after they’ve been thawed for a few days.

They are not destined directly for landfill they’ll be in our tummies first. I see a very happy future ahead for me.

They are scrumptious and I didn’t even have to be a good boy to get one.

Blessing # 1088 – High Cream Tea