The Tea Party

It  was Thanksgiving, the apartment was warm, the TV was on. We had eaten and enjoyed the food. There were eleven of us, family and friends. The two toddlers entertained, because they were adorable, and smart. They jumped and danced and spun and fell. When you are almost two you talk and laugh and everyone in the room feels happy/  It's an age full of magic.

The little girl had gotten a gift. It was part of a kitchen set that would later be put together. The gift was a tiny tea set.  The tea set was made out of wood.  It was small and delicate but sturdy too. There was a pitcher, two tiny tea cups, a sugar bowl with little cubes and a wooden tea bag and spoon, and two tiny dishes for cookies.

We sat on the floor, and I unwrapped the tea set.  Dishes were being cleared, ice cream cakes eaten. For a few precious minutes nobody else was in the apartment. I poured the make believe tea, and the little girl dunked the tea bags.  We ate imaginary cookies from the tiny shiny plates. I poured more tea. She added the sugar cubes.  I heard the others, we drank our tea.  Then it was over, too soon, and I wrapped the dishes back in their box, for our next tea party.

I am going to bring two big hats, and some tiny cat cookies. I might even add a lace napkin for a table cloth. The words to an old Juice Newton song, came to me this morning, "  the sweetest thing I've ever known was loving you". Happy Thanksgiving, may your life be filled with Tea Parties.