and
Tea
More
Why
and
Tea
More?
Recently I have reached a monumental stage as a mam. As of this week, all of my children can now make a cup of tea - using hot water and everything.
And I can now whole-heartedly declare that having children is worth it.
It has taken many hours of work to drag them into this useful phase of life - a phase which must be said there is no going back on once you have mastered it. I have endure a lot during the process. Tea is a serious business and there was more than one occasion where I wondered if we would ever get there.
But here we are!
I say all this as a good cuppa is the very base of hospitality. It's the least anyone can do (well, barring a cup of water, but if that's all you're offering we need to have some different words).
I probably spend 80% of my time drinking tea with other people and I'm not ashamed to admit it.
It's the best place to start hospitality (cos it's time limited - I mean how quick can you knock back a cuppa?) and a good way to extend it.
One of my children, during the course of their tea training, has really got into the whole thing. They have not always been the most proficient brewer but their keenness is unparalleled. So much so, they have invented what has become know in our house as "Tea and More".
It came from my request to this novice for a cuppa having been soaked one day on the school run home. They leaped up at my request and pootled off to the kitchen. There was some clanging and crashing before they returned (without the tea but with a huge grin) and announced,
"Mam, I'm not making you a cup of tea..."
I tried not to look too crestfallen.
"I making you a tea... and more!" they finished before quicky slinking off to smash up more of the kitchen.
It turns out that they did not merely want to make me a cuppa - although that is all I wanted. Seeing my soggy state they decided I needed more than just chai based refreshment, and so I was presented with a hot cup of tea and the remains of what was at the bottom of the 'treat' tin, which this time included half a squashed fake mars bar, a melted skittle and a wizened satsuma. They were delighted. And quite frankly so was I.
As I sat peeling my small juiceless orange and sucking on what was definitely not a skittle, with my child basking in the delight of taking care of me, I felt truly hospitality-ed.
They had seen my need, and the fact that the rain had reach my pants, and acted accordingly with what they had. It was hospitality at it's most basic, and without doubt, it's best.
Whatever your feelings on hospitality, the root of them is probably this; it needs to be done well. This thought then sends us down one of two paths; either we kill ourselves sourcing organically farmed, British assured, Michelin starred dishes, or we just don't bother doing it at all.
I began this Blog after 4 long months of Lockdown - which I personally, quite enjoyed. It came out of a time where I had to start thinking about re-entry into life again. Wouldn't it have been nice to stay in my pjs on my sofa, waving to people on Zoom?
The Bible says not...
and while I maybe sad about that, the Bible called me to find a way back.