TEA FOR TWO

TEA FOR TWO

Written by

Marilyn Mills

One Saturday morning while meandering around Howick, after we had visited the Karkloof Morning Market, we decided to stop off at Ray’s Café in the tourist hub for a really welcome cup of coffee.   It was a muggy day and we opted to sit outside on the pavement where a gentle breeze was blowing. 

It was very pleasant sitting there watching the overseas tourists browsing the few curio shops left in that area.   We had visited the antique shops and collectables which we love doing and were ready for our morning ‘cuppa’.

The service was swift and the menu varied.   We spied an item on the menu called ‘Tea for Two’ which was a variety of sandwiches, scones and cakes for two people sharing at almost the same price as a cup of tea and a scone bought separately.

After enquiring if this could be served with coffee instead of tea and being told it was fine we went ahead and ordered our ‘Tea for Two.’   It took a while for the order to come through but when it did we were blown away!

We had a selection of very fresh white tomato and ham sandwiches, brown egg mayonnaise sandwiches, scones with grated cheese and scones with cream and jam and delicious fresh chocolate cake slices.   It was a veritable feast.

We tucked in!

I have very rarely tasted such fresh fare from a coffee shop anywhere in South Africa.   The sandwiches were amazing and so tasty, the scones were huge and the cream provided was enormous.   The cake was still warm from the oven and the icing was pure heaven.

We will certainly be heading back to Ray’s Café on a regular basis to try out the other interesting items on their menu.   You should too.

Where did 2016 go?

My last post was September 2016 and so much happened from that date that it seems a blur.  My son's 40th birthday was on the 29th September so a big family get together happened.  My daughter's birthday was on the 9th October so another celebration at her home in Kloof took place. her baby was due on the 21st October but the little parcel arrived on the night of the 14th October no tassle attached!!!

Anna Lyn weighed in at 2.7 kgs and they say dynamite comes in small packages.   It is now January and we are just coming up for air!!!   My daughter and I did not know what hit us.   I had forgotten how much work babies are and she had had no clue!

In our day we had time to prepare for babies as we did not have demanding careers.   These days the young women are expected to do it all.   They are expected to know it all and they expect a lot from themselves as they are all well educated and something like motherhood should just come naturally.
Ha! Ha!
That is an Urban Legend if ever there was one.

Needless to say we muddled on together and three months down the line Anna is in a fairly good routine and has doubled her weight plus so we are all breathing a sigh of relief!!!

I launched my first novel on the 10th of December surrounded by my family and friends and it was a great success.   My youngest son, a lecturer at Vega College in Durban, designed my book cover and made the speech at the launch.   He spoke on how it takes courage to 'put yourself out there', to open yourself up to criticism and sarcasm when you write.   What he forgot to say was that it also takes lots of self dicipline to sit down and put pen to paper.

'Twisted Blood Vines' was a story in the making for nearly 30 years and eventually got written only because of an article in the woman & home magazine on 'How to write a novel.' some seven years ago.   Since then I have moved house twice and project managed a new build which was very exciting but quite challenging and it took up all my creativity!   Therefore the book took longer to write than I thought.

Then came Christmas and New Year with all their fun and  excitment!!!!

It has taken me nearly two weeks to get my mojo back and to think about starting writing again!!!   Hopefully I will fill these pages with delicious short stories and articles.   Maybe even poetry - who knows?