Irony, oh, Ironieeeeeeeeeeee.......

I just have to laugh.

A few weeks ago, a group of ladies treated me to high tea at the Sweet Afton Tea Room in Plymouth, Michigan. I have never really liked tea. I usually choke down some Lipton decaff when I am sick, and that's about it. Well, there's a reason I haven't liked tea very much to this day: I've been drinking--according to the tea snobs of this world--swill.

I found myself a little bit hooked on the orange spice tea that the Sweet Afton Tea Room offers (not to mention their cucumber sandwiches with curried mayonnaise, quiche, scones, and tarts. It was, to say the least, a very fun and elegant treat--not just the food and tea, but the atmosphere as well.) Having been introduced to what "good" tea can taste like, I did a little research, found a moderately affordable brand, brought it home, tried it, loved it.

So now I'm in the habit of taking "afternoon tea" most days. (Ok, it's lunch, really, but it's lunch eaten after the girls are in bed for afternoon naps, and I am enjoying a small measure of peace and quiet before tackling the rest of my day.) I made my own curried mayonnaise, which turned out quite good, and did a little experimenting with tea sandwiches. Now, for lunch/tea, I slice some bread super-thin, make a few cucumber sandwiches with curried mayonnaise, and brew a cup of slightly-better-than-average orange spice tea. Occasionally I turn on the TV to catch a few minutes of news, but usually I sit and enjoy the quiet, or turn on some nice chamber or piano music. I read somewhere that the ritual of bringing out the tea things and going through the motions of brewing the tea is soothing, relaxing, and calming, and I find that to be true.

Today, however, is tax day, and I wanted to watch a few minutes of the news. So what's on the news today? Thousands Rally at Metro Area "Tea Parties"

Nothing short of ironic. Really. I'd laugh some more, if I wasn't so fearful for the freedom of our country.

Crumpet, anyone?