Tea, Flowers And A Quick Walk At The Beach

One of the things I love about being in England is being able to get a good cup of tea pretty much anywhere you go.  At home in California, when I ask for tea with "truly, just a splash of milk", I generally end up with a disgusting cup of tea scented milk and have to ask for them to remake my drink.  There is one Starbucks I go to, where the Barista knows how I like it, but she only gets it because she has a family member who lives in England!  But here in England, no explanations are necessary.  If I ask for milk in my tea, it either comes in a cute little jug for me to add or is added by the Barista who instinctively knows the right amount - brilliant.  

Also, everywhere you go there are tea shops, cafes and coffee shops that serve good tea and coffee.  They are in galleries, museums, side streets, department stores, cathedrals and castles, on street corners and railway stations.  If you visit a historic site you can almost guarantee there will be a nice little cafe with great tea, coffee and homemade snacks - think delicious cakes and scones, soups and salads.  Why the U.S. can't get it's head round this idea and do the same is beyond me.  It seems so obvious.  

So the other day it was raining (again) and I headed out with my in-laws to the local Garden Center, not for plants, but for coffee, or tea in my case.  

Can you tell I'm drawn to bright colors?!

After enjoying a great cup of tea, we dodged the rain showers and went for a quick walk by the sea.  This is where I grew up.  I played tennis on the beach, swam and body boarded here.  I spent Charles and Diana's wedding day on this beach because I was a teen and sick of all the fuss!  The beach is perfect for kids, it's very shallow and the water is safe.  It looks lovely when the sun shines and is beautiful in winter storms when the wind and high tide drive the waves over the protective seawall. 

Now if you'll excuse me, it's time for a nice cup of tea......