Call & Response

The Call: At My Desk — Cheryl

Most days teatime is about 3 p.m. Today it was 5:15. When it doesn’t happen at all, I’m probably out of town.

My parents were tea lovers who would drive more than an hour, north into Canada, four or five times a year to buy King Cole Orange Pekoe tea. They drank it after lunch and after dinner. I now have to order my King Cole online (cringing when I see the Canadian shipping charge), and I generally limit myself to one large cup.

I have many gorgeous, gold-edged, flower-decorated, delicately shaped bone china teacups and saucers that I inherited from my mom. They look beautiful in my cherry hutch, but I seldom use them. They are just too small.

I’ve started taking tea at my desk in my studio. Sometimes I work on the computer, sometimes I read a book, write or draw. Often, I entertain Stella, who likes to join me for tea and an afternoon chat.

Each day, I brew a full pot (with two King Cole bags). Bridget always has a cup, and now, most days Henry does, too. Jack, Sam and Stella like their tea with milk and sugar. Just milk for me, thanks.

The Response: Tea with Snack — Jessica

Most days my teatime is around 1:30. It use to be later but once my children started school I had to leave home to pick them up at 2:30. So, after all the morning’s work is done and the younger kids have had lunch and the kitchen has been tidied up, I brew a cup of Twinnings English Breakfast (with a little bit of milk) and grab a little something sweet. It helps me stay awake for the afternoon commute. And the daily battle with traffic.