rituals

Three out of my four grand parents spent a great deal of time in England when in their twenties. They all brought back to France a love of tweedy clothes, an inordinate love of rugby( grand fathers only) and some words that they would forever use, spicing up a french sentence like:" mets de l'eau dans la kettle pour le thé"..... which brings us to the most important aspect of their visit: tea and tea time.One anglophile grand father insisted on his 5 o'clock tea, impeccably dressed and ready to enjoy his baba au rhum with his smoked tea. My maternal grand parents were a little looser, but nevertheless in the long summer afternoons that we would all spend together in the big family vacation home, and after a restorative nap ( sleep for them, reading and sunbathing for me), we would put the kettle on and rejoice in the delicious ritual of afternoon tea.The sun was horizontal and getting more orangy, and the apricot tarts would glow.It was not a big production( cookies would do too, or a little chocolate from the box that had been a present) , but more importantly another delicious moment to share together, the table bringing us close and happy.Later, as a high school student, I would come home, and look forward to a shared tea with whichever parent( they of course got the tea time bug) happens to be home.It was a quick check in for the day, sometimes more of a confidential nature, always pleasurable.I can say that I tried all the parisian tea rooms with my mom back then as well. It was usually the sweetened conclusion to an afternoon of shopping, La Duree after a stint to "les 3 quartiers' department sore, Daloyau after jean hunting in the Latin Quarter....
When Dot was growing up, I was trying to invite her to the kitchen table for tea after school, but she preferred getting on the phone with her friends.Now that she has her own place, she invites me for tea.We have already some delicious memories.and a common love for Chai tea.