Completely

But not quite a tea party. I had a friend over for lunch today and made grilled chicken salad on my George Foreman grill (LOVE that thing!), with organic mint tea (if you want to make your mouth water check out their fearless flyer - I can't do it I'm too far away and will get a major onset of TJ's homesickness), and homemade red wine vinegar and herb dressing. I pulled out my pretty little teapot my Mother bought for me in Alaska while we were there visiting my sister, and teacups from the china my MIL gave me. We used the matching bowls and dressing pitcher from the set as well. So it FELT like a tea party.

When I was in California we would go over to SIG's (Sweet Ireland Girl's) for lunch and she would make the most fabulous lunches with her GF grill. One time it was turkey and fresh grilled bacon sandwhiches, another it was a fresh grilled chicken salad, hence today's menu. Everything was so delicious and so much care put into each detail without overdoing it, down to the fresh baked cookies from the Betty Crocker dry cookie mix, delicious, special, with a homemade feeling, and EASY. It always struck me every time we went over there. I always tried to recreate it for her when she came over to our place for lunch, but since it wasn't my place I didn't have the ease or capability that I desired to do something even close. One time it was Tony & Alba's in our bedroom downstairs with our feet propped up on the bed watching Guess Who, LOL. But it worked. It was wonderful to finally be able to do that for someone else today and have that wonderful, enjoyable conversation to boot and the companionship of knowing that you're with somebody who really cares. Hopefully I will be able to do it for SIG and her sweet little baby boy when they come out to visit. I say when, because I really, really hope they will!

It is a grey overcast day, so before she came I lit as many candles as I could to add ambiance and cheer. I think I had about nine lit, and it worked! As I walked her to her car we noticed it had started sprinkling during lunch, so I came back and the boys and I went walking in the rain. They got to use their Batman and Ninja Turtles umbrellas for the first time, well first time in actual rain, and I enjoyed the feel of the rain on my skin. It started to come down a little more as we walked back and LG went running in the rain ahead of us enjoying every drop as I used his umbrella. There is nothing more satisfying than the feel of a fresh steady rain after many days of beautiful gorgeous sunshine.