jolly good times!

Because Typhoo tea was on sale right when we ran out of tea bags. (By the way, did you know that “ty-phoo” came from the Chinese word for doctor? I didn’t!)

Because there were only sugar cubes left in the corner store on Easter Sunday, when we ran out of sugar.

Because it’s rained nearly everyday here in our neighbourhood, it’s almost like we’re living on the British Isle.

So we decided to go the extra mile on the subway and buy some proper tea ware from the thrift store, so we can have some proper tea this weekend and join in the Royal Wedding fun. The dainty tea cups and saucers cost approximately £2.85 (or exactly $4.50 CAD), and we’ll be all ready if the queen ever comes over for tea. (Or the prince and the new princess! Aren’t they coming to Canada in July?)

We even made cucumber sandwiches! We made the most simple, traditional kind according to this trusty source. So, basically thinly sliced cucumber, sprinkled with salt and pepper, and sandwiched between two pieces of bread. The white bread was sold out at the grocery store, but that’s OK, WW bread is better for us anyway :)

We only made the cucumber sandwiches for fun. I wouldn’t really want to eat a whole one, because it’s kind of bland. But if one is adventurous one could try fancier versions of the cucumber sandwich. Like this curried version, or these with mint and cream cheese. These open face ones on rye look pretty appealing too!

Mike even hung up his British flag for the occasion (and found out that our door frames are made of metal! More surfaces to hang stuff with magnets! :D).

He also bought some crumpets for breakfast, because he’s a big fan of crumpets.

I don’t care much for crumpets, because I find them kind of bland (there seems to be a trend here… is it just me, or is English food generally bland?). So one morning I decided to try them with butter and syrup, because the back of them kind of look like pancakes…

… but they’re no pancakes. The syrup didn’t change the flavour much. Oh well. What are crumpets supposed to be eaten with anyway?

But all in all we had a jolly good time drinking tea, eating crumpets, and talking like characters in Wallace and Gromit :D

Lots of people I talked to were kind of annoyed by all the exaggerated excitement and fascination around the royal wedding. And having planned my own wedding and enjoyed the complete absence of expectation from both of our families (they’re the best!), I kind of wished that everyone would just leave the couple alone so they can have a private time of celebration. Well, I can only wish. But I think any wedding of two people who are deeply in love with one another is a happy occasion worth celebrating. So the royal wedding just gave us a reason to do something fun and British (or what we think is British).

But no, we didn’t stay up to watch it. But from the photos I saw afterward I think the prince and princess were genuinely happy, and for them I am happy.

And I think it’s always good to find things to be happy about. Like yesterday, I saw that the magnolia bush we walk by every week is finally blooming.

 

They’re almost white this year. I remember that last year they were more pink. But look how graceful the soft petals are, unfolding.

 

That made my day. I hope this week will bring you many things that fill your heart with joy.

Cheerio!

7 thoughts on “jolly good times!

  1. The Royal Wedding made my day too! I watched it live, because the time difference isn’t that big for us (I’m in the Netherlands) and it was so sweet. I’ve heard negative comments too, but I didn’t expect anything more than two people celebrating their love and that was exactly what I got.
    Love the magnolia, it’s my favourite tree. Although the blooming, sweet smelling lime trees in my street are also nice.

  2. thank you for visiting, Lirael! it’s been cold in Toronto so seeing the trees finally blooming is extra exciting! enjoy all the spring flowers in your neighbourhood! :D

  3. I’ve kinda been visiting your blog a lot lately. Read it from the first post on and totally love it! You have a great way of writing and crafting :)

  4. I’m down here in the States near Chicago IL, and it was taking FOREVER for spring to arrive! Finally, we now have warm sunny days! 

    Your emails/blogs are always delightful; thank you! Sometimes it takes me 2 weeks to get into my home email because my three kids reach the home computer before me. So I read all of them after the kids go to bed until late at night.

    Such a shame I have to get up early each morning to get to the office!

    The secret to better Cucumber Sandwiches is a fine quality UN-salted butter thinly spread onto the bread, and a sprinkle of black pepper on top of the cucumbers. Then we cover the sandwiches and chill them for a short time — they delicious when the cucumbers are really chilled and crunchy!

    It is rare we have crumpets at our house, but sometimes it is fun at the winter holidays (Thanksgiving and Christmas). We toast the crumpets until golden brown, and then spread the following onto the nooks & crannies: (1) a little unsalted butter, and then (2) “Sweet Pepper Jalapeno Jam.” 

    P.S. The red-colored sweet pepper jam tastes better than the green-colored one.

  5. thank you so much for the tips about cucumber sandwiches and crumpets! i like the taste of butter better but for some reason we only ever buy margarine… maybe that’s why the sandwiches and crumpets were bland! thank you for visiting! :D

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