Kicking things off...

I've been dreaming about starting this particular blog for a while now, mostly because whenever I'm out with my friends, or back in the office Monday mornings, inevitably I find myself going on about the latest amazing book I started reading, or my latest cooking adventure, or my latest thrift shot foray or loose leaf tea-find.  Together we've shared lots of good laughs, along with book suggestions, recipe tips, a smattering of gossip and lots and lots of tea.

Unfortunately, I have never been one to keep a journal, and to my eternal regret, the older my children get, the busier our lives are becoming and I have started to realize how many details of our wonderful life I am forgetting. My hope for this blog is that I get in the habit of posting my adventures with Tea and Books and Friendship, while keeping everything in some semblance of order that will allow me to recall some of the funner details when my brain is otherwise mush from all the other stresses of everyday life.

I don't have the time I used to have, to cater to my creative brain in the ways I could pre-motherhood.  I used to draw and paint all the time......Having neither the time nor space to keep up that hobby these days, I've found other outlets to keep my mind sharp:

• creative interpretations of traditional family recipes (NO not all of them work) and experiments with international cuisine (I have to feed my family anyways, so why not kill two birds with one stone eh?)
• zentangle doodles, (I might not have studio space in our busy house, nor studio time in my busy life, but I can always find 10 minutes to doodle a stray thought or two out of my head with no more than a small notepad and a sharpie)
• thrift shop treasure hunting (nothing quite like retail therapy on a budget) 
• searching around southern Alberta for new flavours of tea (if I have to have a vice, loose leaf tea isn't a bad one to have)
• and now blogging (I spend so much professional time in cyberspace anyways, I am starting to feel like I'm missing out if I don't start contributing something more personal to the conversation)

I live in a small town surrounded by a wonderful community of friends who have become like family to us, but I remain half a country away from my extended family and oldest friends which can sometimes feel isolating and lonely.  There are many times I have wished I could bring both of these worlds together. Perhaps here in this space that can happen - we can each curl up with our favourite beverages and solve the world's problems by stretching our worldviews and nurturing our imaginations through the sharing of thoughts about books and cooking and life in general. 

I've got the kettle on and a tea shrine waiting to be worshipped, so pull up a cushion, wrap yourself in a warm blanket and let's chat. 

The NovelTEA Time Cafe is open.