Tea in the Afternoon

We went shopping in the morning. After the early morning rain cleared, the sun shone. We walked the dogs down Victoria Parade and did the weekly shopping.

We walked the groceries home with green bags over both our shoulders, like pack horses. Ha, ha. It's a bit of a slog walking back up that hill loaded up with shopping bags, and recalcitrant dogs that just want to do their own thing a lot of the time.

We bought pork rolls for lunch. We ate them as soon as we got home. I pick the Willis out of mine before I hoe into them, as I like a little chilli but not usually the amount the nice bánh mì maker tends to put in.

Then it was screens on the couch. Sam cleaned the fish pond filter. I didn't get off the couch. Oh, to be so lazy, is a glorious feeling.

3pm. I made a cup of tea. I try to make it as strong as I can with the tea bags I have.

Funny. I think of my old English born aunties, often, when I make tea. Now, they used to make tea, with a pot and loose leaf tea, tea strong enough you could stand your spoon up in it, as they used to say. It would be the colour of mahogany.

I remember when I was a young lad, I'd make them tea, and if ever I'd say, "I hope that isn't too strong."

My sweet old aunts, with their set hair and matching jumpers and cardigans, would always answer, "tea can never be too strong." 

They would always have a biscuit to go with their tea, in fact, they would have a selection, taken from various biscuit tins they would have handy.

I miss all those lovely old aunts, who have all been dead now for many years.