Tea at the Abbey

...The Abbey Garden Tea Room, that is, right here in Bellingham.

The menu will look somewhat familiar to UK folks; I chose the Abbey Tea, the favorite of my friend A, last seen here sitting in a cow-filled field. She treated me to a delightful leisurely afternoon of beautifully prepared food and far-ranging conversation, from our parallel studies in England during college (30 years apart) and love of English literature to the joys and challenges of horse ownership (she has several) and our childhoods.

It was particularly nice to be away from home this afternoon, as we had two painters in to do some interior work (hallways) today. They were finishing up as I returned home, and the newly-painted walls and ceiling look beautiful. The down side is that they also make the carpeted areas (stairs and upstairs hall) look even worse, as the carpet is now 10 years old and was builder's grade when installed (i.e., not high quality). We'll add that to our home improvement list for 2013!