A Tea Moment for me

Yesterday my husband arrived home and plopped a package on the table - something for me! That I didn't order and wasn't expecting! It was from my cousin Jen, basically my surrogate sister, who runs the amazing blog An International Tea Moment. A while back she hosted a tea tasting party and named the best teas of 2009 in various categories. (I know, she is so cool.) She also did a giveaway (which I didn't win) and then sent some of the left-overs to me! Hooray!

My history with Jen and tea goes way way back, before either of us had every tasted the stuff, to my mom. Mom would drink a cup of tea every evening after getting us kids off to bed. I have so many memories of her sitting in her rocking chair wearing her slippers, a book on her lap, both hands wrapped around a delicate fancy tea cup, enjoying a moment to herself. She always insisted that tea tasted better out of a fancy tea cup, and would NEVER have imagined microwaving the water used to steep. When I was in junior high and Jen was a super cool teenager, she visited us and my mom took us to tea. It was love for both of us, and Jen has since become a connoisseur.

I really don't know much about tea at all except that I love it and it reminds me of my mom. And Jen. So of course, this little package in the mail has been a bright spot in the week. I am still trying to decide which one to try first, and what fancy cup to put it in. (Oh, and don't you love the stationary?)