Tea and writing

This Saturday, caitirin and I went to the Clipper Merchant Tea House in Limerick, Maine. It was our second visit, and it was so delightful. It's in a beautiful Victorian house filled to the brim with interesting things to look at, and each room is themed. The last time we went, we ate out on the China Room, which was decorated with Chinese antiques. This time, we ate in the Scottish Thistle Room, at a little table for two in a nook by the window. The banner on this part of the website is actually a picture of the table we sat at. There were paintings and photographs all over the walls of people in traditional Scottish garb, there was a tartan garland over the fireplace and lace doilies everywhere, and the bookcase behind us was filled with books on film history. All of the dishware is different, too, so every time we go, we get to see new teacups and plates. It's the most relaxing environment, like you've stepped back in time.

We both had warm cranberry-almond scones with butter, lemon curd, and clotted cream. This is the only place I've had clotted cream outside of England, and I LOVE IT SO MUCH OM NOM. For tea, we had African Honey Bush Crème (mine) and Chai Crème (Rachel's) and they were both delicious. I don't usually find tea "delicious," either, just pretty good, and these made me want to drink buckets. Rachel had a Caesar salad with little knots of bread and I had cranberry chicken salad in a croissant (with Sun Chips! :D). I'm incredibly picky about chicken salad, and mine was perfect. Everything had its own little dish and spoon, and the individual teapots had circular wire stands to set them on with tea lights to keep them warm.

It made us want to have our own tea nook :) When we get a house, we're going to set up a corner with a little table and a lacy tablecloth and other lovely things.

( In other news, the state of my Nano. Warning: It ain't pretty. )

Interestingly, unlike other Novembers, doing Nano this year hasn't left me wanting to take a break from writing for a while. I still want to write – just not that story. In fact, I think it's time to start my Eadswith and Deue story - my semi-magical sort-of-romance between a Saxon girl and a Briton girl in 5th-century England - in earnest. The first order of business is to put aside my fears that nothing except Sherlock Holmes and Vocaloid I create myself can hold my interest for any significant period of time.