Deep in the Wedding Whirlwind

With less than 3 weeks till the wedding, things are really starting to pile up for my procrastination prone family.  Should I clarify that it's my sister's wedding I'm talking about?  That's what you all assumed isn't it.  Yeah...

Anyway, this weekend I dove into the wedding fake flower realm for the first time in my life, and came out a bit disillusioned.  Normally a trip to Hobby Lobby is one of life's joys, but not yesterday.  I seriously wanted to nab a bag of circus peanuts from a check-out line and sprint to the door.

We decided on fake flowers for fiscal reasons, but seriously...  They look...FAKE!  Doesn't that say something about something?  I mean, shouldn't a new bride be carrying real flowers?  Yeah...she really should.
 

So I know Pinterest is old news, but I'll have YOU know that I've been on Pinterest for months and months.  Yes, that's right, I was riding the cusp of this fad back before most people had heard of it.  For those of you who don't even know what I'm talking about (don't feel too bad about being behind), here's a description for you.

Pinterest is a site dedicated to accumulating pictures that catch your fancy as you're surfing the net.  I love this because not only is it handy, but it's gorgeous as well.  It displays all your pictures in such a visually pleasing way.  I also love it because you can follow other people's "pins" and discover new things.

On that note, I've had some strange followers... Apparently it's crazy easy to find other Pinterest members through facebook, and so I've had tons of facebook friends following my boards.  Even guys.  Now, I hate to be sexist, but my boards are centered around home decor, hairstyles and fluffy bunnies, so this has me confused.

In other unrelated news...  We saw the northern lights last night!!!

Fall, fall... GLORIOUS FALL!

One morning, at the end of September, I was lucky enough to head out to the Sorghum festival in Meridan, KS. 

This is for the curious ones: 

Sorghum is a genus of numerous species of grasses, one of which is raised for grain and many of which are used as fodder plants either cultivated or as part of pasture. The plants are cultivated in warmer climates worldwide. Species are native to tropical and subtropical regions of all continents in addition to the South West Pacific and Australasia. Sorghum is in the subfamily Panicoideae and the tribe Andropogoneae(the tribe of big bluestem and sugar cane).  (Wikipedia)

Technically we went to the Fall Festival, but I'm pretty sure it used to be called the Sorghum Festival.  According to the guys at the sorghum booth, that's what the festival has traditionally been completely built around.  Now it's really just this one booth...  Honestly the stuff looks a bit scary.

Mr. Sorghum told us that we could use sorghum anytime we'd normally use molasses!  Now let me ask you, when was the last time you used molasses?  Exactly.

Still cool though...and ok on a saltine cracker.  Just like I remembered sampling it over ten years ago.  I bet the same guy was squeezing it out of a ketchup bottle even then.  That's just another reason why this festival is awesome!

On a totally unrelated note...

At this very moment, my ipod is submerged in a bowl of rice.  Tragedy.

Snapshots

The Ness Melodeon Band World Tour / My AWESOME Bath holiday

So this is incredibly overdue.  In more ways than one.

But let's not dwell on that.

So far this week I've:

- Forgotten to set my alarm clock twice, but managed to scramble saunter into the office ON TIME.
- Ordered my first pair of Toms canvas shoes.  They are brown.
- Tried on 9 pairs of trousers for work at the local thrift shop. Two of which almost fit...but didn't :(
- Watched the new Jane Eyre and was disappointed.***
- Realized that I'm slated to perform for "special music" at church this Sunday.

 *** The cast was talented, the scenery was breathtaking, the music hauntingly beautiful, and the lines...well...it's Jane Eyre.  Even so, it was completely lacking in any believable relationships.  Jane and Edward said the same lines to each other for the most part, but at the crucial moment, when tears were welling up in Jane's eyes, I was completely tear free.  What could be more disappointing?  I could care less, and was having trouble figuring out why Jane did!  Yeah, Mr. Rochester was pretty attractive (way too attractive for his character mind you), but definitely not worth the tears.  Gaaah!

Guess it's about that time

September has begun, and that means fall is on its way...well...technically.  The 100 degree temps haven't helped it all to settle in...

Anyway...  We decided it was time to disassemble the Christmas tree!  Yay!

In other news, the bi-annual Flea Market is here this weekend!!!

Listener Wooden Heart

I came across this video the other day, in my internet travels, and I thought it was interesting enough to share. I thought the video itself was amazing, and the lyrics are the kind that make me want to read them for myself...more than once.

To make it easier, here they are!

WOODEN HEART (sea of mist called skaidan)
We’re all born to broken people on their most honest day of living
and since that first breath... We’ll need grace that we’ve never given
I've been haunted by standard red devils and white ghosts
and it's not only when these eyes are closed
these lies are ropes that I tie down in my stomach,
but they hold this ship together tossed like leaves in this weather
and my dreams are sails that I point towards my true north,
stretched thin over my rib bones, and pray that it gets better
but it won’t won’t, at least I don’t believe it will...
so I've built a wooden heart inside this iron ship,
to sail these blood red seas and find your coasts.
don’t let these waves wash away your hopes
this war-ship is sinking, and I still believe in anchors
pulling fist fulls of rotten wood from my heart, I still believe in saviors
but I know that we are all made out of shipwrecks, every single board
washed and bound like crooked teeth on these rocky shores
so come on and let’s wash each other with tears of joy and tears of grief
and fold our lives like crashing waves and run up on this beach
come on and sew us together, tattered rags stained forever
we only have what we remember

I am the barely living son of a woman and man who barely made it
but we’re making it taped together on borrowed crutches and new starts
we all have the same holes in our hearts...
everything falls apart at the exact same time
that it all comes together perfectly for the next step
but my fear is this prison... that I keep locked below the main deck
I keep a key under my pillow, it’s quiet and it’s hidden
and my hopes are weapons that I’m still learning how to use right
but they’re heavy and I’m awkward...always running out of fight
so I’ve carved a wooden heart, put it in this sinking ship
hoping it would help me float for just a few more weeks
because I am made out of shipwrecks, every twisted beam
lost and found like you and me scattered out on the sea
so come on let’s wash each other with tears of joy and tears of grief
and fold our lives like crashing waves and run up on this beach
come on and sew us together, just some tattered rags stained forever
we only have what we remember

My throat it still tastes like house fire and salt water
I wear this tide like loose skin, rock me to sea
if we hold on tight we’ll hold each other together
and not just be some fools rushing to die in our sleep
all these machines will rust I promise, but we'll still be electric
shocking each other back to life
Your hand in mine, my fingers in your veins connected
our bones grown together inside
our hands entwined, your fingers in my veins braided
our spines grown stronger in time
because are church is made out of shipwrecks
from every hull these rocks have claimed
but we pick ourselves up, and try and grow better through the change
so come on yall and let’s wash each other with tears of joy and tears of grief
and fold our lives like crashing waves and run up on this beach
come on and sew us together, were just tattered rags stained forever
we only have what we remember

http://iamlistener.com/listener/news.html

Wilderness & Paradise

On our awesome Kansas-Colorado road trip, my sisters and I experienced both wilderness and paradise existing side by side.  By the end of the trip we would have spent most of our time in the wilderness that is most of the state of Kansas, but honestly, it was more than worth it!

<-----  KANSAS

We saw some interesting sights...some that were interesting because of just how uninteresting they were...if you catch my drift.

So, after a day of Kansas traveling, we spent the night in Oakley, KS, then started off again crossing the border into Colorado.  It's a myth that all of Colorado is gorgeous mountains.  Eastern Colorado is even more desolate than Western Kansas, but you're just so excited to be in Colorado, that it doesn't matter!  Except if you have to go to the loo.  Then it can be a bit nerve-wracking.  There aren't even any bushes big enough to hide behind!  Strangely enough, I missed this bit of the country when I took my pictures.  So...  Here's the "paradise" section of our trip!   COLORADO ---->

I LUV Roadtrips!

I've been looking forward to our family roadtrip to Colorado all summer, and a couple weeks ago, we finally took it!  It wasn't exactly what any of us were expecting...  Instead of the whole family heading west, we (we being me, my sisters Robyn and Wendy, and Wendy's 4-year old Elena) found ourselves heading out on our own.  But oh what fun!  I had a blast!

We'd always meant to take a roadtrip on our own someday, but hadn't ever gotten round to it.  Elena ended up being an awesome traveler...even without medication of any kind!  Well...maybe there was a little medication, but it was near the end of trip and the poor dear was throwing up.  And...I didn't really mean to go into all that.

Anyway, there are a few highlights to come, but that's all for now folks!

Let the River Flow

Last Sunday I was invited to sing with the worship team at a local church, and one of the songs we sang was entitled: Let the River Flow.  Although the song had nothing to do with rivers...it seemed an interesting choice considering the recent behavior of the muddy Missouri river that borders our county.

Let's just say it hasn't been minding its boundaries.

Although miles and miles of farmland has been flooded, the major populated areas of Doniphan county have escaped disaster so far.  Many people predicted that this years flooding would be worse than the infamous '93 flood, but somehow it wasn't!  Some experts said that the river carved down into its bed as the water barreled south...crazy huh?  Crazy awesome!

Capturing the Elusive Sponge

     Not long after moving to the Isle of Lewis, I developed feelings for the queen of tea accompaniments, the Victoria Sponge.  The Victoria Sponge is amazing.  I wish I could translate the texture, taste and aesthetic beauty of this wonderful dessert into a description worthy of its splendor, but all I can think to say is that it's amazing.  It's perfect when made by experienced hands, even if those experienced hands are supervising.  That's right, back on Lewis, I successfully baked a Victoria Sponge under the careful supervision of a master.  It was...yeah...amazing.

     Anyway, back to the story.  I decided I'd make this dessert for my family last month, so after taking another look at a tested and tried recipe given to me by the best sponge makers on the island, I gathered my supplies.  It didn't take me long to find some holes...  Caster sugar?  What is that?  Obviously something that Americans don't see the point of.  Which would account for my never having met a cake worthy of the Victoria Sponge on this side of the pond.  Once I decided to just use regular sugar, I realized that we didn't have any self-raising flour handy, but I'd already set my heart on making it that second, so I used regular flour with some baking...soda?  powder?  Something along those lines.

     So, I made my cake.  I could tell fairly early on that it would not be the kind of sponge I was used to hogging at various music nights, and tea breaks on Lewis.  Here's the finished product...

     Well, it was spongy.  Like, dish spongy.  The taste was ok, and made it edible, but good grief what a let down.  Some people decided to forego the pleasure of my sponge...  Smart kid.

Carrying on a bit of fishing...

I haven't been fishing in many many moons.  I mean, it's quite possible that I haven't fished since I turned 16.  That's 10 years ago!  Now, it's not like I've been longing to go all this time, I haven't been pining after quality time with a fishing pole.  I clearly remember not being very successful, and quietly & patiently waiting for fish to bite isn't exactly up my alley.

However, in spite of my history (or lack of history) with fishing, I decided to head out with my dad and sister this weekend.  Guess what!  I caught some!  In fact, I was the first one to reel one in.  I'm 78% sure that my success was due to the trail mix I brought along.  I think that snacking helped me relax, and kept me quiet.  I am 100% sure that the trail mix made the experience more enjoyable than a food-free fishing trip would've been.

New Dentist Digs

Today I went to the dentist, and sometime in the past two years, they moved to some impressive new digs!  Exciting, I know.  Just look at the waiting room reception area...that is indeed a handy iced tea dispenser for waiting patients.  Probably unsweetened, but in this neck of the woods (my mother excluded), I believe that's just fine.

I was in a bit of a rush this afternoon, so I didn't have time to get home and brush my teeth after my yummy lunch of peppercorn steak over rice with the grandparents (their treat!).  Ever the problem solver, I made a hasty visit to the CVS across the street from the dentist for a cheap toothbrush and toothpaste, and managed to walk in exactly on time!  I was feeling pretty good about my quick thinking until I walked into their equally lovely restroom to brush my teeth.  They had a basket full of colorful, good quality toothbrushes, travel sized toothpaste tubes, and floss there for the taking!

So I took one of each and stuffed them in my purse.  After the ordeal that followed, I don't feel guilty at all.

I once suspected that I had bipolar disorder

Circa 2008

The suspicion was short-lived, however, and I have since come to the conclusion that I'm just bad at making tough decisions...and sticking to them!

Luckily, these days I'm not suspecting bipolar disorder, but maybe just a dash of schizophrenia.  A tad?  Since I've been home, I can't seem to get a handle on the girl I was before I left.  I'm finding it difficult to understand her and some of her decisions completely, and in addition to being mildly baffling, this is also a bit scary.  What if, 3 years from now, I'm in the same position, and I can't understand why I felt so strongly about following a path I'm about to choose?  Whew...  I usually end this train of thought right here, so...

That brings me to a funny little paragraph I found today while I was looking through one of the many boxes of stuff I stashed at mom's house while I was away.

On the first page of an old blue Peter Rabbit journal, I found this gem:

This is a storybook I wrote in my spare time.  I wrote all these storys from the insporation of all my animals.  My sister Robyn was writing about her cat sugar.  So I am grateful.


Come again?  Seriously, who was that?  I have no idea... but I suspect that whoever it was would probably be mortified that her future self would post it on a blog.  Sorry lil Jennifer.

The Ness Melodeon Band World Tour!

So I mentioned a few trips taken during my "blank blog" period in the month before I made it home to Kansas, and the Ness Melodeon Band World Tour was the first of the trips.

South Africa & America!

Technically it was the Ness Melodeon Band Highland tour (2 nights in 2 venues), but Fios, the weekly paper in Ness, publicized it as the World Tour and the title stuck!  However, in the end, the trip lived up to our expectations.  As you see above...

The band rented a big van...

And the two stops were Poolewe and Beauly, two very picturesque highland towns.  We had an awesome time!  I was a groupie, and mostly just hung out with the band, danced at the ceilidhs and took pictures.  Our accommodation at Poolewe was definitely an adventure though, and I will never forget my night's stay in the Poolewe hotel.  And thanks to me, neither will you.

Apparently the hotel went bankrupt after our reservations were made, but decided to honor them anyway...which was lovely.  The room however was a little less than lovely.  It was FREEZING because the heat wasn't turned on, and the hot water was really really temperamental.  So temperamental that we had no idea that we even had hot water until 20 minutes after we turned on the hot water tap!  Nothing (no, not even freezing cold water) came out of the faucet for the first 20 minutes.  Luckily we forgot to turn it off, so we were surprised with torrents of hot water when it eventually did work.  When I say "we," I mean my roommate Lesli.  Lesli was the lucky girl to get sprayed with uncontrollable, boiling hot water.

Anyway, even though the room was freezing, the hot water was temperamental, and the shower was in the main bedroom...with a glass door, everything paled in comparison with the roll top bath.  I will never forget you lovely roll top bath.  I mean it.

Back to Basics

Oh my goodness.  It's almost been a month since I last updated!  And such a crucial time...  My goodness.

Well, since I last posted I:
- went on the road with the Ness Melodeon Band on their world tour
- went on a solo Jane Austen inspired holiday to Bath
- packed up/mailed out/gave away/secretly deposited all my worldly possessions
- drove from Ness to North Wales
- spent a week in Ireland
- moved back to the States

Just the packing stage was a bit traumatic, but nothing like the leaving bit.  I had several moments of panic leaving the island, then leaving the UK, then leaving Ireland, then landing in Newark, NJ, and then landing in Cleveland, OH.  Landing in Kansas City was a walk in the park, and since then I've just been basking in the attention of my family.

So yeah, something is better than nothing, and this something will have to do for now!  I may be jobless and car-less, mooching off my kind sister, and without any prospects...of ANY kind, but at the moment I'm busy and content.  Probably because I know this phase of my life will be over before I know it.

Also, there is a vase of lilacs on my dresser.

Local Take-out

The other day, I got a very important call.  It was a call from a very loyal friend to tell me that a local cafe called the Woodland's Center was serving mushroom stroganoff for lunch.  I've got a thing for mushrooms and stroganoff, and very much wanted to try it.  Since this loyal friend happens to work at this cafe on weekends, she had them put aside some for me to pick up.

When I went in to pick it up, here's what I got:

"Just bring it back when you're through," the helpful young man said.  Of course climbing up to my Gaelic class with it took away a bit of the charm, but not all of it.

Next time: The Ness Melodeon Band World Tour Part 1

A trip to Scalpay

courtesy of: http://www.explore-harris.com/

This past Saturday we took a trip to a little island off the coast of the Isle of Harris (which is actually south of Lewis...and attached...like completely attached, see the map if you don't believe me!).  If you're observant & have your glasses on, you'll be able to see Scalpay off the southeast coast.

Anyway, we were shown around by someone who was born and brought up there, and it was lovely!  There are fishing ports all over the place, and more houses than I thought there'd be.  Apparently it used to be a thriving fishing community and was visited by fishing boats from all over.

In addition to the exceptional tour, we also were invited into a local home for tea!  Let me tell you, that was a good tea spread.

It was a dreary day, but I did manage to get a few pictures!

A Poly Pocket Project

If you're a member of my generation, here's what popped into your head just now:

Weren't they brilliant!  I have fond memories of various soap opera's I created using my palm sized polly pocket compacts, but that's not what I'm talking about.

My POLY Pocket Project looked more like this:

I went through all my Country Living magazines (the UK version), tore out the pages I liked, and slid them into poly pockets.  I now have two binders full of lovely magazine spreads to take home with me! 

And in case you were wondering...that plant has indeed seen better days.

Thank-you for your custom

So I was at the Golden Ocean today, mentally preparing myself for the awesomeness that is their Crispy Chili Chicken, and I saw this.

Can you see this?  Just in case you're glasses are in the other room, I'll let you take a double take...goodness knows I needed one.

"Thank You for your custom"  Approximately 5 minutes before I sat down and ordered my Crispy Chili Chicken, I saw this exact phrase on the ATM screen after it gave me my money.  

Did I miss something? I mean, I know that technically, I would be a customer...  But do I need to get used to the idea that I give businesses my custom?

Journal Entries!

No, I have not given up on my new Art Journal!  The very idea...this early on in the game?  Have you no faith in me?

What?  You want proof?  Fine then.

Feb 2- I felt like making paper snowflakes...and out came this rather awkward journal page...also went nuts with the whiteout!

Feb 4- After our power outage, crawling out of bed in our freezing house was HARD.  I definitely missed the days at home when my mom and dad would get the house warm for me!

There's nothing quite like the feeling I get when I'm given a calendar for free, so when I came across this one, and got it delivered to my door no charge I was soooo EXCITED!!!

Feb 5- A visit from the police shouldn't brighten your day, but our local law enforcement officers were so pleasant and agreeable that I didn't mind the visit at all.

Feb 10- I love bunnies...

Right.  That oughta show you!

Pea Soup (this is not a recipe...I don't even like pea soup)

    

         After yesterday's glorious sunshine, today just didn't meet my expectations for the forecasted partly cloudy day. The closest we came to any sunshine today was this "hint" of it tonight.  This "hint" baaarely coming through the thick fog that rolled in just in time to help us celebrate Friday. 

         It was a bit eerie being out in the mist...until I heard the herd in the back having dinner that is...  They don't seem to mind the fog at all, at least not as much as they minded me and my camera.  They were quite vocal about it!

I make croutons when I'm bored.

Last week was long.  I'm not sure if it had to do with the fact that we were on our last week of February, (it may be the shortest technically, but it's the longest for me), or if I should blame it on the lack of interesting events to report.  Here, excuse me while I consult my calendar...

Blah. Work. Work. Blah.

Thank-goodness for weekends!  Once Saturday FINALLY ARRIVED, I got to go over to a friends house for a good old-fashioned sleepover!!!  It was awesome and I even made some new discoveries.

1) Over here french toast isn't served with syrup, powdered sugar, whipped cream or even fruit.  They eat it with something they call "brown sauce."  I've tasted it before, but don't expect me to enlighten you if you don't know what it is.  All you need to know, is that it's far from sweet.

2) This exists:

I LOVE this egg holder!  How fitting.

3) I found Mountain Dew at a local gas station!  The first I've seen over here...  Unfortunately, it tastes funny...and is labeled as an energy drink that may not be suitable to kids.  Hmmm...

4) I need to stick to using packing lists...  I forgot to bring my toothbrush, hairdryer, moisturizer, AND my pj's.  Seriously.  A sleepover without pj's?  Then, when I came home I realized that I'd left my mirror, cleanser, salad dressing, and olives there! (the last two I acquired while on my visit...I'd like to make it clear that don't make it a habit to bring my own dressing and olives with me on sleepovers).

The Bitter Taste of Defeat

Please tell me you feel sorry for us.  Never mind that it was technically all our fault...that we deserved to have such pathetic looks on our faces.  What's the story behind such sadness you ask?  Well, I'll tell you.

Or rather, show you...

We were in this queue, and literally hundreds of people behind that utterly dedicated Mumford & Son's fan that had arrived at An Lanntair in the wee hours of a very blustery, wet and cold morning (rumor has it, twas at 2:30am) for their tickets.  The box office opened at 10am, and all ticket sales had to happen in person with a limit of 2 tickets per person.  Tickets sold out in 16 minutes.

What time did we arrive at the scene?  I am too ashamed to tell you.

But long enough for me to get thoroughly chilled, long enough to get completely disgusted with myself and the my situation as my tears froze to my face, and thankfully, long enough to get over it before the doors opened.

Stormy seas...

Alright, not stormy exactly, but a bit wilder than usual.  A few days ago, I managed to get out for a walk, and goodness gracious was that a brilliant move.

The sound of it was almost as nice as watching it.  It reminded me of a relaxation CD that we listened to as kids...aptly named Stormy Seas.  It's crazy to think that I've got that sound just outside my backdoor!

It's been almost 2 years since I've lived by the sea, and I know I'll miss it when I leave.  Amazingly enough, it's not even close to being at the top of my "Things I'll Miss the Most" list!

I also remembered to take my camera... yet another brilliant move!

I'm no Pyro...

...but there is something very satisfying about starting a good peat fire.  I'm not sure how it happened, but at 9 Habost, I am in charge of our open fire.  Serves me right I suppose...since I managed to shirk my fire lighting/tending responsibilities at home for years.

Anyway, I was trying to lead in to my newest journal entries...  Maybe I should've just said... here are my newest journal entries.

Oh the POWER!

The poor hunkered down sheep across the street trying to
brace themselves in the gale force winds.

I feel like I should spend a minute to document our brief 17 hour stint without electricity before the memory fades...

At 9:05pm last night, in the middle of a Lost episode, the power went out in the Community of Ness.  IN THE MIDDLE OF A LOST EPISODE!!!  Oh the trauma...

I know what you're thinking, "How in the world did you manage to keep your sanity?"  My answer to that is: a heavy dose of cinnamon scented candles and the fact that I could go to bed.  Somehow, I was able to go to sleep, and dreamt of dedicated Scottish Hydro Electric workers toiling in the cold & windy night to bring power back to the residents of Ness.  Literally.  I really did constantly dream of power being restored, of the heating, lights, and most importantly internet coming to life.

When I woke up freezing in my dark room, I was just a little disappointed.  However, a Kansas girl like myself knows that life does go on without electricity...especially when one has an open fire and a gas stove at one's disposal.

Needless to say, the experience is over, and it's left me just a tad bit homesick!

A Dose of Local "Flavour"

No, I have not as yet fallen off the wagon...not yet.  The 2011 Art Journal is still developing, and it's actually been really nice to get back into the habit.  I'm waiting on a chance to pick up a necessary art supply before I reveal my next spread, so in the meantime, let me share a recent Scottish experience.

Burns Night!

What you see here is the teensy bit of Haggis that I left on my plate.  Please believe me when I say that this plate was heaped, positively heaped with Haggis, Neeps, and Tatties before I dug in.  For those of you unfamiliar with Haggis, Neeps and Tatties, here's a loose translation.  Haggis is similar to the hot dog in that, you really don't want to know what it is exactly or how it's made, Neeps are mashed turnips, and Tatties are potatoes.

Every year around January 26th, it's tradition to eat this meal to celebrate Robert Burns, Scottish Poet extraordinaire (Google it if you don't believe me).  Our Burn's Night also consisted of drinking some Irn Bru, the real Scottish man's drink of choice (not a fan), and watching the Piping In of the Haggis.  A bagpiper, in all the traditional garb, marches into the hall, followed closely by the cook holding up a plate of the stuff.  I was really struggling at this point not to appear irreverent.  They make it look so easy.

Back on the Wagon

After months of neglecting my art journal, I've finally started journal #3...well, technically #4.  Journal #3 was very disappointing.  So disappointing that it's lost its number status.  The pages were not watercolor friendly, and honestly, any page that doesn't get along with watercolor, doesn't get along with me.  In the past, I made my own journals using a Moleskine planner cover and watercolor paper, but seriously...this time I could not be bothered.

So, Hobby Lobby to the rescue!  I made time during my Christmas holiday to make a couple visits to this amazing store, and boy did it come through for me.  It's by far the best art and crafts store I have ever visited and possibly will ever visit.  Absence makes the heart grow fonder they say, but my love for this store has been a constant for years.

Anyway, here's the main event:

Hmmm...it's 3:00...tea time!