The Dream Begins…

So there we were, sitting in the sun on a patio in the back of the old Baptist church in Southampton. At fifteen I was not only surprised to be sitting in such an enchanting surrounding but the fact that I was enjoying it with my mother was exceptional. I wondered to myself as I peered around at all of the smiling faces, what I had managed to do for my mother that had earned me this ticket to lunch? I remember asking what the occasion was and she simply shrugged her shoulders and said, No reason. I just thought it would be nice.

Nice didn't begin to cover it. The small, yellow brick church, built in 1889 with its Gothic windows, vaulted ceiling, and a quaint loft was thought-provoking. What causes a congregation to sell its church to a couple of entrepreneurial ladies willing to serve the public such wonderful savouries and decadent treats? Only through writing this book did I think to ask someone.

Quite simply, the congregation grew beyond the church walls and built a bigger place across the street. The significantly larger, more breathtaking United Church with its stained glass windows, was finished in 1906. A mere stone's throw away from Fairy Lake; the Bruce County Museum and St. Paul's Anglican Church. The pedestrian traffic made this intersection a perfect location for a tearoom.

We ordered lunch: crab salad mounded on fluffy, buttery croissants that rested pretty on white plates. They were as delicious as they looked. The patio was full that day. Everyone was nestled amongst the flowers that draped from hanging baskets and planters. There were no sad faces in the crowd. Every person was intently enjoying their conversation, sipping tea, and making yummy sounds while they ate dessert. Mom and I had the peach cobbler. It was a first for me and the last, as I never did master the art of making a good cobbler.

I remember thinking, what a wonderful place this is. I should do this when I grow up. Everyone was so happy. Little did I know that after several years of various working experiences, one employee of that tearoom would later try the same thing again at a different location and become my boss. Faye's Fancies in Port Elgin was located on the corner of Mill and Goderich Street and it was there that I gained the necessary experience to venture forward with the dream.

With a complete life change in the year 2000, I found myself hurtling forward with separation and then a divorce a year later. From that dark time opened an unexpected window of love and opportunity. I met a wonderful man who met the criteria of being my knight in shining armour. If that was not enough, he came with a list of dreams that looked remarkably like my own. Together we have managed to tick down our lists in leaps and bounds.

The dream of owning and operating a small business was one of many. The opportunity to renovate a turn of the century home was another. Even with the small variances in our dream lists, they all came back to meet in the middle. Near the bottom of the list (before travelling too far off places and baking cookies with grandchildren) is the dream to build a small castle.

I was told once (and I believe it to be wise) that if I was going to dream I should dream big. One never knows what the future will bring. It would be a shame to miss an opportunity because one did not have a plan.

Now, as I sit and compile all that has brought me to where I am today, I can honestly say that having dreams is a big part of living a fulfilling life. Being surrounded by a loving family, friends, and the support of a community are all bonuses.

I say now to you, as I would say to my kids every night while tucking them in, I wish you Happy Dreams!