Tea Room Tales & Tidbits
Table of Contents

info Introduction info Front Cover info Inside Cover info Table of Contents info Copyright info About The Author menu_book Dedication menu_book Foreword (2010) menu_book Foreword (2020) menu_book Foreword (2022) menu_book The Dream Begins... menu_book The Lady of the House menu_book Fate list_alt Scones & Biscuits   restaurant_menu Bacon & Cheese Biscuits   restaurant_menu Castle Scones   restaurant_menu Flax Seed Biscuits   restaurant_menu Ivy Tea Room Scones   restaurant_menu Paisley Scones   restaurant_menu Rosemary Manx Biscuits list_alt Tools of the Trade menu_book New Year, New Beginnings list_alt Pastry   restaurant_menu Choux Pastry (Puff Pastry)   restaurant_menu Lemon Poppy Seed Pastry   restaurant_menu Oatmeal Pastry   restaurant_menu Peacan Pastry   restaurant_menu Pie Pastry menu_book To Paisley menu_book My Group of Seven list_alt Fillings   restaurant_menu Chocolate Filling   restaurant_menu Lemon Filling   restaurant_menu Vanilla Filling   restaurant_menu Whipped Cream   restaurant_menu Cream Cheese Filling   restaurant_menu Mock Devonshire Cream menu_book Mary Gets a Proper Frame menu_book Revisiting Medieval Times menu_book The Witches Gathering list_alt Icing and Frosting   restaurant_menu Butter Cream Frosting   restaurant_menu Marshmallow Icing   restaurant_menu Satin Chocolate Icing   restaurant_menu Royal Icing   restaurant_menu Almond Glaze   restaurant_menu Lemon Glaze   restaurant_menu Cream Cheese Frosting   restaurant_menu Coconut-Pecan Frosting menu_book From Haunting to Understanding menu_book The Giant Teapot list_alt Sauces   restaurant_menu Chocolate Sauce   restaurant_menu Caramel Sauce   restaurant_menu Harvest Fruit Sauce   restaurant_menu Field Berry Sauce   restaurant_menu Raspberry Sauce   restaurant_menu Blueberry Sauce menu_book Mary Introduces Herself to the Staff list_alt Cake   restaurant_menu Angel Cake   restaurant_menu Christmas Cake   restaurant_menu Ginger Cake   restaurant_menu Gooey Tortoise Cake   restaurant_menu Our Italian Wedding Cake   restaurant_menu Lemon Poppy Seed Cake   restaurant_menu Banana Split Cake   restaurant_menu Pumpkin Cake   restaurant_menu Queen Victoria Carrot Cake   restaurant_menu Blueberry Tea Cake menu_book The Proposal list_alt Cookies   restaurant_menu Almond Apricot Biscotti   restaurant_menu Chocolate Biscotti   restaurant_menu Chocolate Chip Cookies   restaurant_menu Country Road Cookies   restaurant_menu Gingerbread Cookies   restaurant_menu Coconut Macaroon Cookies   restaurant_menu Grandma's Shortbread   restaurant_menu Grandpa's Oatmeal Cookies   restaurant_menu Lassy Mogg Cookies   restaurant_menu Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies   restaurant_menu Old-Fashioned Oatmeal Shortbread   restaurant_menu Sugar Cookie Cutouts menu_book Precious Teacups menu_book Customers of Many Kinds list_alt Desserts and Treats   restaurant_menu Meringue Nests   restaurant_menu Mints   restaurant_menu Bread Pudding   restaurant_menu Chocolate Truffles   restaurant_menu Christmas Pudding   restaurant_menu Butter Tarts   restaurant_menu Cream Puffs   restaurant_menu Lemon Unicorn Horns   restaurant_menu Victorian Sugar Plums list_alt Pie   restaurant_menu Farm-style Pie   restaurant_menu Pumpkin Pie menu_book Flying Hats menu_book You're a What? list_alt Bread   restaurant_menu Step By Step Bread Making   restaurant_menu White Bread   restaurant_menu Brown Bread   restaurant_menu Rosemary Bread   restaurant_menu Pumpernickel Bread   restaurant_menu Honey Oat Bread   restaurant_menu Rye Bread   restaurant_menu Scottish Fruit and Nut Bread menu_book Dress Up Time menu_book ...And Here's Julie list_alt Lunches   restaurant_menu Quiche   restaurant_menu Lamb Tourtière   restaurant_menu Beef Tarts   restaurant_menu Goulash   restaurant_menu Saucy Chicken menu_book What's So Special About a Tearoom? menu_book What's The Soup Today? list_alt Soup   restaurant_menu Beef Barley Vegetable Soup   restaurant_menu Chinese LoBok Soup   restaurant_menu Cock-a-Leeky Soup   restaurant_menu Creamy Garden Vegetable Soup   restaurant_menu Cream of Asparagus Soup   restaurant_menu Cream of Broccoli Soup   restaurant_menu Cream of Wild Mushroom Soup   restaurant_menu Creamy Leek & Potato Soup   restaurant_menu Fairytale Pumpkin Soup   restaurant_menu French Onion Soup   restaurant_menu Mulligatawny   restaurant_menu Root Soup   restaurant_menu Tomato and Red Rice Soup menu_book A Visitor in the Night menu_book The Photograph list_alt Salads and Dressings   restaurant_menu House Salad   restaurant_menu Mandarin Salad   restaurant_menu Greek Salad   restaurant_menu Lemon Poppy Seed Dressing menu_book That's Odd list_alt Sandwiches and Spreads   restaurant_menu Egg Salad   restaurant_menu Crab Salad   restaurant_menu Tea Sandwiches   restaurant_menu Cucumber Sandwiches   restaurant_menu Cucumber Swords   restaurant_menu Anglo-Saxon Cheese Spread   restaurant_menu Tuna Salad   restaurant_menu Paisley Bridge Sandwiches menu_book The Disbeliever menu_book It's All In The Timing list_alt Jam   restaurant_menu Sterilizing Jars   restaurant_menu Festive Cherry Peach Jam   restaurant_menu Gooseberry Jam   restaurant_menu Mandarin Melody Jam   restaurant_menu Rhubarb Peach Jam   restaurant_menu Strawberry Peach Jam   restaurant_menu Very Berry Jam menu_book In Closing info Recipe Index info Story Index info Back Cover

The Proposal

On April 20, 2002, near the end of a busy day, my knight in shining armour came into the kitchen through the mudroom door.

There's something weird on one of the grapevines in the back yard. He announced with his hands on his hips. He was looking somewhat relaxed so I continued with the dishes and put away the teacups.

I tell you, there is something weird on the grapevine outside in the back yard. He repeated, pacing a little now Aren't you going to go and check it out?

What weird thing? I finished drying my hands and paused to contemplate the next task. You know as much as I do about grapevines, I doubt I will know what it is.

He was pacing a little faster now. Just come out and look, you need to see it for yourself.

I put down my tea towel in a huff. My mind was busy. There were plans to be made. I had things to do - improvements to the menu to consider and a shopping list that needed to be completed. I made my way outside and stood in the centre of what would be our rustic cedar arbour and patio. Each corner was marked with a freshly planted grapevine. As I stood squinting at the sticks poking from the soil I thought to myself, it will be five years at least before this looks like the arbour we had seen at the vineyards.

Should there be buds yet? I was kneeling on the ground now, examining the first hopeful producer of future winemaking.

Mark wandered off to look busy at something in the yard. I don't think they are supposed to have buds yet. Just keep looking.

I went to the next plant in the back left corner. It looked the same as planting day to me - just a bud-less stick in the ground. I moved to the next corner. This vine was in full sun. Buds were beginning to peek through the papery bark. I was excited, we had growth! I bent down on my knees in front of the last vine and smiled as I noticed the unfolding green leaves of late spring. There were more curly tendrils on this plant than there had been on planting day. Mark was standing over me now, hands on hips, waiting. Did you find anything?

What's this? I said as something sparkly caught my eye. Mark plucked the gold band out from behind a velvety new grape leaf. The ring had been slipped over a dried, woody stem and tendrils. He then handed it to me. The weight of the ring in the palm of my hand felt warm and inviting. I turned the ring slowly between my fingers. It had seven, silver grape leaves, each representing a family member. There were also three tiny amethysts set as grapes nestled between two of the leaves. I gently stroked the relief work allowing the sun to catch each tiny detail. My heartfelt full as it gently pounded in my chest. There was more engraving on the inside of the ring. Two of the symbols were familiar to me but the third I wasn't sure of. As if hearing my thoughts, my knight in shining armour answered my question before it even left my lips.

They mean Love, Life, and Eternity.

He slid the ring on my finger while salty tears spilled down my cheeks. I was choked with emotion and hugged him as if I would never let go. Later that evening, while we were sharing the news with a group of friends I realized that I hadn't actually said Yes. I was so happy and taken by surprise that I forgot to answer. We had all laughed (even Mark, thank the heavens). I was so embarrassed.

We held our Tea Party-style wedding in our completely made over backyard on July 6th, 2002. As I think back, the accomplishments achieved in that incredibly short period of time were mind-boggling. In a matter of months, we prepared for the wedding and added many structural and aesthetic yard features. Those included a rustic cedar frame grape arbour and a pond which transformed our yard into a tranquil outdoor living space.

The garden