Friday's pot of tea

I'm on the top step on our stairs and have set up a little painting area in the corridor. We've had the day out and the children are playing happily in Queenie's bedroom with trains. We haven't got a stairgate built in yet so I'm guarding the stairs from jarvis and yet giving them their own space to play. If I stretch my neck up I can see the river, the boats all beautifully waiting for their next adventure. The sun is golden and brightly glowing for its last hour before slipping behind the hill. I've got a small bowl of the lentil rice I made last night that I'm slowly working through and a cup of lemon tea. Poured from the most perfect little teapot I purchased with the last of some money I was given for my birthday. 
I'm buzzing to create after an eventful, inspiring day and so I've pulled out my sketch book and a rather beaten up set of watercolours. I have just dipped my paintbrush into the dregs of tea. Every time! 

The teapot was purchased at my new favourite shop. A wee space in a cobbled courtyard called Folklore. I've been dying to go in since we've moved but it hasn't been open. After sending an email we walked over today. Hannah, who runs it is kind and interesting and interested. She is real talented and after pouring over her beautiful ceramics, falling in love with each piece. I eventually chose this teapot. We carefully carry it home. Jarvis sleeps and Queenie chatters about her plans for a birthday party. Dark chocolate cake, doggies, green flowers and oh dear: pink. And she wants her daddy to be there. She asks for one of Hannah's 'white cups' as a present, beautiful porcelain dreams. Or maybe a bike like her new friend from next door has. 
We make it to our road and she is finished. It's too cold and she can't take another step. I bribe her with tea and one piece of my birthday chocolate. With screams of delight she runs home!  
We pop on the kettle and unwrap the teapot. With a small square of dark chocolate we sip our tea and it's the best cup ever. I pour my girl another tiny cup from the pot and we sit quietly, admiring it and mmmming at our sweet treat. 
Now the sun is almost gone, Queenie's oggling the sunset beside me and I'm going to finish my painting before a simple dinner just the three of us. 



(An afterthought/ note: I'm aware I may be a little sickeningly happy these last few posts. God is good and after an uphill struggle we arrived and stood looking out at a beautiful view with the sun on our backs. But to make you feel a little better, moments after I wrote this, we had little fire while cooking, so the kitchen stinks of burnt plastic and the cupboards are blackened. Jarvis is up every hour or more overnight. We are so, so tired. And I'm off instagram for lent, I hate to admit it but I'm so missing it! I aim to share honestly, including the good and the bad. Those bad things are minor right now but its ever changing.)