A Christmas Afternoon Tea

It was absolutely delightful to sit down to an afternoon with the ladies. Choya scored herself an invite too. The two little girls were thrilled to have a dog hanging out in their home for a few hours. Ahhhh.... I hadn't seen them much during these pandemic years, and they had blossomed. It wasn't so long ago when they were just babies!!! They hadn't met Choya and were looking forward to meeting her. Choya didn't need me at all. She was content to follow the little girls around the house. Hahahah. 

I had taken the dog for a short stroll and a pee before coming over. So the dog was simply gleeful to sprint through their garden. She almost didn't want to come into the house. But she wanted to be with the humans. So she came in. She happily explored the interiors, sneaked into the kitchen, sniffed the carpets and promptly made herself at home in a few chosen corners. She didn't attempt the stairs. She knew she isn't allowed to go upstairs unless she's explicitly invited to. Literally, no going up the stairs. That's applicable to any house she goes to. 

S always manages to outdo herself each time we gather around her table. It was meant to be a Christmas afternoon tea. She pretty much fed us for lunch and dinner too. There were thoughtfully laid out platters of crackers, cheese, dried apricot, pecans, toasted bread with tuna and ebiko, and even kueh lapis! So much effort. I don't have the energy to do that nowadays. But for S, hosting parties and doing the little touches energize her. While exhausting (the prep, cleaning up, and also the interactions, sometimes), she also thrives on making her loved ones and friends feel welcomed. It's just S. She's extremely giving, generous and warm. As the hour passed, wine was offered. It was very hard to decline a glass of wine that somehow turned into three glasses. Hahahah. 

It was such a lovely time spent together. It felt wayyy too short! There's no shortage of conversation with these two. Heart to heart conversations simply flow — the lighthearted, the worries, the future, and anything on our minds. Within these perimeters of friendship, we have a safe space with one another. We do life better with the support of such friends.