Me on Monday

So, on Thursday afternoon, I had my little friend over for tea. I do mean little!!

Meet Ryan--age 9 (she's in 4th grade, so I think that's 9). She is the granddaughter of my friend, Karolyn. I don't get to see Ryan very often--usually in the summer when she's here for the pool. Anyway, I invited them for tea. 

I wanted to teach her how to make a "proper" tea. I let her measure the tea in to the pot. I poured the boiling water--the kettle was a little too heavy for her.

I taught her one of the most important things about making tea: putting the lid on the pot correctly. That's important. If you don't do it just right, your lid will pop off and break--most likely your teacup too.

I let her do the serving--teaching her about placing the strainer over the teacup. Little kids like doing stuff like that. It's a win for me too as I get to just be a guest in my own house!

We had lemon poppyseed muffins, cranberry orange scones with "clotted cream", chicken salad and pimento cheese tea sandwiches, grapes and chocolate covered cherries. 

Her biggest surprise was that I wrapped a teapot from my collection. I also let her keep the teacup and saucer that she used for her tea. As I keep saying, "our kids don't want our stuff." That includes my teapots. I have about 6.

We had a very nice conversation. Ryan proved to me (and her grandmother) That we are NOT smarter than a 4th grader! She was telling us about biomes and using other words I never heard of before. Then, I really thought she was pulling my leg, so I challenged her. I thought she was just making stuff up. I never heard of a taiga. And I read a lot! A. Lot! Those words just don't come up.

She grabbed "Amie's" phone and pulled up biomes and started quizzing ME! What? Yes, I know what a savanna is. "Well, what is it she asks?" 

I started breaking out in a cold sweat. I wasn't even sure where a savanna was except for the one in southern Georgia. She asked me to describe it. I mentioned the grass. She said, "what else." She had me there. Then she proceeded to tell me all about it. I got the grass part right, but there are also trees and drought like conditions and other stuff I've already forgotten.

Time for me to change the subject. I decided I was going to teach that little girl a thing or two. I turned to books. This big girl knows books! What was I thinking? My grands are adults. I am not familiar with popular children's books these days. 

I finally gave up. I soon realized that not only am I not smarter than a 4th grader, but she IS!! It was time for her to go. The next time I invite her, I'm going to tell her that she needs to dumb it down a little for me!!

Still, it was a fun afternoon. I just might do that with the granddaughters of my other friends. Can you think of a better way to unload your stuff! And the bonus of it is that they are actually excited! 

PS I wish that I'd have gotten a picture with all of us. Karolyn was taking pictures. I didn't even think of it.