Yes, even more serendipitous enconters: Spilling over high tea

~ Chocolaterunsjudy

Serendipity just seems to have taken over my life. First I couldn’t come up with something for a blog about serendipitous, then I couldn’t stop! You can read about it here and here.

I am joining up with Coco, Deborah, and Lynda for their ultimate coffee date (while sipping my tea).

The Ultimate Coffee Date


My parents, 2011
My parents, 2011

If we were enjoying high tea . . .
I would tell you how is it possible it’s March already?

This is the month my mother turns 88 and my father turns 90 (God willing). How is that possible?

If we were enjoying high tea . . .
I would tell you that despite the weather whiplash our winter has been, I totally dug how it was mostly mild. Except why did it have to be so bitterly cold on my birthday last month? And 60F the next week?

Still, I was grateful we weren’t clobbered by a killer snowstorm like we usually are at that time of year.

In fact, at the end of February, we saw a weather report that said we’d had 10 inches of snow this year so far. That’s cray-cray — we usually get at least one storm that’s well over that ten inches all by itself. Usually more than one.

Not that I’m upset about it, mind you.

If we were enjoying high tea . . .
I would tell you that I do sort of regret my decision not to do VA Beach this month.

In my heart I know it was the right decision. I was worn down, exhausted, and totally stressed out by everything that went on the last few months of 2015. I didn’t need to be training for a half on top of that.

Except if ever there was a winter to train through, this was it!

I can just hear the running Gods laughing.

 

We’re here! Let’s whine

If we were enjoying high tea . . .
I would tell you that I still miss Chester every day, but the memory of him is fading, and that makes me sad. My husband said he still hears barking when he comes home, even though there is no barking, but I don’t and I can’t quite remember what it sounded like, either.

As annoying as it usually was, I now wish we’d taken a video of him barking.

However, I do have a very strong memory of his whining. He never whined at home, or rarely, anyway (that’s Lola’s forte), but he would whine whenever we got to our destination in a car.

I tried to take video of it on more than one occasion, but he would always stop the minute I whipped out the ipod.

 

Gearing up for more of this this weekend

If we were enjoying high tea . . .
I would you that I went out for afternoon tea for a belated birthday lunch with a friend. When I brought up the idea of doing that with Darlene after one of our long runs, she was enthusiastic and ready to do it the very next week!

Thankfully then she remembered she had another event to go to. Because I’m not running as much as her and 2 afternoon teas in essentially 1 week would probably have been a bit much for me.

We do plan to do it this weekend, after our long run of course.

If we were enjoying high tea . . .
I would you that I went back to Sephora to return my lip gloss (sadly they did not have the lip tint I wanted, no wonder I grabbed the wrong thing).

And I scored again: the Fresh mask and cleanser for my birthday gift, the travel sized Devacurl Conditioner (yes, I use that), and the blush was my own addition. I need to stay out of Sephora for quite a while now, although I still “need” that lip tint, but I can get it online (and, as I wrote about here, I did exactly that — and I shared the photo of what I got on TOLT).

 

A windy walk was serendipitous

If we were enjoying high tea . . .
I would tell you about some even more serendipitous moments from my life, because suddenly they really are everywhere!

There was how I met Mr. Judy, and also how I started dating him.

I became fast friends with an upperclassmen when I was a freshman in college. She’d switched into my major. She lived off campus, and invited me to a party at her apartment, but I had no intention of going (not to mention I didn’t have a car).

Until I had a fight with a friend. I decided I was going to the party and I was going to have a good time. And that is where I met Mr. Judy.

Did we start dating? Nope. We’d run into each other now and again, although oddly not in the dorm we both lived in eventually (he was on a different floor). But we took classes in the same building, and occasionally we’d run into each other and say hi.

When I was a senior, I went to some movie (I don’t even remember which one now — “Fiddler on the Roof”, maybe?) by myself, and I ran into him. I sat with him and his roommate. As we were leaving, he said “see you around” and I said probably not, because the truth was we didn’t see each other more than once or twice a year.

Next thing I knew he called me up and asked me out. Yes, 3 years after we met!

Then there was the prerace pasta dinner we went to one time. My first 10k, as a matter of fact. Where we ran into my neighbors. I didn’t know she was a runner (sadly they have since moved away).

Or last year at the Firecracker 4, where I ran into another runner neighbor (and went with her to a different race later).

And heck, just Wednesday, I was walking Lola early because it was very windy and the temperatures were supposed to drop from the 40s into the 20s later in the day. And as we were walking, I saw the postman coming around. They rarely come around that early!

But it saved me from having to go out to get the mail with damp hair later in the day.

 

Meet Chester Jr.

If we were enjoying high tea . . .
I would introduce you to Chester Jr. Our holistic vet send us this living oak acorn to plant. I was kind of like meh at the time, it was January, after all, but Mr. Judy seemed interested and helped some and even bought this grow light when Chester didn’t seem to be growing.

Then I pretty much took over the watering. I saw Chester was growing a few weeks ago, but I hadn’t been in the room in a few days and I walked in and just stopped dead in my tracks when I saw not only was Chester growing, he had leaves! We are still months away from actually planting Chester, as we can have hard freezes right up through May. So whether or not Chester flourishes is still up in the air.

It reminded me of Chester as a puppy, too (talk about synchronicity or serendipity — again!). He had that beautiful plumed tail, but not as a puppy. When they’re puppies, or at least when Chester was a puppy, the tail was all curled up, really reminding me of one of my nicknames for him: piglet.

But slowly, as he got older, his tail unfurled. It was the coolest thing to watch!

Even if Chester Jr. thrives, some day (hopefully), we will be leaving this house, as this is not where we plan to retire. Just as we had to leave the rosebush we planted in Austin, where our first two cats are buried.

And I was telling Mr. Judy just last night that I miss how Chester would lay pressed up against my stomach if I were laying on my side. He always had to be touching us. Lola is more likely to beg for belly rubs, and she just doesn’t lay like that and I really miss that.

I hope Chester Jr. takes strong roots and brings us some healing while we’re here, and someday shades new people.

Now all we have to do is agree on where to plant Chester.

Tea? Iced Tea? Coffee? Decaf? Or something else?

Do you have any bushes/trees/plants commemorating your angel furkids?

44 thoughts on “Yes, even more serendipitous enconters: Spilling over high tea”

  2. There is always another race to do which is the great thing about running isn’t it?! It is hard to train for a half through the unpredictable winter. It is really strange for me to watch my parents age too. All of the sudden they seem really old to me. All part of life. Love the idea of the little oak. Thanks for having coffee with us today!

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    1. My parents ARE really old (obviously). My dad has far outlived his dad, although my mom is just catching up to her mom.

      I kind of wish I’d trained for VA Beach (obviously), but c’est la vie.

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  3. Happy birthday mom amd dad!!

    Well winter hopefully said good bye to us in the DC area …we got a pretty snow shower on Thursday night and temps should warn up next week.

    Awww Chester 😉 and Chester Jr….that is so sweet.

    Have a great weekend Judy!

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      3. It is amazing the amount of ways it is spell it.

        growing up I was the only Tamieka I knew…I got to high school and met another and spelled it Tameka…i got to Howard (prominently black university) and I lost count of the Tamiekas I meet but non of us spelled it the same way!!

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  4. I think the oak is a wonderful idea and great way to honor Chester. The acorns should be the color of Chester too. I have them in my yard. I love the story of how you met Mr. Judy. He certainly took his time in making a move! That is a wonderful picture of your parents. Have a great weekend!

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    1. Yes, but basically we’ve been together ever since!

      I actually have a funny story about Chester & acorns, but maybe I’ll save it for the blog. It’s a short one, and probably only funny to us, but anyway, I guess it was appropriate!

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  6. Enjoy your post long run tea. Chester Jr is fabulous! I just ordered some stuff from Sephora and redeemed my birthday reward…I went for the other one, though.

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  7. I love the idea of the oak. It’s a little something special you can foster and tend and I hope it grows up to be a strong tree. I absolutely have to stay out of Sephora. I don’t even wear makeup that often but in that place – watch out!!

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    1. I don’t wear makeup that often, either, but I still like it. 🙂 I don’t go there real often at all.

      It’s doubtful we’ll get to see the oak really turn into a tree; I don’t see us living here that long. But I do hope it lives!

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  9. I love that your vet gave you the tree to plant, how very kind. Serendipity is on the top of the list for my favorite words. Such great examples of your serendipitous moments. I can’t walk into a Sephora without having a panic attack. 🙂 Thank you for the tea today Judy

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    1. Well, the vet didn’t give us a tree when we lost Simba, but then again, they weren’t the ones to put him to sleep (although they did treat him).

      I think she got very attached to Chester; he had that effect on people.

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  10. I was bummed in 2012 which was the warmest winter in history. I sat out with a broken ankle for 5 mos. At least you are running and doing races.

    I had a bad eating week and I am going to a Downton Abbey viewing party tomorrow night. But i am still psyched for Tea!!! ( I could run 8 but I’ll try for 10 unless I feel as crappy as last week.)

    I’ll be good next week!!! Famous last words.!

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    1. Yes, but no doubt the year I commit to VA Beach will be snowmageddon. I was really all set to do it this year, too! But I knew it just wasn’t the right time and I feel more like myself after a couple of months rest now.

      Well, you ARE running enough miles to support more food; I am not! Not yet. And I’m sooooo close to where I want to be after dropping the winter weight.

      The last two times I went out for afternoon tea I did manage to lose weight. But I’m ok if there’s a slight uptick this week too. Might be even if I just swim — a new form of exercise can often lead to temporary weight gain.

      I really am hoping it’s warm enough to get out for a swim next week. And sit in the sauna . . .

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  11. That’s awesome about your mom and dad! 😀 Happy early birthday to them both!

    Sending you lots of love and hugs–it’s never easy to lose such a beloved part of the family! :[ I hope Chester Jr. grows strong and thrives! ❤

    Sephora is such a dangerous place to walk into!

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  12. This morning I had to catch myself from crying about Cleo. I’m not quite sure what triggered it, but I was really missing her. That pawprint from the vet is still on the kitchen counter. I need to put it away for a while. So if we had tea or coffee, you’ve be handing me the tissues, I’m afraid…

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    1. I think having Lola & Giz have made it easier for me, Wendy. I hate thinking of how I’ll feel when they’re gone & Giz is getting to be an old cat.

      Yet I have no desire for a new furkid.

      Which doesn’t mean I don’t miss him — obviously. We have a pawprint, too, but it’s not out. Although we have the huge photo of him in our living room & a different one in our office. And I think of him when I wake up, when I’m walking Lola.

      It’s hard, there’s no way around it. Big hugs. Sending you some peaceful vibes.

      Unconditional love is really priceless.

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  13. Isn’t that neat about the oak named Chester. I have two pine trees that were planted by my parents where I grew up. My grandmother lives in the house I was raised in so I still see those two trees. My dad usually reminds me everytime we go in the backyard, you know those trees are as old as you are. I’ve heard it many times.

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  14. I love the idea of the tree named Chester, I need to do that for my hubby. Happy birthday to your parents- great picture! Thanks for stopping by for tea- I picked up so new flavors yesterday!

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  16. Great photo of your parents! I love Chester Jr. and think it’s a beautiful way to remember a special fur baby. When we lived in Brooklyn, Bruno requested the city plant a tree outside of our house. They finally got around to it after Felix was born. It was sort like a symbol for new life in our house. But the city is a tough place to nourish nature and we were often frustrated at the disrespect neighbors and passers-by treated the tree.

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    1. I can only imagine how hard it would be in Brooklyn! Even out in the suburbs it’s hard.

      I don’t see us living here more than another decade, if that, so we’ll only see a sapling most likely if Chester Jr. survives. Maybe we should spread some of his ashes around it . . . And maybe some of Simba’s too (a previous cat).

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  17. Great picture of your parents!! I hope they have wonderful birthdays! And that’s so cool how you and your husband got together! I feel like I’ve been lacking some serendipity these days…

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    1. It’s funny, though, once you think about it, it just starts happening! At least it did for me.

      We are planning a birthday party for my dad, but not til April, when my brother & his family will be in from the west coast.

      I think my mom prefers not to be reminded of it . . .

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  18. I think the running gods are going to be laughing at me too. This winter was the warmest EVER here in France. So I am sure April 3rd for my race will be the worst weather EVER. I know I will start weather stalking 2 weeks before !

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