Grandson Nathaniel had Saturday off, and we made the most of it. He finished work the night before at 9 pm, and that’s when John picked him up in Charlotte. They were back at our house by midnight, and everyone went to bed. Over breakfast Saturday, Nate had us laughing.
Rose brought her artist sister to a cabin in the mountains to paint for the weekend. Rose and John $pencer went hiking two days to give her plenty of time to paint. I asked for a quick photo to show that her visit overlapped Nathaniel’s for a few minutes.
Later in the day I asked Nate to pose with his degree earned nine months ago. It says “Associate in Applied Science Cum Laude”. Are we proud? You bet!! He is over half way through his junior year now.
We had tea well past the proper hour. I got out our 40-year-old teapot from England and warmed it. Nathaniel weighed the loose tea and set a timer for the steeping. He is more precise than I would have been, and it was worth it. He chose a cup and saucer that had belonged to my grandmother, and I took one that commemorated our 25th wedding anniversary. Clunky mugs were not suitable for our tea.
Nathaniel skipped the mirror ritual this time. The official photographer had gone to bed when he arrived, and the family scattered quickly the next day. The day he left, I asked him to pose, showing the mirror had not moved. He bent his knees, petted Sadie, and stuck out his tongue.
We went to church on the way to Charlotte, but that’s another story. To show the brothers together, I asked the boys for a fast picture as Nathaniel was heading for his dorm. It was a quick visit, but very satisfying.
Mehrling Muse 
💗
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The Gang’s all here.
Massive Hugs
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We’re back to four at home with wonderful memories.
Home Hugs
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Lovely visit! Always great when people make time for you, right? Glad you had a blast, Anne!
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Thanks for sharing, Anne. I love the way happiness shines out from you all.
Miriam
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Always great to see the grandsons! Such nice young men. I have the same Brown Betty teapot! They make the best tea.
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I didn’t know that teapot was named Brown Betty. Thanks for the info.
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Originally from Stoke on Trent in the UK. They make the best tea! I´ve had mine for years. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown_Betty_(teapot)
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Ours is a Sadler. We have another Sadler, a larger, more elegant one for Christmas, decorated with holly and berries. Nathaniel wasn’t here for Christmas, so I didn’t use it.
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Thanks for the link. I was glad to read about the clay and the background of the Brown Betty.
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I’m not entirely sure you can do this without amazing “super powers” – keeping as trim as your grandson and working around food. Congrats to the trim foodie!
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He was chunky in high school until he started the culinary program. He was so busy that he didn’t take time to eat. We were shocked to see a photo of him where his face was gaunt. These days he eats two meals a day to save money, and he works a lot. It probably isn’t healthy, so I’m hoping he won’t do any permanent damage until he gets settled in his life’s work.
I used to think you shouldn’t trust a thin chef. Now I’m not so sure. I want to trust him, but he said no thanks to taking a few Brownies back to the dorm. Does he have iron will? or does he need sleep so desperately that sleep wins???
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Always a treat to get together. Great pics!
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What a happy visit! In another year, Nathaniel will be posing with his next wonderful accomplishment: his 4-year degree!🎓
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I like the way that sounds.
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He is half way there already. What a journey. I look forward to seeing what he makes for you as he advances in his program.
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Nathaniel studied and worked on projects when he wasn’t at the table with us, so he didn’t have time to cook. I’m afraid he may be working too hard. There is just a year to go, as you pointed out. He says his favorite thing is making bread. I suspect he wouldn’t want to do that without a dough hook.
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Good think people will always need bread. Other trendy food comes and goes, but bread remains.
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Excellent point! I wonder if Nathaniel has experimented with gluten free bread.
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There certainly is a great need for all sorts of baked gluten free goods.
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Great to see Nathaniel at your place for a short, but sweet, visit. Just a few more months and school will be over for the Summer and perhaps he can have a longer break and whip up a few more creations.
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We can always hope Nathaniel will come. The school has made last-minute decisions in the last year, trying to cope with COVID. It’s hard to make long-term plans when you don’t know what is coming. Since Nate worked through the summer last year, it’s possible he will be given that choice this year.
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That’s good as he can keep his same room then, less disruption in his life that way.
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You’re soooo lucky you get to see family!
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And we are even luckier to have some living with us!
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Yes!!
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