I'm a little tea boy, short and stout.....

The answer to Sunday's little tickler was eight no shows and by the time I had my coat and mittens on there were two brouhahas a brewing and a rumbling and a not so gently simmering. They were both in my section so clearly I was to blame according to my waiter chums. Personally I would lay the blame at the door of Mr Alcohol who closed the door on Mr Passive Aggression and opened the door and dragged in Mr All out Rage. Should have just had a nice cup of tea and left the booze alone...

I'm always chittering on about how much coffee I drink. In fact if you follow my every movement on Twitter I am always either going for a coffee or just back from coffee. I would have you believe that my day starts and ends with litre after litre of bean juice. I have probably given you the impression that I am one of those jittery twitchy people who is jacked up to the hilt on caffeine. But it's all a lie, it's not true, it's a cover. There I've said it, I've come clean.

I am a tea boy and that's that.

get the badge here...

Now don't get me wrong I do enjoy the short sharp boost of bitterish relief that can only be found in a teeny tiny espresso cup but tea is my true love and it's with a cup of tea in one hand and LMM in the other that I truly feel complete.

Sigh...

Do you, like me, have a love for tea? I'm a three bag per cup man, I do use big cups it has to be said. But oh how I love tea. Tea tea tea tea tea tea tea tea mmmmmmm tea. I spend most of my waking hours sipping, quaffing and imbibing cup after cup of strong black yea. It's a grand life, it really is.

So it was with glee and excitement that I opened the little brown package that was popped with an oh so delicate touch by the postman through my letterbox on Friday morning. Because I knew what it was, it was my membership to THE TEA APPRECIATION SOCIETY!

Hurrah! A society that finally wants me! A society that finally accepts me for what I am, a tea boy! Actually there is no screening process and I'm pretty sure they will accept anyone with the correct money. But it was a joy and it many ways a relief to find a group of like minded individuals with whom I can share my love for all things tea in a safe and secure environment free from the fidgety and somewhat paranoid glare of the coffee addicts. Tea is a simple drink for simple folk. We need not the vulgar showiness of lattes and cappuccino nor the aggression of espresso. No, for us, happiness, relief, refreshment and replenishment can be found in a simple cup of tea.

So if you feel that you too could belong in such a society and that you have a love of tea and tea related paraphernalia then I implore you to join The Tea Appreciation Society.

Huzzah for tea and huzzah for societies of tea drinkers!

*******

But if you must drink coffee, and I don't suggest for a moment that you shouldn't, then pop along to Bewley's on Grafton Street where they have a superb Fairtrade exhibition which runs to the 8th of March. You and a friend, (assuming you have a friend if not just buddy up with the other sad sack on the next table over), can enjoy a Fairtrade coffee, tea or hot chocolate. There are also cakes to be had but I couldn't swear as to their ethical status, maybe the baker beats her baker chums until they get the cream just right. I sure she doesn't but until I know for sure I can't really comment.

There are competitions that involve actual prizes, unlike the virtual nonsense handed out around these parts. There is everything from cakes to jollies to Nicaragua.

Which is nice.

Details can be found here and here.

And before any smart arse says it I didn't get a truck load of free tea and or coffee from the good people at Bewley's in return for this post. I just care about stuff and things.....and tea. Obviously.