My Almost-Tea with Grandsons

Team Darjeeling

My Almost-Tea with Grandsons

For my last experience with the Traveling TARDIS, I'd made plans to visit my grandsons in Sacramento for a tea and Doctor Who sharing.  We'd been trying to find a date the entire month so now it was set! The boys are 9 and almost 12yo and great Dr Who fans.

So up at 6am to shop for ingredients for vegan foods, baked Cranberry Orange vegan scones, and was packing the bag of dishes, treats and supplies- when I got the text at 8am, cancelling!  My son works from home, had a big video to do that afternoon and the computer died, kaput.  He needed to shop for  a new computer and get it up and running for the project- no time for a tea party.  As we all know, life intervenes- or my new favorite- 'We make plans and God laughs'.

We were all so disappointed, but then, inspired by Martha's virtual tea party earlier this month, I suggested we talk on the phone about Doctor Who memories and favorites, I'd share a picture or two of what I'd planned, and then we can get together again in few weeks, minus the Traveling TARDIS.  And that's what this is about- my Almost-Tea with my grandsons.

The TARDIS is serving Roasted Almond Fruit tisane into vintage blue mugs, with pure cane sugar cubes if desired.  The vegan savories are almond butter and lettuce sandwiches(vegan bread of course, not so easy to find in a grocery store!), Spicy Coconut Tofu Strips and Teriyaki Tofu Sushi from a local company Tofu Yu, which I know the boys love.  They are quite tasty, even I must say.

The place setting is decorated with Dalek napkins (from the Gentlemen's Tea table), a Doctor Who Exhibition coaster (more on that in a bit) and a small tin of Adagio FandemBlends Dalek tea, another inspiration from Martha.  The scones were tasty if a bit dough-y, but very appealing-looking.

Our sharing on Dr Who memories and favorites was good fun.  My son remembers staying up late  on Saturday nights with dad, sharing a big bowl of popcorn with parmesan cheese and tabasco sauce, and watching Doctor Who on a local PBS station.  That would have been the era of the 4th and 5th Doctors, Tom Baker and Peter Davison. The grandsons' favorite doctors were the 10th Doctor for his spiky hair and the 11th Doctor because he wears a red bow tie and fez.  The 12yo has a good friend who has "all the Doctor Who episodes on DVDs!" 

I shared going to the Doctor Who Exhibition in 1995 with my husband, their grandpa.  We were driving along a small country road in rural Wales and saw a hand drawn sign for a Doctor Who exhibit!  Being on an adventure and huge Doctor Who fans, we swung off into the small town and visited the museum.  There were dusty old Dalek models, Cybermen models and other pieces from the show- all very hokey by 1995 standards but so FUN!!  Of course there was a store and we bought everything we thought we could carry home.  I've given some to each of the boys and all I could find now were these coasters.  This is such a wonderful memory of my time with a very silly and quirky guy- it brings a huge smile to my face.

And so ends my time with the Traveling Tardis.  It has been great fun sharing tea and wonderful Doctor Who memories and events this month.  A highlight for me was the Gentlemen's Tea and my Whovian breakfast with Martha.  She is such an inspiration in her research, creativity and culinary skills, not to mention a wonderful host in her home.  Thank you, Martha!

Colleen