Can't forget the tea can we?

In all the hub-bub I forgot to tell you about the tea!

Well there wasn’t any major blow up, so I’ll disappoint the more bloodthirsty readers up front there.  We got to The Rose for tea and it was quite busy so we had to wait almost 25 minutes for a table, which we did outside.  Quick note here: most establishments in England, at least around Oxford are small compared to places at home (minus clubs etc. made for big crowds obviously) and it is wise to go out in small groups rather than descend on any one establishment with a half dozen people and expect to be accommodated right away.  Six people ended up coming to tea: Lisa Rose, Clair, Alix, Lady Katherine, Blue (another C/Katherine/yne), and myself of course.  They had one table large enough to seat us and it was occupied, so we waited. 

Once we were seated we all ordered tea, but because we’d had to wait we missed their window of “lunch” serving so anyone who wanted to order a meal other than tea (usually a pastry or crumble or what-have-you with tea) was out of luck; Claire had skipped lunch in favor of eating at tea and wasn’t totally thrilled with this development.  Also, they refused to split our checks – again, because we were such a “large” group – so when it came time to pay it was a bit of challenge that Claire solved by paying for all and letting everyone tally up to her later (she was pretty indignant that they had refused our request at the start to split our bills so I think she just wanted to be out of there as soon as possible).  The tea was good and the scones were good, but the service was quite poor – we had 1 little bowl of sugar that was half empty when we sat down – 6 of us mind you – and when we asked them to refill it they complied with only the most huffing response, so we didn’t even bother to ask for a second tiny pot of cream. 

Meanwhile, we’re all dressed up for this obviously very casual establishment full of normal adult people who wear normal walking around clothes just in for a spot of tea and a bite.  Overdressed is not a feeling I am used to experiencing, but we certainly were – not that we looked bad, quite the contrary, especially Alix who had on some major heels and managed the whole day walking all around to hit thrift stores afterwards for ‘BOP’ shopping (some dance thing we’ve been invited to as part of Fresher’s week with a theme: S, P, or C ‘dress up as’) that we didn’t know we were doing until it was sprung on us during tea. 

I had a few moments that made me need nicotine or want to snap at people here and there through the shopping, but I tried to keep it tacked down and I succeeded for the most part.  Then we went home all complaining and sore from all the walking and puffing about and general length of the day.  We all pitched in at a game store to buy a game of Cluedo which we played twice when we got back to the common room - well I only played once because I did really poorly and it isn't a game that really grabs and holds my attention to be honest, but it was the group's pick so meh.

My blisters have blisters and everything is wet all the time here… but I did find a Christmas gift for Mommy and something for myself at one of the thrift shops that I am very pleased with, so it was worth it.