Cuppa love

First, to end the suspense, I lived through the dental ordeal! I have a temporary piece of silly putty in my tooth, am taking antibiotics and spent this morning lining up an appointment with an oral surgeon in Billings to remove what's left of this tooth and put in an implant. This is the second round with this molar, and I can't take the stress! So that's the latest on the tooth. The dentist was the same one my mother-in-law was talking about, but he was very kind and I think I can go back for a cleaning. With valium. (I'm NOT kidding about the valium...he prescribed it right away. This is so embarrassing.)





Now, to the really good stuff. CUPS met on Wednesday, in the Presbyterian Church basement because Mr. Miller was at death's door with the flu and we didn't really think he wanted a wake of women talking about seeds, Texas and the subtle nuances of Ghana vs. Venezualan chocolate. (The Ghana chocolate is far superior, by the way...)

Anne transported her teacup collection and real live Italian tea pot, AND about 12 different kinds of tea. It was a pretty serious tea party. She had Danish tea cookies, crackers, Laughing Cow cheese and I made the trailer court specialty of dill pickles wrapped in cream cheese and ham slices. (Someone has to keep it real. Real redneck, that is.)

My Aunt Bert and cousin Marina, from Texas, joined us. Honorary CUPS...or travel MUGS, really! It was really cozy, gathered around the 1940's chrome table, eating, laughing, kissing Gwennie, reading Aunt Bert's tea leaves. We talked about our Fontologist friend, while sampling the chocolate she'd sent, and about college days and how Aunt Bert and Uncle Bobby met, and how Robert and Marina met...good stuff!

Some very important determinations were made at this meeting.

1. Anne is interesting, Mary is weird, Traci is practical beige. This is not a news flash, but it's now an established fact.
2. Tea tastes better from fancy shmancy cups. And if it's loose leaf, it's superlative.
3. Redneck appetizers work for all occasions. Even morning tea with the relatives.
4. Texas needs CUPS. Marina is going to work on starting a group there.
5. We need bigger hair.
6. As soon as the kids can make their own PBJ's, a Montana CUPS contingency is headed to Texas as travel MUGS on a diplomatic mission.
7. Red Raider's fans outnumbered Longhorns fans at this meeting 3:1. Guns up!

I think that about covers it. I was trying to download the photos from this meeting, but my camera battery died, so this pathetic little image is all I've got! More in a photo-mentary tomorrow.

Thank you, thank you for your prayers. I am ashamed to be that big a baby, but I'm thrilled that I have such good friends who care and prayer, so to speak. Tonight is bookclub. I still don't know what we're reading, because the poll was tied. I'll announce it, then post for you. Can you STAND the suspense? I'll bet you walk around all day, chewing your nails, wondering if the Farmer's Wife will live through her dental exam and what she will choose for the bookclub selection and how CUPS went. And if you do, I'm proud to be your friend, because our lives have about the same amount of interesting incidents...