If only I were a bear

 If I were a bear, I'd be in great shape for a long winter. But sadly, I am not a bear, and the last couple of weeks have seen me at perhaps my dietary worst in a very long while.

Pizza. Pumpkin roll. Pie. Those are just the "p" examples of my culinary excess. 

And it has all been delicious.

Perhaps the best was yesterday's trip to Zionsville to redeem "Duchess Tea for Four" from the Serenity Cafe & Tea Room. 

I'd won the treat in a charity raffle for New Hope of Indiana, which helps people with disabilities live productive lives. Kate Shepherd had told us about the charitable opportunity, so I invited her, Niki Lohrmann (who gets photo credit) and Jen Dunlap, two other longtime friends who live kind of on the way to Zionsville. We'd tried to go earlier, but it was cold and rainy, and we wanted to sit outside for safety's sake.

It did get a little chilly, but it was also lovely and I've never had anything but a great time with those ladies. We've been friends so long that we bicker like sisters but we're also fierce defenders of each other. We're also pretty much comedic geniuses. If laughter burnt as many calories as a work-out, we'd have ended the afternoon needing to eat more. 

It was just the best day. Everyone was masked when we weren't eating sipping with out pinkies extended, and all the shop clerks were friendly and fun. It was in the mid-50s but sunny at times, and full of yummy food and great company. 

It made me remember what this pandemic has taken from us. I don't remember the last time I shopped for anything but food or medicine. 

The restaurant decided we would likely be their last patio guests, so they asked if they could take our photo. COVID is contributing to their planned closure at the end of the year. The closure is sad because I would totally go back there for tea. They'll keep catering and carry-out service. 

In the picture to your left, I'm explaining the difference between clotted and whipped cream before we dived into it and tried it in our tea, which our friend Google recommended. Google and I disagree. In Google's defense, we had whipped, not clotted cream, so I might have to try clotted before I render a final decision. 

After four pots of tea, dozens of scones and tiny sandwiches, soup and an assortment of sweets, we strolled up and down Main Street, stopping in shops along the way. 

For you non-Hoosiers, Zionsville is a town west of Indianapolis, enough out of the way that I rarely go there. I'd never spent time there in the daytime. It has a really pretty Main Street and a lot of fun shops peddling both old and new things and all the art shops you could want. We spied both craft beer and wine shops, and I was aware of a number of the upscale restaurants. 

I found some fun Christmas presents and am hoping I draw names to match them. There were many cute places and tons of things I would have bought had I an unlimited budget. I'm going back for dinner this week with other friends, so I should do myself a favor and leave my credit card at home.

And once I lose the weight I've gained, I'll probably order up enough scones to put me back in need of the zero-point WW soup I'll be having this week.

Next week is promising warmer temps, so we'll be taking advantage. Hope you do, too. If you need something to liven up the next couple of weeks, you still have time to get in on the Ronald McDonald House of Central Indiana's Taste@Home packages. We'll be sampling beer with John and Lisa Vielee this week and wine next week. Get your tickets here: https://www.rmhccin.org/event/tasteathome/

I really want to do the dessert thing, too, but I don't think there's enough zero-point soup to get me in shape for that. 

I totally should have been a bear.