Celebrating a Birthday

Friend Shirley Ann and I have been celebrating birthdays a long time

In fact, the first birthday we celebrated together was her 27th

When we worked, the birthday girl got taken out to lunch

(on our lunch hour)

After we retired, our birthday lunch became an adventure

We've traveled all over

Way east into Missouri, the Lake of the Ozarks, Carthage, Greenwood,

Harrisonville, Joplin, Springfield, and Kansas City

We look for tea rooms

We try to seek out new tea rooms to try

Old ones are closing

And there are few new ones to replace them

But friend Bernideen had been to Ozark

and Spring Creek Tea Room

And she recommended it

We've never been to Ozark for birthdays

Although we've both been to Ozark 

for there are antique malls there

But it's been a long time for either of us

(in fact the black sideboard in my breakfast room came from Ozark --

and that was the last time I've been there!)

And so our adventure began

It's "downtown" -- not out by 65 Highway with the rest of

the antique malls

(which are fewer than the last time we were there)

It's a tea room and antiques

What more could we want

A delightful tea room in the front of the store

A tea room as in my Mother's Day --

which means a place for ladies to lunch

We were told to get there early

(when it opened in fact -- and with instructions of no breakfast for Shirley Ann,

we did get there at 10:30 -- we were seated immediately but as we  sat there

we saw that the tables filled, some tables were turned, and yes --

if you don't want to wait -- 10:30 is the perfect time to arrive)

Typical "tea room" fare

Ladies food

(and they do serve quiche -- but only on Fridays)

We both chose the chicken salad on croissant 

served with chips and we both chose their salad

with homemade poppy seed dressing

(the serving size was perfect, the salad "divine" and the dressing superb!)

And, of course, since it was birthday

Dessert was in order!

We both chose coconut cream pie

We favor meringue instead of cream on the top

(and after getting a few too many pieces with cream instead of meringue,

we always ask.

In our world, it is meringue and only meringue and it must be at Spring Creek as well

for the waitress gave us a "why did you ask that question -- it's supposed to be meringue"

kind of a look)

We didn't dawdle 

(there were people waiting -- lots of people waiting)

We'll be back

(even though it is a 2+ hour drive)

It was that good!

Oh, and the antique part

was a wonderful mall

Shirley Ann found nothing

(although we admired several things)

Me, I found my sixth wee Waterford vase

My limit has always been under $20

and I was thrilled that this one was a mere $6!

(they're nice for individual flowers at a table setting --

or for wee bouquets of pansies or violets in the spring)

We visited the other antique malls in Ozark

and had a grand time

As one should for one's birthday!