YOB: #23. Have High Tea With Scones (Part 2)

By Lara

The original Year of the Birthday plan was to go to Hershey for the massage, caves, and hot air balloon ride. However, by August both Beth and I were high on friendship and low on cash. I proposed that we go to Lara's Bed and Breakfast instead of Hershey. We also decided to postpone the hot air balloon ride and substitute in a less expensive activity.

Since Beth was coming here, I thought that I would surprise her by making reservations for tea and scones at Tea By Two. I'm not usually into girl things, but my mother had taken me there for my birthday three years ago, and I fell in love with their food. Their scones are heavenly.

In spite of the fact that Beth is not fond of tea, I convinced her that she was going for the scones. She almost believed me. I think she continued to be skeptical until a steaming, lemon glazed morsel of heaven melted in her mouth. She also managed to find a tea that wasn't offensive to her sensitive palate.

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YOB: #23. Have High Tea With Scones

By Beth

I've never been a big fan of hot drinks. The only kinds I'll tolerate are hot cider (in the dead of winter) and hot chocolate (from December-February, unless an unseasonal bout of frigid weather hits us). Coffee is the most disgusting drink ever created and it should be outlawed. I blame my father for why I don't like coffee. When I was growing up, he would regularly have me make his coffee for him. He took it black. One afternoon, I was around the age of 12, I got the bright idea to taste a little of dad's coffee. I nearly threw up. Coffee with cream and sugar is gross; coffee taken black is like pureed orc hair with a touch of goblin blood. I haven't touched the stuff since.

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YOB: #18. Build Something Together (Part 2)

By Lara

I can still remember it all so clearly. Beth and I were in line at Lowe's. She had just picked out a new piece for her Christmas village. I had just been fantasizing about my future french-doored, stainless steel refrigerator with pull out freezer and humidity controlled deli and vegetable drawers. Sigh.

Beth was admiring the gift cards. One of them was clever. It said something about projects bringing people closer together. Beth got excited. "We should build something together." I looked skeptical. Build. Something. Together. That's vague, and I'm clumsy.

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YOB: #18. Build Something Together

By Beth

I am a big fan of creating things. I always have some sort of project going. OK, I'll be honest, I usually have 2-4 projects going at one time. These can range from doing a challenging puzzle (1000+ pieces, with cats in the house who like to play guess where I hid the piece your looking for), to painting/re-painting rooms in the house, to rearranging furniture (I do this once every six months or so, I don't like to be in a furniture rut). Over the past several years I have found new projects in miniatures. It is one of my favorite hobbies and I only wish I could do it and get paid for it.

My love of miniatures actually started long before I ever built my first dollhouse. I had wanted a dollhouse for a long time when I was a kid and one Christmas my parents delivered. But it was in a box, it had to be put together. For a while I insisted that I was going to do it but after six months or so of it sitting in the basement untouched, I gave in and let my dad build it. I wasn't too great with power tools at that point in my life.

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YOB: #10. See Some Ridiculously Exciting Fireworks (Part 2)

By Lara

Oh Yes. Ridiculously exciting fireworks, Lara style.

I know that Beth already described the fireworks in great detail, but now it's time for my take on the whole sordid incident. It felt slightly cliche for our "ridiculously exciting fireworks" to occur on the 4th of July, but we were running low on funds. The great thing about Independence Day fireworks displays is that they are usually free.

Beth had described the traditional Ambler fireworks display to me several times. It didn't sound like Disney World quality, but Beth promised that it was cooler than the average small town affair. I was skeptical regarding "ridiculously exciting," but continued to keep an open mind.

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