Not like this in my day ……………

Years ago when i was a ‘teenager’ we lived in a small village in Nottinghamshire.  My father was stationed at the airforce camp so I wasn’t classed as a local but via the school bus, church and youth club I did get to know some of the youngsters.  Saturday was the day (because nobody went out on school nights except to the youth club on Wednesday evening) I’d meet some of them in a cafe on the High Street.  Not a greasy spoon type but not posh either.  It’s one deciding factor as a meeting place where my generation was concerned was that it had a juke box 🙂

Not that far from where I live now there is a nice little coffee shop.  It’s a lovely place to meet with friends – there’s an assortment of seating indoors and out in the garden.  Inside you’ll find little round bistro type tables and chairs, comfy couches with low tables for your food and drink ( ideal for little kids) there are wooden benches and solid tables that cater for ‘groups’ as well as along one wall there are upholstered benches with tables that suit some of the larger sized ladies because they can ‘spread out’.  And because it’s at Montrose, set in the foothills of The Dandenongs there is a wood burning heater that feels so good and welcoming when it’s cold and chilly outside in the winter (or a spring that has been feeling like winter)

Now as well as coffees and teas of all shapes and sizes catering for all needs and wants they have snacky type goods (cakes pastries sandwiches) – things you can enjoy with those teas and coffees BUT their claim to fame are the handmade chocolates the little company has specialised in for years.  In fact they describe their coffees shops as ‘cafe style chocolate shops’   And along with your order you are offered one of their delights – ooh yummy.

So as I said it’s a great place to meet up with friends – not so much for ladies who lunch but those who enjoy good company along with a few laughs.  Manners are adhered to – small sips from the cup, small nibbles taken of food and especially no elbows on the table. 🙂

Some days we have company – more than can sit at our little table so they have to spread out onto one of the large wooden ones. Yes,  we let some of the old fellas come along – they enjoy their own company, happy and relaxed talking of shared times gone by!  Usually about ‘when we were young lads’ – mainly all things air force with flying thingies thrown in for good measure.  They don’t always stay in the past, sometimes up to date topics arise.  Aches pains pensions – oh and what’s going to win the Melbourne Cup (which will be run next week) Not sure about the manners part – look at all that slouching and elbows on the table.  Some mothers would not be happy if they saw that LOL

One of my friends mentioned this ‘us and them’ look that day and said her parents would not have been happy at us (ladies) being excluded as it wasn’t like that in their day.  It might have looked that way but it certainly didn’t feel that way.  Oh and that group in the background isn’t me and my ladies but another lot of ‘mature age coffee drinkers’lol

That need to meet and communicate with other like company seems to be relevant no matter what age (or sex) we are.

What are you musing about on this Monday