Today I’m trying something new here at In An Irish Home. I am going to participate in the #weekendcoffeeshare on WordPress. These are going to be special posts going along with the theme shared by the Daily Post prompt– “Each weekend, bloggers publish posts about what they’d say to their readers if they were sitting down together over a cup of coffee. Some bloggers do it every weekend, while others dip in and out.” I’m not sure if I’ll do it more than this one time, but if feels like a good way to bring authenticity to my writing today. So…here goes…
If we were having coffee we would probably be sitting at your kitchen table or mine, as one does in Ireland {unless, of course, we’re in Avoca Handweavers looking out over a gray or possibly changing soft day!}. We’d be having tea…because that’s what most people do in Ireland. Our tea would be served from a tea pot, not in a plastic cup like you get at Starbucks. And we’d be having something wickedly sweet like a slice of lemon cake or a Mars Bar biscuit…ok, maybe I’d be having something sweet and you’d be having a healthy scone!
We’d probably talk about the simple things first and get them over quickly…just so we could delve into the nitty gritty details of our lives. You’d tell me about your kids, your job, your husband/your ex or how your dating life is going, your stresses. I’d tell you the same. I’d tell you how, just two days ago, I felt like packing it all in and running away to some beautiful beach {maybe Hawaii}…only to settle down after a good night sleep and realise how very much I love my beautiful, sometimes-make-me-crazy family, and how very much I miss my mother, grandmother, mother-in-law and home (America when I’m in Ireland and Ireland when I’m in America). We’d laugh until we talked about your divorce or your ailing parent and then we’d get serious for a little while. We’d talk about our kids and how they’re coping in this crazy world…and making us crazy too. And we’d talk about how short life is and how much we’d like to slow down and spend it with the ones who really matter.
Politics would only come up if we were talking about the ridiculous American presidential candidates. Faith would only come up because we’d talk about how I saw your parents in church last week or how things are going with the plans for your son’s upcoming Confirmation. We don’t really talk politics or religion in Ireland otherwise.
We’d start talking about other friends…but in a way that is supportive…not gossipy. We’d fill each other in on what we don’t already know and we’d encourage each other to get in touch with someone we’ve let slip out of our hands. And, then, before we call it a “cuppa” we’d talk about and make plans for our next girls night out or girls weekend away. We’d whip out our mobile phones and send our other gal-pals a quick text to say, “Let’s meet up!”
And, with the world’s problems solved for another day, we’d hug each other and say our goodbyes. I’d close my hall door or walk out to my car…incredibly thankful for your friendship.
That’s what I imagine would happen if we were having coffee, what do you imagine?
Additional Notes, Related Articles & Credits:
* Here’s where If We Were Having Coffee… all started: Part-Time Monster
** Here’s where I learned about it.
In an Irish Home 
Wow! I felt like, while reading your blog, that we were really sitting together with a cup of tea and chatting about life away. You brought me to different places with your descriptive imagination of what people would be doing or talking while sipping a cup of coffee or tea. Awesome. I can’t wait what and where your imagination will take you in your next blog. Following!
Jed…you are so lovely! Thank you for reading my post today and for writing such a warm and heartfelt comment back. I was imagining sitting with various friends, like yourself, when I was writing. I could see each of your faces and I was imagining what we’d really talk about. I’m blessed to have good friends, like yourself, in my life. Mama used to say “Sleep is God’s greatest gift”. I think friends are right up there too! Be good to yourself. Talk soon. xoK
I like your interpretation of if you were having coffee with a viewer from your blog.Very simple and classy. I also have an answer to your question: https://josmith1845.wordpress.com/2016/04/01/we-should-have-a-cup-of-coffee-together/
So Jo, thank you for reading my blog posting today and for writing back. I’m curious…why don’t you put a photo of yourself on your blog? That’s what I’d ask you if we were having coffee…
Because I’m 12.
Oh my, well that makes perfect sense! I am so glad to see a young person like yourself blogging. Keep it up! 🙂
Thank you!
That sounds so lovely. Never been to Ireland, but I’d love to go.
Thank you for taking the time to read my post and for writing back too. I’ve never done anything like this before and it was really liberating…and the writing just came so easily! I laughed when I read your posting. Cups of tea…that’s something Ireland is famous for. There’s something very comforting and soothing about a cuppa! Hope you get to Ireland some day…it’s wonderful and I’ve been blessed to call it home for half my life. Take care.
Yes, I had another post about tea, the other day, because I’d watched “Last Tango in Halifax” on Netflix. Loved it.
Yes, I hope so too … I have this dream about getting to see Connemara.
That is exactly what I did with a friend visiting from Portland a couple of nights ago: around my kitchen table, with a cup of tea and strawberries – well, yes, it’s California so we don’t have biscuits. Sentiments are the same though.
I’m trying the #weekendcoffeeshare for the first time too! It’s a great opening line for writing. The tag led me to you post which I enjoyed for it’s glimpse into an Irish home. Good reading.
Thank you for stopping by In an Irish Home! Your visit led me to read your blog too!! Your description of heating the cups sounds very much like what we do in Ireland….except we heat our tea pot before adding the tea. And, your ending made me laugh. Hope you’ll stop by again. 🙂
Dear Kim,
This is a really late comment but I loved your blog about having a cuppa so much that I read it aloud to my husband. You made me feel like I was right there with you and if I were I would love you. I have 3 girl groups and I am so grateful for each sweet person in them. You reminded me that I very much need to get in touch with some people. That is a message from God to me through you. How does it feel to be a messenger from God? Brilliant!
I will be in Northern Ireland next spring for my tenth trip. My mother’s side immigrated from Cork and my father’s people from Belfast. Therefore I am truly Orange and Green but red white and blue since the 1870s. Since you wrote this, we have elected the least qualified person to lead our country. God help us. Thanks so much for the wonderful blog site that makes me feel still connected to 🇮🇪.
Dear Suzee…aren’t you wonderful?! I think you made my day and you, my new friend, have been a messenger from God for me today. Just last night, I was wondering…am I crazy for keeping up with this blog? Does anyone really care? This morning, YOU answered that question for me. So…thank you very much. I too have family from Cork and Belfast: my grandparents on my mother’s side. They are very different places, but both beautiful. I hope your 10th trip here will be a special one. I hope you will stay in touch as your heart wishes through this blog. Please let me know if I can ever be of service to you. God bless and be well. Kim