My daughter had the day off, and so we thought a little mother-daughter time was in order. There were no quests at the B&B, either, so it looked like our shopping and lunch date was a go. After morning coffee we had our plan to drive to one of the neighboring towns for a little change of pace.

First stop was out to the B&B to check on things and feed the four dogs in my charge. Not only have I been taking care of the property, but also the animals. Everything appeared to be in good order, so we got in the car to leave. Before we drove away, three of the horses came right up to us to say hello. That was a nice addition to our day, and we got some good pictures of the gorgeous creatures.

The beautiful countryside and our lively conversation made the short drive of 30 minutes seem even shorter than usual. When we arrived at our destination, we noticed several other people had the same idea. There was absolutely nowhere to park the car, but we were determined.

Melinda drove and drove around the block looking for an open spot. Finally I got out to make sure that we were able to get a table. She looped at least three times as I waited in line at the popular tea room we had chosen for our outing. After a few minutes we sank into our waiting chairs and searched the menu. “What are you thinking of ordering, Mama?”

“I’m not quite sure. What do you think sweetie?”

Melinda ordered a sampler plate of chicken salad, green salad, and fresh fruit. I want to know if I’m the only one who always wants what is on the other plate on the table? Actually, my grilled pimento cheese sandwich was quite good also, but I couldn’t resist a little bite of Melinda’s!

“Timeless Elegance Tea Room” is located in the wonderfully revitalized downtown area of Morristown, Tennessee. The entire area looks splendid with a variety of shops filled with antiques, clothing boutiques, and jewelry. There seems to be something for everyone in this quaint little downtown area. Some of the old brick buildings still have signs and advertisements from days gone by adding to the charm of the square.

After our scrumptious meal, we joined countless others meandering down the cobblestone streets stopping at shop after shop. Melinda peeked into a sweet shop, but we decided we hadn’t walked enough to indulge in desert. Our time spent together on a simple outing added one more special memory for us to treasure.

Jan Penton Miller can be reached at lilsisjan@yahoo.com.