Central Valley Tea Time?

Thanks to how my works schedule is I had a natural three day weekend. I decided to stay home but pretend I was on vacation. After our water randomly shut itself off last night, I decided to take myself to breakfast. The water came back on in the middle of the night, but I decided to stick to my plan anyway.

Tea Shop in England

It took me 30 groggy minutes to decide I wanted tea and scones. Unfortunately there aren't a plethora of tea shops around Livingston so I decided to settle on the closest thing around, Starbucks. I know, I know, not the same at all. But I really didn't feel like driving to Jantz's on the far side of Atwater, I was hungry.

After staring at the unhelpful menu that only lists iced tea, I gave up and let the cashier help me figure out what the blazes I wanted. Chi Latte, translation, chi tea with milk. (I always put milk in my tea, but whatever.) Apparently they don't normally put sugar in the drink. I must have paled because he asked if I wanted sugar. I said, "yes, a little." I then was asked if two pumps was ok. Pumps? for sugar? What the blazes?!? You don't pump sugar, you either spoon it out of a bowl or plop a nice symmetrical cube in your tea.

I had no guide to go by. What's a pump of sugar equate to, 1 cube? 1 spoonful? If he'd asked how many cubes I could have told him. Heck even how many spoonfuls. Floundering out of my element I said yeah assuming the Starbucks guru's were all knowing and wise. After scorching my tongue I realized two pumps was not enough. I sat there eating my coffee cake, lamenting the fact that I hadn't been able to doctor the tea myself. I was quite disappointed. (In all fairness it did get slightly better as it cooled).

Conclusions:
1) I miss Europe and Felton California.
2) Next time I'll be sure to bring the sugar cubes.