Bloggy friends!

 

I have things to tell you!  :D

 

I can’t help sharing this story, because, because.. because it’s been such a delightful week, and I know that God loves me, and the world is full of good and beautiful things, and better, good and lovely people.

 

Last week we attended a regency garden party, and that, friends, is serious girl fun:  hair curled in rags (more on that later), gloves, fan, reticule, lace and ribbons… and all with very dear friends.  What more could a girl ask for?

(Please pardon my lens flare. : P )

 

Such an event would be quite sufficient to satisfy our need for ‘pretty’ for some time.  However, Friday found us seated in a country tea room in particularly dainty surrounds. A long-established florist shop, the Laidley Florist has diversified.  What could be sweeter than morning tea surrounded by beautifully arranged roses, jonquils, and orchids, with soft classical music and collected items designed to please the eye of the history lover?

Here, I confess that I was in almost mortal dread at the thought of confessing to Mr BB what the outing for six amounted to.  There were no prices anywhere (always a bad sign when you are paying for six.. ) and my  apprehension increased when the owner attempted to steer the younger children, in what I thought was an act of mercy, away from the fancier confections, and toward the gingerbread and scones.

Little did she know that Blossy, when faced with a dessert cabinet, is not steered by mere gentle suggestion.  Here is what she chose:

(Again, apologies for the photo: this and the tea room picture are from my phone)

When we made our selection, took our seats, and began cake and coffee, my Mama, sweetie that she is, tried to secret a fifty dollar note across to me, and claim it was her treat.  After some back and forthing (have I ever mentioned my Mama is persistent?!) I thanked her, and mentally considered it would go aways toward softening the reckoning.

Friends, you’d never guess?  I have no idea whether the proprietress desired to treat us, or whether perhaps that the Tea Room is so reasonable because the florist side of the establishment is the primary focus, but either way the bill amounted to twenty-six dollars.  Yes! For six very delicious desserts, four hot chocolates, and two coffees.  Staggering, yes?  If you live anywhere around the Lockyer Valley region, go post-haste into Laidley and visit the new tea room.  :)

Two such lovely outings in a seven-day period is enough to keep anyone happy.  And it did.  But today I was at a garage sale with my Mama and sister, and was merrily hunting through fine china (don’t you love garage sales!? I am not, no, not even a bit, going to derail this story by telling you about the Royal Dolton cups I purchased for a dollar each) when I got chatting with the lady who owned the cups, and the sweet little rose butter dish I had to have.

We were comparing notes on china, moved on to garden parties, came to the belated Queen’s birthday high tea she was holding that afternoon, found we were both Christian, both homeschoolers (though this dear lady has finished schooling her twelve {!} children) and before I knew it I was not merely invited, but warmly encouraged to return that afternoon and attend the high tea.  Just imagine!

I (bravely, because have I mentioned before that I am a chicken?) returned in the afternoon, and was welcomed much as one might a favourite niece, or in this case, a sister in Christ one feels an immediate sense of kinship with.  The table was laden with all manner of delicacies, and four tea pots with different varieties of tea, and the room was decorated beautifully.  We sampled the fare, had a quiz on Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth (in which I felt I poorly represented homeschooling, dates being something I never can remember!) and some history shared, some scripture read, we toasted the queen, and went home.  :D

What a lot of fun.  I just had to share. :D