Delicate heavenly scented Tea roses will decorate our table...


I have been invited to take part in a virtual tea party today
hosted by
Mum

I've decided to make it a garden party....
and YOU are invited too !


Tea will be served at four o' clock in the garden

or in the conservatory if the weather inclement.

I will be wearing this delightful dress

I would like Violet Crawley,
Dowager Countess of Grantham
( Downton Abbey )
to receive the guests and preside over tea.
 I can count on her to oversee the proceedings
with breeding, manners, dignity
and acerbic wit.

 My guest of Honour
chosen from your wonderful suggestions
of strong women in history
 is

Florence nightingale.
I read &read & re read
my Ladybird book about her as a child
and admired her strength and determination.
so I have invited her to tea.


Thank you for all your suggestions
which made me read up about all of the women nominated.
You can see the suggestions
here

Of course the vicar must be invited to tea.
I have chosen
Dick Emery's iconic vicar
totally irreverent & insincere.
I have no doubt that
Lady Crawley will keep him in his place.

Good afternoon Vicar
enjoy your tea.
No saucy jokes please...

and certainly NO drinking tea from the saucer !


I would like to invite my
maternal grandmother Molly.
NanNan was a great one for afternoon tea.

I loved loading up the wooden trolley
with china cups & saucers from Debenhams.
She loved Debenhams.

I think her teapot was stainless steel...

 but memory is playing tricks with me
 and it might have looked like this..

I do remember her  stainless steel
hot water jug, milk jug and sugar bowl.

NanNan was a great baker
who made wonderful scones & tarts
her jam & treacle ones were divine.
I'd like to give her afternoon tea.


NanNan - Molly,  was a strong woman
who loved keeping her house full of guests.
she collected Vicars ( !! )

During the war, Canadian soldiers
were often invited to tea
bringing packets of flour- for more baking !
My mother remembers
her mother being fun and happy
during these times.


I do feel we must have another Lady present
so I have chosen the glamorous
Lady Penelope.


I'm not sure that Lady Crawley will
approve of Lady Penelope's line of business
but sure she will secretly enjoy some of her stories
of danger and espionage !

For eye  candy,
I have chosen Elle Mc Phearson
the Body
though hope she puts some more clothes on !
For a Super model,
I think she is beautiful & natural.
I have recently discovered her range of lingerie
& her bras are so pretty & fit perfectly.
Lovely under my Tea dress !


I expect that there will be a little mild flirting with the Vicar.
but I'm sure Lady G will soon put a stop to that !

My next guest might be dismayed by
Miss Mc p
strutting her stuff-
or maybe not...
her fight for womens' rights
opened up a whole new world.


Leader of the Suffragette Movement
Emmeline Pankhurst

I'll never forget being allowed to stay up to watch
Shoulder to Shoulder
a 1974 television drama series about the Suffragettes.
I was given the book too
and it evoked such strong feelings in me.

Strange then that I wasn't ambitious for a career
and have loved being a stay at home mum.
The difference being though,
I had the choice.


I have commissioned
Mary Berry to bake the cakes.
We have her recipe book
and the cakes are divine.

though I love all the modern cake stands so popular again,
I shall remain traditional today.

I've hired Peggy
from
Hi de Hi
to waitress.
I never watched the show
but the clips I saw of her made me smile.

My mother in law, Peggy
once told me that
Peggy's are often maids or poodles...
she's right !

Don't drop the cakes Peggy !

I must insist on
English breakfast tea.
nothing else will suffice for me.

I was recently offered Earl Grey
in a cafe with my breakfast order.

I said,
"No thank you.
English breakfast tea please "
( builders' tea ! )
they had run out !!!


So English breakfast it is
in pretty bone china cups

and there must be cucumber sandwiches...

Delicate mouthwatering cucumber sandwiches will be served by...

...  YOU choose the butler
and let me know who you choose!



I hope you enjoyed the tea party.


Thank you to Mum
for organising us for a lovely virtual tea party together
why not pop over & join the others
here