tea party...

...that has nothing to do with US politics. Though I am nearly physically ill when I devote any time to thinking of what a sad situation our country is in on the political scene with choices at this point amounting to the Devil or the Deep Blue Sea. I am so distressed I cannot talk about this distasteful, disturbing, thoroughly offensive mess.

I was conversing with a friend about our trip in July, which caused me to remember occasions in the past: tea parties. When my daughters were young, maybe grade school to middle school age, there were several women locally who combined their resources to open little tea rooms in the area. I am not sure how we first heard about the Tea Room, but know there were several at one time. 

One was in a historic building downtown, in a home that is at least a century old. It was not occupied at the time, so the women rented it, decorated with lots of period antiques. Lace curtains, walls papered with huge mauve cabbage roses, antique frames with sepia tinted photos of long forgotten faces, over stuffed upholstered velvet furniture with dark stained wood. Lots of clutter on every horizontal surface, knick-knacks, mismatched china teacups and saucers, teapots with crocheted cozies to keep them warm. Hats you could borrow for a couple of hour: tiny little velvet ones with delicate veils, or big floppy brims with silk flower trim. All things to make it look 'homey' and filled with furnishings with from the Victorian era.

It was good fun. I remember going several times over the years. I think the first was just the three of us, after someone shared their knowledge and experience of going to have a fancy tea. We ate and giggled our way through, holding pinky fingers aloft as we sipped our exotic tea and nibbled on wee little egg salad, cucumber, pimento cheese sandwiches. Another time was my mom's birthday. We planned and persuaded their grandmother from south GA to visit and we made reservations to go celebrate. Pretty remarkable occasion, as she was not one for being 'carried on' over, so I am sure she agreed to go primarily to please her granddaughters.

Another time a daughter had a birthday, invited several friends and they dressed to the nines, we went and had a grand glorious tea  party with copious giggling and silliness. I think they put on the tiny little hats and white cotton gloves that time, and we drove to a small town in south GA. where the Tea Party ladies had an outpost. I am remembering going to a thrift shop to find a party dress with lots of frou-frou for the occasion. I believe there are photos to commemorate this hilarious event, so hope that at least one of the people involved can find and maybe put them here.