A Christmas tea!

I really miss having teas. I used to do it quite often, but lately all is very quiet in the House of Houben. Last Saturday Robert was at Camp Icicle and Leona was finally over her winter illness, so she came over for a hot cup of water, as she no longer drinks tea. I really need to find some tea buddies! My parents rarely come over now as my Dad is very frail, and my Mom won't come alone. 

I set out my fine Royal Albert china, with the beautiful poinsettia pattern. Leona gave me the teapot for a Christmas gift in 1981. The rest of the collection was also gifts. I just love this set.

I used a red cloth tablecloth. I usually buy them at Winner's store so they are quite inexpensive. I set out my candles each season in the fall and winter, as it brightens up the dreary dark nights. I love candles!

I had given all my baking away, so I set out Walker's shortbread and Cadbury fingers with fresh raspberries. Leona may have stuck to hot water, but I had reams of cups of hot tea!

By Loretta Houben

March...a new month!

I snapped this photo today, March 3.

The sun has burst forth in all his glory.

It's a marvelous and stunning sight.

The Vancouverites have utterly forgotten 

what it looked like!

This is part of my crocus garden. I love crocuses! 

Yesterday it poured like it had never poured before.

The beginning of the day wasn't too bad, except I woke up with another migraine.

I still decided to travel out to Chilliwack and meet up with my sisters in law, Sylvia and Margaret.

They came down from Merritt to go to a women's expo at heritage park.

Robert kindly drove me and we 

had lunch together at Ricky's.

I gave Sylvia a birthday gift of 2 magazines; one a new sewing magazine she hadn't seen before.

Me and Robert on the left; Sylvia and Margaret on the right.

The lunch was scrumptious. It was so nice to meet like this!

Sylvia made her gorgeous dress; she inherited her lovely seamstress capabilities from her Mum!

You can just about see the heritage park place in the thickening rain clouds.

It was $6 each to get in; Robert stayed in the car and read a thick technical book.

We browsed around the crowded aisles. I didn't find much to buy; the only thing I got was a neat little burlap "bag" for my Mom and some Easter bags which were handmade. Everything was out of my price range but it was fun to roam around with Sylvia and Margaret.

We parted ways at 3 pm.

Robert and I backtracked to Alexander Ave to visit Classics, a paper store Sylvia told me about.

Here is a selection of cards I really liked!

Classics cards was right beside Dicken's Sweet shop, the same place we visited last April with my parents and some friends. It was just the same, and we tried out a pot of Yorkshire tea and a scone. It was delicious as always. It's a really neat place to visit.

I look a little startled. By this time I was ready for a long nap. The tea really helped.

It rained so hard on the way back I couldn't sleep at all.

This is the onramp to the new Port Mann bridge which connects Surrey to the mainland. The sun was shining in this part of the world. It was like another country.

I was really impressed with the new bridge. We flew over! It's the widest bridge in the world.

These are the cables which are quite infamous now. In January 2013 great lobs of ice fell off them during a winter storm, onto cars below, crashing into the windows and causing chaos. Something is terribly wrong in the engineering of the design of this beautiful bridge. In some ways man hasn't evolved very far at all. In another incident the street crew didn't think it was necessary to salt and sand the bridge deck during a winter storm, so there was a massive pile up of many vehicles in an early morning rush hour.

It was a really interesting way to spend a Saturday.

I hope we will visit with my sister-in-laws more often like this.

Maybe the next time it will be sunny all day!

By Loretta Houben

Diamond Jubilee Tea!

In honour of Queen Elizabeth's diamond jubilee celebrations this weekend and today and tomorrow, my friend Isabelle hosted a special royal tea.

Linda picked me up at the New Westminster station, and we headed to Isabelle's home at noon today.

I brought the centerpiece; a Victorian sponge cake made from scratch.

This is my second attempt. The first one looked like two frisbees as I didn't realize what self raising flour was until it was a bit too late.

I bought the adorable cutouts from a site on UK eBay.

The center of the cake is whipping cream and fresh berries.

Isabelle and her lovely decorated table!

Loretta, Isabelle and Linda.

We feasted on many cups of hot tea, scones with Devonshire cream and homemade jam, egg sandwiches, ham and cheese sandwiches, cheese tarts hot from the oven, sausage rolls, shortbread cookies, walnut cakes, jam cookies and Victorian sponge cake.

The little Bleuette dolls came too, arrayed in their special Jubilee dresses.

Isabelle gave each of us a tiny silver teapot, which I think you can see under my signature above if you enlarge the photo by clicking on it. They are darling. She also gave us each a book of Lady Diana and Prince Charles paper dolls from 1981. I gave Ada Mathilda and Madeline a shopping bag to use when they fly to London to shop with. (see below)

The Bleuettes in their special dresses with their shopping bags.

Isabelle has a vast collection of special royal china!

I really like this one of Queen Elizabeth.

Robinette found a lovely Eiffel Tower in the doll room!

She also found a sweet little baby to visit.

And I found a beautiful AM doll who dearly wished to come home with me.

Tee hee...but she understands she must stay with Maman Isabelle!

Two more of Isabelle's AM dolls.

Aren't they gorgeous?

Walt makes these bears to sell.

Aren't they cute?

It was a most wonderful day and I for one am glad Queen Elizabeth has reigned for 60 years so we could have this special day.

Thank you, Isabelle!

Dickens Sweet Shop

Here are a few more pictures taken at the Dickens Sweet Shop in Chilliwack BC.

The place is fascinating. It must have taken the owners years and years to collect all this stuff!

Here is a Model T Ford, with Walt, my Dad, and Robert posing beside it.

This room was in back of where we ate.

My Mom and I were rather surprised that we ate amongst the antiques; we thought the tea room would be in a separate area. The dust really bothered my Mom but didn't affect any of the rest of us.

This is the same room that contained the Model T Ford.

Upstairs were 3 rooms. One of them had a magnificent Titanic display in remembrance of the 100th anniversary. These are reproductions.

This was the stairwell!

Another room held WWII memorabilia. My Dad and Robert were fascinated with this room.

 

One of the many display cases in the Royal room.

I could have spent 2 more hours in this museum.

I guess we'll have to go back!

Kate and William's First Anniversary!

Today we celebrated the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's first anniversary,

(otherwise known as William and Kate) by driving out to Chilliwack, BC and having a special

tea at the Dickens Sweet Shop.

Isabelle and Walt, with Linda P were also in attendance.

We took my parents too, and had a grand time.

It was a sunny warm day, at least in Chilliwack, and the drive out was lovely.

The shop, besides selling all manner of British sweets, also has a huge museum which

contains WWII items, Royal family memorabilia, and many other things which would take hours

to gaze at. I think my Dad and I could have spent another 2 hours there.

I especially loved the Titanic display for the 100th anniversary.

We had tea/coffee at 12 noon, then appetizers.

We each got a tray like the above with sandwiches, pastries and desserts.

It was all delicious. 

Here we are in our fancy dress, in honour of Kate and William.

If only they knew!

We also watched a video of their wedding.

It was a special outing and very enjoyable!

Our 30th anniversary getaway! April 3 - 4, 2012

I told Robert it looks like we are somewhere exotic, and he replied "We are!"

This is at the Tsawwassen ferry terminal on April 3, 2012.

On board the Spirit of British Columbia.

One way with a car and 2 people is now $82.00.

It's a 1 1/2 hour cruise.

In front of the Beaconsfield Inn in Victoria, a superb B & B.

The front hallway.

The McClure Suite, where we stayed.

The lovely fireplace.

The James Bay teahouse where we had lunch.

The tea was hot and delicious, but the scones were awful; cold and dry.

The fireplace with the 2 hour burning log.

In the library at night. I just LOVE this room.

We had a wonderful, relaxing time on the Island.

I'll post more photos in Part Two.