AnK Bowtique: Donna's High Tea

Last year we held a surprise 40th High Tea for my neighbour and friend Donna. I have been meaning to blog about it for a while. Donna lives about 20 minutes away ~ just down the road really (well when the creek is not flooded !). She is a busy Mum to 5 children and wife to a grazier as well as all of the other associated tasks that come with living where we do.

This is no lady who is easy to surprise, believe me when I tell you this took quite a bit of planning. (Including an almost slip up when I ran into Donna at the Supermarket and she was investigating my trolley contents - 'What are you doing with the Smoked Salmon? ', 'That's a lot of different varieties of tea, you must really like Tea" !!). Firstly we decided that the ONLY way we could ensure Donna actually turned up at her party was to have it at her house. So we set about organising an 'afternoon catch up' with a few other neighbours. Meanwhile we were busy planning the menu, drinks and how to get Donna out of the house while we set up. Invitations went out and were hidden from their usual place (the fridge) 'just in case' Donna popped over for a tea. As we rarely have social outings without our children it was decided we would have a ladies afternoon, and the men and children could come over afterwards. Child care and husbands were also arranged :)

The cat almost came out of the bag when a stock feed agent flew in on the morning of the party, after having been to all of the neighbouring properties he had got wind of a party and proceeded to congratulate Donna on her birthday and 'how many are coming to the party'....arghhhhh, quick cover up needed from Donna's husband and we were still right to go.

Suzanne and Julie enjoy an afternoon out.

As the party loomed closer we still had no plans on how we were actually going to get Donna out of her own house so we could set up. To the rescue came Donna's son and husband who managed to wrangle her out of the house, I think the words "for once in your life will you listen to your husband" came out as Donna was more concerned about her 'afternoon catch up' than whatever job her husband needed her to do.

We all contributed to a high tea themed basket as a gift for Donna, which was overflowing with goodies that each person had brought along. It was a great afternoon and Donna was (I think) suitably impressed and surprised at the effort we had gone to. The cocktails were a hit. The men and kids joined us for a BBQ later that night and there were some very sore heads (and eventful trips home) the next morning.