Sugar and Spice.

What are little girls made of?

Like everybody else, they are made of the sum of their life experiences.

On the 1st of January 2012, "She who is proficient at separating eggs" will turn twenty one.

I remember the day of her birth like it was yesterday.

Today I feel an funny sense of displacement because I am unable to reconcile the little girl

with the person who I now rely on as a friend and confidante,

organiser of events, and compassionate advocate and companion to those she cares about.

In many ways she was born into the shadow of her older brother, and has remained there ever since by choice.



Right from the very beginnings of a child's "knowing", she has been his most understanding advocate and supporter.



Compassionate, fearless and unrelenting in her role as protector and facilitator of many things.







I also know her as drama Queen and apprentice racing car driver, now well and truly graduated



to her own (shared with Dad) 1973 Toyota corolla - purple of course.




And agreeable participant in all my eccentricities (tea parties).

She is also the Easter Bunny and Mother Christmas on every possible occasion.

And doer of crosswords with her Granny!

Woe betide you Granny if you get caught cheating on those word puzzles!

We are so lucky to be three generation of Magpie Chics able to play such an integral part in each other's lives.

Happy 21st Birthday my Beatie.

Today you get to be the favourite!!!!

One Must Always Balance One's Frills.

On a recent "ladies shopping" expedition with she who is proficient at separating eggs and he who looks better with his hair cut (who came a long because he had nothing better to do and takes a macabre interest in the psychology of "ladies shopping"), we stumbled upon one of those little pieces of advice that have become family lore very quickly.
"He" was heard to remark to his sister that the items she had assembled had a few too many frills. And apparently it is his observation that you must balance your frills.

So today I am the enviable recipient of a special tea party apron. Designed for me by my sister Jo, who received her initiation into the art of the tea party while on holiday here last month. And the advice about frills has obviously taken root.

It is a bespoke apron (love that word!!!), if such a thing can exist. No-one else will have one. Not even the Granny. Because apparently the frills on mine were so potentially injurious to sanity of the maker that she vowed to stick to the pattern when making one for the Granny!

The lists are taken directly from my favourite tea party menu.

I remain devastated that she didn't have any Doris Day music on her ipod the day of Granny's birthday tea party.

I myself being way too un- hooked from technology to own an ipod on which to put my own Doris Day music onto!

The last item on the list is of course a reference to our fine Taranaki weather!

The apron looks so "House And Garden" hanging on the apron hook, and is sure to be the thing that sells my house after the first open home on Sunday!

People will stop and admire it!!!!

As do I, every time I go past. I can't wait to actually wear it! With some Doris day music in the background of course! As you do, when your frills are properly balanced

My first Port O Call.

I may have mentioned in passing blog chics, that when I grow up I'm going to run away to somewhere sunny and open a tea shop.

To reassure myself in a very "Yes Virginia there is a Santa Clause" kind of way, I make a pilgrimage to Napier at least once a year to Port O Call.

Of course you know that was behind our choosing Napier as the destination for our road trip, don't you. You've already figured that out haven't you?

I could barely contain the excitement, even before I'd got through the doors.
Waiting the 10 minutes for it to open up was an agony, comparable only to queing for tickets to an All Blacks versus Springboks rugby test in the 1970s I should think.

I found such beautiful things - more of that for it's own blog post.

We got down to the serious business of dressing up and choosing our tea cups.

So many lovely, lovely cups to choose from. It's such a buzz to choose from such an array.

I cannot explain to you how it brings joy to my heart to see them all lined up with their prettiness and dainty femininity on display, and I may choose ANY one to be THE one.

Cos you'll probably think I'm bonkas for anthropomorphising tea cups.. But there you go.

It just is.

George was occupied for hours choosing her outfit, and was very taken with the gloves.

And I got to wear the purple negligee that I had missed out on during my last visit with my friend Leigh.

And my favourite pink candyfloss hat.

So very pleased to meet you Madame.

I feel as If I'm being presented to the Queen!

I know that one day I will open my tea shop in that sunny place; because, after all...

there is more than one way to eat a lamington!

Tea Party for Granny

A Granny's birthday is an excellent excuse for a tea party don't you think?

Especially in the middle of a La Nina summer when there are three generations of girls around to enjoy it.

My sister and nieces are here escaping the floods in Bunderburg (Queensland).

First you have to ice your cup cakes.

Sophie and Georgia.


And choose the prettiest cups and saucers.

And cut some of Granny's favourite flowers for the table arrangement.

And assemble the sandwiches.

And the granddaughters.

And pour the "special tea".

And open the presents.

And eat all the dainty morsels.

Then sit back and enjoy the sunshine.

The cup cake production team.

Look who came to the party!

The Magpie Cat appeared for scones with jam and cream.

You can just see her ample bottom in the corner of this shot.

Watch out for the next installment in which the girls go on a road trip to Napier, stopping at every antique shop, second hand mart and cafe on the way!

See ya then.