The Tea Party

The Tea Party is over. The house no longer resounds to the shouts of kiddies playing or mummies chatting. The scones are eaten; tea and coffee pots emptied. Sigh.

What a lovely morning.

Did you get my invitation? Nigel No-Mates Holds a Pity Party? An open invitation to blog readers/bloggers within driving distance to come for Tea.

I have to admit that I was slightly nervous. I mean, I put out this completely random invitation, and most of the ladies had never met each other. Some of them, I had never met either! It was a chance to meet and make new friends, but you know how these things can sometimes go... awkward silences, stilted conversation, strangers with nothing in common...? But I needn't have worried.

Everyone was friendly, open and chatty. There were no awkward silences, as we sipped our tea (or coffee) and polished off platefuls of baked treats. At one point as we supped, there was a slight lull, revealing the sound of ...silence! The children were silent! No fighting, no crying. For a second we all held our collective breaths {what are they up to???} But no need. They were simply eating. Leaving us to tea-party in peace. Unbelievable.

There were seven of us sitting around my kitchen table. A mix of blog readers, friends (who read my blog), fellow bloggers - and a combination of all three.

There was LynieLoo, Lyns, Christina, Amanda, Nicola and Meg. Nine kids right there. Oh. And me with Scrag. {Scrag who liked to lick the cream off the lamingtons - and then kindly recycle them back to the plate. Thanks Scrag.} That's 10 pre-schoolers on a rainy day. It should have been mayhem.

And yet somehow it wasn't. Here we all are sitting down drinking tea and enjoying conversation, like ladies.

Ahhh yes, from time to time a little person would make an appearance at our elbow and we would pacify them with something from the table. Then they would scurry off to play cars, or trains, or dressups or... er... watch TV.  Yes, well. It was raining!

There were some brand new friendships hatched today. Bubble declared Chloe to be her new best friend. There are plans to hook up at coffee group together next week. That's great because Bubble is new in Auckland and was missing her friends from home. I am so glad that Bubble made a friend today. And her mummy made some too!

I tried to send them all home with baking, I really did. After all none of it was Gluten Free. Oh the joy of baking with real flour! But I still have leftovers, and that is not allowed. Can't torture poor Miss Fab with berry and white choc muffins. Or scones with jam and cream. I'll have to take some to the neighbours...

I am delighted with how my tea party turned out. I feel like I made some new friends today, the other girls made connections too. I thoroughly recommend a random tea party if you are feeling down, or lonely or are new in town. That's where this blogging business makes sense in the real world. It helps connect us together; it needn't be just online.

So if you are feeling a bit "Nigel No-Mates" like I was... I recommend a Tea Party. Throw out the invitation and see who comes - you might just be pleasantly surprised.

OR JUST CHECK OUT THIS GORGEOUS CLIP ON MEGS' BLOG {How to be Alone}