Merry Christmas!

This will be a quick post as I've much to do before my family arrives for dinner this afternoon at 3:00 o'clock.

Below are some pictures from the Christmas Tea at The Whitney last Saturday, Dec. 21st. The Director of Operations [my boss], Dave Duey, read A Cup of Christmas Tea by Tom Hegg to the 50 attendees.

The tea was held on the second floor of the mansion.  The guests ate in all the dining rooms [formerly bedrooms] and assembled in the ballroom area for a sing-a-long and other fun activities.

Pictures of some of my co-workers.  John, one of the servers, standing next to me.

Steve and Sierra.  Steve serves tea on weekends when I'm not normally there.

Alyson  works at the reservation desk, and Daniel is a server.

Sunday the 22nd was Christmas Sunday at church.  We had a beautiful morning worship service, and a candlelight service in the evening with some of the Romeo High School Chorale Members presenting a few numbers.

Brooke and a friend sang, "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas"

There's much more I wish I had time to write, but I need to get to my kitchen and get busy cooking.  

My hubby just returned from picking up the birthday cake for Jesus that I ordered from the local Italian bakery - a cassata cake.  Yum!

More later...

Date Night With My Hubby...

As you know, I've been missing from my blog the last few days.  I've worked six days straight, serving 140 guests Afternoon Tea, and there aren't any signs of slowing down yet.

My evenings were spent making a Shutterfly album for my son Jeremy's Christmas present [not to worry, he's too busy to read my blog].  I mentioned in a previous post that he and his wife went on a Mediterranean Cruise for their 40th birthdays.  I thought it would be nice for all their pictures to be together for fast and easy access.  Since this book is a surprise gift, I couldn't ask details about all the places they went, so it required hours researching all the pictures.  Thank heavens for the Internet and Google!  By the time I finished, I felt like I had been on the cruise myself!  The book is 53 pages with 130 pictures.  Shutterfly sent me an e-mail today saying it will arrive tomorrow.  Very quick service!  Below is the cover.

Friday night my hubby bought tickets for us to go out to dinner and then see the 1954 movie, White Christmas, at the vintage Redford theater.  What a treat.  As the saying goes, all work and no play makes a person dull!  ;-)  It was a lovely evening.

As you probably know, the movie stars Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, and Vera-Ellen, and features Irving Berlin's classic song, White Christmas.  They don't make movies like that anymore.

Next weekend they'll be showing It's a Wonderful Life.  I'd like to return for that, but I can't make it fit in the schedule.  

Below are some interior photos of the theater.

I LOVE the organ music that's played on the original Barton Theatre Pipe Organ before the movie begins and again at intermission.  At this time of the year it's Christmas songs and carols.   When the organist is done playing, the organ is lowered under the stage.

Last weekend Jeremy and his son, Landon, along with another friend, flew to Minneapolis, Minnesota to watch the Lions play the Vikings.  Quarterback Kirk Cousins played football at Michigan State during Jeremy's last year, and they became friends.  Kirk now plays for the Vikings, and they met up with him after the game.  We gave Landon a Cousins jersey for his birthday last month, so it was the perfect time to wear it.

The Vikings beat the Lions - 42 - 30 [no surprise there! ;-)]. Landon was thrilled to meet Kirk and Jeremy was glad to reconnect again.  It was definitely a weekend for making memories!

I love this father and son picture.

I will try to post at least once more before Christmas.  My gang will all be here on Christmas Eve, so things will be busy. 

Below is my 2019 Christmas Card that I had printed through Zazzle.  It's my wish for you!

Inside verse:

May your teapot overflow

with the blessings of Jesus

this Christmas Season and

throughout the New Year!

Cristy's French Cottage Christmas Tea

Cristy Bennett came out of retirement to host a few French Cottage Christmas High Teas in December.  My girlfriend, Lori, and I traveled to East Lansing yesterday for the first one of them. Like all her other teas, it was a delightful experience and stimulated all the senses.

The outside of her cottage-style home was whimsically decorated for Christmas and set a fun stage.

Inside everything was elegantly decorated in beautiful shades of French country pink, mauve, white and silver - a real fantasyland.

I'm glad Cristy let me be a shutterbug!  There was SO much to photograph.

Lori and I knew in advance that the color scheme was going to be shades of pink, so we dressed accordingly.

 Noel is a French word originating from Latin meaning birthday.  Happy Birthday, Jesus!

That's the end of her beautiful living room.  Now here's the dining room.

Cristy also decorated her year-round sunroom and first floor bathroom, but I didn't photograph them.

Her tablescape and menu was just as stunning as her room decorations!

The beautiful menu cards, doilies containing Dove chocolate candies, and mini-floral arrangement of two white carnations and a pink rose were ours to take home.

At the base of every water glass was the name of the person who'd be sitting there.

Our tea began with a toast of chilled sparkling Cranberry-Apple Juice.

Our tea was a blend of two Harney & Sons black teas - Cranberry Autumn and Hot Cinnamon Spice with a splash of Orange Juice added.

The first course consisted of Cristy's signature pinwheel scones [Cranberry Orange] and a cup of Noel French Chestnut Soup.  Love the pink poodle spreader for Devonshire cream.

The main course was Chicken Puff Pastry Pot Pie, Apple-Cucumber Slaw, and homemade Cranberry-Orange Sauce. It was served on Cristy's grandmother's French Limoges china.

Dessert was Peppermint Brownie Teacup Trifle.  Everything was delicious!

Here's the couple who made it all happen... David & Cristy with their dog, Soapy.

What a wonderful way to usher in the Christmas season!  Thank you David & Cristy!