Tea Time and Emma Barr
By Donna Godfrey
When I was about 10, my grandmother's aunt was put to bed. She was a
very
proper lady and had left the Mennonite church when she married an
Englishman. They moved to the "city"; Lancaster, Penna. He died before I
was
born but I think I remember he was a professor. Anyway, we loved to go
with
Grandma to "Emma Barr's house". It was always an adventure for she had
wonderful antiques. We were always served tea in the antique cups
because
she said anything she had was to be used. (one side note, when she died
all
her things went on auction for she had no kids and no will and the
teacup I
always picked out Grandma told me went for $500.00.)
She would let us go to the china closet and let us pick out a cup. I had
a
special one that I have not seen since...it had Victorian ladies on it
and
so much gold trim. I know I liked it because I had to dress plain and I
thought those ladies were just beautiful.
Emma always had delicate cookies and cakes and she would make scones.
She would make lemon curd too. We would
sit on her Victorian chairs and she would give us cloth napkins and
special
tea spoons. We would always be read a poem or short story or listen to
some
classical music.
Emma is Bedridden
Now back to what we did when she got put in bed. She was well to do and
had
a live-in companion. Emma never complained but once told grandma she
missed
those "teas" and the companion would bring her tea in a plastic mug. Now
I
know that must have troubled her a lot. Anyway Grandma went up to the
attic
one day and into her trunk. She pulled out a beautiful teapot and 4
teacups
to match. We went down stairs and washed them and grandma had just made
a
tea cozy and we packed it all in a basket. Than grandma told me to get
dressed up. We went to a big department store called Watt and Shands and
got
a tin of cookies. I remember being so mixed up because grandma was a
master
baker. We went to the candy section and got a few things and off again
we
went. She stopped at a house and told me to wait in the car. She came
out
with a pretty jar filled with lemon curd. Than on to Emmas we went. She
pulled out a battenburg tablecloth,napkins and told the companion she
needed
the trays to be moved into the bedroom. She made the tea and into the
bedroom we went. Emma had lost so much weight and looked like a doll
sitting
there. She had the sweetest bed jacket on. Grandma had made it and
mailed it
to her.(I still have the pattern...It is a Simplicity 1943 one. )
As grandma pulled out the teapot and teacups I heard Emma gasp. She shed
a
few tears for it was the teapot she and her husband had sent the mother
in law from
England on their honeymoon. But the lady would never use them because
they
were too special.
Well, we started a tradition that day 40 years ago. We went there every
Saturday until she died. Grandma learned to make the scones and cookies
and
lemon curd and passed them onto me. I think Emma was in the bed about 5
more
years.
Our Tea Basket Tradition
I forgot doing this until we moved next to a little old Scottish lady
when
Crystal was 2 and "Grandma Margaret" had us over every Tuesday for tea
and
we had Scottish goodies. When she was moved into a nursing home, Crystal
and
I went there each Tuesday morning and had tea, taking our basket.
I have done this for cancer patients,for shut-ins and for moms with
young
children that need to learn to relax. I have a child's tea set I take
for
the children and a few old books. But children need to learn when they
are
young, the value of tea time. It is a time when we pull away from the
hurried life and sit and think about the joys and the finer things of
life.
It is a time to charge your batteries so to speak. A time to call a
friend
to come or take the tea to a precious shut-in. That is a gift of time. I
have told you all before that I do not remember many gifts from my
grandma
but do I ever have memories of the TIME she gave me.
About the Author
Donna had the privilege of growing up in a Mennonite
family
in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. She is
married and lives in Georgia. Donna has 3 children and 3 grandchildren.
She also writes a Column called Cooking with Don, which you can
sign up for here
and another list called Sites for Learning
