Saturday 7 December 2013

High Tea

This time last week I was enjoying a farewell celebration with my work colleagues on the occasion of my pending retirement. A 'High Tea' at a popular local venue had been organised and it was a very pleasant time for all of us as we enjoyed each other's company.

I have known many of my friends who came along for many years and we have been through the highs and lows of life together. My workplace has often been a place of respite and support at times when life hasn't been exactly as I would have liked but they were always there for me as I was for them.

 
As we were the first to arrive I was able to take my pick of the beautiful crockery laid out on the table. As I love green and pink together that was my choice.
 
 
All of the crockery was so fine and it was such a change from the coffee mugs and mismatched plates that I usually use at home.
 
 
 
We were able to read about 'High Tea Etiquette' although I couldn't quite get the bit right about 'the pinkie finger shouldn't be extended but should rest by curving gently back towards your wrist'. Unfortunately my 'pinkie' is a tad arthritic these days. :-)
 

 
The food was delicious and the presentation was impressive.
 
 
Much chatting was done as we solved the problems of the world...

 
...while the jellies and little cakes were devoured.

 
This beautiful rose could tell a few stories if it could speak...

 
...and finally the food was eaten, we had reminisced about the past 23 years of my life spent  in the same workplace and then it was time to say goodbye.

 
Before we parted though, I was presented with a custom-made 'Wordle' which is now hanging near the front door. I didn't take a close-up photo as I didn't want to divulge the secrets of our workplace. Suffice to say that the word chocolate appears more than once in the Wordle. :-)

It was a lovely farewell and I will really miss my work colleagues but there are seasons in all our lives and, if we are fortunate and blessed with good health, we will all reach retirement age and enter into a new season of life. We won't become 'grey nomads' although the 'grey' is a definite but I do have some plans in the pipeline for the coming years.






 

10 comments:

  1. What a lovely party! The pink and green is very pretty I agree. It is difficult to make these large changes I know. I wish for you the pleasure of enough time to do it right and enough projects to keep you entertained and friends with afternoons free to keep you from having to do away with your spouse! (voice of experience here!) Congratulations on a milestone!

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    1. Ha ha, thanks for the advice Kathy. I will make sure I have friends with free afternoons. :-)

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  2. Chel, Hearty congratulations on this milestone. I found leaving my work life behind easier than I expected and I hope you will too.
    With best wishes, Barb.

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    1. Thanks Barb. I hope the big move is going okay for you at the moment. Hope to see you at our Simple Living meetings next year. They don't start till after Easter in 2014 so plenty of time to settle in.

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  3. Congratulations on your retirement - may it be filled with all the things and people you love.

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  4. Thanks Elablue. The next few years should be quite interesting.

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  5. What a beautiful high tea Nanna Chel. It must be hard to leave after 23 years although you have gathered so many interests lately which will certainly keep you amused. I love the Wordle - had never heard of custom making one but what a fabulous idea :)

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  6. Wow you are retiring! I bet you will be a regular visitor back though. What a beautiful High Tea you had a perfect send off.

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  7. Yes Mandy, I am now a 'retiree'. The High Tea was just lovely at the Café Valetta. It was a nice change to be using fine china instead of chunky coffee mugs.

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  8. Sounds as though you had fun Chel. You deserve it.

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