Off to Chinatown

We had an unexpected visit to Chinatown yesterday! We were invited to Old Nanny's for tea after school yesterday. Not knowing her secret plan, the girls changed into nice dresses and shoes when I picked them up & we headed over.

When we got there, she whisked them off to a bedroom and they were in there forever doing some sort of wardrobe change! Many difficulties were encountered and someone would call for me to come solve some dilemma and one of the others would holler "NO! don't come in!" and slam the door shut. It was interesting as they worked through the situation, alternating between calling for me and telling me to stay out!

Finally they paraded out wearing the most adorable red silk Chinese outfits!!!! Old Nanny had found these in her travels and saved them for our visit. We've seen her many times at church, she came over to the house for the birthday last week and never said a word about these special gifts! They were so much fun! The girls loved wearing these and Honey even wore hers to bed last night.

We quickly took our places at the table to begin the Chinese tea party she had planned and set up. Unfortunately, Lovey had a mishap with her plasticene picture she'd brought home that day. The little worm from the garden had gotten smushed into the earth section of the picture and some of the brown got mixed in with the pink and it was a HUGE problem. A huge, crying, screaming, moaning, just beside yourself with grief kind of situation. You know how it is! I made the mistake of telling her she'd have to go sit in the car by herself if she couldn't settle down. She grabbed the keys and headed for the door as soon as I finished my sentence. I sat outside with her for awhile, tried to hold her in hopes of getting her to calm down, all to no avail of course (I don't seem to learn do I???) After a few minutes of that futile effort, I took her back inside and told her she could go cry in the spare bedroom, gave her a couple kleenex and told her to come to the tea party when she settled down. I rejoined the others and the party was in full swing!

Old Nanny had found a "rose" tea to serve and it was being guzzled down as fast as it could be poured! There were little snacks and mini chocolate fruit cups topped with whip cream. (not sure those were genuine Asian cuisine though...)

Part way through the first course, a puffy eyed little girl came slinking in and took her place at the table and was soon swigging back that rose tea and having a great time. She just had to do it in her own time not because I said so.