A very British afternoon

When you think of things that typify Britain, what do you think of?  Rain? Stately homes? Cups of tea?  Cucumber sandwiches?  Well I had all those boxes ticked this afternoon!  One of my work colleagues is retiring on Friday after 22 years working at the school.  She is an absolutely lovely lady and we will miss her so much.  She puts us all to shame with her hectic social life and her elegance and style is legendary around the office.  She never wears an outfit which isn't perfectly colour co-ordinated with the ideal matching jewellry and I cannot imagine her without her hair perfectly styled and make up 'just so'.  I see her sometimes at an exercise class and this lady can even make gym trousers and a vest top look classy! 

So when it came to planning an office 'do' for her retirement we tried hard to find something elegant and stylish that would suit her personality.  We decided to treat her to a proper posh afternoon tea at a nearby hotel.  It was an absolutely lovely afternoon (apart from the weather which ranged from dry but overcast with thunder in the distance, to heavy rain) and we had a wonderful spread of cakes and sandwiches in a beautiful room which was wood panelled with ornate mother of pearl inlay patterns around the whole room. 

I'm kind of thinking it would be nice to spend all Sundays like that!