Tea party at brenchley

Here we are at elizabeth and Joan's for tea and what a fabulous spread they put on - delicious meringues, scrummy scones with jam and cream, super chocolate cake, apple cake and lemon sponge - all washed down with cups of tea or coffee. The weather stayed fine so we were able to sit in the garden for a while, admiring the roses and lemon trees ...Gloria, Denis, Hester, Marie, Marise, patty, Doreen, Mary h, Eileen and mary p had a lovely time. A huge thank you to our excellent hosts.

You can find them in the garden!

 

peggy has been decopatching again today, joan painting pebbles, mary played scrabble with volunteer Cameron, and phyl came out for some fresh air...

 

meanwhile, Eileen was trying to finish her puzzle and to the rescue came volunteer Beth to lend a helping hand.  patty came to do some sketching in the art studio and Lucille felt like keeping her company - it is nice and cosy in the 'shed' as patty calls it!  even marise popped out for a walk around the garden - she had been watching Jon McDevitt performing this afternoon in the lounge (to a very appreciative audience) and then Ralph (another of our wonderful school volunteers) brought back a game of connect 4 that he had just enjoyed with Joan W ...

Jane came today from Compaid -she teaches residents how to use the computer - and I left Marie trying to figure out some clues on an on-line crossword - what is a dutch cheese beginning with 'M' none of us had any idea!

we have even found a new use for black bin liners and carrier bags....

 

radio kent comes to interview patty and Hilary.....

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01gcjb1

think if you move along to 2.23 minutes in you should hear start of the interview!

Patchwork quilting continues

Di and Sheila's quilt is taking shape and growing fast with a little help from our residents ...the plan is to auction the quilt at the next summer garden party ...it is certainly a labour of love.

A star in the making

BBC Radio Kent came to interview patty today for the morning show - she took it all in her stride, even managing to play a drum solo for the audience!

Show and tell...

An idea first mooted by one of our residents, we held our second session today and as it was another sunny afternoon so we decided to meet outside on the patio.

A very interesting array of items sparked lovely memories and discussions and the time went so quickly....first was Patty who showed us her bag!  she always carries a tote bag on her shoulder, with her bits and pieces in (newspaper, pens and pencils etc) and today she laid it out on the table to show us the design. to our amazement she told us that she had not only made the bag, but designed and embroidered the front panel.  apparently, after her husband died she took up embroidery classes (as well as painting) and this was the result.  we all agreed it was a stunning piece of work!  She also pulled out two pebbles she had painted recently which could be used as paperweights!! is there no end to her talents?

Eileen produced a little black cat ornament, which turned out to have been made of coal!  there was a lovely story about how she came to buy it.....then marie showed us a treasured possession - an amazing card, signed by Lord Mountbatten, which was given to her late brother for his service during the war....Marise shared a very old magazine with Oscar Wilde on the front cover which belonged to her father ....and mary p revealed her hidden talents - a beautifully bound book (in its own special box) that she had written some years ago & her husband had illustrated - all about the wildflowers of the Tunbridge wells common!

....meanwhile peggy had been working away while listening to everyone's stories, sorting  and testing out a huge box of pens - and inadvertently produced her own original piece of art which we have turned into some greeting cards!

 

 

After tea we did a bit of art therapy - using the colouring books and felt pens ...before one of our lovely volunteers from school arrived, so Mary F went off to play scrabble and Joan's family paid her a visit....

 

 

Rummikub in the sunshine

Joan's daughter had brought in one of her fav games to play and today Eileen and Hester joined her for a battle on the patio! Never played it before but it was good fun once all rules were explained...!