We received this email from Betty Magdalen yesterday:Hello, Bettys. I wasn't sure if you had twigged to the fact that this year is the Centenary of Betty Neels' birth! In fact, September 15, 2010 will be 100 years precisely. (And yes, we ignoramuses in the US would say Centennial, but that's an adjective and not a noun, and the Brits have been laughing at us ever since 1976, so I figure we should call it a Centenary. It sounds cooler: sen-TEEN-er-ee.)
So, this gives us five months to plan. What shall we do? Try to meet up? All have a birthday party on a conference call? Get your incredibly creative thinking caps on, and let's get planning!
Betty Magdalen
P.S. Betty Ross suggests that we could call it Bettysday, like Bloomsday (6/16) -- the day people celebrate James Joyce. Or Neelsday. But I like Bettysday better.
So, this gives us five months to plan. What shall we do? Try to meet up? All have a birthday party on a conference call? Get your incredibly creative thinking caps on, and let's get planning!
Betty Magdalen
P.S. Betty Ross suggests that we could call it Bettysday, like Bloomsday (6/16) -- the day people celebrate James Joyce. Or Neelsday. But I like Bettysday better.
Betty Magdalen. You. Rock. (so does Betty Ross!)
So, Bettys, what's it to be? How shall we fly our Betty flags? A pilgrimage to Neeldom? A day of celebration complete with dramatic readings and interpretive dance? Tea parties (appropriately clad in either an uncrushable jersey dress, a tweed suit or a Jaeger two-piece)?
It's never too early to start codifying our observances. What would constitute an appropriate observance? What goes into our Bettysday Book of Protocol?
We are now open to suggestions...the floor is yours.
Barbara here
ReplyDeleteA friend(and fellow Betty) and I will be having tea. If we are in funds it will be at one of the area's fine tea rooms. If we are not in funds, we will be sitting around the kitchen table. Either way, the works of LaNeels will be discussed. Hmmm, not too sure what we will be wearing as I do not own a jersey dress.
At the very least, can we get some regional get-togethers going? Anyone in the upper left-hand corner of the US interested? I'll drive a long way to have tea with a fellow Betty.
ReplyDelete(And if that doesn't work, I'm just going to have to get a ticket to the Pacific Northwest and inflict myself -- uh, I mean visit the Founding Bettys.)
I love the idea of some regional get-togethers. (Not as much as I love the idea of a pilgrimage to England and Holland, but that would be tough to pull off during the second week of school).
ReplyDeleteAt the very least, elevensies at The Crumpet Shop in Seattle for me(and whoever????)- or, if I can swing it, a trip to Victoria BC for tea at the Empress - which I've wanted to do since I first went to Victoria as a teenager.
I've had tea at the Empress. Here's the blog post and photo.
ReplyDeleteI went up to Victoria with Dr. van der Stevejinck a few years ago for our anniversary (very short trip - only 2 days). He sort of surprised me with the trip - so I didn't really have time to make a lot of plans. It was in June - so it was off to Butchart Gardens for us (I adore gardens that I don't have to weed). We didn't take a car - we took the Victoria Clipper (high speed catamaran) from Seattle - which was quite lovely.
ReplyDeleteBeen to Butchart Gardens too. Here are lots of photos of tuberous begonias to prove it.
ReplyDelete(Don't worry -- you've been to TONS of places I haven't been and thus never blogged about.)