Thursday, September 14, 2017

Bettysday Eve

Bettysday, our once-yearly commemoration of The Great Betty's birthday, has leaped upon me this year like a street gang of youths in Dam Square. Happily, it's nowhere near as dangerous to my person or my pocketbook. Sadly, it's also less likely to end in me being stuffed into an idling Rolls Royce Corniche by a furious (but, nevertheless, swoony) Dutch doctor who warned me to avoid it at all costs.
Dam Square--Hive of scum and villainy

My own celebrations will be modest but very Betty. I am meeting with my writing group in the morning and we will all try to recover from the effects of Summer. (Getting me back into the swing of things after having all the Pledges home all the time looks like those cowboy westerns where they're trying to revive the drunk sheriff in time for the shoot-out with Black Hat and plunging his face over and over and over into the water trough.) Thanks to The Great Betty, I will tamp down feelings of being too old for this and feeling like it's too late to begin to be awesome. The Great Betty would have none of that.
None. Of. It.

Sometime in the afternoon, I will have something sweet. Maybe a whole table of something sweet. And though it won't really be the place for it, I will close my eyes and sigh, "Heaven is a cucumber sandwich."
...and scones and fresh raspberry jam and apple cake
and things that can break but have not yet been broken.

What is everyBetty else doing?

8 comments:

  1. Hi Keira
    I arrived in Sydney from Adelaide yesterday and with my daughter enjoyed the Julie Andrews production of My Fair Lady. This morning I'm meeting with two Sydney Betties, Melody and Kerrie and enjoying morning tea at the Queen Victoria Building. Looking forward to meeting them both before heading back to Adelaide this afternoon.

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  2. I am trying to wedge in a spot of tea between making pot pie for a concession stand and supervising the percussion section of our local high school marching band.

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    1. That last bit sounds very like lining up the children for a parade at the village fete.

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  3. I have a tin of tea from Harrods from a vacation to London this summer. I'll drink a cup or two, out of a beautiful English china mug that I bought for my late mother years ago. And while drinking it I'll decide if The Promise of Happiness or A Girl Named Rose is my favorite of TGB's oeuvre.

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  4. I am enjoying a second day off this week. I am enjoying a rather late lunch, as I write. I would have forgotten Bettysday, if it weren't for your post. And what am I having for lunch? Pizza — of all things! And very delicious it is, too!

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  5. Betty-esque things I have done/will be doing today:
    Making toast with butter
    Conversing with my mother in the kitchen
    Going for a walk while muttering (I was praying, but still...)
    Going to church
    Minding the children
    Budgeting

    And now that I know the rules of the day, I will find something sweet to eat and toast the Great Neels with it.

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  6. Betty Barbara here--
    I started the day, as I always do, with several bracing cups of tea and then on to the domestic chores. There is still time for a bite of something sweet before consulting with myself on the dinner menu.
    Happy Birthday to The Great Betty and many thanks for the countless hours of reading pleasure.

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  7. Long day of work, with the rewarding re-read of The Quiet Professor in the evening. It's one of my favorites.

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