Ain’t she a beauty?!?!  The HHH (Hilton Head Hogbottoms) brought this down to me last night for a little bridal shower my sister asked me to host for myself.  I thought that was a little strange.  Maybe something new they were doing nowadays.  Those shower thingies are always changing in the way they’re done, so I said, sure, ya’ll come.

So I washed and even pressed the tablecloth; got out the cute girlie dishes I had purchased forever ago and had never used; got out my super dainty super fragile tea cups and dishes as well.  Out came the Gooseberry Patch Tea Time Book for a great egg salad recipe.  It has lots of good ideas, but I only had time for the egg salad (which was very tasty I might add).  Next came the Savannah Bee Winter White honey.  All I can say is order it now before it’s gone.  We ate half a jar of the tallest they sell which is small but still quite a bit of honey for only four of the HHHes.  I’m fairly certain it’s not a year-round item; that it’s only available certain times of the year.

Since my paper napkins were just so darned cute, I opted to use them instead of the normal cloth ones.  After all, the HHHes weren’t really going to care.  It’s more about the dresses and the hats.

Every once in awhile the little girl in us just has a conniption fit to come out and play, so we drag out any of our old or new fancy dresses and shoes or go to the Goodwill and buy us a brand-spankin’ used new one.  I have a variety of vintage hats, a couple of newer ones, and some gloves.  We doody up with make-up and jewels and get together for some girl/woman talk and fun.

We drink delicious hot tea with the grounds caught in a silver tea strainer as it goes into the cup and eat yummy tea sandwiches or other concoctions on fancy little crackers.

It’s fantastic!!

So when I saw who I thought was Matilda Hogbottom riding a bicycle down the road toward the house, I couldn’t imagine what in the world was going on.  Darla had come to the door and said, “Come on out here, you’ve got to see the girls.”  Were they lined up along the drive or what?  I was expecting four of them.  There was Terah and Darla in all their finery, but where was Geri (turns out she had an emergency) and Lisa?  That’s when I saw Matilda riding her bike down the dark road.  Perplexed does not even come close to what I was feeling… but I knew it was going to be good.

Turns out it wasn’t Matilda at all but her alter ego Lisa!  And she was on one of those beach bikes I have been coveting ever since the Hilton Head trip last year when I rode all over the place on one of them.  I forced all the gals (all but Geri; she stood firm) to rent one, and we rode on the beach, all over.  It was great, so they’re all in (except for Geri) this summer to get one and ride again.  On one of the bike excursions we ran into the guy who owns them and asked where to buy one because I was definitely going to get me one. Loaded with the information I got on the internet and drooled all over the computer looking at them before I came to the conclusion that I couldn’t justify buying it.  After all, I have a good bike albeit skinny wheels, hand brakes, nothing like the one I was coveting.

And here was Lisa riding one!!  To the fancy bridal shower!!  I was so shocked and excited for her that it never dawned on me that it was rather odd her riding that bike to my house (of course they had let her out just a block up the street).  “Lisa!  You got one of those bikes!” Sometimes I wonder about myself.

Turns out that wonderful bike was for me!  They had been planning it ever since last July while we were still on the island, while I was still going on and on about going to get me one of those, while I was riding all over the place on the rental.  My bridal shower gift!!

As much as I love that bike, I love my Hilton Head gals so much more.  They are the bomb… especially with a french roll!