Christmas Tea in the Parlor

Did you miss the Christmas Tea in the Parlor at the State Headquarters House last weekend?

If so, please check out the write-ups below from Conejo Valley Chapter members Barbara Hougardy and Nancy Kilbourn.

View a slideshow of Barbara's photos here.

Many thanks to these two ladies for making those of us who had to stay home feel like we were there!

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From Nancy Kilbourn:

It was a lovely tea. Fewer people than years past, probably because everyone was afraid of the rain. But the house was full, and we did eat outside, quickly.

The house was lovely, as always. Instead of the receiving line, State Regent Anne Lampman and Nancy Alexander met everyone at the front door. In a way that was nicer... felt friendlier and more inviting.

The Glendora Historical Society found and reproduced a photo of Mr. Hamlin, who built the house... that was nice.

Bonnie Cook, 1st Vice Regent of Louisiana, was in Thousand Oaks visiting her daughter, so Pat Griffin and I accompanied her to the Tea.

From Barbara Hougardy:

It was very cold on Saturday, so the tables with items for sale were placed under the overhang at the west side of the house. There was no receiving line (so much for panicking about white gloves). We could shake hands with Anne Lampman
when we entered the front door.

We did not check in unless we had to pay. Even then we just gave the lady in charge our money and she wrote our names on a piece of paper. It was very convenient not to have to stand in long lines to accomplish these things. We could go right into the house and look around, go to the tea line and then take our snacks out to the back yard tables. It was actually warm enough to sit at the tables there for a little while. Most of the ladies stayed in the house.

The decorations at the house were just outstanding.

Seated with Nancy Alexander is Bonnie Pepper Cook, a State Officer from Louisiana. She is an associate member of Conejo Valley Chapter. She totally lost her home in the hurricane in Louisiana, and she spent several months with her daughter while she was waiting for all of the paperwork to be done in getting her life back together. She attended several chapter meetings while she was here and became an associate member of our chapter.