Tea Party, Anyone?

Tea parties often conjure up visions of demure ladies in an English garden habilimented (SAT word) in their finest. Daintily sipping tea...with their white gloved pinky fingers stuck in the air...and their ladyfingers stuck to a plate. Or…visions of little girls emulating older ladies…primped in mom’s finest...floppy hats and over-sized high heels.

I remember throwing a tea party-birthday party for Big C when she turned 6. I set up the Chelseabration in our dining room. I made a canopy out of crepe paper and pulled out our best teacups and saucers. I went all out...like I did for every kid party...but provided a different drink. What 6 year old likes hot tea? They prefer the hard stuff...Juicy Juice.

To add to the authenticity of the English Tea.…I dressed as the maid and I asked (ever so sweetly) PaulA to dress as the butler. Please, Please, PLEASE...(The things I make PaulA do.) Cockney accent and all...I dare say, PaulA was better than Jeeves himself.

Unfortunately, the young ladies at tea were not on their best behavior. No demure ladies-in-training in our attendance. One girl in particular was anything like the lady-like fingers she was scarfing. She had an affinity for Jeeves...and would yell with a full mouth, “Hey Butler…get your butt over here.” She seemed to think it was a fun thing to say...50 times over. Lucikly Jeeves was a good butler who kept his cool and didn’t accidently dump tea over the little medieval urchin’s head.

Anywho…….

Now the words “tea party” take on a different variety, and we are not talking that fad green tea variety. This particular tea party conjures up images of a protest movement in response to government bail-outs and the stimulus package. I dare say, I've seen video clips of Sarah Palin at a tea party... and don’t cha know...Sarah is far from a demure lady.

Cleverly so...the tea party movement is designed to be reminiscent of the original Boston Tea Party...no taxation without representation. Did you know that Samuel Adams played a big role in the first tea party? I’m really not surprised by Sam’s rebellious behavior...he was always like that when we were in high school. But what surprised me the most was to learn that he was actually a brewer. I'm sure he would have liked knowing there is a brand of beer named after him...and not a brand of tea.

Actually, I’m feeling like a Sam’s Pale Ale about now. “Hey Sam, get your bottle over here.” Oh, it is only 8:43 am?...I guess it is too early for pale ale and to be demure.

Hey...I’m all for taking a stand and doing what you believe. I believe in the right to organize, assemble, and dump..all in the spirit of the original Teal Party. But just don’t pour my Sam Adams lager into the Boston Harbor.

That is NOT my cup of tea.