Oh My, A Mansion!
Dear Ann,
It was a fortnight ago & my friend, Cheryl asked if I would like to go to something different on Saturday, 25th March.2016. Of course I would. Â I am all for something new on the horizon, so she bought the tickets for us to attend a fund raising event.
What was different about this particular fund raiser was that it was to be held in the home of a friend at a suburb called Belmont. It was opposite a well known & very old popular restaurant called Squid’s Ink that Max & I had frequented on occasions, many moons ago. Little did I know that just opposite, hidden by palm trees was the house we would be walking into last Saturday.
Now in no way should I be calling it a house. It was certainly a home but also it was a mansion. No one would have known what was hidden behind those palms.
When Cheryl drove up the dead end side street we took no notice & didn’t even see the house. Partially the reason for this was the fact that so many cars were parked on the side of the road in the little dead end street & we were also looking for a place to park.
Cheryl being the good driver she is, managed to squeeze her lovely car somewhere in between two others. Then we walked down to where we were going where there were two drives leading to the front door, one on either side of the grassy glade with the palm trees in the middle.
I should have taken a photo of this but I had no idea it was going to lead to a mansion as I have never been in one before. I have been in grand homes, but never in a mansion & I was impressed.
Even when I got to the front door I was impressed. There before us was an entrance before we got into the main entrance. This is hard to describe, but I hope you know what I mean & it was almost all glass.
It had a sign outside the front door to let all know that inside was a function to raise money for what is known as “Hearts & Hands’.
We stepped inside the front door into a glass space stepping into the vestibule & what a sight confronted us. I didn’t open my mouth & gape at the grandeur as I consider that I could take my place in Buckingham Palace if I had to but I knew I was in a palatial mansion & it almost took my breath away!
It wasn’t just me that felt like this, but also Cheryl & I told you how beautiful her place is. I also considered that the home Max & I had lived in – prior to moving to where I am now – was not just an ordinary house, but one of note that people wanted to walk into & view it all, which they did! Our home there was considered to be quite opulent, but not to be compared to a mansion.
This was a most beautiful home & I will try to describe what we walked into in the vestibule. To start with it cost us $15 entry fee, & we were very happy to pay that.
All around the vestibule & most beautifully arrayed was a massive supply of all the craft work the ladies belonging to this group had made. I could not begin to even explain how many different crafts were on show, but almost immediately I walked in I saw crotched, knitted & padded coat hangers which looked so pretty.
I have had a yen for those to hang woollens on & every time I have been to the Maeter Hospital when I had to see my cancer doctors I would purchase some from the trade table in the hall. The ones in front of me on this occasion were just so pretty I chose all the pretty colours to match the woollen garments on which I wanted to hang them.
There were truly so many different craft things that I can’t begin to describe what they all were. Just imagine all the different craft work you can think of & I will guarantee the same kind would hsve been in that vestibule & more.
It was all so beautifully arrayed & very tempting. I picked up a cute little medium sized bag handy to use for a few things in mind at the time. Then I went on to purchase raffle tickets for the hand made quilts & so it went on.
I forgot to say, behind all this activity was a big recess with white pebbles for the floor & black pebbles forming the words ‘Tea Party’ with a little table holding tiny cups & saucers & teddy bears sitting on the chairs.
It’s a Tea Party.
By this time we were opposite the lounge room which actually took our breath away. It was huge (the photo I took did not do it justice) & the big bay windows at the end of it looked out onto our Lake Macquarie. I ascertained later that all the windows had been programmed to look out over the lake which was magnificent & what a good reason to get up in the morning to view the scene!
I also ascertained that all the downstairs part of the home that we were in was very demure as it was all cream, white & glass. The lounges & chairs were upholstered in cream, the carpets were cream, the glass tables sponsored little cakes of every kind, & all home made. Cheryl & I whispered to each other, “And they eat over that lovely carpet!”
The view is magnificent.
Cheryl & I spoke to the hostess & I asked if I could take some photos. She was a very humble lady, told us they had lived in their home for 22 years & could honestly say it had been a real home for their family, even the carpet had been down all that time, which was amazing as it was all the way up the staircase which looked grand.
The grand staircase
Now the staircase was equivalent to the one in the film ‘Gone With The Wind’ & very impressive. it was no wonder Cheryl & I were a bit ‘ga ga’ but we didn’t show it. We sadly missed our friend, Sandra who would have also loved it, but she was in hospital.
After we did our shopping spree we walked into the kitchen/ dining area to more ‘sumptuousness.’ Â Everywhere there were home made savouries & cakes sitting at every table that would have done anyone proud.
I hadn’t seen such a huge amount of cream cakes & all that luscious stuff since the last family reunion (when I was too sick to participate)! However, all these little cakes & tempting delights were in tiny portions.
It was all very much like a ‘high tea.’ Even though I have never been to one except in Harrods of London, but I know what ‘high tea ‘ is. And we made the most of it!
I just have to tell you about that kitchen that was the size of Micheles Patisserie, with about fifteen people making coffee & tea, cutting up more cakes & generally looking after the visitors.
There was a wide bench between the kitchen & the dining room. & the floor in both areas was all white tiles. The dining area held quite a number of tables etc. At the end of the dining part there was a cream carpeted bay shaped area holding two big cream lounges &, of course, looking out over the lake where lots of boats were moored or in use.
Outside this big glass bay window was another big bay area which housed a spa bath set down in the floor, but still overlooking the lake. You could just imagine being in there holding a glass of crisp cool white wine!
To get back to the kitchen, Cheryl & I sat with others around the glass table with all the little sweet & savoury titbits beside us. A lovely lady was working at the bench & made us a magnificent cappuccino with all the proper machines, everything in this home was the real thing, no substitutes!
Beside these working ladies was a table set up with punch bowls with taps on to pour your cool drink – I thought my crystal ones were grand but…!
Marshmallow and strawberries ready for the chocolate fountain.
On the other side of the room near another table of tiny cakes & savouries was another table sporting two fondue machines which continually dripped melted chocolate over the side. Next to this was a huge bowl of strawberries & marshmallows ready for the dipping.
And still I haven’t mentioned the flower arrangements in every possible place. The arrangements were absolutely beautiful & took your breath away.
The whole place was opulent & magnificent. It could be said that maybe less could be spent & more money donated to the charity for which they were working. I may say more on this in another letter as I still have lots to tell you in connection with this day.
Suffice to say that I don’t really know the amount raised for their charity, but at a rough guess it was probably a few thousands dollars which is a great effort from some very dedicated people.
With my little camera, my photos do not give justice to what it was actually like as I was trying to take them in & around people which meant I was not always in the right spot. However, I hope you enjoy them & what is not shown in this letter will probably come to the fore in my next letter when I try to explain what these ladies have done for those in need.
I love you dear friend. Dawn X O X O