Aunt Mildred and The Plan......

Hortensia was feeling a bit nervous, Aunt Mildred was coming over for tea and a chat about the Midsummer Revels. Aunt Mildred was very wise and of course extremely resourceful, there is no way that she would have ever become a member of the Council of Elders unless she was a Revered Gnome. That being said, she was a rather strong and somewhat eccentric character (when a gnome calls another gnome eccentric, you know that they are exceptionally unique in their approach to life) and much as Hortensia adored her, she was a little nervous about what her plans might be for this year's celebration.

Aunt Mildred made the best crystalised mint leaves and mint humbugs and was a renowned healer - her herbal tonics and tinctures had helped many a gnome through a difficult time, but what she really loved was sucking on the end of her pipe. When excited she had been known to forget the pipe wasn't a humbug and and chew the end off. 'the worry is' thought Hortensia 'what exactly will she be excited about planning this year?'

Hortensia made space on the kitchen table and laid out last year's plans and several sheets of clean paper, she wanted to be prepared and to put everything into writing so that she could discuss Aunt Mildred's ideas with Archibold later. 'Tea' she thought, 'it will have to be mint of course, but perhaps a plate of shortbread might help inspire us, or maybe a few slices of cheese with fresh watercress....' so soon Hortensia was happily singing to baby Harriet and making her delicious shortbread biscuits,' I'll put some in Archibold's jacket pocket, then he can have a surprise too'. she loved tucking little surprises into Archibold's jacket though sadly, unbenownst to her, he often found them too late and had already sat on them before he could eat them.