Mrs Partridge was experimenting, she had been thinking for days about what to bring as a special treat to The Mid-summer Revels. ' I know it is old fashioned' she thought, 'but there really is nothing as lovely as a cool fruit jelly on a hot summer's day.'
She had a vision of a tray of little gleaming jellies - but what to make them in that was the right size so that they could set - that was the problem. Much to her surprise as she woke up from a mid-afternoon doze in her chair, her eyes alighted on the perfect solution! There across the room - all lined up on the bookshelf, was her collection of thimbles! 'The very thing, right in front of me all the time, well fancy that, I must try them out at once.'
Imagine Aunt Mildred's surprise when, casually looking in the kitchen window - she was of course officially checking on the herbs in the window box - when she saw Mrs Partridge pouring a red liquid into upside down thimbles, which were being kept upright by being tucked into slices of brown bread, and then, put the whole lot into the fridge!
'Never ever seen her cook anything so strange' Aunt Mildred later reported to Hortensia 'can't think what she was up to, most peculiar indeed.' Aunt Mildred prided herself on her cooking (especially her renowned mint humbugs) and often liked to see what Mrs Partridge was cooking in her kitchen, as inspiration for her own dinners.
If she was honest, Aunt Mildred rather liked Mrs Partridge's company in general. Mrs Partridge had very good taste in television programmes, and most afternoons both she and Aunt Mildred would watch television together, though of course, Aunt Mildred was the other side of the patio doors resting in the cool under a geranium leaf. They both liked cookery programmes and had a penchant for a lean young man (young at least to Aunt Mildred) known as Nigel, who had a gnome in the garden off his kitchen where he demonstrated - what Mrs Partridge called 'real cooking with flavour and most tasty too!'
Mrs Partridge herself was very pleased with the results of her jelly experiment. Just the ticket, just tickety boo, they'll never have tasted anything like these! Next I'll try blackcurrant flavour, or maybe even lime?' She had decided to bring chocolate brownies as her cake, mainly it has to be said, because she thought that it could easily be cut into small cubes suitable for gnomes to enjoy as small cakes. 'The size of things is what is tricky, still what an honour it is to be invited, I must do my best to be the perfect guest.'
She had been sorting out a suitable hat and had decided on a salmon pink straw with a large brim which she had last worn for a niece's wedding many years previously. 'Some fresh sweet peas will go very well and look lovely on top and best of all, hide the worst of the worn bits!' It had been a long time since Mrs Partridge had had an occasion to dress up, 'Such fun, I haven't been this excited for years,' she exclaimed out loud after trying on her hat to make sure that it still fit.
Through the window Aunt Mildred smiled with joy, she felt the same way, 'first time in many a long year My Dear, that a human has been part of our lives - and about time too!'
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