The "Mrs. Bucket of Palm Springs"

Today I'm featuring Miss Janice's Candlelight Supper. Several years ago, while living in Palm Springs, California, I was informed by a British friend of 28 years years that I was the "Mrs. Bucket of Palm Springs." "The Mrs. Who I asked"?

Hyacinth Bucket

Hyacinth Bucket (who insists it's pronounced "booo-kay") is the main character on the popular BBC tongue-in-cheek comedy "Keeping Up Appearances," and is married to her long-suffering husband Rrrrichard. Of course, out of curiosity, I had to watch the program to see this "Mrs. Bucket." It was hilarious! If you are not familiar with the show, you don't know what you're missing--if you enjoy British humor.

I guess that I do have a few Hyacinthean characteristics--she does have some grandiose ideas:

Regarding her milk...
She has insisted "She wants her daily two pints of milk to come from a very photogenic herd of cows she saw grazing on the Earl of Crawford's estate." this is a great idea I never thought of...

She has her best china and her everyday best china. of course Miss Janice has both of these...

She's been known to tell her guests, "Try not to brush up against my walls, I do hate it when people brush up against my walls"! y'all, i definitely tell people this--really, don't you just hate it when people do this?

Her advice when steeping tea or brewing coffee..."Pay attention to the quality of your water! I ring up my Water Board regularly to make sure they're piping it in fresh to The Bucket Residence and I strongly recommend you do the same. It never hurts for the Water Board to be reminded of their duties." it never hurts to remind anyone of their duties...

Talking about her pearl-white, slimline telephone...

...which she answers with "The Bouquet residence, the lady of the house speaking"!..."When my telephone, with last number redial and one-touch facility rings, it's always for me--unless it's for that unstylish Chinese Takeway. I've put Rrrrichard to ringing up the Chinese Ambassador to demand their number be changed. I will not have a Chinese Takeway only one digit removed"! i wouldn't want to be one digit removed from an unstylish establishment either!

She demands that her husband Rrrrichard must wear a tie when he is dead-heading the roses. i couldn't get away with this...but i would tell him to put on something cuter...

She's obsessively house proud, always polishing and perfecting her home. obsessively house proud I am...

The Bucket Residence...

She has an extensive collection of cookbooks and books on etiquette and entertaining. y'all know i have these...

"Keeping Up Appearances: Hyacinth Bucket's Book of Etiquette for the Socially Less Fortunate," by Jonathan Rice and Roy Clarke, is a must-have if you are a Hyacinth Bucket fan!Hyacinth is best known for her "candelight suppers," but her guests go to great lengths to avoid them. Hyacinth will spend the entire day fussing over the dining room table. i hope this isn't the case with my guests!

Today I'm featuring a romantic candlelight supper setting for two. If you followed my posts from last month, you are now saavy enough to be able to read this table setting and guess what types of food and wine I am serving.

Miss Janice's Candlelight Supper... Place Setting...
"The essence of the art of entertaining lies, I always think, in establishing an atmosphere of grace and decorum."
~Hyacinth Bucket

Chocolate, flowers, and romantic cards are all traditions on Valentine's Day. This day is not just for couples who are in love; it's for family and friends also. Remember that the day can be a thorn in the side of people who are not involved in a relationship so try to think of those who might otherwise feel left out--send them a sweet card or just bake them some brownies, something simple to let them know you care about them.

Thank you for joining me today.

Kindest regards,

Miss Janice
The "Mrs. Bucket of Palm Springs"