Contributed photo.
By RYAN LANCASTER
Staff Reporter
Anyone complaining that there isn't much to do in this area hasn't met Sue Fisher yet.
After taking a step back from a long career as an occupational therapy assistant, Fisher decided to share her hobbies with others in the Medical Lake community, where she has lived for more than 50 years. She now hosts tea parties, ceramics classes and other activities at her home just south of the city on Ring Lake. “I'm receiving retirement now and I felt like I wanted to do something different,” she said. “These are some things that are inexpensive and a lot of fun.”
Since last spring she has offered high tea by appointment for groups of women in her living room, on her sun porch or, weather permitting, outside by the scenic lake. The ceremony consists of appetizers, a light main course, dessert and a variety of English teas served using antique dishware. An assortment of fancy hats, shawls, clutch purses and jewelry are on hand to make the experience something to remember.
“It's a chance for folks to dress up if they want to. I wanted this to be something that I could do to empower women to understand they are special people and they deserve this,” Fisher said. In addition to adults she said she's open to hosting birthday parties for little girls, with dolls treated as honored guests, of course.
A few shops in the Spokane area offer high tea but Fisher said most are expensive and their hours can be limited, depending on the season. “I came about doing this because I enjoy going to high tea but it's usually about $30 a piece, so it's cost prohibitive for most people,” she said, adding that she's open to appointments at any time of year.
For the past five years Fisher has operated a fully-licensed ceramics business on her property, where she does all her own mixing, mold pouring and firing. She picked up a love of ceramics in her 20s and later took classes with her daughter before giving it up for a number of years. When her ex-sister-in-law sold a ceramics business, Fisher bought the equipment and started her own.
She also teaches classes on multiple ceramics techniques and airbrushing to groups of four to ten people each Tuesday, one class in the morning and one in the afternoon. There is no table fee and students only pay for the products they use.
“Some people have quit doing ceramics because it was too expensive,” Fisher said. “Personally, I do this more as a hobby than a money maker.”
At 6 p.m. on the first Friday of every month Fisher hosts a greeting cards workshop, supplying a sample card, directions and necessary materials for a couple of dollars. She also organizes a roving game club on the first Sunday of each month from 2-5 p.m. The location changes each time, with the host providing a snack and choosing the afternoon's entertainment.
“We play card games, board games and oftentimes people will bring a brand new game. We're always open to it and if we don't like it we just never play it again,” Fisher said with a laugh. “Everybody's welcome.”
For more information on any of these activities, call Fisher at 509-299-6488.
Ryan Lancaster can be reached at [email protected].
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