Wednesday 25 December 2013

A CHRISTMAS DAY SPECIAL PART TWO


Toby asks Arabella about the history of the house and before they can say  " Can I have another mince pie " they find themselves....


in another room with Arabella giving them a lecture on the House and Estate.
" The first building on the site was a Monastery in 1283 founded by Edmund , Earl of Cornwall " says Arabella " in 1539 it became a royal residence of Henry the 8th......"


"Why have we got these pads ?" asks Zak
" She probably thinks we'll make notes !" says Toby in disgust! " She can go take a running jump!"
" Yes " says Zak for once getting quite bold " It's Christmas!"


" In 1643 The Estate of Ashridge was plundered by royalist troops " continues Arabella while Agnetha starts yawning and Callie can feel herself slipping slowly under the table!!


Arabella stops  and stares sternly at her brothers and sisters  " Are you paying attention?"

" NO" they all call back then laugh at the stunned look on Arabella's face.
" Come on Arry " moans Toby " we want to go explore some more !!Schools finished for Christmas!!!"
" Oh that's true " sighs Arabella quite enjoying playing the role of teacher " Okay lets put the pencils and pads away and go explore some more "
The boys jump up and leaving their pads and pencils on the table and  run off !



Some time later the boys are standing on a chair in one of the downstairs rooms, trying to decide what to do next!
" I know " says Toby " Follow me "


The echo's of the boys squeals of glee as they slide down the bannisters of the stairs in the entrance hall can be heard all over the building .


Zak nearly gets caught up on the Christmas decorations but manages to stay on but it's touch and go!


Toby reaches the bottom " Whoo Heee ! Lets do it again Zak " he cries in joy


"WHAT " cries Arabella " do you think you are doing!  Get down this minute ! "


"What if you'd fallen off " says Arabella to the boys " and then we would have had to call an ambulance!
On Christmas day!  and all because you had to slide down the bannisters!"
Zak hangs his head but Toby just grins

" And another thing " Arabella continues now she's into her stride " Why are you wearing that duffle coat and those glasses Toby? "


Toby moves a few stairs above Arabella " Because some of the Harry Potter film was made on these very stairs!" he says in awe " So I am Harry Potter !"


Callie and Agnetha are up on the balcony looking at the lovely stair case and beautiful stone work.


 " What a great place to live " says Callie


" But what if we had to do all the cleaning!" says Agnetha the practical one
" Oh no if we lived here we would have to have a cleaner come in at least once a week for ooh maybe an hour or two " Callie says generously
Agnetha thinks that would be a good idea and starts to rearrange the furniture to her preference and tries to remember which was the best bedroom, so she can nab it !


With all the talk of cleaners Arabella takes the girls to see Miranda the enormous machine that takes the wet sheets and drie's, presses and folds them , in the laundry.


then she takes them into the other room and tells them that they will have to fold all the clean towels before they can go home!


Their hearts sink when they see the pile of towels!


"You keep her talking while I go phone mum " whispers Agnetha to Callie.


Arabella goes in search of Agnetha to tell her she was just joking!!


 Agnetha's found a phone and told Mum what Arabella wants them to do.


Agnetha was not impressed when Mum just laughed and said she was sure Arabella was just playing! It was ok for mum sitting at home while they could be folding towels for years!!!


Arabella managed to convince Agnetha that she's not going to make her fold towels for years and gathers everyone together for a photo in front of the Christmas tree .


Callie, Zak , Arabella, Toby and Agnetha have had a lovely time playing and looking round the beautiful Ashridge house and now must make their way home , leaving uncle Roy to watch his TV.

I can see lots of interesting dreams for these youngsters tonight !


****************************************************************************




 

11 comments:

  1. Just as well that SS-R is away from her computer for a while or else I would have missed being first on these two Christmas Day posts with being out for most of the day yesterday (and the same today, Boxing Day and Staurday) celebrating with the family.

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    1. Lucky I posted them last night then! Hope you are having lots of fun with your family and friends.

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  2. Wow! That poor cleaner having to do the housework in a once weekly, 2 hour long stint! I can't even manage our little cottage in two hours a day. Perhaps young Callie should try some cleaning, just so she comes to appreciate the joy of staying a Sasha child forever!
    Looks like they had a great Christmas day - who cooked and served the dinner - any sign of the butler and his staff? All looks very Downton, but it must be such a long way to the kitchens if you have to go self-catring!
    Jenni x

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    1. Yes I think Callie as a child as no idea what it would take to clean such a house!! Thank goodness they don't live there!!
      They had a lovely visit with the close family member (Roy) who had to work Christmas day and kindly showed them round and let them play and take photo's and we only saw a small part of the house unfortunately it was to dark to see the gardens but we'll go back in the summer when they are open to the public.

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  3. Another lovely bunch of photos Dee.....I think I need one of those 'planchas' to do my sheets for me......actually, the truth is that I don't bother ironing mine anymore....it's too much like hard work!!! And once my big bum gets on them, well they flatten out alright anyway!!!!
    I love the kids outfits and Arabella is such a funny little thing, don't you just love those Gotz no nose girls!!! And super cute in the kilt outfit!!!!

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    1. I must say That i have found if you fold them straight form the tumble or washing line they don't need ironing!!
      Arabella is a little cutie !! :) Gill knitted her sweater and her kilts by Olive ( Hagnolly)

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  4. What a beautiful home! Such a lovely place to spend some time at Christmas, and a perfect place for adventure.

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    1. It certainly was Julie and great that there was only us there, so the Sashas and Gregors could play to their hearts content, or should that be I could play :) lol
      and all the family got into helping me and suggesting things :)

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  5. Hello Dee! I've been watching your blog all day -thought I'd stand in for Ronny and try to beat Lady Kendal and post first. I can only assume you are out buying up lots of goodies for your Sasha kids at the sales so..... I'm here! This is a pre-your-next-post claim to being an early bird.LOL.

    It is all your fault - I now feel life will always be incomplete without a Velvet girl....I need a new job to boost funds. Does Hatty need a sales assistant? Or maybe I could go and run the hoover over a stately home for a couple of hours each week? A touch of garden gargoyle training? Nanny to the dreaded Lucas? Hmmm, just how much do I really want a Velvet?!
    Jenni xx

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    1. Hello Jenni
      Sorry was working this morning then had all the family round for lunch, wish I could have been out buying Sasha things, props!! First would need to find somewhere to get them!!
      I must say Velvets are beautiful I especially like their long brunette pageboy style wigs.
      If you keep your eyes open you can sometimes pick them up cheap on ebay, there is one on now at a very good price..I am tempted myself!!! but do I really need triplets????
      Hattie believes in slave labour! :) by getting her sisters to help for a pittance!
      Running the hoover round the stately pile you'd probably go missing for weeks on end it's so big, people would hear the sound of a ghostly humming coming from some distant place....
      Nanny to the dreaded Lucas?? rather you than me.. although I am sure Hattie could do the job!!! :)
      Dee xx

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  6. Actually - when I was a little girl, my uncle asked what we wanted to be. My brother, true to his religious ambition, declared he wanted to be Archbishop of York. Me? I wanted to be a cleaning lady at Temple Newsam House because I loved the smell of wax polish! Don't know what happened, nobody would believe I planned on a cleaning career if they saw the state of my home now! I bought my Sashas a little Henry vacuum cleaner but they must take after me, they would love a beautiful, tidy home but they don't love making it tidy! J x

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