SASKIA MEETS ANOTHER NEW SISTER

 Finally Magda and Saskia reach the house, where they find Arabella on the patio with her dog Fifi.

" Hi Arabella, so glad you are here , you can meet our new sister who just arrived "

Arabella looks over at the new arrivals

"This is Saskia, she's just arrived to live with us "

" Hi " says Saskia " It's lovely to meet you Arabella , I'm sure we will be firm friends. Please everyone call me Sassy "

" Call you Sassy ! " says Arabella in her most posh tone " I'll call you a taxi! " and with that ...

She turns smartly and walks off with a her head held high!

Magda looks on with amazement at her usually friendly sister's back 

Turning to Saskia, Magda looks confused " I'm so sorry Saskia, I mean Sassy. She is usually so friendly ! I wonder what bee's in her bonnet? "

" It's fine " Sassy says quickly " don't worry about it, I seem to have that effect on some people, for some strange reason "

" It's usually when they see my face " she muses " maybe it's my button nose? or maybe the eyes, they can seem odd to some being ochre "

"It can't be that " Magda replies watching Arabella slam into the house " Arabella is a button nosed ochre ey...  Oh! " she falls silent wondering

Sassy smiles " I'm sure will be firm friends once she gets to know me " 

Magda is not so sure! She thinks someone's button's been knock out of place.....

GETTING CLOSER

 

" Goodness! This place is huge ! I hope I'm  now going the right way to find the house !" worries the new girl.

" I wonder if there's been a storm? with all these leaves and bits of twig lying around!"

" Now which way do I go? "

Just as she's about to round the big blue pot a voice says " There you are!"

" Yes here I am " she replies " Thank goodness you have come, I've been wandering round this place for what seems like days!"

" Oh sorry "  says Magda " You missed Toby and Zak who came to collect your luggage, so I was sent to find you. I'm Magda one of your new sisters "

" Nice to meet you Magda, I'm Saskia. I think I turned the wrong way out the station, I landed up by a dry stream bed with a small deep pool "

"Yes definitely the wrong way " declares Magda " Never mind we have found you now, you'd best come along with me, Mum's waiting to meet you "

" Great I could do with a sit down " Saskia says tiredly " I've walked for hours "

" Come on then, let's get you home for a nice rest and a cuppa and a piece of fruit cake, mum's been baking "

"Sounds wonderful" 

With that Magda turns, with Saskia following behind they head towards the house which Saskia can finally see up ahead. A sit down with a piece of fruit cake and a cup of tea sounds bliss! She just hopes she doesn't nod off! 

SILENT SUNDAYS

 

So it's Sunday again! I don't know why I say silent since the football season has started so St. Ippolyt's football club is now playing on the recreation ground at the end of the garden and their excited shouts are rumbling round the place!

But usually it is quiet on non football games days, especially as we are now into the holiday season and people are away enjoying themselves at the seaside here or abroad.

I've been looking at some holiday cottages , so Paul and I can have a short getaway in September or October. I don't know if it's an age thing for everyone or just me but I was always a very decisive person, decide where, find a place, book , done. 

Well I've been looking at places for two days and so far have not committed to anything! And I really need to or the time will come and go and I'll still be trying to decide!

Pretty much same as other things really, when I was working and had less leisure time, I'd get things done now I have all day every day, anything I plan on doing if forever sat waiting for me to get my butt in gear!

Which is one of the reasons the new doll has still not made her appearance! I think I must go take those photos, oh it's too hot and sunny, I'll do it later but then I forget and it's too late, too dark etc etc !

So I will try and turn over a new leaf and get my mojo back and get things happening.....

Harriet Bonham Carter Owen is todays headliner, she not been impressed with my tardiness as she calls it! She tells me she'll be 'on my case' if I don't buck up  ' or did she say in my case?  Either way it appears I'm on a warning from Hattie!

On the dolls front, now it's now the summer holidays, so not much is happening re selling and I am now being good! Yes I did say that. There is a doll I wish to buy around Christmas time, so I'm saving for that, so now funds for anything else for now.

So on that note I will wish everyone a happy healthy week ahead 

Dee

AT TRIP TO THE STATION

 I sent Toby and Zac to collect their new sister from the station, since they are in their boy scout uniforms I offered them a bob for the job.

Both set off looking very puzzled..

"Who do you think this Bob is ?" asked Toby " and why did mum want to give him the job then send us? "

" I think it's an old person thing, don't worry about it " Zac looks round as they have reached the platform " I don't see anyone here !"

However there was a large pile of bags and cases waiting on the platform but no one anywhere in sight!

"Well whoever our new sister is , she certainly doesn't travel light ! " exclaims Toby 

" Just as well we bought the big hand cart with us" agrees Zac

" Mm I wonder if it will all fit in? " 

Zac start loading up the cart 

While Zac continues to load everything up, Toby continues to stand about talking about all the sports they watched on the Olympics " Honest Zac ! We could too get a gold in the triathlon ! Well obviously I'd get gold but you could get silver at least !"

" Well you would not win any gold in weight lifting " mutters Zac, seeing Toby finally pick up the smallest bag to add to the cart.

" Pardon? " 

" I said yes you'd easily win a gold "

" Are you sure that's what you said? "

"Yep !"

" We could even go for gold in the velodrome on our bikes! " Toby says excitedly " Of course mum would have to get us some of those special suits ! "

" Do you know how much they cost? "

" Nar but mum can easy get them "

" They are £3000 pounds " says Zac " Each!"

Toby thinks for a moment " Well that's not that much surely? Or mum could just sew us some ! Result !"

Toby finally adds something to the cart Zac filled .

" Come on " says Zac " we need to get back and tell mum our new sister wasn't here just her luggage "

" Okay " agrees Toby " you pull and I'll push "

" Are you pushing ? " Zac asks 

" Yes! " Toby says gasping as if he's struggling , although if Zac decided to look back he'd see Toby no where near the back of the cart ! 

" Actually I would not mind that rock climbing "  says Toby " I'm good at climbing "

Zac closes his eyes remembering a certain visit to a windmill a few years back puffing he says " I think you.. should try.. the matt,.. since you.. are always .. falling.. arse... over .. head " 

Toby gasps and not from doing any work! " I'm telling mum you said arse! "

Zac stops " Well I'm telling mum you didn't help at all ! And you can come to the front and I'll push ! "

" I'll not tell " Toby says quickly

" Too late get to the front ! " 

Muttering Toby swaps....

SUNDAY SO SOON

 

So another week's rushes past! The first full August week. On Friday we , Paul and myself, celebrated our 49th wedding anniversary by going out for a lovely meal with two of our three daughters. Unfortunately our youngest lives two hours away, so we will celebrate with her next week. We cannot quite believe it's been that long, we are sure someone's sneakily added about twenty years on while we were enjoying ourselves!

The week's been spent just pottering about doing the usual things that need doing and watching the Olympics.  Not much movement on clearing the rest of the workshop for the change over, I think it will take at least until October before I get to move everything over at the rate we are going. But we will get there in the end.

Today's headliner is Valentine who is still waiting to go camping along with his brothers! He tells me if it doesn't happen soon, he's changing back into a decent set of clothes because he's an individual not a robot!  That's told me!

On the reducing dolls/props front, one left and one three arrived! None in and out were Sasha's of the selling and buying. Two that arrived were on layaway for over a year , while I bought another couple of dolls from the same seller in the middle, so that's finally finished. But naturally with it taking so long I've moved on and those dolls will probably be going back on the market later in the year.

I also swapped one of my Sasha's for another Sasha with a friend. So she's about to appear next week.

The UK is about to have three very hot days, so not much will happen while that's going on but hopefully posts will start appearing mid week.

It seems that blogger/ google have made it even more awkward to post comments! Just as well i do receive feedback via email or other means or I'd think I was talking to myself! Not that it would stop me, I'm used to talking to myself!! ;)

On that note I will wish everyone a happy healthy doll filled week ahead.

Dee

ARABELLA HAS A FEELING...

 

"Why are we at the station? " Magda asks Arabella

" I told you ! " Arabella almost whispers " I have a feeling "

They wander round the platform, which is empty.

"Well there is nothing and I do mean nothing happening around here! " exclaims Magda loudly causing Arabella to start!

" Shhh! " She whispers looking anxiously around " You don't know who could be watching? "

" Well unless it's a bird, which is the only thing  here apart from us!" Scoffs Magda

Arabella gives her a glare

"Honestly Arabella what is this feeling all about? are you sure it's not just wind? " Magda giggles

Arabella goes full diva " Is it my problem you have no sense of the cosmos ? That you only believe in what's in front of your rather small nose! and not what's around you ! "

" Hey ! My nose is the perfect button size I'll have you know " Magda says with a huff " and I don't want to 'feel' things that may not actually be there ! That's called a ghost and I do not do ghosts!"

"Not everything is about ghosts! " argues Arabella

" Well if any ghost decides to show up here I'm off and I'm not waiting about for you!"

"Well there is nothing to see here. so lets head back home"  Magda says

Magda starts heading for the exit while Arabella grudgingly starts to follow.

"Come on! Stop dawdling Bell and I'll buy you an ice creams from Granny's"

Arabella suddenly brightens up and starts moving but does look over her shoulder as she leaves as a shiver runs down her back...

Several hours later,  a train from the north pulls into the station , only one person alights before it pulls out with a blast of the whistle.

"What no one to meet me? " mutters the girl " I was sure there were two people waiting for me ? Oh well I'll just have to find my own way home "

THE FIFTH OF AUGUST DOLL PHOTO DAY

 Yes, it's August the fifth and time for the doll photos, even with this hot weather that's appeared ! Ah how I remember those old British summers of gale force winds and driving rain followed by a burst hot sunshine , just so you remembered it was actually summer!

So lets get this show on the road..

From RoRoPo we see Ruben and Julchen discussing whether Ruben show go climb the scaffolding or would mum be really mad? Juichen says she'll send him to bed early for a month ! Ruben laughs and says it could be worth it for the view from the roof!

From Simples we have a honey pot of dolls. Sandy Hiker along side Harlequin with baby Sandy and a

rogue, I mean a re root baby. The dog, Scamper is by JMD. I love happy family ... it won't last lol

From Gregoropolis we have Emile a proud French lad delighting in the fact that Paris is holding the Olympics! Could his cousin Leon Marchand win any more gold medals ? Mm Emile are you sure he's your cousin? Oh I see everyone in France is related in their hearts.

The brunettes are going dotty for polka dots! And don't they look gorgeous such a row of beauties.

From the left.. Lulu, Lydia, Louisette, Natalie and Lottie.

 Here we have some 70's Ken's from Gregoropolis wearing their red, white and blue to support the US Olympic teams efforts in Paris. I'm sure I've seen that one in the middle on the TV?  

In the village Magda is confused by Arabella, seeming worried that a change is coming and she's not

sure if she's happy about it ! Magda says mum moving their home down to a bigger space must surely be a good thing? 

Here in the village, a couple of the Roche girls, Cicely and Suzannah, are wearing some of the outfits I have been sewing and knitting for them while it's been too hot to do much else.

Still time to have your photos added, just send them in.

AN AUGUST SUNDAY AFTERNOON

 August! It's come in on a burst of hot weather that's been running long the last week or so of July! Well hot to us here in the UK, who think we are doing well if it doesn't rain and we see the sun more than once in the day! 

But with hot weather comes less work, so the swapping round of the studio from the cabin to the workshop ground to a halt, even though there is not that much to do to finish emptying it, ready for a paint job inside. We did however move some of the doll house buildings up into the storage area of the workshop, but still a lot more to do to get to the using it stage.

Not everything's stayed still, lots of sorting out and giving away, donating or binning been going on.

Our headliner is new girl Daisy, enjoying the sunshine but being sure not to stay in it too long

On the doll front, dolls have left but dolls have also arrived. I decided to sell off all my A girl for all time dolls as they never had any attention and needing to downsize, I bit the bullet and put them all up for sale. Five of them sold and one I decided to keep, the first I ever bought, the Tudor girl, one of my favourite periods. I sold off all their clothing as well, with a few of their regency outfits still for sale on my sales page and ebay.

I also sold one of the Gotz happy kidz dolls that's been sitting waiting for a new home for nearly a year, her box, with a clear section, so she can see out, has been by my bed and one night when I was sitting on the bed, I told her I hoped she would soon find someone to love her and remove her from her box soon, well the every next morning when I checked my emails , she'd been sold! 

I'm waiting on a non Sasha doll, that Paul paid half of as my birthday and early anniversary present, she's in customs, she's been there a week now and I'd hoping I'll not be getting a bill for board and lodgings as well as import tax!!

While it's been too hot to do much, I have finally started using my stash of fabrics, making some skirts and tops for my larger Roche dolls all sewn by hand, along with some knitting for them. I've also been watching a lot of the Olympics while doing them.

The weathers cooled down very slightly, so hopefully we can get back to finishing clearing the workshop.

Tomorrow is doll photo day and a few photos have arrived, so we will have something to enjoy. On that note, I'd best go and take one myself and wish you all a lovely healthy fun filled month ahead.

Dee