Saturday, December 28, 2019

Peace, Revisited


Paul: Well, another year is almost over.  I wonder what the new year will bring.
Kaveh: It's hard to say.  I hope everyone can get along.

Katy: I really like the big people, but they sure have a hard time getting along with each other.  And it's not like they're all that different from one another.

Rhoda: I know!  I have trouble telling the big people apart.  They all look the same to me.
Paul: Sometimes you can tell by their eyes, or the way their hair is combed.  But, yeah, they're basically the same, so why can't they get along?

Kaveh: This reminds me of something.  Come, and I'll show you.

Kaveh: I just came across these the other day when I was helping Daddy Steve look for something else*.  We used them in a story about peace a couple of years ago.

(*a common occurrence here at Gregoropolis)

Katy: These are wonderful!
Rhoda: Maybe it's time we brought them out again.
Paul: It's a message that you can't repeat often enough.







Friday, December 20, 2019

A Gregoropolis Christmas Sampler

Wyatt: Hey!  How come tomorrow's door on the Advent calendar is already open?  
And the chocolate is gone!
Giancarlo: FRANK!!!

Barbara: We really should finish decorating the tree.
Beatrix: Well, just one more mug of eggnog first.
Barbara: Okay!
Both: Tee-hee >hic< hee!

Emile: Eet ees like I always zay: teamwork makes ze dreamwork.  N'est-ce pas?
Louisette: Oui, mon petit lemon.

Sasha: Friendship is the gift that keeps giving all year long.
Miguel: Well said, amigo.

Frederick: I've always thought of Christmas as a red-haired holiday.
Daphne: I completely agree.

Valerie: We harmonize so well together.  What's next?
Bowie: How about 'Santa Baby'?

Uli: Eat more cookies, meine lieben!  I baked ten dozen.
The boys: COOKIES!!!

Frank: I'm so excited for Christmas!  I can't wait for it to get here!
James: Daddy Steve says that some day we'll wish that time didn't go so fast.
Frank: He sure gets some funny ideas...

Nathan: "Once upon a time, there was a mean old company called Amazon.  They pretended to spread Christmas cheer, but what they really wanted was to ruin local businesses."
Holly Belle: You know they have no idea what you're talking about.
Mikey: More!


Saturday, December 14, 2019

Help In The Kitchen

Daddy Steve: Uli has a busy day of holiday baking planned.  She could really use a little help in the kitchen..

Uli: I need some assistance if ve are all to have holiday treats.
Anthony: No problem!  I'll round up some help for you.
Uli: Erm.  Just not Frank, ja?

Anthony found Alice and Luke, who happily volunteered to help.

Alice: Here we are, Uli!
Luke: At your service, ma'am!
Uli: Erm, oh...danke.

Alice and Luke are very sweet and well-meaning, but they are a tad befuddled in the kitchen...

Robin: I think you mean clueless.
Anthony: That's a bit harsh, Robin.  Then again...
Kaveh: They're very nice, though.

Our three chefs set about baking, but complications, if not the dough, arise.

Luke: Is there a difference between a teaspoon and a tablespoon?
Uli: Vell, ja...

Alice: Should I have greased and floured the pan before I poured the batter in?
Uli >sigh<

Uli: Ach der lieber!  Luke! You must shut the mixer off before you remove the bowl!
Luke: Whoops...

Alice: Oh dear, I don't remember how many eggs I added.

Alice: I know, I'll count the shells I threw away.  Let's see...one, two, two and a half.  So, I must have put in two and a half eggs.  Wait, that can't be right...
Uli >sigh<

Uli: I am exhausted.
Kevin: Is baking very hard work?
Uli: Ja, especially vhen you haff help.

Saturday, December 7, 2019

Holly Belle's Christmas Bells

Daddy Steve:  Holly Belle is previewing for the other girls the outfit she will be wearing to the Minnesota Sasha Group Christmas party this weekend...

Holly Belle: The dress has holly on it, like my name, and I thought it would be nice to incorporate bells too.  So I made this sash--with a little help from Daddy Steve.  
Now I have a Holly Bell(e) Christmas outfit!
Daisy: Why, you clever thing, you!
Harriet: You look fabulous, my dear!
Valerie: Playful, but sophisticated.  I love it!

Daisy: Who is escorting you to the party?
Holly Belle: >Sigh<  I'm afraid it will be that silly Nathan.  At least I can keep an eye on him.  He won't be able to go around, filling people's heads with foolish ideas 
about imaginary Santas and homicidal turkeys.

The girls: >natter, natter, natter, natter<

Ezra: Just listen to them go on out there!  They sure like to talk about clothes and stuff.
Nathan: Yeah, it's probably for the best that I go along to that party.  At least I can keep Holly Belle from boring everyone with her silly chatter.

John Martin: What's going on?
Ezra: Oh, we're just talking about the girls.  They're all over the moon with Holly Belle's new Christmas outfit.


John Martin: I actually like that dress.
Ezra and Nathan: You do?!?
John Martin: Sure!  Now I can hear her coming.
Holly Belle (from the other room): >jingle, jingle< Oh, John Martin! Where are you?
John Martin: Gotta go...




Saturday, November 30, 2019

Pete Versus The Elf 2019


Nicholas: I say, what is that noise?  

Nicholas: It seems to be coming from behind the -- Richard the III's Ghost!

Nicholas: Peter!  Whatever are you doing back there?
Pete Dakota: Shhh!  He can't hear you.  I'll come around and tell you.

NicholasNow, what's all this then? Who mustn't hear you?
Pete: The Christmas Elf!  Daddy John and Daddy Steve will be letting him out soon--
then he'll get me and...game over.
Nicholas: What? What elf? I don't --
Pete: Yeah, BR didn't believe me either.  I'm doomed.  Denali believes me, don't you girl?
Denali: Yip, yip!

Nicholas: But you can't spend the next month behind the divan.
Pete: Sure I can!  I've got a stack of comics, food, soda...I can last until New Years!
Denali will keep me better company than dumb ol' BR.  She believes me.

Nicholas: Oh my sainted aunt.  We'd better get that boy some help, hadn't we, girl?
..Or find that elf...
Denali: Woof!


To see Pete Dakota's first go 'round with The Elf, please visit this post: Pete vs The Elf (2018)


Thursday, November 28, 2019

A Thanksgiving Story, Part 4 (Finale)

Daddy Steve: It's Thanksgiving Day, and time for the puppet show!

Oliver: Isn't this exciting?
Wesley: I've been waiting for days!

Holly Belle: Come on you two, the puppet show is starting soon.
Mikko: But there's a big game on TV.
Holly Belle: Look, Thanksgiving is a time of family and love and togetherness so we're ALL going to watch the puppet show. NOW!
Tyler: Yes, ma'am!

Gavin and Rolf warm up the audience with a little music.

Gavin: Do you know anything by Benny Goodman?
Rolf: Nein.  All I can play is Lady ov Spain und der Beer Barrel Polka.

At last, the show begins.  Ann Marie serves as narrator.

Ann Marie: Once upon a time, there was a happy man who lived in the woods.  One Thanksgiving he decided to invite all of his woodland friends to dinner.

Mr. Turkey: People always have an ulterior motive when they invite me to dinner, gobble gobble.
Mr. Happy Man: Don't worry, Mr. Turkey.  You've been invited as a friend!  We're serving beans on toast for our meal.

Nicholas: Smashing!  I say, this is gripping drama.  It's just like being at the Old Vic!
Pete Dakota: Who's Vic?

The show continues to keep the audience in its thrall.  All too soon, the story comes to its end...

Ann Marie: And so the four friends enjoyed a lovely dinner of beans on toast, elderberry wine, and pumpkin pie, although Mr. Fox couldn't but help gaze longingly at Mr. Turkey and imagining the delicious dinner that might have been.
Mr. Turkey: Gobble, gobble; what are you staring at?!
Ann Marie: The end.

The puppeteers come out and take their bows.


Yay!  Woo!  >Applause, applause<  Bravo!

Holly Belle: Hmm, that last part was a little dark.  I'll bet that was your idea, Nathan.
Nathan: I was just trying to add some dramatic tension.  And set the stage for next year's show.
Holly Belle: And what would that be?

Nathan: Mr. Turkey's revenge.



Tuesday, November 26, 2019

A Thanksgiving Story, Part 3

Daddy Steve: The writing team is hard at work on the story for the Thanksgiving puppet show...

Holly Belle: Okay, so just to review, there are four characters in this story: Mrs. Hedgehog, Mr. Fox, Mr. Turkey, and Mr. Happy Man.

Nathan: Wait a minute.  How do we know that he's happy?
Holly Belle: We know it because of the hat he's wearing.  Only happy people wear hats like that.  Alright, if there are no more questions, I'll leave you to it.  And remember - holidays, love, togetherness - all that jazz.

And so the team begins writing.  They write and eat doughnuts...


...and re-write...



...and eat more doughnuts, and re-write some more...

Ann Marie: This is more challenging that I thought it would be.
Blake: I think the main problem with this story is that one of the Thanksgiving dinner guests is typically also the main course!
Frank: Zzzzzzzzzzzzz