Blogcation

 

The boys are packing their swimsuits as Gregoropolis decides to

take a late summer vacation.

We'll be back in a couple of weeks!

Sculpture Garden

The boys have invited new boy Philip Guy on a tour of his new home.  They've started investigating the statuary populating the nooks and crannies of the backyard...

Philip Guy: Whoa! That lady is all kinds of naked!

Stephen Orange:  Her name is Ceres; she's the Roman goddess of agriculture.

Philip: Guess a garden is a good place for her, then.

Philip: Another naked lady?  What is Daddy Steve's deal?

Scot-Michael: Daddy John often wonders that himself.

Nicholas Sahara: We've nicknamed this charming little fellow Wilbur!  

Like in that book, 'Chocolate's Web.'

Scot-Michael: Charlotte's Web.

Nicholas:  'Charlotte?' Are you quite sure?

Scot-Michael: Oh yes.

Nicholas: Bless my soul...that makes much more sense.

Stephen Orange: And here's Apollo, the Greek god of archery and the sun.

Scot-Michael: He's the biggest statue, so he's the guardian of the garden.

Nicholas:  The 'guardener', you might say.

Philip: >groan<

Stephen Orange: Daddy Johm likes to occasionally dress him up.

on holidays; like the 4th of July...

Philip: Hey!  A Buddha!  Cool.

Every garden should have a Buddha.

Stephen Orange: There's actually an interesting religious riddle about Buddha.

It goes: "If you see the Buddha on the side of the road..."

Scot-Michael: ...offer to call Triple-A for him?

Stephen Orange: ...You know, you're not as funny as you think you are.

A Milestone!

Nathan: Hey guys, come look at this.

Holly Belle: What are we looking at?

Nathan: A milestone -- blog post number 400!

John Martin: Which one is 400?

Nathan: The one we're in right now.

Holly Belle: Oh yes, there I am.  

Hmm...I look really good in this dress.

John Martin: How very meta.

Holly Belle: Wait, how come it says this is post number 404?

Nathan: Well, you see, we repeated a few old ones, so this is actually #400.

John Martin: Ah.  I see.

Holly Belle: You do?

John Martin: No, not really.

Holly Belle: >Rolls eyes<  Hmmph.

Holly Belle: I suppose we should commemorate this in some way.

Nathan: But how?

Frank: Might I suggest cake?

Conversational Skills

 

Duncan: >Sigh< Sometimes I feel isolated.

Daphne: Oh sweetie, you just need to socialize more.

Get out and mingle; talk to people.

Duncan: I'm no good at talking to people.

Daphne: Of course you are.  After all, you're a people, aren't you?

Duncan: Huh?

Daphne: What I mean is that it's not like you're trying to talk to birds or dolphins.

You just need to find topics that interest other people; things that spark their passions.

Duncan: Couldn't that be kind of boring though?

Daphne: Oh no, nothing is ever boring if someone cares about it.  

Let's give it a try.

Duncan: Hello Frank.  Uh, read any good books lately?

Frank: Nope.

Duncan: What do you think of this heat wave we're having?

Frank: Very hot.

Duncan: Um, do you have a favorite kind of cake?

Frank: Well!  Funny you should ask...

Holly Belle: So, Mr. Darcy has to overcome his excessive pride and Elizabeth Bennet has to overcome her prejudice towards him; then they can fall in love.  

That's where the title comes from.

Meghan: It's all terribly romantic!

Patrick: ...plate tectonics.  Millennia ago, the continents were all joined together

 in one super-continent.

You can actually see the way they would have originally fit together.

Ravi: Like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle.

Patrick: Exactly!

Duncan: Gosh, you were right!  Conversation is a good thing.

Daphne: Hallelujah. My work here is done.

Shake It!

 

James: You honestly have never played with a Hula Hoop before?

Natalie: I've led a sheltered life.  What exactly do you do with it?

James: You've got to keep it spinning around up in the air.

Natalie: And how do I do that?

James: By shaking and twisting your whole body; like this.

Natalie: Looks like a lot of work...

Natalie: I don't seem to be getting the hang of this.

James: You really gotta shake it!  You know, shake it 'til the butter melts.

Shake it like a Polaroid picture!

Natalie: ???

Natalie: Shake, shake, shake, shake!

Natalie: Oops...

James: Oh dear, maybe you shook a little too hard.  Want to try again?

I mean, after you fix your underpants?

Natalie: No, this is a bit too strenuous for me.

Let's try a different shake.

Natalie: Oh yes, this is much more my speed.

Overheard

 Daddy John: I wonder what the boys talk about when they think I'm not around to hear...

BR: Pete, snag us a couple of lemonades.

Pete Dakota: ...

BR: ...Pete?

Pete: Why does 'fridge' have a letter D, but 'refrigerator' doesn't?

BR: >Sigh< 

Nicholas Sahara: Now, don't we look smashing in our new chemise?!

Scot-Michael: ...stripes?

Scot-Michael: I look like an escapee from an Ann-Margret dance scene.

Nicholas: Er, who's Ann-Margret?

Scot-Michael: Leave this house.

Stephen Orange: Ugh, this humidity!  I've just collapsed.

Philip Guy: Like a flan in a cupboard.

Philip: Do you think you'll ever get married, Dan Ryan?

Dan Ryan: I dunno.  She'd have to like pancakes, of course.

Maybe I'll just marry myself--then I can have a ring and a nice suit.

Daddy John: Maybe it's better not to know.

Winner By A Nose

 Daddy Steve:  I really was not looking to buy another button-nose girl.  After all, I already have Lulu.

Emile: Sacré bleu! One of zat child ees more zan enough!

Louisette: Alors, Emile, don't be zat way!

Lulu: Do you need zome water?  You seem very dry...and short.

Alas, fate had other plans.  Actually, Daddy John says that fate often seems to have other plans when it comes to Sashas.  Perhaps fate just doesn't like Daddy John's attitude.

One day, this poor little waif popped up on Etsy.  While chatting with the seller, I learned that she was the original owner, and that the doll was purchased at a Creative Playthings store in Northridge, CA.

To me there's nothing more pathetic than a doll in pieces.  Just look at her sad little expression!

It's almost as if she's saying "Help me."

And she did need a lot of help.  Aside from being in pieces, her hook inserts were completely deteriorated, and she was quite filthy.  Her hair was in decent shape, although most of the hair plugs around the first row were missing.  This seems to be pretty common among the early Gotz dolls.  I wonder if maybe the rooting machine just did not catch the initial row properly?

I sent her down to Dr. Pat, who did her usual meticulous job.  She thoroughly cleaned her inside and out, replaced her hook inserts, and re-rooted all the missing hair.  Pat thought that a high pony-tail suited her well, and I completely agree.  Here she is, freshly arrived home.  I named her Lottie (as in, she needed a 'lot' of help).

Lulu is tickled pink to have a partner in crime.

Lottie: Enchanté!

Lulu: Ma sœur!

Emile was less than enthused, but he'll get over it.

Emile: >Ouf< I 'ave ze 'eadache.

Lulu: Take ze aspirin, Shorty.

Lottie: Do you need zome water?  >Tee-hee<

Trois sœurs