Emile et Louisette visitent Paris

 Last night, Emile dreamed that he and Louisette visited Paris...

Emile: >snore<  L'orignal...est sous...>mumble<....>snore<

Emile: Ma cherie!  I cannot believe we are back in Paris!

Louisette: Oui!  Eet ees so exciting!

They strolled through the Tuileries Garden...

...and listened to a street musician.

A stop at la tour Eiffel proved to be a little disappointing...

Emile: I could 'ave sworn eet ees much taller than thees.

Louisette: Well, mon petit lemon, you know that things are always smaller than we remember.

They also enjoyed the great treasures of the Louvre.

Louisette: Très magnifique!

They shopped at a fashionable couture salon...

Nanny Wendy: I think madamoiselle looks very fetching!

Emile: I agree.  We'll take it.

Louisette: Oooh!

...and stumbled across a small curiosity shop with an eccentric proprietress.

Holly Belle: This samovar was once owned by the Grand Duchess Anastasia Romanov; she and my great aunt were close friends and would play mahjong together.  That guitar belonged to David Bowie.

Later, they took refreshment at one of the city's famed sidewalk cafes.

Emile: Where ees that neglectful waiter?  We need our teapot refreshed!

Giancarlo: You know, Emile, it's bad enough that I have to be in your silly dream; but to have to wait on you as well is just too much!  >Grumble grumble<

Emile: Mon dieu!  He was certainly rude...even for a French waiter!

Louisette: Do not leave 'im a tip.

Emile: Despite that rude waiter, I'm having a marvelous time.  I think we should stay 'ere forever.

As soon as Emile uttered those words, everything began to fade away...

Emile: Sacre bleu!  What ees 'appening?!

Louisette: Don't worry, mon petit lemon, we'll always 'ave Paris.

Emile:  >Sigh<

Stephen's Big Dig, Part 2

Stephen Orange sends in his latest report digging for marine fossils with the S.C.S.F.W.F (Sasha Consortium Searching for Weird Fossils)...

Stephen Orange: Hello everyone!  I'm along the shores of the great unsalted seas, looking for previously undiscovered fossils of ancient marine creatures.  We haven't had any luck on our earlier digs, but I am feeling hopeful for today!

Stephen: I think here, close to the water, will be a good spot to dig.

Stephen: Hmmf.  Our first find...only a Lepomis macrochirus. 

Ancestor of the common bluegill.  Bah.

Stephen: Well, an ammonite.  A little more interesting, but really they're ten-a-penny around here.

Stephen: Perhaps if we tried a little further away from the water.  Must remember 

to record all of this for posterity.

Stephen:  >GASP!<

Stephen: Can...can it be?  It looks like  Dunkleosteus!  Very rare; only 10 species known.  

We must dig it up and study it!

Stephen: Time for the trowel.  Must be very careful if I want to extract it whole.  Oooh, this is so exciting!  It's definitely Dunkleosteus, but I can't yet pinpoint the species.  I guess that will be my next project!  I do hope the S.C.S.F.W.F. will be pleased.

Stephen: Success!  Oh my goodness, there's so much to do!  Cataloging, measuring, weighing, reports to collate, articles to write...my winter is booked!  

Can't wait to share with the others at home!

Congratulations to Stephen Orange!  We will leave him here with his 'trophy' and all the follow-up his endeavors will bring.  Doubtless we'll get a full report once he returns to Gregoropolis!  

A Cure For the Fall Blues

Duncan: Gosh, look at the calendar.  Fall begins in less than two weeks!  In no time at all it will be winter...that's soooo depressing.  I wonder how everybody else copes with this time of year.

Kaveh: Actually, it's a chance to catch up on my reading.

Sasha: It's a great time to work on art projects.

Frederick: And play games!

Marta: We get to wear our fall and winter wardrobes.

Pamela: I think plaids will be trending this year.

Marta: I agree.

Tyler: Well, there's tobogganing and snow forts...

Mikko: ...and snowball fights and snow soccer.

Mikko and Tyler: Wintertime rocks!

Duncan: Snow soccer?

Wesley: Oh, we never think that far ahead.

Ezra: It distracts from the now.

Uli: Ach, I don't haff time to think about such things.

Alice: Well, whenever something troubles me, I twirl.

Duncan: You...twirl?

Alice: Yes, I twirl around as fast as I can, and it makes all of my worries fly away.

Duncan: And that really works?

Alice: Oh yes.  Holly Belle told me about it, and she's never wrong, you know.

Duncan: Well, here goes...

Duncan and Alice: WHEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!

Alice: Feel better?

Duncan: Uhhhhh, I'll let you know when everything stops spinning.

Stephen's Big Dig, Part 1

Daddy John: Stephen Orange is away, participating in a dig sponsored by the S.C.S.F.W.F. (Sasha Consortium Searching for Weird Fossils).  He's sending back his first report.

Stephen Orange: Every scientist/archaeologist has been assigned his or her own tent.  This is my little home for the duration of the dig.

Stephen: Everyone's tent was given a nickname.  Mine was wordplay based on my name.

"Casa de Naranja" means "House of the Orange."

Stephen: >Whew<  It's been a long day, we searched and dug from sun-up to sundown.

Stephen: >Aaahhh<  That's better.  Nice to have a bit of rest before dinner.  

Stephen: I'd best call home.  I know Nicholas Sahara will be pretending not to be worrying.

Stephen: Hello, Nicholas.

Nicholas Sahara: Well, Great Richard the III's ghost! Hullo Stephen!  How are you?  

How is the dig going?

Stephen: It's going pretty well.  I haven't had any luck as of yet, but I'm close to 

finding something big...I'm quite sure.  I just know it!

Nicholas: You can feel it in your bones, eh?  >Heh-heh<

Stephen: Er, yes, quite.

Nicholas: Stephen, Peter would like to say hello.

Pete Dakota: Hi Stephen Orange!  We all miss you!  'Specially Mikey and Connor!

Stephen: Tell them I miss them, too.  I'll be home before too long.

Stephen: Nicholas, they're ringing the bell for dinner.  I have to go now.  

Nicholas: Please ring again with updates.  Good luck, old bean!

Stephen: >Sigh<  Soon, surely?  Very soon.  I can indeed feel it 'in my bones.'

Maybe tomorrow...?

TO BE CONTINUED...