Chore Day!

Daddy John: With the number of Gregors and Sashas running around Gregoropolis, the chores pile up quickly.  Fortunately, we have a built-in workforce and everybody takes their turn.  Of course, some complete their chores better than others...

Today, Pete Dakota and BR are making the beds.

Although, once I turn my back...

Prince Nicholas Sahara grew up in a castle and had servants to do all that needed doing; that doesn't excuse him from chores in Gregoropolis.  But, he's a good kid and jumped in with enthusiasm...if not with any expertise.

Nicholas: Oh dear.  Which is the washer and which is the dryer?

Nicholas: Uli said that I absolutely must separate the colors and the whites.  

Great Richard the III's ghost--which is this?!?

Nicholas: Well!  This job is rather fine; quiet, and puts one in a contemplative mood.  

Now that I think about  it, I don't recall seeing any of Francis' underclothing in the wash.  

Oh dear.  He wouldn't, would he? All week...wearing...the...same...

Nicholas: FRAAAAANNNNNNK!!!

The chore of making dinner has fallen on Stephen Orange.  He carefully reviewed the cookbook with the 'assistance' of Gino.

Stephen Orange: Hmmm, fish & chips sounds good.

Gino: Come noioso!  Boring!  How about spaghetti alla carbonara?

Stephen Orange: We had it last week.  Shepherd's pie?

Gino: No, no amico mio.  Fettucine alfredo.

Stephen Orange: Ugh, no more Italian!  Beef bourguignon.

Gino: Uffa! Ragú alla bolognese.

Stephen Orange: Beef Wellington.

Gino: Bistecca florentina.

Stephen Orange: Bangers and mash!

Gino: Salame di felino!

Stephen Orange: Bubble and squeak!

Gino: Coglioni di mulo!

Stephen Orange: Toad-in-the-hole!

Gino: Calamari fritti!

Stephen Orange: Spotted dick!

Gino: Strozzapreti!

BR: Knock it off you two; now you're just making things up!

Stephen Orange Dreams Of Adventure

Daddy John: Stephen Orange is Gregoropolis's resident marine biologist.  His specialty is the whale shark, and he's written many an article for Sasha science journals.  However, he's been a bit restless lately; it seems as though he's lost his spark...

Stephen Orange:  >sigh<

Nicholas Sahara: Stephen, why so blue?  You've a face like a wet weekend.

Stephen Orange: Marine Biology doesn't seem to do it for me anymore.  I had high hopes for...well, anyway...and then I've been having the most extraordinary dream.

Nicholas: A dream?  Do tell me about it!

Stephen Orange: I'm sitting on a hill overlooking a sweeping alluvial plain.

Stephen Orange: I walk down the hill and cross the plain...

Stephen Orange: ...and come to the shores of a vast prehistoric lake.  I wonder what marvelous and terrible creatures dwell and gambol beneath its waves.

Stephen Orange: I turn around and suddenly I'm passing through a great stone canyon.  I come out of the canyon and before me...

Stephen Orange: ...lies a boundless valley.  In my dream its called the Naranja Valley.  At my feet, as far as the eye can see, are fossils!  Ammonites in infinite numbers, maybe even plesiosaurs!

Stephen Orange: I've been reading a lot about fossils lately, so that's probably an influence on my dreams.  But it must mean something, mustn't it?

Stephen Orange:  But even if I were able to determine if this 'Naranja Valley' actually exists, I'd never be able to go there.  Daddies say we can't really travel at this time.

Nicholas: There's a very learned chap named Joseph Campbell who says you've got to 'follow your bliss'; you've got to put yourself on the track that has been waiting for you all this time.  Perhaps this dream is telling you to live the life you ought to be living.

Stephen Orange:  Yes!  If I can't travel, I can research!  I can scour maps and locate this valley!  Then, one day, I will travel and discover fossils no one has ever discovered before!

Nicholas:  That's the Dunkirk spirit! As BR would say: 'Go get 'em, tiger!' 

A Furniture Epidemic

Daddy Steve:  Holly Belle, Meghan, and Daphne never stop thinking about ways to feather the Gregoropolis nest, particularly given the current 'Stay-At-Home' situation.  As long as furnishings can be acquired safely, there's no reason to ignore the home front.

Holly Belle: Now that we're stuck at home a lot, we need to make everything as comfy as possible.

Duncan: We're in the middle of a pandemic.  How can you think about furniture at a time like this?!?

Daphne: Well, that's no reason to give up on gracious living.

Meghan: Yes!  Remember, we are British after all.

Daphne: Now that we have all these great books, we really need some comfortable chairs 

for an inviting reading space.

Frederick: And for our literary salons!

Daphne: Exactly!

Sasha appropriate furniture can be tricky to find.  Pieces designed for 18-inch American Girl type dolls are plentiful, but they typically come in a very limited color selection...

Frederick: Why always pink?!?

Meghan: Yes, as much as I like pink, I agree it can be a bit overdone.

We recently found this nice, older bentwood table & chairs set that Emile and Louisette 

highly approve of.

We probably will need to make cushions for the chairs.

"Made in France"

Emile: Bon!  Obviously eet ees of ze highest quality!

Louisette: Oui, mon petite lemon.

We also found this very dignified wingback chair.

It had a small stain on the back that Uli very diligently removed.

Uli: I vill get this stain out if it is the last thing I do!

Kurt: Dirt doesn't stand a chance against that girl.

However, our very favorite new piece by far is this comfy oversize chair.

Auntie Marti has dubbed it the 'pondering chair' and it is indeed the perfect seat for 

pondering life's mysteries.

Marco: I have some things to ponder.

Rhoda: Alright, I just about have all of my stuff figured out for now.

Of course, Holly Belle has her own agenda...

John Martin: Both of us share one chair?

Holly Belle: It's not a chair, it's a loveseat.

John Martin: It's a chair.

Holly Belle: It's a loveseat.

John Martin: Chair!

Holly Belle: Luuuuvvv seat!

Caution: Poet At Work

Daddy Steve: April is National Poetry Month.  Our writer Blake has decided to observe it by composing an epic poem.  The trouble is that at the moment, the creative juices aren't exactly flowing.

Blake: I think I'm suffering from writer's block.  Oh, fickle muse, why hast thou abandoned me?

As always, Holly Belle and Meghan are more than happy to offer advice and 'helpful' suggestions.

Holly Belle: Maybe you need one of those poet shirts?

Meghan: Yes!  With the puffy sleeves and ruffed cuffs!

Holly Belle: Or maybe a quill pen and a pot of ink?

Meghan: Perhaps a pair of fingerless gloves and a candle nub to warm your hands?

Holly Belle: Just like Dr. Zhivago!

Blake: Maybe I just need some peace and quiet!

Meghan: Hmf.  Artists can be so temperamental.

Ann Marie: Why don't you take a little walk?  Clear your head and see what other kids are doing?

Blake: Now that's a good idea.

Blake: Hi Stephen Orange, what are you up to?

Stephen Orange: I'm reading a book on giant clams.

Blake: ...Giant...clams?  Hmm, now there's an idea!  Excuse me, I think I feel 

an epic poem coming on!

Blake: Yes...yes, the words are just flowing on the page!

His masterpiece completed, Blake presents it to Stephen Orange to recite.

Mock not the giant clam,

Else upon unwary diver his jaws will slam.

Offend him and go you on the lam,

Or with a snap! you've lost your gams.

His insides resemble uncooked yam,

Dines he at the local dam.

Prefers he custard tarts & jam, 

He does not like green eggs & ham.

Blake: Well?  What do you think?

Stephen Orange: I like it, although it's not strictly accurate.  As is often the case with uncharacteristically large species, the giant clam has been historically misunderstood.  It is neither aggressive, nor particularly dangerous.  And, its shell valves close too slowly to pose a serious threat.

Blake: They don't call is 'poetic license' for nothing!

Scientific Inquiry vs. Household Dust

Daddy Steve: Patrick and Ravi are busy analyzing the 'marine' samples they collected during the Gregoropolis beach party.  Alas, the results are not exactly what they were hoping for...

Patrick: Hmmm...it's all just common household dust.

Ravi: I suppose that's not surprising considering it wasn't a real beach.

Patrick: Yes, it was a very illogical plan.

Ravi: Well, our method may have been flawed but that doesn't mean we can't learn from it.

Patrick: True.  Mistakes can be unexpected learning experiences.  

They are the stepping stones to wisdom

Ravi: Research is the process of going up alleys to see if they are blind.

Patrick: If we always knew what it was we were doing, it would not be called 'research.'

Patrick: Well, now that that's all sorted out, let's have some tea.

Uli: Vat are you boys doing?

Ravi: We're studying household dust.

Uli: DUST?!?  I must see!

Uli: Ach Himmel!

Uli: Ve must clean! Ve must vacuum, vipe, und scrub!

Uli, muttering: Dust, dust, dust, dust, dust...

Barbara: What put a bee in her bonnet?

Beatrix: Who knows? Just swish the duster and broom around to humor her.

Bunny's Revenge

It's the night before Easter and everyone is asleep.  Almost everyone, that is...

Frank: Must eat bunny ears...must eat bunny ears...must eat bunny ears...

Just as the Bunny Bandit is about to attack his next victim, a booming voice calls out!

Booming Voice: FRAAANK!  What are you doing?!

Frank: >gasp<  Who is it?!  Who's there?!

Great Bunny: It is I! I am the Great Bunny!  Why are you trying to make my people deaf?

Frank: G-g-g-gosh, Mr. Great Bunny, I-I-I don't mean to.  I just get this craving for 

chocolate bunny ears sometimes.

Great Bunny: Well, stop!  My people need their ears to hear, as well as for appearance's sake.  A rabbit without ears looks like a fat ugly squirrel!

Frank: O-o-okay, Mr. Great Bunny, I promise I will stop.

Great Bunny: Good!  Now go back to bed.

Frank: Uh, can I go to the bathroom first?

Great Bunny: Fine, but don't leave the seat up.  You know how that irritates your sisters!

Rhoda: Hee-hee!  Did you see the look on Frank's face?

Daphne: Yes, I think he's definitely learned his lesson this time!

Holly Belle: And about time, too.  Those chomped off ears were really starting to vex me.  

Come on, we'd better get the 'Great Bunny' deflated and hidden away.

And come Easter morning...

James: Hey!  Look!  No missing ears!

Rolf: Wunderbar!

Luke: Happy Easter, Frank!

Gavin: Are you okay?

Frank: Well, I didn't sleep so good.  I had the strangest dream.

Luke: Would you like a chocolate egg?

Frank: No, I think I'll stick to these jelly beans.  I've lost my taste for chocolate for some reason.

HAPPY EASTER from all of us at GREGOROPOLIS!