Stephen's Big Party

 Daddy John: Stephen Orange has been invited by the S.C.S.F.W.F. (Sasha Consortium Searching For Weird Fossils) to join them on a dig for unusual and rare marine fossils.  He is excited to go; this is something he's been hoping for his whole life.

Gregoropolis has become a bit crowded of late, so getting away also suits him just fine.  Stephen Orange has never been a social creature; he's mostly aloof with the others at the best of times.  He would consider Nicholas Sahara his closest friend, only because he tolerates him the most and Nicholas is so relentlessly cheerful.

Still, when Nicholas and the others arranged a going away party Stephen found himself quite touched...

Stephen Orange: All..all of this is for me?

Nicholas: Well, Stephen, what do you think of our little bun fight?

Stephen: Thank you, Nicholas.  This was so very nice of you.

Nicholas: I'm glad you're pleased.  I only organized. Uli, of course, made all the food.

Uli: Ja, ja...eat!  Eat, meine freunde!

More of the gang trickles in and Stephen excitedly discusses his upcoming adventure and his hopes for new discoveries.

As Gregoropolis's newest resident, Scot-Michael is awed by Uli's festive spread.

Scot-Michael: Wow!  You've really gone all out, Uli

Rhoda: She really is the best at this girly baking stuff.

Uli: Hmf.  Haff some lemonade.

Benjamin Roy: So, if you discovered something new, will they name it after you?

Stephen Orange: Ooooh, that's too much to hope for...

Pete Dakota: Wait, if you discover something new, but it's a fossil, wouldn't you have discovered something old?

Despite his aloofness, Stephen has formed a close bond with baby Connor and toddler Mikey.  As far as they're concerned, Stephen Orange reads bedtime stories the best because he does the best voices.

Connor and Mikey are upset that Stephen is going away...

Connor: Bah!

Mikey: Stevie no go!  No go, Stevie!

Stephen: Now, now, don't you worry.  I will be back before you know it.  Your big brothers Nicholas and BR will read you stories while I am away.

Mikey: >sniffles<  Okay...pwomise Stevie come back.

Stephen: I pwomi--, er, promise.

The next day, Stephen Orange stares out the plane window, anxious for his big adventure.  What will he find?  We will have to wait til the end of the summer to discover what discoveries he makes!

Stephen: >sighing dreamily<

Stephen's Big News

Stephen Orange: Camera, check.  Spade, check.  Trowel, check.  Let's see, hmm...

Scot-Michael: Hi Stephen Orange!  How are you?

Stephen Orange: Busy.

Nicholas: >tut-tut<  Manners, Stephen

Stephen Orange: >sigh<  If you must know, I am inventorying my archaeological equipment.

Nicholas: Whatever for, Stephen?

Stephen Orange: >sigh<  I've been asked by the S.C.S.F.W.F. (Sasha Consortium Searching For Weird Fossils) to join them on a dig.  I leave in a week to assist in digging for as yet undiscovered marine fossils.

Nicholas: Well, I'll be blowed!

Stephen Orange: Yes, it's a highly prestigious invitation.  I -- 

Scot-Michael: How do you use this thing?!

Stephen Orange: Hey! Put that down!  You're messing up my tools!

Nicholas: Er, come along, Scot-Michael.  We'll leave you to it, Stephen.

Stephen Orange: >grumble grumble< ...have to start over...>grumble, grumble<

Nicholas: We'll give you a proper send-off before you leave. 

Stephen Orange: No, no, you don't ---

Nicholas: I'll brook no argument!  A little knees-up is just what's needed!  

Gordon Bennett, this is exciting!

Stephen Orange: >sigh<  A party?  >sigh<  The next week can't pass fast enough.

Poker Buddies (A Gregoropolis Sasha Festival)

While the girls enjoy themselves at their celebration (see last week's post), the boys have their own party.  A quartet has split off to train for the Sasha World Poker Tour...

Marco: Okay, mis amigos, I open with five.

Scot-Michael: Five it is.

Benjamin Roy: I see your five and raise you five more.

Frank: Yellow, 8!

Marco: Ay, Francisco, we are playing poker, not UNO.

Frank: Oh, yeah, duh.

Marco: --

Frank: --

Marco: --

Frank: How do you play poker?

Soon, after a quick tutorial, reshuffle, and a few bets...

Marco: Moment of truth, amigos.  Show your cards.

BR: Two pair: black Aces and Eights.

Marco: ¡Ay Caramba!  ¡El mano del muerto!  The Dead Man's Hand!  

Quick, what is your kicker?!

BR: Uh, Queen of Hearts...?

Marco: La reina del amor; gracias a Santa Maria.  She breaks the curse.  >whew<

Marco: I myself have la casa llena.  A full house, sixes over fours.

Scot-Michael: Bah, I only had a pair of nines.

FRANK!  What are you doing?

Frank: Aren't we playing strip poker?

Friendship (A Gregoropolis Sasha Festival)

Nathan: Hey, Holly Belle, you were going to help me organize the toy box.

Holly Belle: I'll be there in a minute.  I just want to rearrange my whimsies.

Nathan: Well hurry it up!

Holly Belle: I don't see why you're in such a rush.  

Honestly Nathan, sometimes you drive me crazy!

Girls: Surprise!

Holly Belle: Oh my goodness!

Daphne: Welcome to our very own Gregoropolis Sasha Celebration.  

Holly Belle, you're our guest of honor!

Holly Belle: Gosh, I just don't know what to say.

Nathan: That's a first.  Well, I'll leave you ladies to your hen party.

Holly Belle: This is just delightful!  But, where are the boys?

Daisy: This is the girls' social hour.  They'll be dropping by later.

Valerie: Yes, we convinced them to wait for a while before coming in and devouring all the food.

Holly Belle: I'm having a wonderful time.  Thank you so much!

Meghan: Actually, it was Nathan's idea.  He planned the whole thing!

Holly Belle: What?!?

A little later...

Holly Belle: Nathan, did you organize the party?

Nathan: Yes. We were supposed to go to the Pittsburgh Sasha Festival together, and I know how disappointed you were when it was canceled.

Holly Belle: I have to admit that I was, although I totally understand.  

We have to keep the big people safe.

Nathan: So I just put together a dumb ol' party to cheer you up.

Holly Belle: You know, Nathan...you really are a good friend.

Nathan: Well...so are you Holly Belle.

Holly Belle: But you still drive me crazy!

Nathan: Likewise!

We're Whimsical

Daddy Steve: Holly Belle has been in very 'managerial' mood lately.

Nathan: That means she's feeling bossy!

Blake: And how!

Holly Belle: We've some nice furniture now, but we need more accessories.  We need more 

objects d'art.

Luke: Who is this Art and what is it he's objecting to?

Holly Belle: Oh, Luke, you exhaust me.

Holly Belle: Katy, be a dear and round up some nice little tchotchkes; sweet little vases and statues--whimsies!  Do you know what I'm talking about?

Katy: I suppose so...

Holly Belle: I want Gregoropolis to be so pretty that it could be on the cover of 

House Beautiful magazine.

Nathan: You'd have a better chance of getting on the cover of Fortean Times.

Holly Belle: Don't pay any attention to him. Have Sasha and Miguel help you; they know all about art and stuff.

Later...

Katy: She said we would know what she wants.

Miguel: But does Holly Belle even know what she wants?

Sasha: Let's start by looking around here.

If you dig deep enough, you can find just about anything in Gregoropolis.  It helps, of course, to be looking for something completely different than what you want.

Miguel: This is a nice little bird statue.

Katy: And look, a china dog!

Sasha: I wonder if we can find the mate.

And of course, there's always the internet!

Sasha: That's a pretty vase.

Miguel: Ooh, I like that...it has a 'southwestern' style.

It was through the course of their internet search that the kids discovered something our UK readers are sure to be familiar with.  Wade Whimsies are miniature figurines made by the Wade Ceramics Co.  As we understand it, they were sometimes offered as premiums in boxes of tea.  They are the perfect Sasha size!

Paul: Look at the tiny hippo!

Nathan: We saw one just like it last year in Cincinnati.  We even watched a video of her birth.  She shot outta her mom like a cannonball!

Paul: Wow, that's cool.

Gino: Neat!

Rolf: Yuck.

 Holly Belle was thrilled with all of her new whimsies.  She took great delight in
arranging them just so.

Holly Belle: It's all so perfect.  You know, I'm so good at inspiring people.  I could be a professional inspirer.  Is there such a thing?

Meghan: You could be the first, Holly Belle.

Nathan: You're sure inspiring me to leave the room!

Dollo's Law

Daddy Steve: Duncan is our resident Gloomy Gus here in Gregoropolis.  He's been in an especially despondent mood lately...

Duncan: >Sigh<  Woe to me.

Frederick: There's lots of stuff to be happy about!

Harriet: Sure there is!  You have a new outfit for summer; new clothes always make me happy.

Duncan: >Sigh<

Frank: What's got you down, old bean?

Wesley: Yes, please tell us.

Duncan: I feel like I never make any progress in my life.  I always seem to end up in the same old place.

Wesley: Maybe Patrick and Ravi can give you some advice.

Frank: Yeah!  They're a couple of brainy kids.  I'm sure they can think of a way to turn that frown upside-down.

Duncan: So my problem is that I never seem to make any progress.  I just end up right back to where I started.

Frank: Lay some words of wisdom on him!

Patrick: Hmm...I've got it!  Dollo's Law!

Frank: What do bananas have to do with it?

Patrick: Bana--? What?!? No, not Dole! Dollo! Louis Dollo.  He was a Belgian paleontologist.

Ravi: Dollo's law of irreversibility states that "an organism never returns exactly to a former state, even it finds itself placed in conditions of existence identical to those in which it has previously lived."
Patrick: Exactly.  It always keeps some trace of the intermediate stages through which it has passed.

Frank, Wesley, and Duncan: ???

Duncan: Oh, well, uh, thanks...

Patrick: Any time.

Wesley: Perhaps Kaveh could translate that into something we can understand.

Kaveh: Well, I think what Patrick is saying is that even if you feel like you are always ending up at the same place, you're really not.  All of your experiences give you additional wisdom and perspective.  They help you navigate through the world a little better; even if the path seems to be the same.

Duncan: I guess that does make sense.

Wesley: It sure does.  What do you think, Frank?

Frank: I think I'm going to navigate back to a very familiar place: the refrigerator!  I'm hungry!