New Year's Eve At The Castle

Happy New Year - Part Two

As you might be aware, Ken is holding a New Year's Eve Party at the Castle. He has spent the day feverishly getting the place ready. It is winter now, and the huge old place is a bit drafty and dark and cold! But Ken is very resourceful and has a way of getting things DONE in time! So the torches have been lit and the fire lit in the hearth.
Ken has donned his finest evening attire and is surveying his work from the Minstrels Gallery! He has thought of everything, even a glittering Disco ball hangs from the ceiling!

He checks the fire in the hearth. It is not as robust and ROARING as he would like...... but it is the first fire to be lit in this hearth in so many years ... no-one knows how long it has been! He thinks it will warm the guests nicely when they arrive!
As will the Punch he has mixed and arranged on the long table at one end of the Hall!
The table is covered in the finest snowy white linen.... and choice but humble foods are available for refreshments! Guard Ian is standing guard over the punch bowl which is a Treasured Family Heirloom and is enormously valuable!

You MUST have a closer look...... isn't it beautiful in it's tarnished glory?
(Dear readers, this is none other than the Salt Cellar from my Mother's Wedding Silver - the rest of which she got rid of a long time ago - but I kept this Salt Cellar because I KNEW it was REALLY a dollhouse Punch Bowl - it has lurked in the back of MY china cabinet for so many years....!...... Just waiting for tonight!)
So Ken is proud of his arrangements and the Party is ready to begin!


Meanwhile, back at the Lovely Old Dollhouse, Cousin Kitty has agreed to babysit Annabelle so Chip and Sally May can go to the party. She wasn't feeling like going to the party herself. She MUCH prefers a quiet evening at home with her beloved cats! Besides, she felt it was the LEAST she could do for Pollyanna. And she and Annabelle just might have some fun together!
It turns out there was a last minute crisis with the musicians for the evening! Their car broke down and they could NOT make it to the party! But Helen has found a solution. She Loves to play the harp and is feeling pleasantly angelic and nostalgic and doesn't mind providing the music for the party!
So the dancing has begun and the Hall is filling with guests and Ken is feeling the proud Host! (Doesn't he look just FANTASTIC in his evening suit? NOW can you understand why I bought him all those years ago?)
He is very glad to see the Aileens have come! They are new in the area and don't know too many people yet. But they are very nice and interesting people! They have brought their two children to the party too. Perhaps they could not find a sitter? Or perhaps they are the types who like to bring their children everywhere. Either way, here they are! The adults will perhaps have to behave themselves with the children looking on? Hmm?
Oh, and Felicity has come too! She is looking as stunning as ever! She has brought her friend Georgiana with her. They are VERY well dressed! It IS New Year's EVE after all!
Now, where do you think the children are going? They have an entire CASTLE to play in! Don't you wish you were them?
Adults look SO funny from way above.... almost like little dolls!
The children aren't the ONLY ones exploring and enjoying the view from above! Great Uncle Albert is pondering the Relative Value of RELATIVES from this vantage point! Do you think he will come to any new conclusions? And he has found a stray lad from the town who has crashed the party! Helen doesn't mind the company.
But she likes it best when Charles joins her in the dimly lit romantic balcony.... even though she must keep playing .....
The guests are having so much fun, the place is quite warmed up and no-one is thinking of the hour.... Ken is paying close attention to Felicity....... and Will has introduced himself to Georgiana......
But suddenly there is a commotion by the entrance! A SMALL voice says quite clearly "I WANT MY MOMMA!" Everyone turns to see Kitty and Annabelle in the doorway!

Sally May opens her arms and Annabelle runs to her! But What are you doing here she asks in surprise? Cousin Kitty explains that Annabelle would NOT go to bed and since they were still awake, and it WAS almost midnight, she decided they might as well JOIN the party, rather than SUFFER alone!
Almost MIDNIGHT you say? Isn't ANYONE paying attention to the TIME? Have they MISSED the magic MOMENT of the NEW YEAR? Thankfully, NOT QUITE! This ball will not drop, but there is still time for everyone to gather.......
And so they form the traditional circle and join hands to sing in the NEW YEAR!
Lest Old Acquaintance be forgot..... but for the arrival of the youngest child they would have forgotten the MOMENT!
Happy NEW YEAR to ALL out there in Blogland! For many of you, the New Year Moment has already come and gone.... but here on this side of the ocean, in this dreamworld of mine...... Old Acquaintances are never forgotten and New Ones are always WELCOME!

May you all join with your loved ones and have a Wonderful New Year!

Bessos, and Mini hugs to you all!

(And there is still two hours and thirty minutes left before the New Year Moment Here!)