Playing In The Rain.....

Puddles....

It has been Raining a lot in my real world, Dear Readers, making the days so dark and gloomy that I hope you will not be surprised to find the Park is full of puddles! Daphne and Renee had spent an entire day indoors because it was raining much too hard to go out, so when the rain became gentler on the following day, Daphne was as eager as Renee to go to the Park, even if it was still raining. Daphne did not have a rain coat, but she found an ancient parasol in the corner of the wardrobe, and decided that it would have to do!

Renee had a raincoat and rain hat, 

but they looked as though they were not often used.

She was as excited as ever to get the the Park and see her friends the birds!

The birds were squabbling over a few soggy 

crusts of bread and did not notice Renee.

The fountain was nearly overflowing....

The birds did not mind at all!

Daphne could not help but wonder at Renee's fascination with birds....

Renee had eyes only for the birds...!

They were endlessly fascinating!

Daphne was not sure if this sort of obsession was normal or not....

Perhaps it was just because Renee was a lonely child...

A thought that made Daphne remember her own lonely childhood...

A thought that made her melancholy... 

perhaps it was time to head home....

Renee noticed the puddles as they were leaving....

Daphne realized she hadn't thought to look for boots...!

Renee ran to the next puddle and splashed in it too!

Daphne thought it wouldn't matter if her shoes got all wet, 

they could change when they got home!

As they neared the House, Renee ran ahead 

and when Daphne arrived, 

Renee was in the Parlor telling her Grandpere 

all about her visit to the Park.

This was the first time Daphne had witnessed this ritual.

She had begun to wonder why there was

 so little contact between Renee and her Grandparents!

"Grandpere, All the birds were wet" exclaimed Renee excitedly!

"And there were puddles everywhere" she declared.

"And I jumped in them!"

"They got me all wet... but I don't mind" she added.

Daphne was fascinated to see them together.

Clearly Monsieur Guillaume loved his granddaughter!

"Poodles..." he said quietly.

"Not 'poodles' Grandpere," said Renee...

"I said 'puddles'" she repeated in a whisper.

"Ah,.... puddles!" replied Grandpere.

Then he looked at Daphne.

He had so much he wished he could say to her.... 

If only his words would come out as he intended!

"I'm glad... you are.... here" he said slowly. 

"My words... somewhere... lose me..." he added, 

then shook his head.

"I had strike.... no,... stroke...."

"I think.... much.... words match wrong...."

then he shrugged and fell silent.

 Daphne just looked at him and suddenly she understood....

This once proud and capable man had lost so much!

Clearly he had not completely recovered from his stroke...

no wonder he spoke so little!

But just as clearly, he loved Renee and she loved him!

"Don't worry..." said Daphne. "I understand." 

"We will come see you ... more often... 

if you don't mind..." she added? 

He just nodded and Daphne called Renee 

to come take her wet things off. 

The Nursery felt warm and cheerful after the gloomy outing.

"Why don't you draw pictures for Hibou..." suggested Daphne.

"And draw one for Grandpere too..." she added.

Her mind was racing with the new information... 

she had so much to think over...

This put everything in a different light!

If Monsieur deMontaigne could barely speak or walk.... 

then who was in charge of all the estates?

Could it be that Madame had needed to take on that work, she wondered. 

And if that was so, then who was paying attention to Renee's needs?

Somehow, every answer only brought more questions!

Well, Dear Readers, it was just 

a Gloomy visit to the Park,

 I hope you did not mind

Hopping in puddles....

 Playing in the Rain!

It's The Tiny Things.....

How Long Does It Take....?

I Hope you can Remember, Dear Readers, where it was in the story that we last saw Daphne, because some of you may have hoped that the next morning would come sooner! Alas, Time does not always follow the rules in my mini worlds.... and so it was a very long time before the morning light crept in through the tiny window in the Nanny's bedroom. Could it be the first night she had slept in this tiny garret room? She did not think she had slept at all after Renee had joined her in her bed. How could she sleep with the warm little body of her daughter curled beside her, breathing gently once the hiccups had gone away. She had so many questions. Nothing was what she had expected.
 She watched the first rays of Dawn chase the shadows from the corners and wondered about her child's world.

And yet, she must have fallen asleep at some point 

because the next thing she knew, 

Renee was standing quietly beside the bed gazing at her.

"Good morning, Little Sunshine..." she said.

"When are we going to write a letter to Gabrielle?" asked Renee.

 

"Well, first let's get dressed and see about breakfast..." replied Daphne.

As soon as Daphne was dressed, she followed Renee to the Nursery.

 "Let's find you some clean clothes" she said.

She began to search through the wardrobe, but it was empty.

Renee set Hibou carefully on her table.

He promised to stay put while Renee got dressed.

Renee went to her dresser where her shirts were kept.

Daphne could see that Renee knew where her clothes were kept.

But there didn't seem to be many at all. 

She made a mental note that she would need to go shopping.

"I can dress myself" said Renee.

"You're not supposed to watch!" she declared.

"I'll close my eyes," said Daphne.

"Now where do these go...?" asked Daphne,

 holding the dirty clothes from the day before.

"I forget...." said Renee. "Gabrielle knew where to put them."

"Can we write to Gabrielle now?" she asked.

But before Daphne could even think to answer, 

Cook arrived with a breakfast tray.

Daphne was glad to see it arriving. 

She still had no idea what to expect!

Cook set the tray on the table.

"All you have to do is text me" he said.

"I brought it up this morning. I knew she would be awake."

"Whenever you are ready to eat 

or need something... just text 'cookie'."

"Thank you" said Daphne. 

"Renee, say thank you to Cook" she prompted. 

"Thank you" said Renee cheerfully.

"Hibou can't say 'thank you'" she added. 

"He doesn't know how to talk yet."

Daphne pulled up the tall stool and took some 

bread and jam to go with her coffee.

Renee had cereal and milk.

"Hibou likes my milk" she said. 

"It will make him grow big and strong so he can fly.

 He is just a baby.." she added.

"He only flew once, but he landed in the Fountain!" she said.

"And That Man pulled him out!"

"Can we write to Gabrielle now? she asked.

"As soon as we are done with eating" Daphne replied.

Once the breakfast things were cleared away,

 she went to fetch her paper and pencils.

She spread them out on the table. 

Daphne was surprised to discover that

Renee had never seen paint and crayons.

"What do you want to say to Gabrielle?" 

asked Daphne, pulling out her pencils.

"I will start the letter with 'Dear Gabrielle'' said Daphne...

 "Then what do you want to tell her?"

"Hibou is safe" said Renee. 

"He got lost, but Mademoiselle O'Malley found him."

She watched as Daphne wrote the letters.

"I am learning letters." she said. 

"I am going to teach them to Hibou." she added.

"See you soon" she said. Daphne carefully wrote every word.

"Would you like to draw a picture for Gabrielle?" asked Daphne.

"I will Draw Hibou!" declared Renee excitedly.

Daphne spread the pencils out and gave her some paper.

"He's playing with the birds in the Park!" she said 

after a minute of careful pencil work.

Soon she needed another piece of paper....

"Hibou likes the birds in the Park.." she added.

"Can we go to the Park now?" she asked.

But before Daphne could answer, the door opened 

and the Young Lawyer, Raymond, stepped in.

"Ray Ray...!" cried Renee. "We are writing a letter to Gabrielle 

because Hibou got lost and Mademoiselle O'Malley found him!"

"And I am drawing a picture of Hibou at the Park!" she added excitedly.

"So I see, Sunshine." he said fondly. 

Then he turned to Daphne and said 

"I've come to give you a break."

"A break..." said Daphne...."Why would I need a break? 

"You are supposed to have regular breaks" 

explained Raymond. "I fill in."

"Don't you have other things you need to do... 

like shopping?" he added.

"I don't need to go shopping" declared Daphne, 

even though she had been thinking of things they needed.

"Besides, I have a phone, I can order what I need."

She was just starting to get comfortable with Renee. 

The last thing she wanted was to have a break!

"But you could give us Gabrielle's address..." she stated.

"Then we could mail this letter right away on our way to the Park."

"I'll take it and mail it for you" said Raymond. 

"No, thank you. I'd much rather have the address" said Daphne. 

"I'm sure there will be other letters, 

and we wouldn't want to have to bother you every time."

"Besides, I think Renee might enjoy mailing it herself..." said Daphne.

 

"Would you like that?" she asked Renee.

"I want to go to the Park And mail the letter..." declared Renee.

"And I want to go with Hibou And Ray Ray... 

And Mademoiselle O'Malley!"

And there, My Dear Readers, is where I must leave you for now, 

once again at the edge of the cliff!

And who knows how long it will take for this short "break"?

I will be traveling to visit my Mother and my Father out West 

and so will have little time for minis for the next few weeks.

But Rest assured, however Long it takes, 

It is All those Tiny things that count!