Running.....

Late....

I Hope you will Not be Surprised, Dear Readers, to learn that I am running Late.... with the Christmas Card.... with reading and commenting on blogs... with The Mini Castle New Year's Eve Party... with Everything, it seems! But I have at least One Small excuse... the weather over here has been challenging, with snow, sleet, freezing rain and even Thunder, Lightning and hail last night! Nobody at the Lovely Old Dollhouse was sure they could even make it to the Castle Party! But at the Last possible minute, they decided to try.... Helen was not entirely convinced the trip was worth it once they got to the Castle! "Are you sure it is done snowing...?" she asked Charles once they were safely inside. "What if it keeps snowing... should we leave early...?" she worried.

"Well, we have Arthur and Victor to help push us out of any snowbank..." said Charles,

 realizing at the last minute that he could have said something more reassuring.

Joanna and Victor were checking out the refreshments...

Joanna didn't want to admit she just might be

 getting tired of Gingerbread and Christmas cakes!

Victor was planning on trying the steaming punch...

Meanwhile the Band was tuning up in the Minstrels Gallery....

Tonight they are calling themselves 

"The Last Fearless Adventurers".....

(though you will probably recognize them as "The Deadly Nightshades")

in part because it was such an Adventure

 even getting to The Castle in last night's weather!

But it does appear that most of the locals have come out for the Party....

The children are all excited to be at a "Grown up" party

 where they will be allowed to stay up late!

Chip and Sally May and Annabelle are here too,

 although they left Chip's parents 

Ernie and Blanche back at the house...

 they did not want to go anywhere in the bad weather.

(Sally May is a little relieved to be out...

 Chip's parents have stayed since Christmas!)

Even Great Aunt Agatha is here.....

Well, to tell the truth, she has been here for months,

 along with Lady Athena and Lady Cassandra... 

who, at the Last Minute, have graciously

 opened the Castle for the Party!

Fleur is asking her husband Daniel if he has seen Gabrielle...

"If I spot her, I'll let you know..." he replies. 

"But we did give her the week off..." he reminds his wife.

"She's probably over at Will's...." he adds.

Well, Dear Readers, I must confess, it looks as though

 the Party is going to happen after all!

The "Last Fearless Adventurers" are striking up the music....

Arthur turns to Pollyanna...

 "Shall we dance..."? he asks.

And I, Dear Readers, will return now

 to painting the Christmas Card....

I know... I am running Late....!

 

I Hope you all have a Wonderful New Year!

(And don't forget to come to the Party!)

New Year.....

Are We Late for the Party....?

I Hope you will not be Disappointed, Dear Readers, if I have no Christmas Card to show you in today's post. I was Truly hoping I would have the drawing completed by the New Year.... but this year it just is taking longer. Here we are, already at New Year's Eve, and some places on the Globe have already seen their "Ball-drop", but over here in the Western Hemisphere, there are yet a few hours of that Old Tired Year still to play out. And Lady Athena has decided to take advantage of the moment to Host a New Year's Eve Party at the Castle! Everybody is Invited! it is sure to be a fantastic crush! The Christmas decorations are still up, so there is not much she needs to do.

 There is an enormous Tree in the Guard Room at the entrance...

She hung an enormous Glittering Silver Ball 

from the ceiling of the Great Hall......

She filled the Antique Tarnished Silver Punch Bowl 

with a steaming Mystical brew.....

And she hired a Local All-Star band to play music....

Meet the "Fearless Flashbacks".......

(Yes they sometimes double as the "Deadly Nightshades"....)

They are Heating up the Hall with their Heady mix of "Old Goldies" and 

Traditional Tunes with a Modern Twist!

(You should hear their Auld Lang Syne...!)

Victor and Joanna have arrived early 

because they didn't want to miss any of the fun....

Followed quickly by Helen and Charles...

Because Helen wanted to be sure they were not late!

Pollyanna and Arthur are here too... 

Pollyanna loves to come to parties at the Castle. 

She says it always reminds her of her Wedding.... 

one of the Happiest Days she can remember!

Chip and Sally May and Annabelle have stopped to admire the huge Tree.... 

Although Annabelle seems more fascinated by Guard Ian in the corner!

Will has arrived too. And because he is single now, 

he is trying to meet anyone new in town....

"Haven't we met somewhere...?" he asks the Gypsy.

The Aileens arrive with their children in tow. 

Jasper and Amber have been here before and 

are looking forward to an evening in the Castle. 

You never know what might happen here!

Fleur and her husband Daniel and their daughter Juliet are here too!

Juliet can't wait to play with her friends!

Oh, and look... it's Gabrielle too!

 She is now Juliet's "Au Pair" and has been

 included in the Evenings Festivities!

She is still new in the area, 

and has not met very many people. 

But she hopes to have fun tonight 

getting to know some of her new neighbors.

Oh my goodness... even Harold and Celeste have come tonight!

(They are Arthur's parents and were estranged for years,

 but have been spending time together 

ever since Arthur and Pollyanna got married!)

Sally May and Fleur can talk for hours about 

the challenges of raising a daughter these days....

And the children are still talking about what they "got" for Christmas....

(Yes, Amber might be a little jealous that

 Juliet got a Pink "Little Hostess" kitchen center, 

complete with Working oven!)

(Juliet didn't tell her she is already a little bored with it...)

 

And is that Mischievous Fairy here too....? 

Yes..... he could not resist such an Open Invitation......!

It is anybody's guess what he Might have put in the Punch Bowl...

Ken is trying to keep an eye on things.... 

Will is trying to interest the Gypsy.....

But she might have her eye on Ken....

And Gabrielle just wants some Punch!

Will turns and spots Gabrielle. 

She looks a little familiar.....

"Haven't we met somewhere....?" he asks.

Gabrielle recognizes him at once!

"Oh! Bonjour, Monsieur..." she says.... 

forgetting for a moment to speak in English.

"I mean Hello! We met in France last summer....." she said.

 "At the Park " she added when he still looked confused.

"Ah! The Park!" exclaims Will. 

And then he blushed a little as all the memories rushed back.

"You're the Nanny!" he adds."Renee's Nanny!" 

"I was." says Gabrielle. 

"I am now Juliet's Nanny..." she added quickly. 

She didn't really want to explain that she was fired 

because she had talked to him in the Park!

There was a moment of awkward silence 

while Will thought about Daphne....

 and then decided he really didn't want to talk about Daphne at all!

"So what are you doing here....?" 

they both said at the same moment... 

then they laughed together....

Will bowed and said "I will let the Lady go first.... 

what would you like to know...?"

Everything! thought Gabrielle....

"Is your business in this town...?" 

was what she asked instead....

Well, Dear Readers, how the Time has Flown!

Is it Time for the Ball to Drop?

Has the New Year already been Rung In in Your Land?

Have you Danced the Night away 

and Kissed your Loved Ones on the New Year?

There are still a few Hours to pass in my Land.... 

and I have a Christmas Card that still needs to be finished....

So I will leave you here for now...

While the Party is going strong....

Why even in the Castle Kitchens 

Henry and Belle are celebrating the New Year.....

"Come on Belle.... just a New Year's Kiss...." wheedles Henry...

"Just don't you be mistaking it for anything else..!" retorts Belle....

 

Dear Readers, I wish you All a 

Wonderful and Joyous New Year!

 May You all Kiss your Loved ones... 

Smile with your neighbors....

Dance the Night Through....

And maybe even tell a Tale or two!

I am so glad you could make it to the Party!

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!)