Just Another Day In The Park...

 

Raymond Visits Alone....

Raymond had headed to the Park, Dear Readers, hoping to find Renee and Mademoiselle O'Malley, her Nanny, visiting with the birds as usual even though it was such a cold and gloomy day. He found the Park was empty. Not even the birds were strutting around in search of crumbs. It suited his mood perfectly. He was feeling sorry for himself. He felt abandoned and shut out of Renee's life. Even after what was it... only five days since Mademoiselle O'Malley had been hired to be the new nanny? 

 He was in the habit of visiting Renee every day just to give her nanny a break. Gabrielle had seemed to know that it mattered more to Raymond that he had time with Renee, than that she needed a break. Renee was not a difficult child to care for. And Raymond had been caring for her ever since she was left in his Office when she was an infant, even though Madame had always hired the nannies. He always checked on her and made sure she had what she needed. None of the other nannies had minded. They were happy to let him"give them a break". But Mademoiselle O'Malley was different.

 

He absent-mindedly tossed the bread crumbs he had brought for the birds.

 Perhaps they would show up if there was food, he thought.

 Although, without Renee there... 

it was not so much fun to feed them. 

 

 

The worst of it was that he knew he had no rights to Renee at all. 

She was not his child. She was no relation to him at all! 

He was only the Lawyer to her Grandparents, and had known the family all his life.

 It was just that when Renee's mother had decided that 

she would not keep her child after all, she left her at the Lawyer's Office.

 And because the Grandparents had been away overseas at the time,

 he had ended up taking care of her for more than a week

 until they could return home and claim her. 

He had bonded with baby Renee and loved her as if she were his own child.

 The real problem was that the new nanny was Renee's natural mother,

 even though Renee did not know.

 Madame had hired her in order to keep her

 from taking Renee away from them.... 

and to his great embarrassment, they, the Lawyers 

had not had her sign the adoption papers

 before she left the child with them all those years ago. 

She probably could take Renee and it would not be illegal! 

 

He wanted to hate her, Mademoiselle O'Malley, that was, 

but he knew he was being unfair.

 Even after just five days it was very clear that she was good for Renee. 

She did things with Renee, and Renee was happier than he'd ever seen her.

 He hated to think that he was being jealous.

 He had never been jealous of anyone before

 and it was a very uncomfortable feeling. 

 

Just then his phone rang and he answered it right away.

 "Good morning, sister ..." he said... "You are calling early!"

 

"Hey, brother of mine," said Fleur cheerfully, 

"I am out in my garden to gather some flowers for the shop...

 Gabrielle is seeing that Juliet is ready for school! 

I am loving having Gabrielle to help!"

 

And I am just dying to know how how our Daphne

 is working out as Renee's nanny!" she declared.

 "I was so shocked to learn she is Renee's mother!" she added earnestly.

 

"She is a veritable paragon... " he replied snidely, 

and immediately felt chagrined.

 "I want to hate her..." he added despairingly, 

"but she is very good with Renee...

 so I have to admit she is admirable" he added reluctantly.

 

"And is this a bad thing, dear brother...?" 

Fleur asked, surprised at his attitude.

 

"Madame only hired her to keep an eye on her..." he said, 

"but I warned her it was a very bad precedent to set...

 it will be impossible to fire her!

 But Madame was afraid she would take Renee away, 

so there was no reasoning with her" he added.

 

"Do you really think Daphne would take her away..."

 asked Fleur incredulously?

 

"That's the problem..." he said, annoyed. 

"I just don't trust her" he added flatly.

 "But she's very kind to Monsieur too, 

so I doubt she'd take Renee away" he said glumly.

 

"Well, dear brother," said Fleur, "clearly she has upset you..." 

 

 "She's just too perfect" he said, annoyed.

 "They all think she's just wonderful... 

nobody can be so perfect..!" he added.

 "They act like she's an angel.... she's so serene,

 she even looks like one with all that fiery hair...." he added

 dismayed at how much he had said. 

"She doesn't let me have any time with Renee..." he added sadly.

 "I haven't seen her in days."

 

 "Oh, dear!" declared Fleur. 

"Not at all?" she added, surprised.

 

"Well, apparently, I can trot along behind them

 like a good little boy, if I want to..." he said sarcastically.

 "It doesn't feel right. I'm not feeling at all like a good little boy" he added.

 "I told you, I want to hate her. 

I have hated her for years for abandoning her child!

 You know that!" he declared angrily.

 

 "Now we have to welcome her into the family

 and let Renee love her!"

 

 "Oh, dear!" said Fleur heaving a big sigh.

 "I am afraid you've got it bad, dear brother she added" cryptically.

 

"Got What..!?" he demanded, annoyed.

 

"I think you really love her too," said Fleur smiling... 

"But you can't admit it" she added.

 "I'm not surprised. Our Daphne is very sweet and lovable.

 Everyone who knows her loves her" she added.

 

"What..?" declared Raymond appalled. 

"You have got to be nuts, sister mine..." he said.

 "Haven't you been listening to me?" he added.

 

"Of course, I have!" declared Fleur. 

"I think you are head over toes in love with her!

 I think you should just marry her.... 

and then Renee would have a family at last" she added.

 

"You're not helping, Fleur," he said.

 "That's the craziest idea I've ever heard!" he declared.

 

"Yeah, yeah, of course you do.... 

it's as clear as day!" she added.

"Look, I gotta go... I have to get Juliet to school...

 but let me know how it goes!"

she called as she hung up. 

 

"Let her know how it goes...?" he thought, puzzled.

Why did his sister think love solved everything?!

 Besides, he wasn't in love.

 Sure, he loved Renee absolutely. 

But marry her mother? That was madness!

 

But he stood there for quite a while, staring off into space.

 Clearly he was going to have to do something. 

He wasn't going to just let Renee disappear from his life. 

But what could he do?

 

Well, Dear Readers, I hope you haven't minded spending

 such a gloomy day in the Park after all,

 At least the birds joined Raymond in his solitary vigil,

 although he didn't seem to notice them at all! 

 

To Those Dear Readers who have only recently joined this blog, I apologize for the very disorganized progress of this story. It began in August of 2013 and has already had somewhere around thirty episodes scattered through the years. I have found it impossible to keep it organized... and finishing it is always another story... If you are really interested you can find most of it under "Daphne's Story" in the labels section.... 

 

 

 

Endless Summer.....

The Beginning Of The End.....

I am Keenly aware, Dear Readers, that the Summer is drawing to a close. The School year is starting, the nights are getting longer and alarmingly chilly, and the deadline for my personal goal of completing the Summer Lilac Shrub is nearly upon us! And what better way to understand this Seasonal Shift, than to be stitching on a Tiny Christmas Stocking? The very essence of cold Winter to come is embodied in the Starry Winter Night! As you can see in the above picture, I have finished stitching the blue sky. I have made one artistic alteration to the original design, in that I have left a little bit of snowy "ground" behind the topmost house and tree, rather than have it terminate at the foundation as in the instructions.

I think my adjustment makes it feel

 a little more three-dimensional,

 and  tiny bit cozier too!

Now all I have left to stitch is the

 endless expanse of cold white snow! 

And as for the Summer Lilac Shrub and the

 Endless application of leaves and leafy stems... 

I did complete another batch of ten leafy stems.... but only barely!

I ran into a problem with the paint.

I have been using one tube of the chosen Chromium Oxide Green

 for all the lilac leaves and have been running low on the paint.

I have been trying not to switch to a new tube

 because I was concerned that the pigment would not match exactly

 and would be noticeable on the shrub.

But the tube is really nearly empty,

 so I finally pulled out the new tube.

 It is not the same brand but is the same "pigment". 

Yes, I can see a difference in the new paint....

The new paint is the green blob at the lower right,

 it overlaps the small patch of the original green paint... 

and I can clearly see a difference.

But I thought I had better give it a try....

 

I could tell it was not going to work at all!

 It has a much less opaque quality... 

leaving streaks of the paper showing through on the leaves.

Here is a comparison of the regular paint on the leaves.... 

no streaks and a lovely dense coverage.

(Yes, the paint I have been using is of a higher quality....

 I will need to get more!)

But could I squeeze any more out of the tube.... 

just to complete this batch of leaves?

Oh, the Drama....!

I dug into the cap with my brush, 

and into the pinched tube as well....

 gathering enough paint to finish this batch..... 

and maybe even next week's too.......?

Here are this week's at any rate... waiting to be shaped and glued....

And I did manage to attach about fifteen more leafy stems... 

or was it twenty......

You can see the improvement to the shrub.

 But the left hand side still needs a lot more added!

(Hence the Endless part of this summer....!)

And lest we be the only ones who are feeling the Chilly air and the change of the Seasons, you might be happy to see that Daphne and Renee had decided to show Grandpere the quilt they were making, even though it was still so incomplete.

"Grandpere..." said Renee earnestly

 "It is to keep you warm when we go to the Park!"

"Ah...!" replied Grandpere.

He really thought he had never seen anything so Beautiful...

 but could not find the words.

 

 

"Madamoiselle O'Malley says we can use it today

 when we go..." added Renee excitedly.

"Can we go now..." she added?

He could deny her nothing.... so off they went.

It was a chilly and overcast morning....

I should have worn a jacket... thought Daphne....

 and found a sweater for Renee!

(She was still getting used to this thinking of the child's needs...!)

But Renee did not notice, she only wanted to play with her friends the birds!

Daphne wheeled Grandpere closer so he could watch...

What was it about those birds that fascinated her so?

Perhaps it was the same fascination as he felt watching her....

She was so young and quick and Alive!

She grabbed the bread and threw it again and again....

The birds did not mind!

She is so young.... thought Grandpere.

And growing so fast...

 soon it would be time for her to go to school....

She is so Beautiful... thought Daphne....

 I could watch her Forever and never get tired!

"School..." said Grandpere suddenly.

No! thought Daphne..... 

She is not ready... 

I am not ready....! 

Although she did not speak aloud...

 it was not hers to decide.

But perhaps there would still be some Time,

 Dear Readers, before that came to pass.

We are, after all, talking about Endless Summer.... 

even though we know that such can never be,

 and is perhaps already Truly

 The beginning of the End!

Daphne Opens Doors.....

Shining A Little Light....

I Hope you don't mind, Dear Readers, if we take a Small detour to revisit Daphne's Story. I know it probably feels to you that it has been a Long time since we followed them to the Park on a Dark and Rainy day, but I must remind you that almost no time at all has passed in their world! In fact it has been only a few hours and Daphne has just finished putting Renee to bed. She finally has a few minutes to herself, something she is beginning to realize is a rare thing! You might recall that she has been the Nanny for less than a week and every day brings more questions than answers. She had not expected the de Montaigne family to be so uninvolved with Renee's upbringing. She had assumed they would raise her like a daughter of their own, spend time with her, take her to see the world, enjoy her company, and most of all give her the love every child needs. She hadn't expected to find Monsieur Guillaume so frail, and Madame Yvonne so involved with running the Family business and their Estates that she was hardly ever home. And most of all she had never thought that the Family's Lawyer would be the one who seemed to care for Renee the most! It was hard for her to admit that she was jealous of the bond he had with Renee. She hoped that with time she could build such a bond herself. She had no clear idea how that would happen, but she resolved to try to enrich Renee's world every day in any way she could. There was so much she wanted to share with her! But for now she would content herself with discovering more about the household while Renee slept. She might as well start with exploring the other rooms in the attic.... There was a storage room across the hall from her room, next to the tiny bathroom. It was completely dark so she shined a flashlight in....

 And way at the back she caught a glimpse 

of a familiar piece of furniture.....

Was that a sewing machine.....?

Would anyone mind, or even notice if she pulled it out....?

Oh, it looked just like the one her mother had always sewed on.....!

The one she had learned on... 

she could show Renee how to sew.....

she could make her new clothes..... 

perhaps it was just the thing she needed!

But it was late and she would need some help moving everything... 

first thing in the morning they could pull it out!

And so the next morning found Daphne back in the storage attic,

 this time with an excited Renee in tow!

"What are we finding....?" asked Renee as she peered into the dark.

"I'll show you..." said Daphne, 

"but first we have to move a lot of things out of the way."

"I need you to hold the flashlight for me.." she added. 

"Shine it over there... while I move this cradle..."

"And now I just need to move this chair...."

"We might want to use this too...." she added.

"See, that's the sewing machine..." she said.

"What's a sewing machine...?" asked Renee.

"I'll show you when we get it out..." said Daphne.

"I just have to get this out of the way first..." she added.

"What's that...?" asked Renee.

"It looks like an old wheel chair..." 

replied Daphne as she pulled it out of the way.

"Why does it have wheels...?" asked Renee.

 "It's for people who can't walk very well...." replied Daphne, 

her mind on getting to the sewing machine.

"Like Grandpere...?" asked Renee...

"Could Grandpere use it and go to the Park....?" she added excitedly.

"Well......" said Daphne, unsure of what to say.

"We could see how sturdy it is...."

"Can I go tell Grandpere....?" asked Renee... 

but she ran off before Daphne could reply.

"Grandpere.... Grandpere....." she cried as she rushed into the room.

 "We found a Chair! And it has wheels!"

"And now you can come to the Park...!" she cried excitedly.

"Renee, you need to ask him, not tell him...."

 said Daphne, catching up with her.

"He might not feel like going...."

"Grandpere, it's got wheels.... we will push you..." 

said Renee, undaunted.

"Yes" said Grandpere as he slowly stood up....

He would try to do this...

He could not bear to disappoint Renee!

Believe me, Dear Readers, when I tell you

 that in a very short amount of time

 the Cook had helped Daphne bring the chair down from the attic,

 and the Nurse had helped Monsieur Guillaume climb down the front stairs,

 and Renee was excitedly leading the way to the Park!

It was not raining today, but it was still a very gloomy day.

But Guillaume did not notice... 

he could not remember the last time he had been to a Park...

Renee could not wait to show Grandpere her friends the birds...!

She dashed ahead....

"See! Grandpere.... they're waiting for me...!" she cried.

She slowed as she got close so they did not all fly away.....

They were pecking at chunks of bread left there by someone....

Daphne pushed the chair closer so he could watch....

Just to see her excitement filled him with Joy!

Renee was completely absorbed by the birds!

She took the bread and tossed it to them again and again.....

they all chased the bread....

Except for one little bird perched on the rim of the fountain....

Suddenly Renee noticed the bird....

It seemed as though everything went very still....

nothing moved...

The sun almost made an appearance...

but thought better of it...

and soon it looked like more rain was on its way....

The moment passed...

Daphne didn't want Monsieur Guillaume to get

 caught in a rain shower, 

so she called to Renee that they should head home...

But even though it was such a gloomy day, 

Monsieur Guillaume felt like he was filled with sunshine!

And Renee was chattering as fast as she could 

about the next time they were coming to the Park...

And Daphne was thinking that the morning 

had not gone at all as she had expected.... 

they never even got to the sewing machine!

And in case you thought I had forgotten the lilac blossom.....

Here is number twenty-four!

And here it is in the box!

Well, Dear Readers, I hope you didn't mind

 the little detour to the Park....

Even though it was so gloomy.

It seems Daphne has opened some doors

and shined a Tiny light into the dark!