10.20.08
Kirsten is an 18-inch-tall girl from 1854, Nellie is an 18-inch-tall girl from 1906, and May is an 18-inch-tall girl from the 1920s. Mini Kit is a 6-inch-tall doll from 1934.
October 15th is Nellie's birthday! So on that day, I gave her a hug, I fixed the cuffs on her work dress, and Nellie spent time with the family. Nellie was very happy.
But Nellie likes to be busy, and a few days later, she decided to do some cleaning.
"Oh dear," she said. "I can't reach those misplaced DVDs. What will I do? Hmmm..."
She felt a song coming on. "This is ridiculous," she murmured. And she tried to reach the DVDs again, to no avail. "Well...a lot of strange things happen here." She cleared her throat and tried singing.
"Aa-aa-aa-aa-ah,"
"Aa-aa-aa-aa-ah,"
"Aa-aa-aa-aa-aa-aa-ah."
There was no response.
"I suppose I could just dust the stereo instead--hey!"
"It's Sammy the squirrel! I don't think wild animals are very good at cleaning, but--"
In a flash, Sammy climbed up onto the stereo! Nellie had to jump back...
...as he threw the DVDs down at her.
"You sure are strong for a little woodland creature," Nellie said. She put the DVDs away, but a noise startled her.
"Oh, my," she said. "The TV was off before. Did I step on the remote by mistake?"
"Surprise!"
"Wow!" Nellie cried. "What's going on?"
"Happy belated birthday, Nellie!" said Kirsten and May.
"Sorry we're late," Mini Kit said, "but we wanted to surprise you!"
"And you did!" Nellie said.
"But I didn't want anyone to go to any trouble," Nellie continued.
"Pssst," Kirsten stage-whispered. "It's not very hard to start a DVD playing."
"'Enchanted' is your favorite movie, right?" Mini Kit asked.
"Well, yes," Nellie said, "but I'd be just as happy just spending time with everyone."
"We can do that after the movie," May suggested.
Nellie remembered that movies from the 1920s were usually black and white, with just music and no voices. She decided that May would enjoy seeing modern special effects. And so they settled in.
"This is a swell film," May said, "but, well, it seems a bit impractical. I'm surprised that you like it, Nellie, when the characters are so unrealistic."
"Of course I like it!" Nellie said. "It has cleaning and sewing and Miss Giselle is so...so..."
"Pretty?" Kirsten asked.
"Brave?" Mini Kit offered.
"Insane?" May raised an eyebrow.
"No!" Nellie said. "She's so nice and good and kind! She sees the best in everyone!"
"Maybe, but Pip's better," Kirsten mumbled.
They all enjoyed the movie, and when the bonus features came up automatically, they watched those too. When the DVD finally ended, they found...
"Chocolate pie!" Nellie cried. "With spoons for everyone!"
Kirsten grimaced. "You mean we have to share?"
"Don't you like sharing dessert, Miss Kirsten?" Nellie asked. "It's so much fun! And we'll each be consuming at least 66% fewer grams of fat!"
"Hurry up and eat, Kirsten," May said, "or there won't be any left for you."
So Kirsten tried some.
"Don't things taste better when you share them with people you love?" Nellie asked.
"They taste best if I have my own piece of pie," Kirsten grumbled.
When they finished, the plate and spoons were whisked away like magic.
"Now we can have some time to visit!" Nellie said.
"May," Kirsten said, "why don't you tell Nellie your life story?"
"What?" May asked.
Kirsten winked.
"Oh!" May said. "Riiiiight! My life story!"
"Well," she continued, "my father works in a dining car on the railroad. He met my Mama on the train--she was a maid in the sleeping cars."
Nellie smiled. "That's sweet!"
Kirsten tried to remain unnoticed as May continued her story.
And then...
"Surprise!" Kirsten said.
"I've got your present!" Kirsten said.
"Present?" Nellie asked. "Miss Kirsten...is it invisible?"
"No, it's behind me!" Kirsten said. "Come on!"
"You really didn't need to get me anything," Nellie said.
"We all worked together on it," Kirsten replied.
"What is that?" Nellie asked, eyes wide.
"That Cheap Lady and the rest of us worked together to make it for you!" Kirsten said.
"Oh...my," Nellie murmued. "This is so beautiful! I don't--I mean--are you sure that Miss Cheap Lady didn't mean to send it away to anyone else?"
"Don't be silly," May said.
"You're the closest thing to a princess we'll ever see here," Kirsten said.
"Hey!" Mini Kit said, motioning to her own princess dress.
Kirsten didn't apologize.
"Are...are you sure, Miss Cheap Lady?" Nellie asked.
"Of course!" I replied. "You're a very special doll and you deserve a very special dress. Now put it on!"
Like magic....
...Nellie slipped into the dress!
"Yay!" Mini Kit said. "Another princess! Not nearly as adventurous as me, and she's clearly 'new money,' but still!"
"You look spiffy!" May said.
"Yeah, you look a lot better than Mini Kit," Kirsten said.
Mini Kit glared. To try to prevent a fight, I said, "Nellie, why don't you pose for some pictures?"
Nellie obliged.
Nellie shivered. "Oh dear. You don't think I'm going to turn vain, do you?"
"I doubt it," May said.
"You're all the best!" Nellie said....
...and she caught them all in a hug!
"Thank you again, everyone!" Nellie said as the party broke up.
The other girls, however, didn't look nearly as good as Nellie.
"Look on the bright side," Mini Kit said, smoothing her hair. "They sometimes say that dolls with messy hair have been well-loved."
"I think I've been getting too much love lately," May muttered.
On to 12.24.08