Susan's Kitchen

Today I am greeting you from Susan's kitchen.

Actually, it's the Hazelnuts' kitchen, but Susan is a homemaker and mother, so she spends a lot of time there.

Have you ever wondered why you have never met Ralfie Hazelnut's family? That is because, I am ashamed to admit, the poor little squirrel didn't have one.

Well he did have a family, but only in my mind. I only came around to purchasing the Sylvanian Families squirrel family a few months ago. That is why, until now, you have always seen Ralfie alone (living through some dangerous adventure) or spending the afternoon with sister Rona (who came with a Japanese room set), for instance at the Snoopy Café.

Cousin Joey is currently living with the Hazelnuts. One of his daily chores is to put away the clean dishes. He is dancing wildly while placing a yellow plate into a drawer. 

Dave Hazelnut catches him in the act and clears his throat loudly. 

"Ahem. Joey!! Pleeease tidy away the dishes in one piece!"

"Ooops... Sure uncle Dave. Sorry!" Joey mumbles.

Rona is standing next to the rack, stretching her paws with all her might.

"Can... not... reach," she groans.

"A smart person doesn't need to be tall," she says, while sliding a kitchen chair next to the rack.

"Got it!" she exclaims with the Rilakkuma pencil finally inside her paw.

Then she sits down at the table and hollers, "Has anybody seen my notepad??"

"No, dear!" Dave and Susan reply.

Meanwhile Joey is receiving his twentieth telling-off today. He's just that sort of squirrel that's always jittery and nosy and with his head in the clouds.

"What are you doing with our fine wine glass, Joey? Please put it back onto the counter."

Ralfie and his Mom are smooching each other on the nose. Susan is Ralfie's favourite squirrel in the world.  He loves his Mom and sees her as a role model, as she is always friendly and never afraid of anything.

Underneath the table are the Hazelnuts' two pet ducks Itsy and Bitsy, swimming in circles inside their little tub.

"Okaaay," cheers Rona from her chair a few moments later. "Got the duck on my lap, found my notepad and I'm wearing my lucky bracelet. Now I can finally start to write my article like a true journalist."

 Susan has made Ralfie his favourite drink - chocolate milk.

But what in the world is Dave doing? He seems to be mixing carrots and orange juice inside a pot.

As you can see, everybody is busy doing something or watching somebody else.

Let me take a moment to tell you something about this beautiful set of glasses and bottle of delicious wine.

I purchased it recently from a museum of vintage toys inside a castle. Yes, you have heard correctly. How aswesome is that, huh?? A beautiful, renovated castle and it even has rooms full of toys inside! 

There was a little display cabinet next to the cash register with some miniatures for sale. When I saw this little set, I could not resist. It's made of real glas. And do you know what the best part is? Unfortunately one cannot see in the photos, but the bottle is actually filled with liquid!!!

"Can I have some of that juice, aunt Susan?" asks Joey. "That's not juice, that's wine," replies Dave. 

"But didn't you tell me earlier today that wine was made of grape juice?" Joey inquires. 

"Well, yes, but it also contains alcohol and that is not something underage squirrels are allowed to drink."

"Oooh..." Joey utters disappointedly. 

"I'll get you some apple juice instead, dear," says Susan.

Before long, Ralfie has finished his chocolate milk. Revitalized, he grabs the vacuum cleaner. It looks like a duck, which makes it all the more interesting to Itsy and Bitsy.

 "Mooom! Ralfie is vacuuming again!! He's a vacuumoholic..."

"Let'im do it," reponds Susan from the refrigerator. "He's good at it."

"Yeah, let him do it, Rona. At least his passion for the new duckson multi floor pro means our kitchen floor is always neat." 

(No, this blog post is not sponsored...)

So Ralfie and Bitsy waddle around the kitchen, while Itsy steals a ride on the hoovering brush.

Now we know what it looks like in Susan's kitchen. Hope you enjoyed your stay.

I never thought I'd feel this happy to see Ralfie with his parents, sister and cousin. But he is, after all, one of my favourite Riversiders.

Have a pleasant evening and maybe enjoy a glass of wine. (Unless you are underage - then have some delicious apple juice with Joey.)

HAVE A GREAT WEEK and TAKE CARE. 

HUGS AND KISSES FROM the HAZELNUTS and ME.

💖

Welcome, Hippolina!

Today Hippolina is coming to stay with Mother, Father, my brother Paul and I. In case you didn't know, my name is Portia Peachblossom. 

Dad has told us to not be nervous, that Hippolina is probably more nervous about her stay than we are and if we're nervous, she'll get nervous and then we'll all feel especially nervous and... you get the picture. 

That is why we are gathered in the living room acting normal.

Father has prepared everything for our tea.  

Paul is telling his penguin a penguin story, Mother is cross-stitching and I am multitasking. I am stroking our cat Aster with one hand and putting a beautiful pink necklace around my sheep's head with the other while telling it to behave. My sheep can get very naughty around visitors.

Suddenly the doorbell rings.

We all jump up and gather around facing the front door. 

"I'm so excited, I've never had a sister before!" Paul cries out. 

"You numpty!" I hiss at him, "What about ME??" 

"Aw Portia, you know what I mean - of course I have a sister, but we've never had a test sister before, have we?

Paul is right about that. I am so excited to have another girl in the house from now on. I can't wait to give Hippolina a welcome hug.

But trust the parents to be all patient and grown-uppy and to really take their time welcoming each other first. *sigh*  
In come Teresa Babblebrook and little Toby and the mothers exchange hugs and kisses.

Troy Babblebrook and Hippolina enter the living room behind them. Hippolina is wearing a pretty blue dress with pink and white flowers on it.

"Hello Hippolina!" I say, "How was your trip to Africa? You've got a lovely tan!"

Hippolina smiles at me and says, "It was awesome and thank you. You are the first to notice." 
And then she blushes a little, so I am feeling really good about myself and like I have broken the ice with her already,

when all of a sudden she turns around and leans into Troy Babblebrook. 

And when I think things can't possibly get any worse, she starts crying the most enormous tears I have ever seen another person cry.

"There, there," says Teresa and the Babblebrooks lean in for a group hug with Hippolina in the middle.  What is going on??

"Don't worry, children, it's just hard for her to say goodbye," Mother whispers to Paul and me, as if she were reading my mind.

The Babblebrooks leave because they don't want to postpone the inevitable and Hippolina gets a huge mother bear hug from my mother Orangine. Paul has suddenly pushed himself in front of me, so I contemplate pinching his dumb little tail in revenge, but then I think of my sheep doll and I stop myself. I have to set a good example.

Paul hugs Hippolina

  

and then it is finally my turn to give her my first test-sister-embrace.

After all the hellos and goodbyes and the crying and welcoming, Mother takes Hippolina by the hand and leads her to our comfy sofa. Aster joins her immediately and looks at her curiously.

"Oh Aster," I say jokingly, "have you never seen a hippo before?" (She probably hasn't...)

Dad is preparing our drinks.

Paul and I fetch something to eat 

and Mother chooses something for Hippolina. The Babblebrooks have told her she likes brioche with strawberry jam.

"I do hope you enjoy our homemade iced tea," says Patrick, our father. 

"Oh yes, thank you, I like it very much," replies Hippolina in a very well-mannered way. "In fact," she adds, "iced tea is my favourite drink."

And then we all tuck in. 

Hippolina seems to be relieved at the kind of food we eat. I wonder what she has been fed at some of the other families' houses?

I realise we should have test siblings over more often, since Mother and Father have made a special effort with our meal and we don't usually have muffins and brioche and puff pastries for tea...

Paul feeds his penguin another toy salmon.

And another one. 

(Well, actually, it's the same one.)

Hippolina seems to have a healthy appetite.

Mother has already finished and is having her belly massaged by Aster.

There is no food left on the dining room table - oh yes, a white chocolate muffin. Do you want it?

Hippolina and I draw some pictures and Paul listens to our conversation while cuddling the cat.

"I like your flower," Hippolina tells me. 

"Your bear looks good too," I reciprocate, after looking at her sketch. 

"Thanks," says Hippolina, "it is a picture of you."

After a while Hippolina stands up on top of a sofa cushion and looks at the family photos on our wall.

"I wonder whether I'll ever take pictures like that with a family of my own," she sighs.

"Of course you will, Hippolina! You just wait and see. You'll have at least one photo with every family you've ever tested, I'm sure, and then countless pictures with the family where you decide to stay! That's more family photos than we could even fit onto this wall!" I explain enthusiastically and Hippolina gives me a wide and happy smile.

THANK YOU FOR READING THIS STORY!

GREETINGS FROM HIPPOLINA AND THE PEACHBLOSSOMS AND

HAVE A FANTASTIC WEEK.

🍮 🍩 🍹 🍪 🍹 🍩 🍮