Shelley, Bride of Frankendecken ~ Journal

[gregory]

She sat in a window alcove to show how decorative she could be, and flaunted herself in as many places as she could manage. To be honest I got a bit fed up with her showing off, but she just kept saying she was SPECIAL and wouldn't be With Me For Long, and I would be Sorry When She Left.

Which was a fair point, so I let her get away with it all.

In the end she allowed that although it was TECHNICALLY a manor house, it was pretty much a castle. This, I suspect, was because of her Throne... The high spot of her visit, I fear.

[gregory]

It seems Shelley is fond of yellow, and when we got back to the car park, More Photos were demanded. At which point she realised that my car was positively filthy, and swore a bit about it.

Which it was actually.

She hummed and hawed, but in the end decided that if she had to recline on a filthy car to record herself for posterity, so be it.

[gregory]

So as I had to go to the post office the next day, she made me deal with the car.

[gregory]

Tonight was book club. She insisted on coming along. To her horror there were more flags in Allendale, but still.

"Can I sit on the table when we get there ?" she asked.

"No," I said. "Firstly some people won't understand about tarot, and secondly I bet you haven't read the book."

"That's true," she said sadly. "But can I meet some of your friends ?"

"If you're good, I will introduce you."

So afterwards, I did.

On the way home, she said she did think our landscape was rather - bleak.... She has a point.

[gregory]

On Shelley's last day, she suddenly remembered that Frankie had helped (NOT) to lay a driveway. Had we anything like that going on ? So she could tell him ?

"Well," I said, "He is digging out some drainage..."

"I want to SEE...."

So she did. And she also had a look at some sheep.

And then - as she said - I hadn't read with her at all.

"But it has been one hell of a week," I said, "and you know I haven't felt able to read for anyone."

"Can I PLEASE just pop out one card for you ?" she begged. And because she so wanted to be kind - I said OK.

Shelley isn't stupid. It totally summed up the mess of my week

[gregory]

And so the end. She slid gently back into her bag and I packed her up (I did remember to sign the card. Just !)

And we went up to the post office with the defective camera I had to return as well. And the postmaster weighed her and stuck things on her packet, and put her in his bag. And I heard a wicked cackle.

"You didn't," I muttered - and the postmaster looked at me strangely.

She did. I TOLD her she couldn't take that feather with her. But somehow she must have sneaked it in her bag when I wasn't looking, I guess. Oddity will have to look....

Bye, Shelley, Fly well.

[Oddity]

(just a placeholder for Shelley's Stockholm visit, story will be added later this week)

[Oddity]

(placeholder number two)

[Oddity]

(and number three.)

[NorthernTigress]

Shelley's Trip to Edmonton, Day 1

Today, I was out at R-T's place, helping her with her housework as I do every Thursday, when I got a phone call. It was from my husband. “Just wanted you to know that you got a parcel from Sweden. It's waiting for you on your chair.” I said “Thanks”, and then I sat there and thought Sweden? Sweden? And then I remembered – Oddity, and Shelley! I was excited, but I couldn't just rush home. So I finished my work, did a little visiting, and then took the subway home.

When I arrived home, there was a very large, very green envelope sitting on my chair. Yes, I have a chair. It's mine. No one else sits on it. It's the only thing I asked for from my parent's estate. I came home, and the Big Green Envelope was on my chair. I didn't know what to do. At first, I couldn't even make myself open the Big Green Envelope. I just moved it off the chair, and turned on my laptop. The first thing I did was sign into Aeclectic, and find the Shelley threads. I posted in the “Shelley's Progress” thread. And then I posted in the “Shelley Chat and Help” thread. And all the while, the Big Green Envelope was sitting there, staring at me impatiently.

Finally, I couldn't take the silent accusations anymore, so I tore open the envelope. And I really mean that I Tore the envelope. I quickly discovered that padded envelopes in Sweden are not padded with bubblewrap, nooooo. They contain some kind of fluffy grey material that I assume is shredded paper. When I was pulling hard on the glue that sealed the envelope, the paper itself ripped, and said grey fluff flew in all directions. It got on my clothes. It got on my laptop keyboard. I'm pretty sure some of it got up my nose. After that fit of violence, I very carefully took the contents out. A compact bundle wrapped in bubble wrap, protected front and back by cardboard. I opened the bubblewrap carefully. Some of you may know that I have a history with bubblewrap. I am sure that my husband will find my bubblewrap and confiscate it. In the meantime, I have not yet indulged in any popping.

The first thing I saw was the bag itself, which is quite lovely. I am ashamed to say the first thought that popped into my head was “I want it.” But I am not the type of woman to leave a Lady homeless, especially when she has been travelling. I do love the bag though. It is wonderfully eclectic (and I suppose Aeclectic too) as every piece of patchwork should be, but also elegant in its own way. I opened up the pack, and slid out the contents. First thing I saw was the little black feather mentioned by Gregory and Oddity. It does have that “smuggled in” feeling to it. Next I saw the Signature Card, which I was pleased still had room for my name on it. Then I noticed a little tag, and wondered what it might be. A bookmark? I pulled on the tag, and out popped “Igor” -- a smiling little green haired companion, keeping her safe in her travels. Igor's smile is quite infectious.

Finally, I found the time to inspect all the cards. Shelley was all decked out (so to speak, laugh) and happy to be seen. She's so beautiful, so wonderful. I paused briefly in surprise when I found two “Two of Swords” and then I checked somewhat frantically to see if anything was missing. I counted cards more than an MIT student in Vegas. But all was well. Then I went online and learned that the double was on purpose. I think Shelley giggled a bit at that.

I have to admit that I'm a little sad. If she had arrived just a week earlier, I could have shown Shelley all the chaos and craziness that is the International Fringe Theatre Festival. But the Fringe is over, so now I must decide where Shelley and I can go, and what we can do...