Queenie's Back!!

Many of you probably remember that Queenie took a trip a couple of months ago. A couple of days ago, she got back  from her trip, and even brought someone else with her! 

This picture is from today... It would seem I was right about those two getting up to trouble together... ;)

Naturally, everyone who was here got together for Queenie's homecoming. From the moment the postie handed me the box, I could hear high-pitched muffled laughter... definitely Queenie in there. 

We'd better get the box open, before we start getting headaches from all that impish giggling! Luckily, we have plenty of enthusiastic box opening assistants around here :)

Usually one of the guys does the opening, since many of them seem to have a propensity for sharp things... But, this time, Ruby decided to give box opening a go... except... she wanted to use her spoon....

Sigh... I just don't think it's going to work, Ruby.

But you're very pretty anyway :)

João didn't think a spoon would work either, so he brought... a fork... Queenie's fork, actually. He had gotten it out as soon as he heard the postie. Ruby wanted to know why a fork would be any better, so João set about trying to explain why... There was still laughter from the box.

Layne: Why are you two trying to open that with utensils anyway? She's got a box cutter over there. 

João: What're you talking about? Look here. See how sharp this fork is? Ruby can get the box open real easy with it. You watch.

Layne remains unconvinced. Ruby wonders if she should just keep trying to open it with her spoon. 

Sensing impending trouble (and a grumpy João) ... Hadley tries to get João to come sit with her, so that he doesn't get in an argument with someone about... six times his size ;) 

(Layne isn't actually very snarky, he just likes to mess with João because he knows it'll get João going)

Well, thankfully, he gave up his argument with Layne... but he started trying to persuade me instead, to the amusement of some of the others :) Evan suggested to Jamie that one of them just grab João so we could all get on with it. 

In the end, Hadley and Joel managed to remove João from the box top.

Ruby was a little disappointed that she couldn't use her spoon, but agreed that the box opener would probably make things go faster. I heard her discussing sharper spoons later with Aidan... oh dear.

Poor João got rather pouty. Hadley and Joel tried to console him and told him that the fork had been a good idea, but it wouldn't work on such a big box.

Layne: Want to open it now?

Me: Yep, let's do it. I can still hear her giggling in there. My head's starting to ache.

The spoils :) 

That double sealed silver parcel on top is Queenie ;) Fairyland  seem to be practiced in dealing with Queenies. Next to her in the little black box is about seven pairs of hands to add to my current crop... We have so many hands now :)

Aidan wanted to help open Queenie's box, and since he's got such nice long (pointy-ended) fingers, he's very good at it. Ruby was beside herself with excitement by this time. 

João was still grumpy. Joel told him he could be there to open up Queenie's box when Aidan had got it out of the wrapping. He said João could even be the one to give her back her fork, since he had been the one to get it out especially for her. 

Jamie and Hadley were inspecting the postcards that Fairyland sent.We have so many of those now, lol.

Layne was looking rather bored with holding on to Cora. (she was wiggling around a bit)

Evidently Layne was a bit tired of hanging on to small girls. He plopped Cora down and went to relax (elegantly) in front of the bookshelf and keep an eye on preoceedings from there. Cora didn't mind, even though she does fancy Layne. She wanted to help with things, too.

Joel was still trying to talk João around. João does not like being told he can't do something  ;)

Aidan finally got off the bubble wrap and the silver bag that kept Queenie... or everyone else... safe. He handed it over to João and settled back with Evan and Jamie to watch from a safer distance.

And luckily, Queenie's bright red box proved to be an irresistible temptation for João, so he perked up and took things over again and got to be the one to open up her box! 

We were all very excited to see her again, though Cora was also keeping her distance. Queenie can laugh very loudly for such a little imp. 

Ruby, being almost too cute in her excitement and anticipation.

Annnnd.... it's Queenie! She even came wearing her headbow ;) ;) João and Cora were greatly impressed by that.

We are all so happy to see her again!

So... Queenie is different now (I knew she would be a bit), but I think maybe a little too different for me... they've changed the default faceup... I wish Fairyland had curled her corner eyelashes and not put quite so much pink stuff on her face ;) And painted outside her lips... and given her huge freckles... so I think I might try and get a slot with Andreja. I think she would be able to make Queenie look like Queenie :)

That's why I delayed posting her boxopening. I wasn't sure what I was going to do with her, lol. But it's all fine now that I've settled on a solution. 

Anyway, Ruby was checking to make sure it really was Queenie under all that paint. She wasn't going to let herself be fooled by a headbow.

We had all been so focused on Queenie, that we kinda forgot that there was another box there to be opened! 

Look! Another mischievous face! Perfect travelling partner for our Queenie. Definitely someone who will fit right in here!

Queenie had gotten back her fork and her tutu, and wanted to show them to her travel buddy, Ellis! But first she sat and had a mad cackle... it is Queenie, after all.

Eventually, she remembered that she wanted to show her fork to Ellis. She nattered on to him for a while before he reminded her that he'd like to get out of his box too. Queenie offered him a headbow.

Hooray! Ellis made it out of the box! I think that everyone wishes that Ellis would get dressed.... Except Joel, who is just being goofy ol' Joel... and Queenie... ditto ;)

Ellis did finally put on some clothes... and hair... and accessories, and promptly began trying to charm the laydeez... in this instance, me ;) It totally worked. I love him already!

(Actually, I see Hadley in the background looking interestedly at him, too... hm... better watch out, Joel!)

Queenie loves him, too. They apparently had an excellent time together on their way here. I can just see them getting up to no end of mischief (probably accompanied by a few others). Why do so many mischievous personalities keep coming to live here? 

You didn't think Queenie had forgotten about Layne, did you? Of course not. Queenie had plenty of stories to tell him about all her adventures while she was gone. They got more and more fanciful as she went on... Layne listened agreeably for a while, but when his ears started to ring from all the high pitched giggles that Queenie punctuates everything with, he decided to take action...

Ah yes, the jam drop. Perfect Queenie bait. And if the jam is sticky enough it glues her mouth shut for a while, too! Bonus!

Aww :)

That's all from us now!

Welcome back Queenie! And welcome home Ellis!