(A familiarly gruff, 40's something Librarian, her high heels clicking louder than usual, her face contorted with exasperation, enters her office, dragging a panic stricken young girl, whom she drops into the wooden chair before her enormous desk. The Librarian goes around to the front of the desk and so forcefully pulls out her desk drawer that it crashes onto the floor, papers and pens flying everywhere. She grabs her too - big notepad and a pen out of the clutter and slams down into her own padded chair before her desk, huffing and puffing. Librarian glares at her victim in the wooden chair over her gold rimmed glasses and seems to be almost growling under her breath. Sitting wide-eyed before her, Grace tries to control herself as her teeth begin to chatter nervously.)
Librarian- (livid) I thought I'd had things under control after I had Katherine in here last week, but oh, no! Such deception! Grace Avender, I cannot believe your blog still exists what with your running it amuck! If your blog represented a foundation for a house being built- it would have been built on sand! SAND!! SAND I tell you!
Librarian- Such goings on! And what do you possibly have to say for yourselves this time?? Well? Anything??
Librarian- (pointing) Ha! I knew it! I knew you'd feign innocence as your sister did! (Mocking) "I don't understand! I'm just a dainty little flower without a care in the world!" Well, wake up, sister! You've been found out!
Librarian- Well, let me enlighten you, Missy, as it seems that you and your sister need a lot of it these days! My new assistant, Sidney heard over the bug that I had planted in your kitchen (Grace's eyes go wide and she stops crying) that you and Katherine had a party for Katherine's birthday, and entered a Cookie Exchange/Contest a few weeks ago, and - and before that went to see two musicals! Two! Not one two!
Librarian- Yes, I did! Someone had to keep an eye on things and make sure you were posting regularly on the blog about what was happening in your lives! And it was a good thing I did for now I can plainly see that you both have not!! What is the meaning of your not giving full detail of these events to your subscribers??? Aren't you supposed to share things like this? Well, AREN"T YOU??
Grace- (speechless) Uh....I....
Librarian- (leaning her head on her hand) I thought as much! Now, (slams ruler down, making Grace jump again), the detail, the details, the DETAILS! (prepares to take notes)
Librarian- Stop mumbling, girl and spit it out! WHAT was this party that you had for Katherine??
Grace- Uh, well, we had some friends over and had a Hallmark Movie Watchathon party!
Librarian- (sighing in disgust) What will this generation think of next? (clears throat) And?
Grace- (trying to be brave) Well, uh, uh, k- Katherine picked out some f-f- favorite Hallmark movies, and we invited a few g-girls over and watched the movies and had snacks.
Librarian- (pausing) Did you and Katherine make the snacks?
Grace- Yes
Librarian- (rolling her eyes) And where are the pictures? You just keep on digging a deeper hole for yourselves don't you?
Grace- W-We have a video of us making
one of the snacks.
Librarian- (a bit appeased) Well, that's something. Now, what was the menu?
Grace- We made Cherry Cheesecake dip, Mozzerella Basil Pockets, Cream Cheese Pinwheels, and Hot Chocolate with whipped cream.
Librarian- (licking lips while writing) Good. And what were some of the movies you watched?
Grace- Well, "Bridal Wave" was one, and we also watched "Becoming Ms. Bennet".
Librarian- (looking over her glasses at Grace) Were they good?
Grace- Oh, Katherine loves them.
Librarian- But you don't?
Grace- (hesitatingly) I like Bridal Wave pretty well. I- I'm just not much for Hallmark movies, personally.
Librarian- I see. Alright, next! (flips page on pad) The Cookie Exchange. Explain the rules.
Grace- (gaining more confidence) Well, each person is to make 7 dozen cookies----
Librarian- (shocked) Seven dozen?
Grace- Yes. Mamma, Katherine and I each made 7 dozen. Mamma made Goose Feet, Ka--
Librarian-(confused) Goose feet?
Grace- Yes, they are like a puff pastry type of cookie that's pressed in sugar and folded into quarters so it kind of resembles a goose's foot.
Librarian- I see. (continues writing) Go on.
Grace- Um, I made Chocolate Macarons with a Cream Cheese filling, and Katherine made Butter Cookies which she decorated to look like vintage suitcases.
Librarian- Good, that's good. Do you have any pictures of those? Oh, yes that's right. (presses intercom on her desk) Sidney, did you get those photos developed?
Sidney- (over intercom) Yes, Ma'am.
Librarian- Well, bring them in.
Sidney- Yes, Ma'am.
Librarian- (turning attention back to Grace) Well, at least we have those.
Grace- (confused) What pictures does he have?
Librarian- Yes, I thought you'd be asking that next. Well, my dear, when Sidney told me that he heard about this cookie exchange and the baking/ decorating going on over the bug, I sent him over to snap whatever he could! I tell you, you girls certainly aren't very observant if you didn't even notice a strange young intern with a camera outside your window!
(Grace's jaw drops)
Librarian- (noticing her disbelief) Yes, I've surprised you, haven't I? Well, maybe next time, you'l remember to take your own pictures.
(A knock sounds at the door and at the Librarian's answer it opens and lets in a young man, about 19, his brown hair slicked back, wearing a pressed navy suit coat over his white collared shirt, and blue jeans.)
Librarian- (smiling) Ah, Sidney, you have the pictures?
Sidney- (walking over and handing them to her) Yes, Ma'am.
Librarian- (looking them over) Well done, Sidney. Yes, these will do. Here, sit down. (offers Sidney a chair next to hers) Now, Grace, what happened next?
Grace- (still in shock) Next?
Librarian- Yes, next! Get with the program! (snaps her fingers across the desk making both Grace and Sidney jump) The cookie exchange! Were there anymore rules besides bringing seven dozen?
Sidney- (shocked) Seven Dozen?
Librarian- I couldn't believe it either. This better turn out well.
Grace- We um, had to bring each dozen packaged separately. As well as being a cookie exchange it was also a cookie contest and you were judged according to taste, presentation, and creativity etc.
Librarian- So how did you all package your cookies?
Grace- Well, since Mamma made GooseFeet cookies--
(Sidney goes pale)
Librarian- (noticing) Don't worry, it's just the way it looks.
(Sidney looks only a little relieved)
Grace- She packaged her cookies in decorated boxes which had goose printed fabric on them. For mine we used boxes made from paper plates that we painted and then after the cookies were put inside, I wrapped the whole box with clear cellophane and tied it with string. Since Katherine's cookies were decorated like suitcases, she kept with the travel theme and placed each dozen in a shallow open box with brown paper netting and raffia. And then she placed a personalized vintage ticket in each box.
Librarian- (nodding in approval while writing) So what other kinds of cookies were there at the exchange?
Grace- Well, there were multiple kinds of Ginger cookies, and there were lemon cookies, coffee chocolate cookies, chocoloate chip cookies, mint cookies, pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, etc, etc. There were also these beautifully decorated leaf cookies that had the variegated fall colors on them.
Librarian- Anything else worth noting?
Grace- Katherine won a prize for most creative and best packaging.
Librarian- (excited) Oh, now that's something! That's wonderful! (hurriedly writes on) Alright! Now, onto the plays you went to see. What plays were they?
Grace- We went to see Little House on the Prairie The Musical, and Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.
Librarian- And how were they?
Grace- Very good. We'd never seen Little House before and it was excellent! It starts out when Laura is a little girl and follows the story up till her and Almanzo's wedding! They had this amazing scene where Almanzo is racing his horses up against another man and their both facing the audience, their hands stretched out holding imaginary reins, and you totally felt like you were transported right there! And then later in the play, when Almanzo is driving Laura back and forth from her teaching post to home to visit, they are both sitting in this imaginary wagon and "driving". The actors playing Almanzo and Laura both put on such incredible facial expressions and portrayed such believable concern and elation when the other was "driving" too fast. They both had amazing voices and their love song was so so good! Unfortunately no one has recorded a soundtrack of this play.
Librarian- (getting caught up in the excitement despite herself)- Really? (clears throat, pretending she wasn't interested after all) And the next musical?
Grace- Seven Brides for Seven Brothers? We went to a theatre we'd never been to before and it was great! Seven Brides is one of our favorite plays and so we were looking forward to it very much. Each of the brothers' acting was spot on, and they were so talented and entertaining to watch! Frank was my favorite out of the brothers. His glowering looks, and the hard, tough, crusty exterior he put on was mastered to perfection! Gideon was also equally talented. Katherine and I think his voice was by far the best out of everyone! Um, what else? Oh, and the actors who played Adam and Millie both did an extremely good job, and worked very well opposite each other. Turns out, the actors playing them were actually married in real life, so that was very neat!
Librarian- (hurriedly writing) That is interesting. (Sidney nods in agreement)
Grace- It was a very good play!
Librarian- (finishes notes) Well, that's that! (thrusts pad into a surprised Sidney's hands and then folds hands on desk, turning dead serious, staring at Grace) Now, I hope that this will not be continued in future, Miss Grace.
Grace- (becoming nervous again) What will not be continued?
Librarian - (painfully patient)- You and Katherine's incompetence to post such special goings on as these last four we've just discussed, that's what! Honestly, how is this young generation going to survive?
(Sidney looks hurt and Librarian notices)
Librarian- (pats Sidney's hand) Don't worry- you are a diamond in the ruff! (turning back to Grace) This young lady however
is the rough, at least for the time being unless she improves herself! Well? Any worthy excuse to explain the incompetence?
Grace- Um, not really?
Librarian- I suspected as much. Well, go on, Sidney will show you out. I'll type this up and Sidney will send it out after he adds in the photos. Still, I'm not sure if it will be enough to pacify the subscribers enough to stop their inevitable un-subsciption! I was only
just in time to placate their wrath last time!
Grace- (surprised) Wrath?
Librarian- (Matter of fact)- Wrath.
Grace- (shocked)
Wrath?
Librarian- (shouting) WRATH, GIRL, WRATH!
(Sidney startles at her shouts and he and his chair crash to the floor)
Librarian- (standing) Sidney, get her out before I have a nervous break down.
Sidney- (scrambling to his feet) Y-y- yes, ma'am. Th-this way, Miss Grace.
(Grace and Sidney run for the door)
End of scene--
~ Gallery ~
Making Fried Basil Mozzarella Pockets for Katherine's Hallmark Watch-a-thon!
Katherine rolling out her cookie dough for the exchange!
Katherine made her own "stacked suitcase" template, using an online tutorial as her guide.
The decorating is done!
Katherine came up with her packaging about 15 to 20 minutes before leaving and she won a prize for it! Cheers to the procrastinators of the world! 'Score 1 for the sloth!'
Mamma's decorated boxes for her lovely Geese Feet cookies!
Grace's finished paper plate boxes with her Chocolate Macarons!
Everyone was supposed to bring 7 dozen cookies: 1 doz. to share and 6 to exchange. Between the 3 of our entries, we came home with 18 DOZEN COOKIES!!!!
Well, that's all folks!
Our apologies once again for being tardy blog posters!
Love,
Katherine & Grace
