July 20, 2011

Dear Fauna & Faunette,

 I would like to invite you both to join the Gypsy Belles on Accordion Day on Friday, August 5th.  If I don't bring an accordion for you, could you possibly sing for us?

We are playing at the Top Hat at 11:30, but you don't have to be there for that if you don't have time.  However, we will be having High Tea at 12:30 at the Twisted Sisters and we'd like you both to join us.  I know that reservations must be made ahead of time (by July 29th) as the owners need to bring in supplies.  Oh, of course you can bring Lynne and John with you.  If this isn't possible, then we will be playing from 1:30-2:30 at the Twisted Sisters, and you can join us at that time.  Afterwards we'll be playing at the Book Nook.  I hope you both can join the Gypsy Belles (and of course Lynn and John!)

 LuvJonesy

~~   Fauna & Faunette - Going to a Picnic   ~~

We're going to a picnic at Gloria's house today and I'm so excited because Barb Jones will be there.  I haven't seen her since the day I came here.  I hope she remembers me.   We're both sporting lace today.  I hope that's what people wear to a picnic.  I don't want to feel out of place.  There will be lots of other women there, some from Victoria.  The guys are staying home to look after the babies today.
 

          Well, I was right!  I saw Spike and Faunette working on a nest and knew this was going to happen.  Oh well, perhaps it's a good thing for Rico.
  He will have a playmate.
 

I guess Frederico and I will have to babysit the egg for them
once in awhile so they can get away to eat.

But this is taking the spotlight away from me.  I don't know about that!

January 18, 2011

 Our baby has left the shell and is enjoying the carriage that Alice sent.
 Frederico is still celebrating.  I tried to pry the wine away from him but it wasn't budging.
 He insists that the baby be named after him, Frederico Jr., and he does look a lot like him so I gave in,
 but I call him Rico for short.  He's much too little for a big name like Frederico Jr.

January 2, 2011

January 1, 2011

December 11, 2010

Dear Fauna,
 We would like to send our Congratulations to you and Frederico!....looking forward to the new baby!
 Jonesy & Ken

December 10, 2010

Hold onto your hats everyone.  I think I've laid an egg and just when I was was having the time of my life with Frederico.  Who knew this would happen!   Wait until Hank & Donald in California hear about it.

Some birdies must have been whispering about me already, because a "friend" sent me a baby carriage and a message in the card said "First comes love, then come marriage, then comes Fauna with a baby carriage. Let me know when the egg hatches."  Lynne says it came from Florida, where Faunette came from.   Those humans are always up to something.

But then Holly is partly to blame 'cause she brought me Frederico.  I just hope Lynne is okay with it and I don't lose my job here because life is getting very interesting around this place.

November 20, 2010 -

The day that Holly came to the B&B with Frederico & Spike.  She know what girls need!

          
When Frederico looks up at me with those big eyes, I just want to crack open the wine and party.  When will those humans go to bed and turn out the lights?

           
Alice, no one warned me how cold it gets up here in the North.  Thanks for sending me the warm scarf and hat.  Spike wants to curl up in it too.  Isn't he just the cutest thing you every saw?
 

November 19, 2010 - "What's with all of these holidays?  I know I'm from California but I wish Lynne wouldn't make me wear this silly hat for the US Thanksgiving.  I'm in Canada now, and I'm a Diva.  What's with these silly outfits.  I pray she doesn't take me out, because people in Chemainus call me the Fashion Diva.  They wouldn't understand this, but I guess I have to humor those American tourists that come to the B&B.

  I do have a job to do!"

 October 31, 2010 -I'm so glad summer in the B&B is over so Lynne has time to pay me a some attention again.  All work and no play makes Fauna a dull chick.  Not that dressing up for Halloween is glamorous but it is a lot of fun. Faunette has a treat bag.  Sure hope people understand what she wants when she says "tweet".  Maybe she'll share with me.

I had to return my accordion to Jonesy, but Faunette got to keep hers, so she can still practice up for next year.  Faunette needed more practice than me anyway.  Jonesy is going to teach us some new songs next time we get together.  Some of her songs can only be sung in the backyard though, I don't know where she learned them, sure wasn't from her Mother.

August 7, 2010 - Chemainus Accordion Festival

Such excitement in Chemainus this weekend...there was an accordion festival.  Accordion players and bands came to Chemainus from all over and played on the streets, in cafes, and they planned to have a concert in the park on Sunday.

Faunette and I were so excited to be going out to see them and Lynne told us that Jonesy and Ken from Victoria were coming too.   Jonesy plays the accordion too and she brought her accordion with her and .... she brought an accordion for both of us!   We were so excited because now we would not only see them but be part of the festival.

 I vaguely remember tickling the ivories with my feathers a long time ago, but an accordion is like a sideways piano!...and you have to remember to pull it in and out.  We practiced and practiced, and when I started singing, the darn garden egret started to sing and she was a bit off key!  We sat on the porch of the B&B and as passersby heard us, they even applauded.  We knew we had done real good!

We were ready to hit the big time!

Saturday arrived and we were ready for our debut!  Because it rained (for the first time in 6 weeks!) the concert was held in the Church Hall instead of the Park Bandshell.  They didn't have our names on the program, but we wowed everyone with our harmonizing!  We even had Lynne and Jonesy up dancing!  What great fun it was!

Jonesy, thank you for giving us our first accordions and helping us to play.

July 25, 2010

I was a wee bit put-out that I didn't go to Victoria to meet Molly Cromwell and the miniaturists on the Alaskan cruise.  However, I understand that I might have met some people from 'my past', and so perhaps it was best that I didn't.  I was very pleased that Marie in CAMP had sent a 'portrait' hat of me to Lynne.  However, since it was supposed to be a replacement for the halo Lynne usually wears around here, I don't think Lynne was too pleased.  I thought that a flamingo hat was very pretty, and if it was in a smaller size, I would have scoffed it from her.  Perhaps there will be another opportunity to go to Victoria in the future {sigh}.  I haven't seen Jonesy since the day I arrived and she lives in Victoria so maybe one day I can go when Lynne goes to visit.

Canada Day & the 4th of July

Faunette got into the spirit too.

Wednesday Afternoon Market Day

  
 I didn't have money to buy anything but it felt good to get back amongst the flora.

June 16, 2010 - Karen's Uptown Bistro

Finally! I was able to top up my betacarotene levels. When Barb Jones visited here from California, she said that Karen's Uptown Bistro made the best carrot cake in the whole world so I knew that was the place to go if I wanted to keep my beautiful complexion.

And she was right, I can still taste it, drizzled in caramel sauce, and topped with nuts. Um-um! The restaurant was crowded so it must be a popular place to eat in Chemainus. All around me, the dishes coming from the kitchen smelled and looked so good, but I knew I needed to save my appetite for the carrot cake.

And the other diners kept looking and smiling at me, what a friendly place to eat.

June 10, 2010 - A guest from Washington came to stay at the B&B.  Lynne called her a Camper but I think her name is Cherie.  Cherie was very sweet and nice, but her friend, Judy, is more of a party girl I think.  I like to party too but I have to be more demure to keep up a good reputation for the B&B.

They all went to Victoria for the day where I heard them say there were 20,000 sailor boys in town celebrating.   I would have liked to go too but I think Lynne was afraid of taking me.  She said something about meeting up with Jonesy, another Camper Girl, and I guess they worried  there might not be enough sailors to go around for all of us.

And I'm always worried about running into people from Nevada or California whom I'd rather not know I'm here.  I did leave some good friends in California that I miss and would like to see them again, but I remember it was a very long car ride coming here and I can't fly.  Maybe they'll come back to visit sometime.
 

May 4, 2010 - From sunny California, USA to Chemainus CANADA, in the trunk of a car.  What a time I had, being stuffed into a suitcase, quite naked, and then brought into another country.  Hmph!!  The indignity of it all!  I could almost feel the colour draining from me from lack of betacarotene.  When I finally saw daylight I couldn't believe that I was in a man's workshop!  "Oh, dear" I wondered...is this a good thing or not?

I peeked as I was carried into the house, and oh, what a beautiful garden.  I truly hoped I could stay here.

 I was taken into a nice warm kitchen and ladies gathered around me, admiring my wardrobe as they unpacked my suitcase.  Well, it was about time I was appreciated!

I understood that this was to be my home and that my job would be to greet guests as they came into the Bed & Breakfast.  In return, I would be treated with the utmost respect.  That sounded wonderful to me, and I look forward to my adventures.

Then, a woman came in and was most insulting to me.  Hmph!...I don't think she'd look very good neither if she had been shunted around in a suitcase.  However, having been brought up with good manners, I kept my opinions of her to myself.  Thankfully, she wasn't one of the guests and soon left.....

May 12, 2010 - I am very happy in my new home.  I sit on a desk in the front hall and greet all the guests and anyone who comes in the front hall.  I've made so many new friends that often those coming in the back kitchen door come around to say hello.  Apparently I'm getting a reputation as a fashion diva in Chemainus!  I definitely need a new wardrobe as the weather is so much different here than in California.  I heard whisperings of some of Lynne's friends that they are planning to make new clothing for me!  I'm so excited about that!  I'm glad I don't have to wear a daily dull, drab uniform!

Speaking of clothing, although I'm not a mother, I heard of others buying a Mother's Day Gift for themselves.  I was feeling a bit chilly, and so indulged in a new outfit, and 'someone' gave me a diamond!!  I'm wondering if I have a secret admirer??  I'm not sure if it's a real diamond, but I sure do love that bling!

Some guests came today and they admired my outfit.  They asked if I was the Canadian version of the Brussels, Belgium tourist attraction, 'Mannekin Pis' fountain, where the 'peeing boy' changes his clothes every week.  Imagine!

This weekend I have been invited to an afternoon tea.  I think I may go shopping for a new outfit, as I want to make an impression on these small town people.  Not meaning to sound conceited, but they are impressed with this California gal!

C:  Oh, VERY nice Fauna....  You look more elegant than when I met you in California...but then California is very casual, isn't it?   
J:    Fauna, I think you're wonderful and will be a real asset to the B&B!

May 16, 2010 - My new friend, Nanny, invited me to a tea party at Twisted Sisters Tea House. Lynne's friend made me an outfit for the occasion and I was so excited to get out of the house. I do love my work at the Bed & Breakfast, but all work and no fun could make Fauna a dull "chick". There are a lot of things to see and do in Chemainus and I like to dress up and paint the town.

If you are in Chemainus and get a chance you should visit the Twisted Sisters Tea House or maybe not. It isn't called Twisted Sisters by chance. John warned me to pick a day when they've taken their medicine that morning or you may end up with tea where you don't expect it. I guess this was a good day because they seemed okay to me, but then how would I know?

Nanny introduced me to the sisters, Debra and Teresa, and picked a table by the window for us. She lives at the restaurant so she knows her way around the place. While we sipped our tea, Nanny told me about her charity work, raising money for the local food kitchen. I had heard that she is an Olympian but we didn't have time to talk about that today.

Teresa served the tea at the party from a fine china tea pot. Nanny chose Buckingham Palace Garden Party tea flavored with bergamot and jasmine for the occasion. She's had more experience than I in that field. Lynne has some special teas at the B&B, but I don't get to eat with guests there. John does, but not me. Go figure!

It wasn't a private party.  There were other guests at the restaurant too.  Debra was serving the lady at the next table a yummy dessert called Ginger Apple Cake with Caramel and her friend had Lemon Buttermilk Cake with Chocolate sauce. It looked so good and we were tempted but Nanny and I are still single and have to think about our figures while they probably don't worry about that anymore.

Nanny and Fauna, best friends forever.

Hello Fauna,

I wanted to say thank you again, for coming over for tea yesterday.  I enjoyed meeting you and know we will be good friends. It is also nice to meet more classy girls in the neighbourhood.  I forget to mention my hedgehogs name.  It is Pursy. I know that most elegant ladies carry a "purse dog", but I have always liked to be a bit different.

I agree with you on the "John thing".  It doesn't seem fair to me either.  Things can be a bit unfair around here as well.  They made me stand for almost three months over the winter, selling Christmas trees during the Christmas season and displaying my Olympic talents during the wonderful 2010 Olympics.  The fundraising does keep me busy.

The day they finally removed the stick from up my butt, and let me sit down, my real owner, Kate, came for a visit.  That put a smile back on my face.

I look forward to following your adventures on your blog.  And please do feel free to drop in for tea anytime.  Bring Lynne.  I liked her too.But don't bring that John fellow, he sounds like trouble.  Don't forget we are closed on Wednesdays.

Nanny

M:  Fauna, I love you! Your home is one of my favorites.