Meet the Woolly Alpaca family at Christmas time

Dear Reader,

I hope you had a wonderful Christmas Day!

I had intended to post this blog entry before Christmas but I haven't had time to finish it until now.

As I have already told you in other occasions, the Christmas holidays have just started in Spain so I hope you like to meet the Alpaca family and see what they are doing the days leading up to Christmas Day.

Sweet Berry Valley , as the rest of the towns and villages in Sylvania, is already in full Christmas spirit.

As it is tradition, a big Christmas tree stands in the main square next to the Christmas market.

This year the tree is decorated with beautiful stars. It is said that if families gather around the tree and wish upon one of these stars their dreams will come true.

One of the families who is gazing at the Christmas tree is the Woolly Apalca family. Although they moved to the Sweet Berry Valley several years ago, I haven´t had the opportunity to introduce them to you until now.

As Christmas is this family's favorite time of the year, I think it's a good time to see how they get ready to celebrate the festive season.

One cold and sunny day in late November, the Woolly family went out into the woods with their sleigh to find the perfect Christmas tree. The first snows had fallen in the village and it looked like  the residents of Sweet Berry Valley will have a white Christmas this year.

The Christmas tree is already decorated, as well as the rest of the Woolly´s home.

They are a very homey family and like to spend time in their living room, especially on cold winter days, so they have decorated it with care to make it as cozy and inviting as possible during the Christmas holidays.

Ariana loves knitting by the fireplace.Knitting is her favourite hobby. Now, she´s knitting a blanket for Gabriel, the baby of the family.

Gabriel can´t walk yet, he just crawls everywhere but he´s learning how to stand up with the help of his walker.

He has some toys scattered on the floor but what he likes to play with the most are his mother's balls of yarn.

Gabriel also enjoys playing with his sister Fiorella. Fiorella loves her little brother.

Now,Fiorella is writting a letter to Santa. She´s been a very good girl so she must be in Santa´s nice list.

She really hopes Santa brings her the dollhouse she saw in the window of the toy shop a few days ago.

André has been reading and now he´s just relaxing on the sofa drinking a cup of tea and eating Christmas cookies.

The smell of cinnamon and ginger spices of the cookies have filled their home with enticing festive aromas.Baking at Christmas is a whole family activity that everyone enjoys.

Fiorella likes to make the dough and knead it with a rolling pin.

When the cookies are baked, André takes them out of the oven.

They smell delicious!

Ariana is the one who puts the icing on the cookies.Firella and Gabriel watch in fascination how the cookies turn into snowflakes. André can´t wait for the cookies to cool before tucking in.Yummy!

Another activity they enjoy together is singing Christmas carols. They love music. André is very good at playing the flute and Arianna and Fiorella have lovely sweet and melodic voices. Gabriel can´t sing yet but he listens spellbound to his family.

On Christmas Eve,after singing trational Sylvanian carols, they play some of their favourite board games.

After the last game, Ariana brings out the crockery and cutlery for special occasions. She carefully polishes them for tomorrow's Christmas meal. Meanwhile, Andre and Fiorella  are preparing hot chocolate in the kitchen.

When the chocolate is ready, they snuggle up on the sofa to watch a Christmas movie. Watching a heartwarming movie on Christmas Eve while sipping hot chocolate and eating cookies is another of the Woolly´s family traditions.

Gabriel fell asleep shortly after the movie started. Fiorella was also very sleepy and went to bed before the movie ended. Before going up to her bedroom, she left a glass of milk and some cookies for Santa by the Christmas tree.

When the movie ended ,Ariana and André stayed on the sofa chatting for a while. André asked Ariana what she had wished for from the stars on the Christmas tree. Ariana replied that her family would always love each other and be as united and happy during the New Year as they were during the Christmas holidays.

No doubt that her wish will come true.

I also want to wish you Happy Holidays and may the New Year brings you good health, good luck and lots of happy moments to remember.

🌟I also hope all your dreams come true!🌟

I´d like to share with you the card the Woolly Alpaca family sent their friends and relatives to wish them Merry Christmas.

An appointment with Doctor Murdoch

Dear Reader,

This story begins with the last picture of the story "The Year of the Rabbit" . If you read that story you´ll probably remember the scene of an ocher rabbit lady entering the Blackurrant Café. I promised I would tell you more about her in a new story so this is what today´s story is about.Hope you enjoy it!

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After getting off the bus, the smell of freshly brewed coffee and pastries led Emily to the Blackurrant Café. After a long trip she needed a cup of coffee and something to eat to comfort her.

When she opened the door she was pleased to find a cozy and inviting atmosphere.

Kate welcomed her and offered her to sit at one of the tables.

Kate and Emily introduced themselves and chatted for a while.

Emily told her that she had come to Sweet Berry Valley because she had an appointment with Dr. Murdoch. 

Kate didn´t want to ask the reason for her appointment but she told her that Dr. Murdoch was a very good doctor and that she would be in good hands.

Kate gave her directions to the hospital and then asked her if she wanted something from the menu.Emily ordered a coffee with whipped cream and a cheese salad roll.

Shortly after,  Marion brought her order to the table.

Emily and Marion struck up a conversation and realized they had a lot in common. Marion wished her good luck and Emily told her that she would like to meet again soon.

Emily was glad she went into the Blackurrant Café instead of going straight to the hospital. Kate and Marion made her feel so comfortable and welcomed that she had the feeling that things would go well in Sweet Berry Valley.

When Emily finished her roll and her coffee, she followed Kate´s directions and arrived at the Country Hospital within minutes.

The waiting room was crowded. Emily said hello and then approached the reception desk.

The nurse at the reception desk is Brie Maces. She is the school nurse but after school and when the children are on vacation she helps out at the hospital. Sweet Berry Valley´s population has increased and the birth rate has gone up too so there are more patients to take care of. 

"Good morning. My name is Emily Nightingale and I have an appointment with Dr. Murdoch".

"Nice to me you Emily! Welcome to Sweet Berry Valley! Dr. Murdoch told me to let you into his office as soon as you arrived so please, follow me.He´s waiting for you".

Nelson Puddleford who overheard the conversation between Brie and Emily, stood up from his seat and approached them with an unfriendly face.

"Excuse me, but I think I heard that this young lady, who has just arrived, is going to see Dr.Murdoch without waiting for her turn. This is totally intolerable! Waiting for your turn is one of the rules that every good citizen must respect, just in case you didn´t know yet!.This incident should be reported to our police officer, Bobby Roberts!. I´ll take care of letting him know so that he can take the appropriate action on this matter".

Emily was so astonished that she was unable to utter a single word.

Just when Brie was about to give Nelson an explanation, Mrs. Chocolate confronted him.

"How dare you to question Dr.Murdoch´s decision?!You´re taking things too far, Nelson! Stop overreacting! If Dr.Murdoch wants this lady to come to his office, he must have his  good reasons for it.He knows what´s he´s doing.

By the way,a good citizen must also be kind and friendly.You should know that an important rule in our village is making newcomers feel warmly welcomed instead of threating them to report the police officer for intolerable behaviour!.

The commotion coming from the waiting room , made Dr.Murdoch come out

to see what was going on.

"What´s all the fuss about? He asked Brie in a calm voice.

Brie told Dr.Murdoch what had happened.

The first thing that Dr.Murdoch did was to greet Emily and give her a warm welcome.

Then, he talked to Nelson to try to calm him down and ,apparently,he  succeeded in doing so.

When the waiting room became quiet again, Dr.Murdoch took Emily to his office.

The reason for Emily's visit to the hospital was to work there as a nurse. 

A few weeks ago Dr.Murdoch phoned his older brother, who is a prestigious proffessor at the Sylvania Medical School,to ask him if he knew any good nurses who were looking for a job.

"You´re in luck, brother! I know someone who has experience as a nurse and has also studied two courses to become a doctor. She´s hard-working, kind,caring and totally reliable.Undoubtely,she´s one of the best nurses I have ever met.

Dr.Murdoch trusted his brother´s opinion completely so when Emily got in touch with him, he offered her a job.

A week later Emily arrived at Sweet Berry Valley.She was looking forward to getting started in her new job.

"I have my uniform in my suitcase. I can start working right now, if that´s OK with you". 

Dr.Murdoch was pleasently surprised that Emily was so eager to get to work.

Emily changed her clothes and Dr.Murdoch introduced her to Clarice who had just checked on a baby kitten born a few days ago.Clarice was delighted to have a co-worker.

Clarice ,who has been working closely with Dr.Murdoch for a long time, suggested to him that it was necessary to hire someone else.The number of patients was increasing and there was a high workload for the two of them.

After meeting Emily, Clarice went to the waiting room.

"Mrs. Grunt,it´s your kid´s turn.I´ll check Little and Tiny".

"Mrs. Chocolate,you´re next. Dr.Murdoch will see you in a minute".

Nelson Puddleford got up from his seat in a fury.

"And what about my ducklins? I´m sick of waiting! I have to take stock at my shop!I´m a busy duck!I can´t be waiting here forever!"

"Please, calm down, Mr. Puddleford. It´s true that the appointments have been delayed for a short time, but don't worry. Your triplets will get their vaccines and you´ll be able to leave in a few minutes." Dr.Murdoch said, trying to calm down Nelson who was really upset.

Suddenly, Emily walked into the waiting room.

"I would like to introduce our new nurse Emily Nightingale" Dr. Murdoch said raising his voice

"Nice meeting you, Mr. Puddleford. Will you please come with me? I´m going to administer the vaccines to your kids".Emily told Nelson with her best smile.

Strangely enough, knowing Nelson´s personality, he apologized and even took off his hat.

"Well done, Nelson! You see, I was right.The doctor had his reasons for the lady to go in first.Let me give you some advice. You´re a young fellow so stop acting like a cranky old man.Behaving like this is not a good example for your kids.Don´t be so bitter!.On your way home, stop by my son´s cake shop and tell him I sent you.Please have something sweet! It´s my treat."

Mr.Puddleford was about to tell her something he might later regret so this time he bit his tongue.Deep inside he knew Mrs. Chocolate had a point and he should change his attitude.His wife Beth has told him the same a thousand times.

Nelson was sorry he had overreacted. Emily's warm and friendly attitude made him become more relaxed and gentle. 

Maisy ,Sammy and Tom liked the new nurse very much.She made them laugh to keep them calm before giving them their vaccinations. 

Mr. Puddleford followed Emily and the triplets offered to helped her push the trolley to the nurse´s office.

Emily was ready and happy to start working at the Country Hospital.

Brie Maces called her husband Cecil, the village photographer, to  ask him to come to the hospital to take some pictures.

Here is Emily after her first working day. Everything went well. As strange as it may seem ,Nelson Puddleford congratulated her for giving the vaccines to his triplets without making them cry and he even told her he was glad she had got a job at the Country Hospital.

This is a picture of all the staff.

Dr. Murdoch's older brother showed up by surprise, which made the day for Dr. Murdoch and for Emily.

Finally, a picture of the two brothers. They don´t look much alike but both are very intelligent and very good professionals.

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Hope you enjoyed meeting Emily Nightingale and, also,Brie Maces and Dr. Murdoch´s brother. I had these sylvanians for a long time but it´s the first time that they have appeared in one of my stories.

I got Dr.Murdoch set by Tomy a few years ago. I was very lucky to find it brand new and at a very good price. It´s funny the difference in size between the two versions of doctors, isn´t it? 

I got Emily Nightingale and Brie Maces second hand. These two nurses will be a great help at the hospital from now on.

See you soon!

Hugs!