Playing With Dolls

We hadn't been home to visit my parents since Christmas, and it was starting to feel like a very long time. Too long, in fact. The weather was beautiful, just perfect and sunny; and so on this day, we went visiting.

My husband finished our taxes just before we left, and so we stopped at the Boalsburg post office to drop them off. The sky was full of dramatic clouds, so while he mailed them, I spent a few minutes in the graveyard in Boalsburg taking pictures.

Next, we stopped at a fishing access area along the Juniata River to see the sights. The color report is that pink and orange buds are just starting to appear on the trees. We had the parking lot to ourselves until a second car pulled in, and a young couple leaped out and began hugging and kissing, hugging and kissing, never even looking at the view.

After their canoodling break, the couple leaped back into their car and drove away. I guess spring is in the air. (When I told this story to my dad later in the afternoon, he snorted and said, "You can bet that was NOT his wife!")

We arrived at my mom and dad's house, absolutely starving. And so lunch was made up of treats ordered by phone and then picked up from the local Creme Stop (a roadside snack stop that serves soft-serve ice cream, sandwiches, and fried treats). For me: a cheesesteak with extra tomato dressing, french fries, and a vanilla shake. Yum!

We had a lovely visit with my parents (who are doing well and are absolutely full of beans, thanks for asking), two of my sisters, and my little niece, who brought along several of her dolls and insisted that we join her in playing with them. And so we did: my 84-year-old mom, two of my sisters, myself, and my niece who is 9 AND A HALF. (Note: AND A HALF is very important at this age.)

The dolls were really unique looking, and very fancily dressed. My niece tells me they are from a series called Ever After High, where the characters are offspring of fairytale characters.

On the left is Raven Queen, the daughter of the Evil Queen from Snow White. In the middle is Maddie Hatter, the daughter of the Mad Hatter from Alice In Wonderland. On the right is Briar Beauty, daughter of Sleeping Beauty (whose real name was Briar Rose, as you may recall).

Their outfits and detailing are so much more amazing than the dolls I ever had at that age. The shoes and accessories alone are stunning. I had forgotten how lovely it is to enjoy playing with a well dressed doll.

The song to accompany this image of child's play is Queen, with Play the Game.