Marlee Would Make A Rule If She Was A Princess

When Marlee started making calls to her friends she found out that many of them didn't answer the phone. She later found out from her Grandma B and her mom and dad, that lots of her friends were doing things outside. Some of them were going fishing and some were going on hikes. Some were helping do yard work and others were going outside to church on Sundays. Some people were going for drives around the neighborhood and looking for bears. (Toy bears)

Grandma B put Stashia's toy bear in the window for fun even though people didn't come looking for bears in the country. Stashia was not happy with her because that was her toy bear.

Marlee had asked to go outside, but the weather had been cold and rainy lately. Today, though, Grandma B said that the sun was once again shining and they could go outside. The wind was blowing something fierce, but it was fun picking dandelions and being outside to get some fresh air.
She told Grandma B that at her house they made smoothies out of dandelions!

Jackson and his mom had gone to get a cheeseburger at Sonic. He told his mom he misses his friends, just like Marlee.

Some of Marlee's older friends were doing their school work at home since the schools were closed. Their furry friends enjoyed having them home, that's for sure.

Coralynn and her mom liked to get outside and go for a drive like lots of their friends.

 Miles and his mom could even visit from their front porch when people stopped by.

Jay's mom was learning how to crochet now that she had some spare time. Jay wanted a choker that she had made. What a wonderful keepsake for him.

Arieanna was keeping up with her karate lessons by watching on her tablet. She is doing her schoolwork as well.

When Marlee came back in the house she and Stashia looked out the window. Marlee was a little sad. She loved Marleewood and her friends and she missed seeing everyone. She told Stashia, "You know what, Stashia, if I was a Princess none of this would ever happen. I would make it a rule that nobody got sick and that everybody would be happy."
Stashia made a low noise in her throat and said, "I am so sure that you would, but you are a princess, remember?"

There Was A Sickness All Over The World

One day shortly after Marlee had gotten home from her vacation in Florida she went to spend the day with her Grandma B. She loved to go there. It seemed like there was always something to do. From the time she was little she had helped do the chores. Her Grandma B had little horses and donkeys. The grownups called them mini horses and mini donkeys, so she had started calling Grandma B's little farm the mini farm. Chores were just part of the fun at Grandma B's house. When they weren't real busy on the mini farm they would go to Marleewood. Marleewood was a fun place to go to meet new and old friends. Grandmas liked to go there as well as moms and dads and aunts and uncles. Something fun was always happening.

 Today her Grandma B told her that Marleewood was going to be temporarily closed because there was a sickness going all around the country; even in some other countries. Some people got really really sick, so the President decided it would be best for everyone if they all stayed home for awhile if they absolutely didn't have to go to work. They could go to the grocery store and really important places like the doctor's office, but even the schools, churches, and restaurants were going to be closed except for carry out food at some of them.

Marlee was only three years old so this was really difficult to understand. Usually when she got sick it only lasted a day or two then she was all better. But her mama and daddy agreed with her Grandma B that this was different and lasted a lot longer. So she and her friends were going to have to find different things to do at home and of course, for Marlee and Whittlee things to do at their Grandma's house.

Marlee being Marlee, decided to make a list of different things that would be fun. Then she would call her friends and talk this over with them. She had lots of friends so surely they would come up with some fun things to do. She just needed to think about it a little while so she got a tablet and pencil and started writing out a list.

Marlee liked to help Grandma B cook and bake. She smiled as she remembered the day they made doughnuts. Oh they were so good.

Marlee really liked it when Maddie stopped by after school. They did crafts and all kinds of fun things together. It's so much fun to have older friends too. "Grandma B's friend, Sandy came to help one day. That was sure fun," thought Marlee.

 "Of course, my little sister, Whittlee likes me to play with her. It's kinda fun now that she's older. We got a big present in the mail from another one of Grandma B's friends. Whitlee loves it when I push her."

"Well, I can't think of anything else. I guess I will call some of my friends and see what they are doing while most places are closed. I bet they have fun stuff to do. I will add them to  my list."

The Old Pirate Said "Tis A Good Life"

Marlee was talking to Cooper on the phone when she got back from Florida. "It was such a long ride in the airplane. I got really tired, but it was such fun seeing you and going on the rides with you. That little blue car that you  picked out was really fun. Did you have a good time too?"

Cooper agreed that he had had a good time as well. They both hoped that they would see each other more often. It was such fun having friends and catching up with each other.

Marlee had been a bit upset that her Grandma B had gone on a vacation without her. So much so that her parents decided to go on vacation as well, and of course, take Marlee and her sister along. Marlee had offered to take some of her egg money out of her chicken bank, but they said that was okay. They would pay for everything that they needed.

Marlee and her family had seen lots of things that they didn't see at home. They saw the ocean, where at home they just had lakes and creeks. They saw so many boats. There were big ones and little ones. Some of the boat had big white sails on them. At home she had only seen fishing boats. They didn't have sails, they had motors.

 They saw so many people that Marlee couldn't begin to count. There were so many that she had seen at the Pirate Parade. Her hometown was really little. The biggest crowds they had was at the Fall Festival at the end of the summer. She remembered seeing a lot of dogs too. One of them she pointed at. He had on a red cape. "He looked like SuperDog.," she thought to herself.

 They had seen some fun things when they got there. Marlee had fallen asleep at the motel and had dreamed of the Story Time that Grandma Lu had given at the library. She had dressed up like a pirate and all of the children and adults had had so much fun. She and Maddie had even put some pictures of pirates and a message in a bottle. While she was in Florida, her parents had dropped it by the rocks so that Grandma B could find it.

 Marlee could almost smell the salty sea air and see the real pirate ships floating on the water.

 What Marlee did not know was that her Grandma B was the real owner of her long lost cousin's enchanting island. The deed had been placed behind the old pirate's picture at the very motel that Grandma B and her friends had stayed at. The old pirate had told the reporter that she wanted her picture in the newspaper story she was going to write. "Argh, wonder if it be a book..."

 She had chuckled to herself thinking, "Someday in the future, someone just might find this. I wonder who will inherit me island? I wonder if I would like the mates. I wonder if there will be little maties playing in the sand." When she had finished putting the deed in the frame she walked off never to be seen again. But you could hear the splashing of the waves and a faint, "Arghh! Tis a good life, it tis. I surely do love me island."

The Dolphins Thought The Old Woman Was A Toy

Bonnie started walking towards the shore. She could see something shiny sticking out of the rocks. When she got closer she realized it was an old bottle. It had something in it. She thought, "Wouldn't it be funny if there was a message in this bottle?" She stooped over to try to get to it. She heard a screeching and yelling, "Don't you dare touch that bottle! That's my bottle! It's all mine! The island is mine, not yours. Get away from it right now!"
Bonnie reached out and grabbed the bottle before the mean old lady could get to it. In an instant there were fireworks and a magnificent light that lit up the sky. The ocean was calm, the sun was setting. All was calm except for the sound of a dog barking far far away.

As soon as the old woman reached for the bottle and missed she fell into the ocean. When she fell into the water she made a great big splash. Well the pod of dolphins there were close by thought that she wanted to play so they surrounded her and flipped her up into the air. Over and over she went until she landed on the back of of one of the most playful of all of his friends.

 Oh the old woman screamed and called them terrible names. But to no avail; they thought she was a fun toy and continued to carry her out to sea where an old boat with an even older pirate stopped to watch the fun. He knew her immediately. "Up to your old tricks again, I see, you old crone. When are you going to learn? He threw her out a life preserver and told her to hang on tight. He brought her on board his boat and started to give her a talking to. "You did not inherit that island, Bonnie did. Now take off that old pirate hat. You are not a pirate and you never were. What in the great high seas can I do to get you to be kind to other people? You are so mean and hateful to everyone you meet."

The old woman had a tear in her eye. She said, "I'll tell you what you can do. You can find something or someone that would love me. Nobody loves me or even likes me."

The old pirate had a twinkle in his eye. "Well, the first thing you have to do is to be nice; be kind; and then people will like you. You are so mean I bet a dog would even bite you," he chuckled.
The old woman looked at him with tears in her eyes and said, "I always wanted a puppy, but my parents wouldn't let me have a pet let alone a puppy. They said that I wouldn't take care of it or feed or water it. I would have. I really would have." She remembered when she was just a girl she had found a wolf.dog. She had named it Lycan. Oh how she had loved that pup. They had made her give it away. From that day on she had gotten meaner and meaner. She told the old pirate she was ready to change. She was old now and needed something to love.

When Bonnie got her footing and took a look at the bottle she saw something inside of it. The bottle had a cork or stopper in the top of it. After some work she got it loose. It had sand inside and the pictures were in bad shape, but she knew where she had seen the pictures before. They were in an old trunk at Marleewood. "Wait, there is a message in here. Oh those girls. They sent a message with some old pirate pictures. Marlee and Maddie. Who put you up to this and how was I the one to get the bottle? The odds against that are a million to one."

But the couple on the dock that had been watching her knew that she would find it. Sandy had given it to them especially so Bonnie would find it.

Jim Was Rewarded For Being Brave

Mr. and Mrs. Rebel and some other travelers decided to slow down so they could see why the four dogs and one lady were walking beside the road that they were traveling on. They had two dogs of their own; Bella and Poppy. They loved them even though they often were full of mischief. When they talked to the lady that was walking with the dogs she explained that they had been celebrating Jim's heroism in saving Grandma Lu from the mean old lady. Of course, they both noticed Jim. He was wearing a bright red cape. His friends and the lady hitchhiker gave it to him for being so brave. He was brave for two different things. He overcame his fear of swimming in the water and for chasing away the meanie that was going to take Grandma Lu to a pirate ship. She was going to use her to get Bonnie to give her all of her treasures that she had packed up from the island.

Jim ran up to a pickup and barked and barked. The man said, "Is that you Jim? What are you doing so far away from home. Kevin is going to be upset. You get in and I'll take you home. Jim ran back to his friends and circled them and ran back to the pickup. "Yes, they can come along too. Jump in everyone."
The lady decided that she would ride with Mr. and Mrs. Rebel. They lived close to where she was going. She was going to go visit her granddaughter.

Back in Florida the judges of the treasure hunt were no where to be found. They had no plans on giving people any money for the prize that they had promised. They were friends with the mean lady. They had run away with the money. There no sign of them anywhere.

Bonnie was walking with her friends and watching the Pirate Parade. She smiled to herself thinking of all the stories she had heard about her distant cousin, Lady Kathleen. "Wouldn't it be so cool if I was related to her?" She could just see herself dressed as a pirate and sailing the high seas. "I don't know about the food though. It sounded pretty bad when Grandma Lu had the story group. Sea biscuits and moldy food. She said there was very little meat, just some fish if they caught them. Well, I still think it would be fun."

As Bonnie walked closer to the beach she thought she saw something that sparkled in the rocks.

The Old Bottle Was A Toy For A School Of Fish

When Miles threw the bottle back into the water it continued on it's journey. It floated and bobbed up and down. It went miles and miles. It was being carried by the ocean's big waves. The wind was blowing causing the bottle to go even faster. It even found it's way into a school of fish. ( A school of fish is an old old term from the people that lived in Holland. Holland is a little country that lives far away. It means a big group.) The fish swam and swam all around it. They were very curious what was in the old bottle. But they mostly wanted to play with it. So they pushed and shoved that old bottle with their noses and had a good time. When they got tired of the game they swam away to find something good to eat. Sometimes the people on cruise ships threw them really good treats.

What the fish didn't know or care was that the bottle was about to land on a beach in Florida. Who will find it?

Bonnie and her friends had disembarked from their cruise ship. Everyone but Bonnie was excited to go to the Pirate Parade. She got off the ship with a heavy heart. She had so much wanted to find more proof that she was the Bonnie or Bonita that was related to Lady Kathleen of long long ago. She loved that island and would someday like to retire there. "On my very own island. That would be so wonderful," she thought. " I know that Marlee and Whitlee and my sons would love it there. Maybe someday I will go back and find the proof that I need. For now I have a suitcase full of souveniers.That will have to do I guess."
Bonnie had not heard about the treasure hunt.

  Nora and her friends had docked close to Bonnie's ship. They were headed to the parade too. Nora was the only one that was excited to go to the parade. She had heard about the treasure hunt.

There were four dogs and a lady hitchhiker that were having a party at a motel not far from the parade grounds. There was lots of barking and splashing in the pool. There was a special present for one of the dogs. Can you guess which one? Why do you think that dog should get a special present?

Mr. and Mrs. Rebel Take A Road Trip

Tilly was feeling really sorry for herself. Her roommates had gone off and left her. They had left her all alone in the cold and the snow in the mountains. They thought that they had kept it a big secret, but she had heard them planning this trip to Florida a long time ago. Yes, she had felt hurt and left out, but she hadn't told on them. She decided that maybe with them gone she would get a lot more attention. "Look at me now. My paws are so cold. But I am so happy that my human takes good care of me. Once in awhile I know I get into mischief, but I'm so little I usually get cuddled instead of scolded. I do wish my friends would come home though. I'm lonesome. I want someone to play with that has fur."

One day an older couple, Mr. and Mrs. Rebel, decided that they would go on a road trip. They were getting what people call cabin fever. They needed to get out of the house. They called their neighbors and asked them to feed and water their dogs. They said that they were just going to be gone for a couple of days. They needed to get out and see new places and new people. They had no destination. They just needed to get out and about.

They hadn't gone far when the lady started to laugh. "Oh look. There's a young man that is making his chores more fun. He is taking out the trash in a costume. Oh let's do that when we get home. That will give the neighbors something to talk about, won't it? Oh this was such a good idea. Do you think that our kids will approve of our little trip?"

As they were driving through the country roads they saw a young boy sitting on a huge bale of hay. He had a great smile and waved when they honked and waved at him.

They drove through a town that looked interesting to them. "Oh, look! Do you see that beautiful quilt? Let's stop and ask the lady if she makes those quilts. It would be nice to have one, wouldn't it?"

They did stop and talk to the lady. She pointed out that the quilt was fun for little ones because some of the pieces had farm animals and pictures on them that the children could find and point out. She had several of them that she had made. She and her guild often make quilts for sick children. What a wonderful project for those that are talented seamstresses. She told the couple that these quilts give the children comfort while they are in the hospital. Also they can take them home and cuddle up with them on days when they aren't feeling just up to par or just because they are so warm and comfy.

As the couple drove on down the road they passed a farm and saw some children flying a kite. They were having the best time. As they passed the farm they saw some children playing in the mud. Oh they laughed and reminisced about their children and themselves as children loving to play in the mud.

As the couple drove on they saw happy children and adults fishing. The sun was shining and everyone was smiling. "This was a really good idea to go cruising down the road. I'm so glad we decided to get away for a couple of days," said Mrs. Rebel. She kept herself busy taking pictures and humming a fun song as she did so.

"Well you better start singing 'How much is that doggie in the window.' Just take a look at what's coming down the road.Oh oh, there are four dogs and a woman hitchhiking. What do we do now? Good grief one of the dogs is wearing a cape of some kind. We surely can't pick them up, can we?"