Sunshine Daydreams

Hello my friends. Darcy here with some more scribblings for you. An amalgam of my thoughts and snippets about Mellowdene. Ah, you know the sort of thing. Unless you're new to this blog, in which case, welcome!

I've been pondering Jackson's recent tale about Morwenna Deerheart and Kurtis Gribbit. After reading it I was in a quandary. Briefly. Whilst my investigative side urged me to go and speak with these two extraordinary people, I took Jackson's words to heart. Morwenna and the boy deserve to have their abilities kept secret so I have exercised some self restraint. Nevertheless, it has opened my eyes to possibilities I could not have imagined. Do superheroes live amongst us?

Whoa, Darcy. 'Superheroes' is hyperbole. What do I really mean? I suppose 'unusual abilities' covers it. How would we detect them? And there's the crux if it. At their heart, Sylvanians don't differ too much from each other. Put personalities, likes and dislikes aside and at our core we are the same. The same values and physical attributes. We recover well from injuries and infections, treat each other with kindness and respect... where would we get an opportunity to see anything outside normal behaviour?

You see how my mind works? No? The investigative journalist part of me will now be watching people more closely. Watching for any odd attributes. Oh, Jackson. What have you discovered?

o 0 O 0 o

Speaking of our resilience against injuries and infections, I'm reminded of a particular exception. Someone with a connection to one of my employees, my good friend Harry Hawthorne. The wife of my head reporter has a nephew who was very ill indeed. Huckleberry Hamilton and his family moved to Mellowdene for three reasons. One - to get additional support from his father and sister, two - to live in a kinder climate and three - to consult with Doctor Henry Bearbury. Young Georgie Hamilton suffered from a blood condition that was reportedly life critical. The expectation was that he had two years of life left to live.

Henry Bearbury is an important part of Mellowdene and he is dedicated to keeping us well. That goes beyond his medical skills. He used his ancestor's resources to develop an apartment complex that, initially, was intended to provide homes for hospital staff. I'm speaking of Minestrone House. These days, whilst some medicos still live there, there are other occupants too. With regard to his medical skills, our dear Doctor Bearbury is not only the lead General Practioner in Mellowdene; he periodically spends time at the Greybear Clinic learning of alternative treatments. 

That brings us back to the Hamiltons. Huckleberry was hoping that Henry could suggest a different treatment for his boy, one that might change his fate. That hope was fulfilled.

I always remember a quotation from my younger days. I was spending a little time with my chum Wade Waters, and his brother Kelvin - recently ordained - said, "Sylvania is all about balance. If something bad is about to happen, good will rush in to smooth things out." I thought of this when I was told how the Packbat was diverted from evil deeds after an encounter with the Dreamstone. Was Henry Bearbury the 'superhero' that rescued Georgie Hamilton from that rare life-threatening condition? 

Harry shrugged when I tentatively raised the subject. "Tillie said that Huckleberry is quite open about it. Henry's treatment was completed when he brought Georgie to the Sunny rabbits."

o 0 O 0 o

I knew a little about the Sunny rabbit family, imparted to me on one occasion when I was with Kelvin and Wade Waters, relaxing after lunch.

Rhona, like her sister Emily Nightingale, was born to the Oswald family. She left Mellowdene after forming an attachment to a visiting rabbit Edy Sunny. They married and settled in the small hamlet where Edy was raised - a place called Sedesolis - but returned to Mellowdene a few years later with a young son. Their family has grown since then.

I learned that most of the inhabitants of Sedesolis were also Sunny rabbits and they tended to share a spiritual belief, variations on a creation myth that related to the sun. There was a core belief but unusually there was also encouragement to develop variations upon it that suited the individual. It transpired that Edy and Rhona (she was known as Rooney there but wasn't keen on this) had decided that their spiritual "solar connection" was better suited elsewhere. The Nightingales and Oswalds were delighted when they returned to Mellowdene. In turn, Rhona was delighted to be re-united with her sister who was now head nurse at the hospital.

When asked about their return, Rhona was quite open. "Oh, I liked it there, mispronunciation of my name aside", she laughed, "but Edy had only settled there out of a sense of obligation. As his beliefs evolved, his family insisted he should go wherever his solar daydreams led him, that he could always visit. And that led us back here. He even wants to be called Eddie so that he feels more of a Mellowdenian."  

It emerged that the reason Edy/Eddie wanted to feel more of a Mellowdenian was prompted by Rhona's upbringing. She had been raised with stories of the Snow Queen and our creation myth. He wanted to know if he could reconcile the two myths and this resulted in him talking with Kelvin Waters and subsequently encountering the Dreamstone. Clearly his encounter went beyond mine. I only had sketchy details (one's experience with the Dreamstone tends to be a private thing) but I gather his daydream showed his Sun King assist our Snow Queen in her desire to melt herself and create Sylvania.

This might be evidence that the Dreamstone tailors its visions to the individual. Does it really show the truth or does it adapt to help consolidate Sylvanian values? After all, it apparently had an affect on the Packbat. But I digress. This isn't about the Dreamstone. It's about the Sunny family.

You're probably wondering how the Sunny family figured into the treatment of Georgie's condition. As a doctor, Henry Bearbury wouldn't discuss details (of course) but the Hamiltons - and by association the Hawthornes - were so delighted with the results that they were quite effusive about the treatment.

The last stage of that treatment was marked by the time Henry took Georgie and his parents to the Solarium where the Sunny family worked.. 

o 0 O 0 o

"What do I have to do?" said Georgie, looking around at his parents, Henry and most of the Sunny family.

They were in one wing of the the Solarium. This building has many windows and it lies adjacent to the Sunny's home, set back from Sundew Terrace, both nestled in a  sandy clearing surrounded by an extensive growth of short golden-leafed shrubs.

"Not much, Georgie," said Henry. "If you try and relax in this recliner chair, Mister Sunny and his family will attempt to help you. The medicine you've been taking over the past week gives our rabbit friends a chance to see if their treatment works."

"It won't hurt, Georgie. That's right, isn't it Eddie?" said Rhona, encouraging her husband to explain what would happen.

"No," said Eddie. "It might feel a little uncomfortable for a short while. You'll feel hot but you shouldn't feel any pain. We will hold your hands throughout. Close your eyes and tell me when you can taste roast vegetables."

"Roast vegetables? Sounds weird but okay," said Georgie. "And this will make me better, mum?"

"We hope so, darling," said Hilda Hamilton.

"But we don't know until we try," said Henry. "As we explained, it might leave your head sensitive to bright sunlight for a while..."

"But I can wear a hat like you do," Georgie said, a weak smile on his open face.

"Maybe not as big," Henry laughed, 'but yes. That's a good idea."

Huckleberry Hamilton later described what had happened next. He had moved back, together with Henry and Hilda, to sit on the benches within the Solarium. The Sunny family formed a circle around the chair in which Georgie sat, Eddie and Rhona taking the young hamster's small paws in theirs.

Minutes later, when the sun reached its zenith over the Solarium, the young hamster was bathed in sunshine and the rabbits appeared to glow faintly.

"Dream of what you'd like to do if you were well," said Eddie.

"Okay," said Georgie. "I'd like to... ooh, my arms are tingling inside!"

"It isn't hurting, us it?" called Hilda.

"No, mum. It feels like warm water is running through me. It does feel odd but it doesn't hurt."

"Keep daydreaming, Georgie," said Eddie. "Thinking how you will be better helps the treatment."

The process took no more than five minutes although it seemed longer to Georgie's concerned parents.

 

"I can taste hot peppers," said Georgie, smacking his lips.

"Hold," said Eddie and both he and Rhona released Georgie's paws. "You can open your eyes now, Georgie."

Georgie's parents joined their son, Henry following them. The Sunny rabbits stood back. The apparent glow had disappeared when the parents had broken contact..

"Well?" said Henry.

"I didn't detect anything unusual," said Eddie. "If you run your medical tests you can check whether we were successful."

"It's very bright," said Georgie.

"Yes," said Rhona. "Let's get you out of the sun."

o 0 O 0 o

As it was explained to me by Harry, the infection was burned out of Georgie's body without any physical damage being incurred. The only side effect was a sensitivity to sunlight but that was expected to disappear in time. Some years have past and that diagnosis has proved accurate - although Georgie has become attached to his floppy hat.

My earlier comment about Sylvanian resilience and there being only rare exceptions: Georgie was one of those, but it seems Sylvania compensates by creating crittizens who have the skills to smooth the way. Maybe the Sunny rabbits - with their ability to heal with their sunshine daydreams - are further examples of Sylvanians with extraordinary abilities. Not quite the same as Morwenna Deerheart and Kurtis Gribbit, but individuals who can help preserve the balance of our beloved land.

o 0 O 0 o

     

 

The Walls Have Bunny Ears

When Lucky Snow-Warren last came to our house to play with Brendan he was not alone; his older brother Benedict accompanied him. He hadn't been to Butterglove House for a few years so I wondered what had prompted this particular visit. It transpired that he was actually here to see me.

"Hey, Mister B," he said once Lucky had left to go to Brendan's room. "I bet you're wondering why I'm here. Well, I won't keep you in suspense. My dad's birthday is coming up and we figured we'd do something special. Do something about his life. And you were his best pal at school."

True enough. Clarence Snow-Warren and I shared a school desk, often worked on projects together and our personalities complemented each other. We'd spend time together outside of school hours - sometimes just the two of us, sometimes with his young brother Chris tagging along. Clary was popular with the girls but at that age he found that tiresome. (I touched upon that in the story "Couples".) We would make up games - similar to Lucky and Brendan, but not as involved - and young Chris would sometimes join in. Our escapades seemed exciting, but in retrospect they were a little tame. In any case it created a solid friendship between us all. 

Benedict wondered if I could supply some amusing stories about our schooldays and I agreed to give it some thought. He left, quite satisfied that he'd succeeded in gaining my support. I watched him go, thinking it was amazing to see how the lad had developed, especially considering the first time I'd seen him.

I was transported back to that time. Cecile and I had visited Clary and Lettuce's house to see their newborn baby. He was so tiny and it made us think - one day we'd have our own little child. At that time we has been married just over a year.

o 0 O 0 o

Baby Benedict wasn't the only matter that caught Cecile's attention. She was attracted to the room's novel wallpaper design with its motif of tiny green rabbit heads. She remarked upon it to Lettuce, the proud new mum.

"The wallpaper?" Lettuce said, tearing her eyes away from the cute, unfocused gaze of her baby. "Yes. Clary rushed to have the decorating done so that we wouldn't be inconvenienced when our little bundle arrived. Do you like it?"

"I do," said Cecile. "I wouldn't mind something similar. Maybe a different colour. We've been looking to re-wallpaper the living room once we can afford it, haven't we, Jack?"

To be honest, I'd not been looking into it with much enthusiasm. We didn't have much to spare with our finances. During the period Cecile and I had been courting, I had left my job at Henry-Lloyd Construction and become a full-time songwriter with Chris Snow-Warren. To invest in our joint career I had used a chunk of my savings to buy a decent piano. Granted, we'd had some luck with an agency that brought us work writing advertising jingles. Our tiny song for the makers of Rodentene toothpaste was the most lucrative, playing on the radio and gaining popularity. But we were far from rich.

Decorating the living room hadn't been a concern and as far as I was concerned it wasn't a priority. However, I did appreciate that Cecile needed something to help demonstrate that it was more than my inherited family home; it was our home. I answered accordingly. Besides, I had to admit that the wallpaper was indeed a nice design.

"We can certainly investigate the option, my love," I said, smiling.

"I'll give you the name of the designer," said Lettuce.

Designer? Oh dear.

o 0 O 0 o

The designer was William Roomis and we discovered that he was in Mellowdene splitting his time between Ryan Forrester's paper works and at Oakwood's Decor on Columbine Road. The former were implementing his designs and the latter were to be the local retail outlet. We further discovered that he was staying temporarily at Bassett's Boarding House whilst he had business here.

Bassett's Boarding House is a longstanding fixture in Mellowdene. I've mentioned it in passing within previous tales but hadn't highlighted its significance. It sits on Reed Avenue close to the main docks entrance but now also has a further entrance on Dock Road itself. Visitors to Mellowdene, both new and returning, are assured of a warm welcome from the Bassetts. Comfortable rooms and excellent service provide a lasting impression. One couldn’t ask for better ambassadors for our village.

It wasn't originally owned by the Bassett family but has been as far as most people remember. As the number of visitors to Mellowdene increased they made the decision to expand their capacity so it became more of a hotel than a boarding house - but the name remains. This may be because of tradition but it might be because the older buildings still offer the facility for long term boarders. 

When Bassett's Boarding House expanded onto Dock Lane to add more buildings and more rooms, it also added an area for room holders and visitors to congregate. This area has also been used for events such as wedding receptions. It is known as The Lounge. 

It was here that we caught up with William Roomis to discuss his wallpaper creations.

o 0 O 0 o

"The green bunny design?" he said. "Yes. Happily, Ollie Oakwood thinks it will be popular and he has some in stock. I have a range of designs with small critter motifs in the pipeline and I'm hoping Ollie will stock them should my first few designs prove popular."

Cecile gave me a sideways glance before addressing the effusive kangaroo. "Yes. Well, as I said, having seen it in our friends' house I thought something similar might suit our living room. I love the design..."

"Wonderful! Ollie will be glad of the business."

"I'm sure he would," Cecile said, not wanting to be diverted, "but when I said 'something similar' I was speaking about the colour. Our furniture and soft fittings might clash with the green..."

"Clash?"

"Yes, unfortunately. Our colour scheme is... how can I put it... more autumnal, and your delightful bunny design is more spring-like. I was thinking of something more towards the red end of the spectrum - printed on a warm cream.'

Roomis regarded Cecile with interest. "Well, you seem a lady who knows her mind. Red, though? Wouldn't that be a tad overwhelming?"

"I was thinking of a more subdued rusty red."

"For a feature wall?"

"No. The entire living room."

"No, no. That would be too much."

Although I wasn't certain we needed a custom design, I thought Cecile would welcome some support.

"Except it wouldn't be for the full height of the room," I said. "We have wood paneling on the lower part of the wall."

Cecile beamed at me. "Like my husband said, we have paneling. The warm cream and the rusty red bunnies should look well against the wood."

"Hmm," said Roomis. "I'm intrigued. I'd need to see the room. If I was to arrange for Forrester's to create a special print run with the new colours I need to see the potential."

o 0 O 0 o

Roomis had a good look at our living room. I heard him mutter, "yes, a clash," when regarding the coral sofa Cecile had brought into the house, but he showed more interest when he saw my piano. "That's a rather splendid instrument. Is someone a musician?"

Cecile responded before I had a chance. "Jackson is a professional songwriter."

"Really? Will I have heard any of your songs?"

"Unlikely," I said, ignoring Cecile's pointed expression, "as we're currently working with an advertising company. Jingles for products like Brisbane's banana butter and Tommy's Tinned Tomatoes. Oh, and Rodentene."

"Rodentene? That's one of yours? That is a catchy tune."

"It's not high art but our contact in the advertising agency seems pleased. It brought us much needed income."

Cecile's eyes widened. Maybe she didn't want to share our financial limitations. 

"Ah, money," said Roomis. "I suppose we should discuss that."

"Makes sense," I said. "We're practical people. I know Cecile has a vision for redecorating this room but, if anything, she's more practical than me. We don't want to waste your time if the cost would exceed our reserves."

"Jackson!" hissed Cecile,

Roomis laughed. "Ah, don't worry too much. Of course, a new colour palette for my bunny design would incur a cost but I wouldn't want to pass that on. Having seen this room I can see the potential of creating a wallpaper with a cream and rusty red colour scheme. I could add it to our existing line."

"That's very generous, isn't it Jackson?" said Cecile, still a little miffed with my bluntness. I nodded.

Once again Roomis looked around at the walls. "I'm impressed with your vision, Mrs Butterglove. I'd like to see how it turns out. Now to practicalities. I'll be returning to Calico New City in a couple of days but I can put things in motion. Forrester's will create samples that we both can see. Thereafter, you can make a final decision whether or not you wish to proceed."

I didn't want to irritate Cecile further so kept my mouth shut. Perhaps Roomis realised my discomfort as he hesitantly continued.

"As for the price of the wallpaper, I've had a thought. I'd be happy to barter to avoid any monetary issues."

"Barter?" I repeated.

"Yes. I'm currently working on a wallpaper design for an opera house in the city. I want a musical stave effect following a repeated wave design. I was thinking of employing a musician to specify the notes to place on the stave, taking short extracts from assorted arias."

"Are you suggesting I could do that for you?"

"You're a songwriter. Perhaps you can do better than that. Maybe you could combine those extracts into a medley. Create an operatic jingle I can have printed on my wavy stave."

It did sound interesting.

"Now, if we can do that to our mutual satisfaction, I'd be happy to supply your rusty bunny wallpaper even before it becomes available in Oakwood's shop. In fact, I'd also be prepared to pay your decorator to hang the wallpaper. How does that sound?"

This time, Cecile's eyes were shining with hope. I could make but one reply. 

"I think we have a deal, Mister Roomis."

"Call me William."

o 0 O 0 o

We've had this wallpaper for most of our married life. The bunny ears have borne witness to the birth of our family. I admit I love it as much as Cecile. It may have been her concept but I helped finance it with my songwriting skills. It was good to reminisce how that came to be - all because of a visit to see a tiny Benedict Snow-Warren.

o 0 O 0 o