Yes, it's me - Darcy. Hi! With me assuming writing duties today you may be wondering what amazing knowledge I have to impart. If that's the case, calm down - you need some perspective! Seriously... I was thinking about Christmas.
"I saw them at the roadworks near to the end of the canal," said Alonso. "You know, where they've been clearing and expanding the path that follows a defile into the foothills?"
Harry overheard and came over. "I was talking to Huckleberry yesterday and he said that HHG had just completed their work and just needed to clear away their equipment." (Huckleberry Hamilton is a partner in the contracting firm HHG Enterprises and the brother of Harry's wife Tillie.) "He also said that the road didn't lead to a secondary pumping station as we had been led to believe."
Alonso was smiling faintly. "I wondered what critters were doing there in their Christmas clothing so I followed them."
"Huckleberry did say that the roadworks had to be completed for the Christmas Holidays," said Harry.
"Well, I did follow Santa and the elf along the road, winding through to the foothills. They stopped by a structure that was built at the entrance to a cave. Work was still ongoing, and they seemed to be checking on progress. I couldn't tell if all that work would be completed by Christmas."
"I did check," said Alonso, beaming. "I went to ask Santa."
I was aware that they had been staying temporarily at Lionel's holiday home. Ogden and Viola Splashy are live-in housekeepers there and they wanted it known that these strangers had permission to be there.
"Did they explain what was being built?" I prompted.
Harry stared at my cousin. "What?"
"He laughed. He said it wasn't the only grotto in Sylvania. It's one of many used as distribution centres. He explained that one element of Christmas was the sending and receiving gifts, 'Good Will' being a big thing."
"A sort of post office?" Harry asked.
Alonso continued. "I asked Lennox if they'd be set up by the Christmas Holidays. From what he said he doesn’t think so - not fully anyway - but he explained that the Santa Society wanted to get things started since Mellowdene are becoming more involved in Christmas celebrations."
"That's what they call the people working in the network of grottos, apparently. The Santa and elf suits are a sort of uniform."
"You should work here," laughed Harry, "asking reporter-like questions."
"Ah, I'd miss my trike and the free pizza," said Alonso with a wink. "But Lennox told me that the grottos are built with lots of storage. Gifts are accumulated over the year. That explains why we may see Santa suits in summer."
I remembered something my cousin had said. "You mentioned that Lennox said the grotto would be set up 'not fully'. What did he mean?"
"The grottos are also supposed to be a place for children to visit, but it won't be ready this year. By next year it should be fully operational. Lennox actually said this year is likely to be his last Christmas Holiday."
After Alonso had left, Harry scribbled down what he remembered from our conversation. I knew he would follow up the story. Personally, my musings about the encroachment of Christmas traditions was overtaken by another question. Did all this mean Lennox and his family would become permanent residents? Would they continue to lodge at Lionel's home or set up their own home? Maybe Lennox wouldn't have much of a holiday this Christmas after all. 
Last year I told you about a few of the seasonal traditions adopted by Mellowdene crittizens. My mate Spencer Maces has already organised the initial schedule for this year's Mouse Run as he had a family celebration - though he knows there will be last minute revisions. I also highlighted that Christmas elements were creeping into these traditions. There's nothing wrong with that - who can argue with the sentiment "peace in Sylvania, good will to all critters"?
This year it continues. When the school takes the end-of-year break, more children are asking, "What are you doing for the Christmas holidays?" Even in my own family; I heard Danny and Helen asking Ralph and Saffron Walnut that exact phrase. This was a minor example, but more evidence came from another Fielding family member - my cousin Alonso.
Funnily enough, Jackson mentioned Alonso in the previous blog entry. As a pizza delivery driver he sees a lot. I must comment that, as a member of our family, he also shares the trait of curiosity. It so happens that something he saw on completion of a recent delivery run piqued that curiosity. Santa and an elf. He had to investigate.
o 0 O 0 o
Alonso had dropped in at my workplace. With us my chief reporter and friend Harry Hawthorne was taking a break after submitting his latest article for the Mellowdene Examiner.
"I saw them at the roadworks near to the end of the canal," said Alonso. "You know, where they've been clearing and expanding the path that follows a defile into the foothills?"
I nodded.
Harry overheard and came over. "I was talking to Huckleberry yesterday and he said that HHG had just completed their work and just needed to clear away their equipment." (Huckleberry Hamilton is a partner in the contracting firm HHG Enterprises and the brother of Harry's wife Tillie.) "He also said that the road didn't lead to a secondary pumping station as we had been led to believe."
That wasn't entirely accurate. No one had specifically told us that a new pumping station was being built. The location of the works caused that logical but faulty assumption and nobody corrected any misapprehension - maybe because nobody knew the real reason.
Alonso was smiling faintly. "I wondered what critters were doing there in their Christmas clothing so I followed them."
I was proud. He may have abandoned the newspaper businesses followed by our fathers but he still had the familial nose for a story.
"Huckleberry did say that the roadworks had to be completed for the Christmas Holidays," said Harry.
"Well, I did follow Santa and the elf along the road, winding through to the foothills. They stopped by a structure that was built at the entrance to a cave. Work was still ongoing, and they seemed to be checking on progress. I couldn't tell if all that work would be completed by Christmas."
"What was being done?" I asked.
"Wellington and Wolfram Waters had packed up their stuff and they were about to leave. They had obviously done most of the work on the timber walls. Maybe that extended into the cave but I couldn't see. I did see Rolf Billabong and he was part way through tiling the roof. He's an agile little guy."
"I think I should go and check what's going on there,' said Harry, "there could be an article worth writing about it.
"I did check," said Alonso, beaming. "I went to ask Santa."
o 0 O 0 o
"The pair turned out to be Lionel Grand's brother Lennox and nephew Lawrence," Alonso began.
I was aware that they had been staying temporarily at Lionel's holiday home. Ogden and Viola Splashy are live-in housekeepers there and they wanted it known that these strangers had permission to be there.
"Did they explain what was being built?" I prompted.
"I was a little surprised. They said it was Santa's Grotto."
Harry stared at my cousin. "What?"
"I know. I struggled to understand too. I asked Lennox why he needed one, and queried why Mellowdene was chosen for its location."
"And?"
"He laughed. He said it wasn't the only grotto in Sylvania. It's one of many used as distribution centres. He explained that one element of Christmas was the sending and receiving gifts, 'Good Will' being a big thing."
"A sort of post office?" Harry asked.
"Not quite the same, I gather. It liaises with businesses throughout Sylvania - solely for bringing together gifts. Egbert Highbranch was mentioned because of the toys he makes. I think the hill cats are involved in haulage - which probably explains the proximity to the canal."
I wondered if the speed-tunnels that Jackson revealed were involved. Most people would assume link ups with the sea cats visiting the north coast.
Alonso continued. "I asked Lennox if they'd be set up by the Christmas Holidays. From what he said he doesn’t think so - not fully anyway - but he explained that the Santa Society wanted to get things started since Mellowdene are becoming more involved in Christmas celebrations."
"The Santa Society?"
"That's what they call the people working in the network of grottos, apparently. The Santa and elf suits are a sort of uniform."
"Will the grotto be left dormant most of the year? Wasteful if so," said Harry.
"Ah, funny you should ask that," Alonso nodded sagely, "as I asked the same thing."
"You should work here," laughed Harry, "asking reporter-like questions."
"Ah, I'd miss my trike and the free pizza," said Alonso with a wink. "But Lennox told me that the grottos are built with lots of storage. Gifts are accumulated over the year. That explains why we may see Santa suits in summer."
I remembered something my cousin had said. "You mentioned that Lennox said the grotto would be set up 'not fully'. What did he mean?"
"The grottos are also supposed to be a place for children to visit, but it won't be ready this year. By next year it should be fully operational. Lennox actually said this year is likely to be his last Christmas Holiday."
o 0 O 0 o
After Alonso had left, Harry scribbled down what he remembered from our conversation. I knew he would follow up the story. Personally, my musings about the encroachment of Christmas traditions was overtaken by another question. Did all this mean Lennox and his family would become permanent residents? Would they continue to lodge at Lionel's home or set up their own home? Maybe Lennox wouldn't have much of a holiday this Christmas after all.
o 0 O 0 o