"It's time for her yearly ski trip," Billy replied.
The boys got up on the table to watch Jolena pack. They could see that she had her pajamas and sleep mask in a small bag, and was putting her ski clothes in the larger bag, with her ski boots. Her skis were sticking out of a long, black bag. They thought her poles must be in there, too. Jolena was looking at her special T-shirt. All the dolls would be wearing their Ski Team T-shirts under their ski clothes. She was thinking about seeing her friends.
Emil was confused. "Doesn't she need snow to ski?" he asked. "It's summertime. There's no snow right now."
"She's going to Chile (CHILL-eh)," Billy explained. "It's winter there right now. They have lots of snow."
The boys left Jolena to her packing and went down the stairs. It took a while, and while they were making their way down the stairs, Emil was thinking.
"It must be chilly in Chilly if they have snow." he said.
Billy laughed. It's chilly there," he said, but the country is named Chile," and he pronounced it again for Emil, CHILL-eh. "It's winter there now. It's in South America," Billy added. "South America is a continent, like North America, where we live. Come, and I'll show you on a map where Chile is."
The Writer's computer moves around the house a lot. Sometimes it goes outside, too, but Billy always seems to know where it is. Emil followed Billy Into the dining room, and there was the computer. Billy turned it on. Then he hit a few keys on the keyboard. (Billy is allowed to use the computer whenever The Writer isn't using it. He knows to be careful with it.)
A map of South America appeared on the computer screen. Billy pointed to where Chile was on the map. "That's Chile," he said. "It's this very long, skinny country on the western side of the continent, right along the coast."
The boys looked at the map. The map looked like this. The people who made the map made each country a different color, so you could see where they were.
If you look at the map you can see Chile. It is colored brown on this map.
"There are some mountains along almost the whole coast of South America," Billy explained. "They are some of the highest mountains on earth. They are called the Andes (AN-dees).
"Jolena is going to a ski resort here," Billy continued, as he pointed to a place on the map about halfway down the country. "It's very high up in the mountains, and they have snow to ski on right now."
"Wow!" Emil exclaimed. "Is she going all alone?"
"She's going with the whole US Doll Ski Team," Billy replied. "They're all flying together in a plane to Chile to practice. While they are there, Jolena will fly through the air on her skis."
"That's a lot of flying," Emil said.
"I'm wondering, though, how can it be winter there when it's summer here?" Emil wanted to know.
"Mandy explained it to us when spring came last year," Billy said. Billy hit a few keys on the computer. It went to The Doll's Storybook blog. Billy found the story "It's Spring."
"Let's read it again," Emil suggested.
"That's a great idea," Billy said, "but let's use the iPad to read it, so we can get comfortable. The boys settled down in the big beanbag chair and read the story. Emil paid special attention to the part about how the earth goes around the sun and how that makes the seasons.
(You can click here and read that story, too.)
When they were done reading the story, Emil understood how it could be winter in part of the world when it was summer in another part.
While the boys were reading the story, Jolena had finished packing. Jolena will need to take warm clothes with her, as well as her skis and ski equipment. That means a lot of luggage. The boys had just finished reading the story, when Jolena appeared in the living room. "It's almost time for my ride to get here," she said. "I want to say goodbye."
Jolena said goodbye to each of her sisters and brothers. Each doll got a hug, because they all like hugs.
"I think your ride is here," Billy said, looking out the window.
"I think I'm missing something," Jolena said, putting her skis down and looking around. "I am! I forgot my helmet and my goggles! I can't ski without those."
"We'll put your things into the car," Mandy suggested, "while you go get them. That way your ride won't have to wait."
As the dolls were finishing putting Jolena's luggage into the car, Jolena was just rushing to the door with her helmet. "My mittens were in my helmet," she cried. "If I had left those behind I would have frozen my little vinyl fingers off!"
After Jolena got into the car, the girls started back up the stairs, but the boys watched as the car drove away.
Emil watched out the window for a long time after the car was gone.
The other dolls would miss Jolena, but it would be nice imagine her in all that snow in Chile.
"Who's going to cook for us while Jolena is away?" Emil asked Billy.
Cast--
Veronika: Götz Classic Kidz Vroni
Mandy: Götz Happy Kidz Katie 2015
Jolena: Götz Happy Kidz Lena in Aspen
Charlotte: Götz Happy Kidz Anna in Paris
Mariah: Götz Happy Kidz Mariah, "Chosen" from My Doll Best Friend
Billy: Götz Happy Kidz Lily at London
Emil: Götz Happy Kidz Emilia
Note: No dolls were harmed during production of this blog. All dolls shown are Götz Happy Kidz or Classic Kidz. If you like these stories and are willing, please make a donation of any amount to a charity that supports pediatric cancer, such as CURE Childhood Cancer, St. Baldrick's Foundation or St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
"The Doll's Storybook" is not affiliated with Gotz Dolls USA Inc. or Götz Puppenmanufaktur International GmbH.
Watch for the next story each Friday afternoon at 2:00 PM Pacific Time.
Map of South America is from Geology.com and is found here.
Photo of skier by Felipe Giacometti on Unsplash.
Image on Mariah's shirt used with permission with thanks, from Free To Be Kids, where human-size shirts with this image are available.
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Copyright © 2020 by Peggy Stuart
