The Doll's Storybook

Stories about dolls who live in our world. Although these stories are suitable for children, they should check with their parents before reading and always be careful online. Readers are invited to donate to a charity supporting pediatric cancer treatment and research. Images shown are taken by the author or from a free image website with attribution and appreciation. The author has no connection with Götz Puppenmanufaktur, but gives them credit for the amazing dolls they produce.

Showing posts with label horse. Show all posts

Friday, August 2, 2024

Looking After Pets

Veronika stood over the fishbowl. "Hello, Cleo," she said, as she sprinkled some goldfish food on top of the water.

Veronika knows that she needs to feed Cleo every day. She is responsible (re-SPON-sih-bul) for the health of her goldfish. That means that looking after Cleo is her job.

Veronika knows that real fish use their gills to breathe their water, so once a week, she pretends to change Cleo's water so she can pretend to breathe the way real fish do.

Charlotte and Billy take care of their dogs. They feed them every day and make sure they have fresh water to pretend to drink all the time.

Charlotte and Billy take their dogs for a walk every day. Pierre and Freckles need exercise and fresh air. Sometimes one of the other dolls will go along, just for fun.

Charlotte and Billy pick up any messes their dogs pretend to leave on the sidewalk, the grass or under bushes, because that's what good dog parents do.

The dolls like to throw a ball or a toy for the dogs, and the dogs race to get to the ball or toy first.

The dolls teach their dogs not to chew up anything that doesn't belong to them and not to jump on people.

The dogs need brushing sometimes, so their hair doesn't tangle or come out on the furniture. Charlotte and Billy help each other brush their dogs, because Freckles and Pierre don't always want to stand still.

The dogs need to have their pretend teeth brushed, too.

Mandy doesn't have to take Marmalade for walks, but she does need to clean his litter box every few days.

Mandy gave Marmalade a cardboard box to use to pretend to sharpen his claws so he doesn't use the furniture. She showed him what he was supposed to do by making clawing motions with her hands.

Mandy helps make sure there is water in the water bowl, because Marmalade shares the water with the dogs.

Mandy brushes Marmalade, too. It isn't always easy, because the brush is so big, but she has found a way.

Brushing keeps him from leaving hair on the furniture. It also keeps him from swallowing too much hair when he washes himself. If he has hair in his stomach, he pretends to throw up a hairball. That can make a mess on the floor.

Dogs and cats need to have shots so they don't get sick and so they don't make other dogs and cats sick. Pierre, Freckles and Marmalade are toy animals, so they don't really get sick, but they go to the vet for pretend shots and for the vet to check to make sure they are still pretending to be healthy.

The dolls share a little horse named Brownie, but Emil is responsible for her. The dolls decided he should be the one, because Brownie can tell him what she needs and teach him how to look after her.

A horse is a pet you can ride. The dolls know they need to wear a helmet when they ride, just like when they ride a bicycle. The helmet protects the dolls' heads in case they fall off the horse.

Before his first ride, Emil put the halter and reins (raynz) on Brownie. He needs the reins so he can guide her when he rides. The halter is the part that goes over her head, so the reins stay put.

Brownie's halter doesn't have a bit, the metal bar that goes in the horse's mouth, because Brownie's mouth doesn't open. She is like the dolls in that way.
Then Emil put the saddle on Brownie. She told him how to do it.

Emil reached under Brownie's belly to fasten the saddle, so it wouldn't come off.

Emil used the reins to lead Brownie out to the backyard for a ride. They went out through the dog door.

When they got to the backyard, Emil talked to Brownie and pet her, so she would trust him to ride her.

He had to adjust the stirrups, so they would be in the right place for his feet. If they are in the right place for Emil's feet, they will be in the right place for the feet of most of the dolls, because they are the same size as Emil, but if a bigger or smaller doll is going to ride Brownie, Emil will adjust the stirrups for that doll.

Brownie explained to Emil that he had to get on her from her left side, so he did. Then he rode around the yard for a while. Emil gave Brownie a pat on her neck every once in a while to encourage her. She had never had a rider before. She had never been outdoors before.

Brownie knew real horses are supposed to be outdoors for riding, so she was proud and happy. She pretended to be a real horse. She let Emil ride her around the yard until they were both tired.

Brownie needs to be brushed every time she comes back from taking a doll for a ride, so after Emil took the saddle, the reins and the harness off of Brownie, he gave her a good brushing. He brushed down her sides.

Then Emil brushed Brownie's mane and tail with a different kind of brush. He talked to Brownie and called her by her name. He told her what a good horse she is.

Emil put a blanket over Brownie, so she would stay warm.

Brownie isn't a real horse. She has to stay in the house with the dolls and the other doll pets, but Brownie doesn't sleep in a bed the way the dolls do. That would be silly.

A real horse is supposed to stay in a stable in a little room called a stall (stawl). Horses sleep standing up or lying down on straw on the floor. The house doesn't have a stable, so the dolls made a stall for Brownie out of one of the kitchen cabinets. When Brownie was in the stall, Emil pretended to feed her a sugar cube as a reward. He petted her face and told her what a good horse she is.
"You are a good horse, Brownie," Emil said.

Every day Emil will bring Brownie some oats to pretend to eat or he will take her out to the backyard, so she can pretend to eat the grass.

Dogs, cats, horses, and some kinds of birds and fish, can make good pets because animals like these have lived with people for a long time. They are used to being with people. They are nice family members. The same is true of toy animals. They have lived with dolls and are used to them.

Some kinds of real animals have to live in the wild or in a zoo. We can't just bring home any animal we find and make a pet out of it. That could be dangerous for us and for the animal.

If you find a wild animal in trouble, tell a grownup, who will call someone who knows about animals that live in the wild.

There are plenty of pets to choose from, so almost anyone can have a pet.

Only people with a lot of room outdoors can have a horse. Many people have other kinds of pets, especially dogs and cats, but some families are unable to have a dog or a cat. Sometimes those people have birds or fish, but sometimes they can't even have birds or fish. Everyone can have doll pets.

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
Brownie: Götz Big Plush Combing Horse
Marmalade: Purrrfect Cats
Cleo: Herself. (Cleo is actually a paperweight that was given to The Writer by a very old woman she knew when she was a child.)

Many thanks to Alpine Veterinary Clinic for allowing us to shoot "on location" in their waiting room.

You can follow The Doll's Storybook here.

Do you have questions or comments for us? Would you like to order an autographed copy of one of our books? You can email us at thedollsstorybook@icloud.com.

Note: No dolls were harmed during production of this blog. All dolls shown are Götz Happy Kidz, Classic Kidz or Little Kidz. If you like these stories and are willing, please make a donation of any amount to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital or any organization that supports pediatric cancer research and treatment. We are not affiliated with St. Jude in any way other than these donations.

"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 1:00 PM Pacific Time.

Mariah: Stories from The Doll's Storybook, Emil: Stories from The Doll's Storybook, Classic Tales Retold: Stories from The Doll's Storybook and Our Favorite Verses: Poems from The Doll's Storybook are available from BookBaby and other booksellers worldwide, such as Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Author's page on Amazon.

Royalties (net proceeds) go to support pediatric cancer research and treatment. If you don't get free shipping elsewhere, buy from Book Baby. Half of the price goes to charity (specific information available upon request). Autographed copies of all three books are available from the author. (Multiple books to the same address have a discount on shipping.) To inquire, email thedollsstorybook@icloud.com.

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Friday, May 14, 2021

Work in the Workroom

"Are they gone yet, Mariah?" Mandy asked.

Mariah was looking out the window of the workroom. "They're just pulling out of the driveway," Mariah reported. "I'll keep watching for a few minutes to make sure they're gone."

The old people were going to get their second dose of the vaccine (vax-EEN) they needed, and then they were going to the grocery store. The dolls thought that might be enough time to tidy up the mess in the workroom and surprise The Writer when she got home.

Mandy and Veronika stood in the hallway looking into the workroom.

"Oh, my!" Exclaimed Veronika. "What are we going to do with this mess?" (We couldn't show you the mess because it would break the camera!)

Mandy looked at the piles of yarn on the floor by the table, the piles of fabric on the floor by the window. There were scissors, pins, knitting needles, books, pattern pieces, the dolls' clothes, trash and other things they didn't recognize lying around on the table, sewing machine cabinet and floor. "We have our work cut out for us," she said finally.

"Well," Veronika said, "They say 'Many hands make light work.' I guess we have many hands. If everyone does a little bit, I think we can make a dent in it." (That means to make it a little better.)

The dolls did have many hands. Sixteen, in all, because there were eight of them, and each doll has two hands. They were small, but they were clever. After looking around the workroom, the dolls met in the upstairs hall.

"I'll fold the fabric and put it away," Veronika said.

"I'll take care of the yarn," Mandy suggested.

"I'll try to tidy up all the...stuff," Billy volunteered.

"I can help you, Billy," cried Pippa, who wasn't sure where everything belonged.

"I'm used to packing clothes," Jolena put in, "because I have to travel with the Doll Ski Team, so I volunteer to organize our clothes and put them away."

"I'll pick up the trash and recycling," said Emil.

Charlotte had seen the pile of knitting needles on the cutting table. "I'll put the knitting needles away," she said. "Each one will have to be checked for size. I can do that."

"Let me put away the books and the shipping envelopes," Mariah begged. "I know how they should be stored."

The dolls got busy. Veronika folded the fabrics. She separated the scraps that could be used for making quilts into one pile and made another pile with the larger pieces that would be good for doll clothes. Then she folded each of the larger pieces of fabric and put them away in the cabinet.

The small scraps she put into a bin with a lid. They could be used for making quilts.

Mandy took the unused balls of yarn and put them in plastic bags. The scraps left over from projects she and The Writer had made all went into another bag. They could be used for hats and mittens for dolls.

Mandy put the bags of yarn away in the cabinet. She put all the thicker yarns together and all the thinner yarn together. Then she arranged them by color. She climbed up on the ladder to put the yarn away with other yarn that was similar in size and color.

While Veronika and Mandy were busy with the fabric and yarn, Billy tried to find places for everything. Pippa followed him around, looking for something she could help with.

"What can I do?" Pippa asked.

Billy didn't answer. He put things away where he had seen them before, while Pippa followed him around and watched. Then Billy ran into a problem. He needed to figure out what to do with the small red chair. He thought it would be good to talk about the problem with someone, and Pippa was right there. "I see the place this chair should go," Billy said to Pippa, "but I don't know how to get it there." He pointed to the top of the cabinets that hold the fabric and yarn.

Pippa looked at where Billy was pointing. Brownie was standing on top of the cabinet with some chairs that were not being used.

Maybe Brownie would like to sit on the chair. She must be tired of standing.

"I can lift the chair," Pippa said, "and I can climb up there where Brownie is, but I don't think I can climb up there with the chair."

"You!" Billy exclaimed. "You're too little to climb up there! The ladder isn't tall enough."

"I am not!" Pippa cried. "I climbed up on top of the bathroom counter with no help from anyone! This is just like that only higher."

Billy would have rolled his eyes, but he knew he couldn't. His eyes don't move. "Well," he said, "if you can, that would help. but we need to get the chair up there."

"You can throw me some yarn after I get up there," Pippa suggested. "I can let down one end from up there. We can use that to bring the chair up."

"Great idea!" agreed Billy. "I can tie the yarn to the chair, and you can pull it up!"

When Mandy was through with the ladder for a few minutes, Pippa opened the door to the cabinets, and she and Billy moved the ladder into place. Pippa climbed up the ladder. When she was at the top of the ladder she used the open shelves to climb on.

When Pippa reached the top of the cabinets, she moved over to where the chair needed to go. Brownie moved aside a bit to make room. Billy made a ball out of some thick yarn and threw the ball to her. Pippa caught the ball of yarn. She let down one end of the yarn, and Billy tied it around the chair. When he was done, Pippa pulled on the chair. She pulled until it was up on top of the cabinet.

Pippa left the chair on top of the cabinet and climbed down again. (Brownie did not want to sit on it, but she was fine with having it there.)

While all that was happening, Jolena folded the clothes and put them into bags to store in the set of wire baskets on wheels. She put the pajamas, bathrobes, towels and sleep masks in the bottom basket, where they would be easy to reach at night when the dolls were tired. The next basket was where she put underwear, socks, tights, bathing suits and her ballet clothes.

The next basket was for sweaters and skirts. There were a lot of those. Then she put all the play clothes (shirts, jeans, slacks and leggings) into the top basket.

Next, Jolena put all the winter clothes, like coats and hats, into plastic bags and put them into a big bin, because there was no more space in the wire baskets.

All the boots went into a box with the umbrellas.

While Jolena was busy with the clothes, Emil went around the room picking up anything that looked like trash. Anything he was sure would be thrown away, like used tissue, candy wrappers, scraps of yarn shorter than 2 inches, and old plastic mailing wrap, went into a big black plastic bag.

Anything that could be recycled went into another bag. Every time Emil found a yarn label or anything else he thought The Writer might not want thrown away, like a sales receipt or a coupon for savings on something to buy, he put it into a big plastic basket for her to go through. He knew he needed to let her decide whether to throw them away or recycle them. These things belonged to her, and she needed to be the one to throw them away or put them into recycling.

Charlotte was busy with the knitting needles. Some of them were too small to have sizes written on them, but she knew how to use the tool for checking the size. She knew you put the needle into a hole, and if it stuck and wouldn't fit in the hole, the needle was too big, so to try the next size up. If it went into that hole but not the next smaller one, that was its size. After checking the sizes, she put each needle into the needle book in the correct pouch.

Mariah picked up the books that were stacked on the floor and put them into a box. She put a piece of paper between sets of ten books, so The Writer could see at a glance how many were left. Then she put the mailing envelopes and mailing labels into another box.

Mariah closed the boxes so The Writer could stack them if she wanted. They were too heavy for Mariah to lift.

When the dolls were all finished with what they could do, they heard the garage door open.

"The Writer is back!" Charlotte exclaimed.

They climbed back up to where they had been before The Writer had left. They knew she would be surprised. They knew they had done a good job. The workroom was much tidier than it had been when the old people had left.

The Writer came upstairs to put her sweater away. She stopped in the doorway to the workroom. Something had changed. She could not remember when it had been so tidy and organized.

The dolls were all where The Writer had left them. They were trying to look innocent.

"Hmmmm..." The Writer thought. "My workroom looks tidy now. I wonder if I need another shot of vaccine soon."

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

Pippa: Götz Little Kidz Lotta