CHAPTER SEVEN "The Happy Valley Neighborhood"

     Smithville has a pleasant little neighborhood called Happy Valley.  In Happy Valley live several extra-tiny people.  And, Happy Valley is a good name for the area, because the people who live there always have smiles on their faces.

     In  the pretty little yellow house shown above live two of Smithville's most appreciated citizens, Tom and Tess Endrews.  Tom and Tess have taken on the responsibility for delivering all important messages and news to the citizens of Smithville.  You see, their house in located right next to where Phyllis Smith listens to her television. And she faithfully listens to all the news and weather reports.
So Tom and Tess use their bicycles to deliver all important news to the town's citizens.  They also
pick up and deliver all the paper mail and messages from one house to another.

      You can see from looking at their house, Tom and Tess are very neat and organized.

     Also located in Happy Valley is the brand new town Library.  This lovely building is just
completed and managed by the only triplets in Smithville:  Bill, Bentley, and  Bonnie Box.
It is a wonderful addition to the town, and is being efficiently managed by the triplets, who also reside in living quarters in the same building.

   

However, do not come into the neighborhood or the library with the idea of being

noisy or unruly.  These extra-tiny people may be happy and smiling, but the like everything 

quiet, neat, and orderly.  They might just ask you to LEAVE!

CHAPTER SIX "Do Re Mi " Oh Me, Oh My !

Since Frederick Sewell had blissfully slept in this morning, leaving all the school preparations to his wife, Elizabeth, he felt duty-bound to volunteer his time to pick up Freddie from school this afternoon.
Besides, he had another motive for wanting to do this.  He wanted to talk to Freddy's teacher.  Since
Mrs. Lamper's husband taught singing lessons, Frederick wanted to get some information about these lessons.  Being an actor, he had often missed out on being cast in parts where singing was required.
You see, Frederick was not a very good singer, and he thought maybe Edward Lamper could help him improve.

When Frederick arrived at school  Freddy stood waiting with Mrs. Lamper.  Evidently Frederick was a bit late, as usual. When he asked Mrs. Lamper about the singing lessons,  she was surprised that this was his concern.  Most parents wanted to know how their child had done that day.  She suggested that
he should talk directly to Edward to get all the accurate information.

"Say, Edward is home and available right now.  If you want to walk over there, it would be a perfect time to catch him.  And you could help me out, too.  If our girls could walk with you, it would be a great help.  Their brother usually walks them home, but I need him here to help me hang some shelves."

Well, Frederick could do little else but offer to help.  So off he went accompanied by his little party of students.

Edward was at home when they reached the Lamper's house, and was just finishing a lesson with one of his students.  As this student left, Edward greeted the children and thanked Frederick for walking them home.

Frederick said, "No problem, I wanted to talk to you anyway, and inquire about talking singing lessons."
Edward seemed more than pleased to talk with Frederick about lessons.  "I would be more than happy to have another student.  Why don't you come in and let's have you try a little vocalizing to see if you might benefit from lessons."

So the girls and Freddy ran upstairs to play, and the men went to Edward's music studio.

"Let's try some scales first"
Edward played some notes on the piano and sang the scale for Frederick to copy, "Do re mi fa sol la ti do."  Then he repeated the scales again starting one note higher.
"  Now, Frederick, you sing the scales as I play the notes on the piano."

So Frederick sang, "Do Re Mi Fa Sol La Ti OH NO!"  Frederick's voice cracked on the high note

Upstairs the children were sitting around the floor vent watching and listening.  You see this old house had heat vents in the ceilings of the downstairs rooms so that heat could rise to the rooms upstairs.
These gave the children a perfect spot to watch and listen to the lesson going on downstairs.

When  Frederick's voice cracked on the high note, the children started giggling.

Downstairs, Edward said,  "Er let's try that again. Try breathing deeper breaths."  

So Frederick sang,  "Do Re Mi Fa So La Ti OH NO even worse."  His voice cracked again.

Again they heard stifled giggles from upstairs.

"Kids, get away from that vent right now!"  Edward knew just what the kids were doing.

"All right,"  said Edward.  "Now that the kids can't interrupt us.  Let's try the scales one more time."
This time he played the piano along with Frederick's singing.

Frederick coughed and clear his throat.  He gave it a valiant effort. "Do Re Mi Fa Sol La Ti Do."
But this time with the piano, Frederick was terribly flat on every note.  And, as he finished, the
dog started to  howl.  When the dog started to howl the children really lost it.  Hysterical laughter came from upstairs!

Edward and Frederick stopped.  There was an embarrassing silence.

Frederick said,   " Freddy and I must go.  I know Elizabeth is waiting supper. Freddy!  It's time to go!" Frederick yelled upstairs.

Edward, too, looked embarrassed.  "  You know, Frederick  what the newest trend in acting is.
The new musical on Broadway is "Hamilton".  It is sold out for months, and it is a Rap Musical.
Er uh,  you might want to consider taking Rap lesson from our sons."

"Thanks,"  said Frederick, hurrying Freddy along to the door,  I might consider it.  Come along, Freddy, Mother is waiting."  And they hurried out.


Rodgers and Hammerstein said this about the Do Re Mi scale, "When you know the notes to sing,
you can sing most anything."  If they heard Frederick sing the scales, they might have to reconsider.

CHAPTER FIVE The First Day of School

The BIG day has arrived.  It is a very happy day for the Smithville mothers, and not so happy for some of the children.  It is the opening day of school in Smithville..

Muriel Lamper, being both a mother and the only teacher at the school, is very busy trying to get the day started.  Clothes to find, lunches to pack, breakfast to prepare and eat.....it is a hectic morning.
Annie and George will be going with her.  It is George's last year in school, and Annie is in fourth grade.  Herbie is busy with his delivery service, and Edward has some students coming to the house for singing lessons.

Winifred Switcher is taking baby Caroline over to the Sewell's. Claire has agreed to watch both
Caroline and Beth while the mothers are busy getting everyone ready for the first day of school.

 
Freddy Sewell is so nervous about the first day.  He is new to the school, and he is stuck wearing Victorian clothes that are way out of style.  In fact, he cannot eat his breakfast.  He is so nervous that he is quite sick to his stomach.  Beth and Caroline, on the other hand, have no problem eating their
oatmeal and drinking their juice.  They are both soon settled upstairs playing with Beth's toys.

Mrs. Sewell can see that breakfast is just not going to work for Freddy.

"Freddy, why don't you go upstairs, brush your teeth, and then you can pick out a favorite toy or book to take to school with you.  I'm sure Mrs. Lamper would let you share it with the rest of the class."
So Freddy went upstairs, slipped his favorite thing under his jacket, and off to school they went.

When they arrived at school, the students were mostly milling around on the playground.  Mrs. Lamper had not rung the bell to call  them into class.  So Mrs. Sewell kissed Freddie good bye and left for work.

Soon some of the other students noticed Freddie standing alone.

George called out,  " Hey, where did you get those funny pants.  What are those things called?"

Red faced,  Freddie almost whispered,  "knickers."

"SNICKERS!"  George almost yelled, laughing loudly."

Soon all the other kids joined in, "  Where did you get those clothes?"

"Ha, ha, ha, look at him!"


" Fancy pants...fancy pants.....fancy pants!"

With tears in his eyes, Freddy ran off and hid behind the school building.  After a bit of a cry,  he took out his favorite item that he had brought from home.  It was his trumpet that he loved to play more than anything.

After a good bit of playing his trumpet,  Freddy felt so much better.  It really settled him down, and when he looked around,  there were all the other students.  They had come around the building to see who was playing the trumpet.

"Wow, you are really good!"

"Play some more!"

"Man, you can really play that thing!"

Freddy smiled.,  And just then George Lamper stepped up.  "Freddy, you must join our brass trio, and then we can be a brass quartet.  We have needed  one more player.  All our music has been written for four parts.  You are so good, we might even win the talent contest!"

And from that moment on....Freddy fit right into life at Smithville School.

CHAPTER FOUR A Daring Trip to Watch the Olympics

Today the Lampers had a visit from Winifred Switcher.  Winifred was quite upset because she had been right in the middle of mixing the batter for a special order cake  when she discovered that she was all out of chocolate.  Frederick Sewell had ordered the cake for his wife, Elizabeth's birthday.  And Winifred wanted it to be especially good.  She needed for the Lamper boys to visit the Smith's kitchen and "borrow" some chocolate.  A couple of M&M's would do.  But, even better, would be a hot chocolate pod.  The Smith's kept the pods to use in their hot drink machine, and one would give Winifred enough chocolate to last quite awhile.

The boys were happy to take off and see what they could find.  So Muriel and Winifred settled in for a cup of hot tea and a good chat.

When the boys returned, they were happy because their trip had been a big success.  They were able to bring back a hot chocolate pod.  But the boys were really excited for a different reason.

"Mom, where is Dad?  Dad!  Dad!  We need to talk to you!"

"Boys, slow down.  What is so important?  Your dad is upstairs resting and reading his new issue of The Saturday Evening Post."

"We'll explain later, Mom."  And the boys ran upstairs to find their dad.

"Dad. we have something to tell you.  Grandpa Don is sound asleep in his reclining chair, and the TV is on showing the Olympic golf.  AND  Britton's chair is sitting right in front of the TV!"

Then Herbie joined in, "And, Dad, if we are really really super quiet, we can sneak in, climb up on Britton's chair, and watch the golf match!"

"Oh, I don't know, boys.  It sounds risky and dangerous.  What if Grandpa Don wakes up and catches us?"

"He is really snoring, Dad.  I don't think he'll wake up.....if we are super quiet."

"Pleeeea.....se, Dad.  You know you love golf.  And Ricky Fowler is playing.

Well, that did it.  For, indeed, Edward did love golf.  While the Lamper family had still been packaged and for sale at the store, they had been displayed on a counter right next to the TV sales department.
The department manager had been a big golf fan and kept the TV's tuned into golf as often as possible.
So the whole family had watched and become real golf fans.  AND Ricky Fowler was Dad's favorite golfer.  So that did it.

"Okay, boys, but let me tell your mother.  And you must be very, very quiet.  AND when I say it is time to go,  we must leave right away."

When they went downstairs and told Mother,  Winifred thought maybe her husband, Conrad, might like to go along, so she hurried home to tell him.  And the boys went with her to carry the chocolate pod.

Soon, the boys, their dad, and Conrad were quietly sneaking into the living room.  They used their climbing rope to climb up and get onto Britton's chair.

What a treat the afternoon was!  They saw a good hour, at least, of Olympic golf.  They even witnessed Justin Rose hit a hole in one!  Wow!  That doesn't happen often!

But, oh no!  They were so into the golf, that they didn't hear Grandpa Don wake up!

"Well, look at this.  Britton left his chair sitting here....and all these dollhouse guys."

The "Guys" froze.

Meanwhile, Don picked them all up.  "What's this little rope?  Oh well, I'll put all these back in the dollhouse so that Britton can find them."

Don put all the dolls and the climbing rope back into the Lamper's house.

And, even though it gave them an awful fright, it did save them a long walk home.

And later on that evening, when Don and Phyllis were sound asleep,  Conrad Switcher went home to Winifred, and everyone and everything returned to the proper places.

CHAPTER THREE - Those Rich People with the Big, Fancy House

     The newest house in Smithville is located on Naptown Avenue.  It is a pretty pink Victorian
Mansion with a grey checkerboard roof.  In this pretty house lives the Sewell family, and they
are the most recent new citizens of Smithville.

     As you can see they are a rather serious looking lot.  I don't know if it is because they have
to wear those tight Victorian garments, or if they just think they are richer and better than their
neighbors in Smithville.  But I think they may have a lot of adjusting to do to come to terms with their
new lives.

    Mother Sewell's name is Elizabeth, and she has moved to Smithville because she is a collector
of antiques, and has been hired to work in the local antique store.  Her husband is Frederick.  He really
is a bit of a snob.  He is an actor and debater and he has moved here to teach at the drama school.
To  his right stands their full time cook and maid.  They are gourmet food lovers, and Claire is kept
busy keeping the family happy and the house in running order.

    To the left of his mother is Freddy who was named after his father.  Freddy is 10 years old
and dreads going to school at his new school, just like all new students everywhere!
Seated in the middle is his little sister , Beth, who was, of course, named after her mother.
Beth is just pretty much happy wherever they put her.  She spends the day following Claire
around the house, and spreading her toys out all over the floor.

     The best part of moving to Smithville, is their lovely new home.  The worst part is, of course,
that they are stuck wearing those awful Victorian clothes.  It is worse for Elizabeth and Claire
because they are wearing those Victorian corsets.And Freddy hates his
"nerdy" clothes because all the kids at school are going to tease him unmercifully.  Sweet little
Beth simply doesn't care a whit.  Her dress is loose, comfy, and, best of all, PINK!

Chapter Two of Life in Smithville

Small Stories from Life in Smithville

CHAPTER TWO

   

Right next door to the Lamper family home , there stands a red English manor

house.  It is smaller than the Lampers'  colonial, but has a lot charm in its own way.

This is the Switcher family home.  And, just like the house, the Switchers are smaller, too.

There are just five in their family, and they are not only smaller in numbers, but in stature, too.

But, just like their home, the Switchers are very charming, too.

The mother is Winifred Switcher who owns Winnie's Coffee Shop.  Right now Winifred leaves

the day to day operation of the coffee shop to her employees, as she wishes to stay

home with her children.  But she does a lot of baking at home, both for the coffee shop and

for her husband's bakery.

Her husband, Conrad is both the mayor of Smithville, and also owns and operates

the village bakery.  Although they specialize in bread and rolls, Winifred makes

delicious cakes, and does the cake decorating, too.

The Switchers have three children.  The oldest is their only son, Corey.  Corey is

ten years old.  His sister, Cathy, is seven.  And then there is baby sister, Caroline, who is

ten months old.  Corey isn't very happy about being the only boy in the family.   You see

they all thought that the new baby was going to be another boy.  They planned for 

Corey to share his 3rd floor bedroom with the new baby.  Boy!  Were they all surprised

when baby Caroline arrived.

Corey was very unhappy that Mom and Dad decided to paint his bedroom bright pink,

with PINK curtains, no less.  And then they moved Cathy upstairs to share the room

with baby Caroline.  And, as if that weren't bad enough, they made Corey move into

their room because they thought it looked more like a boy's room, and they didn't want

to redecorate another room in  the house.  So Mom and Dad moved their big bed into

Cathy's room.  Dad doesn't seem to mind the fancy mirrors and dresser.

Since Corey was so unhappy with his new room, Mom and Dad have allowed him to

keep both the dog and cat, and their beds in his bedroom.  Corey doesn't seem to mind

that his room smells like the vet's office, and the animals wake him up early in the morning 

for their walk and breakfast.  Seems like Mom and Dad made a pretty smart decision.

Small Stories from Life in Smithville

This is the beginning of a series of stories written for my Great Grandson, Britton.  When Britton comes to visit, he likes to look at the doll houses, and to take some of the little people who live in
the doll house for an "outing" in his little hands.  I hope to make a book of "little people" adventure stories that Britton will enjoy reading with his Great Grandmother.


CHAPTER ONE

     Deep in the cornfields of Indiana there is a tiny community that is only known to exist by a very
few people........a very few,very tiny people.  It is named Smithville, and is located in the county
of Redbud.

     At the present time there are only 4 or 5 houses in Smithville, and the house belonging to the Lamper family is, by far, the largest of all.  It is of Colonial design, but is a comfortable, well lived-in home.  After all, the Lampers have four children, so the home has been more than "gently" used. The Lamper's home is situated in their owners' fireplace den.  So the Lampers have named their street "Middleden" Drive.

     You must understand, dear reader, that the citizens of Smithville started life as standard doll
house dolls.  And only by having the good fortune of being purchased by a caring doll house owner, and living in a stable and lasting environment have they been able to transform into living, breathing
people.  That is, they can live and breathe when their human family is sound asleep or away from
home. Let me introduce you to the family.

     On the far left is the father, Edward Lamper.  Edward teaches vocal music and debate at the drama school, and also gives private singing and speaking lessons at home.  Next to him stands Muriel Lamper, his wife.  She is the teacher at the Smithville School.  Also standing in the back row are Herbert, the elder son, and Harriet,  the elder daughter.  Seated in front are little sister, Annie, and the younger son, George. Herbert and George run the local delivery service.  George also teaches hip hop
dance at the dancing school.  Harriet baby sits with Annie, and also baby sits for the other families in
Smithville.

     Muriel is definitely the "head" of the family, or tries to be.  Being a school teacher, she tries
to maintain some discipline in their family life.  Edward is more creative and relaxed about discipline, so the children try to go to Dad for permission when at all possible.  Herbert and George love to play pranks and tease their sisters.  The give poor Harriet a lot of grief.  But Annie, being the youngest, is
pretty much spoiled by the whole family. See if you can guess which rooms are used for what.