BANG

This was sooooo much fun....biggest BANG indeed..biggest POOF you mean..poor Gustave...poor Mozes...they worked so hard...and all we saw was a litte poof in the air...Much to the relief of Miss Moussie,because she was nervous all day long..BIG Bangs can be dangerous you know....Who came to the rescue..MR Dutchess...home, from one of his many many travels over see...Just back out of a far away land called China, he brought with him the most magical fire works you could ever imagine..
So my dear dear friends...look up to the sky,dive into the land of imagination, and cellebrate..our friendship,our joy,and our lives..Big hugs from all of us....HAPPY HAPPY NEW YEAR....

While we wait...

Gustave and Mozes are in the toolshed....putting together some very special fire work. When the clock strikes twelve they will create the biggest BANG you ever did hear on The Hilltop...


Countdown starting... NOW.....and while we wait..would you like a very yummy ''oliebol''

All hands on deck...

Work to be done.....There was a big pile of dirty dishes...we had to sweep the floors..wash the tablecloths...find missing objects....like Mr C's glasses and Gustave's bow tie..he likes to wirl this around when he does a little dance...and then, when all was in order...start over again...with..shopping,baking and decorating for New Years eve!
Gustave is all exited...he is in charge of the fire works this year and he can't talk about anything else then THE BIG BANG....so,be sure to visit...see you in the garden at midnight...

A day's rest.

It was the day after Christmas
and all through the house
not a creature was stirring
not even Miss mouse....

She is sleeping in her birds nest..

Very Merry...

Welcome to a very merry Christmas party at the Hill top

The silver was polished...by Sir Horatio Hog

The table was set...by Mr C Mole

A last look in the mirror before the party...by Gretta..


Elvira waited and waited for the quests to arrive..


There was a tree


and anothere one...

and another one..Horatio and C just couldnt agree...


A plate full of Gustave's imaginary cookies....


There was music..played on the piano..by Rattus


And last but not least...after a wonderful dinner...THE CHRISTMAS PUDDING...made by Horatio...Mr Mole was to nervous...and his glasses fell in the brandy..infact, the glasses fell in taking Mr C with them...


All the little creatures from The Hilltop Hall would like to wish you a wonderful Christmas...may your days be merry and bright...and remember...stay warm and stay happy...

Hugs from all of us....and now...lets party..

Ready Steady......wait..

Brave little Elvira...waiting in the snow....

Found it..

-Found it...shouted Horatio...waving with a little note book..it was in the top drawer of the linen closet...
-You searched in the Dutchess's her bedroom closet...shame on you..said Mr Mole...that's where all of Victoria's little secrets are hidden ...
-Yes acsactly...and the recipy of the pudding IS a secret...said Horatio..so I just knew I would find it there..

Now then...lets see...said Mr C...whilst reading the recipe...OO,I see there's Brandy in it..some Pudding this must be...come on dear friend Horatio...of to the kitchen we go.....
Sir Horatio Hog followed ...singing... high hoo high hoo..

Rush...

Mr Mole rushed off.....as fast as he could he ran towards Hilltop Hall..following the dark corridors in his secret labyrinth......

-Have to tell my friend Horatio that busy days lay ahead....so much to do so little time,and in his mind he already made a list...

To hang Christmas lights....everywhere..
To make a shopping list...at least three pages from his note book long
To find his cook book...where could it be...
To gather all the Christmas presents from the attic..hidden there by the Dutchess
To polish the silver...
To find the Dutchess's recipe of the famous Christmas pudding...and make it..
To do a lot of things and even more and don't go crazy...

But first things first....To Find his friend Horatio....

Off to Nowhere..

Follow the mouse...here

HOWDY..

O my....its a snowman...twittered Miss Moussie...he is waving with his hat...

-You can't think how happy I am to see you, shouted the snowman from far..I felt a bit melancholy.......HOWDY to you all.....my name is MOODY..
-Well HOWDY..Moody....responded the Dutchess...are we supposed to give you our mail...?

Sometimes I'm up and sometimes down
Sometimes I laugh and sometimes I frown
Sometimes I'm happy and sometimes sad
Sometimes too many birds are circling my head
My name is Moody and I'm a bit out of balance
But I will deliver your mail....I consider it a challenge.

Then after singing this wonderful moody song...the snowman held his hat in front of the Dutchess...
-Put it in please...he smiled...you will be of in a Jiffy..and then he started to cry icy tears..

-O dear,you poor darling..twittered miss moussie...are you oke..are you sure we can leave...isn't there anything we can do..
-Don't mind me ,said Moody...I am a bit unstable today...I will be fine..just fine..You can go now..and then he started to giggle...in fact he couldn't stop..he almost fell on the ground laughing...

-Come on you guys...said the Dutches...hold on to me..stay close together now...I am going to drop the mail....

And so she did...the minute the postcard reached the bottom of Moody's hat..our little troupe disappeared

-O gosh...I am alone again...said Moody..and in between the giggles he cried big tingling icecicles.....O.. gosh....what a happy sound these tears make he said..and started to smile again...

Nowhere or bust..

In the middle of the forest our friends gathered ..

-Goodness..its so cold..shivered Miss Moussie..I decided to wear my new bonnet..I made it myself...isn't it lovely?
-You always look lovely in pink croaked Gustave...as you can see I am wearing my snow boots..
Good thinking dear Gustave ,twittered Miss Moussie..I find them very cool...
-Very wise to dress warmly,said the Dutchess...I believe winter is now getting serious..I am wearing my winter woollies too..

-Will you stop babbling about cloths...said the little Gnome...there is no time for fashion chit chat..we have to find the Jiffy trail...

-This will be easy mmmy ffriend..stammered a voice from under a litle pile of snow..
-C...croaked Gustave...and he wiped away the snow from Mr C's nose...C,old chap...so good to see you...are you coming with us..
-No, my friends..said Mr C Mole...but I am going to show you the way to the Jiffy trail...last time we traveled I made a map...to always find the Jiffy trail back in a Jiffy....just follow me..

There they all went ..following the mole..through the falling snow..

-Who is this funny looking guy...asked the Gnome walking next to the Dutchess at the end of the row...
-That my dear Gnome is Mr C...he is ever so clever and he sees everything..
-AAh,said the Gnome..I see,that explains the glasses..

Mr C now stood still in front of two big Pine trees...the trees were standing very close together...there branches all tangled up in each other..

This is it...said C...this is were we have to say goodbye..this were you have to write your destination mail...

-O Yes...the mail...said the Dutchess..whilst she opened her bag...I did write a little something...on the back of this Christmas card....I wrote..

Nowhere or bust...

....and then all the names of the persons who want to travel...Miss Moussie..Gustave..Gnome..and little old me of course..

-Then you are all set tto travel the Jiffy trail..its right before your noses said Mr C, pointing at the Pine's.
-Really ?..twittered Miss Moussie..I can only see trees...and snow...
With the Christmas card in her hand the Dutchess walked towards the Pine trees..the trees stepped aside to let her through..and there it was...The Jiffy trail...

-O how marvelous, squeaked Miss Moussie ...she grabbed Gustave by his arm...come on my brave frog in boots..lets go..
-Just a minute..said the Dutchess....My dear C...thank you so much for bringing us here...you are a darling..
-You travel sssafe now..stammered C...when you come back there will be a wonderful diner waiting at the Hilltop...and my friend Horatio Hog promised to put up the Christmas tree in the Hall..so ,don't wwworry ....bey bey..and Mr C.....who never was very good in saying goodbye...quickly disappeared back into his secret tunnel.....to pop out again half a second later...again stammering ...bbey bey... bey....I,m going now...bey..

-Bey dear C..said the Dutchess...see you soon...She waved ,and C was gone...they still could hear him saying goodbye underground....

-Oke.....NOW can we go...asked the Gnome ..impatiently..
-We have to call the pumpkins..twittered Miss Moussie...so we can give them our mail...
-I don't think we are going to meet the pumpkins today,croaked Gustave...something completely different is coming our way......LOOK!

A Kindred Spirit

Soon the forest changed his coat...from dark brown to white...with a soft glow from the moonlight..

The Dutchess stood still under the chestnut tree...a little creature appeared..it was Elvira..She looked ever so elegant with all the glistening snowflake freckles on her furry nose..

-Dearest,she said to the Dutchess...don't you worry..I will keep an eye on things when you are gone..please take care..and be safe..
-You are such a brave little squirrel,smiled the dutchess...go quickly now...close the garden gate behind me and don't let anyone in...unless.. they know the secret password..
-I promise..said Elvira...I will let nobody enter the Hilltop...unless they say.."I am a Kindred Spirit"!
Now Elvira was the gatekeeper...the Duchess gave her the key...Elvira took it, clutched it to her chest..and disappeared in the bushes..the snow covered her tracks..

There we go....

The Dutchess was standing in the kitchen,looking out of the window..How silent this night was..in the distance she could hear an Owl...Maybe this was Who...saying goodbye to Miss Moussie and Gustave..
The Dutchess her bag was packed...it was waiting for her on the doormat..

-Well then,...time to go...she said whilst taking a deep breath and opening the door..
The night air greeted her...frosty and clear...
The Dutchess gazed at the sky....it was a strange shade of grey..with a sparkle of starlight...
-Snow...she said to herself...There is snow in the air...how wonderful.

She walked down the garden path towards the Hilltop forest...where all the little garden creatures were waiting...in her footsteps followed the Gnome...humming his tune.

The first snowflakes started to fall...

No way....

O dear ..squeaked Miss Moussie..Gustave are you oke..shall we come to the rescue?

Gustave's laughing face emerged from under the hugs...What a wonderful welcome comity..he croaked...shall I come in again...and he was about to go crawl back under the doormat when a voice from above said..

No time for fooling around now...Listen to me...Its only ten days to Christmas and there is something very important for us to do before that...

It was the little Gnome...sitting in the cuckoo clock...

-Well then..time to continue our conversation we had earlier,said the Dutches while she stood up from the kitchen floor with Miss Moussie on her shoulder..Lets talk ...what is wrong dear Gnome..why are you and the alphabet visiting us?
-Yes..please do tell ...twittered Miss Moussie..All this midnight hanky panky isn't good for my nerves...

With a big leap the Gnome flew out of the cuckoo clock....and landed on the kitchen table.

O my..that little guy can jump..croaked Gustave...and because him being a frog he followed the gnome ..just to let this little fellow know he could jump too..and maybe even better..

The Alphabet saw the gnome fly....saw Gustave jump .....and spelled..

MARVELUS

They regrouped and formed the words..

LEAP FRUG...

Then the alphabet whirled themselves on the table ...next to Gustave...

-You are absolutely right, twittered Miss Moussie proudly ,isn't Gustave marvelous..he can jump as high as a house..
Gustave's swampy shade of green turned red...a lovely blush appeared on his chubby cheeks...O ..its nothing really he mumbled while fumbling his bow tie..

The Dutchess placed Miss Moussie next to Gustave and then sat herself down at the table...Now, she said...dear Gnome...can you tell us your story...

The alphabet gathered in the middle of the table..they made a circle around Miss Moussie ,Gustave and the little Gnome...
Could you please come not so close...squeaked Miss Moussie, I am a bit claustrophobic..

SSSsst Hissed the Gnome...will you stop twittering and let me speak..
PUH...twittered Miss Moussie...and held her nose up high...looking very annoyed..

- As you all may know...said the Gnome..holding one eye on Miss Moussie and the other on the Dutchess...as you all may know...last Christmas the Alphabet visited you to help solve a spelling problem...little did we know that this visit was the start of something very sad...

The alphabet now circled like a merry go round...whirling around our little troupe on the table and the formed the word

TEARS

The Gnome continued...a day after Christmas two letters ran away...the NO..and it never came back....no where to be found..the alphabet cried many tears for there lost friends..so many words they could have spoken but so many words just couldn't be said...just because of this missing letters...
For instance you can not spell...love..without the O...you can not spell..JOY..You can not spell Friends..and all this we need so much ..always..but especially at this time a year..
Dear Friends...the alphabet asked me to ask you if we could all together go on a search...a search to find the NO..
I heard the NO is very stubborn,headstrong and very determined...it won't be easy to find..and it will not be easy to convince it to come home..

Miss Moussie raised her hand...permission to speak ,she twittered with a squeak...

-Permission granted...said the Gnome surprised...with a glimpse of a smile on his face..

-Is it true that if we shout very loud..the NO can hear us...rumour goes that when you shout NO loud enough..louder then the NO...it will come back..

-This is true Miss Moussie answered the Gnome...but the fact is there isn't anyone who can shout that loud...we would need it to be a call made around the Globe..on very different places on this earth..and ALL together to make it work..How are we going to find people who could do that...and even when we would find them...first we have to track down the NO...because one would like to know in what direction to shout!
There is a place...not far from here,we could be there in a Jiffy...were the No was last spotted...this would be a good place to start..but I would like to know from you if we can depend on your help...will you help the alphabet to find there friends,so they can celebrate Christmas ..and spell...HOPE.......you must know the Alphabet has a lot of faith in you..

There the letters wirled and twirled again..spelling..

PLEAS..

-A Christmas without HOPE..is no Christmas at all...croaked Gustave..with a lump in his throat..wiping a way a tear ...You can count me in..
-Me too...twittered Miss Moussie...there should be joy in the world on a Christmas day
-And what about LOVE..said the Dutchess...who can do without it..honestly..what would life be..

Does this mean we are going to do this...said the Gnome, now smiling a big smile from ear to ear..

-WE DO..our friends shouted together...
Then we have to start preparing this very minute said the Gnome..no time to lose..

-Where shall we start our search ..asked Gustave..you did say there was a place where No could be..are we going to travel there on the Jiffy trail...?

-We are old chap..said the Gnome..and the alphabet will tell you where we are going..I don't know the place myself...!

The Alphabet swooped up to the ceiling...made a little dance and then formed the word..

NUWHERE..

OOOO...Goodness..I know where to NO can be found..squeaked Miss Moussie..they mean NOWHERE...as in NO WHERE to be found..our dear friends Mozes and the Tea rat are all ready there...how very exiting..

She ran out of the kitchen twittering ..I am going to pack a bag ..followed by Gustave..craoking..me too!

Well then..said the dutches to the Gnome...It seams we are going on a trip...its been a long time since you and I went on an adventure together...
-At your service dear lady..said the Gnome whilst making a deep bow...
The alphabet above there heads happily whirled the words..

LETS HUG

No way..will you stop that...said the Gnome...jumping in to the dutchess her hair..I hate HUGS..

HI FRUG....lets hug..

The Dutchess and Miss Moussie rushed to the kitchen...there they listened carefully..the knocking continued...

Its coming from the Cabinet....squeaked Miss Moussie...maybe a lost moussie is in there and can't get out...lets open the Cabinet and see..
Very slowly the Dutchess opened the big Cabinet...the doors squeaked..they sounded a bit like a noise Miss Mousie sometimes makes when you tickle her..

Cups and saucers..pots and pans..napkins and tablecloths...a thee pot ..a sugar bowl..a cookie jar..Well...twittered Miss Moussie,I don't see anything that could be suspicious..

But there is..there is ...said a little voice coming from the cuckoo clock..
Its in a secret place...you have to look again...
It was our little Gnome..sitting in the clock,next to the cuckoo,looking down..

-A secret hiding place you say...then I think I know what to do...said the Dutchess whilst pulling up a chair very close to the Cabinet...
-Do you need to sit down dearest..squeaked Miss Moussie ..are you not feeling well..
-I am fine Miss M...said the Dutchess,now standing on the chair...and don't be scared now..hold on to your whiskers...I am going to open the secret drawer..

She pulled and pulled...the drawer didn't open..it was stuck..the knocking now got even louder...

O my Goodness...twittered miss Moussie..what's in that drawer..better let it stay there..

The Dutchess pulled again...and then, tumbled down from the chair holding the drawer in her hand...

Timber...shouted the Gnome in the clock...an avalanche...

Miss Moussie and the Dutchess took a dive under the kitchen table ,holding on to each other..
-Its the Alphabet..twittered Miss Moussie..I saw it..it fell out of the drawer..I almost got hit by a B...how marvelous..Dearest,do you think its safe to come out now..

Then they heard the little Gnome yelling...come out come out where ever you are...we got company..

The Dutchess lifted miss Moussie up and placed the little mouse on her shoulder..sitting on the ground they both looked up to the ceiling and this is what they saw..

THANK YU

The letters were making words...a welcome message

LETS HUG

Twentyfour letters swooped down and twirled around the Dutchess and the Mouse...It was like they were sitting in a whirlwind....like there was a troupe of birdies circling there heads...You could here the twitter of Miss Moussie...squeaking something like..O dear..and, O Goodness me.....
Then...Suddenly, the letters flew up to the ceiling again..

HI FRUG

-What ever could they mean by that..said Miss Moussie...whats a FRUG..
-Don't forget whispered the Dutchess in Miss Moussies ear...there are two letters missing...

A familiar croak sounded through the kitchen...
-The Name Is Gustave...croaked Gustave who just came in.....and I am FROG...

LETS HUG

Said the Alphabet...and they all swooped down on poor Gustave who completely disappeared under a pile of 24 hugs....

S.O.S

Miss Moussie looked the little Gnome deep in his eyes ..."Well little man..we are waiting for you to tell your story...why are you wandering through Hilltop Hall in the middle of the night... For a time it was very still in the living room...the only sound came from the crackling fire...And just at the very moment when the Gnome openend his mouth to speak...there was a knock...and another one.. Was there someone knocking at the door?...No..this sound came from the kitchen..and this knocking sounded very persistent.....'Listen' whispered The Dutchess ..'this knocking has a rhythm... Oh, squeeked Miss Moussie ..like the Tango... No..silly mouse..hissed the Gnome..Like a mayday.. A May day...what's wrong with a day in may...twittered Miss Moussie offended by the way the Gnome reacted.. Dearest...said the Dutchess...our "Jolly" old chap here means that this knocking sound is a signal..someone needs our help....

Dear readers and friends.

We are taking a little break...soon we will be back with more amazing events on Hilltop Hall...don't miss it...

Hug from all of us...