The Twelve Days of Christmas

On the first day of Christmas, my minis gave to me: A critter in a pine tree!

Karen:  You naughty Minis!  Get that kitty out of the tree!  She's terrified!

On the second day of Christmas, my mini's gave to me, two turtle dogs, and a critter in a pine tree!

Ivy:  Oh my gosh!  You armed the dogs!?

On the third day of Christmas, my minis gave to me....

Nannerl:  Oh, look Ivy!  Three French loaves!
Minis:  On the third day of Christmas the Minis gave to me:  Three French loaves, two turtle dogs and a-
Ivy:  Stop right there! No repeating!  No one likes the endles repeating!
Mini-Josie:  But it's traditional!
Mini-Ivy:  Yeah! Traditional!
Ivy:  Tradition?!  Critters in trees and turtle dogs are not traditional!  And as for French loaves, that's not even that creative!
Mini-Marie-Grace:  Do you know how hard it is to find hens this time of year?  Then catch them and put berets on them!!!
Minis:  And a Critter in a pine tree!

On the fourth day of Christmas....

Cecie:  Oh my goodness!

Lula:  There goes the phone bill.

On the fourth day of Christmas, the Minis gave to me:  Four Calling Birds, three french loaves, two turtle dogs and a--

Lula:  Wait a minute! Is that hen wearing a beret?

And a critter in a pine tree!

On the fifth day of Christmas, my minis gave me....

Kitty:  What's this?  Curly Fries?

Elizabeth:  Indeed.  You know, I could really get behind this one.

On the fifth day of Christmas, the minis gave to me, Five Curled Fries!

On the sixth day of Christmas....

Kitty:  What is that racket?!

Rose:  Looks like day six.

Kitty: At least we are half way through.  I don't know if we can take much more of this!

On the sixth day of Christmas, the minis gave to me:  Six cats-a-wailing!



On the seventh day of Christmas....

Lissie:  Who put the boat in the living room?!  Oh, right.

On the seventh day of Christmas, the Minis gave to me:  Seven pets a-sailing!

On the eighth day of Christmas....

Karen:  You brought the cow into the living room to milk it?

Bea:  The goat, too.

Karen:  Oh, my cow's potatoes!  I wish Christmas would get here so this madness would end!!!

On the eighth day of Christmas the Minis gave to me:  Eight Minis milking...and a critter in a pine tree!

On the ninth day of Christmas....

Elizabeth: Three I think.

On the ninth day of Christmas the Minis gave to me: Nine Minis Dancing! ... And a critter in a pine tree!

Music: The Christmas Can Can by Straight No Chaser

On the Tenth day of Christmas

Kitty:  Aww!!!  They're so cute when they are sleeping.

Ivy:  I don't know.  I still think they're up to something.

On the tenty day of Christmas the Minis gave to me:  Ten Minis sleeping!... And a feeling of impending doom!

On the eleventh day of Christmas....

Karen:  Oh, my cows potatoes!!!!

On the eleventh day of Christmas the Minis gave to me:  Eleven Minis Driving! .... and a critter in a pine tree!

On the twelveth day of Christmas.....

Minis:  Karen!!  Look what we got you!  Merry Christmas!

On the twelfth day of Christmas the Minis gave to me:  Josefina and her collection, eleven Minis driving, ten Minis sleeping, nin Minis dancing, eight Minis milking, seven pets a sailing, six cats a-wailing, five curled fries! Four calling birds, three French loaves, two turtle dogs and a critter in a pine tree!

Merry Christmas, everyone, from all of us at

Paws on Keys!

*******

Special thanks to 

Karen Bush, editor of Paws on Keys

Vivian Bush, ghostwriter

Samuel Bush, producer and general handyman

Christmas Card

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays

from all of us at

Paws On Keys Music Studio

and

Vivian's Vivian Doll

Thanksgiving Past

Lula at her typewriter.

Lula:  Hello, there!  I'm just setting up my typewriter to start a new story.  It's all about a Thanksgiving a few years back.  Pull up a chair and I'll take you on a journey of harrowing adventure, romance and heart break!  We'll meet dashing heroes and villains with dastardly schemes!  Near death experiences and far off mystical lands full of unimaginable creatures!

Okay, okay, I might be over selling it.  At any rate, it all began when we needed a turkey for... well, you know....

Karen and Lissie decided to go hunting wild turkey.

"Okay," said Karen, "we need salt, because everyone knows if you put salt on a bird's tail it can't fly away."

"Right," said Lissie, "I'm ready to go!"

"Lissie, dear, that's a pepper mill.  It has pepper, not salt."

"I think it will work better.  Turkeys are big, so we'll need something stronger than salt to keep them from flying away."

"Oh, I see!  Good thinking, Lissie!"

"Besides, Karen, it's always good to preseason your meat."

*****

"I've been looking at this globe to figure out where to find a turkey, and here it is," said Lissie, pointing, "Turkey.  Couldn't be more clearly labeled!"

"I don't know, Lissie." said Karen.  "Hungry looks promising."

"No, you can't find foom in Hungry, otherwise it would be called Fed."

"Are you sure?" asked Karen, "If they were Fed that would mean they've eaten all the food and just have leftovers.  I don't want leftovers for Thanksgiving.  Hungry on the other hand... well, maybe they keep eating but are still Hungry."

"I still think Turkey is our best bet," insisted Lissie.  

Gobble, gobble!  Karen and Lissie looked at each other.

"Maybe," Karen said, "we won't have to go to Turkey after all!"

*****

"Well, I'm pooped!" gasped Karen.

"I know we heard a turkey out here!  But we've been searching for HOURS!  Even Bach is getting tired!" said Lissie.

"It's got to be around here somewhere," Karen insisted.  "I can feel it!  Like it's justs behind us mocking us!"

Lissie sighed.  "Then turn around and look."

"Nope, too tired."

And so you see, everything was looking bleak and hopeless!  Would they ever find a turkey?  Or would Thanksgiving be comepletely and utterly destroyed in the most tragic manner of sadness?

*****

"Well, Karen," said Lissie as they walked away, "we failed."

"But Lissie, we can't give up now!"

Bach turned around and began barking.  "Woof! Woof! (turn around)!!!

Mini-Isabelle exclaimed, "Do you heaer that Mr. Turkey?  We have to get you outta here before they change their minds."

Mini-Josie said, "That's right, bird.  They want to eat your!  Come with us if you want to live!"

*****

And so the minis came up with a plan!

"This coat will cover your feathers," said Mini-Samantha, "although that's a shame because they are so lovely!"

Mini-Josie was cramming a shoe onto the turkey's foot.  "Sorry, but your feet are a dead give-away!"

Mini-Isabelle, struggling to get the other shoe on, quickly said, "Poor choice of words, Mini-Josie!  Anyway, that mustache lookes dashing on you, Mr., uh, what is your name?"

"Gobble, gobble! (Sir Reginald Pluck).

Mini-Ivy said, "That's lovely!  We can call you Giblets for short!"

"Don't worry, Mr. Giblets!" said Mini-Kit, "We won't let the big girls get at your giblets!"

*****

Karen and Lissie came into the room.  "What are you minis up to?" they asked.

Mini-Samantha said, "Karen!  Lissie!  Look, we have a guest!  This is Mr. Giblet!"

"Ta-DA!" shouted Mini-Kit.

"Well, it's nice to meet you, Mr. Giblet!" said Lissie, extending her hand.  "Do you plan to be here long?"

Karen smiled at him, "My!  You're ever so dashing!"

Mini-Kirsten proudly said, "The glasses were my idea!"

"Shush!" hissed Mini-Ivy.

"Please say you'll stay!" said Karen, "We'd love to have you for Thanksgiving!"

"Gobble, gobble"

"Sounds like you can't wait to eat!" exclaimed Lissie.  "Sorry we couldn't manage to find a turkey this year."

And so, Mr. Giblet had come to stay, and would be a guest at Thanksgiving dinner.  But could he pull off this clever ruse long enough to stay off the table?

*****

What happened next is best described in a montage...

Lula's Story of Thanksgiving Past  Part 8 Lula: What happened next is best described in a montage. 🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀 #flipagram ♫ Music: Banjo Troubadours - Turkey In The Straw made with @flipagram @mionebeast (ghostwriter) @grumpasam (producer) #agig #americangirldoll #turkey #turkeyinthestraw #bulldog #dog #banjobanjotrubadors #minidolls #mustache #cute #funny #lookatthis #dolls

A video posted by Karen Bush (@pawsonkeys) on Nov 11, 2014 at 8:42pm PST

*****

"No!!" shrieked the minis.  "Get back!  We won't let you eat him!  We love him!!"  Mini-Isabelle threw herself on Mr. Giblet's neck, sobbing.  

"Eat him!?"  Lissie looked puzzled.  "Who said anything about eating him?"

"We would never eat him!"  Karen exclaimed.

Mini-Josie, gulping big sobs, "But everyone knows you have to have a turkey for Thanksgiving dinner!"

"Yes," said Karen, "but they say nothing about eating him!  Ehy mean have a turkey over as a guest!  We were going to invite him to eat with us!

"Ooooohhhh!" shouted the minis, "Okay, then!"

*****

Some would say Mr. Giblets' had the most to be grateful for, but honestly, it was all of us because we now have Mr. Giblets as our newest friend.  Happy Thanksgiving Everybody!

"Gobble, gobble, gobble!"

*****

Pictures by Karen Bush

Story by Vivian Guest