There's no Place Like Gnome

Derby Lady

Last week, the planets aligned, Saturn was in Venus, the sun was shining and for the first time in many moons Auntie, Puddy and Uncle Jim all had a few days with nothing to do.  So we did what we usually do when we have nothing to do - we had a sleepover in Menton.  Yay!

Because Puddy is a most excellent and thoughtful friend, she brought Auntie some birthday loot:  a lovely little silver bird to decorate my dining table and a funny little book called, "Garden Gnome Attack." That funny little book jiggled a fond memory about gnomes.....

Last winter Uncle Jim took Auntie to the annual Fair in the port of Monaco.  Auntie won two little gnomes at the Derby game.  You know the Derby game don't you?  You sit down in front of a narrow alley.  You have a small ball and you roll it up the narrow alley in front of you and the ball falls through holes at the end of the alley.  Each of the holes has a different value and depending on how good your aim is and how fast you grab the ball and shoot it back down the alley determines how fast your horse gallops down the racetrack at the back of the game.  Auntie is quite good at Derby as it turns out so she won 2 little gnomes. 

Auntie named one "Mo" and kept it and she gave the other one to Puddy who put it on the desk in her office.  Well, Auntie's other girlfriends in Monaco, Christine and Diana found out about the gnomes and then they wanted one too!  Off to the fair we all went, husbands in tow to play Derby and to win more gnomes.  Lucky for us the lady who runs the Derby game had more gnomes.

We arrived at the game.  The tension was thick.  Tokens were bought and popped into the machine.  Fingers were crossed.  Lights flashed.  Sweat broke out on Auntie's brow.  Derby lady cracked her riding crop on top of the alleys. Loud bells rang and then, BAM! - off go the little horses heading toward the finish line. Uncle Jim was standing behind Auntie coaching her along.  "You're first!"  yelled Uncle Jim.  "Second!", "First!",  and then finally - clang clang clang!!  Derby Lady cracks her riding crop and yells, "nous avons une gagnante!"   Hey, that's me!!  Auntie won!!  Phew....  The competition was fierce but Auntie was determined - her friends needed gnomes.

Christiine and Diana have gnomes in their homes now.  Diana sent me a nice picture of her gnome and it's proudly displayed on our fridge in Monaco.  Christine's gnome is safely kept in her china cabinet and I gave the fourth gnome to my friend Suzanne in Ottawa.  And my gnome?  Well, seems Mo is a bit of a wanderer as the photos prove!

Having a Ball in Nice

你好香港

Chillin'at the

Café de Paris

Al mercato di Milano

Kisses from Petticoat Junction