On my way to Washington (the state, not the capital)

I'm flying first class, Priority Mail, to Bluestocking88 in Washington. I had to leave all my belongings in Alabama temporarily, but FancyHorse will ship them on later. All I have with me is my cape, my hats, my bathing suit, and six of my children. Bluestocking has some mysterious plans, which led to this abrupt departure. Can't wait to see what she has in store for me!

Alligators!

Fancy and the Mr took me to a restaurant called "Gators," which gave me hope that there might actually be one somewhere. There's a funny picture of a gator on the sign:




(There I am standing in front of it.)

Underneath the restaurant, there looked like a likely spot to find an alligator or two.



We ate outside on the deck, all the better for seeing the sunset and looking for gators. MrHorse stood up, looked over the rail, and called to us, "There's two of them!" We jumped up to see, and sure enough, floating with just their heads above water, were two very ugly creatures! They tell me that they are as mean as they are ugly. Wow, I can tame lions, and I'm not afraid of tigers, but I don't want to tangle with these beasts!







There was a lovely sunset over the water, but it made me miss my Scottish mountains, and most of all my dearly beloved back in Delaware. *sniff*

Sightseeing in Daphne, Alabama USA

It's about time! I've been vegetating in FancyHorse's house for over two weeks now, and this is the first time Fancy and the Mr have taken me anywhere!

I've met Uncle Sam

(I'm standing right beside him there, but I'm hard to see. Look for my green hat and my tartan cape)

Admired MrHorse's flower garden


And faced down the resident tigers


Today I finally got to leave the house! We went to a park in town, and Fancy said we might see some alligators if we're lucky. Nope, no alligators. We did see some pelicans and a squirrel, though.





Fancy let me start a small nature collection: a sample of Spanish moss, some Southern magnolia leaves, and a twig with live oak leaves on it. Oh, and a pine cone, too. MrHorse found a glass jar in his garage so I could stand still for my publicity shots, and also admire the scenery better. That's where I keep my nature collection for now. When I'm ready to travel, it will go into a zipping plastic baggie.



There was a playground with some cool slides and climbing things. Wouldn't my darling little toothpicks love this!?



At the end of a boardwalk was the beach, with a view of Mobile Bay. I thought I could see Scotland, but Fancy told me it was just Mobile. Besides, Scotland is too far away to see, and in the opposite direction. I'm missing my home, but there is so much to see in America that I am not quite ready to go back yet.



Look, braemar! I found some pretty orange Crocs! Can I have some, please, please, please -- pretty please???



Well, back to Fancy's house again. She's letting me use her computer to update my blog.

Skinny's arrived in Daphne, Alabama April 11, 2009

Skinny Malinky Spurtle has arrived in Alabama!
Complete with all of her treasures and gifts, and three of her children managed to stow away, too. I posted pictures on Skinny's Flickr group:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/fancyhorse/3432007691/in/pool-800383@N21/

FancyHorse

Originally posted in Bookcrossing's chitchat forum by FancyHorse:

http://bookcrossing.com/forum/5/6175840

April 4, 2009 with Covert

Skinny M. Spurtle bad news - Not a joke

This is a somewhat difficult message to post. I've been preparing Skinny to head on down to FancyHorse for her next visit (I'd like her to get there by Easter). I had been keeping her luggage in a storage area that was cozy and safe from the weather...but had not considered the fact that it was a place to which critters had access. :(

Yep, the chocolates, etc, attracted somebody and have all been consumed or munched on (and so I've discarded them). There's been a bit of peripheral damage too- one edge of the journal appears a little munched, the Highland cow's horn is minus a bite, and [*sigh*] the edges of a couple of BigKat's kids' books have been gnawed a little. I've mended everything as best I can.
I am SO bummed about this. It was really very stupid of me to store her stuff there. So all I can say is, I'm sorry. At any rate, Skinny will be on her way, sans edibles, very shortly.
Sometimes I screw up.

Sorry, Skinny fans.

Covert

http://www.bookcrossing.com/forum/5/6162607

March 29, 2009 with Covert

Here's the skinny on Ms. Skinny

Well, those of you that were speculating about exactly what the heck that giggling I heard at night was...it would seem you were right on the mark. I can only hope FancyHorse is correct about the nuptials having taken place. Gracious!

Covert

http://www.flickr.com/photos/fancyhorse/3393472227/in/pool-800383@N21

For discussion:
http://www.bookcrossing.com/forum/5/6148915

Skinny The Lion Tamer! March 15, 2009

Ohmygoodness!!! Look what Skinny's up to NOW!
Well, I HAD mentioned it as a possibility when BigKat asked what Skinny might do if she made a visit, but I never really imagined it would come to pass. But, there you are: Skinny has taken up lion taming! And, once again FancyHorse has kindly put the evidence up on Flickr for all to see:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/fancyhorse/3352996671/in/pool-800383@N21/

What a spurtle! She's a credit to Scotland, is that one.

Covert

Originally posted in the Bookcrossing chit chat forum and includes comments. http://www.bookcrossing.com/forum/5/6116824

March 13, 2009 visiting Covert

*Skinny Checks In* - It's About Time, Say Pundits

We had great plans last weekend for an adventurous outing for Skinny Malinky Spurtle. She let it be known that she's always had a hankering to try bungee jumping, so we piled in the car and headed to our local bungee bridge. Sadly, the staff informed us that they didn't have a proper harness in Skinny's size, so the jump was off. Skinny didn't let that stop her, though. The bridge spans the Brandywine River in Delaware, and as Skinny eyed the frigid water below, she got a glint in her (?)eye.

Those Scots are hardy folk, you know. The sun was bright, and you could almost tell Spring was on its way. Before I knew it, Skinny had thrown off her cape, stripped down to her bathing suit, and leapt out from the retaining balustrade of the bridge. Hearts in our throats, we rushed back along the bridge and down the embankment. Not to worry. There she was, dauntlessly making headway across the current toward the looming black rocks of the Brandywine Isles.
I believe she had a grand time, but you may judge for yourself at where FancyHorse has kindly phttp://www.flickr.com/photos/fancyhorse/3351548911/in/pool-800383@N21 posted the pictures for me. Skinny's up to some other tricks too, so more pics should follow shortly.

Covert

Originally posted in the BC Chit Chat forum, which includes comments: http://www.bookcrossing.com/forum/5/6112516

February 23, 2009 Visiting Covert in Newark, Delaware

Distressing moment with Ms. Skinny,

I've pretty much documented it in this journal entry:

http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/6876818/thankyou/?journalid=11933172&referringmember=&releaseid=3874270

I'm still a little uncomfortable about it with her, but she assures me she's quite past any ill feelings. As a matter of fact, she says she has a vague recollection of hearing stories of a rather unsavory old branch of the family named Sprutle. The tale is that they were an unprincipled mercenary bunch that found employment with the cooks of Edward's army at Bannockburn; they later tried to avoid censure by claiming they had only done it in order to introduce lumps in the Englishmen's porridge.

I suspect they were turned from warped stock.

Covert

Originally posted in the Bookcrossg Chit Chat forum, and includes commentary:

http://www.bookcrossing.com/forum/5/6069459