Helping to Put the Groceries Away

Lately my big tub of kibble has been looking pretty empty. Every night Laura had to reach down further and further into it to get me my dinner.

I always get concerned when that happens. What would happen if we ran out? Princesses have sensitive stomachs. I cannot eat just anything.

Then, on Wednesday, Laura said she was going out shopping. "Don't worry, Princess Kendal," she said. "I'll be back as soon as I can, and maybe I'll bring something nice for you."

Well, Laura was gone for a long time. And when she came back home, the shopping cart was full, and her knapsack was full, and she had another big bag besides which was also full. Hurrah! More food for me! I followed Laura into the kitchen to help her put away the groceries.

Laura produced fruit and vegetables and olive oil and bread out of her knapsack. Then out of the other bag, she produced boxes, which she put in the freezer. Then she started to unpack the shopping cart. There was a big bag of soil in it, and two plants (we already had enough of those!) and a scary-looking thing that water comes out of when you tip it. (Fortunately, Laura likes to tip the water-thingy over the plants and not over me!) But there was no food for Princess Kendal. I put my nose inside the shopping cart, just to make sure, but there was nothing there. Nothing at all.



Where was my kibble?

That night, Laura had to reach down so far inside my kibble tub to find me my dinner, her head almost disappeared inside it! This was not good.

On Thursday, Laura went out with the shopping cart again. I figured she couldn't possibly be going to fetch any more plants, because we didn't have any more space in which to put them (except maybe my empty kibble tub) and we didn't need any more soil (all of the plant pots were full of that already) and Laura's food cupboards were all full too. Surely, this expedition had to be to find some food for me.

And I was right! Laura came back home with the shopping cart full of a big bag of Princess Kendal kibble!

That bag was so big, Laura couldn't get it out of the shopping cart, so she had to cut the top off in the cart and scoop out the kibble into my big kibble tub.

Well, that kibble tub was mighty empty when Laura first started on filling it, as I've said. But the new bag of kibble she brought home was really big. I watched the kibble tub get fuller and fuller.



What would happen if there wasn't room in my kibble tub for all of that food? We have to be tidy and put everything away in its proper place, and I didn't know where Laura could put my nice kibble if it wouldn't all fit in the tub.

So I decided I'd better help Laura by making sure there was room.



I like to be helpful.

Camping In

Last night, Laura was working on her computer, too late as usual, so I reminded her it was time to go to bed.

Laura said, "You're right, Princess Kendal." Then she turned off her computer and turned out the lights and lay down on the sofa.

That's not right, I thought, so I reminded Laura again, as gently as I could, that it was time to go to bed.

Laura mumbled something about it being too hot. Then she rolled over and went to sleep.

This was not working out as I had planned. Laura was correct about it being hot, however. And it is a long flight of stairs up to our bed. Sometimes Laura needs to rest to recover her energy to carry me up all those stairs. I figured that was what Laura meant, so I lay down to wait while Laura had her nap.

Three hours later, Laura was still sleeping. That is a long nap! When I tried to remind her again about going up to bed, however, she didn't even move.

Well, I am a princess. I cannot just sleep on the floor! But Laura hadn't flattened out the sofa before she fell asleep on it. It was still folded in half, which meant there wasn't very much room with Laura already stretched out on it.

Finally, I found a spot where there was room for me to jump up by Laura's feet. It wasn't a very big spot, but I was able to use Laura's feet as a pillow, which was pretty comfy.

In the morning, I decided the sofa wasn't such a bad place to sleep. It was just like camping really, where you have to sleep someplace strange, only without the bugs and the scary fire. Plus, when we woke up, I didn't have to go downstairs to get my breakfast because I already was downstairs! I liked that part the best.

What If...?

Last night, Laura was playing a game of "What If...?" in which she was brainstorming ideas for some stories she might like to write. I always like to try to help Laura, so I decided I would play too.

I didn't come up with as many ideas as Laura, but I had one that I thought was pretty good. How about this:

What if everybody knew that I am a Princess?

What do you think?

I think that could be a good story. Think about it:

1. If everyone knew that I am a Princess, I wouldn't have to be bored anymore when Laura is working on her computer, because I would always have people to play with me. Everybody wants to be in the presence of royalty, so my loyal subjects would be lining up every day to visit me, and they would all want to stroke my ears, rub my tummy, and give me nice bum massages.

2. If everyone knew that I am a Princess, I wouldn't have to stay behind when Laura goes out, because nobody would dare to say that a Princess couldn't come into their house.

3. If everyone knew that I am a Princess, I wouldn't have to walk anywhere anymore. Every time Laura wanted to go for a walk, my loyal subjects would build a chariot for me and they would carry me in it, so I could be with Laura on her walks and still sleep.

That's a story I would like to read.

When I told Laura about it, however, she said, "Thank you, Princess Kendal" in that way people do when they're being polite but they're not really going to use your idea.

Hmph!

Night Patrol

Usually when Laura is in the bathroom, I like to rest on our bed. I know it's my job to be with Laura and look after her and protect her from bad people, but sometimes even a Princess needs a break. Our bathroom is in the middle of our house, so I figure Laura is safe in there.

Last night, however, while Laura was having her bath, I heard scary noises. There were explosions going off outside. Lots of them. Sometimes a whole bunch of little ones in quick succession and sometimes really loud ones.

I ran into the bathroom as quickly as I could to make sure Laura was okay, and I sat right beside her while she had her bath to keep her safe and help her not to be frightened.

House Rules

One thing I don't like about visiting is that some people have funny house rules.

Like at my Mum and Dad's house: They have a really big room with all sorts of comfy furniture in it -- but they only let humans sit on the furniture! What is up with that? Also, my Mum keeps most of the beds in secret rooms behind closed doors. Only my Dad lets me go in his bedroom, but his bed is really tall, and I cannot jump that high.

There is one room, however, in which Laura and I usually stay when we visit. That room is supposed to have my bed in it. But ever since Laura moved our big red bed to our new home, it's been hard to find a place to sleep in my Mum and Dad's house, even in our old room.


Hmph! Laura didn't leave much room up here for me. I don't know why all of her bags need to be on this sofa.


Hah! I made a spot for me!


Shh! Don't tell anyone I'm up here!


Uh-oh. Someone's coming.


If I pretend to be asleep, maybe they won't make me get down.

Visiting

Laura brought a car home this week and we used it to go and visit my Mum and Dad. I like to visit them and all of my other friends who come 'round to see me at their house like Melissa and Leanne.

Laura took me to visit my friends Barb and Trevor too, which I guess was okay. (Barb poked me in the bum and then she stuck my arm with a needle, but afterwards she gave me a pretty red bracelet, so I decided to forgive her.)

Sometimes when I am at my Mum & Dad's house my friend Claire comes to visit me -- but she didn't come this time. I was sad about that. Claire didn't come to my birthday party either. I haven't seen her in a long time and I miss her.



Maybe I can help Laura to find another reason to have a party, and then Claire could come to it.

It's BEDTIME, Laura!

Last night Laura didn't go to bed until 10:15 this morning!

Now, before you go on saying, "Princess Kendal, that doesn't make any sense," -- I know!

I know it doesn't make sense. That's my point! Bedtime is supposed to be at bedtime, not after breakfast the next day.

I know when it's bedtime, and I try to tell Laura, but sometimes she gets so busy, she doesn't pay attention.