Skip to main content

Meanwhile. . .

The Christmas Ball at Krankenstadt Palace heats up as additional guests arrive and the string quartet finds its stride.


We find ourselves within earshot of two prominent guests. . .

Katrina Bettina von Heffelfinger -- (Holds up her lorgnette to see more clearly) Good heavens! Who is that poor young lady with two left feet, dancing with the Prince von Boffke?

Herr Heinz von dem Salat -- (Gulping down his fourth cup of doctored Christmas punch) I've no idea, though I've heard she some rich Swedish merchant-princling's daughter here to find a husband. Von Grandin's the family name I think. Word is that she and her parents have their sights on our boy ol' Irwin-Ami the eye-eye.

K.B. von H. -- (Snorting) You're joking surely!

H.H. von dem S. -- (Giggles behind his white-gloved hand) That I can assure you I am not. And in any case, the young lady and von Boffke seem smitten enough with one another.

K.B. von H. -- Rather. They have danced the last three dances together, haven't they?

H. H. von dem S. -- Indeed! Poor old Irwin-Ami though. Looks like he's missed the love boat again.

K.B. von H. -- Never mind my dear. Rest assured, another young lady will cross the Grand Duke's path before long. His choice of dress for this evening will make for an interesting piece in the society pages of the year-end edition of Die Krankenstadt Tageblat though. Crayfish is it?

H.H. von dem S. -- The same thought had occurred to me. No, lobster. (Chuckles) My posting in Berlin was never this entertaining! Oh, I say, is that von Pelznikkel by the door? Very well then, Frau von Heffelfinger, I'm off if you'll excuse me. An early day tomorrow, I fear, and I want to sample another cup of this punch before my wife and I say our farewells. Merry Christmas if we don't see each other beforehand.

K.B. von H. -- And to you Herr von dem Salat. Say hello to your wife for me. And Merry Christmas!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Presenting the Anspach-Bayreuth Kuirassiere!!!

Here they are, with the rearmost nine figures still drying, three squadrons of the Anspach-Bayreuth Kuirassiere, now in the service of the Grand Duchy of Stollen. And now, it's onto that artillery!
14 comments
Read more

And It's the End of September!!!

  Saxony's Ploetz Cuirassiers, an illustration lifted from the Kronoskaf website, which has thus far guided my spectacularly glacial painting of 30 28mm Eureka Saxon cuirassiers purchased all the way back in October 2016. A gray, cool Saturday here in Mid-Michigan with rain in the forecast. The Grand Duchess is away at a conference, so it's just "The Boys" here at home. The Young Master (almost 15) has retreated to his room for something or other following breakfast while I have stolen back down here to Zum Stollenkeller (masquerading as my office) with a second mug of coffee and both cats comfortably ensconced nearby. Enjoying the late morning and still in my pajamas! Not much planned for today beyond designing a couple of promotional flyers for workshops my department is presenting (small parties we will throw?) in October and November.  With maybe a bit of on the next podcast script. More important,  I am toying with the idea of returning for an hour or...
3 comments
Read more

Happy September 2nd!!!

    T his weekend, the question of what, precisely, constitutes an "imagination" came up in an online forum of which I am a part.  To be fair, the issue originates from further afield in a Facebook group that I am not a member of, but I weighed in with my own view.  The following was in response to the question posed yesterday (Sunday) morning by an exasperated member of my own rather more gentlemanly town square, who had been met with a strident response to information he shared about his (admirable) hobby activities on said FB group.  Here is, more or less, what I wrote: To my mind, the concept of imagi-nation(s) is a broad one.  It can range from historical refights or what-if scenarios/battles/campaigns between armies of a particular era, to completely made up combatants operating in a quasi-historical setting, to the rather generic red and blue forces of the Prussian Kriegspiel that examine a particular tactical problem, task, or exercise.   ...
6 comments
Read more