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Some Fretwork and the Interminable Christmas Play at the Chalet School

914 replies

EmilyAlice · 11/10/2016 15:08

Now girls, line up and listen because this term is a busy one. Firstly we are combining our hobbies club and the Christmas play, so we will need our fretworkers to get busy on the scenery, some beautiful découpage for decorations, our nimble-fingered needlewomen on costume duty and some scrapbooks for - er...
Now one other thing girls. As you know the Chalet School has moved from the Tyrol, to Guernsey, to Armishire, to some island or other and thence to Switzerland.
This term we have moved again and the first thing I want you to do is to find out where the bloody hell we are....

OP posts:
EmilyAlice · 11/10/2016 15:12

Previous thread here
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/childrens_books/2413933-A-f-te-worse-than-the-Chalet-School?watched=1&msgid=64167454#64167454
Sorry forgot the nits!
Terrible problem with all those pigtails too...

OP posts:
Witchend · 11/10/2016 17:29

I shall start immediately thinking what to sell.
Does it have to be in lime green this year?

hels71 · 11/10/2016 18:47

Has the play been cast??? Please may I have a proper part this year??

EmpressKnowsWhereHerTowelIs · 11/10/2016 18:59

Oh, that's what fretwork looks like.

NotCitrus · 11/10/2016 19:09

Can I be an eccentric type who turns out to have an unexpected talent for chopping the old scenery into jigsaw puzzles? Just the thing for entertaining all the zillions of relatives at the San.

hels71 · 11/10/2016 21:07

And as to where we are.....I reckon it needs to be somewhere close a vineyard...

TooExtraImmatureCheddar · 11/10/2016 21:09

Oh dear, am I supposed to be catching a train in Basle, the Gare du Nord, Paddington or Cardiff? Where can the dratted School have got to now? Have we followed Dearest Joey to Canada?

TooExtraImmatureCheddar · 11/10/2016 21:13

Canada has blizzards, mountains, ravines, lakes, and can we use huskies instead of St Bernards? It is a bilingual country - what more could any good Chaletian want?

missyB1 · 11/10/2016 21:15

Oh has Madame written the Christmas play already? I'm knitting some reins for some poor child (no idea what use they will be!)

Wherever we are there is bound to be a severe snowstorm/ avalanche in which someone will nearly die!

EmilyAlice · 12/10/2016 09:50

Yes I think Canada sounds very likely. So many exciting times there that we only heard about by telegrams, letters and Dr Jem popping in by aeroplane.
...Indulges in brief fantasy of rescue by Mounties....
Now I am getting worried about the Princess. Has anyone seen her? Is she hiding under a pseudonym and pretending to be a commoner?

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TooExtraImmatureCheddar · 12/10/2016 10:14

Elisaveta Arnsonira?
Mrs Helston?

morningtoncrescent62 · 12/10/2016 10:21

Oooh, oooh, oooh, do let's be 'school in a yurt' in outer Mongolia. So much easier for the faithful Anna to keep tidy because there's no bloody chance of Joey being left behind. Mongolia has plenty of lakes and mountains (thanks, google), linguistic diversity and snowstorm opportunities. And I'm sure its locals would love to have some scrapbooks and reins for children. Not sure about vineyards but we can have oodles of fun researching the local equivalent of light country wines.

I think the Princess has gone on ahead of us. What could possibly go wrong?

NotCitrus · 12/10/2016 10:51

The local Mongolian peasants brew some interesting fermented horse milk. Probably with a strong taste of wood smoke and onions.

There's probably some ex-Soviet dachas and hotels that could easily be converted into a school and San in time for the new term, and thankfully Joey already speaks Russian...

EmilyAlice · 12/10/2016 11:40

So she does. Have we had any Russian girls at the school?
I am a bit vague about Mongolia though, yurts, smokey fires, reindeer or something similar?, embroidery. Well the last one is a fine Chaletian tradition and I am sure Sybil will help.

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NotCitrus · 12/10/2016 11:49

There seemed be be a number of small girls whose fathers went off to work in Russia (Mr Humphries, I think?), but I don't recall any actual Russians - would Russian Orthodox girls go with the Catholics for Prayers, do you think?

My dad lived in Mongolia for a bit. Quite nice but don't drink said alcoholic fermented milk. Tastes like "alcoholic vomit"!

Gay Lambert grew up in northern China (huge backstory we never get!) so I'm sure could return to teach and interpret...

tapismagique · 12/10/2016 11:52

Just as long as Peggy Bettany isn't in charge of getting us to the exciting new location we should be okay... I'm new to the mn chalet brigade (just caught the end of the previous thread) but would be delighted if I was allowed to fashion some comb cases from leather for lower IV b's stall

EmilyAlice · 12/10/2016 12:27

That would be lovely tapismagique and welcome to the school. We will find someone to sheepdog you to your dormyurt very soon.
Would reindeer skin be all right for the comb cases?
(Is anyone else old enough to remember people making musical instruments out of combs and hard toilet paper?).

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starsorwater · 12/10/2016 12:46

Please could I join too? I have lavender for dainty sachets and I know what clock golf is and understand that it is only for Men. Is it still Cold Baths in Outer Mongolia?

lolalament · 12/10/2016 12:49

EmilyAlice, I'm only in my 30s and we made comb and paper instruments! Can't remember whether it was toilet paper, but I think not

TooExtraImmatureCheddar · 12/10/2016 15:30

Grin at dormyurt!

I have an idea that there is a Tatiana Someone at St. Mildred's whose aunt is a 'Real ballet dancer', to quote Margot, at some point in the early Swiss books, who gets lumbered with arranging the ballet for the panto. I believe she's Russian, because all ballerinas are Russian.

Oh, and we know that St Nick is the patron saint of Russia ("By Jove!" quoth Dickie), so why not Outer Mongolia too?

I bet the Mongolian dialect would be picked up immediately by our beloved authoress, as being 'not unlike our Tyrolean German'! Either that or she would pick up exactly one word (hanes, anyone?) and sprinkle her speech with it forever more.

What can I do for a hobby? Painting on china, leatherwork removes gimp mask , lace-making, jigsaws, illuminations? Or I could have a stand-up fight about washing Willy (snurk) and Ferry's car with a fellow Middle.

EmilyAlice · 12/10/2016 16:14

Defo not hard toilet paper by then I think. It was horrible.
What patterns are on the dormyurt curtains do you think?
I think I shall try decorative reindeer tail plaits for my hobby.
Or maybe those lovely knitted hats with bits that hang down the side? (feels landing in Canada might have been easier). Hmm

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NotCitrus · 12/10/2016 16:20

Cheddar Mongolia is obsessed with horses (according to various documentaries including one with Joanna Lumley being a spineless jellyfish every other minute) so I'm sure you and a fellow rebellious Middle could fight over who gets to groom or exercise Willy's horse!

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EmilyAlice · 12/10/2016 16:27

Welcome starsorwater.
Lavender bags, clock golf and cold baths in Outer Mongolia would be a magnificent thread title.

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EmilyAlice · 12/10/2016 16:29

Is lolalament another new girl? I can't keep up!

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hels71 · 12/10/2016 16:35

In one of the very early books don't they mention there is a new little Russian who spoke nothing but her own language?? Or have I invented that??

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