Polly want a ... Cookie?

Polly at our 2004 Holiday Cookie Exchange Party with just a few of the participants.  (Clockwise from lower left; Natalie, Lori K., Polly M. and me)

While we were enjoying a buffet, eggnog and spiced wine Polly spent most of the time outside on the porch hoping to catch the attention of Santa Claus with the enticement of Chocolate Chip cookies but mostly she distracted the snowplow operators!

Politics and Polly

Polly is pretty quiet about her political views and makes no assumptions about the affiliation of others. 

She does however believe strongly in exercising your right to vote.  Sadly she cannot vote nor run for office.  Dolls will not be granted that solemn right until all doll unite and argue their case in the high courts of the land which, judging by the distinctive lack of motivation that is intrinsic to a doll's nature I don't see happening any time soon.  In the meantime, don't you be a dummy.  Vote!

Polly's First Halloween

Halloween 2004 - I LOVE Halloween!  Polly was a huge hit as she greeted the Trick-or-Treaters on our porch which can only be reached by crossing a wooden bridge. 

I set Polly up in a witch costume on the dark porch in front of the door without any candy.  Trick-or-treaters would have to walk across the dark bridge and reach past Polly to ring the doorbell . Approaching the porch a motion-sensitive shrieking was triggered startling the already nervous visitors.

Those kids earned their candy at our house!

Very small children were really nervous about approaching and often sent their parents to ring the bell while they waited halfway across the bridge poised to run.  Even the parents looked a little anxious about getting that close.  (Maybe they saw the Child's Play movies) 

The big kids were the most fun though.  It became a test of bravado to the boys running in packs trying to get their last year of free candy.  You could see them holding their breath as they attempted to bravely swagger across the bridge in front of their friends and then just about jump out their skin when they got close enough to set off the shrieking!

At least one Trick-or-Treater refused to cross the bridge saying "Hey!  I don't need candy THAT bad!"

I of course was standing just inside the door giggling and snickering silently.  The really jumpy kids would elect one of their number to get the doorbell then the rest would hold out their bags at arms reach but never take their wide, unblinking eyes off of Polly... just in case!

Happy 1st Birthday Polly!

September 2004: 

After a big night celebrating birthdays (Polly's 1st) at the annual artists retreat in Colorado I woke to find Polly wearing a rather satisfied expression.  She sat clutching her empty bottle of tequila, an apple balanced on her head, a roll of Smarties between her fingers like a cigarette and a second place ribbon. 

Clearly she had a little help with the tequila!  Likely culprits? Belcher, Shriver, Kato, Macaw, Mojito Mama...  I just wonder who won 1st Place and for what!

Patriotic Polly and the kind stranger

Labor Day 2004 - Polly gets patriotic sitting on our porch.  A few days later I spotted a kindly gentleman get out of his car, stood on the sidewalk and started chatting to Polly.  Eventually he walked up the bridge chatting away to Polly the whole time. 

He had seen her sitting outside for several days and figured she was probably a lonely widow since a broken sprinkler system gives our "lawn" and do use the term loosely if not sarcastically, the distinction of being the most neglected in the neighborhood. 

He stopped by to offer to come mow the lawn for no charge.  It was a little embarrassing because indeed our "lawn" but if I could have gotten away with it I probably would have put my hand up her back and made her nod and saying, "Why thank you kind sir, yes, that would be lovely". 

But I ws a little embarrassed for him.  I mean he'd spent 5 minutes talking to a doll!  And what if he was really hitting on her?

Polly is Family

My mother-in-law came over for a visit and really took to Polly.  We talked about bringing her to Australia the next time we visit but decided it might be hard to explain why I'm traveling with a head in my suitcase!

My mother-in-law has a collage in her home with photos of family.  One day I noticed there were more photos of Polly on the board than her own granddaughter!

Polly and the Police

We answered the knock on the front door to sight of a policewoman laughing so hard she couldn't speak.

Utah's finest came over to investigate a concerned citizen's report of an elderly woman sitting in our garage in a wheel chair unmoving for several days. 

Apparently there was a concern that she might be dead because she hadn't seemed to have moved in days..

The officer got out of her car and started toward Polly, "Ma'am?  Excuse me ma'am?" until she got right up to her just cracked up.

A second police car pulled up and another officer jumped out smiling with a camera, " I gotta get a picture of this for the department!"

The officers thought Polly was great, took a photo for themselves and then graciously posed so I could get this photo of them. 

We've had the police over a couple of times and I suspect its one of those things where you gotta break in the rookie by sending them out to do a welfare check on a doll!

The neighbors take notice

Its summer in Utah and we've taken to sitting Polly just inside the garage door looking up at the mountains.   

We live in a friendly neighborhood so when the door is open, people walk by, wave and say hello to her and then do a double take.  Kids ride by on bikes and look, then turn around and ride by again... no accidents yet.

We've seen people drive by, slow down and point at her and say, "There she is!".

Our UPS man has commented on how he had waved to her for months before delivering a package and getting a close look!

Bathroom Humor

Okay, I know this is less than dignified but just for a laugh we put Polly on the toilet with her head facing the door as a little surprise for the visiting friends and relatives.

After a long drive across country our friend who had stayed awake by drinking huge quantities of Coke bolted into the house desperate for the toilet.  Due to the shock, he said he didn't need to go anymore... not sure I want to know the details on that one!

We positioned her on the toilet again as a little greeting for my visiting Aussie Brother-in-law and neice to discover when we got home from a shared vacation. 

They were indeed surprised but not as much as our friend Mary who kindly stopped in while we were gone to water the houseplants

She said she was walking down the hall past the semi-darkened room in our empty house and saw what she thought was an elderly, possible homeless lady on the can and just about peed herself!

I figure Polly would make a great burglar deterrent.

Polly Amour

This is a photo of my husband Harry as I found him watching telly with Polly.

Hmmmm.... I must get him a t-shirt that says "Plays with Dolls"!

See what I mean about part of the family...this is Utah after all!

Polly could be a sister wife... uh, NO!

Polly meets an Out-of-Town Visitor

My internet friend Kellie is a very talented polymer clay artist visiting from Alaska.

This is us after meeting up for dinner a little shop talk.

This is Polly sitting in the car (safety belted of course) with Kellie and me looking like a deer in the headlights.   Click here to see Kellie's work

Panhandling Polly

24 January 2004 - Polly did great hostess duty at our Australia Day party.   Sitting quietly at the door, greeting guests as they arrived she even managed to earn a little money. 

One of the party-goers put a plastic cup with "TIPS" written on it in her hands and by the end of the evening she had several bills inside.
So... is this panhandling?