Puget Sound Bead Festival

Polly rode with me on the 900 mile drive from Salt Lake City to Tacoma Washington for a bead show.

I love to travel with Polly.  She never complains or asks "are we there yet?" and if someone farts in the car I can blame it on her and she doesn't protest.
 
Rest stops are fun because people walk by, jump, laugh and then immediately call over their traveling companions. 
At the show she sat patiently in the booth startling passersby.

At the end of the show the entire security staff came over to tell me the first night of the show they were doing a walk through and noticing there was still someone in the booth inquired, "M'aam?  The show is closed now.  Excuse me M'aam, you need to g..."  Suddenly the truth dawns as a thrill of terror sweeps over him and you guessed it. 

"Jose, can you go check outa isle 3?" Another guard is called over and the scene repeats.

Punk and repeat... Punk and repeat...

As a nod to Ashton Kutcher's show, Punk'd and in admiration of his wise appreciation for the "older woman", I bought Polly a little necklace that says, "I love Ashton".

One of the great things about travelling is getting to meet online friends who have followed Polly's adventures.  Here Polly and I pose with Helaine, an online artist friend who stopped by the show to say hello.

And now we wait...

We had a buddy staying with us for the ski season and this is the view from the doorway of his room.  His girlfriend (ahem... extremely jealous girlfriend) was visiting from out of state and we figured we could sort out right away whether or not she has a sense of humor. 

Turns out she did but HE was rather alarmed every time he walked into the room

Australia Day Party 2005

Polly was preparing to party hard at our annual Australia Day Party. 

In a kangaroo costume I made for my Aussie husband she sat overlooking the party with cans and bottles of Foster's and a stuffed joey in her pouch.

Amazingly several people had been at the party for hours before being startled to realize they were standing right underneath her.

Shrimps on the Barbies, one of our Aussie Day Party Traditions:

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!