Hundred and Forty

It's snowing it's snowing it's snowing it's snowing it's SNOWING IT'S SNOWING!
'George come ba/'


George? Where are you? It's snowing so hard I can't see you!

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas
Just like the ones I used to know

'It's a blizzard out here! All I can see is white!

Where the tree-tops glisten
And children listen
To hear sleighbells in the snow

'George?'

Over here Pips. Singing a bit of the legendary Bing Crosby.

'What are you doing?'

Digging a hole.

'It's so beautiful!'

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas
With every Christmas card I write
'May your days be merry and bright
And may all your Christmases be white'

'George?'

Hey guess what Pips?

'What are you up to?'

I'm in the hole!

'Can you hear me?'

I'm in the hole!

'George?'

And it's TERRIFIC!
'Hello George'.
Ms Fields.
'I thought I heard some singing. I didn't know you were a singer'.
I have many talents of which singing is just one. I've been digging.
'I can see that'.
Would you like to join me in my hole?
'Is there room?'
I can make some. It's very cosy. And you can sing a Christmas song with me.


'Philippa!'
'Elliot! What are you doing out here? You'll catch a death of cold'.
'Have you seen Ruthie?'
'No. Have you seen George? He shot out the door when I opened it and I haven't seen him since'.


'He's making a list
And checking it twice
Gonna find out who's naughty and nice
Santa Claus is coming/
'Here you both are'.
Uh oh. NO NO PIPS/
'Got you!
DON'T PICK ME UP! DON'T PICK ME UP!
'Elliot and I have caught hypothermia looking for you two'.
BUT I WANT TO STAY OUT IN THE SNOW! I'VE DUG A HOLE.

Hundred and Thirty Nine

'... he's in a bad mood because it's all gone pear-shaped with Stephanie basically. And he'll stay in a bad mood until he finds someone new because it's always the same with him'.
Pips? Can we go to the pet store?
'Is it that bad with Stephanie?'
'Well he's taken to staying in the office really late now on top of not taking her calls so how bad does that look to you?'
Pips? Can we go to the pet store?
'But he'll find someone soon enough. I bet you that by the time Valentine's Day comes around he'll have found someone else to send roses to'.
'You're so cynical'.
'But it's true'.
Pips? Pips?
'OK so what else do you need to get?'
Can we go to the pet store?
'I just need to go to Waterstones and then I'm done'.
'OK well in that case while you do that I think George and I will just pop into that new pet shop on the Essex Road'.
The pet store? WE'RE GOING TO THE PET STORE! WE'RE GOING TO THE PET STORE!
'So why don't we see you back here in fifteen minutes?'
Pips I've made a little wish list...


'OK George now let's see what they've got in here. Oh these are nice blankets'.
As a matter of fact that is one of the things on my list Pips. Yes it is. Because I have noticed in the recent cold weather that there is a draught in my bookcase.
'I like the stripy one. What do you think?'
I think it would suit me very well Pips as a matter of fact.
'Do you think Freddie would like it?'
Freddie?
'It would keep him warm wouldn't it? Or does he have a blanket already?'
Um.. well I don't know but/
'Oh actually they're rather expensive so maybe not'.
No because you said at the beginning of this afternoon that we were going to have an economical Christmas if you remember.
'How about a new lead? Look! They've got those fancy extendable ones'.
Oh can I have an extendable lead Pips? I really do like them very much, I do! They're very practical as you said yourself once/
'Or look George. They've got balls with a bell inside'.
Balls with a bell inside? But that would be TERRIFIC PIPS! THAT'S A TERRIFIC IDEA!!
'Perhaps we could get Freddie one of those'.
Really?
'He might like that'.
I don't think a ball with a bell is very Freddie Pips, actually. On the other hand I can see myself chasing one/
'Or look at these collars. Why don't we get Freddie and Ruthie a new collar each'.
Freddie and/
'They're cheerful/'
Ms Fields?
'and not too expensive'.
But why Ms/
'She's such a sweet dog, Ruthie'.
But/
'Or a packet of chocolate drops? Does Ruthie like chocolate George?'
I don't know Pips but/
'OK I know. Let's get them a collar each and a small packet of these chocolate drops'.
But Pips I had a collar on my wish list too. Yes I did. And also I am very fond of chocolate drops as you know. They are my favourite. Pips?


But I had a wish list/
'Abbie!'
'Oh hi! Did you get everything you wanted?'
No we didn't. We didn't even start.
'Yes, did you?'
'Yeah I got a book for Rachel but hey I'm freezing. Can we go back to yours for tea?'
No because we're going back to the pet store aren't we Pips?
'Yes I'm cold too. Let's go home for some tea and cake'.
I'm not going.
'I hope I'm not getting a chill Philippa, I'm feeling a bit/'
'George?'
I'm not going home until we have been back to the pet store Pips.
'Come on'.
No.
'Come on George. Abbie's cold and we want a cup of tea'.
Just because I had an accident last week in the flat which was not my fault/
'Oh George come on. Please. You've been so good this afternoon, don't ruin it'.
Why not?
'What's the matter George?'
You love Freddie and Ruthie more than me.