I had applied and hoped to get to be one of the first people in over 100 years to say I got to swim in the Chicago river. After I applied for the 2 mile river race I got offered a chance to take a tour of the river and the swimming route. I jumped at the chance and brought Lizzie Bella to see the city sights!
It was a beautiful chilly day for a boat ride and both of us were really excited. Our guide told us over 1150 people have applied to swim from 39 states and 12 different countries! Only 500 swimmers would be accepted and it would be determined on how much organized open water swimming experience you have. I don’t really have any. I probably have a 1 percent chance at making it this year.
But this year I signed up for a bunch of open water events and I’m hoping to be able to swim it next year!
“Can you just imagined swimming in the river and then turning on your back and looking up at the skyscrapers?” I reflected to Lizzie.
“That would be amazing!” she agreed, “Or swimming and hearing an L train rattling right above you!”
“This river is so beautiful!”
The race was originally going to start at China town, the only other opening in the river for swimmers. And that’s why having open water swimming experience is so important.
This river is not swimmer friendly. There are only two places where you can access the river easily, otherwise, once you’re in the water, it’s solid break wall.
The swimmers who race will get to dive off a boat and swim in the center of the city along the newly built riverwalk. Lizzie and could just imagine the riverwalk lined with thousands of people cheering the swimmers on.
Our guides told us each swimmer would get a coupon from some of the fancy restaurants lining the shore. They would get chipped and the buoys would track them. Their friends and family could download an app, eat at the restaurant and track their swimmer to cheer them on when they passed by!
“Go swimmers!!”
The finish line was right at Clark street where bleachers were built for river races just like this one! Did you know the first Chicago river race started in 1908?
Lizzie could imagine the now empty bleacher area packed with people and music bands and swimmers who had just finished. “You have to do it next year!” Lizzie cried.
After the tour we stayed downtown and looked at all the tulips!
Most of these tulips are a hybrid because normal tulips wouldn’t be able to withstand the strong lake winds.
And some of them even change color! They come up yellow and change into a tangerine-orange color.
I was not expecting any new dolls to be arriving at my house anytime soon. But when the Ruby Red Fashion Friend sale came on because they wanted to clear out all the dolls in the NJ distribution center (It’s still going though many are sold out!) I couldn’t pass it up. As one person said, “They’re practically giving these dolls away!” I felt the same and and was so excited to purchase my very first limited edition doll, Constance, and a third RRF doll, Bella.
Camille and Madeline had just opened Bella:
and had started to get to know her
“I’m Bella but you can call me Lizzie or Lizzie-Bella.”
Hannah came over to Constance’s box and lifted the lid:
There are some rare times where I’ve opened a doll for the first time and their personality hits me over the head like a hammer. Samantha, Lindsey, and Elizabeth have probably been my most memorable but Constance surprised me too. She’s my first little doll with a sweet face but no smile, so maybe that’s why her personality is so strong.
We were all surprised to see her only in her underwear in the box (they dress everyone else!). I took the pilgrim outfit she came in for her to try on but her first words to me were, “Oh no! I’m not putting that thing on! There’s not an ounce of pink in it. IF I have to wear it at all (and I hope I never do!), I will only wear it during Thanksgiving season…..Bartholomew isn’t here, is he?” I shook my head. Bartholomew is the boy pilgrim who was also on sale but I didn’t want to buy him even for so cheap. How can you play with a boy with a beard?! It’s just WAY too weird!
“Well, good thing for that!” She went on, ignoring the four dolls standing around her and only talking to me: ” I didn’t want him following me around like a black shadow. He was doing that all day at the distribution center. I will wear pink because that’s what I look good in. Will there be tea this afternoon? The dolls at the distribution center told me to make friends with whoever I’m living with and I would like to make friends with dolls who like tea and nice dresses and things. I’m not sure I’d be the greatest friend to….those dolls…” Constance waved her hand over towards Lizzie, Hannah, Madeline, and Camille who, seeing Constance only wanted to talk to me, had gone back to jumping around and acting silly and excited over each other and the new Bella. “Oh, that’s no problem at all!” I said, “I know just the dolls you’ll enjoy!” I was very glad the pink dress that used to be Madeline’s that I now presented to Constance was acceptable to her. It’s the only fancy dress that could work as a tea party dress. Constance said she would be excited to become a Colonist whenever Nan wants to be modern. And Constance told me secretly that although she prefers to be fancy, tidy, neat, prim, proper and gentlewomanly, she wouldn’t mind wearing modern clothes once in a while. And even be called Connie, but only while wearing modern clothes. I showed her Elizabeth’s room, thinking she would probably have fun meeting her:
Constance walked into Elizabeth’s room without knocking. She looked around the room and felt like she belonged there. This was the type of bed she had imagined she’d be sleeping in, and the clothes press where she’d put her clothes and the vanity where she’d do her hair. And then she took a good look at Elizabeth. Or, the back of Elizabeth since Constance had come in so quietly, Elizabeth still hadn’t heard her and she was so busy getting her collar, cuffs, and hair ribbon perfectly straight, she hadn’t noticed.
Even though Constance hadn’t even seen this doll’s face yet, she was already the most beautiful doll Constance had ever seen. She had the longest, most golden hair, wrapped in a perfect low ponytail, she was wearing pink from head to toe and it was the most beautiful color pink in existence, and the way Elizabeth was getting ready was so full of grace and elegance it was almost like a dance. Constance didn’t just want to be her friend, she wanted to be her!
“Good afternoon,” Constance startled Elizabeth, “Heather told me to find you here. You must be Elizabeth?”
“Yes!” Elizabeth said, “Who are you? You must be new here?”
“Yes, I’m Constance. I just arrived with Lizzie-Bella today. I was wondering if you’d like to have some afternoon tea with me?”
“Oh! Well, I’m about to go horseback riding with Felicity because we are celebrating Stables in April this month but afterward I’d love to have tea with you!”
“Would you want to come riding with us?” Asked a voice who’s body came into view behind the bed. It was Felicity.
“Good day! You must be one of the new dolls who have arrived today! I am Felicity Merriman.”
“I am,” said Constance. She paused not quite sure whether to accept this invitation. She knew horses were big, burly, messy, and unpredictable beasts which terrified her, but she also knew that young ladies rode horses and she wanted to be a young lady just like Elizabeth and if Elizabeth was riding horses she certainly ought to!
“I will go with you,” she gulped.
“Splendid! Do you have any riding clothes?”
Constance swallowed, “Umm…no…”
“Not to worry, I think you’ll be all right. We’ll have to lift you onto the saddle anyway,” and Elizabeth led the girls outside.
“I guess everyone’s wanting to celebrate Stables in April,” Felicity said as she watched Kaya come up the green toward them.
“Were you wanting to ride Steps High too?” Kaya asked.
“I was about to give Constance here her first riding lesson,” Elizabeth said, “but if you’d like to go first, you’re welcome to.”
Kaya looked at the horse, “Oh, she’s saddled already. You go ahead and when you’re done take the saddle off and hand her to me. I ride bareback now.”
Kaya stayed and watched as Elizabeth turned to Constance, “We are gentle ladies, so we do not ride uncivilly like men,” she gave a great stink eye to Felicity (who was well known to borrow breeches and ride horses like men) who suddenly found a blue jay the most fascinating thing in the world.
Elizabeth continued, “We ride completely out to the side, that way all the men can admire our beautiful dresses and riding clothes. We have a cane, here, that we use to control the horse since we cannot control it with our legs. Felicity, would you be my groom, please.” (It was not a question)
Felicity helped her up on the saddle and Elizabeth walked the horse around them in a circle.
Constance was feeling more and more fearful as Elizabeth instructed. This beast was so huge. It was far bigger than she had imagined. And how was she ever going to remember everything Elizabeth was telling her? Before she knew it Elizabeth was holding her arm out and telling her it was her turn. Constance gasped as, Elizabeth boldly grabbed her by the waist and hoisted her onto the horse.
Unwanted terrified tears spilled out of Constance’s eyes and she gave out a most unladylike wail, “I caaaan’t!” She felt so unsteady, she was certain she was going to fall off any minute and fall to her death, or worse, get her skirt caught in the saddle and get dragged. “Please!!” She begged.
“Oh, dear girl!” Elizabeth quickly took her off and placed her gently on the ground.
“It’s just Kirsten’s Blackie here. Kaya pretends it’s Steps High, but Blackie is the sweetest horse and will never let you fall off. Why don’t we do this: How about you and I ride together and I can make sure you’re safe. Would that be all right?”
Constance still didn’t quite trust herself to speak, but she nodded.
Felicity helped them get up on the horse and they set off.
Elizabeth could feel Constance’s tense, shaking little body slowly start to relax.
This wasn’t so terrible after all. It felt wonderful to get to see the world from a new height. Constance also couldn’t help feeling so thrilled to be so close to the person she admired and was now beginning to love the most.
Elizabeth was the most wonderful doll.
“Shall we go to the stables and see what the other dolls are doing with their horses?”
“Yes please!”
“And then we’ll head back and Blackie can become Step’s High for Kaya.”
“Don’t you have a horse of your own? Or do you always have to share with others?”
“Felicity has been dreaming and wishing for her Penny but there’s been no talk of getting her yet. I don’t mind sharing and the other dolls mostly do what Kaya does – pretend the horse is theirs when they ride, so it all works out.”
They visited the stables and said good day to Evette who was mucking out the stalls and Nicki who was just about to ride on the ranch.
“Sing me a song in the saddle!” Kavi crooned as she opened the gate for Nicki, “In the clear blue sky above!”
On the other side of the stable, Jackie, Heather and Laurel were getting Adagio ready for show jumping.
“Here’s a carrot for luck!”
Constance hoped that some day she might be able to be brave enough to jump with a horse too. It looked like flying. She felt like flying as they galloped back home and had a most wonderful teatime together:
“Welcome to the doll house, Constance!” Elizabeth said.
You read in the last post how my dolls were allowed to go out of the doll room and run back and forth from the doll room to the living room bringing Isabelle and Gabby all sorts of things to take with them on their Trey traveling adventure. As you know, Kit is a reporter, she is also a snoop. She snooped around the kitchen and saw my solar glasses and immediately ran to Josefina-Luciana who immediately ran to me and strongly requested (demanded) I get a pair for her too.
I spent the next night printing out the wonderful printables Lee and Pearl provided and cut out the glasses and posters for not just her, but Logan, Nan and Madeline too!
They had so much fun putting them on and crashing into each other and the wall because all they saw was black:
“I don’t think these work!” Nan said.
“I can’t see anything!” Madeline said.
“Maybe they only work on Eclipse day!” Logan said.
“You guys!” Luciana said, “You’ll just have to wait until tomorrow to try them out and see if they work!”
The next day they ran out the front door, lined up on the steps and put their glasses on:
“WHOA! Oh my gosh! They work! It’s started already! I can see a tiny part of the moon touching the sun!” Madeline cried.
“This is so cool! It looks like an alien balloon is touching the sun!” Logan said.
“Everything is still so bright!” Nan said.
“Just wait a few minutes,” Luciana said, “Eclipses don’t happen in 5 minutes. They take some time which is a wonderful thing, cause then we can enjoy it longer!”
And indeed, it did get darker and darker.
Luciana ran down the steps and played in the crescent shadows.
“Why are all the shadows crescents?” Logan asked.
“Look up at the sun! Is it a circle anymore?” Luciana asked.
“No!” Nan cried, “It’s a crescent too!”
“That’s why we’re seeing the shadows. It’s like we’re watching an image of the eclipse itself! You can do that with a pinhole box too if you don’t have the glasses.”
“This is so cool!”
“Watch out! Soon it will be the fullest 94% coverage that we’ll see!”
“It’s already so dark!” Madeline said.
“In 3….2….1….BLACKNESS!”
All they could see of the sun was the tiniest little sliver. Luciana tried to get a glimpse of the corona everyone was talking about but even that tiny sliver of sun was too bright to make the corona visible. She laid down in the shadows and imagined herself flying to the moon!
After the solar show, they went inside and celebrated with sun chips and moon pies!
dollightful dolls 
