Under the Lilac bush...

Today,Spring cleaning began at Hilltop Hall,always a wonderful way to greet the new season...
Miss Moussie and the Dutchess were very busy. Together cleaning out the wardrobe!

The Dutchess is standing before a mirror,holding up a dress...

-What do you think dearest..can I still wear this ,or is it to old fashion...
-Now let me see..squeaked Miss Moussie...crawling out of a shoebox....o,but that's a lovely dress my dear..Pink roses..very romantic..if you don't want it anymore..could you consider giving it to me...If I alter it I can make ten dresses,curtains,and what ever more I can think of ....
-Then consider it yours dearest...shall I deliver it at you birds nest later...
-No need ..squeaked Miss Moussie...I will cut of a sleeve to begin with and then come back later for the rest!
-Good idea...said the Dutchess...let me get the scissors for you...
-This is great..twittered Miss Moussie...I can also make bedsheets and tablecloths for my swap shop..

And whilst the Dutchess and the moussie are busy...there's a soft polite knock on the bedroom door...and a croaky voice asking...'So sorry to disturb your ladyships in the midst of your spring cleaning...but do you have a minute...'

Surtenly ,said the Dutchess, opening the door...come in Gustave...but please don't look at the mess..O ,I see you brought with you some company....and before she could say anything more...the secret Alphabet tumbled in....whirling words..like..HI..and O MY..WHAT..A..MES...
-Sure its a mess..twittered Miss Moussie disturbed...you can not clean something that wasn't a mess before you went and cleaned it..to clean without a mess could be very suspicious...I believe THEN one is hiding something..like sweeping things under the carpet..
Both The Dutchess and Gustave looked at Miss Moussie...a bit puzzled...what did she just say...
Well....croaked Gustave,I believe a mess is just a mess...and it never bothers me...you should see the bottom of my Pond..But, dear lady's, I came to see you to ask you some advise about my..and there he paused for a while to let the alphabet whirl the word..... MENU!
-What menu Gustave, twittered Miss Moussie curious...did you invent a new recipe?
-I am always inventing new recipes, answered Gustave ,and you are very welcome to try them in my restaurant when it opens...I hope many friends will visit and that's why I am going to ask the help of the alphabet..
-I don't think the alphabet can cook old friend...do you think this a wise thing to do...It could get a bit chaotic in your kitchen,said the Dutchess a little bit worried.
-O, but they are not going to cook...they are going to help me serve,croaked Gustave...on the terrace under the lilac bush..and they are going to spell what's on the menu every day..like a flying menu card whirling through the woodlands..
-Interesting thought dear Gustave, squeaked Miss Moussie ,but then you have to do a lot of creative inventing...the alphabet can not spell everything you know..for instance they can't spell...pancakes...

There, the X from the alphabet swooped down and tapped Miss Moussie on the head...followed by the word PLANE..
-Careful ,squeaked Miss Moussie..I didn't want to offend you but hee..HOW are you going to spell pancakes.. its one of Gustave specialties..

Then the alphabet whirled through the bedroom faster and faster..and formed the words one by one...CAKE..FROM..THE..PAN....TODAY..

Oke Oke...twittered Miss Moussie now laughing..I think you can do the job...
-Yes, said the Dutches with a smile on her face..I am looking forward sitting with you under the Lilac bush...I wish you lots of luck with your restaurant Gustave
....and please take good care of the alphabet for me...they haven't been out for a while...

-Don't worry my lady..croaked Gustave...everything will be ..and above his head the alphabet whirled......OKE..

Gustave went back to his under water home...followed by the secret alphabet...
The Dutchess and Miss Moussie looked out of the bedroom window and saw the letters whirl the word CHERIO...just before they took a dive ..one by one..into the water..disappearing in the Pond..

O Dear..squeaked Miss Moussie I hope they can swim....



Its still very early when Gustave, with a big leap, pops out of the pond ... he's not alone. Behind him whirls he alphabeth .. one by one the letters jump in the grass and they form the word ...'quiet' ..
-Yes my friends,croaks Gustave .. we must be very quiet, everyone is still asleep ... Let us first go look for Mozes, he has the key to the tool shed ,there we can find all the stuff we need ..
-Nails... plaster, boards, thermos,tea .. whirls the alpabeth ..
-Certainly, quacks Gustave .. but most importantly, we need a building plan ..... and a strong man like Mozes!
-We strong, whirls the alphabet ..VERY...
-I know ,quacks Gustave .. and I am sure that together we can build something nice ..
Wait ..I will take down a few boards on the way.. ..and Gustave bends over to lift some wooden boards..
Suddenly, there's a little squeaky sound from under the lilac bush....
In panic the alphabeth whirls the word..'DUCK'...because they see who's appearing from down under..

Miss Moussie ,because that who it is...sees the letters and reads...DUCK!

- 'Duck'..she twitters..'where'..and she looks around..'where'?
At that moment exactly, Gustave, with on his shoulders the wooden boards..turns around and.....

-O,M,G,..whirls the alphabeth..

- 'Duck'..squeakes Miss Moussie ..now laying on the ground looking up..'you mean little birdies'..



Great view...said Miss Moussie..recovering from shock and sitting together with the Dutchess at the window from the Hilltop Hall Library..
The Library is a very quiet place...Miss Moussie loves it there...so,after her encounter with the wooden boards Gustave moved so elegantly..she asked to be carried upstairs to rest for a while..Now,she is resting comfortably on the chaise longue, enjoying the view..
She is watching the little ones paint the garden in pink and white...
-AAh,she sighs..so lovely...and then carefully checks her head...Marvelous,she squeaks..a bump!

There is a soft polite knock on the library door...
-Enter...says the Dutchess whilst pouring a cup of tea for Miss Moussie..enter..
Very slowly the door opens...
-Anybody there...asks the Dutchess..
Then a flower enters the room...a Daisy...attached to a long dangly arm..and this arm belongs to..Gustave..who, very shy, steps in..croaking..."I came to offer my sincere apologies..I am soooooo sorry...may I offer you this very special flower..its our first Spring Daisy from this year". Then he hops over to Miss Moussie..grabs her little hand and kisses it..
-O Goodness Gustave..twitters Miss Moussie..you are such a gentleman...thank you..I'm feeling better already..
-My dearest Miss...croaks Gustave with a lump in his throat .....When I saw you laying there my heart stopped..Good thing Mozes was there to carry you into the house..
-I will be fine dear Gustave...but please promise to be very careful in the future....there must be no more accidents while you are building your restaurant..you do have a solid building plan I hope..
Gustave stands there...looking at his feet..fumbling his tie...and then mumbles something like...'sure'..
-What did you just say...twitters miss Moussie..do I suspect some doubts...Please explain..speak up...I find mumbling to be very suspicious..


A few weeks later..to be exact yesterday,our dear Dutchess together with Miss Moussie walked the Hilltop grounds....checking the garden.

- So,my dear Miss Moussie, you tell me everything went well,..all was well on the Hilltop when I was gone..?
-Sure..nothing special happened. Mozes took great care of things..he watched the garden gate like a hawk and that's very special him being a bear..He even sat on the rooftop for a while..The only strange trespasser was a dog..!
-A dog..what kind of dog and what was he doing here..
-A itty bitty dog...with an attitude.. He came to visit the Queen..told him this was the wrong adress..but he didn't want to believe it at first..
-The Queen..? In our garden..
-Yes,..he was just a bit confused...we showed him where to go...and guess what, a few days later we saw him in the newspaper..sitting next to the queen at the Queens ball on Queens day..
-Are you kidding me dear Miss Moussie ..I could swear you are making this story up this minute while we are walking..
-O,No..this really happened..twittered miss Moussie bending over to a inspect a daisy...

Then, abruptly, the Dutchess stopped in her tracks...

-What's THAT...she said surprised....but that...that's MY DRESS..hanging in the Lilac bush..!
-O yes..that..twittered Miss Moussie..I was going to mention that to you..didn't get the chance yet..Its the construction ground..
-Well,my dresses are called many things ,from sweet to stunning...but never to be a construction ground dearest...
-Its that old fashion thing..you know ..the one I could have because you didn't want to wear it anymore..so..Gustave borrowed it from me to hide his construction..
-You mean that behind this dress he is building his restaurant...How marvellous..When can we see it..

Then a little croaky voice from behind the dress quacked..."SOON MY DEAR..VERY SOON...but until then"...and there came some letters from the alphabet whirling through the Lilacs.."SKUDATLE"....GO UWAY..


It was the middle of the night..a lovely clear spring night...the garden looked enchanted in the light of many stars shining bright..Not a leave was stirring..there was no wind.The night air was filled with the smell of sweet Lilacs and Lillie's.

The Dutchess was about to go to bed ,when,just before closing her bedroom curtains, she saw a shadow ..The shadow stood under the Lilac bush and it made a funny noise...The Dutchess tried to get a better look but unfortunately her dress...still hanging there in the bushes, blocked her view. Then she understood what was responsible for the shadow...the DRESS made the shadow...but dresses don't go and make strange noises in the middle of the night now do they..?
THERE..A light went on..a light behind the dress...this was interesting...now the dress looked like a little theatre where any moment now the curtain could go up..but still there was this funny noise...it sounded like something was boiling or simmering on a crackling fire....Now the light behind the dress became very intense..and, O my goodness..there was smoke coming out of the sleeves...The Dutchess flung her window open wide and yelled ..'Everybody ...wake up wake up ...FIRE FIRE.....',and then ran down the stairs into the garden..

Within seconds all the little woodland creatures were in a state of panic...
Miss Moussie came running ....in her hands a glass of water...she was in her night gown squeaking 'where, where...?'
Mr C popt out from a hole in the ground carrying a handbook..a manual for "what to do in case of fire..."
There was Sir Horatio....he was just running hither and thither not knowing where to run first..
Elvira came jumping from her nest in the chestnut tree...in her arm the first aid kit..
Beau had stormed out of the cuckoo clock...screaming..'Out of my way, out of my way...I'll save the Lilac bush...'He was followed by Bell who chimed with an alarm bell ..'...FIRE FIRE in the Lilacs..everybody, where is Gustave....?'
-O My goodness..twittered Miss Moussie...still holding her glass of water...'we lost Gustave..he must be behind this dress..caught in the fire..'

Then...thank heavens...Mozes appeared....pulling behind him the garden hose.
-Stand clear, he shouted ...its going to be wet...and with a big fountain of water..he was able to put the fire out....

Silence....
-Shall I ggo and ttake a look behind the curtain..eh I mmean dress.....to see what happened there.....stammered Mr C...
-I'll go said Horatio .....and he was about to lift up the dress WHEN......Gustave crawled out from under it...followed by the letters of the alfabeth who spelled...SOAKED..

-GUSTAVE...there you are..we were ever so worried..squeaked Miss Moussie with a squeak of relieve...are you oke..do you need a sip of water..

Gustave stood there..dripping wet...
-No thank you..he said..I'm fine...but I'm afraid the pies aren't...look there they go..
There..our garden troupe saw ..drifting down a stream, which created by the water from the hose...three..four..five ..pies...sailing down the garden path...

-O my goodness Gustave, said the Dutches..I believe I must apologise...I thought there was a fire..
-I was just baking you all some pies ...for the grand opening ....said Gustave..and he had to clear his throat...
Now everybody looked devastated...sure..they were very relieved nothing had happened to Gustave but then again something DID happen to Gustave..so what to do next..

-I will help you bake dearest Gustave..and you can use my kitchen, said the Dutchess...we will start bright and early tomorrow..
-I'll help too,twittered Miss Moussie..I am very good in times of crisis..
-We wwill all help..stammered Mr C..I will read the recipe's..aloud..
-And I will bring all the nuts you need, said Elvira..I have a big pile stashed away..

After they had calmed down, and plans were made for the next day..all the little creatures returned to there nests...PHEW...all is well what ends well..but this story continuous ..so don't miss the grand finale..

In a few day Gustave WILL open his restaurant and you are all kindly invited..


The crack of dawn....a few early birds were singing in the tree tops,and Miss Moussie was banging on the kitchen door...

-Hello there..wake up...its time to bake some pies..she twittered very loud..
Nobody answered..
-Hello, anybody..there's no time to loose...we have to hurry..twittered Miss Moussie impatiently...please open up the door.
Still...no answer..
-Well, squeaked Miss Moussie..where is everybody..I am sure they told me to be here bright and early..Then, she decided to knock again...or..wait a minute...she could just could go in..through the crack in the wall...and enter from under the doormat..
And that's just what she did....on her tippie toes...

It was still very dark in the kitchen..nobody was there...
Miss Moussie opened the cupboards in search for pie ingredients....turned on the oven..and then made herself a cup of tea..
-O My..she twittered...how sleepy I am..maybe I will take a nap for a minute or two..I am sure it won't be long for my friends to arrive...Then ,she curled up in the Dutchess her favourite teacup,and with her little head resting on a teabag...she was of to to dreamland in a jiffy..


Because of the baking accident in the middle of the night a week ago..and because of the very very very VERY long baking day in the Hilltop Hall kitchen..(which was a success by the way)..Gustave almost forgot about sending the invitations..

There's only one person who delivers mail on the Hilltop..and that's Lingering Liam...
He is very nice...very kind hearted..he's a snail with curious ever searching eyes..a happy smile ,AND a big moustache.
Dear Liam is getting older,its getting harder and harder for him to work the snail mail trail... and for that reason the mail Liam delivers often lingers..It will get there..eventually ..but...you have to be patient..

So..You,being a Very Important Person and friend..are invited to the grand opening of Gustave's restaurant...
Be there...Saturday at dusk..there will be dinner and a show..if at any reason Lingering Liam lingered long ,too long..and the mail didn't reach you on time..please print this Very Important Post.and you'll be fine..
See you there....



Welcome welcome my dearest friend..I am so happy to see you, welcome to a very fairy garden..We are going to have such a wonderful time together..
Grab yourself a little lantern,and follow ME..Miss Moussie ...your host for this evening.
Darlings..soon the sun will disappear behind the trees and darkness will fall..let the little lights from the fireflies guide us to a very enchanting place in our garden...a place where tonight a dream will come true..a place we call..



'Under the Lilac bush'..a wonderful sight awaits your eyes, and some magical food awaits your senses..

When we walk along the garden path we can see the pond..doesn't it look romantic with all the fairy lights floating on the water..



And there..next to the pond we are going to make a stop....Why, you ask..well,because of the surprise...didn't we promise you dinner and a show..Then,to start this wonderful event.....let the show begin...

A sweet little fairy will now dance for you...in the daisy meadow..



Isn't that dreamy....I heard from Mr C this dancing fairy is famous around the globe...Her name is Margot Fountain..and she lives near a big fountain in a place called..Les Tuileries..in Paris..We are ever so proud to have her here this evening..She is Mr C's quest..and later this evening she will accompany him to the grand opening of Gustave's restaurant..

Come my friends..let us go to the Lilac bush and see whats happening...

Look,Mozes and Sir H Hog are waiting for us....
O dear....I believe they are going to celebrate the opening with FIRE WORKS...O my Goodness...I find fire works to be very suspicious..you never know if there will be a bang.....I makes me very nervous..forgive me if I, for a minute or two, stick my fingers in my ears....and close my eyes..just give me a squeeze when its all over..




-Is it over yet..was it beautiful...colourful....loud...? It was !..Then we can now wait for Gustave to appear..
He told me he would come with a big scissor and cut this pretty pink ribbon that's dangling from the dutchess her dress...yes..the dress still hanging in the lilac bush. At the very moment when the ribbon is cut..the dress will fall...and all will be revealed..

Aha,there is our favourite gourmet frog......GUSTAVE..DARLING...This is it..the moment we have all been waiting for..tell me ...How are you feeling..

-I'm feeling very proud my dear Miss M..very proud..
Everybody...beloved friends and dear woodland creatures...come gather around me...In a moment you will see before your eyes my new and magnificent restaurant..I wish you all welcome and I hope that in the future we will spend many happy ours in this Lilac place....And of course...I hope you will enjoy my FOOD...Let me hand you over the Menu card...

As you will notice the card is blanc....because this time the letters didn't want to appear on paper but ..IN THE AIR...
Lady's and Gentleman..I present to you the most amazing menu card EVER in history..THE SECRET ALPHABET!
Like butterflies...no...like bats...the letters came swiftly swirling through the tree top..they made circles in the air...swooped down an flew back up again,whilst they were spelling ..Bonjur..Bon Apeti...

Then, Gustave walked slowly and with a very serious look upon his frog face towards the Lilac bush.....there .....he cuts the pink ribbon....whilst speaking the historical words....'I declare my restaurant Under The Lilac bush..opened!!!!

The dress dropped....and what we see there dear friends is beyond words....This is not just a little restaurant ..its a DREAM...Gustave's dream..and how very happy we are for him that his dream came true...



And now.....LETS EAT...