– Katush, – said her mother lovingly, – I think it’s enough. Even dad who loves everything spicy might be scared by this beet-root salad if I put five cloves more in the bowl!

– Then we’ll give the salad to the Father Christmas, – daughter answered seriously.

– Why to him? –asked curious Baba Galya with a smile.

– Ba, look out the window. It’s cold, you see. Father Christmas is driving in a sledge in the forest, perhaps, he’s cold. Our salad with garlic will warm him. It’ll get him rid of snot, – uttered careful granddaughter having sniffled and making a reach for another clove.

Mum and granny giggled. Katya was in a good mood today. She has a good night’s sleep, didn’t grizzle, she helped to prepare festive dinner, and the adults, to her surprise, changed a lot as well. Think, for instance, of her mother. Even when it was her birthday and she was waiting for the guests, she was serious and occupied. Today she was absolutely different – merry, relaxed and extremely beautiful.

– Mummy, – said Katya after having decided to continue the

conversation, – you’re the most beautiful on the face of the earth!

– Even with hair curlers and a bathrobe? – mother was surprised.

– Yes! – answered Katya.

– Well, I’ll have to answer this description! Anyway, the guests are about to come, – pronounced mum untying her apron and looking at the clock. – Wait, I’ll be back soon.

In five minutes the kitchen was full of the Snow Queen’s beauty. Mother was with beaded white shoes, a long blue dress decorated with tinsel and a carved crown on the head, it was difficult to recognize her.

– Wow! – said Baba Galya and Katushka in unison.

– Well, daughter, in this dress we should keep you away from the beet-root! Sit down and relax, I’ll tell you how I amazed all the guests with my surprising costume when I was a child.

Katushka looked into Baba Galya’s eyes very carefully and thought, “I can’t believe that there was a time when grandmother was like me. That would be wonderful to meet, to play with little Galochka- Alochka and to ask, “How are you?””.

Meanwhile, grandmother started her story about the adventures with her brother.

That year the neighbors from the same street invited father, mother, Alochka and Vaska to celebrate the New Year. They had three sons, a year apart in age, a bit elder and younger that Alochka. It was time to go out, but she hasn’t decided yet which dress to put on to pay a visit. If there were girls, there wouldn’t be any questions, but this time there are boys…

If she puts on a sequined tinseled snowflake dress, these troublemakers will certainly pull the decorations and rip everything. If she chooses the cat costume, she’ll back home without tail. Maybe, the fox costume? No, she’s been fed up with the fox in three years, and, anyway, her hair will sweat et become gummed up under the hat with flaps in the warm house.

– Alochka, baby, are you ready? I’ve clother Vasya and taken the rooster costume. And who will you be at the party? – asked mother trying to put on the hat on constantly twirly Vasya.

– I’ve decided to put on a trouser suit. I’ll be… a girl wearing a

blue suit! – answered drily Alochka who did love to amaze guests with her costumes, but today something went wrong.

– It’s strange, but okay. If you’ve decided like that.

Well, can we go out? – uttered mother.

It was a real magic night. It was snowing. One might see a wonderful dance of every flying snowflake under the street lights. The path to the neighbors’ house sparkled with diamonds. Alochka wasn’t in a hurry at all to see the naughty boys, she walked slower and slower enjoying the freshness of the air and the beauty of the New Year night.

– Daughter, where are you? We are already knocking at the neighbors’ door! – said mother in a bit annoyed voice.

– I’m coming! I’ll just finish up my snowman and get up to you! – answered Alochka putting one snow ball on another.

In ten minutes all the family: father, mother, Vasya and Alochka were already at the table and were eating pasties with poppy seeds baked by the housemistress. It was the most favorite delicacy of all the children, and Alochka loved it too, of course. After three pasties the children were full and spread in the house to the adults’ delight.

One, two, three, four, five! Ready or not, here I come! – cried eight year old boy Leshka.

Alochka run into the next dark room and squeezed under the sofa. The crack between the sofa and the floor was narrow, but thin Alochka in skinny blue trousers just wriggled into there.

Leshka has run already two times past the secret place, he even peeped and looked into Alochka’s eyes, but he saw nobody in the dark. At first, it was ridiculous, but then she was bored and even disgusted. They haven’t washed under the sofa for a long time and her noses started intching much. She couldn’t help it any longer and started sneezing loudly, that’s how she attracted attention of Leshka who had definitively lost her.

Meanwhile, content and relaxed adults were at the table talking about the success of their children who blasted past whooping over and over again. Finally, Leshka found sneezing Alochka and led her from the dark room to the guests. Silence fell at the table, and only mother couldn’t help saying a word.

– Gala, what you look like?!

At that moment Alochka saw her reflection in the sideboard. Instead of the cute girl in the blue trouser suit there was a monster with disordered hair covered with long-lived dust-balls that were equally spread on her costume. The wave of laugh swept the room. Everybody was roaring with laughter: boys, adults, and even an old man, who was in a chair and who couldn’t walk, were giggling and saying,

– Oh, you’ve made me die of laughing, girl!

A few seconds more and her eyes let flow with tears in desperation, but she had an idea. She made a funny face and started running about the room imitating a little monkey. Her behavior discouraged the adults, but the boys were filled with complete admiration. The party was a big success!

On the way back, Alochka got her pennyworth from the parents, but after the New Year all the boys next

door started not only respecting her but also recognized her as their leader.

Katushka smiled and having taken Baba Galya’s hand, she said.

– Nice! You are an attagirl, granny, that you didn’t become puzzled and came up with a solution! That’s not the case to cry all the New Year because of the spoiled costume? I think that I’ll come up with something… – said inspired Katushka et went to the children’s room to get changed.

Спасённая

кукла

Вот уже вторую неделю февраля в садиках и школах был карантин. Сроки всё сдвигали и сдвигали. Катюшке и её родным повезло: грипп обошёл их стороной, и они теперь просто отдыхали, наслаждаясь общением в кругу семьи. Когда зазвонил домофон, старшие дети были заняты уроками, а мама с Катериной на кухне колдовали с витражными красками.

– Привет, девчонки! Вот пришла проведать

молодое поколение, – отряхивая снег с шубы,

сказала, входя, баба Галя. – Чем это вы занимаетесь?

– Мы готовим домашку, – чмокнув в обе щеки бабушку, ответили ей старшие внучки, подхватывая мокрую от снега шубу. – Братишка спит, а мама с Катей что-то делают на кухне.

– А мы тут, мамуль, все в творчестве. Нам в Катином садике предложили поучаствовать в конкурсе по пожаробезопасности. Нужно нарисовать плакат, – крикнула из кухни мама Катерины, не отрывая взгляда от красок.

– Смотри, бабушка, какой у нас с мамой

слон-пожарник получился! Класс? – схватив за палец ещё не раздевшуюся до конца бабушку, затараторила внучка.