Dearest  Chaltreste
Bonjour! My extensive travels to further my knowledge of the fine country we live in have brought me to the land of Chelanteste (i think perhaps they were trying to please you by naming it after you).
I am told that this is a land of beauty beyond all comprehension. It is said to have a lake, rivers, orchards of all kinds, vineyards, and a quaint little village.

This is a view of the town from the well know Chelanteste Butte (I shall not tell you how they pronounce the word butte, but just know they pronounce it in a way that would make you, dear sister, most delighted)

 I have not see the town looking this appealing since the day of my arrival; due to an unfortunate happening. Upon my arrival the locals decided to welcome me with a delightful festival that ended with a gourmet dinner at sunset, and a beautiful display of fireworks (the fireworks show was obviously run by a bumbling idiot). The festival,and fireworks were lovely. The sunset dinner was a delight. I had a feeling i would like this place, even though it was named to honor you.

Until the following day when we awoke to this...

The foolish fireworks display personal had made a mistake and now there are fires all around. I have never been more grateful for all the training we received as children on how to be polite in even the most dire, and worst of circumstances. I must say I have done well declaring that it just smells like a delightful campfire, and how I love to camp so I don't mind at all. The smoke truly has made for some beautiful sunsets. I did of course continue my public appearances for the first two weeks, as should be expected, and have enjoyed some lovely tours. It does help that my golden coach is so pleasant to ride in, and it equipped with a lovely fresh air system so i can just sit inside and wave at the people of the village as i go by. 

 They built this spectacular bridge just for my visit. It is part of a road only open to me so that i don't have to be bothered with traffic, quite generous of them i must say. I did thank them for the kindness.

Now the past few days we have cancelled all activities as they are declaring the need for all (myself included!!!) to wear masks. They expect me, Alnoncetta, to wear this!

I don't know what it's made of but it scratches my delicate skin, and that is unacceptable! So i have ordered a solid white gold, with 100% pure silk lining mask to be made for me, and am now awaiting it's arrival. Apparently it might take a while due to something about gold not really being material that is breathable, but i trust they will work out the problem in no time.

Meanwhile i am enjoying visiting with the lovely people who have so kindly opened their castle to us.

I am scheduled for daily spa treatments, due to the dryness of the air, and those have been very relaxing. Oh yes, also a new wardrobe must be ordered for the next part of my journey as everything smells of smoke. That is a tedious task, but it must be done. My stylists have arrived now and Seignour (the butler here) is about to let them in so I must promptly end this letter by saying, I do look forward to the second half of my time here. The people have been so welcoming and such a joy to spend time with. I think I shall have to return again another time to enjoy the beauty when i can go on a tour from my yacht, and perhaps then you can come with me.

Au rivoir for now.

Horizons are Being Expanded!

Alononcetta!
     It has been ages since I have written to you. I look down at my feet that are dirty from checking the mail in shame. Do forgive me! In order to become a better monarch of my (very large) kingdom, I expanded my horizons in Alaska and now the time has come to learn. In accordance to the ridiculous laws my predecessor set up, I am going to a University in my own land Moscovia. However I will be crumpling that rule up like a flimsy piece of 20lb paper when it comes time for me to get my Masters degree. If I am going to master something, it might as will be the entire globe. Traveling across country on my sleek dark stallion, Frogger, will be the best course for that.
    Four short years I will be abiding in my newest acquisition. Crystal clear windows that start at the ground and stretch toward the skies like a giraffe reaching for a delicate acacia leaves. The kitchen where Jimina cooks all day has a beautiful brick oven. Delightful smells are always wafting through the corridors from it. Then there is the Library! It is the size of a fencing yard! Books everywhere! The staircases in my abode that lead up to it are so shiny they sparkle like vampires! Jimina gets the biggest thrill sliding down the helix they create. Kat is much more reserved and retains composure until I leave the castle. Then she proceeds to drink Caffe and ride the rails like there is no tomorrow to come. Makes her very twitchy. Yes, my dear sister, I have two maids in my possession now. This place has broom closets blossoming out of the stone work left and right! Why not make good use of them?! 
     Method and Madness is what they are teaching me, your treasured sister, in the University of Moscovia. The madness is without the slightest of doubts arithmetic. What utter and complete uselessness! An abacus is this ridiculous piece of equipment that apparently means something to the frail old Abacist teaching us. This is the time I get my beauty sleep. Jimina singing, "How 'bout them cowboys! Boys ain't them somethin!" at the top of her very powerful lungs typically prevents that from happening at the normal hour. Sliding the staircases, eating raw fish and the constant yelling just proves that the girl is never going to fully adapt to civilization. Although mad, she is very entertaining to watch. One wonders what could possibly be going though her mind as she is whooping and chasing wild goats through the mountains of Kendavisk.
     My other Professors prefer to teach more stable subjects. Have you heard of this thing called Anthropology? A man named Indiana Jones invented it. Alas, lectures filled with droopy eyed students are much more boring than Mr. Jones' adventures. My teacher rambles on for hours about monkeys. He swears upon my beautiful Moscovia that we're decedents of monkeys! That is the animal our lovely younger brother carries on his shoulder! Completely absurd.  Our sister Phoebus was also gifted one for her birthday. She named it Ben. Kat, the new maid, she hates to clean up after them so I told Jimina to leave hers out in the forest.
    Oh see how I have rambled on?! It is most appalling. I must learn to organize my thought more. I hope all is well in Selatten! Cousin Ducky is coming to visit during the waning of the moon. I am thrilled to say in the least. Have you done any traveling lately?

Love always,
Queen Chaltrese the Very First
   
 

A note to Chaltreste

Dearest Chaltreste~ I miss you bunches and heeps and scads and more. You need to come see me in Selatten. That is all i have to say! Love your sweet ever so awesome sister, the crown princess, Alnoncetta

Letters from Selatten!

My Dear Sister Chaltreste ~

The weather man is still ignoring my calls and letters about this appalling weather he has been ordering up. Doesn't he know that Alnoncetta wants sunshine and warmth, and what Alnoncetta wants she demands to receive (or wait maybe that is more characteristic of you my dear sister). It matters not. Tomorrow i expect to see the sun or there shall be consequences. For you see tomorrow we have plans to visit the Royal Gardens for a delightful picnic.

The people of Selatten are quite peculiar, and i've had a delightful time photographing some of the curious things i see. Here is a prime example.

When trees die in Selatten we mourn them. We have memorials for them. We apologize for chopping them down. I'm terribly afraid that i may have offended some of those commoners walking around me when i loudly declared "i shall use the wood for a giant bonfire and we shall roast those delightful cloud puffs you all call marsh mellows" I think it was a brilliant idea, really one of my best ones yet but i guess not everyone is as wise as i am.

Well dearest sister I fear i am about to be called to dinner so i shall leave you with just this reminder. Don't forget to take your chocolate pills every night they help you to stay young and healthy. (this i learned at Theo's and it's an important that you to remember)

Love,
Alnoncetta

Do you know the Internets?!

Dearest Allnoncetta,

     It has been over a year since we have written, a tragedy one would say. However I am not one of those ones! For now I have ever so many tales to weave you a picture of. Life did pause for a long while after you left, my adventuresome spirit was (slightly) subdued. Oh we did our typical games; whacking a ball back and forth amidst hoots of laughter as one person punched it, risking everything with our small armies on a colorful board, and of course lots of crafting. Boredom was creeping upon me. What to do, what to do?! 
Then, one dark and dreary day, Jimina moved into town and needed a place to stay. 


     Picture This.
               One bright day in the middle of May, (January didn't rhyme.) I, Chaltreste was feeling especially generositous towards the world. When I received the message the Jimina was in need of a place to stay, I very promptly responded with one of my fastest birds.
        Jimina! I've been in dire need of a cook! How soon can you be here? I have a spacious broom closet available for your habitation.
               Chaltreste
                        P.S. Rent wilt be $500 
Not one person could ever pass up such a great deal. Which means, Jimina showed up the next day. I naturally saddled up my noble steed, and rode off to the landing pad. When Jimina's hot air balloon arrived, she promptly rollered herself up in a rug and tied it to my horse and off we went! You could hear her hoots of laughter as the rug was dragged along, hitting every bump and boulder along the road. She is a weird one....(Alnoncetta, dear, I know you have such troubles picturing things. I thought this would help!)

Jimina quickly settled into her new habitation. The more chores she was given, the more she loved living in Moscovia. Well, her chores weren't exactly tough. I found Jimina to be so amusing that I appointed her Court Jester. Forsooth, it tis a good thing that I was oh so very entertained by Jimina, for I woke up one morning to find that the silly girl had painted little sayings and dictionary explanations all over the castle! "Quaff: To drink deeply." One would assume that Jimina was a drunken sot since she wrote such things! Never fear! Drunkeness is not in her nature. However, she does have a touch of the wild in her. Every now and again, one can catch a glimpse of it in her eye. One day she asked me, hair flying wildly around her face, "Do you know the Internets?!" Nobody had the faintest idea as to what she was talking about. Not even my wise scholars that I keep on hand for when I don't feel like doing the mathmatics! Whenever she gets a little too berserk (Moscovia does that to people.) I drags her out to Kendavisk where our dear relatives, the Scootoons, live....

Alas my dear sister, that is a story for another day. I must be going. Duty calls! Somedays I swear there will never be an end to the things I must fix for my loyal subjects. Nay, I do not mind giving aid. In fact, I quite enjoy forcing my opinions on others! 

Well as one would say, TOODLES!

Queen Chaltreste the very first.

Rickity Tickity Tick!

     Everyday Chaltreste takes the time to ponder at least 10 different things. For she does have the answers to the universe (Answers are not guaranteed to be correct). One morning, Chaltreste was busy mulling these various things over, while cheerfully spending her morning staring out her cottage window. It's quite amazing that she managed to have chipper thoughts in her hovel. It constantly smells rather rank.
     As she quietly tiptoed out of her house, dressed in a shirt that is a deep shade of blue and a gray patterned skirt, Chaltreste hummed a little tune very loudly. Then, burst into song, immune to the fact that the birds had stopped singing, and early morning risers were staring. Who wouldn't be happy, when they are going to go find a new place to live. A castle is a little bit absurd for one girl to live in. On the other end of the spectrum, a filthy hovel is likewise unappealing. So she set out to find, attack and take over a perfect new living space. Armed with nothing but her razor sharp wit, and five other giggling females in her army, Chaltreste strode into "Palouse Properties" with guns a-blazin!
     With the threat of squealing, gun wielding girls, the enemy quickly surrendered and ushered them into the quaintest little complex of cottages all stacked together to form one building. "We'll shall take three of them!" Chaltreste shouted, very loudly. Then, she shot a hole through the ceiling. (To add a little bit of character to the place naturally.)The property "management" managed to run quickly out the door, and throw the keys behind them. Chaltreste let out a yell, clicked her heels, and returned to work. For all of this was accomplished on her lunch break. Quite skillfull of her.
     Anyways, Chaltreste plans to take over the entire town of Moscow, sometime soonish. With the help of a pet dragon.

     To be continued...... :)

The continued part...

Long story short. The brownies were left, ate and spit out by the intended recipients. Alnoncetta and Chaltreste were never caught. Shortly thereafter, the bat mobile broke down and now gets the gas mileage of a very large truck. Huge tragedy. Then, for some unknown reason, their castle started to stink. Not just any kind of smell, it was a terrible stench. They would most assuredly like to place the blame on the cook, who wasn't good at tossing food out. Alas it was not. So, the sisters declared it was time to move on.
     Alnoncetta decided to gallivant off to the place with the big blue sky. Chaltreste did not accompany her. She already knew, that even though the sky is a brilliant shade of blue, the strawberries were quite disgusting. Life to Chaltreste was all about finding that perfect ruby red fruit. Since she had found some around the castle, close to perfection, she decided to stay. Just not in the castle. Chaltreste, proceeded to abandon the smelly countryside, and moved into the loud, but quaint little village nearby. Where she enjoyed various stages of her young life.