What Bernice Found

A typical day in our household; I play chess with one of my sons while another works on the chemistry set and Edwin tinkers around with the stove.

And another one of my sons scavengers through the rubbish bin...

Honestly, you'd think he never got fed!

Well, fine then, THIS is a typical day.  I'm working on creating alchemic potions, my werewolf husband is playing chess with my time machine son and the only normal one amongst us is my daughter.

Who as you can see has grown into a lovely young lady.

I'm fairly accepting of how things are now and I have instigated an old tradition that I remember from my days at the orphanage which I think very appropriate for everyday life here.

If ever a place deserved a bit of Spooky Day celebration, it's here.

I don't even need to make stuff up, I can just talk about my experiences.

Honestly I wasn't even surprised anymore when I found my youngest doing this:

He has certainly developed the hunting instinct early.

No one else here bats an eyelid whatever happens. Bernice in particular seems particularly fascinated by stories of the strange and bizarre.  She'll often corner her father or Wilbur and talk to them for hours about what it's like to be a werewolf.  She seems to find it endlessly entertaining and they of course are prepared to indulge her in anything she would like to know or do.

Bernice's investigations into the strangeness around her wasn't just confined to listening to the stories of her father and siblings.   Her curiously led her a little further afield.  The island held no fears for her and she would often wander off by herself.  'Looking for buried treasure' she always told me.  Well, one day she found something...

Although it really wasn't the sort of thing I'd call 'Buried Treasure'. 

Nemo's grave marker from all those years ago.

I'd never spoken much of my early years to my children and Bernice knew nothing of Nemo and mines uneasy co-existence when I first came to this place; all she saw was an exciting secret and she spent hours there, just pondering and wondering.

She had found a mystery; one that she proceeded to have me unravel. 

I guess she had to learn at some point so I sat my daughter down and gave her the abbreviated version of my shipwreck adventures and then took her to the bookshelf where I'd deposited my written memoirs.  I'd always wanted to leave this as a record for my children and now it was her turn to learn about my past.

Perhaps in time she will leave a diary for her children as well.  If she is ever fortunate enough to find a loving partner like I did.  For now, perhaps Bernice will find my story interesting.