Fun with Sophie

By Louise Lefler Fry

Fun With Sophie is a collection of humorous stories about Sophie, a ballerina in Argentina, and is written in poetic rhyming style. Sophie and her dog, Weltzer, and her potbellied pig, Taffy, have daily encounters with other characters such as Uncle Sneezel and Aunt Minibelle and their animals, Hibiscus, the wart hog, and Granville, the goat. Then there is Cousin Saul and the Gazooms, Madame Turlock, Sophie=s ballerina teacher, and Mr. Fong. Fun with Sophie is a delightful presentation of Sophie, her life, and the unusual characters and animals that are described. The book will transform the reader into a realm of imagination, fantasy, and humor and should appeal to people of all ages.

Louise Lefler Fry

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Sep 12, 2011
• ISBN: 9781463406493

Louise Lefler Fry

I grew up on an orange ranch in Southern California. Later, my family moved to the city and I graduated from Occidental College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature. I began my writing career many years later. I have written humorous fiction and humorous story-like poems with various characters and settings. I have had five books published: Tales of Farmer Jack, Adventures of Farmer Jack, The Baron, Pirate Adventures, and Curtis And Me. The dominate themes in my books are fantasy and humor. I have always had an active imagination and a humorous sense of life. I am a creative type of person and love to express myself by writing. I am an avid animal lover and am involved in dog rescue work and finding good homes for orphan dogs. I am also a big sports fan. Fun With Sophie blends fantasy and humor into a delightful book that I hope will bring pleasure to others. Louise Lefler Fry

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© 2011 Louise Lefler Fry. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

First published by AuthorHouse 7/15/2011

ISBN: 978-1-4634-0649-3 (e)

ISBN: 978-1-4634-0650-9 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4634-0651-6 (sc)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2011912132

Printed in the United States of America

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

This book is printed on acid-free paper.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Table of Contents

Tea With Sophie

An Afternoon At Sophie’s

Uncle Sneezel’s Wild Day

A Few Chuckles

All In A Day

Sophie’s Busy Day

Dinner At The Gazooms

One Day

Events Of The Day

A Special Day

Resolved Events

A Not So Cool Day For Uncle Sneezel

Comical Events

Special Events Take A Front Seat

Major Concerns

A Picnic With The Gazooms

An Outing With Leo

More Innocuous Events

A Fleeting Glimpse Of Mr. Fong

Mr. Fong Takes A Flier

Sophie And Company

A Wild Day

Timely Events Have Their Way

You Don’t Say

Activities Galore

Fun Times

A Special Tale

Busy Bees

Homespun Events

Timely Circumstances

Mr. Fong’s Wild Day

A Homespun Tale

A Good Day

Before Christmas

Sophie Tale

More Fanfare

A Cool Day

A Picnic In The Park

Treats Galore

Wild Moments

Busy Times

Fixer Uppers

Busy Hands

Another Day

A Picnic With The Skunks

Major Activities

Lively Events

A Ride On The Air Balloon

A Great Day

Today’s Pleasures

A Picnic In The Glen

Crazy Times

Fun For Everyone

A Day Of Surprises

Good Times Abound

Old And New Ventures

Things To Laugh About

Mr. Fong’s Car Is Cranky

Another Gazooms’ Fishbake

Fun For All

Aunt Minibelle’s Kitchen Crashes

Busy Times With Friends

Ongoing Ventures With Sophie

Mr. Fong Is Everywhere

A Circus-Like Day

Fun Anytime, Day Or Night

Special Activities

The Gazooms Host A Fish Party

Good Times With Friends

Happy Times Roll On

Wild Ventures

Many Friends Enjoy A Good Time

Fun In June Gloom

Travels All Day Long

Day Blends Into Night

Daily Pleasures Abound

Happy Days March On

Always On The Go

A Circus Every Day

Favorite Pastimes

There They Go Again

Hop Aboard The Merry Go Round

Cool Pastimes

The Fun Never Stops

Favorite Places Of Leisure

Smiles And Giggles

Mementoes Of A Fall Day

Fun In A Beanbag

Follow The Curve

Fleeting Adventures

Busy Bees Make Lots Of Honey

Special Pals

Treats For All

Surprises Around The Corner

A Picturesque Scene

A Boatload Of Fun

Happy Times

Birthdays And Squeak Toys

Happy Times Around The Corner

A Laugh And A Half

The Last Dance

Tea With Sophie

One day in Argentina

There was a ballerina

Named Sophie

She had a potbellied pig she called Taffy

Who did a few tricks

She picked up sticks

And went for a roll

In her mud hole

While Sophie’s dog, Welzer, chewed on a bone

And tried to answer Sophie’s cell phone

It was her Uncle Sneezel calling

As he was falling

Off his chair

Who knows where

He will land

Perhaps in a plot of sand

Next to his wart hog, Hibiscus

Who’ll raise a fuss

And Uncle Sneezel will cuss

A few words

That will set off the birds

As elementary as it seems

The dancing sunbeams

Are glittering

That sets the birds to twittering

Granville, the goat

Has the bloats

He ate too many wild berries

And sweet cherries

Simon, the sand bear

Doesn’t care

He’s getting honey from the beehive

Then he’ll take a dive

Into the lake

Sophie will make a chilli cake

For Uncle Sneezel

It’s sort of a teasel

With beans, maple syrup, and pecans

Of which they are fond

And a cup of herbal tea

To go with the tasties

Sophie’s parrot, Shampoo

Muttered his new word fondue

Which Sophie cooks once in a while

That brings a smile

To the old oven

With its eleven

Jets of fire

That never tire

Of cooking a myriad of pleasures

Sophie measures

Everything precisely

And presents her tasties nicely

Uncle Sneezel was pleased

So he sneezed

The antique fan was circulating air

The rocking chair

Was freshly painted

The wall clock nearly fainted

When it struck three

And Sophie brought out the stinky Brie

The old victrola stumbled through its song

That set off the gong

Which jolted the flower vase

That did an about face

While the china tea set

Jostled the crumpets

The teapot gave a whistle

And the sugar cubes became flying missiles

Oh, what tangled webs are woven

And they’re never sown

Back quite the same

Which adds a bit of fame

To the entire scene

Like that one wild bean

That flew out of the chilli cake

Which will surely make

For a surprise

That caused the cake to rise

The pendulum in the clock sang

The phone rang

And the oven blew out

Much to do about

Everything

Including the lemon salad ring

That ended up in the player piano

And did the tango

Well, so much for this nonsense

Go burn some incense

Which is what Sophie did

Before she served the pickled squid

And everything in the room retired

As Uncle Sneezel’s appetite expired

So Sophie did a few twirls

And served him chocolate curls

That was a good remedy

And the end of this little tea party!

An Afternoon At Sophie’s

Sophie went to her ballet lessons

In the little town of Plessons

Madame Turlock taught her twirls and spins

Soon it would be time to begin

Jumps and leaps

With that silly alarm sounding a beep

When she made one right

And the huge roving light

Tracking her every move

She had much to prove

Then she drove back home to her potbellied pig

Taffy is more than big

She has a fat belly

And likes peanut butter sandwiches with jelly

While her dog, Weltzer, prefers milk bones

And liver scones

Uncle Sneezel who lives down the road

Had to unload

Corn shanks for his wart hog, Hibiscus

Or she’d cause a fuss

Fresh barley for his goat, Granville

Simon, the sand bear, had beet and honey rills

And his parrot, Shampoo

Ate a birdseed stew

Then Uncle Sneezel and Aunt Minibelle

Drove by the well

To Sophie’s house for a visit

They passed by the rabbit, Rivet

And made their entry

Sophie welcomed them politely

Aunt Minibelle made cherry eclairs

And guava squares

Uncle Sneezel doesn’t say much

He has the silent touch

Except for an occasional sneeze

Which seems to please

Him so he takes his allergy pill

What a thrill

Sophie turned on the TV

And they watched a movie

Later, Uncle Sneezel read a poem

About Feldspar, the gnome

And Taffy rooted in Uncle Sneezel’s shoes

While Sophie served the pepper fondue

Weltzer likes Aunt Minibelle

She has a peculiar smell

The hooked rug seemed to inch away

It wanted to play

With the rocking chair

That gave a home to the teddy bear

And in the corner, the treasure chest

Did its best

To energize the footstool

That was sitting in a pool

Of lethargy next to the china cabinet

Which set

Its dishes in order

With a nice border

Of ornamental flowers

That gazed at the vase of roses from the rose bower

And the painting on the wall hung in a quiet repose

As Uncle Sneezel took a doze

Aunt Minibelle gave a giggle

Taffy did a wiggle

Weltzer gave a groan

And Sophie answered her cell phone

It was the neighbor Gazooms’ cat, Cupcake

Saying they were having a clambake

And to please come and bring bean enchiladas

That’s what Sophie does

Best along with her eggplant fondue

Something new

Would be in order

Weltzer sat on the recorder

Enough already

Call the electrical man, Freddy!

Uncle Sneezel’s Wild Day

Uncle Sneezel was feeding the Gazooms’ cat, Cupcake

Aunt Minibelle baked her a fish cake

Hibiscus, the wart hog, was having a roll

By his clutter hole

In the backyard while Simon, the sand bear

Didn’t have a care

He took a nose dive

Into the beehive

For some honey

Shampoo, the parrot, let out a squawk

Then he started to talk

His favorite words such as answer the phone

Birdseed, corn and I’m in a zone

The doorbell rang

So Shampoo sang

Answer the door

Cousin Saul walked in and Shampoo screeched What a bore

Uncle Sneezel was pleased

To see Cousin Saul so he sneezed

Aunt Minibelle served herbal tea

And an odorous pastry

Cabbage squares

And rhubarb eclairs

Meanwhile, Sophie was at her dance class in Plessons

Having her ballet lessons

Madame Turlock had her do twirls

And dance steps called curls

Then she did a leap

Which made the alarm beep

The roving light

Was very bright

Madame Turlock was pleased with her progress

Plus Sophie’s new ballet dress

Then she drove home to check up on Taffy

Her potbellied pig who likes Brie

And just about any tasty

She’s not fussy

Weltzer, her dog, likes milk bones

And liver scones

The phone is ringing

It’s Uncle Sneezel singing

"Cousin Saul is coming for a visit

With the rabbit, Rivet

Françoise, the mouse

And Ruffles, the grouse

Cousin Saul is flying a balloon

They’ll be here soon

Aunt Minibelle is baking Turkish teacakes

And tiny caramel snakes

We’ll drop by

Tomorrow to say hi

And bring you some treats

We just got new sheets

With flowered borders

I have to use the recorder

Now so I’ll bid you adieu

Here comes my animal crew"

And with that Uncle Sneezel looked for his handkerchief

After getting a whiff

Of Aunt Minibelle’s fragrant creations

And too frequent imperfections

The odor made Hibiscus

Antsy and nervous

And Uncle Sneezel took an unexpected walk

To the park

Where Lucy, the lark

Went on a chattering binge

That made Hildegard, the sow, cringe

Well, that’s all for this episode

Uncle Sneezel better return home before they close the road

Or the crater blows

One never knows

What will transpire

When Uncle Sneezel takes a flier!

A Few Chuckles

Uncle Sneezel was cleaning his garage

It was a hodgepodge

Of relics and junk

He found an old bunk

That he said Cupcake, the Gazooms’ cat

Could sleep on as well as Tra la who’s fat

She’s the sister of Taffy, Sophie’s potbellied pig

They both have big rigs

And there might be room for Granville, the goat

Who’s built like a boat

And, of course, Hibiscus, Uncle Sneezel’s wart hog

But no room for a dog

The bunk will be crowded to say the least

With big and small beasts

But it is soft and inviting

And when it’s cold, Uncle Sneezel will bring blankets for them

There should be no problem

Other than a few snores

But Uncle Sneezel will close his door

So he won’t hear the noise other than his own snores

Or Aunt Minibelle if she falls on the floor

The parrot, Shampoo, has his own little bed

That he reclines on after he’s fed

And Simon, the sand bear, curls up in his den

You can never tell when

He’ll go on a bender and take a dive

Into the beehive

Leo, the lynx

Put a jinx

On Rivet, the rabbit

Then as was their habit

They had rice scones that Aunt Minibelle made

Along with a whiff of Kool Aid

Sophie’s dog, Weltzer, likes to sleep on his dog cot

That Sophie bought

At the mall

Shopping with Cousin Saul

She also purchased a blanket

For her potbellied pig, Hibiscus, who sets

Herself down on the sofa

And eats almond roca

But Sophie was in a hurry

She made a pot of curry

Then drove over for her ballet lessons

In the town of Plessons

She did her usual spins, twirls

Leaps and curls

That set off the alarm’s beep and the roving light

Which has everything in its sight

Madame Turlock twirled the baton

And the recorder played a song

The practice went well

Confirmed by the ballet bell

That rings when there are no mistakes

But it was time for a break

And Sophie drove back home

To her comfort zone

With Taffy and Weltzer

Her curry and a bit of Alka Seltzer

Then there was a call

From Cousin Saul

Saying the Gazooms’ neighbor, Mr. Fong

Is a ding dong

Well, to each his own

And Uncle Sneezel was on his cell phone

Calling the electrical man, Freddy

It’s two o’clock already

He said as he fell on his rear

And with that I am out of here!

All In A Day

Sophie went to the mall

With Cousin Saul

To buy a ribbon for her Afro

And a case for her piccolo

Cousin Saul bought flashlight batteries

And mini trees

For his yard that has a pool

Plus a new gardening tool

Then Sophie hurried over to Plessons

For her ballet lessons

Madame Turlock was in a bad mood

She lost her snood

But she felt better after Sophie performed

That set off the alarm

With a beep

When she did a flying leap

The big roving light

Was shining bright

Sophie did a beautiful spin

That made Madame Turlock grin

When Sophie got home she fed Taffy

Her potbellied pig some corn Brie

And she gave her dog, Weltzer, milk bones

Sophie answered the phone

It was Uncle Sneezel on the recorder

He and Aunt Minibelle were coming over

His wart hog, Hibiscus

Made a mess

With her dinner

And Granville, the goat, isn’t getting thinner

He eats everything

Including the sour salad ring

That Aunt Minibelle threw out

Hibiscus