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The trips return. Updated Oct 22nd
http://www.the-cbb.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=3397
Author:  Pat [ Fri Sep 28, 2007 9:38 pm ]
Post subject:  The trips return. Updated Oct 22nd
Len and Con travelled up to London together, meeting Margot as arranged at Victoria station for the train to Dover. After a whole term at university, and with Margot so far away in Edinburgh, there was a lot to catch up on. The journey to Dover and the crossing on the ferry was spent in talking about their new experiences, and it wasn’t until they were settled into their compartment for the journey to Paris that the chatter ran down. After a few minutes when they all wondered if they could put into words what they felt, Margot broke the silence.
“You two have changed,” she said suddenly. “You’re older somehow.”
“So are you,” said Len. “Con and I see each other quite a lot, so we hadn’t really noticed, but seeing you again makes me realise that we’ve all changed.”
“That was inevitable I suppose,” said Con. “We’re not children any more after all, and being away from home was bound to make a difference.”
Len looked at her sisters thoughtfully. “How did you feel when you met the others on your course?” she asked carefully. “Did you find them the same as you? I don’t know how to put this properly. I don’t want to put ideas into your heads.”
“I felt very young, and....”
“Cut off from Real Life!” said Con.
“Sheltered” said Len at the same time as Con.
They burst out laughing. “I’m glad we all feel like that,” said Len when they’d calmed down. “I thought it was just me, coming down from the giddy heights of being Head Girl to being someone very new. But I suddenly felt that I knew nothing about anything, and also vry young and immature compared to the others.”
“It was hard to talk to the boys too,” said Margot, blushing a little. “It was different to talking with the boys at home, even those who aren’t related. And even harder to make friends. I didn’t know what was expected of me.”
“Me too,” said Con. “I wish....”
“That we’d been able to meet boys outside family and friends,” said Len. “Perhaps.... we’d have found it easier.”
“You weren’t going to say that,” accused Con. “Are you thinking about Reg?”
“That’s the trouble with being a Trip! We know what the others are thinking!” grumbled Len. “But yes, I was thinking about Reg. I’m not sure anymore that I ought to have made a commitment before I went to university. It’s not that I don’t love him, but I think I need to learn more about being an adult first.”
Author:  Lesley [ Fri Sep 28, 2007 9:55 pm ]
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Interesting start - wonder how they'll find it when they get to the Platz?


Thanks Pat.
Author:  Alison H [ Fri Sep 28, 2007 9:59 pm ]
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This sounds interesting, especially Len's doubts about her engagement.
Author:  Rosalin [ Fri Sep 28, 2007 10:02 pm ]
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I expect it will be quite strange fitting back in to Freudesheim and the Platz community.

I wonder how Len will feel when she sees Reg.

Thanks Pat.
Author:  wheelchairprincess [ Fri Sep 28, 2007 10:05 pm ]
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This is a really good start, Pat. Thank You.
Author:  linda [ Fri Sep 28, 2007 10:18 pm ]
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This looks interesting. I've always worried about Len commiting herself to Reg while she was still at school.
Author:  Fiona Mc [ Sat Sep 29, 2007 1:39 am ]
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I'm wondering how everyone else will react to them and will their expectations and labelling of the triplets influence them to revert back to the role/person they once were.
Will the changes be strong enough to withstand that?
Author:  Fatima [ Sat Sep 29, 2007 4:33 am ]
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I think university would have been a big shock to the triplets; it's nice to see them so happy, although I'm wondering what Len's thinking about Reg now.

Thanks Pat.
Author:  Sarah_G-G [ Sat Sep 29, 2007 11:49 am ]
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Interesting to hear their reactions after a term at university. I'm glad at least they can all talk to each other about it, as I also wonder how easy they'll find it being back up at the Platz.
Author:  Jennie [ Sat Sep 29, 2007 2:06 pm ]
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Interesting, Pat. Thanks.
Author:  Carys [ Sat Sep 29, 2007 8:40 pm ]
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Ohhh this looks like it'll be good! :D
Thanks Pat.
Author:  Liz K [ Sat Sep 29, 2007 9:15 pm ]
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Dare I name one person?

No prizes for guessing who.
Author:  Mrs Redboots [ Sat Sep 29, 2007 11:03 pm ]
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Interesting start, Pat - thanks.
Author:  Sugar [ Sun Sep 30, 2007 2:43 am ]
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Ohhh intrigued. Hope there's some more soon.
Author:  Chair [ Sun Sep 30, 2007 4:58 pm ]
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Thanks, Pat. It is interesting to see their thoughts on what university life is life compared to life at the Chalet School.
Author:  Jennie [ Mon Oct 01, 2007 11:45 am ]
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And I bet they won't settle happily to being nannies/hopusekeepers this holiday.
Author:  Caroline [ Mon Oct 01, 2007 2:38 pm ]
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Lovely Pat - thank you. Looking forward to more soon!
Author:  leahbelle [ Mon Oct 01, 2007 5:05 pm ]
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Thanks, Pat. A really interesting insight :lol: .
Author:  JustJen [ Mon Oct 01, 2007 7:19 pm ]
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I love reading about the triplet post Chalet school.
Author:  Miss Di [ Tue Oct 02, 2007 8:03 am ]
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Please kill Reg. I really look forward to reading about it! OK if you don't want to break you characters you could just have Len dump him! :twisted:
Author:  Pat [ Tue Oct 09, 2007 9:04 pm ]
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“I did think you’d rushed into things a bit fast,” said Margot thoughtfully. “He’s a lot older than us, and though I know it worked for Mother, that doesn’t mean it will for us. I know what I want when I’ve finished my training, but that doesn’t mean I have to give everything up now. I think it’s important that we don’t let ourselves be pushed into things that we aren’t ready for.”
“Or don’t really want,” put in Con. “And another thing; what’s it going to be like when we get home?”
“You think that they’ll expect us to be just the same?” asked Len. “Even though we’ve been away for a whole term?”
“I think they’ll expect us to have changed but also be exactly the same, if you follow that,” said Con.
“I do. Intellectually, Father at least will know that we’ll have changed. He went away to university himself, so he has personal experience. Mother (I can’t go on calling her Mamma!) will think we can just slot back into the house and be just her eldest daughters again, like we were at school.”
“I can’t do that,” said Len soberly. “Oh I’ll help with the kids, of course. But I cannot go back to being a schoolgirl again, even for Mother.
You’re right Margot, I can’t call her Mamma either now you’ve said it. I stopped pretty much as soon as I got to Oxford. No one else called their parents that, and it felt so childish, so I stopped.”
Her sisters nodded.
“So it’s Mother and Father from now on?” asked Con with a grin. “That’ll give them a shock!”
Author:  linda [ Tue Oct 09, 2007 10:03 pm ]
Post subject: 
Con's right, Joey and Jack are in for a shock. The triplets have experienced a little of life outside the confines of boarding school and home and I'm not sure that Joey for one is going to be very pleased about it!!!! :roll: :roll:

Thanks Pat. This is very promising :D :D :D :D
Author:  Rosalin [ Tue Oct 09, 2007 10:10 pm ]
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Yes, I'm looking forward to see how Joey treats them, and how they get on with her.

Thanks Pat.
Author:  Alison H [ Tue Oct 09, 2007 10:25 pm ]
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It's going to be strange for all of them.
Author:  Chair [ Tue Oct 09, 2007 10:42 pm ]
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Thanks, Pat. It will be interesting to see how Joey and Jack react to the shock.
Author:  JustJen [ Wed Oct 10, 2007 12:22 am ]
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I can't wait to see Joey's and Jack's reaction to the grownup triplets.
Author:  Elbee [ Wed Oct 10, 2007 9:18 am ]
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I'm glad the triplets have started to grow up and have realised that they were very sheltered on the Platz.

Thanks Pat.
Author:  brie [ Wed Oct 10, 2007 10:19 am ]
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Thanks Pat i'm really enjoying this.
Author:  Jennie [ Wed Oct 10, 2007 2:15 pm ]
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Thanks, Pat. I think Jo isn't going to be very pleased with the changes.
Author:  Carys [ Wed Oct 10, 2007 2:17 pm ]
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Thanks Pat, I'm another wondering just what Joey's reaction will be when she realises the Triplets no longer call her Mamma!
Author:  Jennie [ Wed Oct 10, 2007 2:41 pm ]
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And don't jump to do all the childcare/cooking/housework, and want to go on the expeditions that their mother has planned for them.
Author:  Caroline [ Wed Oct 10, 2007 3:47 pm ]
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Maybe Jo will take it all in her stride, whatever the triplets think. She might not have wanted any of her babies to grow up, but she's not daft, so I'm not sure why should she be any more thrown by the way her girls have changed after a term away than any mother would be?

Thanks, Pat - I can't wait to see what happens next!

:D
Author:  Fatima [ Wed Oct 10, 2007 3:59 pm ]
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I hope you're right, Caroline - I'd like to see Jo pleased to have the trips growing up and making their own lives.
Author:  leahbelle [ Wed Oct 10, 2007 5:12 pm ]
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I'm looking forward to seeing Jo's reaction. I hope she can see her girls as young women and not school girls anymore.
Author:  Lesley [ Fri Oct 12, 2007 10:43 pm ]
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It would be nice to see Joey able to accept that her daughters are starting to grow up.


Thanks Pat.
Author:  Sugar [ Sat Oct 13, 2007 1:33 am ]
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Would be nice, but this IS Joey, so I can't see it happening somehow!

Thanks Auntie Pat!
Author:  Pat [ Mon Oct 22, 2007 11:42 am ]
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The conversation moved on to other things after that. they made their connection in Paris with time to spare, and settled down for the overnight run to Interlaken in a compartment they hsared with other people, so that there was no chance for private conversation of that sort. It was just getting light when they stumbled down the steps of the train and saw their father waiting on the long platform. After hugs all round they went out to the car and set off up the long mountain road to the Platz. Jack listened to his daughters telling him about the past months and smiled to himself. They had changed a lot he could see. More mature, more experience of the outside world, and nothing that he hadn’t expected. He was relieved that they seemed to have adjusted so well; it was the one thing that had concerned him about the intention to keep their children as children for as long as possible. One day they would have to go out into the world, and find their feet there, and the world was not the Chalet School or the Gornetz Platz. At least his three eldest had made the first step well, and he just hoped that Jo would adapt to the changes that he could see.
When they finally pulled up outside Freudesheim, the triplets went quiet. They were very pleased the journey was over, but more than a little nervous about how their mother would treat them. The climbed out of the car, got their cases from the boot, and walked up to the front door. Before they got there it was thrown open and Jo stood there, wrapped in a huge shawl against the cold, but with her arms wide in welcome.
“Welcome home my chickabeas!” she said. “You must be frozen. Dump your bags in the hall and come into the saal. Anna has some coffee and lemon biscuits all ready for you”
“I’ve really missed those lemon biscuits, and the coffee,” said Len as she gave her mother a hug. “You don’t get coffee like that in England.”
Jo looked at her daughters as they took their coats and hats off and walked through into the saal. They were different, she thought worriedly. Had they grown away from her while they were in England? She wasn’t sure what had changed, but something had, and although she knew that this was inevitable on an intellectual level, seeing it was something else again. She found that she was nervous of saying or doing something wrong, almost not knowing how to talk to these very grown up young ladies. For once she didn’t jump in with both feet, but waited until Anna had brought the refreshments, and had had her own hugs and greetings. Then she turned to them and simply asked how the term had been for them all.
Author:  Jennie [ Mon Oct 22, 2007 12:07 pm ]
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Thank you, oh wonderful Pat. So she's not overwhelming them with a list of jobs to be done, then?
Author:  Alison H [ Mon Oct 22, 2007 12:11 pm ]
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This is fascinating: it's a bit weird for everyone when people come back after a long time away, and even one term can seem like a long time when it's the first time you've left home.
Author:  Carys [ Mon Oct 22, 2007 12:16 pm ]
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Joey's reaction was very interesting, thanks Pat!
Author:  bethany [ Mon Oct 22, 2007 12:57 pm ]
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I think this will be as hard for Joey as it will be for the triplets. Joey didn't go to university herself, and except for the trip to India (which was to visit relatives) has never really left the Chalet School/San world.

Thanks for the update Pat.
Author:  Fatima [ Mon Oct 22, 2007 4:49 pm ]
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It's nice to see Jack so appreciative of the way the trips have grown up. I hope Jo discovers that they're adults she can relate to and that they can all have a fulfilling relationship, albeit a different one from that which they had before.
Author:  leahbelle [ Mon Oct 22, 2007 5:17 pm ]
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Joey's reaction wasn't at all what I was expecting. I hope this means she can see, like Jack, that the trips have grown up and respect them for it and that their relationship can blossom now they're all adults.
Author:  Lesley [ Mon Oct 22, 2007 6:44 pm ]
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Pleased that Joey had given some thought to how her daughters might have changed - hopefully they'll be able to negotiate toward a good relationship again.

Thanks Pat.
Author:  Mrs Redboots [ Mon Oct 22, 2007 9:45 pm ]
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Poor Joey. It was bad enough with one daughter, having to adjust to the fact that my young schoolgirl who went off to Switzerland to work for a year before uni had come home an adult.... but with three of them?! Not an easy task.

Thank you.
Author:  Chair [ Tue Oct 23, 2007 12:07 am ]
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Thanks, Pat. It's good that Jack has already realised before they returned home. I hope that things will go well with Joey.
Author:  brie [ Tue Oct 23, 2007 10:46 am ]
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Thanks Pat. Joey and Jack seem very understanding here.
Author:  Rosalin [ Thu Oct 25, 2007 11:33 pm ]
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Jack seems to be very reasonable here. Joey's reaction was interesting, in character and yet grown up. I hope she has the patience to adjust to the inevitably different relationship now that the triplets are obviously grown-up.

Thanks Pat.
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