It was many and many a year ago, in a kingdom by the sea...

Miss Commentbox and I walked down to the beach together, for it seems that the male Commentboxes do not want to leave the house on their summer holiday. They like to stay at home and watch the cricket on television instead. Oh well.

It was extremely windy down at the beach today and almost cold. This would be a test for our humble shack, and it passed with flying colours. The secret of the shack's solidity lies in its sand-filled pouches, terribly clever and so simple.

We had brought our breakfast along with us, muesli with yogurt and kiwi fruit. Great view as we ate and chatted. We watched the clouds gather and it felt like a storm was beginning to brew. I talked quite a bit about my sandcastle plans for the day, explaining to Miss Commentbox that even though kmkat was next in line for a sandcastle, I wanted to save hers for another day and build one for Jen instead. "Why?" asked the lovely Miss C, "Well," I explained, "Kmkat requested that I build a sandcastle retreat for myself, and I loved that idea so much that I wanted to save it and build it for my birthday." Miss C understood, saying "And isn't it perfect timing? How did Kmkat know that it's only three more sleeps until your birthday?" "Bloggers, we're spooky that way," I answered, and Miss C understood. Now...Jen requested a sandcastle with Magic Powers which would be able to turn a Chicago winter into spring, while having no negative effect on the world's general weather patterns.

Simple!

We decided to build a sandman. Reminiscent of a snowman, yet more....summery.

So without further ado, please make "Mr. Bob the Sandman" welcome:

Isn't he a handsome and magical young sandman?!

Would you look at that face? Just look at him! So happy, and yet...is that a tricky little glint in his eye? Why, yes, he is working his Magical Powers already. Although, just maybe, he is a little confused, because our beach is suddenly colder and windier and darker. I wonder if Chicago experienced any change of temperature. Hmph.

Please do admire Mr. Bob's three buttons.

This is what our shack looked like from Mr. Bob's point of view. Can you see the dark grey clouds forming?

We looked away for a moment, and the next thing we knew, a little handwritten letter had materialised in Mr. Bob's pudgy little hand.

Miss C and I walked towards Mr. Bob and curiously peered at the letter. Would you believe that it was an excerpt from Edgar Allan Poe's poem "Annabel Lee"? Mr. Bob smiled proudly and told us that a lovely little fairy (by the name of Sabina) had flown very very far so as to hand-deliver this little poem to us. Miss C and I smiled knowingly at each other as we read about the kingdom by the sea. Mr. Bob was indeed working his very best sort of magic for us today.

We thanked Mr. Bob, gave him a little loving pat, and then returned to the shack. We were sitting there, looking out at Mr. Bob and the ocean and a group of 5 year olds who were frolicking on the sand. Suddenly, one of the little boys spotted Mr. Bob and ran up to him. He stood in front of Mr. Bob and bent over a little to admire his beauty and magic, then he looked to his right, and then to his left, and then he reached his right hand out towards Mr. Bob and TOOK SOMETHING and then raced off down the beach.

By the time we had raced down to Mr. Bob, this is what we found:

SHOCKING. That little boy had STOLEN one of Mr. Bob's buttons!! Not the seed pod....not the bottle cap....no.....but the cuttlefish bone!!!!! Mr. Bob was deeply unhappy, as you can see.

We tried to cheer Mr. Bob up by allowing him to wear my sarong.

He was quite pleased with himself, even though ....to be perfectly frank....it looks much better on me....I'm just saying....

After a while, Mr. Bob finally agreed to give back the sarong and we all had a little nap. Upon waking up, I peered out of the shack towards the ocean, happy in the knowledge that Mr. Bob's cheerful smile would be looking back at me...when WHAT should I see....but two men, grown men, pointing at Mr. Bob. Then, ONE OF THESE MEN RAN UP TO MR. BOB AND.....

JUMPED ON HIM.

It was the man on the left.

I just managed to take this photo as they walked away.

This is the SHOCKING scene of the crime.

The most surprising thing about this was that the man in question seemed almost childlike as he stomped on Mr. Bob, almost as if he was fulfilling a long-forgotten and suppressed childhood desire. Also, his friend seemed to both understand and appreciate the need a FULLY GROWN MAN might have to destroy someone's sandcastle.

With that, we packed up the shack and walked home.

Dear Jen,

Mr. Bob will live on forever in our hearts, as we hope he will in yours.

His magic is eternal.

Love,

Eleanor and Miss C xxxx