Now then, settle down you two. You’ve been pacing about like a cat on a hot . . . oops, sorry about the indelicate feline reference there. No offence!

Everything comes to those who wait – including the Postman.

*Ding Dong, Ding Dong, Ding Dong, Ding Dong*

Oh-ho. Is that the doorbell? That’ll be him now.

This special delivery will be for me of course – I sent off for some new Cuddle Cup beds, an extra soft blankie and assorted treat-type things and there will probably be a whole sack of fan mail to attend to. Oh and I ordered a home delivery of fresh salad snacks and some . . .

Thank you, Mr Postman! Gosh Minty, what big paws he’s got!

It’s a very large and neatly wrapped parcel. Hum . . . actually, it doesn’t look like anything I have ordered. What the dickens can it be?

Who is it addressed too?  Oh dear, this label isn’t very easy to read – you’d think they would all use Braille wouldn’t you?

Mummy . . . MUM! Is this for me? No?! Humph! Well, that’s put the dampers on things!

I was looking forward to showing off my new lifestyle choices.

Well, who on earth can it be for then? Well, not to worry, I’ll just nibble this little bit of string stuff to help unwrap the parcel while you are puzzling it out.

What’s that? Oh, it’s for you two, Minty and Monty. There must be some mistake.

Oh look, it came by the Speedy Piggy Delivery Service! That’s Great Aunt Mavis there, on the label.

What! I can’t see a thing! Who put the lights out?

Hang on! What do we have here? An interesting box, it seems to be filled with tissue paper.

Yum! Tasty pink – my favourite!

Can you see what’s inside it, you two? It’s very well packaged.

Check if there’s any spare salad while you’re down there, Monty.

Let’s get down to the nitty-gritty now, and see what’s inside.

What do we have here then? Goodness, there are . . . . THREE different packages to open and I think I can guess what’s in them.

LOOK! There are THREE babies! All bright and shiny and brand spankingly new. Gosh – don’t they look like their photos? The little boy has his daddy’s ears . . .

Of course, it is quite usual for mice to have large families. Monty, you look rather shell-shocked! You had better start saving for their college education right now.

Anyway, don’t you two worry about a thing. I can nip round to baby-mouse sit, and help with their feeds and all the rest of it. Will they eat salad left overs?

Boohoo . . . .sniff . . . this is all so lovely. It has made me a little bit tearful. Blub, Snort – pardon! I am so happy for you both!

Come on everyone – let’s line up for a grand group photo for the Family Album!

I’ve set the camera on its timer thingy – big smiles everyone . . . it will go off in any second now!

I’ll just double check that there isn’t anything in there for me – CLICK – Oh blow, it went off!

Grandma Marigold! Let’s try again. Sit up now! Everyone say ‘SALAD’!

Perfect!

Congratulations Minty and Monty on the safe arrival from the Adopt-A-Mouse Rescue of your new mail-order family.

Two girls and a boy, what could be nicer?

I love the names you have chosen for them too.

I am sure Petunia, Mabel and Marmaduke will be very happy here and will soon be starring in their very own Fairy Stories!

Now, I do believe it is bedtime. Night, night Minty. Night Monty and Mabel. Night, night Marmaduke . . . Night Fairy!