A day with Cecil Maces - or how Cecil searches for cooking independence

Dear Readers,

without opening speach: Enjoy the new story!

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The first shafts on sunlight woke Cecil Maces up. 

He yawned loudly and had a stretch. Thoughtful he had a look around - his small sleeping room was still empty after he moved in. Beside the colourful sleeping bag, where the mouse man slept in, was... nothing. 
"That can't go on like that!", decided Cecil. He left the room and entered his photo studio. 

This room looked much better! A colourful wallpaper, nice pictures and a comfortable couch. But still... A few flowers would make it look more inviting.
Maybe he should do some shopping today?
Yes, that was a good idea!

Good mooded Cecil left the house and started his morning routine: Smelling at the pretty flowers infront of his shop and then walking to the Löffel's bakery.

He could smell the fresh baked products from a distance. What should he eat today?

When the man entered the bakery he still was unsure.
"Good morning, Cecil!", Hans greeted him friendly, "How are you today?"

"Good morning, Hans! Thank you I'm fine. And you?"
"Me too, but I had a little desaster in the early morning... It seems that the upper oven is broken. All my buns were still raw, when I took them out a few minutes ago, so I hope you don't mind that you might have to wait a bit..."

"No, not at all.", Cecil waved aside, "I can also start with a piece of cake this morning."

Hans laughed and gave him a cup filled with hot fresh coffee, "Allright, which one do you want?"
"I think that chocolate one looks very delicious!", he pointed at a cream cake.

"I promise it is delicious!", the baker winked and cut a sliece out of the cake.

While Cecil enjoyed the cake, he told Hans about his shopping plan.

"I think it's a good idea."
"Thank you... Can you imagine that I neither have a fridge nor a cooking plate? I'm almost not survivable alone!"
The rabbit man laughed, "Oh well, you lived at your parents house before you moved to Marigold Creek, right?"
"Yes...", Cecil turned a bit red around his nose, "My mum normally cooked for me. That's why it's time for me to finally buy more household things! Shouldn't I be able to cook me something alone? And what if I suddenly meet a wonderful woman! She would be shocked seeing my flat at this state!"

"I'm sure she wouldn't judge you over your flat.", Hans winked, "But I agree, something like a little kitchenette would be good for you. I think the von Stachels have some furniture catalogues in their shop - you could order a cooking plate and a mini fridge."
Cecil glanced, "Great idea! Thank you, Hans! I wanted to go their anyway to buy some..." He laughed, "...basic foods."

After his breakfast Cecil said goodbye to Hans Löffel.

"Good luck with your shopping!", the rabbit said.
"Thank you. If I'm able to serve you a dinner you and your family are heartly invited to my flat!"
"Thank you, I'm looking forward to the dinner."
Cecil waved and then walked to the village store, which was run by the hedgehog family. 

Just before he could reach the door, Bobby Roberts and his little daughter Marie appeared.
"Oh, good morning Cecil!", the police officer said, "Will you do some grocery shopping?"
"Good morning. Yes, I will. First real shopping for me here in Marigold Creek."

Bobby told his daughter not to worry about Cecil. "He's a very nice man. Can you remember? He has taken the wonderful passport photos for you."
"Oh right!", Marie said quietly, "Then he is a nice man!"

Bobby riveted on Cecil, "Did you just say that you will do your first shopping now? Aren't you living here since..."
"Christmas.", Cecil laughed, "It's embarrassing, isn't it?"
"No, not at all!", the police officer grinned, "I also didn't go shopping until I got Marie."
"Phew! Now I feel better! I thought I was the only bachelor who hasn't an own kitchen."
The two men laughed loudly.

"It's so complicated to run a household. There are so many rules and things you must know!', Bobby said, "Did you for example know that you have to wait almost an hour until yeast rises in a dough? And that it needs some sugar to grow?"

"No, really? So long? And don't you taste the sugar in the dough?", Cecil was a bit shocked.
"Yes! Oh well. If you make a dough for pizza you just take a bit sugar...", explained Bobby, "For more sweet doughs you use more sugar..."
"That sounds so complicated!", Cecil got huge eyes.
"It is! I needed weeks to learn all the stuff! If Margarete Petite hadn't helped me..."
While the two men chatted about all the mean cooking rules, little Marie drove by on their bicycle.

"Daddy?"
The two man turned their head.
Cecil scratched his head, "I'm so sorry, I hold you up!"
"No, no. It was fun to meet you!"
"Daddy, come on!", whined Marie.
"Ok, ok.", Bobby nodded, "We will go now."

Cecil smiled: "Have a nice day!"
"You too, and if you want I can give you some cooking advice."
"That would be great, thank you!"
"My pleasure - goodbye!"

Cecil entered the supermarket, where he immediatly was received by Eleonor von Stachel.

"Good morning Sir, how can I help you?"
"Good morning! Oh well, I think I might be a complicated customer."
"Oh, why that?", the hedgehog lady laughed softly, "I'm sure we can help you!"

"I need all basic food stuff... But unfortunately I don't know what this might be..."
Eleonor was surprised about this statement, but picked up courage fastly.

"So you have a new kitchen?"
Ashamed Cecil giggled, "No, I don't have a kitchen yet... Which leads to the next problem... Are you having kitchen catalogues here, where I could order one?"
The lady nodded, "Yes, we have some here. If you order something it will take about one week to deliver, so I would recommend to just buy food which doesn't need any cooling."
"That makes sense!", Cecil nodded.

Eleonor fastly explained the situation to her husband mortimer, who was very appreciative. 
He showed Cecil a cupboard filled with cornflakes, cookies and noodles, "All those things don't need a fridge. They also last long, so you can already buy them."

"I like noodles!", Cecil grinned, "So I will buy some of them."

He fastly took a huge package of them and put it into his shopping cart. Soon he also added some cornflakes and cookies.

Because Mortimer von Stachel explained him that he could also buy some fruits and vegetables, he also bought some potatoes, oranges and bananas.
"Do you have also some red wine?", Cecil asked, "I want to invite some friends soon. And I want to serve them something special."

Mortimer nodded and returned with a dark red bottle, "This is the finest wine we have here. It's imported from Whisper Wood. It has a nice fruity tase."
"I take it! Thank you so much!"

With a full shopping cart Cecil walked to the register and paid for the goods. He thanked the two hedgehogs for their wonderful guidance and went on.

While he was walking towards Marigold Creeks parc, Cecil passed buy the elementary school and nursery. The children just had a break and were enjoying their time on the schoolyard.
Smiling Cecil watched all the children, who where watched by the teachers Bruno and Sienna Hunter-Smith.

Sienna just helped Milly McBurrow to drive on an unicycle.
Cecil walked over the schoolyard.

Suddenly a badminton ball landed on his head.
Irritated he stopped.

"Oh my! We're so sorry!", Anton Löffel run to the mouse man, while his friend Paddock Buttercup followed him.
"Have we hurt you?"
"No, not at all!", Cecil started to laugh, "Everything ok." He took the ball from his head and gave it back to the children.

"I love badminton! Please enjoy your game!"
"Thank you!", Anton said, while his friend added: "We're very sorry that we attacked you!"
"No problem.", the mouse winked, before he went on.

"Cecil?", Bruno Hunter-Smith called.
"Morning, Bruno!", amused Cecil went to the dog.
"Did you get hurt by the ball?"
"No, everything ok. Anton and Paddock excused themselves already. It wasn't intentional."
Bruno smiled, "Good to hear that! I was worried. By the way, may I ask if we can visit your shop tomorrow? We wanted to make a family photo shooting..."
"Of course you can! It's a pleasure!"
"Great, I think it will be in the late afternoon, when the school is over..."
"Allright.", Cecil said, before he had to say goodbye. Bruno was called by a pupil.

"See you tomorrow!", the teacher said.
"Bye bye!", Cecil waved and finally reached the parc of Marigold Creek.

Relaxed he sat down under a tree and got himself the furniture magazin, Eleonor had given him.

He liked the miniature fridges and soon found a fitting one for his flat. Then Cecil decided to close his eyes for second...

...and was found sleeping two hours later by Angus and Elsie Buttercup.
"Cecil, is everything ok? Are you feeling sick?", the cow lady asked worried.

Desorientated Cecil got up, "Where...? Oh my, I slept in! How late is it?"
"It's 2 o'clock in the afternoon.", answered Angus amused, "What are you doing here?"
"Oh I looked at this interior catalogue, because I wanted to order a fridge and a cooking plate. And then I must have fallen asleep..."

Elsies eyes grow huge, "A cooking plate? Cecil my dear, you don't have to order a cooking plate! We have one at home! Isn't that right, Angus?"
Her husband nodded, "Yes, if you want you can have it."
"Really?", excited Cecil jumped in the air, "That would be wonderful! I could start to learn cooking!" 
"If it's okay, we will visit you later and bring it to you."

Cecil agreed happily and returned home.

He took a short rest on his sofa and ate one of his fresh bought oranges. It tasted delicious!

Just half an hour later the door bell rung and Angus and Bessie appeared. 

Angus pushed a full loaded wheel barrow.

"Look, here's the cooking plate!", proudly the cow presented the plate, "It has two plates!"
"And that you can immediatly start cooking, I brought you this pan!", Bessie said, "Oh - and a flower pot! Your flat shouldn't look so empty!"

"Thank you so much!", Cecil was touched, "I don't know what to say."
"It's our pleasure.", they entered the house, "Should I help you carrying the plate up to your flat?"
"That would be very nice.", Cecil smiled, "You see it's a bit complicated to enter the flat with this ladder..."

Worried Bessie watched the two men, who tried to haul up the cooking plate.
"Please be careful!"

Somehow Angus managed to climp the shaky ladder, while carrying the plate. Cecil pulled it into the small room. "Phew! It's done! Thank you so much Angus!"

While Angus enjoyed the fantastic view out of Cecils window...

...Cecil made a proposal. 
"You have helped me so much with this fantastic cooking plate and I really want to thank you with something! So I had the idea if you might be interested in a little photo shoot?

Bessie got excited, "Really?"
"Yes, if you want we can do a romantic shoot?"
"Oh yes, please!", yelled Bessie, "That's a gorgeous idea! And now Angus can't escape from it." 
Laughing Cecil prepared his camera, while Bessie called Angus.
The man didn't defend himself very long, so soon the shooting started.

At the end Bessie and Angus took a huge photoalbum with them. Both were very happy with the result. 

Here are two of the pictures Cecil took (Bessie was very kind to show them to me, I think):

In the late afternoon Cecil finally took a seat next to his new cooking plate, where he intented to cook some noodles.

Cecil was very pleased. The first steps to a more independent life were taken! He had a cooking plate, some food and a flower pot at home. And tomorrow he would go to Mortimer von Stachel and would order a fridge!
Pleased with himself and the world he took a look at the boiling water...

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:D I know that was a loooong story! Funnily I never planned it to become that long, but I went a bit overboard with all the photos, so I made it a bit longer ;). And also Cecil is just too cute!

Have a nice Sunday!

Yours Kyra