THE BUNNY FAMILY GO SHOPPING- Jane Trygg-Kaipiainen -

The autumn rain was falling on roofs at the peaceful town of Livelyville. Mummy Bunny was writing down the shopping list, listening to the pitter patter of the raindrops against the window. She was humming with a smile on her face, because the much needed rain had finally arrived after long hot spell of the summer. She called out to her children Betty and Billy: ”Chil-dren! Can you please stop your games for a bit. We are going to the shop!”

The little bunnies ran to the hall, put on their raincoats and pulled on their wellies. Mummy Bunny was already waiting for them with her coat on and shopping bags ready. Outside in the rain, Mummy Bunny unlocked the car doors and put the bags in the boot of the car. Then she gave the usual instructions to the kids: “Betty and Billy, sit here in the back seat in the safety seats.

The little bunnies took their places in the safety seats and shouted in a choir: “Ready!” Before taking her own seat behind the wheel, Mummy Bunny watched carefully as the children fastened their safety belts. Billy, the older of the two, was quicker. Click, click, and he was ready to go. “Done!” said the kids, again in once voice.

Mummy Bunny checked the belts were properly fastened and nodded in approval. Then she sat behind the wheel and fastened her own safety belt. Mummy Bunny then asked, “Have you turned the ring tone down on your mobiles?” Both bunny kids nodded. Only then was Mummy Bunny ready to start the car. They drove at a calm pace to the shopping centre as the rain poured over the windscreen as the wipers rapidly turned left and right.

Suddenly Mummy Bunny’s phone rang. Mummy Bunny kept her eyes on the road although the phone rang away in her handbag in the legroom of the front passenger seat. Billy asked from the back seat,” Mummy, why don’t you pick up?” The phone kept ringing. It could be important. Mummy Bunny said, “I’m looking for a suitable place where to stop the car. I don’t answer my phone when I’m driving.”

Soon Mummy Bunny spotted a lay-by and parked there, braking suddenly. “Ouch!” hissed Betty, “I hurt my head!”

Billy looked at his sister. The plastic carrot doll on the back window shelf had moved when the

car suddenly came to a stop and hit Betty in the head. Her brother said, “Your toy hit you on the head Mummy Bunny was worried, “Oh dear, you may get quite a bump on your head. You should not put anything on the back window shelf, because if I have to suddenly brake, the things will fly and you may get badly hurt. Then she said, “Grandpa called and invited us over tonight. What do you say if we bake a carrot cake for him as a surprise. Ok, let’s go. Safety belts?”

The two bunnies replied “Ready!” Mummy Bunny checked again that the belts were fastened and off they went again. The wind-screen wipers were kept busy by the heady rain, and Mummy Bunny switched on the indicator before carefully joining the traffic. They were nearly at the shopping centre when Billy noticed a child riding a bike on the bicycle path. He hailed “Hey, is that Cousin Bobby?”

Mummy Bunny slowed down and glanced at the cyclist. “Yes, that is Bobby, isn’t it. That is not going to end well!” The little bunnies were trying to peer out from the safety seats to see better. Bobby was cycling in the rain. He was wearing his bicycle helmet but also fiddling with his phone while he was riding. He did not notice a crack on the road and fell with his bike.

Mummy Bunny stopped the car and ran to help their cousin, who looked shaken as he had taken a proper tumble. Mummy Bunny asked, where Bobby was hurt and took him to the car. Billy

had stepped out of the car and was standing in the rain, ready to help his mother to attach the bike carrier at the back of the car and mount the bike on it. He even found Bobby’s phone that had flown far towards the forest. When all were seated safety belts fastened, the shopping trip continued. Mummy Bunny did not need to tell Bobby off, as he knew without telling that he should not have played with his phone when riding a bike. Looking sadly at his torn jacket he promised never to do that again. Next time he would put his phone in his zipper pocket so that he would not be tempted to take it out.

The Bunny family arrived at the shopping centre. Mummy Bunny found a parking place near the main entrance. She promised to treat everyone to carrot juice and dandelion salad before shopping. Having a break in the cafe they would be able to check where Bobby had been hurt and put on a plaster if necessary. They could also take a look at Betty’s bump. After shopping, Mummy Bunny would give Bobby and his bike a lift home. They would all see again at Granny Bunny’s but the carrot cake remained a secret surprise even for Bobby.

And so life went on in Livelyville despite the little ups and downs along the way. All was well in the end, as well as it could ever be.

AUTUMN

The autumn rain was falling on roofs at the peaceful town of Livelyville. Mummy Bunny was writing down the shopping list, listening to the pitter patter of the raindrops against the window. She was humming with a smile on her face, because the much needed rain had finally arrived after long hot spell of the summer. She called out to her children Betty and Billy: ”Chil-dren! Can you please stop your games for a bit. We are going to the shop!”

The little bunnies ran to the hall, put on their raincoats and pulled on their wellies. Mummy Bunny was already waiting for them with her coat on and shopping bags ready. Outside in the rain, Mummy Bunny unlocked the car doors and put the bags in the boot of the car. Then she gave the usual instructions to the kids: “Betty and Billy, sit here in the back seat in the safety seats.

The little bunnies took their places in the safety seats and shouted in a choir: “Ready!” Before taking her own seat behind the wheel, Mummy Bunny watched carefully as the children fastened their safety belts. Billy, the older of the two, was quicker. Click, click, and he was ready to go. “Done!” said the kids, again in once voice.

Mummy Bunny checked the belts were properly fastened and nodded in approval. Then she sat behind the wheel and fastened her own safety belt. Mummy Bunny then asked, “Have you turned the ring tone down on your mobiles?” Both bunny kids nodded. Only then was Mummy Bunny ready to start the car. They drove at a calm pace to the shopping centre as the rain poured over the windscreen as the wipers rapidly turned left and right.

Suddenly Mummy Bunny’s phone rang. Mummy Bunny kept her eyes on the road although the phone rang away in her handbag in the legroom of the front passenger seat. Billy asked from the back seat,” Mummy, why don’t you pick up?” The phone kept ringing. It could be important. Mummy Bunny said, “I’m looking for a suitable place where to stop the car. I don’t answer my phone when I’m driving.”

Soon Mummy Bunny spotted a lay-by and parked there, braking suddenly. “Ouch!” hissed Betty, “I hurt my head!”

Billy looked at his sister. The plastic carrot doll on the back window shelf had moved when the

car suddenly came to a stop and hit Betty in the head. Her brother said, “Your toy hit you on the head Mummy Bunny was worried, “Oh dear, you may get quite a bump on your head. You should not put anything on the back window shelf, because if I have to suddenly brake, the things will fly and you may get badly hurt. Then she said, “Grandpa called and invited us over tonight. What do you say if we bake a carrot cake for him as a surprise. Ok, let’s go. Safety belts?”

The two bunnies replied “Ready!” Mummy Bunny checked again that the belts were fastened and off they went again. The wind-screen wipers were kept busy by the heady rain, and Mummy Bunny switched on the indicator before carefully joining the traffic. They were nearly at the shopping centre when Billy noticed a child riding a bike on the bicycle path. He hailed “Hey, is that Cousin Bobby?”

Mummy Bunny slowed down and glanced at the cyclist. “Yes, that is Bobby, isn’t it. That is not going to end well!” The little bunnies were trying to peer out from the safety seats to see better. Bobby was cycling in the rain. He was wearing his bicycle helmet but also fiddling with his phone while he was riding. He did not notice a crack on the road and fell with his bike.

Mummy Bunny stopped the car and ran to help their cousin, who looked shaken as he had taken a proper tumble. Mummy Bunny asked, where Bobby was hurt and took him to the car. Billy

had stepped out of the car and was standing in the rain, ready to help his mother to attach the bike carrier at the back of the car and mount the bike on it. He even found Bobby’s phone that had flown far towards the forest. When all were seated safety belts fastened, the shopping trip continued. Mummy Bunny did not need to tell Bobby off, as he knew without telling that he should not have played with his phone when riding a bike. Looking sadly at his torn jacket he promised never to do that again. Next time he would put his phone in his zipper pocket so that he would not be tempted to take it out.

The Bunny family arrived at the shopping centre. Mummy Bunny found a parking place near the main entrance. She promised to treat everyone to carrot juice and dandelion salad before shopping. Having a break in the cafe they would be able to check where Bobby had been hurt and put on a plaster if necessary. They could also take a look at Betty’s bump. After shopping, Mummy Bunny would give Bobby and his bike a lift home. They would all see again at Granny Bunny’s but the carrot cake remained a secret surprise even for Bobby.

And so life went on in Livelyville despite the little ups and downs along the way. All was well in the end, as well as it could ever be.