The Tiny Family Spend a Day at the Beach

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“Where we listen, we relax, and we get sleeping.”

As always, I'm your host Thomas.

Thank you for being here for a return to one of our best served and most requested series on the show. Our story this evening is about the pocket family, a family so small in stature that they could fit inside a matchbox. They live in a door's house behind the living room sofa,

unbeknownst to the humans they share a home with. If you've encountered the pockets and other stories before, as many of you most certainly have, you'll know that what they lack in height, they make up for in character.

Tonight, we find home in the best of spirits, as they embark on a day trip to the sun-soaked beach. And as with all our other tales from this series, it was written by Joe, and will be read by Simon. For many of you, this story will not be a source of familiarity

and with that in mind, as we settle down to listen and open our imaginations to visualize the story, I'd like to invite you to take yourself on a familiar journey in your mind's eye. With your eyes gently closed,

accept the presence of thoughts as they inevitably come and go. If they're a bit distracting, then giving your mind a calming task to focus on, can be a very effective way to relax. So, for the next few moments,

I'd like you to try visualizing a familiar journey, one that brings you back to your home. This could be a walk, a bike ride, a car journey, whatever you like. Maybe it's one you do most days, or one that is occasional.

So long as it's a routine, no quite well, and one that returns you to the comfort of home. Wherever you're starting this journey from,

Just to picture the scene around you.

As you move along, think about the things you see

“and the sounds drifting through the air.”

Step by step, or with each turn of a wheel perhaps. The scene develops around you, taking you that bit closer to home. Are there any smells in the air that's downed out? Disert in parts of the route,

conjure memories of times gone by.

And how does it make you feel? Allow your imagination to guide you along the familiar route, back home.

“An experience that will be entirely unique to you.”

As you approach home, think about how it feels to know you're so close to the place where you can relax and rest,

switching off from the world.

See the comfort that lies ahead. The scenery around you are home, and embrace the joy of it as it waits to welcome you. When you eventually arrive at your front door, you open it and step inside.

“Paying attention to the way that makes you feel as well.”

The familiarities and comforts of your home that are there for you every day. Now, as you settle deeper and deeper into your bed, allow that visualization to fade into the background. And bring your focus to Simon's voice,

as we prepare to rejoin the pocket family. This is where our story begins. We begin our story in the living room of a house, the home of Miss Granger, and her seven-year-old daughter. You wouldn't call it big, and you wouldn't call it small.

But you might well describe it as very pleasant and homey. Light pours in through a large bay window, transforming the terracotta walls into a shade of morning sunrise. Patents of white light are reflected on the floorboards, polished mahogany, covered with rocks here and there.

The young girl's artwork is displayed on the walls in glass picture frames of all shapes and sizes. In the middle of the room between the brown leather sofa and the television, there's a long coffee table. A few fish, each one colourful and unique swim in a fish tank

at the center of the coffee table. A bulb between driftwood and swaying green plants, gliding in and out of ornaments shaped like the pyramids of Egypt.

At a glance, the fish are the only things moving,

not only in the living room, but the entire house.

The front driveway is empty,

“and the range of family don't appear to be home.”

In fact, mum and daughter have gone away for the weekend. They're staying with grandma and granddad on the coast. But their house isn't empty, not by any means, even if they think it is. What the ranges don't know is that they share their home

with four other people and their pet dog, a miniature family.

His presence goes unnoticed. None of them are any taller than a small sewing pin. Mar, par, Joe and Matilda pocket have actually lived here for longer than the ranges. They used to reside in an old tissue box, but the back of a kitchen cupboard.

But when the smiths moved out and the ranges moved in, the pockets relocated to the little girl's dollhouse. The dollhouse sits behind the sofa. The front opens out to reveal rooms on three stories, including stairways between levels and a lift at the side.

It's the tiny persons equivalent of a million-air's mansion.

Everything is decorated in nice bright colours, from bedrooms and bathrooms to the dining room and kitchen. Each is home through a range of modern furniture, including a battery operated fireplace and radio in the living room. The best gadget of all is a remote controlled car,

a gorgeous convertible in a dazzling shade of pink. That's where the tiny family are right now, packing up the car for a day at the beach. At breakfast this morning, Mar surprised everyone with the news.

The family were going on a trip. She led them to believe that they would be doing a supply run and coming back home for a day of housework. You might imagine the delights of power and the children. When they discovered that this had all been a rose,

“that Mar had been planning a secret adventure for the family.”

Instead of chores and cleaning, they'd be frolicking on the sand. Over breakfast, Mar explained that she'd been daydreaming about the beach since overhearing the humans talking about their trip to Grand and Grand Darts. The enthusiasm and their voices had been infectious, and left Mar lying to feel sand beneath her feet.

Happily, she'd overheard another conversation when she was out walking Hercules later that day. Ms. Granger had been speaking on what humans called a phone and her voice was even gentler and quieter than usual.

“Mar quickly realized that Ms. Granger was sharing a secret”

with the muffled voice at the end of the phone. She was explaining how she planned to surprise her daughter when they returned home from their weekend on the coast. Ms. Granger had bought a sand pit and hidden it in the shed. She planned to roll it out the night before they left,

That when they came home, it was out on the patio.

That way her daughter could continue making sandcastles

once they were home from their trip.

“Mar knew that the little girl would love the sand pit.”

She also realized that she'd been presented with the perfect opportunity. With the humans away, they'd have free reign of the house, including the garden and the brand new sand pit. Har and the children gasped with delight

at the thought of a sand pit in the back garden.

Hercules, the tiny sausage dog, wagged his tail with excitement. Though Mar had told him about the surprise beforehand. The dog had been her accomplice from the beginning.

“He'd kept her company on secret supply runs,”

sniffing out food from nooks and crannies around the house. He'd helped find the morsels that Mar could fashion into a picnic, as well as a stray pea that they could use as a beach ball. On the nights when Mar had been up late, hercules was with her, snoozing at her feet.

An experienced seamstress she'd made swimming trunks and costumes for the family, including inflatable arm floats for the children and a life jacket for the dog. This morning, once the family had finished breakfast and absorbed the news, Mar had presented everyone with their newly made swimwear.

“Afterwards, the family had dispersed to get changed and freshen up”

and together their backpacks, bringing anything they might need. Now, less than 20 minutes later, they're ready to go with swimming trunks and costumes underneath their outfits. Par jokes that in all the time he's known them,

he's never known his children to get ready so quickly.

The car is filled up in record time with backpacks, beach towels, picnic food and more. Last to go in are the family themselves with power in the driver's seat where the controls are located. The pockets are experienced adventures. They have to be in order to get around.

Day-to-day activities include freking across carpets and climbing furniture as tall as mountains, then up sailing down it. And yet, as much as they enjoy this way of living, all are thankful for this new mode of transport. With the car, journeys that previously would have been made on foot.

Now, take only a fraction of the time. The car's biggest fan is Hercules the dog. Currently, he's in his usual position, standing up on Mars lab in the front passenger seat and resting his paws on the doorframe. He loves to look out and take in his surroundings.

Occasionally barking if something grabs his interest. His long dangling ears, just not brown, like his coat, flap, comically in the wind, prompting smiles and laughter. Part is an excellent driver. He maneuvers around the sofa with so much finesse that if his passengers close their eyes, they wouldn't know there'd been a corner.

He traverses the living room floorboards like a skater at a nice rink, navigating around the coffee table and the rug it sits on. Hercules barks as they pass by the coffee table and he catches a glimpse of the fish tank in its centre.

To the tiny pocket family, it's more like an aquarium inhabited by fish, the ...

Joe points upwards, spotting a flash of red, its his favourite fish, the aptly named Rose.

“The sight of the creature always delights him.”

He's a dazzling shade of ruby red with a tail-like rose petals. The pockets cruise through the open doorway, crossing the threshold of the living room and moving into the hallway. Hercules barks as the wheels touch the carpet as if he's announcing the family's arrival into a new room.

Sunlight pours in through vertical windows that either side of the doorway on the left.

It pools in places on the cream-colored carpet and illuminates the staircase on the right.

“Power drives the car through a puddle of sunlight before turning right around the stairs.”

For a few seconds, it's so bright and warm that the family feel as if they're already outside. It helps that the air smells like nature, particularly around the sideboard.

A vase of fresh lilies emits a fragrance that's both sweet and floral.

Hercules waves his snout through the air as if he's trying to decide whether he likes the smell. He sniffs a few times and lets out a little sneeze, but he soon becomes distracted as they enter the kitchen.

“The dog barks again as they cross the floor, passing the kitchen units on the left and the table on the right.”

The base floor is a smooth as glass and twinkles gold in the sunlight. The ever playful part steers towards the table weaving in and out of chair legs and performing donuts around them. The children cheer waving their arms in the air as if they were enjoying a ride at a theme park. It's clear that the sausage dog is just as happy. His tail wags at record speed.

Mar holds him on her lap in a loose embrace and she can literally feel him vibrating with excitement. With a beaming grin, Mar strokes his fur and pats his head. He's still smiling a minute or so later when the car slows down as they approach their destination. The car pulls up in the usual spot between the end kitchen cabinet and the back door of the house. Henry equipment in their trusty backpacks which allow them to scale the soaring kitchen units.

To get outdoors they climb up the end unit crossing the marble countertop and descending the window sill. A tiny gap between the locked window and its frame provides ample space to absail down to the patio. It's a journey that they've made countless times. The dog too in his personalised carrier strapped to the front of either mar or par. But it isn't the path that they'll be taking today.

Par says he has a better idea.

He tells the children to stay seated in the back before leaning over to mar a...

The parents step out, leaving her Achilles in the front, the dog jumped into the back seat, nestling between the children.

“All three are intrigued by the actions of the adults who rifle through their backpacks and pull out their climbing ropes.”

These are made from threads of noted string with metal picture hooks attached to one end. Next, the adults move to the side of the car, looking up to the handle of the kitchen door. The children can't hear their muffled conversation. They can only watch as events unfold. Par moves forwards, gripping the rope near its end.

He swings it above his head like a cowboy lasso in cattle. Once he's picked up speed, he throws the rope upwards.

It lands first time on the handle of the door.

Mar goes next, looping the rope above her head and casting it upwards to a spot below the handle. She misses it the first time, but catches it the second. Hercules barks as if to say, "Well done."

“The hook of Mar's rope is now attached to the key. The humans backdoor key sticking out of the keyhole.”

What this means is that the pockets can unlock the door if they're able to turn the key. Par drops his rope and picks up Mar's further down. They walk to the side, leaning back and pulling. They look as though they're competing in a tug of war, using every ounce of their strength. Thankfully, it works and the key turns. A metallic clunk signals the unlocking of the door.

By now, the children have worked out what's happening and they erupt into cheers and tiny applause.

“Mar and Par do well not to fall over as the rope becomes loose rather suddenly.”

They laugh and hug once they've studied their wobbly legs, visibly relieved to no longer be pulling. Unfortunately, the same approach doesn't work on the handle. Even with the whole family working together, they don't have the strength to make it turn. Luckily, Par has a plan for this too. He returns to where the rope is dangling from the handle, picking it up at the end and walking back to the car.

Once there, he attaches it to the front of the bonnet, using a safety pin that's part of his kit. After checking that the rope is taught and secure, Par gets back into the driver's seat and nudges the car forward. Mar stays outside, giving directions. Her eyes fitting between the car and the handle.

Go left, she says it first. Watching the handle turn, then keep going and just a little bit further.

The door makes a clicking sound and the handle is fully down. That's it, says Mar. Now we need to turn. She directs Par to drive away from the door, tracing the path of an invisible arch. And, just as planned, the car pulls on the handle and the door behind it slowly creeks open.

Mar is facing the doorway, which means she's the first to take in the view.

For a moment, the daylight is so bright, it's almost blinding.

“And Mar is forced to briefly close her eyes.”

She feels the cool air that flows into the kitchen. She smells freshly cut grass and the sense of herbs and flowers. The sounds are like a symphony of instruments, but with birds and butterflies instead of grass and woodwind. When she opens her eyes, her family are all beside her, standing in a line, silently admiring the back garden. Even the dog seems lost for words.

Here's dangling, head, tilted to the side. The granges garden might be described as small but charming. Beyond the patio of the front, there's a rectangular lawn. It's framed by rosepets and has a fountain at its center.

“A shed behind the grass has been painted just not red,”

and matches the fence that runs around the garden. Of course, it's anything but small to the tiny pocket family. To them, a lawn is more like a jungle, the shed, a palace, and the fountain some great monument. They spent countless hours admiring the garden from the windowsill,

and they've explored it together on a few occasions.

But they've never seen it like this.

They're view framed by the open doorway. It's made all the more beautiful by the gorgeous spring weather.

“The sun shines bright in a cloudless blue sky,”

enhancing the colours of the lawn. In the light, the grass has hints of gold and silver. It sparkles as it sways gently in the breeze. There must have been a shower earlier this morning, because puddles of rainwater are dotted about the patio.

One puddle mirrors a nearby rose bush, reflecting ruby red petals and rich green leaves. Sunlight makes its way across the patio, and firling like a blanket of gold. The tiles near us the doorway have another worldly glow.

The rest is in the shade, at least for the moment.

Matilda is the first to spot their destination.

The raised plastic tub in the middle of the patio. The sand inside isn't visible yet. This only adds to the children's excitement. First, they have to actually get there, which isn't so easy for people of their size.

They decide to scale a trellis beneath the kitchen window. They'll climb across the leaves on the trellis and zip line over to the sand pit. Power has parted the car by the doorway, where it should block the door from closing in the breeze.

They share out belongings from the boot of the convertible, including reserve climbing ropes for mar and power. Everyone wears a backpack and mar wears two. The one at her front is stuffed full of picnic food. Hercules rides in a carrier at past front,

similar to how a human might carry a baby. The sausage dog looks utterly adorable,

With his head and four paws sticking out from the fabric.

The family take a moment to ruffle his fur

and stroke behind his ears.

“Equipment and backpacks are then checked and checked again”

before the pockets begin their walk. They head towards the open doorway towards the glow of sunshine and the sounds of nature. The air carries that freshness that only comes after rain. Blended with the sweet scent of roses in the garden.

Once they're outside, they stand in a line, each with climbing ropes ready to use. Power goes first,

throwing the rope towards the wall,

where a wooden trellis has been woven with climbing ivy. He tugs on the rope, testing that it's secure,

“once the hook is caught around the middle of the woodwork.”

From there, all it takes is the smallest of jumps and power swings like a pendulum across the ivy. Grabbing a plant stem to stop himself from swinging, he then shakes the rope and dislodges the hook. He slowly winds it back towards himself

and settles down on a leaf, watching the others swing over. This particular leaf is fairly high up and juts out of the trellis opposite the sand pit. As each member of the family makes it across the ivy,

they're rewarded with a view of their destination below.

“And enormous beach is visible within the tub.”

It's sand, a blend of white and gold. It's flat in places, but rugged in others. Forming sand dunes at one end, and a valley in the centre. Miss Granger likely wasn't expecting rain.

Otherwise, he might have covered the sand pit. The rainwater has collected in the valley and formed a gorgeous blue lake in the middle of the sand. Water has also filled a circular moat around the base of the sand castle.

It must have been built by Miss Granger for her daughter. There's even a little paper flag at the top of the castle. The flag displays an image of the sun smiling. The flagpole is made from a toothpick. Par throws his rope,

catching the bottom of the toothpick, and secures the other end to the nearby leaf stem. The pockets themselves carry repurposed toothpicks. They prove useful in a range of situations. Now, they hold the sticks above their heads

and zip line along Paar's rope across the patio. As Mar was the one who arranged the surprise trip,

she is the first to touch down on the sand.

After gliding across the patio, she drops down on a sand tune and slides down to a spot by the lake. One by one, she's joined by the others. First Joe and Matilda, and lastly Paar and Hercules.

The dog runs in circles once he's released from his carrier, unable to contain his glee any longer. Meanwhile, the family take off their backpacks and lay out their beach towels side by side. Then they slip out of their shoes

and remove outer layers of clothing, revealing newly made swimming costumes and trunks.

Suncream is applied on Mars orders.

It's just one of the things that she's collected this week.

“An amount that all together would fit on a human's fingertip”

proves more than enough to supply the whole family. All manner of human leftovers have been transformed by Mars into a gourmet picnic of sandwiches and pastries. But Hercules is only interested in the meaty dog treats. By the others, seem fixated on the chocolate chip cookies.

Pa and their children take a seat on their towels while Hercules opts to settle just below Mars legs.

She passes around cookies and gives a treat to the dog

and they sit and eat in happy silence.

“Afterwards, shoes and clothing are placed on the towels”

weighing down the fabric in case the wind picks up. Pa walks with Hercules while Jo and Matilda rests towards the lake. Ma is content to sit on her beach towel to explore her senses and take in her surroundings.

She scrunches her toes into fine grains of sand and breathes in deeply. A suncream on her skin has a tropical fragrance. It smells like pineapple and fresh coconut.

“And it makes for a scent that's nothing short of enchanting”

as it blends with the sweetness of roses in the air. Ma takes in the sense, breathing long and deep and closing her eyes when it feels good to do so. The breeze is very subtle. But to the tiny family, it's absolutely perfect.

After the exertion of getting here, Ma is grateful to sit and feel the breeze. Especially as the sun has risen higher in the sky and begun inching its way across the sand pit. She feels as if time has slowed down

as she follows the movement of the light. The sand sparkles like treasure wherever it's illuminated beneath the sun's rays. Ma takes out a bottle from her bag and pours amber-colored liquid into a tinfoil cup.

She enjoys a few sips of sweet apple juice, a four setting the cup down and resting back on her elbows. Lounging on her beach town, she closes her eyes, and intends to do nothing but breath in and out. After a while, she becomes aware of sunlight approaching.

She can feel the warm air moving towards her.

Ma has never experienced anything quite like it.

The sensation of sunlight passing gradually across her. At one point, her left side is cool and in the shade. While the right side of her body is being warmed by the sunshine. Reaching out her right hand, Ma scoops up warm sand before allowing it to trickle out between her fingers.

Her left hand is in the shade resting on cool, damp sand, and she relishes the contrast until the sun moves over. Ma isn't sure if it's minutes or hours later, but eventually she finds herself awash with sunshine.

Waves of comfort ripple up and down her body.

The light feels healing right down to the bones.

“The sound of water splashing followed by laughter pulls her attention towards the lake.”

Hercules, the dog, like each member of the family, is enjoying the beach in his own unique way. He seems to be chasing the moving shoreline, running back and forth around the water's edge. He paddles in and out, splashing the water with his paws, and then shaking himself dry before running right back in.

Power laughs as he watches from the lake side.

He's cooling off and relaxing with his legs in the water.

The children are swimming, heads bobbing above the surface, as they too watch Hercules. Ma herself can't help but chuckle.

“The sausage dog's antics never fail to amuse.”

It soothes her soul to see him happy and playing. To see all of her family looking so content, of all the good ideas that she's ever had,

this surprise day out might be the best.

The beach in the sun pit is even better than she'd imagined. In fact, it's improving by the minute. The sunshine has made its way over to the lake, where the water glistens, every ripple twinkling silver. An ethereal gold mist hangs in the air above the surface,

“imperceptible to most humans perhaps, but obvious to the pockets.”

It's one of the lovely sites that Ma has ever seen. The silver gold lake against a backdrop of sand, and better still because it includes her family. A smiles beaming as bright as the sunshine. Sitting upright on her towel, she brings up her hands

as if she's holding an invisible camera. She frames her hands around her family in the water and flicks her finger as if she's clicking a button. Ma is taking a mental photograph, capturing this precious moment and the feelings that come with it.

In years to come, when she remembers today, she'll go straight to this picture in her imagination. She'll take others later, storing more precious moments. Her standing proudly hands on hips as if he's the king of the giant sandcastle behind him.

Joe and Matilda throwing the beach ball to one another while hercules runs between them desperate to join in. Ma herself will soon paddle in the water. But for now, she's content to sunbathe on the sand. She folds her clothes into a makeshift pillow

and lies back onto the beach towel. The sand forms a mattress beneath the soft towel. One that seems to mulls around the shape of her body. She feels herself sink into deeper relaxation, warm and cozy, beneath a blanket of sunshine.

She can still trace the scent of rain in the air, likely emanating from the rainwater lake. It adds a wonderful freshness.

Ma drinks it in, taking long deep breaths.

Closing her eyes, she busks in the sunlight,

“delighting in the breeze that flows over her skin.”

She can hear water splashing in the distance and the cheerful voices of power and the children. The last thing she remembers is the sound of their laughter, carried on a breeze that smells like roses. Then her mind clears and her body relaxes further

and Ma does his off into a restful sleep. The last thing she remembers is the sound of her laughter.

She is the sound of her laughter.