Wii Ruler

Greeting loyal minions,

It has been a while since I last graced you with one's Royal musings but one has found oneself too busy with important matters of state to find the time. I am now enjoying a Royal holiday on my own personal island.

Maggie (a local minion) suggested I try my paw at using the 'Wii'. First I had to create a account.

Apparently Polar Bears don't usually play so I had to make do with options available (I will be getting someone to write a letter of complaint to the makers of this 'wii' over this ridiculous oversight). Still I look rather dashing even when slumming it as a minion.

Next it was time to play. Maggie suggested Mario Cart.

She claimed she was has talent at this game and would show me how to play but I won every race right from the start.

Clearly she is deluded over her talent at the game, when I pointed this out she seemed rather upset but one patiently explained that after all one is King. So naturally superior to her in every way.

My favourite circuits were the snowy ones (particularly the one with penguins) - here is me mastering DK's Snowboarding track

.

So ultimately I ruled and Maggie drooled (Kateri says it was more crying than drooling but if so I think it was tears of joy at witnessing such greatness).

Don't worry minions once she stopped crying I let her have one of the Royal chocolate coins to show her what a wonderful and benevolent King I really am.

Your benevolent and mighty ruler,

King Dumbledore

Spotted

Ten extra minion points* to anyone who can spot the polarbear.
*Minion points can not be exchanged for any goods made from or related to chocolate.

Expenses

My loyal minions.

I know I have been quiet and have not regaled you with the tales from my royal household. This is merely due to some serious issues I have had to address. I have had to investigate some illegal expenses claims made by my representatives. It appears that my loyal team have been siphoning off extra chocolate biscuits and brownies from the royal mint to have with their "second breakfast" I can assure you there will be no more flagrant abuse of my chocolate accounting procedures.

Having now resolved that issue. I have embarked on my Royal Summer Tour of 2009 with three of my most loyal minions. I believe there will be chocolate cake in my honour on Friday (one of the minions has requested one for me specially on her birthday) and then we will be touring this fine nation. No chocolate shop shall go unsullied.

Your benevolent and mighty ruler,

King Dumbledore

Dispatches

My normal minions have gone on a scouting mission to Wisconsin. I have heard tell that the one named Palin is no longer a possible threat to my polar bear brethren but I felt that I needed first hand evidence that the believer Obama truly is the "ruler" of the United States (obviously I am supreme ruler of all the known universe but I cannot deal with the nitty gritty so I allow those mere humans to play the game of "politics".)

Since I would not wish to fend for myself for this time I have come to the safe haven that is my second most loyal minions. They treat me with great respect. They have even purchased rather fetching carrying devices, matching ones too. Not sure I care for the colour but I must admit I can be seen in a crowd which suits me just fine.

Corporate Sponsorship

As you, my loyal followers and minions, know I am grand overlord and benevolent (when it suits me) ruler of all that I survey.

I rule not only the lowly peoples of this world but also receive tribute from the many corporate entities who benefit from my kindly and supportive rule. On a recent tour I was given a substantial tribute by one of the largest corporations that support me.

Here I am at a Starbucks receiving one very large gold covered chocolate coin (the best kind) and a very welcoming Hot Chocolate on a rather chilly, even for this handsome polar bear, morning.

Benevolence

In my role as benevolent leader I have taken on the duty of learning from those who came before my most majestic self.

In my study of Marie Antoinette I feel I am able to enhance her policy of "let them eat cake". Quite obviously where she went wrong is that she should have stated "let them eat chocolate cake".

This is one of the founding principles of my dominion. Chocolate cake for all, so long as I have the largest slice.

The Royal Mint

My royal mint is effective but sometimes it is a nuisance having to carry around all of those heavy gold coins. It seems that my minions find it makes their bags too heavy to carry and being the benevolent leader I am I have decided to use printed money. I don't normally do tasks for myself but I would never give my PIN to any of my mere minions, the accounts are full of my hard collected donations from my devoted minions.

I'm King of the Castle...

and you're the dirty wee rascal!

Do Polar Bears like honey?

The Royal Mint

As the world faces financial ruin I, as Supreme Ruler, I have ordered the production of my very own coins to save the world economy.

The process is not very fast (possibly due to my only employing two small tigers) but I demand high standards and supervise every step of the production.Finally my waiting is rewarded with the presentation of the first two official coins of my realm.

Mmm... I will have a fishy in a little dishy...

Over the last year it has become apparent that I love all things fishy. First things first I must choose from the menu what I fancy.

Do I want a fish supper?

Or a prawn sandwich?

What about a seal steak?

A starfish sundae?

Christmas Games

I had lots of fun on Christmas Day (not to mention plenty of yummy food).

My Beharie minions got a pile of lego so I helped them construct their kits (they'd never have managed without my help). Kateri said I should do something more useful like help make dinner but my minions needed me - besides I shouldn't have to make my own food.

Then after all the excitement I ran a quiz for Mohan and Mohinder. I am a excellent quiz master (even better

than Stephen Fry) because I know so much. Of course that can be a problem since being a genius makes it very hard not make others feel foolish and little but I try very hard to make them feel equal. Well as equal as you can be to a supreme being such as myself.

Christmas Food

Ah, Christmas is all about the food on our Orkney trip.
We started with our traditional cinnamon buns (Dumbledore tried to keep them all to himself) at about 9:30.

Then we prepared the Salmon Moose and Deep Fried Cheese. I even helped to prepare the cheese (Grimbister, coated in a double layer of bread crumbs and served with Christmas Chutney).We ate this starter at about 12:30.

The main meal was served at 4ish - Tom's folks are from England so they have a big meal far earlier than my family who'd eat about 6.

The meal included Granny Elliot's stuffing (a Whalley family tradition).

Then about 6pm pudding was served.

Kathryn had made profiteroles which proved to be very popular with a certain Polar Bear. Also on offer was Owen's Tiramisu, though this was not suitable for younger family members!

Christmas Morning

Visions of Sugar Plums dance through my head...

When I awoke it was clear that Santa had been...
Though I was not the only one to get a visit from old St. Nick...
Santa knows me so well, he gave me this magnificent crown...
and a pile of gold coins...
Mohan got some crushed spiders and Mohinder some dried Buzzy Bees what more could we ask for?

Getting ready for Christmas

According to Kermit the Frog one of the most pleasant of all activities is getting ready for Christmas. Dumble and the tigers certainly got in on the act. While Mohan and Mohinder decorated a little tree, Dumbledore made a gingerbread house.

It's the same gingerbread house kit the D'Alby's used.

Dumble felt that he'd missed out since we'd ran out of time when to to it with them so he insisted we buy one to bring north!

He let me, Magnus and Kathryn help but he insisted that I add that any dodgy bits were done by us. His bits all worked out wonderfully.

Visit to Santa

Loyal Subjects,

I went to visit the one and only Santa (he visited Stirling just so we could meet up). I took the D'Alby's with me (mostly for warmth it was freezing!). I asked for chocolate and World Domination. Lottie asked for a game but Lexie forgot what she wanted though she had mentioned chocolate coins previously so I told Santa to give her that (after all who wouldn't want that?).

Till next time,

Dumbledore

King Dumbledore's Royal Tour

Dumbledore came for a royal visit to the D'Alby family this week. We were taking him to visit a part of his kingdom- the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park. He spent time admiring the view:

His minions carried him wherever he desired to go- even allowing him to snuggle in for extra warmth in the cold climate. Even a polar bear gets cold from time to time.

Dumbledore selected the royal tree which was then carried home to be decorated for him.

Dumbledore decided that he needed a more sedate form of transport and his loyal servant Christopher carried him home.

Once he returned to the royal lodging house he took up residence upon his royal stool in front of the fire to deliver new royal proclamations.

Please remember that all tributes to King Dumbledore are due by Christmas day and should be paid in Chocolate. All forms of Chocolate are acceptable but preference is for gold coins.

Love of all things sweet

As many of you loyal subjects know I, King Dumbledore, have a sweet tooth - I got given it by the Tooth Fairy :)

Anyway I have been sampling a couple of exciting dishes recen

tly. One was at the Stenness Ice-Cream Parlour. I thought about the Stenness Monster but it is bigger than me and I had had breakfast already.

Then I also sampled some cake at the local Garden centre with Tom's help. I let him have a couple of crumbs as a thank you for his loyal service.

New Hat

Big thanks to Marjorie who knitted me a lovely and warm hat - so as the winter chill begins I will be the envy of all cold headed minions.

Retro Bear

Once again Dumbledore has infiltrated my defences and has managed to snaffle yet more chocolate based treats. This time he managed to get hold of my current favourite retro chocolate bar, the Wispa. Good job my security cameras are around to capture the incident. Not to worry though, my intrepid guard baby managed to run him down and get him nice and sticky, well stickier than he was after eating the chocolate. He may be a mighty polar bear but not as mighty as a baby who is learning to crawl.