“Mrs Playmo sold the incriminating evidence to the local ecologists. Marcel the mechanic was going to stop burning those tyres in the countryside sooner than he had anticipated.”
… or to Rome. Or in our case, yesterday, to roam in Roman ruins in and around Nîmes.
“One small step for Mrs Playmo, a huge step for Playmo kind, hey?” I joked as she stumbled along the Via Domitia in her little red dress. Mrs Playmo was nervous, and did not seem to appreciate the singularity of walking on a real piece of Roman road, lost in the French countryside.
“I’m not interested in visiting your Roman Papadum,” she snapped.
“It’s an Oppidum, not a Papadum, Grumpy”, I answered. “Who’s eaten your porridge this morning, anyway?”
Mrs Playmo explained with a glitter in her eye that she had a VIM (Very Important Meeting) with Laurelle Leef, President of the regional Underground Ecological Movement. By selling yesterday’s compromising snaps of Amanda Shacklebottom’s secret riverside rendez-vous, she would not only make herself a bit of extra cash, but could finally sort out the problem of drying her washing on the same day that Marcel burned the tyres behind the village garage. The chance viewing of two lovebirds in the bush had quickly become an ecologically sound way to kill two birds with one stone.
On our arrival at the meeting point, we were instructed to hide in the bushes (this explains the blurred pictures; unlike Mrs Playmo, my paparazzi skills are limited). Laurelle Leef viewed the contents of the memory card on her iStone (an ecological version of the iPhone) and paid up, satisfied that she would now be able to put a stop to the acrid fumes that Marcel sent into the air.
Mrs Playmo hooked her handbag over her shoulder and sashayed back down the Roman road, a noticeable spring in her steps. ‘Now let’s go to Nîmes and find ourselves a Roman lion tamer dressed in leather”, she chortled. “Is there a Chanel store anywhere close?” she enquired, thumbing her way through the wad of 100 euro notes and stashing them away. She patted Amanda Shacklebottom’s handbag with affection. “I want to buy myself the matching shoes”.
If you are new around here and don’t have a clue what this is all about, please read “The Great Outdoor Playmo Challenge“. Yes, I am crazy, and yes, I’m happy this way.
Multifarious meanderings 
I do love a happy ending.
The woman was unstoppable. Until we pointed out that it was Sunday, and the shops were closed. She was hell to deal with after that.
Love the cover sketch.
Hello, and thanks for visiting! The cover was drawn by Rugby-Boy (number two son). I’ve never changed it, because I love it so much.
hmmm – Mrs Playmo is inadvertantly doing ‘good’ through her misdeeds. A serious conundrum for the right-vs-wrong purists.
I’m not so sure about that. Rumour has it that Laurel Leef is a big time blackmailer in Playmobilia – and given the stash of cash that she had in her backpack, I suspect that she has tabs on a number of bigwigs. Maybe the ecology thing is just a façade hiding a sinister green mafia…?
A green mafia?!! ooo – the plot thickens 🙂
spolier alert…. 🙂
agg. I mean spoiler.
You’re going from strength to strength, MM. 🙂
Ta muchly, Sarah. I think I’ll be locked up by the end of the month if the story continues like this 🙂
The handbag *and* clean air in one fell swoop. It’s a good thing Mrs. Playmo is on your side. I walked to the Oppidum in Gaujac once (not too far to the northeast of Nimes). There were no scandalous photo ops and no Chanel stores.
I’d hate to be Mrs Playmo’s enemy. We were at the Oppidum Ambrussum, between Nîmes and Lunel – maybe it’s the same place?
I looked very silly lying flat on my stomach taking photos of Playmobils. But it never killed anyone to look ridiculous for a good cause. 😉
Mrs Playmo is an enemy to be reckoned with. Is there any Borgia or Machiavelli in her ancestry?
I’m not brave enough to look it up. She’s one dangerous cookie.
iStone. I am crying. CRYING. These are so, so great. I can tell you’re having a ball.
I’m glad to have made your mascara run for the right reasons 🙂 I am having GREAT fun. I may have to sit down and work out if I’m going to go for a “seat of my pants” scenario or if I’m going to structure it, though….
I enjoyed this latest episode. Now the burning questions are … will she manage to find the matching shoes when the shops open?? Will she find a lion tamer dressed in leather?? 😀
Unfortunately the shops were shut (it was Sunday) and the only Romans we saw were statues at the museum. Mrs Playmo sulked all afternoon.
Poor Mrs Playmo, how disappointing. Hopefully the following day’s adventures made up for that. 🙂
Pure brilliance, to use Playmobil to motivate your healthy lifestyle through walking and your passion for writing. I find myself looking forward to the next instalment. Your imagination combined with your writing skill make you unstoppable MM!
BTW, we picked up a Playmobil Fairy Advent Calendar for Kiddo in Austria this year. She was BEYOND excited. She’s only 9, so I’m not sure if I should yet let her in on Mrs. Playmo’s naughty escapades, but I’m seriously considering it. I know she’d be hooked from page 1. You’ve got a hit here on your hands!
I’m having a ball, Gypsy. Everyone thinks I’m nuts, but who cares…?
Playmo advent calendars rock. My BFF gave me one for my birthday last year and PF laughed at me when I opened one in my PJ’s every morning.
As for getting Kiddo involved in the story… hmm. I don’t know where the scenario is going from here so you may have to bend the truth on the story…
You’re nowhere near nuts in my books. I remember catching my dancing Elmo with a teddy bear in a very compromising situation once. What did I do? Picked up the camera and snapped off a few quick shots, of course! Then mailed them to a few of my friends just for giggles. Still makes me smile …
Are you sure you’re not on the sauce?
Definitely not. Maybe that’s why?
Haha! Could be.
Personally I LIKE picturing you laying flat taking these pictures…
I may publish one at the end of the series. Watch this space…
I REALLY hope you do …Would satisfy a lot of speculation I imagine!
… luckily I don’t have to wait too long as I’m playing catch up again! Mrs Playmo looks good with Amanda Shacklebottoms handbag on her shoulder… pity about the shoes… an excuse for both of you to go shopping I would say? 🙂
She sleeps with that handbag now.As for the shopping, she’ll have to pay me to go.