Hi Michael and Mr G (Good looking) and what are you two up to today? Michael says,”Oh, we are just helping mum feed the dinosaurs”. Mr G says “Michael they are not dinosaurs they are tortoises” Michael is a bit miffed by this as he thought they were dinosaurs, but he doesn’t let it get him down and the pair continue to help feed the tortoises.

Mr G sits down to get a closer look at Tanya as she is his favourite tortoise and he proceeds to tell Michael all about her. Tanya he tells Michael is a spur thigh tortoise and one of only 3 species that can live outside in England. Spur thigh’s are named after the spurs on their front legs and the females are bigger than the males.

Michae starts to yawn as Mr G babbles on like he is some kind of Doctor Doolittle. Michael says “i know lets go bug and butterfly hunting”. Mr G thinks this is a good idea and the two go off to find their bug hunting equipment.

In the garden the two lads soon find some prey to try out the equipment on.

Mr G starts to boss poor Michael around again. He says “Michael hold that branch still and don’t breath or the butterfly will get away”. I am trying my best says Michael.

The two little guys are trying very hard to catch a butterfly.

After a while Michael suggest that they might have better luck by the pond so the two of them go to investigate.

Wow, do you see that butterfly says Michael, its a pity its sitting on the net because we will never catch it now!

After another disastrous attempt Mr G concedes and lets Michael hold the net as they move off in search of more bugs and butterflies.

Look at that beautiful butterfly. Mr G says ” you catch it in the net Michael and i will get the basket ready!

Just as Michael was about to catch the butterfly. Mr G suddenly exclaims “can you hear that”

Oh Yes i can says Michael and its coming from by the statue in the garden.
From down the garden the boys can here someone making a strange sound. Michael being the bravest goes to investigate.

The noise Michael can here is definitely a voice and it is singing vier fünf or as Michael understands it sounds like Fear Thump. Michael calls out to Mr G to come and help him as this person does not sound friendly at all so Mr G also goes to investigate.

The pair decide to be very brave and confront the stranger together.

Michael and Mr G have decided to tackle the stranger and after a deep breath they jump out on to see the stranger.

Well, Michael and Mr G are definitely not prepared for the sight that meets their eyes. In front of them is a blonde boy strumming a banjo sitting next to a suitcase. Now the boys think that the blonde boy could be another Gregor doll who has met with a terrible accident because he has no nose and they think that this is why he sounds so strange when he speaks.

Michael being the bravest say’s “who are you” and the blonde boy replies Guten Tag Frechdachs. Michael thinks he has said go and tag some fresh ducks, so being the simpathetic soul he is, he tells the blonde boy that there are fresh chickens next door, but no ducks and that mum does all the cooking and that he hasn’t tried fresh ducks before.
The blonde boy keeps pointing at himself and saying Frechdachs which Michael believes is fresh ducks, Michael truly believes that his little blonde boy must be starving for something to eat.
Mr G being the smarter of the two suddenly has an idea. he tells Michael that maybe the blonde lad is from another country and that may be the reason he is talking strangely. Mr G says the only person to ask as Mum isn’t here is Gitta as she is from another country too.
Gitta is at the bottom of the garden when the two boys call to her to join them and the stranger.

Gita joins the boys beside the blonde boy and Gitta says Hello to the blonde boy.

The blonde boy replies Guten Tag and Gitta breaks out in a great big smile and says Guten Tag, Sie zu, both the boys look at each other in astonishment. Gitta starts to giggle and explains to the boys that the blonde boy is from Germany and he is speaking German and she understands what he is saying because she also came from Germany.
What about his nose say’s Michael and Gitta tells him not to be so rude as his shape nose is called a no-nose because in the year that he was made all the German line of dolls had a no-nose.
Ok say’s Michael what about the fresh ducks. Don’t worry says Gitta he doesn’t want fresh ducks, Frechdachs is the name Mum has given him and it is German for Cheeky Boy. Gitta tells Frechdachs to gather his things as Mum will be looking everywhere for him.

The boys gathe around Frechdachs with Gitta and start to stroll back to the house, when Mr G says well why was Frechdachs singing Fear and Thump. Gitta says he was singing vier fünf which is four and five in German as he was trying to remember what notes he was supposed to use on his banjo.Michael giggles and Mr G points out that at least he didn’t think that Tortoises were dinosaurs.

Just then who should come along but another of the tortoises and this time it was Bod who is a 37 year old male Herman tortoise whom Mum adopted. Herman tortoise are smaller than spur thigh tortoises but they get along very well.
Frechdachs decides that he likes tortoises.

Just before Frechdachs makes it to the back door he comes across another tortoise and this time it is another male tortoise, but a spur thigh who is Tanya’s mate. Frechdachs wonders why he is so near the house and Gitta says he is probably wondering how his babies are doing.
Yes, says Gitta come and have a look!

The gang all gather around the incubator and Gitta explains that this is why Michael is confused about the tortoise eggs as he know that Dinosaurs laid eggs too and to be fair Tortoises do look a bit prehistoric.

Gitta explained that a couple of weeks ago Tanya had laid her first clutch of 6 eggs and that Mum had put them in the incubator and if they are fertile then in about 10 weeks we should have 6 new baby tortoises. Gitta also said that Michael was probably confused as to the tortoises being dinosaurs because they lay eggs and to be fair they do look prehistoric. They all gathered around the incubator to look at the eggs and Frechdachs felt very happy that not only did he have a new family but it looked like his new home would provide lots of entertainment.