Do you remember that my 16-inch Pedigree Walker Penny was admitted to the Hobart Dolls Hospital back in August? She’s been there quite some months but just before I was due to move I got a message to say she was ready to collect. Unfortunately, I had no time to go to Hobart and get her. That was disappointing as I had been looking forward to visiting and seeing Dr Kitty’s studio, and of course, I didn’t like leaving without Penny but I knew that Naomi would be able to get her for me.

This is how Penny looked when Naomi originally bought her. She had hardly any hair and her eyebrows had been touched up with marker pen.

Before Penny went off to the hospital I removed the remnants of her hair and cleaned off the marker. I told Dr Kitty that I’d really like her to have similar coloured hair, red or strawberry blonde and that I would like it long enough to put in plaits. She was also to get new eyelashes and have a new crier box installed. Other than that I had no idea how she would look when she was done.

The week before I was due to move Dr Kitty rang me to remind me about Penny and I asked Naomi if she would have a chance to go to Hobart and get her soon. She said yes, she thought she could manage it in time to bring her along on her next trip to Sisters Beach.

Naomi duly made the trip to Hobart and I will let her tell you of her adventures trying to find Dr Kitty’s studio in West Hobart.

Well, I had a dreadful day trying to find the doll hospital. The night before I was to go there I looked up the address on Google Earth and in my directory. I charged my phone so I could check it again if I needed to. So the next day I set off with plans to go shopping after I had collected Pedigree Penny and dropped off one of my teddy bears for repairs. I will be doing a post on him for the bears’ page later. Well, it was much harder to find than I expected. I drove the way I thought I should have gone but could not spot the right street. I went around three times and still could not spot it as it is a very small street, almost a laneway. In the end, I decided to abandon Wazza in a street with no meters and set off on foot with my bear. Well, it turned out to be a very warm day and there were some very steep hills to walk up and down. I was huffing and puffing going up and trying not to run going down as I was just about on my toes. After walking for nearly an hour I finally gave in and asked a man who had come out of a nearby pub. At the time all I wanted to do was go inside myself and get a nice cold lemon squash with plenty of ice. The man was very kind and looked it up on his phone. I was having trouble with my own. He found the street and gave me a lift. When I got there I was stunned to find I had almost made it to the darn doll hospital. If only I had kept going instead of turning back. I would have seen it. I was so dammed close! I had to laugh but at the time it wasn’t funny as I was so hot and bothered. I arrived at Dr Kitty’s studio and she let me in. She had many pretty doll patients all ready to go home or be rehomed. She showed me Pedigree Penny’s pretty new hair and how she had sewn up some damage to her outfit. You have to agree that Pedigree Penny’s transformation is amazing. When I found her at the Tip Shop she was a wreck and I felt so sorry for her. After Dr Kitty had shown me Pedigree Penny we spent some time discussing my teddy bear who needed lots done as he was also a rescue bear. I was there for about half an hour. When I left it was raining so I wrapped Pedigree Penny in some plastic bags I had my bear in. Oh, I should say what happened after the man dropped me off. I accidentally left my bear in the car. I was horrified and for several awful minutes, I thought I had lost him forever as the car drove away but luck was on my side. The man did a U-turn so I ran onto the road and flagged him down. He stopped and I got my bear back thank God! I would have been so upset as I love all my bears and that one is a bit special. So anyway I left the doll hospital in the rain and started walking knowing I had some distance to travel back to the car. I’d been walking for about ten minutes when I realised I had no idea where Wazza was parked. “Bugger!” I thought! Now what? I sat on a bench to rest for a minute and ran over the street names in my head and got myself back on Hill Street the one that should be called Horror Hill Street. It is bloody steep in both directions. As I walked I passed many interesting buildings thinking I should go back to get photos some time. I was lucky as I recognised quite a few houses and shops and stuff. Eventually, I arrived at Arthur Street and remembered Wazza was there and of course I went the wrong way. I was so glad to get back to the car and rest my feet and turn on the lovely cold AC. Well, there was no time for shopping after all of that and I was so stuffed I just went to KFC for a feed and to Coles to get a few groceries and then it was home for me which was still another 63 km. I had never been to West Hobart before but I know it bloody well now. You wouldn’t think one simple errand would be so much trouble but never mind. It will be easy going back to get my teddy bear.

Naomi

And now, here is Penny.

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The next thing will be to get her a nice new dress and some socks and shoes. I’m thinking either blue or yellow but I haven’t decided yet.

I’m very grateful to Dr Kitty for doing such a great job and also to Naomi for venturing into West Hobart to collect her for me.