"Why am I here on a Saturday?"

"Because we have a special project?"

"Sit, please."

Julia takes off her coat, hat and selects a chair closest to warm fire.

"Here this will help." Olga pours two cups of coffee and removes the cloth over a plate unveiling powdered sugar coated treats.

"What are these?"

"Syrniki, it is sweet bread breakfast." Olga quickly takes a bite and then places a small bit of jam before she takes a second. "I have honey, apple sauce and jam. All from the family's farm."

Julia quickly takes a bite and then with each bite samples a different topping. "I prefer the honey."

"Good." Olga places a large box on the table and opens the contents, "We will build this," as she pulls out the instruction manual and hands it to Julia.

"We are building this?"

"Da."

"Why?"

"To learn. In Russia, I worked at the power plant. Women and men equal in learning."

"Sounds very nice to be equal."

Olga rolls her eyes, "We learn equally, but men always in charge." She taps the instruction in Julia's hands, "What do we do first?"

"Anyone have plans today?" Vastra asks her shrinking family after she that last bite of breakfast.

Odea responds with excitement, "We have plans that involve going ..."

Vastra grins, leans in and places her chin in the palm of her hands, "Tell me more."

"Mother!" Odea grabs Ada's hand for comfort.

The Silurian mother shrugs and looks at her wife for clarification "What? I simply asked for them to tell me more."

Ada stands up, stack their plates, hands them to Odea. "Come dear."

Vastra watches as the two leave the warmth of the room.

Ada turn her head back around, looks Vastra dead in the eyes and winks, "We shall be up there all day. We only shall return if we need sustenance."

Vastra slaps the table with pleasure, looks at her wife and points to the now closed door, "Did you see that? She was being just as coy."

"Yes Dear," as she pats her wife's hand in support. "I saw."

Alaya laughs at Mother Jenny's satirical reaction. "As far as our plans ..."

Fiona inturrupts, "Remember this past summer we were turned away from the British Museum due to the national emergency?"

"I remember we needed to cheer you up due to the death of the cricketer Moule."

Fiona shakes her head, "That's right. You Remember? Do you remember everything in our lives?"

Vastra smiles and grabs her wife's hand, "I do."

The air becomes sober.

Fiona shakes her head again, this time to keep her from going down the trail of the future. "The exhibit is still on display. We finally have a free Saturday we decided to take in the exhibit and possibly stop for tea on the way home."

Alaya hands over the newspaper to Vastra, "Caricatures from Leonardo da Vinci to 1939. It is being held in the King Edward VII Galleries. You like that section of the museum. Why not join us?"

Vastra frowns and points to the icy windows, "My dears it is best that you stay indoors." She flips the pages of the newspaper, folds it outward and hands it back to Alaya pointing to the weather, "7.5 is too cold for Silurian blood."

Jenny looks at Alaya with sympathy.

"You are correct it is too cold." Alaya turns the pages of the newspaper and opens to the Home Service radio schedule, "Do you see anything interesting?"

Fiona and Alaya take turns circling interesting programs.

Vastra lets out a loud sigh.

Jenny sees the frustration in her wife and touches her hand softly, "Vastra. What can I do to help you be a better mood?"

"I am sorry." Vastra looks to Jenny with her frustrated eyes, "I feel caged."

Catherine walks into the room to say one word "Mail." She unleashes it in the middle of the table, moves across the room, sits down in the large fluffy chair, that is placed equal distance from a window and the roaring fireplace, opens Anne of Ingleside at the ribbon and begins to read.

Jenny watches the Russian deal with boredom and doesn't quite feel like aiding her wife nor Catherine's as she is dealing with her own doldrums. She goes through the small stack of boxes, a large flat box, magazines and letters sorting per addressee. 'Bingo' she hands three envelopes to Vastra, "Your move."

"Excellent!" Vastra takes the letters, kisses her wife, heads over to the open secretary and opens the first letter carefully.

Jenny smiles as she can hear her wife almost purring.

She continues to go through creating piles. Fiona and Alaya watch as they are hoping for any correspondence from their clan. Nothing today.

"Mother Jenny?"

"Yes?"

"Most of the day is a variety. There are a few things that will be broadcasted that might be of interest," Alaya is about to read and she realizes the four adults have given her undivided attention as everyone is desperate for a distraction. After the new report at one, Reginald Gamble will be discussing bee-keeping."

She waits for a request for more information. Nothing. "Okay at two The Marriage of Figaro from Sadler's Wells Theatre."

She waits for a request for more information.

"Both parts?"

Fiona shakes her head no, "Only part one."

Silence

"Four is The Trial of Temperance Lloyd."

"Now that is more like it." Catherine readjusts her seat. "The clock striking four will seem like ages."

Vastra and Jenny share a glance of excitement.

"We are a demented family," Alaya laughs and continues to read, "Around seven it is your favorite Mother Jenny, I want to be an Actor."

Jenny excitedly applauds, "Perfect. I do wish everyone does well, however ..." She offers a smirk, "It is just as fun when someone isn't naturally talented."

"Da," Catherine contributes. "I never seen a picture of Vernon Harris, but his voice warms my heart."

"So that is two programs which we all agree." Alaya looks around the room, "Have any of you read Erewhon? I have not."

Catherine, Alaya and Jenny all shake their heads.

Vastra stands up and heads over to the bookcase and pulls out a small blue book. She dusts it off, "We have a copy." She spins the pages, "There are less than two-hundred and fifty pages. It could be a quick read. Why?"

"At ten-thirty there is a literary coverage of the author and book. Could you give us a synopsis?"

Vastra closely examines Erewhon's binding. "Jenny and I read this book ages ago."

"We did?"

"Yes, but I am at a loss for remembering anything." She holds up the small book looking at it to spark a memory, "I am sorry little one."

"I thought you remember everything."

"I do." Vastra smiles, "Everything that is important."

"Books are not important?"

"Not books which are pure entertainment."

"Do you remember if Erewhon was a treat to read?"

Vastra places Erewhon on the table, "It could have been. If it was dull it would not remain in our library." She sits back down and returns her attention to the first envelope. "I suggest we listen and hope it inspires our curiosity to read it again."

"May I suggest?" Alaya ponders the future, "We keep a log, a review of all the books we have read. It could be a literary resource for us and our children."

Vastra points at her daughter, "I like that idea! We could ..." she stops herself from taking over. "Remember I have a book binding kit which I received as a Christmas gift." She looks at Fiona, "That same Christmas your mother made me this sweater I am wearing. Tea from my Alaya and from you," as she points to Fiona, "You gave me a prize procession Silurian Periit Culture."

"You remember all that?"

Vastra smiles, "It is important."

"Do you write these memories down?"

"Yes." Vastra turns around and ponders her next correspondence chess move against Miss Dithers, then onto Kay's and then Molly's. She stops for a moment and asks herself 'why will not my family play against me in chess?' She ponders the move Miss Dithers made in the correspondence, 'It is not important to ask or remember'.

Catherine closes Anne of Ingleside, gets up, grabs Erewhon, returns to her seat and begins reading.

Alaya exits the room and returns with a box full of papers, writing tools, rulers and a typewriter. She begins her project of a literary review log.

Fiona looks at the clock, back at Jenny and then at the large flat box with her name marked as the postal address. "Curious?"

Jenny smiles a response.

"We need to clear a space."

Alaya stops what she is doing and helps her wife and mother clean up the breakfast dishes. Within minutes everything is neat, clean and new tea service is ready.

Alaya returns to her project while her wife and mother make space on the table.

Fiona opens the box and pulls out a large eight-sided polygon table top.

"What is this?"

"This is a Crokinole."