Mouse lounges

on a recliner in the far corner of the ballroom. She's overlooking the terrace and taking a moment during the heat of the day to relax a bit. Mouseling bounces on her lap, enjoying the time with her Momma and trying out her new sounds. The sounds of raspberries fill the air. Mouse can see a few familiar faces suntanning on the deck, and a few swimming in the pool. Smiling, Mouse watches as one of the Scapers gets too close to the pool, and is splashed by a cannonball. An embarrassing moment, because this particular Scaper was dressed to the nines, obviously on her way to a nice restaurant for lunch or some such thing.

Rae walks up to Mouse and smiles.

"No, just relaxing and people watching. Good embarrassing moment. " She adds pointing to the wet Scaper.

"Really?" Rae asks, intrigued. Mouse described the scene, and Rae laughed and settled into the chair next to her. She put her arms out and baby Mouseling excitedly wanted to go to Aunt Rae. A DRD rushed to take their drink orders.

"Yeah. How about you? Had any good ones? I mean besides trying to explain to your professors about your thesis being used in a robbery…"

Raven-Kat -- Rae sniggers

as she bounces the Mouseling on her lap.

WARNING, EMBARASSING RL INCIDENTS DESCRIBED BELOW. YOU'VE BEEN WARNED...

"I started crying at the head of my committee last week." she admits sheepishly.

"RAE!" Mouse gapes at her. "I thought Peacekeepers NEVER cried."

"Normally they don't. In my own defense, I was on drugs."

"Rae!" Mouse stares at her. "This story I have to hear."

"Well, basically, you just have."

Rae hands Raegun to the Mouseling to keep her occupied. He begins shooting colored bubbles out of his barrel and singing a Sebacian nursery-rhyme, much to the Mouseling's delight.

"I had a migraine on a day I was scheduled for a meeting with him. Being the IDIOT I am, I didn't want to cancel..."

"What did you do?" Mouse asks.

"Well, first I took some Codin, but that didn't seem to be working... And I think I might have forgotten about taking the first few doses."

"Oh, God." Mouse mutters. "I think I can see where this is going."

"So I went to the doctor for a shot of demerol. Then I went to my meeting."

Mouse shakes her head. "What did you do?"

"Um, I was just fine until he told me that I was using the wrong font-size." Rae blushes. "At which point I totally lose it, burst into tears, and make the poor man HUG me..."

Mouse squirts lemonade out of her nose at the mental image of Rae, in tears and demanding a hug from a superior.

"I think it would have been okay, except... he doesn't..."

"What?" Mouse leans over, intruiged.

"Like girls." Rae giggles. "I think I may have traumatized him, Mouse."

"Rae, you freak, you're enough to traumatize ANYONE."

"And that's on my best days. Poor Doc H." She shakes her head and resumes bouncing the Mouseling on her knee. Then she quotes Harry's father on the TV show "Night Court" (remember that one?). "But I'm feeling MUCH better now..."

Mouse2000 -- “Good one, Rae!”

"I'm sure you made *quite* an impression on him. Literally."

Mouse sighs as she watches the pulse rifle blow bubbles and little Mouseling try to catch them, each bubble just missing her outstretched arms. "She doesn't understand yet that you need to put your hands TOGETHER to pop a bubble. But she still has fun. Oh hey, here's her new trick."

Mouse gets Mouseling to look at her, then shakes her shoulders and her head like a bad Stevie Wonder impression, and Mouseling copies her. She's dancing!!

"Don't worry, the other day I found myself singing to her out loud in the grocery store. That isn't so bad in itself, but when you sing the same songs over and over, I usually make up new words for her. And then I forget that I'm not using the real words."

"For example: Real Words.

here is my handle and

When I get all steamed up

You're my little teapot

and boy, can you shout.

When you get all steamed up

just tip... you over

till the puke come out."

Mouseling, for the first 7 months of her life spit up almost constantly, so this version was perfect for her.

Not to mention when I was talking to her out loud in the store and told her "that everyone LOVES to see Momma's Belly."

Belly is her pet name. I'm not sure people want to see MY belly, but they do like to see her.

kayde -- Kay wonders in

and sits down, holding her hands out for Mouseling too. Listening to the stories she laughs.

"So, what's happening with you Kay?" Rae said chuckleing.

"I just think life is very grand right now,"Kay said with a big grin and sigh.

"Yea, and I have allready showed RC/Castor my intelligence level."

Kay said with a giggle.

"What happened?" Mouse asked.

"We were out looking at a washer and dryer. I was trying to act all intelligent, like I knew which were the good ones, and two looked alike to me. But, they had different prices. I made the intelligent comment, Hmmmm....I wonder what the difference is in these two exactly. (You know, trying to participate in this decision.) And, RC looked at me with a very loving twinkle in his eyes, and said, "Well, the biggest difference would be that one is a washer, and one is a dryer." LOL. I felt really inteligent then. hehe."

nean007 -- NEan walks in with a tall lemonade

and hands Mouseling a small kite that looks like Moya. "Here, Mouseling, I'll help you fly it from the terrace." Nean and Mouseling walk over to the balistrade and Nean throws the kite in the air, hoping the wind will catch it. It gently begins to float up. Mouseling squeels with delight. Nean hands Mouseling the string and shows her how to let the string out. "Mouseling, watch out for that tree. Don't let out too much string or it will get caught." After a while Nean and Mouseling pull in the kite and head back over to the others.

"Sorry I haven't been around for a while, guys. Hope noone was offended. Been a hectic summer. Rae, I swear you need to write a book about your thesis adventures."

Nean sits down and sips from her lemonade. It's nice to just sit with friends and contemplate life for a while. NEan is thinking about the new teaching job she starts this week and still saying goodbye to students from her past. CHange is exciting but sure can be emotionally difficult sometimes.

Raven-Kat -- “A book?”

Rae laughs and grins at Nean. "Yeah, we can call it 'Rivyn Katlyn's Horrible, Awful, Very Bad, No Good... Project'. Yeah. That's it." Rae begins laughing hysterically. "I wonder what's next? Terrorists hijack my Oral Defense?"

RagnarRB -- How about a cartoon

Like the one in last weeks ep Rae. That's how I picture these antics anyway.

Chryse74 -- Hearing a familiar gruff voice

Chryse wandered into the ballroom and saw a bunch of people.

"Hey nean, good to see you again. Sounds like you've been busy. Welcome back." said Chryse.

Hugging nean, she saw a familiar figure in the background...

"RAGNAR!!!!" she yelled and jumped into his arms. "Where in Hezmana have you been?"

RagnarRB -- Chuckling and catching Chryse

Well now...incentive to keep trying this is. :)

Actually I've been lost in bum computer land. All these new advertisements Sci-fi has decided to "pop up" with clog my poor computers ability to reason. The site wants to load but the ad gets lost and then I get thrown off line. If I was not a reasonable man I would have smashed this machine long ago. Very frustrating to use on line at the moment. As it is it takes multiple tries to read any post let alone reply. It seems to be worse here with all the extra adds then elsewhere but...shrug...

But hey ((((Hugs all around))))

Raven-Kat -- “It’s Ragnar!”

Rae's eyes pop several feet out of their sockets, cartoon-style. She patiently shoves them back into place before walking over and hugging the Viking.

((((((((((((Ragnar)))))))))))))))

"Cartoon, huh? I like that idea. May not be suitable for some audiences, though..."

Mouse2000 -- “Nean! Chryse! Rag!!”

Mouse is so excited to see old and new friend she nearly falls off her lounge chair.

"No more drinks for her." Rae says quietly to the DRD, which Mouse hears, then gives Rae the look.

"So glad to see you guys. Here, come, have a seat. What's new? Besides those rotten computer problems Rag. That's a real bummer, I know."

RagnarRB -- Its slow

but this computer works most everywhere BUT the sci-fi boards. It doesn't want to open the admonitor sites while opening the board site. I get a lot of "could not open the admonitor" messages. If the admonitor doesn't open I'm history. It'll do nothing but shut down or sit and think after that. I think the trouble is trying to open two things at once but I'm no expert.

If you only know how frustrated I can get at this thing....I HATE having my post erased when trying to post them...but then I suppose we all do.

Viridian -- “DO I LOOK DRIP DRY!!!!!!!!”

Everyone hears Viridian yell as she marches away from the pool and back into the Mansion. In fact, they can hear her yelling all the way back to her room.

Mouse sighs. "She really doesn't like to get wet."

***BTW, ooooooxxxxxxx to you Mr. Viking!!!!!! We all have missed you!**

nean007 -- nean hands Rae a Mike’s Hard Lemonade

"NO, this is what will happen. You'll be in the middle of your orals and terrorists will decide to take the campus by seige and hold you hostage. Then when you think it's all over and you finish, your professor will have a mid-life crisis and head to the Bahamas never to be seen again and they will assign you a new mentor who will then proceed to lose your thesis or suggest 'I think you need to take a different angle.' At which point you will say Frell this and run off and join the circus. That's my prediction. Cheers!" :)

After watching Rae turn too many shades of pale and gray, she heads over to Mouse and asks, "So who is this Ragnar? I don't believe I've ever met him. What's his story?"

RagnarRB -- My story?

I'm innocent. I didn't do it. I deny everything and demand proof! And Brunhilda was not my wife nor Shelby Lovin my pen name! It's all the cats fault...and the turkeys...and the Phantoms..and...have a few hours to hear it all?

Taking Nean's hand Ragnar bows in greeting....after putting Chryse safely down upon her lilth feet of course. :)

Say...the computer kind of likes this post. Only took a couple of tries. :)

Mouse2000 -- Comments

1) Nean, shame on you for that setup! If you knew what poor Rae went through already, (it's in one of the previous posts, I forget which one) you'd not even suggest that in jest! But since you're innocent of knowing, we'll make an exception this time! Take in easy Rae, she was only kidding.

2) Vi, if I had known it was you I wouldn't have laughed. Honest! But it was funny to watch...

3) Ragnar's story is hard to tell nean. You just have to trust him and play along. It's fun, really it is.

Raven-Kat -- “Maybe...

Maybe I'll join the circus in advance just to get it out of the way..." Rae mutters, nursing her drink.

She recalls the Mike's Hard Lemonade Commercial where the logger cuts off his foot with a chain-saw:

'those were the boots my wife gave me for my aniversary'

'tough break! Let me buy you a refreshing Mike's Hard Lemonade'

Oh, yeah... Rae has had these days...

RagnarRB -- You know Mouse

(Third attempt Grrrrr.....)

With events having gone the way they have with Rae's thesis to date, Nean's scenerio isn't implausable. Rae even changed her name! :)

As for joining the circus...

Chryse74 -- You know nean...

You shouldn't believe a word Ragnar says. This is one viking that you really *should* mess around with.

<whispers to nean> He's just a softie at heart.

Rag, I really am glad to have you back. We missed you. Sorry about the computer troubles. I'm still using Matthew's computer even though mine is set up now. I'm having problems with the isp on my computer. =(

And can I have some of that hard lemonade. I lost *all* my saved emails on my computer! =(

from ear to ear when she sees Ragnar in the group, and she gives him a great big hug. Hi Rag! I am really glad to see you! I know exactly what you mean with the computer problems. I got the same messages half the time when I tried to get on also. Bummer. Nean, Rag is the good guy from the best of the good guys. And, very huggable. Ok, Rag, you can quit blushing.

RagnarRB -- Ah.... such wonderful reviews

If I didn't know you ladies better I'd wonder which one of you was fixing to throw the first...ummm....better not give anyone any ideas.

You know Chryse "mess" around with has so many meanings. And my sense of humor can play with most of them. Are you trying to bait me into sillyness again by chance? :)

There really isn't much of a story Nean. I was sort of created by the silly story post from way back then. I tend to post with a bit more whit than I actually have but other than that...I've simply been around from the beginning and they've been teasing me ever since...when I'm not busy teasing myself.

Chryse74 -- Well, Ragnar

"messing around" with you is one of my favorite things to do! LOL

========================[} SPLAT!!!!

KaraS -- RAGNAR!!!!!

Kara runs into the room and throws her arms around Ragnar's waist (as high as she can reach, Rag is tall and Kara is short).

"Rag, I've MISSED you!"

It's so nice to have a modest guy around here. :-D

Raven-Kat -- “Poor Ragnar”

Rae exclaims, noting the bits of pie dripping from his face. She pulls out a handkerchief and helps him mop up as he tries to swat her away. She sniffs. "Mmm... Coconut cream!" She reaches out and grabs a finger-full of filling, shoving it into her mouth.

"Rae!" Rag exclaims, turning red under his goo.

Rae laughs and hugs the Viking. "Seems like everyone else has given the big guy glowing reviews, Nean. Here's mine: he makes me smile when I don't feel like smiling." She pauses. "Of course, most of the Scoobs make me do that, but... sorry, ladies, you just aren't as cute as Rag."

Viridian -- They hear Vi before they see her

The Scoobies can all hear her muttering "....jeeeez and I was wearing pantyhose and everything."

Vi appears wearing her pink bathrobe and trying to style her damp hair with her fingers. She stops short when she sees Ragnar. "Well Mr Viking, I would give you a big hug hello, only you seem to be covered in...." she sniffs, "pie. Coconut, I presume?"

She collapses into a chair. "Okay, here is one of my more embarassing moments (aside from what just happened by the pool!) Do you all remember the actor who played Mozart in the movie Amadeus? Well I ran into him once with some friends of mine and I recognized him all right, only I thought he was my best friend's little brother's best friend. (got that?) Honestly, he looked just like Jim, but he wasn't very gracious about it. My friends thought I was nuts.

RagnarRB -- Silently touched

(Thank you Ladies)...but Ragnar cann't help but wonder if he's gonna have enough twenties to pay everybody off after they speils...:) Wonder if they'll accept crunch?

Returning Kara's hug, "Careful dear, you'll have pie dripping in you hair. You've been on a bit of a sabatical yourself of late. Tired of counting all the money at the new job?"

He eye's Chryse and simply smiles. The mobile DRD (disguised ruber duckie) pie thrower will be ready soon.

I keep telling you ladies, I'm just me.

nean007 -- nean sneaks out to her car and returns

with a case of cold Mike's Hard Lemonade and passes one around to everyone. But before she gives any to Ragnar she pulls out a giant hollow Viking drinking horn, pours three lemonades into it, and presents it to her new friend, the mysterious Ragnar.

"In the words of the warriors, today's a good day to .. er....drink! Bottoms up everyone!"

Just as she's about to take a drink, a pie SPLATS her in the face. "Alright. THis means war."

p.s. Rae, I hope you weren't offended by my little scenario earlier. I have read the past posts of your thesis adventure and wasn't trying to make light of your situation, just trying to find the humor in it by taking it to its most absurd level. I truly hope all goes well.

Mouse2000 -- Mouse asks nean

for one of those Hard Lemonades. "I've always wanted to try one." she said. " And Vi, you look divine all the time, you know that."

Raven-Kat -- Offended, Nean?

No, I actually thought it was quite funny. :) It takes a lot more than a few terrorists to phase me ;p

((((((((((Nean)))))))))))

RagnarRB -- As if I could forget

While the Scoobettes worked on the big man's blushing capacity and Nean pronounced a prolacivity for entertainment, a small parade of mansion minions and pets entered the room. Kitten of course was in the lead.

Before her, on a little dolly, she pushed her new trophy, its once filling of crunch now squirrled away for future needs. Elvis, ever her companion ,followed happily along and the three little stooges (black kittens) scurried about to clear a path.

Humming "I am a winner..I am a winner..." gleefully to herself Kitten lead her little ensomble over to the big fireplace.

Elvis hopped up on the hearth and with a slight pounch raied up and placed his front paws as high up as he could get them. "Uh...okay Kitten." he intoned.

Kitten, using him as a ladder scurried up onto the mantle.

"What's she doing now?" one of the ladies asked.

"Rubbing it in. "Ragnar replied.

Moving to the very center of her perch Kitten began pushing aside various other awards and mementos, including several to the Farscape show it self, after all, in her perspective, they were all second rate and unimportant! When thru, none having fallen to her efforts, she leaped back down Elvis and with the three black kittens lending a paw and a vocal corus pushed her trophy up! Up! and....up!

Ta da! The Eco-Challenge winner!

****************************************

Chuckling to himself, Ragnar casually shook his head and walked over to the fridge while most everyones attention was focused elsewhere.

Moving back up behind Chryse.

Oppps....I must have stumbled. :)

Chryse74 -- mmmmm, custard pie

kayde -- Kay laughed

as Chryse meekly licked the custard pie off her face.

"Good goin Rag. You know that payback is going to be lots of fun, don't you?"

Chryse just nodded her head.

(Just had my last wisdom tooth dug, cut, drilled out and stitched back together so I'm home for the day waiting for the pills to kick in. In celebration of my mini-vacation....)

Ragnar slithers off to hide behind Nean...only one way to find out how safe that is. :)

kayde -- Oh wow, Ragnar!

That sounds pretty painful. (Kay says, holding her jaw in sympathy). But, hopefully they gave you enough good stuff to feel okay for now. Hope you are feeling okay.

(((((((((Ragnar and Scoobs)))))))))))

SunAeryn -- Sunny tried to sneek in...but

she was carrying to much. She had drinks of the non alcholic nature, and a gift for Ragnar. She was tired from a day of doing nothing at her temp job. She found Ragnar trying to hide behind nean and tried not to laugh. Seeing Rag trying to hide behind nean...well...it was kind of funny.

"Rag, dear, I feel your pain. I had all three of mine out a couple of years ago. I got you this...*holds up a bucket, covered in rubber duckies* in case you need it. Don't know about you...but the stuff they used to put me under with made me a little bit sick." Sunny set the bucket down. She walked over to the fridge to restock it.

"Ok, since people seem to be sharing their most embarassing moments...I'm game. Which one would you all like to hear?" Sunny offered as she picked up Mousling, who seemed to be bored with the bubbles (sorry Raegun, kids do that). Sunny sat down with Mousling and started playing a game kids in the South love..."Ride a little Pony". Setting Mousling on her knees and holding onto her chubby little baby hands, gently. Sunny started bouncing her legs and saying

Ride a little pony up to town

If he stubbles don't fall down

at which point she lowers her legs quickly and Mousling giggles for all she's worth. Sunny can tell Mousling wants to do it again...so she does it one more time before she tells her embarassing moments to her friends.....

"Like I said...I have two...which one do you guys want to hear?" Sunny says laughing...remembering the moments.

JilaCosa -- The note

Earlier in the day Jila had gone down the hidden stairways and into the kitchen for a snack. Her personal snack cupboard was empty, and the kids were getting restless, so she had gone to restock it. While pulling this and that out of the cupboards and the pantry she had heard laughter, and a baby girl's giggle floating on the air from the Ballroom. Jila opened the Ballroom door just enough to see what was going on. She watched for a bit, seeing Ragnar, Nean, kay, and Chryse walk through the door on the other side of the Ballroom. She so wanted to join them but her heart just wasn't in the mood for fun and laughter at the present, and she had no idea why So, she grabbed a piece of paper from one of the cupboard drawers and wrote a note.

You all sound like you are having such a wonderful time and I would love to join you. Unfortunately, though I crave attention I do not want to become the center of it by ruining your fun with my present state of being.

Staying close to the wall, Jila walked over to the big fireplace, placed her note in front of one of the small trophies, and walked quietly back out of the Ballroom. In a short time kitten and her entourage parade into the Ballroom with kitten's trophy. As kitten pushed the smaller trophies out of her way Jila's note slipped off the mantle and down to the floor unnoticed.

nean007 -- My dear Ragnar, do you realize...

that if you were not in severe dental pain, you would be covered in pie, don't you? :) Nothing personal. I just love nothing more than a good pie fight. I will resist the urge until a better time. Until then, if the drugs aren't working, have another Mike's. Cheers!

Mouse2000 -- Mouse set Mouseling down

on the carpetted floor to encourage her to crawl. Now many people had told Mouse she was a fool to _encourage_ Mouseling to crawl, as she was sure to do it on her own and Mouse should enjoy this time that Mouseling sits in one place, well mostly. But, the books say she should crawl now, so, Mouse is trying.

Ever vigilant for items that Mouseling would just LOVE to stuff into her mouth, Mouse sees a scrap of paper near the fireplace. She retrieves it before it enters the gaping maw of death (Mouseling's mouth) and quickly reads the note aloud.

"Well, sounds like Jila's down in the dumps. We could bring the party up to her room? Or leave her be? Suggestions?"

Mouse2000 -- “Oops, forgot”

"Either embarrassing moment would be great Sunny!"

nean007 -- Nean walks over to the fireplace after

noticing a kitten sitting on a piece of paper. "Kitty, go sit over there." Since it's a cat, it ignores her so Nean lifts up the kitty and picks of the paper.

"Hey, you guys, did you see this? Jila was here and left a note. She doesn't sound so good. What should we do?"

(((((((Jila)))))))))

p.s. Maybe a hot bath would be in order to lift up the spirits? Or a long walk? Maybe some nice quiet music?

nean007 -- Sunny and Mouse......

Sunny, please share.

Mouse, sorry it looked like I copied your post. I think we were typing at the same time. :)

Sun Aeryn -- “Child or adult most embarrassing..

moment...which one...which one?" Sunny was mulling over when Mouse took Mousling from her. "Hey! I was playing with her!" Sunny said

"Well, she needs to crawl...that's what the books say." Mouse said...setting Mousling down

"Are you sure that's a good idea, down here...I'm not sure this room is exactly baby proof." Sunny cautioned...noticing Mousling making a beeline for the pool.