Thanksgiving dinner

Thanksgiving dinner

I know everyone is so busy these days. As am I. I was just wondering though if we could sit for five minutes at least and enjoy a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner together!

Just incase anyone wants to show up ScoobyScaper starts to decorate the kitchen with decorations and puts out the table cloth with the centerpiece!

I wonder if all these talking appliences can help me! I am knew here so maybe they won't take to me too well!!

KaraS -- Ooh, a Thanksgiving dinner!

That sounds wonderful!

I know that the sentient appliences will lend a hand. The Toaster Oven can make some biscuits.

I will bring the pumpkin pie. And homemade whipped cream.

Raven-Kat -- “Sounds like fun.”

Rivyn says, walking into the kitchen and helping herself to a slice of pecan pie. She grins at Kara and ScoobyScaper. "No worries about the appliances, SS. They'll help you out." Rae turns to face the appliances. "And if you don't, you'll be in for some MAJOR reprogramming when I get home."

Rae finishes her pie in three bites and leaves, calling over her shoulder, "Yum!"

ScoobyScaper stares after her, scratching her head.

"Then you should be used to her by now." Kara grins again and points a warning finger at the toaster. "You heard what Rae said. Be good."

The toaster grumbles under its breath.

Chyse74 -- Sounds great!

Well, the oven, the non cloning oven, should cook the turkey perfectly. And I can make some appetizers... Spinach/artichoke dip and some mochiko chicken (japanese/hawaiian dish, chicken marinated in soy sauce, spices and covered with rice flour and fried, very yummy) to get us started.

What else should we have?

RagnarRB -- You can have me Chryse

Ragnar gives that statement just a moment to see if it gathers any stunned silence around itself.

"Well at least my company."

Entering the room further he holds up his hand. "In the meantime do any of you know what this is about?"

Cupped in his palm was the hamster from the livingroom. Someone had dressed it like a turkey complete with little feathers and a fake beak.

"I thought I heard Trouble mumbling to his sisters something about 'the livingroom, crunch, and turkey hunting." He eyed the little rodent a moment longer. "And is it just me or is this thing a bit fatter than the last time I saw it?"

JilaCosa -- “Rag what have you done to the hamster?”

Jila asked in her usual "mother" tone as she walked into the kitchen.

"It wasn't me!" Ragnar said, a look of innocence on his face. "I swear!" He finished as he saw the look on Jila's face. It was the look she gave her children when they said the same thing.

"uh huh." Jila crossed her arms, rolled her eyes, and waited for just a minute. Then she laughed. She knew Ragnar wouldn't have done it, she just liked seeing him sweat under her stares. "Thanksgiving dinner!" She said as she turned to the others in the kitchen. "Sounds like a Great idea. I'll peel potatoes." Jila walked into the large pantry, and then back out carrying a large bag of potatoes.

"Are you just going to stand there Ragnar," Jila said as she maked her "mother" face again. "Or are you going to help with the cooking?"

RagnarRB -- Me? cook?

Ragnar looked at 'mother' Jila in fake chagrin.."over an open fire maybe. You'd be a lot safer having me help with the preperations and leave the fine cooking part to those more qualified."

Jila of course just looked at him...so did the others.

The toaster scoffed.

"Okay...okay...but i warned you!"

*Sigh...he moved to the stove.

"Rag." Wasn't 'mother'just so cute when she used that voice. "And that's enough scoffing from you gals as well." Kara, Chryse, and ScobyScaper (hmmm.....since Ragnar isn't prone to Aeryn style package checks care to give me a hint SS? Male/female?)

"What now?" he replied.

Ragnar paused. Opps. "Uh...yeah" Carefully he sat it down on the table. "Almost forgot."

KaraS -- Kara picked up the hamster...

before it could run off and get lost again. She removed the tiny turkey costume and the hamster was revealed in it's golden glory. She found an empty glass jar and put the hamster in it, punched a few holes in the lid for air and screwed it bak on. Kara looked in at the hamster. The hamster looked out at Kara.

"How are you doing little guy?" Kara asked.

The hamster gave her a completely disgusted look and started grooming itself.

"You know," Kara remarked. "This is a VERY fat lady hamster. I imagine she's going to give birth soon."

Chryse and Jila came over to look at the hamster.

"She IS very fat." Chryse remarked.

"Are you sure she's pregnant?" Jila asked.

"I worked in a pet store. I bred hamsters. I'm sure." Kara replied.

The girls looked up at Ragnar.

"Um, Rag? There something you want to tell us?"

Ragnar looked startled. "It wasn't me!"

The girls broke up into howls of laughter.

Hahahahahahahahahahaha

RagnarRB -- Are you sure?

"It simply hasn't eaten too much? It just looks fat to me." The big viking commented, not as much to deflect the laughter as to deflect Kara's suggestion. Ewwww!

Chuckling he decided to go wrestle the coffee pot for a steming cup. Meal preperations continued.

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

In the hallway the three black kittens slinked foreward. Each wore a little indian headband with a feather and a loin cloth, their faces painted in warpaint (some of mother Jila's lipstick. Kittens had to improvise you know!)

Behind them came Chief Kitten. Her outfit was more complete and her headdress a full array of Rae's dropped feathers. (Anybody want to believe Rae lost all those feathers?) :)

This "Turkey" hunt was great fun. What better turkey could there be than a thieving little hamster that had eaten ounces of HER crunch!

Like Moe, Larry, and Curly the three black kittens piled up to look into the kitchen.

There it was, hiding in some sort of container on the table. It had shed it's feathers for the hampster disguise but what full blooded kitten couldn't smell a rat!? Cats by now if this were Reality land but a little dubtiful application of shrinking powder kept them of a more diminutive size....smaller than Chief Kitten!

Slowly...slowly.....Mischief crept foreward. Trouble followed, playing out the string. Fidget did what she did best....kept ancious watch, ready to act as a distraction if needed. Kitten kept hidden, resting her hand on Elvis. Every once in a while she needed to let her gang have a little room....better to escape blame if things went wrong. :)

Taking up position Mischief rolled onto her back and using her rear paws as leverage against the tiny bow, she grasped the string with her front paws and pulled. She had drawn the lucky crunch kernel. Trouble, for his part, placed the tiny arrow in the bow.

Carefull....carefull....A little to the left.....TWANG!!!

The little arrow leaped from the bow dragging feet of string in its wake. SMACK!!! The suction cup on it's tip locked firmly on the side of the jar. (yes children I know a jar is round but can i help it if Kara was so kind as to pick a square sided plastic pretzel jar? ((((Kara)))) Thank you dear...)

Fidget bounced in joy...that was Kitten's signal. Bounding up on the hounddogs back she quickly tied her end of the string to his collar.

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

Ragnar turned at the first sound just in time to see two fleeing kittens...no three. He was just starting to grin at their git ups when the pretzel jar, hampster and all, went carrening off the table.

He made a grab for it....tripped over something...someone?

With a thud he crashed to the floor, the pretzel jar bouncing safely off him and onto the floor where it flew out the door, careening along hampster unharmed.

How's that for serindipity?

ScoobyScaper -- Well well

These silly little kittens. How cute and what funny little names you have!!

the kittens noticing someone new that didn't yet know of their mischievious ways ran right up to HER (ragner) and started to rub on ScoobyScaper's leg!

"aww aren't you cute. Her is some milk!! enjoy little ones"

"There you are that will keep them distracted while someone go rescue that poor hampster rolling down the street."

ok while they are gone I will get

HAM (gotta have ham)

"How is that hampster ? anyone rescue that poor thing yet?

RagnarRB -- Trouble had a bit of trouble

keeping his feathered headband from falling off as he slurped up his share of milk. His sisters pushed in on either side as well.

Turkey hunting was thirsty work.

They weren't as intelligent as Kitten of course but life in the Sci-fi Mansion seemed to endow all the many diziens with a unusually bit of talent, ability, and smarts.

Hmmm...this milk needs a little crunch.

They'd have to inform Kitten of the newcomer. Maybe she had neat stuff in her room as well!

Ragnar was busy picking himself up off the floor.

Here kitty-kitty-kitty....

JilaCosa -- *Poor Ragnar* Jila chuckled to herself

*Those kittens will be the death of him yet. Especially artickitten* Jila knew artickitten must be the Commander of this particular mission, as she was with any animal hijinks that were going on around the Mansion.

"I'll get the cranberry sauce." Jila said as she finished with the potatoes and got them on the stove to boil. "I have some homemade stuff in the freezer. It's a family recipe."

As Ragnar stood up and brushed himself off Jila caught the look on his face. It was the same look he had when he pulled artickitten out of the airduct after she had run off with his rubber ducky.

"Rag." 'mother' Jila intoned

"Be nice to kitten." Jila warned him.

Jila grinned. And so did Ragnar. This conversation had happened too many times.

artickitten -- *Whooa! Whooa boy!*

Kitten cried out as she pulled back on Elvis's ears. Elvis came to a screeching halt. *I think we lost them* Kitten smiled and rubbed her paws together.

"Ahhh…are you sure Kitten?" Elvis looked at Kitten with doubt in his eyes "Dahh…they don't usually give up that quickly."

Kitten pondered this and peeked around the corner…but the only thing she saw was her thieving Thanksgiving Turkey (Hamster) conveniently incased in a jar. *Nope…coast is clear…now let's real him in and get him to the guillotine!*

Elvis's eyes grew wide "Buuu…But Kitten! Ahhh…I thought we were just taking the Hamster to Kitten court!"

*Court Smort!* Kitten slams her hatchet down like a javelin *I'm the judge and I find the Hamster Guilty! Now let's real that Turkey in!*

Chryse74 -- Ragnar! Kittens!

"That viking is as much trouble as those kittens" mutters Chryse quietly.

"what was that, Chryse?" asked Jila.

"Oh nothing Jila," Chryse laughs. She nudges Ragnar in the side a little. "Come on Mr. Viking, can't you handle 3 little kittens?" Chryse teases.

"You try keeping them out of trouble then," Ragnar pouts. "They are impossible to keep track of, especially with artickitten teaching them new ways to get into trouble."

"Where is artickitten anyway? I would have guessed that she'd be around somewhere nearby?"asked Chryse as she put the dip in a loaf of bread and wrapped the whole thing in foil to warm in the oven.

"I'll keep an eye out for her." said Ragnar.

"Ok, then while you are doing that, would you mind whipping the cream for the pies?" asked ScoobyScaper.

"How do i do that?" asked Ragnar, eyeing the bowl suspiciously.

"Just take the whisk and beat the cream until it gets all fluffy." explained ScoobyScaper.

"Ok, sounds simple enough." said Ragnar, taking the bowl and the whisk.

Just outside of the kitchen.....

*cream?* thought artickitten. *Hmmmm, I need to get some of that, cream goes better with Crunch than milk*

*But what about the hamster?* asked Elvis.

*We need to get them both!* explained artickitten to Elvis. Whispering in his ear, kitten laid out her plan. They both began to creep toward the kitchen. The kitten toward Ragnar and his bowl of cream and Elvis toward the hamster under glass.

artickitten -- As Kitten crept

towards the kitchen door she looked back to see Elvis pull the jar containing the hamster around the corner. The thought of roast hamster beast made her tummy growl. Kitten rubbed her tummy *Soon…soon…but first things first!*

Pushing her nose against the door Kitten peaked into the kitchen. Everyone seemed to be preoccupied with Thanksgiving preparations…with a hiss Kitten got the three stooges attention and with paw movements she gave each of them their assignments. When they were each in position Kitten gave the signal and the three stooges began to make a commotion.

*Ahhh…* Kitten thought to herself as Ragnar and everyone else went to see what was going on with the Kitten's *Distract and conquer…my favorite game!* Kitten shot towards the table and had her head in the bowl of cream in seconds flat. *Just a little taste test to see if this cream is Crunch quality* Kitten mumbled as she took a little sip…and a bigger sip…then Kitten began to gulp the cream down as fast as she could!

Hearing a slurping sound Ragnar turned and saw Kitten hanging over the side of the bowl of cream! As he watched she put one paw and then another into the bowl until Kitten's fuzzy feet and tail were all that he could see! "K I T T E N!!!!!!" Ragnar growled.

Kitten's head popped up…her face and whiskers covered in cream. Ragnar's face was beat red but Kitten didn't realize her mistake in getting carried away with the taste testing until a rather large vein in Ragnar's forehead began to pulse! *GULP*

Elvis had the jar containing the hamster in his paws patiently waiting for Kitten to come back with some cream. When the hamster threw himself against the wall of the jar *Please help me! Help me! A Spider…umm…a Kitten's going to eat me!* Elvis's ears dropped and he scuffed his paw guiltily. He felt bad for the hamster but Kitten would KILL him if he let him go! After all, the hamster did eat Kitten's Crunch….

RagnarRB -- This is getting to be a habit

Ragnar thought to himself, lying at the bottom of the pile. Beautiful women, whiped cream, flower, a perfect fantasy for one of Shelby Lovin's novels. Grin worthy.

Looking up at ScoobyScaper he just couldn't decide if she was simply lucky or a glutton for punishment. Welcome to the Scooby gang was quite fitting.

"Um..somebody want to move their elbow?"

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

In the hallway the hamster squeeled some more.*Please, please, please!*

*Uh...uh..uh...geee....I don't know.* Elvis debated with a little pout of his own. Kitten had said they would catch it and take it to Kitten Court, but then hadn't they already caught it when they dressed it like a turkey and let it loose to start the hunt?

The hamster bagan to sniffle. Can hampsters fake those?

With unexpected momentum the cream covered ArticKitten crashed thru the kitchen door. The tile floor gave her absolutely no purchase. Arms and legs in her case all four paws a flailing!

Elvis didn't have a chance. Starled he dropped to the floor as much in suprise as to stop kitten who multiplied as the other two females came crashing thru as well. The hamster, jar and all, went one way, the hound dog the other.

One, two, three, the three kittens plowed into Elvis.

The jar became air born for a spell, dropped down to land on Elvis tail, *HOWLLL!!!* rolled off, bumped against the the small lamp table in the hall and spun to a stop of it's own. With ever slow irony the flip top lid popped open and dropped into a ramp position.

The hamster walked with the dizzy's out of the jar....

Sun Aeryn -- Sunny heard all the commotion from her

hiding spot...in the TreeHouse. She had been taking a nap in a most comfortable spot...Ragnar's hammock. She loved hanging out there. Especially when Ragnar didn't know about it. As she walked up the hall to the kitchen, she saw all of the kittens plow into Elvis and tried not to laugh when the jar with the hamster landed on his tail. She watched in amazement as the dizzy hamster walked out of the jar. She managed to grab it just before Kitten got to it. Sunny looked at Kitten, then at the hamster, then back at Kitten.

"You know Kitten, what did this hamster ever do to you?" Sunny asked, tucking the hamster in her vest pocket, safe from Kitten.

Kitten stared at Sunny, *That frellin' critter ate my Crunch! That's what it did. No one eats my Crunch! No one! Now, hand it over and I won't be forced to hurt you.*

Sunny smiled, slowly, then "Kitten...how was this poor little hamster to know that was your Crunch? Can it read?"

Kitten stared at Sunny, getting madder *Just give me the hamster and no one gets hurt.*

Sunny chuckled, "Kitten, I'm not afraid of you. I know your other weakness." Sunny then bent down and started scratching Kitten behind her ears. She got Kitten calm enough to listen to reason. "Now Kitten, tell you what...I know of another stash of Crunch. If I promise to tell you were it is...will you leave this hamster alone? I'll put it back in it's habitrail and it won't be able to get the Crunch."

*Why are you defending that hamster?* Kitten demanded.

"Because, I really don't think the hamster knew it was your Crunch. Now, do we have a deal or not? I'm perfectly happy to get the Crunch I just told you about and feed it to the hamster and my pets, Midnight & Kimba, they like Crunch as well." Sunny said...looking at Kitten.

RagnarRB -- Kittens eyes narrowed

*She would feed perfectly good Captain Crunch to...to...ferrets!! Ewww!!

First to get the crunch...then there would be time to play with the hamster later. Where else were they going to get a turkey to chase? The only Scooby with real feathers was ...gone....

That thought gave her a moments pause. Yes, Rae was gone....just think of all the neat things to explore in her rooms.....Kitten began to feel much better.

She also began to pout and look dejected.

*Okay...but we were only playing....

Humans always spoiled her fun. Why couldn't they be more like ArticKats!

Mouse2000 -- Mouse walked out of

Rae's lab, and sat on her bed. Things were going to be different without her around... but she left the key to her room with Mouse so she could finish a couple experiments that were running. She was thinking intently on how to convert energy to mass when she heard a *thump* against Rae's door.

"Hello?" she said from inside. No answer.

She opened the door to see if anyone was outside.

Ragnar nearly stumbed. He hadn't expected anyone to be coming out of Rae's room.

"Mouse?" He a bit suprised. She stepped out into the hallway closing Rae's door behind her. "What are you doing here?"

Brushing off her lab coat. "I was just checking on an experiment Rae and i are running. Thought i heard something out here. Didn't know it was you. Was there something of Rae's you needed?"

Ragnar tilted his head in thought and pursed his lips a moment. "No not that i can think of." He sighed a bit. "I sure hope she does alright and gets back soon."

Mouse nodded. "We all do Rag, we all do." She turned and locked Rae's door. "So what's in the box?"

Ragnar rolled his eyes. As if on cue Kitten popped her cream covered head up out of it's confines. "Oh." was all Mouse could say. Some things just skip explaination and turn right into understanding. A quick peek showed her Mischief, Trouble, and Fidget in there as well. All were covered in cream.

For his part he rolled his eyes. "Long story."

Kitten was paying intent attention to where Mouse put the key. Of course she was grinning playfully and waging her tail at her favorite Mouse in all the house.

"I'm on my way to clean them up. Others are cleaning up the kitchen and fixing the meal. We'll be eating soon. You might grab the mouseling and head on down. It promises to be quite a spread." There was deffinate anticipation in his voice. A good meal was still a good meal.

That still left cleaning the kittens. Think they would drown in the washing machine?

JilaCosa -- Meanwhile back in the kitchen...

Kara, Chryse, ScoobyScaper, Jila, and a unit of DRDs cleaned up the mess made by the scurrying kittens.

"Do things like this always happen?" ScoobyScaper asked as she scooped carrots and cream off the counter.

"Not on this scale, no." Kara said as she shook her head to get the flour out of her hair.

"Only when artickitten is involved." Chryse said, allowing herself to be vacuumed by a drd.

"But she's just a kitten." ScoobyScaper said frowning slightly.

"Not *just* a kitten." Jila told her, shaking her head and chuckling. "She literally has the mind of a child."

"An extremely Precocious child." Kara patted the flour off her shirt sending up clouds of the stuff.

"We'll explain it all later," Chryse said as she grabbed more veggies out of the fridge. "Right now we've got to redo the salad, get the bread in the oven, and whip some more cream. Who wants what?"

The four got down to work and in no time at all the wrecked food was cleaned up and the replacements ready. Soon the smell of baking bread drifted through the mansion. The turkey was done and two of the ladies lifted it out of the oven. Kara made the gravy while Chryse, ScoobyScaper, and Jila filled serving bowls with the other hot foods.

FINALLY the Thanksgiving dinner would be served.

"Attention all Scoobs. Attention all Scoobs. Dinner Is Served!"

How had Ragnar done giving 'kitten and the three black kittens a bath?

He wouldn't Really put them in the washing machine, would he? lol!

Mouse2000 -- Hearing the call

to dinner, Mouse heads out of Rae's room, just to get called back.

"Mouse, you HAVE to remember to bring me along to these Scoob functions." Raegun states patiently, wondering for the 20th time if Rae was in her right mind when she left Raegun with Mouse.

"Sorry, Gunny." Mouse replied, and picked up Raegun, slid the strap over her arm and pointed him in the direction they were headed. "Better?"

"Much. Now I can process what's happening faster."

Mouse made a face and silently mocked Raegun's words. Raegun let it slide. No use letting Mouse know EVERYTHING he was capable of all at once.

Mouse headed down to the Kitchen to help serve dinner. Yum!

KaraS -- Dinner is served!

It was a fine Thanksgiving spread, laid out on the large kitchen table. There was turkey and salad and mashed potatoes and sweet potatoes and fresh baked bread and green beans. There were specialty dishes made by various Scoobs. And for dessert there were pies and cakes and puddings. There was enough food to feed at least four times the number of people present but that was ok. Thanksgiving leftovers are half the fun.

The Scoobs set to with a will and soon table conversation was minimal while everybody stuffed their faces with all the delicious things. Everybody had plenty. Even Kitten, scrubbed shiney clean by an irritated Viking, had enough food to satisfy her.

It was an excellent meal.