Subject: TAN: "Staring in Rapt Be-bogglement..." From: Maggie Organization: Missy the Monster Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.written.robert-jordan NNTP-Posting-Host: cblmdm63-166-32-27.buckeye-express.com Oh my Deities, I'm tired. A happy, slightly dazed and very content tired, but still tired. I do so love Social weekends. Three from our list were missing - Rob Strong due to a few emergencies, Steve Goodsell because vandals visited and my dear Madhu due to a nasty fall that rendered him unable to drive. Even so, I was expecting a hell of a crowd - the most that have ever attended a Social here. Anne, my supercool co-hostess, arrived on Friday morning around 10 and demanded to be given something to do. I was running about in circles trying to do three things at once and not succeeding. Her job? Catch my head if it popped off. She made sure it stayed put, and helped me with last minute vacuuming, tidying up and shopping. We also made early preparations for dinner, peeling enough garlic to frighten the vampires in neighboring counties, and making chocolate cookies and cream ice cream for dessert. The UPS man also paid us a visit, bearing a box from Ken Schmidt (Hi Ken!!), filled with books for various attendees. Miss Annie, thank you so much. You have no idea how much of my sanity you saved. The doorbell rang around 4PM - Novak and Kenn, right on time. They settled around the table with Anne, and I began preparing dinner, figuring to be done with the cooking around 7PM. There was the usual mocking of those who were not there, a bit of gossip, some dissection of current threads and their causes, and much laughter. Shortly after, the bell rang again, heralding the arrival of Ray, Zeynep and Laura. YAY! Zeynep had some odd idea about helping in the kitchen, and I promptly shooed her out. Not that I don't appreciate offers of help, but there just isn't room and I'd rather that my guests relaxed anyway. Ray seemed remarkably amused by the proceedings, and settled into a chair where he could just observe. (I suppose I should note here that the presence of The Novak was cause for much cheer. I don't know how we managed to get him into Ohio, but we did!) Pam and Darryl arrived within minutes of each other, and the Mausinator arrived home from a sojourn in Dearborn shortly after, just in time for dinner. Introductions were made all around, then the Maus decided to attack the still steaming loaf of bread I had just pulled from the oven. He wasn't waiting another second, and some wiseass commented I should feed him more often. Come to think of it, he was probably that wiseass. Nevermind. Steve Ginter arrived mid-dinner, bearing hugs, kisses and a bottle of Chaucer's Mead. Mmmmm...on all counts! We laughed, we mocked, we demolished my kitchen, and I discovered that if these Socials get any bigger, I'm going to have to buy more forks. Arrangements were made to fetch Jeff in the morning and much was made of the fact that someone's mention of robbing the cradle reminded me to call Dr. Warder. (He's interested in pediatrics, OK?) There was time before we were to head for the airport to fetch Leah, so we wound up in various states of sprawl in my living room, watching cartoons and later Iron Chef, then it was off to fetch Leah. God only knows what kind of mischief the clan got up to while we were away, they seemed to be contentedly snuggling all over when we arrived home. Upon our return, we got Leah settled in, served ice cream and mead all around, and decided to give Super Warder a call. Leah clamored for the phone and I handed it over, knowing what was coming next. "Hi lovey! If you were here, I'd grope your butt!" Yes, she's allowed. He was still beaming when I got the phone back, and complaining that he really ought to be with us. Oooh, we're so mean to taunt him like that. Leah brought presents, including a gorgeous green satin shawl for me, with the Flame of Tar Valon in white damask on the back. Oh my. Sissy is a talented seamstress, she is! There were about half a dozen conversations going on, much nagging of the children and the complete and total dissection of Scooby Doo and Batman and Robin on Cartoon Network. Apparently, someone stole the Batmobile. I think we all staggered off to bed around 3AM, after deciding who was going to crash where. I tottered off to set the alarm so Jeff could be fetched, and that was the end of me for a while. Saturday morning, I woke early, roused Anne and Kenn so they could get Jeff and set about preparing breakfast. Though we are all notoriously late sleepers, no one grumbled about waking early - in fact everyone seemed bright eyed and ready to go. I started the coffeepot...and kept starting it...and kept starting it...it was emptied as fast as it brewed, we ended up tearing through a pound and a half of coffee on Saturday alone! Anne, Kenn and Jeff arrived in the midst of breakfast and haggling over who'd get the shower next, and promptly settled in with the rest of the clan to gather at Uncle Novak's feet and listen to the Flunky story. Anne, Leah and I decided to play with my goofy hair toys, glittering and beading each other in the middle of the living room. Zeynep took the opportunity to distribute her gifts - lovely Turkish beads in blue and white. Mine was promptly made into an earring. Laura brought out her adorable Coyote puppet to nibble on Novak's toes, Ernie's nose and everything in between, we chattered, teased the kids and talked about the afternoon's plans before piling, sans a slightly ill Laura and a bugging out before we ate him Darryl, into various cars to invade COSI. I engaged Novak in a good natured tug to Whiz Bang Engineering, and watched in amazement as the collected Darkfriends gravitated to the roller coaster building activity. What a sight that was! And the commentary! Alas, I suck at quotes, so we're stuck waiting for The Keeper to post her list, which is sizable. We wandered about various exhibits, Leah kidnapped by Ernie, Jeff by Alex, and me wondering if my Monsters hadn't eaten my dear friends when they weren't easily located as the afternoon progressed. To my amusement, I found that the Mausinator and Novak were collaborating often. Surreal. Completely and utterly Salvador Dali-esque. I think the last straw came when Novak compared the Maus to Darkelf. Oh. Shit. We decided when COSI closed that we were too hungry to wait for the 7PM dinner reservation at KotoBuki, so we headed home to collect Laura, ditch the Monsters and move the reservation up to 6PM. Just after we were seated, I was more than a little amused to hear a woman behind us complaining that our large group had been seated right away, it wasn't fair that she had to wait. The host shrugged and said "They made reservations. You should too." I love that place. Out of curiosity, I asked Novak what he was having for dinner. A solemn nod, a half a smile and one word: "Steak." I laughed and shook my head, and he raised an accusing finger at Mark and replied with the tone of voice the kids often get when laying blame on each other "He's getting one too!" We had several sushi virgins at the table, there was much dithering over who was going to eat what, and we ended up passing things around the table for the better part of the evening. Someone commented on Zeynep putting a tentacle in her mouth, and Jeff told many stories about his time in Japan. Rice flew, tea was snarfed and ginger ice cream was consumed in large quantities, then we all spilled into the parking lot and frightened a couple coming in. Several people decided they were being called to Steak and Shake for chocolate shakes, so we split up and headed for home. Mark and Novak traded stories on the way, with Novak relating a bit about a woman formerly of his acquaintance: "She didn't know if she had enough quarters for laundry, and when I explained that she could figure it out with simple multiplication or division, she just stared at me in rapt be-bogglement that she, too, could possess such knowledge!" Be-bogglement. I like this one. It needs to be on a t-shirt. We arrived home in due course, I mixed Margaritas, and Laura broke out her anime tapes. Mmm...Rouroni Kenshin. Way cool. I wanna be Sano, 'cause he's Wicked. To my chagrin, I found I had to keep running off to cough where I wouldn't disturb everyone. ARGH! No, I'm not sick. I just have a cough left over from being sick a week ago. Dammit. I hate that. I kept missing the good stuff! Laura ought to be proud, though, as she's gained another convert. Since Jeff was closest to the VCR, he was given tape changing duty, and as he stood to switch out tapes, Leah exclaimed: "Maggie, we figured out how you choose your Warders. They have nice asses!" I protested that they had been Bonded asses unseen, but that didn't seem to matter. "Prime ass real estate!", she declared. She's right, of course. I've always said that all they need to do is stand around and look good. Oooh. Again, we were up until some ungodly hour watching Kenshin, then it was off to sleep once more. Sunday morning found me in the hall in my jammies with Laura and Jeff, shooting the breeze and wondering when everyone else would begin to wake. Pam had slipped out before I woke, needing to be back home for a prior engagement by 1. When people began creeping into the hall, I decided it was time to get breakfast going and the assembly slowly began to rise and, unfortunately, pack. Anne and Jeff headed north shortly after breakfast, then Ray, Zeynep and Laura loaded up to head back to Maryland. <*sigh*> I hate it when everyone has to go home! Novak and Kenn stuck around a little longer, then they too had to pack up and head out, leaving us with just Steve and Leah. I got to keep them a bit longer because Leah's flight wasn't til 7PM. We loafed about a bit, then decided on a trip across the river to Tony Packo's for a late lunch, where we stuffed ourselves with their famous chili and mountains of Hungarian chow. Leah and I, in our impatience, had our pictures from the weekend developed at Target, and giggled over them all the way home. We have blackmail material, mwahahaha. Alas, all good things must end...Steve and Leah had to head for the airport not long after our return home...then I crawled into bed for a nap. Thank you all so much for coming out to visit! I loved being able to look out through the kitchen cut-out and see the smiles and hear the laughter of people I care about. My door is always open to all of you, whenever you want to come visit, no need to wait for a Social. ******* Speaking of Socials...the third annual Cedar Point Social will be held here Friday October 5th through Sunday October 7th. Monday the 8th is Columbus Day/Canadian Thanksgiving, anyone who wants to stay through Monday is welcome to do so. More details forthcoming as October approaches! I'm working on the pictures that I have, they should be up on my website sometime late tonight or tomorrow morning. After that, I'll be waiting for copies from Zeynep and Ray to see what else got caught on film. URL to follow soon! -- Maggie UIN 10248195 http://www.chocolatefiends.com "Shadow found himself thinking about a garage in San Clemente with box after box of rare, strange and beautiful books in it rotting away, all of them browning and wilting and being eaten by mold and insects in the darkness, waiting for someone who would never come to set them free." - Neil Gaiman, cut from _American Gods_