An Epos of Peace and Comfort Food

Moonbeam was distressed one night over an episode that had left her feeling hurt by some unkind words. Moonbeam caught up with Moulton in MicroMuse, feeling wounded and saddened. There ensued this Epos of Peace and Comfort Food.

Moonbeam says "I think I just need to cry, and I can't. Something inside is frozen."

Moulton says "Oh, Emotional Paralysis again. You need Aslan's Breath."

Moonbeam hurts a lot, everywhere.

Moulton breathes on Moonbeam.

Moonbeam sighs.

Moulton thinks you should write an Epos.

Moulton says "Do you remember my feelings for my Grandmother?"

Moonbeam says "I remember your Grandma was the one person who nurtured you."

Moulton says "Do you remember how I was moved by The Electric Grandmother?"

Moonbeam says "You know, we need nurturing even when we're grandparents."

Moonbeam feels pretty bereft.

Moulton hugs Moonbeam.

Moonbeam thanks you for the tears in her eyes.

Moulton says "Do you remember the tension between the Electric Grandmother and the younger child?"

Moonbeam says "Not clearly"

Moulton says "You need a good cry. Please rent the video of it. It even made me cry."

Moulton says "One of the few videos that can make me cry."

Moulton says "Love is indistinguishable from paying attention."

Moulton is sometimes confused about love, but not about paying attention.

Moonbeam is confused about everything, right now.

Moulton says "You have Attention Surfeit Disorder. :)"

Moulton hugs Moonbeam again.

Moonbeam cries.

Moulton holds Moonbeam and rocks her gently.

Moulton holds the Teddy Bear, too. The three of us do a Group Hug.

Moonbeam will short out her keyboard if you keep this up...

Moulton inflates the Dinghy.

Moulton hands the Teddy Bear an oar.

Teddy and Barry begin rowing. Teddy is a Montana Bear, and used to rowing rivers.

Moonbeam looks for a waterproof slicker for the keyboard.

Teddy spies the Rainbow Bridge.

Moulton nods to Teddy.

Teddy and Moulton drift into a quiet pool. There is a rainbow here.

Teddy paddles gently onto a Sandy Beach.

Teddy sees a piece of driftwood on the beach and picks it up.

Moulton says "The Rainbow's End is just up the beach. I'm heading over to it..."

Moonbeam says "Take me with you."

Teddy says, "It's a pretty rainbow, even from this angle."

Teddy takes Moonbeam's hand and leads her to the Rainbow Bridge.

Moonbeam finds a tidepool with starfish in it.

Moulton says "The staircase is still there, on the Rainbow Bridge."

Teddy stops to look at the Starfish.

Moonbeam says "Starfish are soft, you know. Touch it."

Moonbeam says "They look hard and prickly, but they aren't..."

Teddy thinks Moonbeam looks pretty, basking in the reflected glow of the light of the soft starfish.

Moonbeam says "And they're such lovely colors, too."

Moonbeam hugs Teddy and smiles.

Teddy touches the starfish. "It's soft, and has such lovely colors, too."

Teddy makes a wish upon a Starfish.

Moonbeam says "it only looks like it would scratch you. Under its armor it's squooshy."

Teddy wishes for Peace and Comfort.

Moonbeam hopes wishes come true if you say them out loud.

Moulton says "Starfish have primitive eyes at the tip of each arm."

Teddy wonders what Starfish can see from those eyes.

Teddy points out that his wish was not an utterance. "I read Wittgenstein too."

Teddy winks.

Teddy sits down to listen to the music of the songbirds.

Moonbeam tells Teddy she saw a Great Blue Heron yesterday. And Avocets, the first of the season.

Moulton listens to a Bluebird.

Moonbeam looks for a Cardinal.

Teddy looks up in the sky to see the birds. A Meadowlark trills at Teddy.

Moonbeam notes that it's a western Meadowlark, which has a more glorious song than its eastern cousin.

Teddy sees one perched atop the Rainbow Bridge. "It's looking back at us, and singing a song."

Moonbeam says "Wow, that has to be a good omen."

Moonbeam says "It means the Rainbow Bridge is the Meadowlark's territory."

Moulton recognizes the tune. "I think Judy Garland once sang it."

Moonbeam says "Almost as well, too. ;)"

Moulton says "The Sky looks like a Magritte painting."

Moonbeam sees it has no Pipe in it.

Teddy decides to stay here. This is a Good Place.

Moonbeam nods to Teddy. That it is.

Teddy says "Beautiful places are sacred places, like heaven."

Moonbeam says "And they never leave you. You have to memorize them, and then you have them forever."

Moulton says "This is a Vuja Day."

Teddy looks quizzically at Moulton.

Moulton winks at Teddy. "Methinks we've been here before."

Teddy kinda had that feeling. :)

Moonbeam hopes Teddy's good at gathering driftwood for a fire.

Teddy helps Moulton build a fire.

Moonbeam just happens to have Hershey bars in her backpack...

Moonbeam trusts Moulton has the marshmallows.

Teddy holds out the stick he picked up on the beach. Moulton gently loads it up with marshmallows.

.o0 Now where are those graham crackers? 0o.

Teddy looks in his rucksack. "Here they are!"

Moonbeam cheers for Teddy!!

Teddy almost drops the marshmallows in the ashes. Moulton gently lifts the stick in the nick of time. Teddy never notices. He's too busy fussing with the Graham Crackers.

Moonbeam finds a spring with clear water flowing from it, and dips a pot into it.

Moonbeam puts on the Melateanin.

Moulton blesses the Cool Spring Water.

Teddy joins Moulton in the blessing.

Moonbeam blesses everyone's heart.

Moulton says "Namu Myoho Renge Kyo."

Teddy has never felt more alive or more blessed.

Moulton says "All Teddys are Sacred."

Teddy says "This Place is Sacred."

The Meadowlark points out that the marshmallows are done.

Moonbeam says "yes, it is and we are blessed to be here..."

Moulton fixes everyone a S'More, including the Meadowlark.

The Meadowlark donates his to Moonbeam.

Moonbeam happily accepts.

On High, a Soaring Hawk of Hope circles majestically. All is right with the world.

A bear dances joyously in the forest.

The Meadowlark hopes you decide to stay here. This is a good place.

Teddy exclaims "My Cousin!"

Moonbeam hugs Teddy. "Yes!"

Teddy does a little dance.

The Hawk of Hope dips and glides ;)

The Bear in the Forest sings, "Come join me, come join me, come join me in my Dance!"

Moonbeam takes Teddy and Moulton by the hand and they run towarad the trees.

Moonbeam quickly makes another s'more for the Bear Cousin.

Moulton can hear the music of Rimsky-Korsakoff playing a passage from the Russian Eastern Overture. It's the Pagan Rite of Spring passage.

The Attendant announces: Blondie has connected from MuseNet Central.

Blondie pages: Howdy

Moonbeam thinks that's perfect accompaniment.

Moulton pages Blondie with "Hi! Sorry I missed you earlier. I was too slow.".

Moonbeam sees Blondie at the edge of the forest.

Blondie pages: You were busy

Moulton page-poses Blondie with "Moulton nods.".

Moulton says "Let's invite her..."

Blondie page-poses: Blondie smiles..

Moonbeam bets she needs a S'more.

Moulton studies the Magic Runes... "Ah! Here's the Incantation..."

Blondie has arrived.

Moonbeam hugs Blondie.

A curious chipmunk looks you over from the fallen log you're leaning up against.

Moulton hugs Blondie.

Blondie says "Just like magic :)"

Blondie hugs back to you both A gentle breeze riffles your hair playfully.

Moulton hands a piece of S'More to the chipmunk.

Moonbeam feeds the chipmunk some marshmallows.

Blondie thinks you are going to rot that chipmunk's teeth

The chipmunk is temporarily stuck together.

Blondie laughs

Moulton makes a dentist appointment for the chipmunk.

Blondie says "while you're at it..make one for yourself ;)"

Moulton whispers to the Chipmunk "I know a good dental hygenist."

Blondie says "Just not at our office as our move has been delayed yet again."

The chipmunk donates its appointment to Moulton.

Blondie says "You do? Hmm..in MA?"

The chipmunk pulls out a toothbrush and smiles widely at Moulton.

Blondie says "Where is your floss??"

Moonbeam takes this opportunity to abscond with the leftover S'Mores.

Blondie smiles.

Blondie offers bagels.

Moulton looks for the Schmear.

Moonbeam pours tea for everyone but the chipmunk.

Blondie says "whats Schmear?"

Chipmunks don't like tea. ;)

Blondie thanks Moonbeam for the tea.

Blondie says "They didnt have any tonight at my meeting."

The Hawk drops a tub of Einstein's Schmear on Moulton's head.

Moonbeam cheers the Hawk!

Moonbeam notes it's even lowfat.

Blondie says "Yuck"

The Bear stops dancing and sniffs... he adores Everything Bagels.

Moulton slices the bagels and toasts them over the fire.

Blondie says "Smoked bagels?"

The Bear invites himself to join the party.

Blondie says "You all going camping again this summer?"

Teddy finds the Schmear Spreading Knife in his rucksack.

Teddy waddles over and snuggles with his Cousin.

Moulton plucks the knife away from Teddy and schmears up the bagels.

Teddy loves to camp, and his sleeping bag is small enough to fit in anybody's car easily.

Teddy whispers, "I'm a useful sort of bear."

Moulton bids everyone hold up a finger, Zen Master style. He then plays Ring Toss with the Bagels.

Moonbeam catches it on the first try.

Blondie says "How about toes?"

Everyone is Enlightened.

Blondie says "Not me"

Moulton is out of Toe Jam.

Blondie says "Good thing too"

Moonbeam is vastly relieved, herself.

Moulton chows down his Bagel and drinks the Melateanin.

Blondie is searching for some wine.

Moonbeam pours a glass of Grenache for Blondie.

Blondie thanks you.

Blondie needs to do some shopping before her sister gets here.

Moonbeam tries to always travel with the necessities.

Blondie says "Like.."

Moonbeam says "Like wine ;)"

Moonbeam says "Chocolate, peanut butter. You know. ;)"

Moulton decides to call this "An Epos of Peace and Comfort Food."

Blondie says "Ahh..I just stick in my gold card"

Moonbeam makes Moulton a peanut butter sandwich.

Moulton lies back on the hammock and pigs out.

Blondie says "better watch that chipmunk"

Moonbeam makes a tiny peanut butter sandwich for the chipmunk.

Blondie smiles

Moonbeam is the Queen of peanut butter sandwiches. ;)

Blondie says "They must be legendary"

Moonbeam says "Of course, Moulton is no slouch. He uses sourdough toast and sprinkles them with crunchy stuff."

Moulton says "Kretchmer's Honey Crunch Wheat Germ."

Blondie says "Sounds healthy..ick"

Moonbeam says "Oh, it's delish ;)"

Moonbeam has to stay on her toes to keep her Queenship.

Blondie doesn't think Moulton could be a Queen.

Moonbeam giggles and bends all the genders.

Blondie says "Bend which way..to the left or the right ;)"

Blondie made sourdough bread in her bread machine today

Moonbeam competes with peanut butter and bananas on sourdough.

Blondie wonders how many bottles of wine have been consumed ;)

99 bottles of wine on the wall, 99 bottles of wine...

Blondie says "Oh..so only ONE bottle ;)"

Moonbeam [to Blondie]: So did your sourdough bread come out the way you wanted it?

Blondie says "Yeah..I only make a small loaf as there is only me..it lasts a couple days then I take the leftovers out to my mom's dog"

Moonbeam says "To the DOG? Yipes. I'd make it into French Toast!"

Blondie says "Nah..not for just me"

Moonbeam says "Sure -- one egg, a jot of milk and vanilla -- it'll keep in the fridge for a day."

Blondie says "Maybe."

Moulton and Teddy doze off on the Hammock.

The Bear lies down on the grass beside the Hammock.

Moonbeam scratches the Bear behind the ears.

The Chipmunk uses a fluffy marshmallow for a pillow.

Blondie says "Speaking of pillows... I think its time for me to find mine... busy day even without going to work"

Moonbeam leans back against the Bear and goes, "Ahhhhhhhhh...."

You hear the closing strains of "Night on Bald Mountain" by Modest Moussorsky. There's a spectacular sunset over the water...

The Music fades and you hear the theme music to As It Happens well up.

Moonbeam is pursued by News.

Blondie says "Night. *hugs*"

Moonbeam hugs Blondie.

Blondie has disconnected.

Moonbeam giggles...Blondie couldn't figure that out. I have some interesting whispers from her wondering if everything was ok.

Moulton says "Hehe."

Moonbeam huuuuuuggggggs Moulton for taking her back to the Good Place again.

Moulton says "That was a nice Epos."

Moulton says "An Epos of Peace and Comfort Food."

The Bear snores politely.