I was trying to sleep last night, but it was hot and stuffy and the power
was off, and had been off for hours.  So after what seems like hours of
tossing and turning, I finally fell asleep and Kaptin Nemo picked that
time to give me whiskery kisses and whisper in my dreams.  I hope I
didn't forget anything he told me, cause I couldn't get right up and
log on the computer and get it down.

I guess the time just doesn't' pass the same way in the Land Beyond the
Rainbow Bridge.  I know it was a few nights since he last whispered his
story, but he continued as if there had been no break.

Hi Mom,

I gots to tell yuz bout da introducing ob da Underfoot Family to da
Naughtyless.  We gots to da river bank an der she was, da Naughtyless,
floating in da sunshine.

"Well," da Count sez, "Ya means dat tub is da famous Naughtyless?"
"Yu bet," sez I.

Da connin' tower wuz floating out in da river, glistening white in da
bright sun.  Da banner stuck straight out from da flagpole.  Da red
lobster was in da front, kinda like a old-fashioned bowsprit.  An, oh
darn, I forgots to stow dat toilet paper (I had stocked it up fur da
great raid dat we never quite pulled off, hehehe).  Hopes its still
alright.  I gots to do dat as soon as I can.  Da gurls won't be impressed
by dat.  Oh, well.

"It's not big nuff fur all of us," sez da Count.

"Oh, right," I sez.  "Well, it's bigger than it looks.  I'll go out and
get it an' you'll see." I didn't laugh out loud, mom, I didn't.  So, I
flapped dem new navy blue 'n gold wings an managed to get in de air.  I
guess I'm not a naturel flyer, but I flapped and I flapped and den I
kinda crash-landed on de Naughtyless.  Den I went down da ladder from da
conning tower (carrying da rolls of paper, which I stashes in a cabinet
on da way) to da control room and starts up da engines and brings her to
da surface, den I leaves her idle a bit so she won't float down da river
and went up to da deck which was now out ob de water.  Well, from da deck
I could see da eyes on da Underfoot Family.  Dey were big like saucers!
I sure surprised dem!  Now, I did laugh, hehehe.

"Welcome aboard!" I calls to dem and den dat CC spreads her gold an brown
wings and glides to da deck, just like an angel.  She's got da knack fur
dis flyin'.  Da rest ob da group follows her, and so we all got on deck.
I led dem round, though ders not much to see on da deck ob a sub, but dey
could see dat der was room for lots of lounge hammies and cuddle cups and
comfortable stuff like dat.  I didn't tell dem bout da portable 'Tone bar
dat is in da kaptin's quarters.  I'll wait till everybody's settled, den
bring it up.  Dat'll surprise dem fur sure.

We had to get everybody settled, so I led dem down de ladder to da
stateroom area.  Der were nuff, if we paired up, soes to speak.  First I
started wit Da Princess Anne and Printz George, dey wuz speechless wen
dey saw der room, cause der along da wall dey saw dat rolled-up carpet
dat Anne loved to sleep in and stash stuff in!  And a copy of dat box dat
dad bilt fur dem, da one yuz called 'el Hambra' cause it had a flat red
roof.  Well, dey decided dat da carpet would be der sleepin' place and
offered el Hambra to da gurls, Gracie, Zoe, and Noel cause it had three
separate rooms, one for each.  Dey was glad to accept cause it would give
dem a chance to get to know each other better.  De room was stocked wit a
big bowl of kibble, a fine porcelin water bowl, and lots of dried fruit,
papaya and pineapple and cherries and raspberries.  And fur Princess Anne
der was a pack of freedent gum, da blue kind wit silver wrappers.  Der
was also a clear tunnel runnin round da room for playtime.  And a box wit
one side cut out for necessaries.

I didn't tink anyting could top dis, till we gots to da next room.  Dis
was Princess Beana Underfoot's room that she wuz gonna share wit dat IB
Underfoot.  Dere, in da corner was a big overstuffed, fabric-covered
armchair.  It was blue wit little white spots on it an it looked as
comfortable as it could be.  Then Beana hopped up in it, made a beeline
to da areabetween da arm and da back, pushed her nose in -- and
disappeared!  IB was right behind her, and quicker than you could dook,
he disappeared too.  I could hear dem chattering excited as all get-out.
De odder corner had me puzzled dough.  Dere was a big sofa, wit tree big
soft cushions dat you could pull off and stack to crawl up on tings!  And
a cabinet wit a drawer.  Hmmm.  Dey'll hab to tell us bout dat!  Da udder
amenities wuz der too, so dey wuz gonna be real comfortable.  De Count
and Mm Angelique Claire claimed da cabinet, scooted through da hole in
da side ob it and made demselfs at home.

Dat left two staterooms empty, sides da Kaptin's Quarters.  And just dat
CC witout a room.  Well, I don't bees a dummy, so I invited her to join
me in my copy of el Hambra in da Kaptin's Quarters.  She kinda flirted a
bit when she said "Ooh, I'd love dat.  I loved dat cozy box." So, I
showed her to da place and escorted her in.  I had my stuffed red lobster
in my bunk on da upper level, and da weazeel ball dat I loved.  She chose
da lower level, but I figured she'd be snuggled up by mornin'.  I'll show
her da 'Tone bar later, hehehe.

Well, it's late, so I'll tells yuz bout da trip tomorrow.  Nite, Mom.

Then I felt that whiskery kiss, and went back to sleep.
[Posted in FML issue 5267]