Which way to the room for insomniacs?
hardygrrl slips out of the house unnoticed. She heads down to the pond using the moonlight to guide her.
She sits on the shore, watching the moon’s reflection play on the water.
Since everyone else seems to be otherwise occupied inside the house, she decides the coast is clear and decides to go skinny dipping.
What a way to start the day! With a cup of fresh-brewed Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee, up here on the deck off the east tower to watch the sunrise. Oh, I see hardygrrl has gotten up early to enjoy the daw – AYE CARUMBA!!! 
Guess I just might become a morning person after all! 
:: judges distance from hand-rail to the edge of the water… ::
I’ll join you Paul. I never want to see another Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup in my life, although leaving Tripler passed out with a smile on his face on a lawn chair was heartening, as was the applause from the balcony.
screech, didya ever catch think? You got to watch out for him, he’s a slippery one. I never did get my dance lesson last night so I’m assuming you caught him.
Look! Was that a scarlet tanager at the bird feeder?
<mistaking the occasional flash for sheet-lightning, hardy splish-splashes around>
<moments after she leaves the water, SCUBAsnow emerges holding his diving camera>
Say, anyone wanna download these?
eBay
<through headset>
Yup, <<crackle>> at’s a Scarlet Tanager, Piranga olivacea. <<screech screech pop>> binoculars. Odd that <<feedback>> the feeder. They’re more of an insect and fruit eater. <<unintelligible>> ndangered and decling species. Loss of habitat and introduction of non-native spec<<pop>>. Beautiful plumage, though.
Nope, haven’t found thinksnow yet. It’s <<extended crackling and popping>> underwater. Crafty one, he is.
<<squealing feedback>> of range. End transmission.
::rechecks paintball ammo and trudges off::
hardygrrl, refreshed after her swim and with her robe tied tightly on, ambles up to Paul.
She gently places one finger on his chin and lifts it back into place.
You could get me a cup of coffee, black with one Nutrasweet. I’m a little chilly now, she purrs.
Seeing thinksnow emerging with camera in hand, she realizes what happened and yells to him “if you have pictures of me, it’s only fair I have pictures of you. Hand over that camera.”
One hot cup of java coming right up…it’s the least I could do since you already gave me my eye-opener for the day.
[sub]Now where did Bunny say that shower was? It’d better be cold…[/sub]
Thanks for the link! Nice page. Anybody who likes Vitamin Y and Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups can’t be all bad. Any chance we’ll see you at Dope-A-Ween? I live about 20 minutes from the Hershey bulk store at Chocolate World. If you’ll be there I’ll bring a couple of cartons.
Here, give me one of those trays and I’ll help serve. I think the tux sets the right mood, don’t you?
hardygrrl sits on the porch swing, sipping her coffee and planning on how to get pictures of thinksnow naked.
hardy, I have an idea…
:bends over and whispers in her ear:
Brilliant, non?!
Ask.
Hand me that camera and start stripping, thinksnow.
Darn, look at the time. I’ve got to go, sorry.
Heading to Dayton for a mini-mini-DopeFest with beatle and Crafter_Man.
If you care to come along, perhaps we can work something out in the car?
:pulls up chair:
I think I’ll like this. Now, shoot, where’d I put my camera?
Sure, when the moment of truth arrives, you flee. 
And what exactly would be getting worked out in the car, hmm?
I’m just sitting up here quietly on the mantel in the great room. You can tell the room temperature by how high or low I float…
BLAM!
Damn, missed thinksnow, but nailed the car. Ah well, try again later.
::note to self - check to see if Nerf[sup]TM[/sup] makes a harpoon gun::
Someone mentioned pomegranates and lunch on the last page. Sounds yummy. Now to find me a hammock and a good book.
There’s a few. The fireplace in the library is always a good spot to find a few fellow insomniacs. We all take turns poking the fire and setting more wood into the hearth. The huge ring sits under the eaves, outside but dry from the rain because of the overhang. Always company there, and usually folks dying to talk about a good book.
The kitchen goes to oil lamps after 11:30. No bright lights, just soothing warm glow to let you find good nosh by. Perhaps in there?
The breeze always hits the back of the house harder than the front, so aside from a few souls who consistently sleep on the side porch, the front porch is mostly empty. You can sit and enjoy the silence, or spend some time there, conversing with fellow creatures of the night.
Just a cautionary thought, the foothills get cool at night. Perhaps that nightshirt may not be quite enough?