Welcome home Tea Rat and Rattus

Here is wishing you a safe journey home to Nowhere... I think I had too much excitment.. It made me verrrrrrrry tired.. I will dream of our wonderful visit together.. Mum was so excited to see Anita she was just beside herself and what a gentle soul Ruben is.. Thank you for letting me come along on this spectacular visit... Mum said, pinch me Bebe, pinch me! Is this real are we really here? To actually see our dear friends in person... What a treat that was... I think I heard Miss Moussie twittering to Gretta about your soon to be arrival... I know Mozes is waiting with open arms...We thank you so much for taking time to see us and for the beautiful book you made for Mum.... dear Anita, Ruben, Tea Rat and Rattus!

Love,

Penny and Bebe

123 Doll House Lane

Toot-pa-toot...went the little poot-scoot over the hills and dales to Nowhere and beyond. The rats were away so the hedgehog must play. Being the independent soul that she is Gretta from Gothere waved to Paisley Bunny as she witnessed Paisley collecting forget-me-nots. She bumped down the hill and tooted the horn at Raccoon who was chewing on a Big Hunk candy bar of all things. Gretta was faithfully following her noses...and everything smelled pink like roses and she detected a hint of Mozes...There Big Mozes was standing at the Crossroad of Life with a sign that said...123 Doll House Lane. The arrow pointed sharp right, then sharp left... Mozes had known Gretta for more than a million years and he knew that she had a range of food addictions and he did a good job of contributing to it. While hunting for honey Mozes came across a wee little Doll House, just fit for Gretta. And the best part about it, it had a marshmallow garden. This would be a perfect rest upon for just a little... awhile. The Doll House had a pink garage for her pink poot-scoot and even the chimney puffed pink smoke...pink flower boxes, pink carnations, even the rabbits were pink...However and why ever, the Doll House was green...what a ugly scene...so Big Mozes spent the afternoon painting the Doll House....PINK just cuz he loved that little hedgehog beyond Nowhere and back.

Peek sweet at Gretta in the Marshmallow Gardens. Content as a hedgehog could be.

California Here We Come.

Words by Ruben Rivera. Pictures by Anita Rivera.
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Rattus: I say my good rat, are we really leaving our beloved land of Nowhere for...what did you call it?...Cauliflower, in America?

Tea Rat: Really my dear fellow, you must get into the spirit of the thing. "When in Rome," and all that, you know. We want to blend in, be part of "what's happen'in," be cool, hip.


Rattus: OK, so how do YOU pronounce it?

Tea Rat: Ca-li-for-ni-a.

Rattus: Ca-li-for-NEE-a.

Tea Rat: You da bomb!

Rattus: I beg your pardon? I am what?

Tea Rat: The BOMB! You know, good, amazing, awesome, the best. Gotta know the language of the natives or you're going to stick out like a sore thumb.


Rattus: Maybe we should tell our friends we will be away in Ca-li-for-NEE-a.



Tea Rat: That's what we're doing here.

Rattus: OK. I'll go.

Tea Rat: You bad.

Rattus: What did I do wrong? I try my best to be a good, upstanding rat.

Tea Rat: No, not bad. BAD! You know, good, amazing, awesome, the best.

Rattus: I thought that's what "da Bomb" meant?

Tea Rat: Are you going to be difficult? I'm trying to save your life here. In California you must be IN or you will be chewed up and spit OUT. We have to talk like them, look like them, dress like them, eat like them.

Rattus: Eat like them? What do they eat out in CaliforNEEa?

Tea Rat: Well, I hear the well-to-do eat so-called "health food" like mashed yeast and alfalfa sprouts, and fruit smoothies fortified with vitamins.

Rattus: Sounds like I need to pack my own food.

Tea Rat: You'll do no such thing. You're going to do what?

Rattus: I know. I know. I'm going to blend in. Be "da bomb" and be "bad."

Tea Rat: Now you chill'in.

Rattus: I'm what?

Tea Rat: Chill'in. You know, good, amazing, awesome, the best.

Rattus: This CaliforNEEa sounds like a strange place. But at least the language will be easy to acquire. Every word means the same thing.

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So long to our dear friends from Nowhere and Wits End. We'll be back soon.

Tea Rat & Rattus Scribus.

I Say, Move On Git Along

-Tell me sister Bebe..are they coming yet..
-I believe brother bear that there, in the distance, I can see a little cloud of dust..
-Then that should be THEM..shall I take a look..
-I can see everything from up here brother bear..Its spectacular..
-I am sure it is from a moussies point of view..
-I can see for ever and ever..a road leading Nowhere and a new horizon..
-Then lets go there..I love to discover new horizons..
-It seams to be a long and dusty track dear bear...better wait for our friends to arrive..they have been there..
-Where...?
-There..at the horizon..where the road ends...there where you want to go.....we wait and then we will ride off into the sunset..
-GREAT,..like in the good old days...I have never been into the Sunset yet..Ill go and saddle up the horses..
-Yep..Move 'em on, head 'em up, Set 'em out, ride 'em in
-Say again....
-O nothing..just getting in the mood of things...
-....?
-Rollin', rollin', rollin' Rollin', rollin', rollin' Rollin', rollin', rollin'..O and I will be the guide..? The TEA RAT OF COURSE....



TEA: "I say old man, advance! We have no time to waste! This Wild West cowboy life requires fast of foot and strong of limb!"

RATTUS (about 10 yards away): "What in the devil is he mumbling...and how did I let him talk me into this silly excursion. I have never ridden one of these beasts in my life."

TEA: "YIHAHHHHHH! ROLLIN', ROLLIN', ROLLIN', KEEP THOSE DOGGIES ROLLIN', RAW HI....Oooppsss......WHOAH HORSIE, WHOAH".....SPLATT GOES TEA RAT!......

Whatever has become of Tea Rat in his Ten Gallon hat? He is not fit to ride in this manner. Oh dear, Bebe, Mozes....we need your help here...a good stiff cup of PG Tips will ease his pain!

I Say, Move On Git Along

-Tell me sister Bebe..are they coming yet..
-I believe brother bear that there, in the distance, I can see a little cloud of dust..
-Then that should be THEM..shall I take a look..
-I can see everything from up here brother bear..Its spectacular..
-I am sure it is from a moussies point of view..
-I can see for ever and ever..a road leading Nowhere and a new horizon..
-Then lets go there..I love to discover new horizons..
-It seams to be a long and dusty track dear bear...better wait for our friends to arrive..they have been there..
-Where...?
-There..at the horizon..where the road ends...there where you want to go.....we wait and then we will ride off into the sunset..
-GREAT,..like in the good old days...I have never been into the Sunset yet..Ill go and saddle up the horses..
-Yep..Move 'em on, head 'em up, Set 'em out, ride 'em in
-Say again....
-O nothing..just getting in the mood of things...
-....?
-Rollin', rollin', rollin' Rollin', rollin', rollin' Rollin', rollin', rollin'..O and I will be the guide..?