The Return of Betty Makaska (not to be confused, remember, with Bde Maka Ska in Minneapolis)

Rather brilliant autumnal-like afternoon in Wisconsin Dells, relaxing with Huckleberry Hound and our genial host, Crazy Claws, by that last one's retreat along Artificial Lake Delton over tea ... when, by sheer surprise, SHE returned into my life.

The "she," if you ask, reader, is Betty Makaska. You probably remember her from my recalling an episode with her in a houseboat on Lake of the Ozarks some years back during a typically muggy Ozarks summer while having breakfast in Minneapolis for some reason or another. A mountain lion not unlike yours truly from the same general area.

And by sheer surprise, even, which caught even Crazy Claws off his rocker!

"Ohhhh, SNAGGLEPUSS!!" Betty explained to me as she made her way through.

"BETTY--!!!" replied I. "Where have you been all this time, and what bringest thou to this retreat?!"

"Old times' sake," saith she. Trying not to be grotty-looking considering the fall weather in such regions as these, yet having that certain quality (or want thereof) making her somewhat endearing. And you can guess, even Huckleberry Hound was a little stunned to the point of some hot tea spilling on his leg (which he was quick to blot up)!

"I assume," saith I, "you still recall that somewhat interesting night on that houseboat of yours in the mugginess of summer on the Lake of the Ozarks, the portable air conditioning, and such wonderful lovemaking like we had through that night!"

(You could sense Huckleberry Hound was blushing and at once giggling at the thought.)

"Oh, do I?!!" remarked she incredulously. "Snagglepuss, you couldn't have been a more wonderful romantic like we were that muggy summer's evening!"

Later, at supper of roast pork loin, stuffing and gravy:

"I do have to admit," Betty remarked, "that my heart, so to speak, is close to Hog Waller."

"The Hillbilly Bears, I take it," remarked I.

"Obviously ... and what's particularly interesting is where the entire ursine community, or so it seems, can just love to make camp by the riverside when things get muggy, and spend much of the time swimming and diving. Which, I have to admit, I learned early on."

"So how goes the Rugg family?"

"Especially interesting is where Shag, the younger son, will swim out to Maw Rugg, kneeling underwater near the shallows, for some breastfeeding most interesting ... as in doing such underwater!"

"I take it Shag Rugg likes it that way."

"Which," Betty added, "can get to be an interesting prelude for some rather fascinating diving adventures where they've actually found freshwater pearls on occasion in that river!" (In matter of fact, she was wearing a necklace made from freshwater pearls actually found close to the Rugg homestead.) "Oh, and I ever mentioned where Floral Rugg, the older sister, has also done some diving herself?"

"Mainly for the fun of it."

"True, Snag, but she's also found the odd freshwater pearl as well."

"Rather fascinating, if I may say so myself!"

"Though I must admit that the pork loin was rather juicy ... how exactly was it possible?"

To which Huckleberry Hound remarked, and rather casually, "I just sprinkled on some Pleasoning over the top of the roast before baking."

"Obvious Wisconsin pride there," Crazy Claws remarked. "And not too salty in the process!"

At any rate, with quite the dinner conversation complemented by the presence of a certain old flame of mine in the catsonna of a certain Betty Makaska, we managed to finish off the pork loin roast that evening. How that was possible ...

*************

... summer with the Hair Bear Bunch, diving big time into the lake after quite the afternoon's mating session with lovesick ursine females, and what must be racing through their minds in their nakedness underwater: Ohhhh ... can't it help but feel so wonderful to be in such incredible love as I had just now ... what a feeling to just let go of such nerves through the magic of mating ...

(And for some reason, Hair Bear can't help but sense a rather gentle release of "those feelings" underwater as the trio's dive approaches the lake bottom.)

BUBI BEAR, in his exuberance: So, Hair, can you just imagine me the clyde pulling off quite the dive most interesting in the moonlight waters of the lake with a like most wonderful bear gal, and--

[Mise en scene: In the shallows of the nearby river where the local ursine populace of fond of diving for freshwater pearls--and also for cooling of in on muggy summer's afternoons of the sort endemic to the Ozark Mountains region]

SHAG RUGG, trying not to overdo it: Believe you me, Floral, am I actually a little too overactive for my age bear-wise?

FLORAL RUGG, chuckling at the comment: Whoever thought you were? Besides, I can't help but be impressed at such diving prowess for a bear of your age!

SHAG RUGG: Not to mention perhaps being the youngest bear to dive to the bottom of yonder river!

FLORAL RUGG: Shag, I sometimes wonder if you're getting too ahead of yourself with such boasting as you like making, and besides, that river is about nine feet deep at its deepest point!

[Anyhow, the ursine cousins finally make it to the shore, where they reduce themselves to essentially themselves ahead of an afternoon's quality time in the river....]

SHAG RUGG: You wanna guess how many pearls I can collect this afternoon?

FLORAL RUGG, trying to be more pragmatic: Sometimes, Shag, it might not be a bad idea to lay off the pearling and just consider the fun aspect of diving for once ... just think of how fascinating the river looks beneath the surface, and how cool the waters can be ... Race you to the dropoff!