"New Museum Exhibit" by Kimmer takes place on Wednesday, November 10th, 2004 early afternoon "So you enjoyed yourself last night, then?" Kimmer had been lost in her own little world and had not heard Don come into the Museum kitchen behind her. "This morning, too, was good?". Half-question, half snarky observation, Kimmer wondered what he had heard. The fact it was early afternoon and she hadn't been home long enough to change her clothes was not particularly helpful, either. Struggling to get the wide grin off her face, she turned around with what she thought might pass for sane, sober, responsible maturity masked across her face. "It was fun to attend an opening party, instead of throw- ing it for a change. The UFers did a wonderful job". Kimmer started to slip past him, hoping to go take a shower and change. "Yes, well, I realize it is just the beginning of the War, and there are parties and shopping and many distractions, but we are here for a reason. I was also hoping you would be able to give a hand around here......." Don took in Kimmer's emerald green velvet evening dress she was still in and muttered "Lord, what was I thinking?" under his breath. "I can do that. Help. I can be quite helpful. Actually, I noticed a medieval display that needs work upstairs. You have so many dark pieces on a wall that receives no natural light, and the track lighting, well, it needs work in there. If we, er, if I were to move the pieces across the hall, into the other room with the skylights and the windows with the southeast exposure, the detail would really come out and make the exhibit much more interesting to visitors. Just switch the pieces between the two rooms. Do a little work with the lighting, I could......" Don's face cheered up muchly and he said, "Yes, see, I knew you would have some decorating ideas. Those are the kind of things I was hoping to get some help with". Relief washed over Kimmer as she said, "Well, then, it's a deal. I'll just go upstairs, get cleaned up, get some 'working clothes' on, and get right on that--you'll love it, you'll see!". Dory and Kimmer passed each other in the hall, and Dory discreetly said nothing about Kimmer's clothes, just waved cheerily and headed for the kitchen. With Kimmer working on a museum project and Dory whipping up something yummy and hot to eat, Don was free to care for his menagerie. Feeling things were going to work out after all, Don headed off to feed the animals, not noticing the cube truck pulling up outside the museum. ******************************************* Chanda was excited. She was bouncing up and down at the sight of the truck pulling up like a DP with extra espresso shots (at no charge) in her coffee cup. "They're here! They're here!" Chanda shrieked, to no one in particular, and went looking for Kimmer. Kimmer had come running, worried that something was wrong with Chanda. They both stopped short and looked at each other. Chanda had on a pink running suit, it was the exact same color as her eyeglass frames, of course, perfectly coordinated. Kimmer had a purple running suit on, with socks and shoes that matched the hue perfectly. There was nothing wrong with their outfits, they had just never seen each other in running suits before. "Hey, I'm working, I'm doing work. In the museum. On an exhibit. Perfectly acceptable outfit to be wearing while one works on a museum exhibit!" Kimmer declared defensively. "Oh, I agree! Perfect museum working outfit. I, too, am working. I have a truck to unload. Perfectly proper outfit for unloading a truck". Kimmer agreed and then asked, "Why are you unloading a truck? Is it for the Museum?". "No, no, nothing like that!!!! THEY'RE HERE! HERE! HERE!!!!! My Build-A-Bears are here!!!". end chapter 1 of 2 "New Museum Exhibit" by Kimmer takes place on Wednesday, November 10th, 2004 early afternoon - early evening Kimmer looked on in amazement. Chanda's build-a-bear collection was fantastic! She had 142 of them--so far. Shopping for more was on her list of things to do in Toronto. Great souvenirs from the War. She even had bears dressed as FK Characters. No wonder she had so many, it was hard for a former Ravenette to keep a hobby under control when there were so many *accessories* to collect. "Chanda, I love your bears, but we have a problem," Kimmer stopped when she saw Chanda's stricken face. "Kimmer, you know I love my bears. Not as much as I love my cats, of course, but I want them here while we are in the War. I bet other FKers would like to see them!", Chanda finished defensively, a defiant look on her face. Kimmer smiled happily and said, "That's it!" and ran down the hall to a public reception area, grabbed a brochure, and headed back into the main foyer of the museum. Pointing to the brochure, Kimmer explained her plan to Chanda. "Look, both of our rooms are bursting at the seams as it is, we already took over the closet space Dory so graciously offered up. But check out this brochure, see, a couple of days a week school kids come thru here, it's open to the public, they do special tours for seniors, and for the kids, and we could set up your bears in their own exhibit room. They don't go wandering thru the whole museum of course, but check out this tour they have mapped out. See where they come in, and how it winds thru the first two floors, then back to the main floor, and out the doors opposite of the ones they come in? See, there is an exhibit room not being used right now, on the way out. We could set your bears up in there, and it would be the last thing they would see on their way home. People would love that, Chanda." Chanda smiled brightly. "Let's do it!" Soon they were bringing up display cases from the basement and setting up the display in the unused exhibit room. When the display materials and lights were clean enough, they began to set the bears in just the right places. Chanda's Nick Knight Bear and Janette Bear had places of honor. Kimmer picked up Chanda's Marilyn Monroe Bear and examined it carefully. It was dressed in a beautiful gold lame evening gown. "Hey, Chanda, do you think we should change Miss Marilyn's evening gown? Isn't it a little bit, well, *shiny*? I wouldn't want her to attract too much of the wrong kind of attention--she might disappear". Chanda thought it over for a moment, she did have extra outfits for her build-a-bears, but she really liked the way they were dressed. "We'll put her up on the top shelf, maybe get one of those glass thingies to put over her. She'll be okay". Kimmer shrugged, got up on the stepladder, put Miss Marilyn up as high as she could, and went to find one of those glass thingies. She also talked briefly to a security guard about the new exhibit, and to a maintenance man, and they promised to keep an eye on them during the tours. Bringing the glass thingie back, Kimmer stopped and admired the exhibit. Chanda had put on the finishing touches while she was gone, and it was so lovely. "Happy, that's what it is, it's just happy. People are going to love this," Kimmer thought to herself, as she got on the stepladder once more and placed Miss Marilyn inside the glass thingie. Later, after they had put the stepladder and the cleaning supplies away, Kimmer and Chanda retreated to Chanda's room with a bottle of wine. They sat on Chanda's bed with her cats, Nicky, Janey and Pinky. The cats purred contentedly as they got fussed over. Kimmer suddenly remembered the other museum display she was suppose to be working on. "Oh no--Chanda--ack! I was suppose to re-do a medieval display upstairs for Don. You gotta help me!" Chanda agreed, and they headed upstairs, leaving three furballs happily stretching out, claiming the whole bed for themselves. end chapter 2 of 2