the shrine

Her Royal Tonchaliscious is quite particular about going to bed. In order to properly enter the blissful state of sleep, the appropriate sacrificial offerings must be made to the Sandman and the Night Gods. Arrayed upon the shrine (otherwise known as the window sill above the futon) there must be: several pieces of gum in their dedicated Small Bowl, a plastic bottle of Calpis®, and a glass of water. Optionally, depending on the mood of the deities and the alignment of the heavenly bodies in the night sky, there may also be required any or all of the following: some cookies, chocolate bread, juice carton, a small apple.

Only when the Sandman and his Darkly Servants are appeased with such offerings will Her Majesty The Tonchanator enter into peaceful slumber (assuming that mom arranges the appropriate blankets just so whilst delivering the appropriate belly and/or back patting. Dad need not bother; any attempts at getting within 30 centimeters of the Gateway to Slumber will be forcefully repulsed and accompanied by a now-standard "No Papa! Mo iyada! No Touching! Bye-bye!")