And Now for Something Completely Different: Cat and Rabbit Meet

Over the weekend, #1 daughter told me about her rabbit's visit with a neighbor's cat, and I thought you might enjoy it, too. Here's the account, in her words.

Giol and Tom

It was last Thursday (January 29, 2009) when I took my rabbit, Giol to my neighbor's for a visit. My neighbor has an old tomcat. And, no, I wasn't planning on feeding her cat.

I was, however, curious to see how they'd get along. I wasn't terribly worried. I'll explain why later.

My neighbor was rather surprised at how fearless Giol was. Fearless nothing, he completely ignored the cat most of the time. The cat (named Tom, how appropriate), on the other hand, was more than a little freaked at this strange creature. He spent most of his time following Giol around at a safe distance and starting every time Giol moved.

Then Giol decided that he really should introduce himself. He hopped right up to Tom, lifted his face up to Tom's level, and sniffed. Tom backed up. Giol hopped forward. Tom nearly backed up over his back feet. Finally, Tom had enough and batted Giol over the head. It was the one time Giol actually ran from the cat.

He may have had his revenge by playing with Tom's food. Or he was frustrated that the kitty chow looked like food but didn't smell right. He had a similar quandry with a fake plant by the window. "It's green and leafy, but it doesn't smell like food!"

Tom finally managed to relax. He laid down with his tail flipping occasionally. Giol noticed the tail and thought it an interesting thing to sniff. The moment Giol's nose touched Tom's tail Tom was up and turned around with his back arched. Giol just sat there as if saying, "Where'd it go?"

Giol didn't spend all his time inadvertently tormenting Tom. He also knocked over baskets and begged for treats. And discovered a Y-intersection piece of collapsible tunnel.

Emphasis on 'collapsible.' Giol thought he'd jump on top of the tunnel. The tunnel collapsed under him and he slid to the ground as the tunnel sprung back up. I so wish I had my camera along to get the expression on his face. A sort of "What the heck just happened?!"

He also tried to sniff Tom again. An attempt at polite rabbit behavior that was once again met with a bop on the head. Though Giol didn't run off this time.

Poor Tom. He's maybe twice Giol's size and used to other animals running away from him. A curious little rabbit had him completely frazzled.

Thought for the Day

This doesn't happen often, but I heard a thought-provoking commercial on the radio today. An outfit promised that they'd "...take care of unplanned animal emergencies."

There are planned animal emergencies?

Friday: Week Done, Weekend Starts

I see I missed the two highlights, if that's the right word, of yesterday.

Earlier this week, backing the van out of the back yard, we'd heard a loud 'bang!' from around the right rear wheel. I got the van into the garage yesterday, and it's a good thing that I did. One of two brake cables in the right rear wheel was broken, and so was the wheel bearing.

The guys at the garage got everything fixed by 5:30, which was quite satisfactory. The van doesn't make those funny sounds now, and I don't miss them a bit.

My wife, our son, and #3 daughter went to Soo Bahk Do class last night, and #3 daughter came back with something extra: a dislocated toe. She assured me that it hurt. #3 daughter used my 'other' cane for the rest of the evening, and this morning.

Tonight, she cheerfully informed me that the pain was gone. I believe her: she's walking without the cane now.

After yesterday's excitement, today was pretty routine. I did more to have my online work wrapped up for the weekend and Monday. It's going to be a busy weekend.

My wife and #3 daughter were out, twice, for music lessons, to talk with her dad, and go to rummage sales. #3 daughter came home with a prom dress from - 1956, I think. It looks pretty good. I'm no expert, but some of those styles either never go out of fashion, or recycle. What she's going to use it for, I have no idea.

My wife told me that I should go over to her dad's place. One of my brothers-in-law was there, with about a half-dozen fainting goats. So, I went.

My wife told me not to touch the fence, since it was electrified. My father-in-law told me not to touch the fence. My brother-in-law told me not to touch the fence.

I didn't touch the fence: a temporary affair my brother-in-law had rigged across part of the Sauk Centre Grandpa's back yard.

The goats were having a fine time, grazing and socializing. I asked my brother-in-law why he had the things. Turns out, they're valuable right now, and since he got them, he hasn't had to mow his back yard. Unlike sheep, these goat crop the grass down to an appropriate level, and leave it at that.

They're also, I'm told, more entertaining that television. From what I saw of them, I believe it. A trio of them came to eat some grain he put out, and were (I'm told) remarkably well-behaved about sharing the treasure.

I had a chance to see a bit of the individual personalities he talked about, too. The little billy was, ah, assertive, and one of the others had attitude. She was pushing the big billy around at one point. The latter was named "Stinky" by the former owner.

Naturally, I couldn't leave without taking a few photos:






And, a photo of one of my favorite places on Earth.

Sunday: Rest, Grilling, and a Broken Board

My wife, our son, and #3 daughter went to Soo Bahk Do this evening. They came back with good news: My wife had jumped over our son, and broken a board. She's definitely getting better at that.

Our son, meanwhile, passed another milestone on his way to adulthood. He's got a pimple walk on his forehead.

We saw a red bird in a backyard bush: a cardinal. I hope there's another around, and that they set up a nest. The cardinal's a colorful bird. This afternoon, a large white dog came through the yard: one we haven't seen before.

The snow is bright white, making branches seem black by comparison, but there's a patch of grass near the back door that's almost green.

Aside from that, going to church this morning, and grilling lunch amid the snow of spring, it's been a nice, quiet Sunday.