Family Fun Day

Buns, buns, buns

It was Sharkteeth's school's Family Fun Day yesterday -- fun para sa kids, ewan ko lang sa adults. Ako, bored na bored. I went to visit the rabbits in the garden. They are housed in a huge cage, with burrows for when there are baby "bit-bits."

Anyhoo, Sharkteeth and her super-daldal (I swear, natalo si S sa kadaldalan; I didn't think that was possible) classmate, E, joined me.

Sharkteeth: We used to have two bunnies before. One was killed by the dog, and the other died.

E: You don't have one anymore?

TPS: No, but I would love to have one again.

E: So why don't you?

TPS: My husband doesn't want to because he ends up cleaning the poop.

Eto ang panalong linya. Hold on to your eyeballs lest they pop.

E: Why don't you break up with him then get bunnies? Or have an affair then he'll leave you, then you can have bunnies
TPS:  What the...

Flabbergasted is an understatement. Hahahahahaha! The irony of the statement during FAMILY, emphasis on family, Fun Day seems to be lost on E. And where the heck did he learn such things? Scary thought: S and E are fast friends. What sorts of things does S learn from E? Afraid.

NB: Utang muna ang Friday Favorite Five, ha? Friday na na-discharge si S from the hospital. It was a busy week. I still haven't recharged yet.

Requiem for Rabbit

He was *just* a replacement bunny. After Bunny Buns' untimely death, I was frantic to replace him and my only requirement was that he be a rabbit. For a very small bunny, Rabbit had big shoes to fill. Bunny Buns was the most gregarious rabbit around, even abnormally so, and I guess, TheHusband and Sharkteeth, and I'm ashamed to admit it, even I, never really felt that Rabbit can replace Bunny Buns and didn't get as attached.

Rabbit, for all his shyness, loves touch and affection. He loves being cuddled gently and stroked. The neighbor's very naughty dog was able to charm him by licking Rabbit's head.

While he loved the outdoors and lounging under the hydrangeas, he was quite unadventurous and would always return home. I can't remember if it was Ondoy or Pepeng, but TheHusband and I woke up in the middle of the night because of the howling wind and when I looked at his cage, Rabbit wasn't there, and I was afraid that he escaped and might get hurt by a falling tree or something. It turned out he went to our front door, perhaps seeking comfort inside. He was all wet and shivering, and it was funny, sad, and so very touching.

More than a week ago, I noticed that he lost his appetite. It was quite obvious because I rarely see him not munching on some veggie or fruit, and for once, his food was left untouched, neither was his water. I brought him to the vet, who couldn't find anything wrong and just told me to give him some multivitamins every morning and afternoon. I could already feel his hipbones sticking out. By Thursday, he was munching on an apple and drinking some water. Not as much as I hoped, but still I was glad that he was eating. I really thought he could weather this, but come Saturday afternoon, I noticed that he was steadily becoming, well, droopy, for lack of a better word. You see, he usually sits alert at his cage, even when he was sick, but when the evening hit, he was already lying on his side. I asked Sharkteeth to say her goodbye, and with much tears, she did. I checked on him every few minutes or so, and I saw his breath getting labored, and he made this miserable plaintive cry that was really heartbreaking---all his life, he never really made much noise, maybe just a squeak or two, but never this piteous sound. I think Sharkteeth summed all the guilt and emotions I was feeling, "Mymy, I love Rabbit so much, and I'm so sorry that I didn't take care of him well. Do you remember Bunny-Buns? When he died, I was angry at Kelly [for killing him], but now, I am just sooooo sad. I don't think I want to have another bunny, I just love Rabbit so much."

Rabbit's last picture, taken last Saturday afternoon, January 29, 2011. Bye, Rabbit.