Of Mice and Men...and Cats and Rabbits

A few weeks ago we started noticing a bad smell whenever we used the oven. Although the oven and broiler appeared clean, I wiped them down. I flipped up the stovetop and scrubbed underneath all the burners. Nothing I did seemed to help. Finally Dan got in on the act and was able to pull the oven away from the wall.

A hole! We concluded that a mouse was getting into the house, but if it was in our oven, where was it?

Dan got out his tools and went about the unpleasant business of taking the oven apart. What he found was a little mouse nest in the insulation between the oven and the panel underneath the stove burners. Fortunately he found no actual damage, and no dead mice - only droppings and urine. But he also found a little stash of acorns.

So...is my cooking not good enough for a mouse, that it felt compelled to bring its own food? Or are toasted acorns a rodent delicacy? (They had cracked and cooked in the heat.)

Anyway, the hole is now repaired, the oven insulation pored through and interior surfaces scrubbed with baking soda, so I should be able to resume baking as usual. All of this, however, calls into question the usefulness of our cat.

Pixel is eighteen years old and has long considered himself "retired" from such bothersome duties as chasing vermin, but we suspect our rodent visitor may also have been eating his food. Poor old gato. In his youth he would slip outside and catch squirrels and now he can't even be bothered to defend his food bowl.

Interestingly, it was Cadbury who alerted us with a thump two nights ago that the mouse had chewed through Dan's first attempt at blocking the mouse hole. Now if only Cadbury could catch mice...

Monday Bunday: Having It All

There are just some days when you want it all. It may not be a realistic aspiration, but it's important to dream big, especially when you're a small rabbit.

Have an ambitious week, everyone!

Monday Bunday: Post-Valentine Check-In

It was another busy weekend here at the house of Cadbury. I wrote three new stories, one of which I sent off to a contest, the other two are here and here.

My Saturday long run was cold, but at least not windy. After three weeks of excellent garage sale luck, I struck out this time. That's not surprising, though. It's actually pretty unusual for me to find stuff I like that's small enough to carry home and also worth the trouble. But plotting my routes around garage sales has really helped renew my interest in these outings. I've been doing this for ten years now and I find myself struggling for new route ideas.

Cadbury has some cilantro, parsley, and lettuce sprouting in pots on the porch, and I'm anxiously checking my potato bed each day, hoping the rain didn't ruin them. I meant to plant chard this weekend but ran out of time, due to a late start on the Sunday shopping, then household chores and baking, and a long spin and weight session. Well, there's always next week.

Don't worry, Cadbury. You'll get your chard!



















I'm not worried. I like hanging out under this chair, though. The world is a scary place and I feel safe here.

Happy Monday, everyone!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day!


















What have we here?














Are you sure you didn't intend these for someone else?


















Okay, then. Happy Valentine's to you, too!

May everything come up roses for you today, friends!

Fats: Hard to Say Goodbye

Some of you may remember that last year Fats, one of the bunnies of Potentially Nervous was ill. With the excellent care of his bunny mom, Alice, he rallied for awhile and returned to upstate New York, where he played in the countryside that he loved.














He recently lost his fight, though. We'll miss his big personality and big fluffy self.


































If you haven't already done so, this is a great time to hop on over to Potentially Nervous and see some pics and videos of Fats and Alice's other amazing bunnies. You can also go to Alice's store and get a bunny screen saver that includes fun pictures of Fats. It gives me lots of smiles, and who doesn't want that? Bunnies Bustin' Out All Over

Monday Bunday: Game Day Treat!

Cadbury hopes everyone enjoyed yesterday's big game, whether Super Bowl or Puppy Bowl. Here he is demonstrating the correct way to enjoy a game day snack.

First, select something tasty but healthy.















Next, position it correctly for easy eating.















And finally...indulge!















Cadbury wasn't much interested in which puppies won yesterday's game, but he sure had eyes for those bunny cheerleaders!

For me, the day was all about baking, potato-planting and a good spin session. I'm not one for games or TV. It takes all kinds.

Have a great week!

Monday Bunday: Weatherbun

After some very pleasant weather - sunshine, temps in the sixties and seventies - a front blew in on Friday and it's winter again here in Houston. I had a miserably cold run on Saturday, but it was worth it because I scored at a Galleria-area garage sale.

It looks like cooler temperatures are staying with us for a little while, as is the rain. Typical winter for us.

So in memory of the bright and sunny weekend before last, here are a couple of pictures of Cadbury getting out and enjoying some lovely weather:






























Have a great week, everybun!

Monday Bunday: Mystery!

What's behind Door One?



















Cadbury isn't sure, but he's determined to find out!
















Have a great week, and may all your questions find answers!

Update! Want a really fun bunny screen saver? Check out Alice's Potentially Crazy site and add a little happiness to your computer!

Monday Bunday: Bunnyloaf

I don't know why somebunny looks so grumpy in this pic. Maybe he's a bit sullen because play time has been reduced due to his destructive decorating projects!

Monday Bunday: All You Need Is...

Monday Bunday: Lap Rabbit

Lately, Cadbury has become something of a lap rabbit.















I suspect it's because he thinks I have treats and that I'll share...














...or at the very least, I'll carelessly drop something onto myself that he can then scavenge.


















Cadbury: It's not a crazy assumption, biped. You get kinda careless with the dried strawberries you put in your yogurt.

Maybe so, Cadbury, but you're still not forgiven for your latest cord-munching escapade. Cute won't cut it this time.

For everyone returning to work this week, I hope it's a good one, and that you're refreshed and ready to face the office again. Happy Monday, and don't forget to date your paperwork 2010!

Happy New Year!

Cadbury wishes everyone a wonderful new year of treats, friendship and other good things. Go on, everyone - jump right in!

Monday Bunday: Got Milk?

Cadbury: No, I don't understand it, either, bunny friends. It's a human thing.

Review: Bike-O-Vision

One of my Christmas presents this year was a new spin video, Bike-O-Vision #4: California Coast. The video takes the viewer through Big Sur, Santa Cruz, Santa Barbara, and other scenic places along the Pacific coast.

The entrancing scenery was enough to keep me happy and motivated throughout the 75-minute long video. My only complaint, and it's a quibble, is that there is no time counter at the bottom of the screen. Anyone who regularly uses Coach Troy's Spinervals or Chris Carmichael's Train Right series will find it a bit frustrating to not have that counter, not only to know when the video will be over, but for the purpose of doing time-based sprint drills.

Overall, though, this is a great addition to my cycling video library, and I'll be using it again. I'll just have to set up a clock by the TV next time.

Merry Christmas!

It's a time for festive giving.


















I hope you and your loved ones got some wonderful gifts...















...and enjoyed a little feasting as well. But the best gift of all...















...is our friendship throughout the year.



















Merry Christmas!

Cadbury: Yeah, Merry Christmas. Now will you please take this stupid bell off my head?

Rabbit: What's in a Name?

I came across a great little blog post today about the origins of some of the different words for rabbit.

Enjoy!

Land of Rabbits

Monday Bunday: Dreaming

Go away, biped. I'm dreaming of a white Christmas.

Well, keep dreaming, little bunny. This is Houston. I'll make sure it's a good one, regardless.

Random Memory

This is the building my father worked at when he was a professor at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana.

He officed on the seventh floor, and sometimes he'd take me with him when he had to go there on weekends or after hours. I remember the elevators, and I remember a large open classroom or lab where they had guinea pigs. Oddly, I was never much taken with the guinea pigs, even though I've always been an animal person.

I don't remember my father's office, although he must've had one. I guess it wasn't interesting to this little kid.

I remember there being a small library that had children's books - a standard feature of education colleges. Sometimes we'd check out a few books for me to read. I don't remember there being a librarian, though. As a professor, my father was able to go in and sign out whatever he wanted.

My most striking memory of this building is the day we visited the fifth floor. There had been a fire, and I guess my father was curious to see the damage. I remember the hall as a long tunnel of dark wood paneling and identical office doors. I remember walls darkened with smoke and scorch marks, all permeated with a pungent, burnt-over smell. Mostly, though, I remember a creepy feeling of destruction and things not right. I was glad we didn't stay long.

All of this happened between 1970 and 1973. We left Muncie for Fresno, California, when I was six.

Monday Bunday: Hiding in Plain Sight

As Cadbury demonstrates, sometimes the best things are right nearby, but just out of sight. Like the university's holiday break.*

This will be my last full week at the office before the new year. Next week is only three days long, and then we're off for two weeks!

Cadbury is very excited, since this means more out-of-cage time. Of course, that's all that really matters. Of course.

Have a good week, everyone!



* Not dissing Christmas here, but a Christmas break would cover Christmas only. This break covers Christmas, New Year's, and some other holidays I don't celebrate, so it is therefore a holiday break.

Monday Bunday: Rubbish!

Cadbury: Mondays are a load of rubbish!

I'm with Cadbury on this one. The long Thanksgiving weekend spoiled me, and getting to leave work a little early on Friday to play with the bunny in the snow only reinforced my sense that we have a big holiday vacation coming up, and it's time to start taking relaxation a little more seriously.

Just two and a half weeks, folks!