Thursday, June 30, 2011

A Much Happier Swimmer

Alas, no pictures right now but rest assured that Mary Jane lasted much longer in the water today. And that water was quite chilly this morning. Daddy had to hop up and down in the water just to feel warm himself.

Mary Jane didn't care for the slight dunking of her head but other than that, no problems. As for the rabbits, they have no comment on the whole matter.

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Computer Still Great, Chip Ever Unsure

As soon as we put the pictures onto this computer, I can show you the confused little man/bunny. For now I'll leave him in the cage so he can adjust.

Meanwhile Cherry Bugg was out all by herself today in the backyard. She hopped around like she owned the place. Well, she is the longest tenured female in the back yard.

The hammock has also thrown the bunnies for a loss. Like I said previously about Chip, change is something they don't handle well.

New Computer, Chip Unsure

Mister John installed a new computer this afternoon but now Chip is all confused. He liked the last computer because it made such an infernally loud drone that it put him to sleep. Now what will happen!

Monday, June 27, 2011

Bruin It Up!


Mary Jane and Daddy were sporting the colors this morning. Watch out when they start dressing up the same. Mommy needs to get some LMU gear ready for her precious little girl. Meanwhile the little Bruin outfit for her is almost getting too small. It may be time to drive over to UCLA and get some new apparel!

Sunday, June 26, 2011

Summertime Blues

One of the good things about the summer for the rabbits is that they get more time outside. With longer hours of sunlight and with no working by Mr. John, they will be let out for more time. While that's good for them, the plants rue this extra time for grazing. And then there's Ruby Jane who wishes to dig everywhere in the back yard. That's unacceptable to Mr. John and Miss Jill but she's as defiant as ever. Hot blood in the hot sun of summertime. OK, this is Mar Vista; the hot days only get up to 75 if they're lucky.

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

The Never-Ending Dilemma of Chip


Poor Chip. Every since he came to Chez Erb over two years ago, he has been trying to find a way to fit in with everyone. Phillip, the elder statesman of the rabbits, chases him away even when Chip tries to say Hi. Cherry Bugg is his closest friend but she more tolerates him than anything else. They can exist in the same back yard or even the same room but she commands the territory and then he must run away. Even his sisters, Ruby Jane and Root Beer Float, don't command him the respect he desires. Root Beer Float, who used to be at the bottom of the rabbit pecking order, found a new rabbit to antagonize in the oft-innocent Chip. So she would chase him all around the back yard to remind him of that. Ruby Jane is much more understanding of him but she still doesn't talk to Chip when the other rabbits are around. It just isn't cool. And that's the problem with Chip. He's the rabbit who thinks he's a man but is really a boy. And he's just not that cool according to the other rabbits.

Oddly enough, Chip would remind the well-read person of the narrator in James Joyce's short story "Araby." The narrator reminisces about his youth and this girl he thought he loved. He once thought he was a man but realized at the very end of the story that he truly was still a child. Oh, what a slap that epiphany was for that Irish lad and how it must feel for Chip as well.

Chip does serve one important purpose in the Erb family though that the other rabbits do not: he is Mary Jane's body guard. When she cries, Chip will come hopping in to see what's the matter. And in the middle of the night, he sneaks into Mary Jane's room and will sit about two feet away from her crib and keep watch. It's great for Mary Jane to have a guardian because he will chase away all the bad monsters. She can sleep more easily at night with that valiant duty of his. Never mind that sometimes she awakens in the night and Mister John or Miss Jill accidentally kick him as they stagger through the darkness to get to Mary Jane's crib.

For his service to Mary Jane, that might make Chip a real man. Just don't tell the other rabbits that; they might get jealous.

Sunday, June 19, 2011

Mary Jane Makes a Father's Day Statement

She would prefer to eat the sign though.

Father's Day




Nothing quite like tradition. A long time ago in the Erb family, a new tradition was created around Father's Day. Typically in most families the father sits around and gets generic gifts like a new tie or power tools. We don't follow that mold. Good thing because I don't wear ties to work and I really don't use power tools all that much (sans Bunny Cage Building Day). In our family, the father of the family makes waffles for the rest of us. Yes, making the dad work on his day. Then again my dad only cooked two meals: waffles and barbecued food. Hmm... sounds like me.

So this morning after Mass, I gathered with Miss Jill to figure out this whole waffle thing. Add some mix with some egg whites... throw in some oil and a bit of milk... voila! Waffle batter. Now time to make sure that waffle iron works. I poured in the waffle batter in and when the time was up, there was a bona fide waffle in there. And Miss Jill tasted the first product and it was good. Well, "very good" according to her. Then I created two more batches and you can see the ultimate result in the upper left hand picture. Waffles, syrup... perfection. And no bunnies to try and them all (they were still in their cages).

As you can see on the lower right hand picture, the finished product was quite supreme. Throw in some bacon and milk and it was the best Father's Day batch of waffles I had ever made. Of course that sets the bar high for future Father's Day breakfasts but that's quite alright. I can live with the anticipation.

Of course next year's Father's Day might have a hungry little Mary Jane expecting lots of waffles. Hmm... wondering if she'll know the word by then. I bet she will.

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Future Conflict

The Pengoon has returned home for the summer! That's not a good sign for TV Turtle.

Monday, June 13, 2011

Mary Jane and Cherry Bugg


Mary Jane is slowly learning to sit up and we had her on the big bed in her nursery. She had just taken a bunch of six month old pictures when suddenly Cherry Bugg appeared. Nothing quite like a cute Cherry Bugg sighting to make everyone happy. So Mary Jane reached down and decided to pet her. Luckily for MJ, the Chee has learned that she must be nice to humans (she will not give the same courtesy to other species). It's probably the idea that if she is mean to MJ then she will magically be whisked off to the back yard cage with minimal rations (not my orders, that of Miss Jill).

Now as the spontaneous photo shoot continued for Mary Jane and Cherry Bugg, Mary Jane lost her balance a bit. Or maybe she conjured her inner football player. In either case, London Bridge came falling down on Cherry Bugg. The helpless rabbit remained patient as she must realize that the six month Mary Jane doesn't quite have the balance. Personally, I might have been a bit ticked if someone collapsed on me like a sack of wet potatoes.

Cherry Bugg later hopped off muttering something about harassment. Miss Jill hopes that she doesn't sue for some sort of damages. Maybe a few carrots will help. Other Cherry Bugg might put a hex on the little girl and she won't sleep as well.

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Six Months Old!


Mary Jane is quite happy and cheery since she's on her way to her half-birthday. She now rolls over, smiles all the time, and just today started holding her bottle by herself. Nothing like being able to hold your own drink. Nothing more embarrassing for the rabbits when they can't hold their own water bottles. But I never say anything to them about it.

Oh, she's such a happy smiling girl in the morning. That's not to say she does not beam later in the day... but she laughs and smiles the most in the morning.

Saturday, June 4, 2011

Mary Jane Loves Long Walks with Daddy


Of course she'd rather be carried. Some day she'll get on her own feet and walk but not yet. The bunnies feel the same way.