Thunderstruck

Zot!

Hopefully the first thunderstorm to hit Los Angeles in quite a while will not keep my girls up tonight.  Mary Jane and Betsy Jo are probably too young to be scared by such things.  As for Mommy, TV Turtle, Cherry Bugg and Clifford?  I'm not so sure...

The DudeManBro

Standing Tall

Nothing gives a little girl more of a calming influence than a favorite stuffed animal.  In Mary Jane's case, it's Paul the Panda.  He also goes by P2theP.  Don't ask, we're all just players in his theatrical production.

Paul originally came to our family via the Phoenix Children's Hospital.  Ever since then he has jumped to the top of Mary Jane's animal list.  We often thought it might be TV Turtle or Clifford but no, it's definitely the panda.  He has a hankering for "bambuu" as he spells it.  He loves to surf and spends most of his free time chilling in the back yard and working on his tan.

During the evenings though, he is primarily in the arms of Mary Jane.  If Betsy somehow comes across the soft furry panda, Mary Jane elicits a rare bit of jealousy and takes Paul away with a frenzied grab.

Dinner with P2theP

Paul also makes his way to the dinner table.  There's no way he's not getting in on some of the food.  He's lucky though.  Mary Jane often feeds him the rest of the bottle when she's done.  He doesn't complain much although at first he thought it was a bit awkward.  There's some sort of pride one feels when they are the most wanted.  And for the DudeManBro, that's what it's all about.

Clifford in Your Face!

Sometimes in our household, one of us might oversleep the alarm in the morning. And when that happens, our wake up dog gets into action. Clifford, known as the Bunny Stopper, is also our Alarm Dog. Like this morning Miss Jill was sleeping in way too long so the Alarm Dog sprung into action.

"Woof," he cried aloud, "Wake up. Woof!" Nothing like a big red dog in your face at 6am. At least he's very courteous and licks your face afterward. Good for you, Clifford.

In other news regarding the Guys, TV Turtle doesn't wake you up but occasionally sneaks up on in the middle of the night just to see/smell if you had fish the previous evening. Sometimes if Mister John is feeling saucy, he'll whisper into TV Turtle's ear before he sleeps, "Miss Jill had salmon tonight." And then around 2am he'll sneak up on her and see if she has any more salmon. Oh, that silly turtle.

As for rabbit news, Cherry Bugg bossed Chip around again today but that's older news than Reggie Bush cheated and Barry Bonds used steroids.

Animal Portrait on Bed

Sometimes the animals just want to take a photo. In this case, Mister John walked into the bedroom and they all just organized themselves quite well. In the back left going clockwise are Ella the Moo Cow, Elly Phant, Clifford the Big Red Dog (duh!), and Papa and Mama Bugg all snuggled romantically. Yes, a good day for a group portrait.

Controversial Decision Awaits Bunny Election

After all the votes have been tallied, the Bunny Election of 2008 resulted in a TIE! Both the camps of Cherry Bugg and Princess Jane were outraged that the electorate could not decide upon the more deserving rabbit. Unfortunately there is nothing in the local constitution that provides a more definitive roadmap in case of electorate tying.

Quite possibly all of the indoor animals (Clifford, TV Turtle, Sharkey, etc) might get their own vote. Or there might just be a split leadership. Considering Princess Jane and Cherry Bugg do not seem to get along well, this might be a difficult decision.

Clearly there will be a recount. Hopefully cooler heads and lucky feet will prevail.

Bunny Debate Set for Next Week

Bunny Election candidates Cherry Bugg and Princess Jane have agreed to meet in three separate debates to discuss the various important election topics. The first debate will set in the master bedroom and will be supervised by Miss Jill. Here they will discuss domestic policy in front of many stuffed animals who are surprisingly still undecided (except for Mama and Papa Bugg who clearly will vote for their daughter). They will both be seated on the bed and answer these questions for at least 30 minutes or until one of them bites the other on the butt.

The second debate will be held outdoor in the patio by the back door. This debate will primarily discuss economic and agricultural issues. Questions about carrots, rose bushes, and dead leaves will surely arise. It is believed that Mister John will supervise this debate and it should last 30 minutes or until one of the rabbits again tries to bite the other on the butt.

The final debate will be held on the living room sofa and this will be more of a town hall debate in front of the other undecided animals: Fred, Frederica, Sharkey, Commute Bunny, and Clifford among others. Again this should last approximately thirty minutes. There is no truth to the rumor that Princess Jane and Cherry Bugg will debate MMA style in a steel cage. They prefer smooth wood floors.

Suppsedly Neutral Human Caught Cuddling Candidate

Even more controversy has rocked the Bunny Election of 2008 when one Jill Erb was seen cuddling Cherry Bugg, a candidate for the top spot. While neither could be available for comment, others were quick to speak. "No rats!" was heard from a neutral dog Clifford. A supporter of Cherry Bugg, a coughing rabbit named Papa Bugg (admittedly a supporter of Cherry Bugg as well as her father) said, "That's fine and dandy but does anyone have any smokes?" Finally a cute looking Root Beer Float did not say of whom she would vote but rather curiously kept grazing on the grass only lifting her head to sneeze cutely for reporters.

Remember: Bunny Election Day is the same day as the one for those humans. Thump the vote!

Jane v. Cherry Bugg in the Bunny Election Rematch

With November approaching and Election Day so close at hand, the matter is getting quite tense here on Dewey Street. Jane, the unquestioned monarch of the back yard for the past six years, is suddenly being challenged to an election by the precocious Cherry Bugg. While Jane believes in divine right of rabbits, Cherry Bugg thinks that all animals should be able to vote for their rulers. (Never mind the fact that they would probably vote off my wife Jill as she rarely feeds them and they would rather replace her with a self-serve grain stand. I, however, would not like to be married to a self-serve grain stand.)

Considering that we do have five rabbits, this election is up for grabs. However, since Jane's mate is Phillip, he will most probably vote for her. Besides, he does not get along well with Cherry Bugg as they tend to fight.

So this means that Ruby Jane and Root Beer Float -- clearly two independent voters with a voting history as scatter-shot as a drunk possum with a pellet gun -- may decide who the winner of the Bunny Election will be.

It has been rumored that ALL animals within the household get a vote so our stuffed animals may also get to decide. Clifford, TV Turtle, Mama Bugg, Papa Bugg, Sharky, Pedro, Trumpet, and even Tan Chihuahua all may get a say in this all-important event.

Hopefully, there will not be a recall on this year's election as Jill and I would prefer to stay in this house for the time being.

The Bunny Stopper!

Watch out for this dog. He does not like bunnies who go potty outside of the bin and will let them know about it with a large resounding WOOF! In fact poor little Ruby Jane runs away any time she sees the menacing dog. He's quite a friendly dog but for some reason he barks at Ruby Jane. Go figure.