Root Beer Float Makes a Break for It... Again!

The family Houdini, Root Beer Float, managed to escape out the side gate this afternoon after it didn't fully close a few hours earlier when the gardener left the back yard. Mister John, not going through the side gate, did not see the slight crack which the eagle-eyed (and round bellied!) RBF did see. RBF was later discovered in the front yard grazing on previously unseen and untasted grass. Unfortunately for the quasi-panda bear, this was the wrong yard for her and Miss Jill along with Mister John (who was wearing Mary Jane on a front pack) had to chase her back. Unlike the other rabbits she was not indignant about being caught. She just hopped back to the yard and scurried around till she found another delicious patch of grass.

Ruby Jane and Prince Phillip did not have any comment after the matter.

Root Beer Float has had many legendary escapes since she endeared herself to the Erb family back in 2006. At a very young age she already learned how to hop and climb vertically to escape almost any type of cage. Back in 2006 when she was a mere bunny and TOME (The Original Mr. Erb, Mister John's father) was staying with the family in the summer, his voice often cried, "Run, rabbit, run!" meaning she escaped yet again.

Later that year Mister John's friend Pete made the bad mistake of accidentally leaving the hutch gate open and it took hours for he and his wife Lillian to round up Root Beer Float and her rambunctious sister Ruby Jane.

Was That a Bugg Butt? (no, another kind)

Root Beer Float headbutted her sister today to get at some tasty greens. She didn't think that anyone was watching but Mister John gets home earlier now from summer school and watched this incident underneath the orange tree. She headbutted her a second time as well. Usually her sister Ruby Jane is the assertive one but maybe it's RBF's turn to lay down the backyard law.

None of the bunnies look forward to Independence Day. Well, first of all, they do not get any independence (which will be added in a later blog). Secondly, all the noise in the neighborhood from neighbor's illegal fireworks (always illegal in LA but can be bought in Culver City) startle them just a tad.

Root Beer Float Wonders Where Miss Jill and Mister John Went

Mister John and Miss Jill snuck off to Long Beach to celebrate Miss Jill's birthday this weekend. They left the bunnies behind but they did leave them plenty of hay and carrots. None of the rabbits finished their hay but the carrots were gone quickly.

Upon being let out this afternoon, the Float hopped straight out of her cage and started grazing on the grass. It looked like she had not eaten grass in over a week. Well, a day and a half might as well be a week to a starving rabbit.

Ruby Jane on the other hand kept clapping her hands together and eating mollusks. Or something like that. She swims way too much.

Miss Jill Returns Home from Portugal

Miss Jill returned home tonight from her long sojourn in Portugal but the bunnies were not extremely receptive. Chip did come in to greet her in the bedroom but Cherry Bugg drove him out. It was duly noted by Miss Jill though that Cherry Bugg did buy her a "Get Well Card" with the word Well crossed out and replaced with Home. That was quite a cute thing by the bunny.

The den now has a big carpet in it so Chip does not have many places to sit on the cold smooth tile any more. I bet he likes the rug. It will give him more of a reason to run faster. Those rabbits sure don't like tile floors.

RBF update: she's taking her medicine. She'll be OK but that nose of hers sure gets stuffed sometimes.

Sisters Snuggle Under the Swing

This weekend Root Beer Float and Ruby Jane escaped from their normal Sunday activities of hopping, thumping, and sprinting to flop under the swing in the back corner of the yard. There they snuggled cheek-to-cheek and rested there for at least 30 minutes. Occasionally Phillip hopped by to guard the two but they were safe under the large wooden swing. Nearby the occasional fallen orange may startle them but that does not faze them. In fact, RBF can chomp down an orange in a remarkable time.

In a related note, Mister John is thinking about having another large carrot eating contest between Root Beer Float and Ruby Jane. While it is a "boat race" in the sense that RBF will clearly out-eat her dear sister, Guinness does want to check the time in which she can eat the giant carrot. My rabbit, a potential Guinness Book of World Records holder.

Chip Embarrassed by Sleeping Photo

Poor ol' Chip. The young bunny never seems to get a break.

He's sometimes picked on my RBF and then Cherry Bugg chases him back into his cage. Look at him on the left. He's afraid to come out! And he'd also like to announce there is a shoe sale. Go before they're all soled out. Get it? Soled out? Ah, I'm on fire today.

Anyway, the young Chip has been pictured sleeping on Miss Jill and Mister John's bed. He woke up shortly after this photo but not before he thumped. He doesn't like being mocked for sleeping like a human.

Root Beer Float Has Something to Say

From the desk of Root Beer Float:

"I'm cute. That is all."

Chip Insulted with Gift Stick

Chip was quite unamused when Mr. John and Miss Jill brought him a desert stick for Thumpmas. He first lunged at it then tossed it outside of his cage. He didn't mention that he loved the carrot given to him earlier in the day. Or the excellent nose rub Mr. John gave him in the morning. But for now, a disdaining Thumpmas thump. No news on what RBF, Ruby Jane, Phillip, and Cherry Bugg received for Thumpmas. But one would think they would not be satisfied.

As for Miss Jill, she really likes her new boots which make her feet feel comfortable. Mr. John also received some appropriate t-shirts, board games, and books.

RBF Wonders Where Cake Is

Even though it is nowhere near her birthday, Root Beer Float was heard asking her sister Ruby Jane, "Hey, where's my birthday cake?"

"Where's OUR birthday cake?" retorted Ruby Jane, irritated that RBF forgot that they share the same birthday. Ruby Jane, our beloved Brown Bear, shrugged and hopped back under the orange tree.

Root Beer Float, as you can see here, sits a bit confused near the base of the ham radio tower. She's pining for a nice chocolate cake. Maybe all of this Halloween chatter among the rabbits led to her thinking she'd get chocolate cake. Heck, Mister John and Miss Jill would like some chocolate cake too.

Meanwhile Chip is upset that people keep blaming him for things. Poor chip.

Bunnies Unmoved by Illnesses

Supposedly a mean touch of the flu hit the home of Mister John and Miss Jill but the rabbits did not buy their excuses. They were thumping mad that in a week in which Mister John has multiple short days -- and even took a sick day! -- that they did not get to run around the back yard. "THUMP," said Ruby Jane's right back foot. Cherry Bugg did curtly add to this whole illness thing, "I thought I saw a pig tail on that Mister John. The swine flu with him!" They all giggled before ChBugg tried to bite the others on the butt.

But four of the rabbits were able to be out and about for a summer Sunday. Alas, RBF and Ruby Jane were also unhappy that they had to go up early because their masters were going to Mass. Maybe if the bunnies had more religion in their lives, they would not be so unsympathetic to such matters.

Rabbits Indignant Like Desert Birds in "The Second Coming"

OK, so most of you have never read "The Second Coming" by W.B. Yeats (rhymes with Gates). But there are some desert birds in that poem and you know what? They are quite the indignant little beasties. Or as my Dad, TOME (The Original Mr. Erb), would call them: "mangy rascals." While I would never ostensibly call a bird -- especially indignant desert ones -- a mangy rascal, I don't ask. Anyway, where was I? Oh yes, the second coming. I don't think Root Beer Float and Jane (both picture to the right) care about such silly nonsense. Furthermore that whole cult belief that the world will end in December of 2012 does not amuse Princess Jane in the least. Her reign will not end (do note that the forecast for the San Gabriel Mission Fiesta is God Reigns) and she will remain the lead rabbit on Dewey Street for a very long time coming.

The Dodgers won, 5-0, today. Woot!

I just hope that my bunnies are not slouching towards Bethlehem in order to witness the new Antichrist. What, you still haven't read "The Second Coming" yet? Get your butt to http://www.potw.org/archive/potw351.html and read it already.

Questions to ponder:

1) What do the falcon and falconer symbolize?
2) Why do you think Yeats refers to the Sphinx?
3) If Yeats was so damn sure the world would end in 2000, why didn't it? (Silly Y2K)

Bunnies Have Overnight Picnic

Root Beer Float and Ruby Jane somehow managed to break out of their cage last night (Mr. John has no comment) and sit around and on the outdoor picnic table. They were awaiting some carrot sandwiches and yogurt. Miss Jill was agog at this comment. "Yogurt?" she asked. "We don't have any yogurt." At that the bunnies thumped and hopped off, not yet having their picnic.

Mother's Day for Mama Bugg

Mama Bugg, the matriarch of the Bugg clan was quite in a chipper mood yesterday as her daughter Cherry Bugg as well as her granddaughters Root Beer Float and Ruby Jane visited her. Alas, the day ended poorly when Papa Bugg asked RBF for some smokes.

Voter Fraud in Tuesday's Rabbit Elections?

Controversy racked the back yard on Dewey Street this week when it was alledged that there might have been voter fraud regarding the Jane/Cherry Bugg contest for rabbit supremacy. Officially the tally came out in favor of Jane: 8-6. However, a recount was asked for by Cherry Bugg's campaign officials and it was discovered that Root Beer Float and Ruby Jane did not vote in the election. At first it was thought that these two precocious youths just voted for themselves but RBF was later heard to say, "Achoo!" in regards to the whole election process.

Jane remains adamant that she won a fair election. However, Cherry Bugg claims that in the recount, she won by a margin of 108-2. Jane has questioned the validity of that claim; especially since Clifford said that he remembered voting for Jane because she has a strong policy against going "potty on the bed." Cherry Bugg declined to comment.

While Jane tends to view her rule more by divine right than people's opinions, she will gladly take the result of her supreme power over all those she surveys.

Miss Jill and Mr. John have no opinion on such matters. They leave the rabbits to rule themselves.