Things have been busy, so I haven't had as much time to wax rhapsodic about my favorite feline. I thought it was about time for me to remedy that gross oversight.
This morning he just made me scratch my head. I love my baby and as smart as he is, I really have to wonder sometimes just what is going on inside of that walnut-sized brain of his.
Now, we know cats are weird about water. The time that Sunny jumped into the shower with me and then bolted out when he realized "holy crap, I'm getting WET!!!" had me laughing so hard I cried. The look of pure panic on that furry little face was totally priceless and I am a bad kitty momma because it totally cracked me up...but I digress.
I was talking about this morning.
Today I was in the kitchen trying to whip up a quick breakfast and get to work when himself wandered in to assail me with plaintive mewing. In spite of my rush, trying to be the good human servant, I stopped what I was doing and turned to look at him and ask, "what?" He replied with another mew (as he often does) and wandered over to his bowls. Now you have to understand, not only does he have a lovely white ceramic fountain courtesy of his Aunty D. which constantly circulates and provides him with running water, but there is also a shiny stainless steel bowl next to it, because sometimes he just doesn't want to deal with the running stuff and it's important that he stay hydrated.
Yes, I know, he IS ridiculously spoiled.
Not only are both of these constantly filled, but they are filled with water from the filtered pitcher. Thinking this was the issue (especially since the dry food had been refreshed and there was gushy food in the other bowl) I walked over and added more to both from said pitcher. Sunny just looked at me. I walked back to my work station and emptied the oatmeal from the pot I took from the stove to the bowl I had waiting, putting the pot in the sink and filling it with water. I had enough trials with wallpaper paste when I had to deal with the stuff on my actual walls. I don't need it on my dishes as well. I turned back to doctor my oatmeal the way I like it and heard a very distinct "thump."
That would be the sound of 14 pounds of feline gracefully landing on the lip of the sink. Seriously, he is quite graceful and the noise is not nearly what I would have heard from my previous beauty, Nala, who was only 11 pounds, but landed like a ton of bricks. I turned to look as butt high in the air and front paws on the bottom of the sink, my little fur brain happily lapped at the starchy water of my oatmeal pot. When he came back up and turned to look at me licking his lips I shook my head.
"Really? You have a bowl and a fountain, freshly cleaned and filled with filtered water and YOU go for the scuzzy oatmeal water. Seriously?"
Sunny blinked and let out a short meow that I swear was him saying "yup!" then jumped back down to the floor and sauntered out of the room.
That's my boy.
Sunny Lounge
Friday, March 13, 2015
Friday, December 19, 2014
Oh, Christmas Tree
So, last night, I finally got my tree set up in my house. It's not decorated yet, because I wanted a day to let the branches settle.
I am very lucky that Sunny is really great about the tree. I usually weight the base down, just in case. A couple of full paint cans do the trick quite nicely.
In self defense, I do have a rule that must be followed when the tree is decorated...no breakable ornaments on the bottom foot of the tree. I have plenty of no-shatter, paper, wood and other durable material ornaments that form the bottom ring on the tree. He will occasionally investigate...
I think I've caught him batting at an ornament once or twice in the years that I've had him. They're just not that interesting. You see for Sunny, it's all about the tree skirt.
He LOVES the soft, fluffy skirt for lounging after defeating the dreaded catnip filled mouse
I am very lucky that Sunny is really great about the tree. I usually weight the base down, just in case. A couple of full paint cans do the trick quite nicely.
In self defense, I do have a rule that must be followed when the tree is decorated...no breakable ornaments on the bottom foot of the tree. I have plenty of no-shatter, paper, wood and other durable material ornaments that form the bottom ring on the tree. He will occasionally investigate...
I think I've caught him batting at an ornament once or twice in the years that I've had him. They're just not that interesting. You see for Sunny, it's all about the tree skirt.
He LOVES the soft, fluffy skirt for lounging after defeating the dreaded catnip filled mouse
Mostly, though, it's all about the nap. Curled up under the twinkling, sheltering branches is his favorite place to be at this time of the year, and really what better gift could be found under the tree than this...?
Friday, December 5, 2014
Somewhere Over the Rainbow
A friend helped her kitty over the rainbow bridge last week. I'd never met Das Whamph as she called him, but I heard so many stories and saw lots of photos. He was absolutely beautiful and so incredibly loved. I was shocked when her husband told me how old Whamph was, because he never had that elder-kitty look.
Having been through it once, my heart ached for my friend. My plans for being super-productive that day were scrapped and instead, I spent a lazy day with Sunny, giving him lots of attention and love.
Sunny gives me so much, just being himself. Being the only human in the house would be lonely if it weren't for that sweet furry face running to greet me when I get home. Last night, since I stopped to take the garbage to the curb on my way in, he appeared in the window looking for me. He knows the sound of my car pulling up and wondered what was taking so long.
I walk in the room when he's sleeping on the couch and he rolls over and shows me his tummy. My heart skips a beat that an animal, who I'm pretty sure was abused at one point, trusts me enough to be so vulnerable. He has even started letting me pet that fuzzy tum more and more, which I love. Soft fuzzy tummies were meant to be pet!
This morning we were playing when I first woke up. He dove at my hand under the covers. In spite of the fact that cat play is motivated by the prey drive, none of his claws were extended. He knew it was me and he didn't want to cause injury. In the years since I first adopted him, the number of scratches has reduced dramatically. He used to pounce with claws out, but now he is careful to make sure he doesn't hurt me.
He makes me laugh...a lot. I love watching the kitty crazies that send him careening around the house, literally launching himself off of walls and furniture (let me tell you, the bank off of the living room wall to do the 180 at the landing of the stairs is really impressive!). The way he plays with catnip and gets totally stoned absolutely reminds me of some friends from college and beyond (who shall remain nameless). I laugh through the conversations we have when he wants something, They come complete with the lip I get when I tell him "no." I swear he has a meow that he uses after he gets the "I told you, NO!" that makes me hear "whatever" in snide teenager voice every time.
More and more, he has become overtly affectionate. It used to be that head-butts and rub downs were rare occurrences. Now, they are just about the daily greeting when I come downstairs in the morning. He has even started letting me hold him for longer periods of time.
I couldn't imagine my life without him and I will do all within my power to make sure that I don't have to for a VERY long time.
So, in memory of the beautiful and beloved Kimbah Timbalaya Whampherbuttamus, let's all take a few minutes to give some extra scritches, love and affection to our own sweet beasties for all that they bring into our lives.
Having been through it once, my heart ached for my friend. My plans for being super-productive that day were scrapped and instead, I spent a lazy day with Sunny, giving him lots of attention and love.
Sunny gives me so much, just being himself. Being the only human in the house would be lonely if it weren't for that sweet furry face running to greet me when I get home. Last night, since I stopped to take the garbage to the curb on my way in, he appeared in the window looking for me. He knows the sound of my car pulling up and wondered what was taking so long.
I walk in the room when he's sleeping on the couch and he rolls over and shows me his tummy. My heart skips a beat that an animal, who I'm pretty sure was abused at one point, trusts me enough to be so vulnerable. He has even started letting me pet that fuzzy tum more and more, which I love. Soft fuzzy tummies were meant to be pet!
This morning we were playing when I first woke up. He dove at my hand under the covers. In spite of the fact that cat play is motivated by the prey drive, none of his claws were extended. He knew it was me and he didn't want to cause injury. In the years since I first adopted him, the number of scratches has reduced dramatically. He used to pounce with claws out, but now he is careful to make sure he doesn't hurt me.
He makes me laugh...a lot. I love watching the kitty crazies that send him careening around the house, literally launching himself off of walls and furniture (let me tell you, the bank off of the living room wall to do the 180 at the landing of the stairs is really impressive!). The way he plays with catnip and gets totally stoned absolutely reminds me of some friends from college and beyond (who shall remain nameless). I laugh through the conversations we have when he wants something, They come complete with the lip I get when I tell him "no." I swear he has a meow that he uses after he gets the "I told you, NO!" that makes me hear "whatever" in snide teenager voice every time.
More and more, he has become overtly affectionate. It used to be that head-butts and rub downs were rare occurrences. Now, they are just about the daily greeting when I come downstairs in the morning. He has even started letting me hold him for longer periods of time.
I couldn't imagine my life without him and I will do all within my power to make sure that I don't have to for a VERY long time.
So, in memory of the beautiful and beloved Kimbah Timbalaya Whampherbuttamus, let's all take a few minutes to give some extra scritches, love and affection to our own sweet beasties for all that they bring into our lives.
Tuesday, August 12, 2014
Invasion of the kitty snatchers?
So, last week was my annual trip to a campground in Western Pennsylvania, where for a week, I immerse myself in an attempt at recreating medieval and renaissance life. It's something of a working vacation, because I'm constantly busy, but it is a time filled with friends, family, music and camaraderie. I love it!
Sunny does not.
I am not sure if Sunny was abandoned, or ran away because of abuse. So, either he gets anxious because he knows what it's like to be abandoned, or he is terrified of losing the human who loves him and getting stuck with one who treats him badly. Either way, he has some major separation anxiety issues.
I have a couple of friends who will take care of him if I am away. Both of them adore him and don't just stop in long enough to scoop the box and fill the bowl. They stay and spend time with him. They give him treats and his favorite kitty crack (also known as his vitamin). While it's not the same as having me there every night, he does get plenty of affection while I'm away.
You couldn't tell that from the homecoming I received.
It started with the upset meows when I walked in the door.
"Where have you been?"
"How could you leave me?"
"I had to sleep all ALONE!"
"I was only getting treats every OTHER day!!"
There was a running stream of commentary as I pet him while trying to make a bee-line for the bathroom, because my last stop had included a large diet soda for the caffeine to push me through the last hour and a half of what turned into a 7.5 hour drive thanks to an overturned truck in a construction zone. He came upstairs with me, of course, because all cat owners know that going to the bathroom alone is inconceivable.
Afterwards, I went to my room and crashed on the bed. That was when Sunny did something truly remarkable. Instead of going straight for the treat bag and swatting at it to get my attention, he did several passes of a full-body rub to express his delight at having his human home. Now, you have to understand, Sunny is not the most demonstrative of kitties and prefers his affection at just short of arm's length, where I am supposed to worship him with scritches along his cheeks, head and back of the neck. He reciprocates verbally with a roar of a purr. The reality of my stand-offish boy purring with delight while rubbing his head and cheeks over every bit of me he could reach was more than a surprise.
I did give him some treats and he continued to purr and rub up against me. He came back downstairs with me and while I caught up on emails and such, he actually jumped up on the couch for more head-butts and licks on my arm. I was stunned. Who was this strange feline who looked so much like my boy? It was obviously the invasion of the kitty snatchers while I was away.
He eventually calmed down and I brought out his gift (yes, the first thing I purchased from the dozens of merchants there was for Sunny). It was a grey felt rat, with a black cord tail, filled with catnip. Sunny approved.
It's days later and he still wants to be in the same room with me when I'm in the house (it hasn't helped that I'm working 10-11 hour days). He's sleeping on my bed through the night and generally being extremely affectionate (for Sunny that is). I'm hoping that at least a part of it will last for a very long time. Kitty snatchers or no, I'm enjoying having an almost cuddly Sunny.
Sunny does not.
I am not sure if Sunny was abandoned, or ran away because of abuse. So, either he gets anxious because he knows what it's like to be abandoned, or he is terrified of losing the human who loves him and getting stuck with one who treats him badly. Either way, he has some major separation anxiety issues.
I have a couple of friends who will take care of him if I am away. Both of them adore him and don't just stop in long enough to scoop the box and fill the bowl. They stay and spend time with him. They give him treats and his favorite kitty crack (also known as his vitamin). While it's not the same as having me there every night, he does get plenty of affection while I'm away.
You couldn't tell that from the homecoming I received.
It started with the upset meows when I walked in the door.
"Where have you been?"
"How could you leave me?"
"I had to sleep all ALONE!"
"I was only getting treats every OTHER day!!"
There was a running stream of commentary as I pet him while trying to make a bee-line for the bathroom, because my last stop had included a large diet soda for the caffeine to push me through the last hour and a half of what turned into a 7.5 hour drive thanks to an overturned truck in a construction zone. He came upstairs with me, of course, because all cat owners know that going to the bathroom alone is inconceivable.
Afterwards, I went to my room and crashed on the bed. That was when Sunny did something truly remarkable. Instead of going straight for the treat bag and swatting at it to get my attention, he did several passes of a full-body rub to express his delight at having his human home. Now, you have to understand, Sunny is not the most demonstrative of kitties and prefers his affection at just short of arm's length, where I am supposed to worship him with scritches along his cheeks, head and back of the neck. He reciprocates verbally with a roar of a purr. The reality of my stand-offish boy purring with delight while rubbing his head and cheeks over every bit of me he could reach was more than a surprise.
I did give him some treats and he continued to purr and rub up against me. He came back downstairs with me and while I caught up on emails and such, he actually jumped up on the couch for more head-butts and licks on my arm. I was stunned. Who was this strange feline who looked so much like my boy? It was obviously the invasion of the kitty snatchers while I was away.
He eventually calmed down and I brought out his gift (yes, the first thing I purchased from the dozens of merchants there was for Sunny). It was a grey felt rat, with a black cord tail, filled with catnip. Sunny approved.
It's days later and he still wants to be in the same room with me when I'm in the house (it hasn't helped that I'm working 10-11 hour days). He's sleeping on my bed through the night and generally being extremely affectionate (for Sunny that is). I'm hoping that at least a part of it will last for a very long time. Kitty snatchers or no, I'm enjoying having an almost cuddly Sunny.
Friday, July 11, 2014
Sunny the Cat and the "Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day"
When last we left our intrepid feline...
Oh, wait, that's the beginning of another story.
Take two.
It hasn't been a happy day in the land of Sunnydom. The day started well enough. The human mom's alarm went off and immediately there were treats and scritches and a fresh bowl of water. All of that was good. This is the way the day is supposed to start. Even better, human mom didn't hop right out of bed to disappear for a while and come back all hot and sweaty. Instead, she spent a few extra minutes with me, just petting me and talking to me.
Going downstairs there were the two soft, chewy treats that I get every morning. I sometimes wonder why there are only ever two, but they taste yummy, so I don't argue. After that, things just went wrong. Human mom had just finished making her breakfast, but before she could eat it, there was one of those terrifying creatures at the door...an adult male human. The best place to be when one of those arrives is at the back of human mom's closet. There are lots of soft things that hang all the way to the floor and the only one who knows the hiding place is human mom.
The man was up and down the stairs, into the room where human mom gets the water from upstairs and where she has the weird, wet litterbox. Then, there were lots of weird loud noises. Human mom was up and down the stairs a few times, and the scary man came up too. After a little while, it finally got quiet. I waited, just to be certain and then came downstairs.
There was stuff on the floor in the room with the big, flat, off the floor bed (with the four padded hiding places underneath) that mom doesn't like me to lie on. I'm not sure why. If you cover something with fabric, isn't that where I'm supposed to lie down? She sometimes sits on my hiding places and puts her food on the bed to eat or uses the machine that she controls with her feet that eats up fabric. Everything else seemed okay, so I had a couple of bites of food and went down to use the litterbox
While I was downstairs, I heard it. Another one of the big scary MEN was in the house. I was trapped. What was I to do? I waited and waited. I heard the thumpy footsteps go out the front door and decided to make a break for it. Human mom was on the couch as I bolted through the room. There were more loud noises. It felt like the floor was shaking. Eventually, I couldn't hear the scary man anymore, but there was still a noise. When I went down to investigate, the room with the big bed was all strange. There were things hanging from the ceiling and something making lots of noise by the entry to the room with my food.
I decided it wasn't worth the risk. Human mom gave me treats and I went up to nap some more. I came back down again. I was hungry. I didn't know what to do. The noises from behind the stuff hanging from the ceiling were pretty loud. Human mom went in and put a chair down right next to it. She's REALLY brave. She stayed between it and me so I could ease my way into the room with my food and water. It didn't do anything or try to hurt me. I ate a little bit, but went back upstairs. I realized I was still hungry, so I went back downstairs. I decided if human mom could be brave, so could I. Besides, it didn't do anything to me when I went past it the first time.
I still don't like it, and I really do hate it when there are MEN in the house. Between the men and the big noises and the scary things in the room with the big bed, it really has been a "terrible, horrible, no go, very bad day."
*****************************
Human mom here: So if you don't understand what Sunny was trying to tell you. I had plumbers in to fix a leak in my bathroom that went into my dining room. They opened up the ceiling and found a relatively small amount of mold. So, the plumber left and the mold remediation guy came. There are now blowers and dehumidifiers drying everything out until Monday. Tuesday the plumbers come back and replace the pipes from my tub. The insurance adjuster will also come out, because while I still have to pay the insane plumbing bill, the insurance will cover the mold remediation and ceiling repair. Sunny is not pleased with the blowers. Quite frankly, neither am I, since they pump out heat and I can all but hear the electric meter buzz as the numbers whiz by, but we'll muddle through.
Oh, wait, that's the beginning of another story.
Take two.
It hasn't been a happy day in the land of Sunnydom. The day started well enough. The human mom's alarm went off and immediately there were treats and scritches and a fresh bowl of water. All of that was good. This is the way the day is supposed to start. Even better, human mom didn't hop right out of bed to disappear for a while and come back all hot and sweaty. Instead, she spent a few extra minutes with me, just petting me and talking to me.
Going downstairs there were the two soft, chewy treats that I get every morning. I sometimes wonder why there are only ever two, but they taste yummy, so I don't argue. After that, things just went wrong. Human mom had just finished making her breakfast, but before she could eat it, there was one of those terrifying creatures at the door...an adult male human. The best place to be when one of those arrives is at the back of human mom's closet. There are lots of soft things that hang all the way to the floor and the only one who knows the hiding place is human mom.
The man was up and down the stairs, into the room where human mom gets the water from upstairs and where she has the weird, wet litterbox. Then, there were lots of weird loud noises. Human mom was up and down the stairs a few times, and the scary man came up too. After a little while, it finally got quiet. I waited, just to be certain and then came downstairs.
There was stuff on the floor in the room with the big, flat, off the floor bed (with the four padded hiding places underneath) that mom doesn't like me to lie on. I'm not sure why. If you cover something with fabric, isn't that where I'm supposed to lie down? She sometimes sits on my hiding places and puts her food on the bed to eat or uses the machine that she controls with her feet that eats up fabric. Everything else seemed okay, so I had a couple of bites of food and went down to use the litterbox
While I was downstairs, I heard it. Another one of the big scary MEN was in the house. I was trapped. What was I to do? I waited and waited. I heard the thumpy footsteps go out the front door and decided to make a break for it. Human mom was on the couch as I bolted through the room. There were more loud noises. It felt like the floor was shaking. Eventually, I couldn't hear the scary man anymore, but there was still a noise. When I went down to investigate, the room with the big bed was all strange. There were things hanging from the ceiling and something making lots of noise by the entry to the room with my food.
I decided it wasn't worth the risk. Human mom gave me treats and I went up to nap some more. I came back down again. I was hungry. I didn't know what to do. The noises from behind the stuff hanging from the ceiling were pretty loud. Human mom went in and put a chair down right next to it. She's REALLY brave. She stayed between it and me so I could ease my way into the room with my food and water. It didn't do anything or try to hurt me. I ate a little bit, but went back upstairs. I realized I was still hungry, so I went back downstairs. I decided if human mom could be brave, so could I. Besides, it didn't do anything to me when I went past it the first time.
I still don't like it, and I really do hate it when there are MEN in the house. Between the men and the big noises and the scary things in the room with the big bed, it really has been a "terrible, horrible, no go, very bad day."
*****************************
Human mom here: So if you don't understand what Sunny was trying to tell you. I had plumbers in to fix a leak in my bathroom that went into my dining room. They opened up the ceiling and found a relatively small amount of mold. So, the plumber left and the mold remediation guy came. There are now blowers and dehumidifiers drying everything out until Monday. Tuesday the plumbers come back and replace the pipes from my tub. The insurance adjuster will also come out, because while I still have to pay the insane plumbing bill, the insurance will cover the mold remediation and ceiling repair. Sunny is not pleased with the blowers. Quite frankly, neither am I, since they pump out heat and I can all but hear the electric meter buzz as the numbers whiz by, but we'll muddle through.
Thursday, May 15, 2014
Harvard Here we Come
So, I've always known that Sunny was smart. It's one of the things I love about him. He's a big cat with a big personality powered by a big brain (for a cat that is). Every once in a while he does things that really show me just how smart he is. Sometimes, that realization is a little scary.
Things have been a bit crazy in the past few weeks. There was Holy Week (I'm a professional church musician) and I started working again as a contractor for an old boss who can make things a bit stressful, while I'm still looking and interviewing for a permanent job. On top of that, I started getting out the door early to meet a friend to go walking before I work. Nothing I can't handle, but it takes a bit to settle into the busy routine again, so I've been a bit tired.
Well, last night, I realized that I hadn't scooped Sunny's box in a while. I'm usually really on top of it and keep it nice and clean. I think my brain registered going down into the basement to get laundry as "I've been in the basement, the box is scooped." It's the only reason I go down there on a regular basis. Feeling horribly guilty, I grabbed the fresh bag of litter and a garbage bag and headed downstairs.
Now, I expected a mess. I knew the box would be really full, but I also know that Sunny is really great about keeping everything in the box and there was no smell coming upstairs. Now you have to understand that the litter I use (Arm & Hammer Essentials--GREAT stuff!!), comes in a stiff plastic bag. I tear off the entire top of the bag and it sits on the floor near the box, wide open.
Well, Sunny kept to his fastidious nature and only peed in the box. That gets absorbed into the litter, so it's fine. Poop, on the other hand is to be buried and when most of the litter is a big clump, what's a kitty to do?
Well, if you're Sunny, you figure it out. You go into the bag of litter, spill some out, poop on that and then pull more litter out to bury it. No joke. There was poop on the floor next to the bag with litter both underneath and on top as if it had been buried in the box as usual. He only did it once, so I got there in time to avoid it getting out of hand, which was a relief. However, it is mildly alarming to realize that I have a cat with better problem solving skills than some co-workers I've had. I mean, seriously, how many animals come up with solutions like this? One of my friends is convinced he's really a human being trapped in a cat's body, a la Bewitched. I'm not sure she's wrong.
He got extra treats last night, both as an apology and a thank you. Of course, not two minutes after I came upstairs from the cleanup, who comes down from the second floor and heads to the basement? Yup. He had been listening for the signs that I had taken care of things for him, so he knew things were all fresh. I went right back down after he came up to scoop things up. A kitty that smart deserves a clean box.
Things have been a bit crazy in the past few weeks. There was Holy Week (I'm a professional church musician) and I started working again as a contractor for an old boss who can make things a bit stressful, while I'm still looking and interviewing for a permanent job. On top of that, I started getting out the door early to meet a friend to go walking before I work. Nothing I can't handle, but it takes a bit to settle into the busy routine again, so I've been a bit tired.
Well, last night, I realized that I hadn't scooped Sunny's box in a while. I'm usually really on top of it and keep it nice and clean. I think my brain registered going down into the basement to get laundry as "I've been in the basement, the box is scooped." It's the only reason I go down there on a regular basis. Feeling horribly guilty, I grabbed the fresh bag of litter and a garbage bag and headed downstairs.
Now, I expected a mess. I knew the box would be really full, but I also know that Sunny is really great about keeping everything in the box and there was no smell coming upstairs. Now you have to understand that the litter I use (Arm & Hammer Essentials--GREAT stuff!!), comes in a stiff plastic bag. I tear off the entire top of the bag and it sits on the floor near the box, wide open.
Well, Sunny kept to his fastidious nature and only peed in the box. That gets absorbed into the litter, so it's fine. Poop, on the other hand is to be buried and when most of the litter is a big clump, what's a kitty to do?
Well, if you're Sunny, you figure it out. You go into the bag of litter, spill some out, poop on that and then pull more litter out to bury it. No joke. There was poop on the floor next to the bag with litter both underneath and on top as if it had been buried in the box as usual. He only did it once, so I got there in time to avoid it getting out of hand, which was a relief. However, it is mildly alarming to realize that I have a cat with better problem solving skills than some co-workers I've had. I mean, seriously, how many animals come up with solutions like this? One of my friends is convinced he's really a human being trapped in a cat's body, a la Bewitched. I'm not sure she's wrong.
He got extra treats last night, both as an apology and a thank you. Of course, not two minutes after I came upstairs from the cleanup, who comes down from the second floor and heads to the basement? Yup. He had been listening for the signs that I had taken care of things for him, so he knew things were all fresh. I went right back down after he came up to scoop things up. A kitty that smart deserves a clean box.
Tuesday, March 25, 2014
Tales of a Mighty Mouser--Part Two
So in my original post about Sunny's exterminator position, Tales of a Mighty Mouser, I mentioned that there was another incident which merited its own post. I decided to stop being a tease and share.
Now, just to warn you, this is not one for the faint of heart. It is a testament to the great love I bear my sweet furry beast that he was ever allowed back into my room after this particular incident.
Now, when there's a mouse around, there are usually some early warning signs. Sunny will hear things, or smell things and I will notice him going on the prowl. He'll investigate corners and check behind doors. I've learned to recognize the warning signs that something has found it's way in, and is soon to find its way out the hard way.
This time, there were no such warnings. It was mid-July. It was the first time that I was going to be the person solely responsible for my company's presence at our biggest national conference. This was our target group of customers and I was one of two who represented the advance team, arriving early to start the setup, only to be joined by the rest of the crew later.
To say that I was wound up, would be an understatement. I had been working late to get things together and that meant that all of my personal packing was happening last minute. Now, Sunny is not a fan of my suitcase. I've done enough business travel that he knows what it means and is less than thrilled when he sees it out and open. I had been running around like crazy to get everything done. I was pretty sure I was finished and was going to crash, praying I could shut my brain off long enough to sleep.
I crawled into bed exhausted and wired. Within moments, Sunny was there. I made short shrift of his evening ritual of scritches and treats, trying to get to sleep as quickly as possible. Once that was done, Sunny did something very unusual. He started digging at the covers and sniffing. Now, you have to understand, I am not one for making beds and with the July heat, the covers were bunched up in the middle of the bed where I had shoved them in order to keep cool.
I pushed Sunny away and told him to stop being a nudge, because I needed to sleep. He came back and did it again. I pushed him away again. Again he came back. I gave up. I rolled over, presenting him with my back, did my best to ignore him and eventually managed to fall asleep.
Big mistake.
I got up the next day and uncharacteristically jumped out of bed right away to get going. Since I was going to be away for a few days, I decided to make the bed.
You do know where this is going right?
As I shook out the covers, to my intense horror, I discovered the reason for Sunny's odd behavior of the previous evening. A tiny furry body fell out from the rumpled comforter and sheets. I cannot tell you how badly I shuddered with the pure skeeve of having spent the night, blissfully slumbering with a dead mouse in my bed. It was a very good thing that there was no food in my system.
The bed got stripped and the offending corpse tossed out into the bushes. I was still twitching when I got to the office to meet my co-worker and collect a few things before my flight. I called my brother, whose squeamish tendencies can, usually, only be brought out by needles being stuck into him summed it up brilliantly...EEEEWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!
Yeah. That about covers it.
Now, just to warn you, this is not one for the faint of heart. It is a testament to the great love I bear my sweet furry beast that he was ever allowed back into my room after this particular incident.
Now, when there's a mouse around, there are usually some early warning signs. Sunny will hear things, or smell things and I will notice him going on the prowl. He'll investigate corners and check behind doors. I've learned to recognize the warning signs that something has found it's way in, and is soon to find its way out the hard way.
This time, there were no such warnings. It was mid-July. It was the first time that I was going to be the person solely responsible for my company's presence at our biggest national conference. This was our target group of customers and I was one of two who represented the advance team, arriving early to start the setup, only to be joined by the rest of the crew later.
To say that I was wound up, would be an understatement. I had been working late to get things together and that meant that all of my personal packing was happening last minute. Now, Sunny is not a fan of my suitcase. I've done enough business travel that he knows what it means and is less than thrilled when he sees it out and open. I had been running around like crazy to get everything done. I was pretty sure I was finished and was going to crash, praying I could shut my brain off long enough to sleep.
I crawled into bed exhausted and wired. Within moments, Sunny was there. I made short shrift of his evening ritual of scritches and treats, trying to get to sleep as quickly as possible. Once that was done, Sunny did something very unusual. He started digging at the covers and sniffing. Now, you have to understand, I am not one for making beds and with the July heat, the covers were bunched up in the middle of the bed where I had shoved them in order to keep cool.
I pushed Sunny away and told him to stop being a nudge, because I needed to sleep. He came back and did it again. I pushed him away again. Again he came back. I gave up. I rolled over, presenting him with my back, did my best to ignore him and eventually managed to fall asleep.
Big mistake.
I got up the next day and uncharacteristically jumped out of bed right away to get going. Since I was going to be away for a few days, I decided to make the bed.
You do know where this is going right?
As I shook out the covers, to my intense horror, I discovered the reason for Sunny's odd behavior of the previous evening. A tiny furry body fell out from the rumpled comforter and sheets. I cannot tell you how badly I shuddered with the pure skeeve of having spent the night, blissfully slumbering with a dead mouse in my bed. It was a very good thing that there was no food in my system.
The bed got stripped and the offending corpse tossed out into the bushes. I was still twitching when I got to the office to meet my co-worker and collect a few things before my flight. I called my brother, whose squeamish tendencies can, usually, only be brought out by needles being stuck into him summed it up brilliantly...EEEEWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!
Yeah. That about covers it.
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