there
are angels amongst us? Lucky Olivia is blessed to have one who protects
and surrounds her. I'm sure there are skeptics out there but its pretty
hard not to believe when you see a photo like this. She first met Olivia
2 years ago at her company's Christmas party. When her office got news of
her diagnosis, they rallied behind her and her mom and helped to raise money
for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Canada. Although Olivia still needs
to go for her monthly chemo treatments she is now through the worst part
and is in remission, no doubt because of her guardian angel. Angels reveal
themselves in many ways sometimes on film (that's Olivia's sister Maddy
who may be blinded by the light of Livy's angel) and sometimes in family,
friends and co-workers. Thank you, all you angels.
P.S. You just may see this photo (which was taken by Livy's mom) on Oprah but you can say you saw it first on bunnyblogger.com ;).
A
house mouse is saved. And you can bet this little guy is counting his
blessings. He became a part of the capture and release program. Except that
he was released into the house of bad people. That’s what cops do …
capture the bad guys. But not all bad people get caught ... so if they can't
get em, why not torment them? But what if you’re a good little mouse?
Brian had a solution since the little mouse literally ran up his leg begging
for his life (amid his wife’s screams atop the ottoman). With his highly
trained reflexes (not a good idea to mess with an officer of the law as they
are quicker than even us buns) he grabbed the mouse by the tail and promptly
walked him across the street and put him in a new home (the pawn shop). You
see, like condo bunnies, this house mouse wouldn’t have lived if he
was just let loose outside. So thank you to all the good people in this world
who save even the littlest of creatures. And if you do get a bunny and find
you can't take care of one, whatever you do, don't just let us go and think
we can live outside.
Are
shoes art? She thinks so. She came home from Plenty the other day
with a pretty pair of green polka dotted shoes with a cherry in the middle.
She wanted to look at them so she set them up on the table. I like to inspect
all new things that arrive so I gave a little tug on the ribbon that was
hanging down. Before I knew it the wedgey heel came crashing down on my
head. Ouch, I think I have a bruise.
Not
many bunnies can claim having their portrait painted. One day she hopes
to paint too. John recognized my fine
bone structure underneath my soft fluffy fur. Although we don't see him anymore,
his presence can still be felt in our home. He painted my garbage can that
contains my recycled litter and one of his paintings is in our living room
... it's called "flowers without bee". He taught us that art is
beauty and art is inspiration. And that design and art both have the ability
to communicate powerful messages. I never tire of his painting and his incredible
creativity.
Although
rockstar status is what bullriders are known for.The girls headed out to Chilliwack this past weekend to watch a bullriding
competition. At the dance that followed they chatted with a few boys from
AB who rode the bulls. It's unfathomable for a little bunny like me to imagine
what would possess anyone to get on a mean, angry bull and try to stay on
for 8 seconds. They'd been riding since they were little and had scars,
pins and broken backs to prove it. At 28, he said they call him Grandpa
but he wasn't ready to give it up.
There was an instant attraction to him the moment they met. His green eyes sparkled as he talked about bullriding and all things exteme (he gave up riding the rodeo) and if he breaks his leg one more time, they'd have to chop it off. I think he was teasing her but maybe not. On one hand, he had an indescribable sweetness about him (her friend said they smelt like hay and horse ;) and I know what that smells like cuz I eat hay) but on the other he was all cowboy. To be honest though, I really don't know what it means to be a cowboy being a condo bunny and all. But she was certainly taken in by him and said he was unlike anyone she's ever met probably because they were so different. Her friends said they smiled at each other the whole time they talked. I think sometimes the universe sprinkles stardust and this was one of those rare moments.
Have
you ever wondered about the affinity between bunnies and people? Think of all the bunny toys and clothes for little babies ... sleepers
with floppy ears like me and stuffies. This is Elisa, her co-partner at
her work. At times, she thinks she's a bunny. This is her display picture
in MSN, her preferred form of communication. She also listens to hip hop
;) but mostly she's a rocker bunny. Although she has been known to play
Ella or Patsy. I think the reason she always has her headphones on is because
everyone mispronounces her name. It's "e" as in e-mail and "lisa"
as in Mona Lisa.
Have
you ever wondered why people say, "good dog" after they do their
you know what? Isn't that the funniest thing? See Jack laughing to
your right ... he's my friend! I mean it's a natural thing we all gotta
do. Living in Yaletown (where there are as many dogs and maybe a few odd
bunnies as people), you hear that a lot as you stroll along the seawall
or walk the parks. You also hear people having conversations with their
dogs and, just so you know, we understand everything you say ;)
I even get "good bunny, leeeeeo" whenever I run to my cage, sit in my corner where my litter is and do my thing. She gets this question a lot, "don't I just go whereever". The answer to that is absolutely not ... I'm very tidy and know the difference between her bathroom and mine. I'm well trained.
P.S. Pine shavings may cause liver damage and sniffles in bunnies so try to use aspen or recycled newspaper.
The
collective force of people (and animals) is very strong. The tv has
been on a lot as she watches the effects Mother Nature unleashed upon Southeast
Asia. It is difficult to view some of the amateur video shot. How people let
their cameras roll as they face extreme danger is beyond me … I’d
be hopping so fast outta there. At first I found it offensive but now I’m
starting to realize that maybe people need to see this. We are so numb from
images of war and loss of life that in order for people to feel compassion,
the intensity of what we see has to increase to impact us. The outpouring
of money and help might be testament to this and the reason people are giving
so generously.
To the right are my kind who live under the boats at Jericho. We really are one and its times like this that we need to feel the spirit of community. My little hopes and prayers go out to all those who are suffering in that area right now.
As I write my last entry for 2004, I want to say thank you to all of you who come back and read my bunny blogs. I will to continue to blog on the things in my life that are positive, uplifting and sometimes even miraculous knowing that there will be times like this where we have to dig deep to find the greater meaning of what it all means and why we are here. And to know that we are connected no matter what colour our fur is and each of us has the ability to impact others.
Ok
now I know what it's like to be a girl. A few blogs back I said I
liked grapes ... well they sure taste good when I'm eating them. Uh, not
so good when the other thing is happening. Today I experienced what it must
be like to get a bikini wax (Brazilian).
Too much sugar essentially for me equates to messy poops. She doesn't like it cause she has to clean up the carpets and I don't like it cuz it gets stuck in my fine fur. And when it gets stuck and dried on, I get stinky and stressed out. She tried for a few days to cut it out but all I could see was Edward Scissorhands coming at me and I wanted nothing to do with that. So into my pet carrier I went to see the nice Dr. Brondwin. The doctor and Shona, on the other hand, know what they're doing. They flip me over to do the bunny trance, get the electric razor going and before I knew it I was rid of the mess. I even got a manicure and pedicure.
We were told that my poops need to be monitored on a daily basis. If they get squishy then it means more hay and less pellets (and definitely no fruits). Once they get back to their normal state (that is they look like my pellets) then I can have my usual treats in small quantities. Apologies is you're eating your breakfast or something while you're reading this.
Little
things make me happy. Like hearing on CNN that "blog" was
one of the top 10 most looked up words in 2004. I think that makes me kinda
cool (hip hop, hip hop) since blog is part of the name of my site. Like I
said, little things make me happy. To celebrate, I did my happy dance ...
since its sometimes hard to find a dance partner I have to get creative in
my moves. Here I am flinging tissue paper about.
Highly
recommend hopping over to the the exhibit called Massive Change at the Vancouver
Art Gallery. My little bunny brain was abuzz after being asked the
very big question, "now that we can do anything, what will we do".
I can't answer that right now but I'm pretty sure we'll look back at this
exhibition as one that brought us to attention on the big challenges our planet
is going to have to face. I thought the market economy (with all its audio
boxes playing and competing with each other) was a fabulous representation
of today. Yes, there are some companies and people who are shifting our perceptions
but its difficult to hear because we are bombarded with so much external noise.
What I liked most about the exhibit is it is so incredibly thought-provoking and it compells you to want to take action and contribute (likely Bruce Mau's underlying intention). What I didn't like were the voting boxes. The boxes were clear so you could see how others were voting by the number of yellow slips contained in each box. And the questions were difficult so "yes" or "no" didn't seem appropriate. A box for "uncertain" was needed. Perhaps he was making a mockery of the U.S. voting system or a lack of choice. Either way, I was humbled and in awe of the work people are doing all over the world. My little corner of the world that I try to keep beautiful just may have to grow too.
The
bunny shelter is getting dangerously crowded right now. I received an email from Sue at the Vancouver
Rabbit Rescue and Advocacy asking me to spread the word to see if anyone
out there can adopt or shelter a bunny. We really do make great house pets.
The only thing is we require special attention in the way dogs and cats
don't because we are quiet about our illnesses. So please check out their
site if you can help my fellow friends.
Also, the VRRA has a chance at some foundation funding but they need to raise $20,000 (details and payment options on their site). Please help if you can. I would be so happy if the rabbits at the SPCA could be moved to their own location (dogs and cats are so smelly compared to us bunnies).
If
the earth moves, I'll be the first one under something. A few things scare me: mount st. helens erupting, earthquakes, thunder,
lightening, wind, spiders ... alright maybe a litte more than a few things
but I'm the first to admit I'm a big chicken ;). I have great respect for
Mother Nature and the way she is able to wield her force. Hope she protects
her little bunnies as we shiver under the protection of a table [like me
to your right] or bush.
I
have a 'little' problem with the Okanagan Wine Festival and what they had
written up in the Province today. Would
you go to a puppy or kitty feast? A rabbit feast is really no different.
Alright, for the most part I can take jokes about rabbit stew and fatal
attraction but the Kelowna wine festival is having a ... gee whiz I can't
even say it again as it's enough to make me cough up fur balls.
I'm writing an email to Crowsnest Vineyards right after this to let them know my disgust.
I
love grapes ... she likes red wine. One day a grape rolled out of
the grocery bag and I was quick to pick it up off the hardwood floors. It
was so good and juicy. If I was wild I'd be looking for vineyards with grapes
like these. This picture was taken while she was in Kelowna doing wine tours
at Mission Hill and Cedar Creek. The grapes were almost ready for crush
and she says they were really yummy. Her and her friends tasted some really
good wines and she brought back enough to fill up the wine rack.
I would like to thank Stephanie for taking good care of me while she was away. If anyone lives in Yaletown and is looking for a bunny sitter (actually her biz is to look after cats) email Stephanie. She is most reliable and you can tell the moment you meet her that she loves animals. She's volunteers at the animal shelter and is currently looking after a kitty from there.
Just so you know, I'm not for sale ;) and I'm not
a dog or cat. But I am the featured pet in the September issue of
the Yaletown
View. The link on the View's page goes to the Vancouver SPCA but I have
a better place to go to for bunnies, Vancouver
Rabbit Rescue and Advocacy. If you're thinking of adding a bunny(s)
to your home you really need to read up on us. We aren't like dogs and cats
at all, although we do get along.
It's exciting being published in a magazine, especially since it's the Yaletown View. For my regular readers, you will know that I've been saying for over a year now that I'm a blogging Yaletown condo bunny. Also exciting is that Yaletown techie, Darren Barefoot wrote about starting a weblog in 'my' issue. He said you have to be interesting and have a compelling style. I also think you have to be real. So if you happen to see this magazine, you'll find me in it.
Reflections
for touching hearts was the little book she received
from her yoga studio. One of the passages by Brock Tully says, "being
special isn't necessarily doing things differently ... it's finding it necessary
that the things we do make a difference". She wants to thank all the
teachers of the studio who guide her through her practice and encourage
her to breathe, stretch and live fuller. They are the ones who make the
difference and the reason she was able to head off to the studio with yoga
bag and mat in hand 214 times in the past year. So this bunny blog is to
honour Ela, Gordon, Heather, Kevin, Lara, Naome, Pamela and Patricia.
P.S. I'm so glad that the moksha series has the "rabbit". Do you realize the influence bunnies have? [Hint: music genre named after us ... hip hop, hip hop].
An intruder tried to hack into my computer this morning but I stopped him with my firewall. Whew, exciting stuff for a blogging bunny! Up til now I've felt pretty safe (well, as safe as a bunny can feel ... we're prey animals and have many nervous tendencies to help ensure our continuation). It was strange though because when I went to get my usual dose of fibre at 10 mbps, I had no Internet access either. I thought maybe my firewall failed me. I called tech support and after a little investigative work in the run menu, it was determined that someone misconfigured a router and was trying to act like the Internet on behalf of my building. My service provider quickly shut him down but it showed me the power of our connection to each other.
I know some of my neighbours but the majority are just unnamed faces that I pass in and around my building. It made me think how our communities are changing. We really are connected in ways we haven't been before. And we are using different tools, many based around the Net. It's interesting ... I haven't quite embraced all that is new yet but I think that its important to be open and willing to give them a try. I still feel there is nothing like a friendly smile and face-to-face communication though.
Our
new drapes puddle on the floor ... they are a lot more fun than the blinds.
On a few ocassions, I had to be rescued because I would get all tangled
up in them. Now I can run freely through the drapes. Although she doesn't
like it (cause my fine fur can already be seen along the bottoms). Oh well,
they're only drapes and they can be vacuumed or cleaned.
Geez,
it's tough being a bunny in the summer. Even though she bought an air conditioner
for our condo, it's still #@!* hot in here. Vancouver has been in the midst
of a heatwave for the past few weeks. The only place that is somewhat cool
is the dvd stand which sits across from the ac. It is my favorite place
to hang, blast that baby.
Here
I am with Buddha. Whenever religious type icons are around it seems
there is a proper protocol that one needs to follow. But I say to heck with
that ... I went straight up to him and whispered in his ear the day I first
met him. I told him that I, too, am here for a reason ... to shed light
and beautify my little corner of the world. And even though I'm just a little
mini lop bunny my seemingly small actions can have influence and make a
difference too.
Me and the chicks on Easter.
Today
I paid a visit to the doctor (Dr. Jack Brondwin) at Arbutus West
Animal Clinic. It's a little nerve wracking having to get into my pet carrier
and be driven in a car. But I needed to go as it was Ray at the SPCA who
helped to determine that the bald spot on my back was probably caused by
mites. My friend took in some digital pics and showed him and he said I
needed to get this looked after. Olga runs the shelter and also is involved
with the Vancouver Rabbit
Rescue and Advocacy. Although the bunnies are well cared for, the SPCA
is no place for a bunny. It's sad seeing them all there waiting to be adopted
so please don't buy a rabbit from a pet store! Rescue one instead. We made
a small contribution that went directly to the bunnies in the shelter and
received a nice letter back saying that every little bit counts and goes
towards helping a needy rabbit.
Even though my skin scrape came back negative, the doctor still gave me 4 doses of invermectin and a follow-up home program. He knows a lot about bunnies and our behaviour ... he said we're bluffers. We pretend like we're big and tough but really we're not. If given the chance, we will run away. I like my feet on the ground but as hard as I tried I just couldn't get out of his grip. I squeaked a little as I was flipped and examined up on the table but realized in the end that he was in control and I was not going anywhere. While I waited for my results, the nice doctor let me stay on floor where I feel safest. And he figured out which corner I liked best and put a chair there so I could hide under and even draped a towel over it so no one could see me ;) He said I was a little chunky and needed less pellets and more hay (equivalent to the Atkins diet). And that my pellets should be made from timonthy hay rather than alfafa (Oxbow was recommended). I even got a manicure and pedicure. The doctor said my dry itchy skin will be better in a few days.
When
I saw the "kiss" on mtv I thought to write a blog but didn't.
When I saw the "wardrobe malfunction" during the superbowl I knew
it was time to say something. Bunnies kiss all the time ... we rub noses
with other bunnies and humans alike and it's really no big deal. I appreciate
mtv and its youthful, hard-driven approach to broadcasting. I watch it myself.
They have the attention of young people but I have to wonder when they're
going to show some sense of responsibility to them. The Christina's and
Britney's of today are continually having to reveal more and more, now today,
we can add Janet. Is this their fault or is it perhaps the fault of the
media?. They (and I mean the whole lot of them, including CNN) seem to have
an insatiable need for bizarre and extreme behaviour. It seems every episode
trys to outdo the other. I'm tired of shock and awe and I wait for the day
that all these people use their collective energy and do something that
is positive and good for all those who watch them. Madonna may have it right,
ok yah, she might not have the best vocals nor acting skills but she certainly
has found her raison d'être. In this day of technology we all have
the ability to communicate to mass audiences and share truth and honesty.
Something I think will get humans a lot farther than what I've seen lately
on tv. Maybe it's time to bite through the cable wire, we bunnies love to
chew on electrical cords (unfortunately they are all hidden away from my
always growing incisors).
Cameron,
Montana & Cody stopped in on Friday. The boys went to the Raven's game
at GM Place while the "girls" shopped Robson. They all met back
at my place and took over my webcam. Hey, will ya get outta there pleez.
Taylor, sorry I didn't get to see you. I hear it's cool to wear Phat Farm's.
Happy
2004! To mark the new year, she brought into our home a sparkly new
light. I marvel as I look up at it and see the pretty shades of pink, yellow
and blue that it casts onto the ceiling. It feels good to look up ... I
think it opens your heart and connects you to something bigger and more
meaningful. It took her a long time to find this light and it has illuminated
parts of our house that have been in darkness. Do you think I'm nocturnal?
I'll have you know that rabbits are crepuscular which means we are most
active right after sunrise and right before sunset. But I do ocassionally
thump when I'm having a bad dream (I know I wake her up every time) and
you'll ocassionally hear the clackity clack of my sippy bottle in the middle
of the night too. To be more en-light-ened, this is my new year's wish.
And, of course, to continue to share with you bunny wisdom.
