For the fallen and wounded at Fort Hood

1914-1918
We Shall Keep the Faith
by Moina Michael, November 1918



Oh! you who sleep in Flanders Fields,




Sleep sweet - to rise anew!





We caught the torch you threw


And holding high,


we keep the Faith


With All who died.

We cherish, too, the poppy red

That grows on fields where valor led;


It seems to signal to the skies

That blood of heroes never dies,


But lends a lustre to the red

Of the flower that blooms above the dead

In Flanders Fields.

And now the Torch and Poppy Red

We wear in honor of our dead.

Fear not that ye have died for naught;


We'll teach the lesson that ye wrought


In Flanders Fields.

I will think of you often. Godspeed on your journey to the Summerlands.

Bunnitis (sickness first identified by Dr.Patterson)

Contentment
I vant to bite your neck!

Kisses

You smell funny!

Devotion

Halloween memories

While fate seems inclined to put a damper on my favorite time of year, I will not allow it. The two books above are wonderful reads for this time of year. If your kids are older try reading it to them or with them. "The Halloween Tree" has always been a favorite. 9 boys set to trick or treat on Halloween, one, Pip, becomes very ill. He is essentially captured by death and his friends pursue him through time with the help of a spooky figure named Clavicle Moundshroud. Is that a great name or what? They travel through many ancient cultures, learn the origin of Halloween and then must make a great sacrifice to save their friend. It is not a big read or hard to understand but full of wonderful imagery. There is a cartoon of the book but stay away from it until you read the story. The cartoon has changed the story. It ticks me off because I am an absolute purist when it comes to books. LOL

"Something Wicked this Way Comes" is a little darker, a little more intense but also a great read. 2 boys adventures at a very dark carnival. There is also a movie of course. The movie isn't bad, sticks closer to the book. I have always been fascinated with the workings of the carnival. Seems very sinister to me. I love the internal battle between our "dark and light" natures.

Speaking of books, when I was about 10 my mom brought me a book about a family of witches that lived in a hay field. The little boy witch wanted to go to school and play football with the "regular" kids. It was a great story and I have never been able to locate the book again. I don't know the author. If any of you can tell me the name of the book I would be thrilled.

Jake and I are off to Guthrie, Ok friday night for an intensive ghost hunt. I am so looking forward. This is the only one I have ever been on that actually spooked me. I am undecided on what I believe, just that there is something else beyond our eyes. We were in an old abandoned train car and I was suddenly overwhelmed with the scent of Gardenias (which is a smell I despise) it came and went quickly but was not there the rest of the night. Later, I talked with the lead ghost hunt investigator. He said a few people had reported that smell but it was never detected by everyone on the hunt. mmmmm very interesting.

If you have an interesting ghost story or mysterious experience please share it in the comments. I would love to hear it. I apologize that some of this runs together. I cannot ever get my paragraphs to space right. Take the poll to right if you are so inclined.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYONE!

"Let go now Momma"

It has been almost 2 weeks since my precious Stewart left for the bridge. I have avoided the blogging world since then. It still doesnt feel quite right. I wanted the whole world to pause when my little bunny left. I didnt dare tell anyone at work. I didnt want to hear the casual remarks like "It was just a bunny" or other even more callous and tacky comments.

Stewarts bondmates, Nemo and Haven miss him. Nemo keeps running to all the places Stewart would nap. Haven rapidly went down hill this week, his head tilt became much worse and his balance just awful. We are trying hard to bring him back up.

When I saw Carolyn's post over at A Glowing Ember about her newly adopted kitty I decided it was time to snap out of it. One thing about animals I think, they do not feel sorry for themselves. It is time to get on with it. Today I made myself go and visit where I buried Stew under the cedars. I left him a pretty rose that is still blooming in my yard and talked with him for a bit. Although he was with me a little less than a year, he gave me so much pleasure. That grumpy little face looking at me with huge disapproval. Running out from under the bed every morning for his raisins, dancing around my feet if I wasnt fast enough.

I want to thank everyone for their kind comments. I REALLY appreciate it.

"until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened"

Anatole France

Godspeed baby boy. I will miss you.

October 13, 2009

Stewart left for the bridge this morning.

Scary Weekend

Jake and I kicked off our Halloween season Saturday night. We started with a trip to Tulsa for their rather well known ghost tour. What a disappointment. Dinner at a chain restaurant was mediocre at best. It was freezing out. The ghost hunt started late.

I have taken this tour in the past. It was interesting then, full of history, legends and spooky tales. This time it seemed to be strictly for collecting the money, herding the people through quickly and finishing as soon as possible. Basically it sucked and the bouncing of the trolley had me needing to pee constantly. Jake said he thought it was okay. I think he was being polite.

On to the scary part.

Saturday morning when I came home from work I noticed Stewart wasnt interested in his treaties. It was odd but I didnt worry too much. His grandma was taking care of him saturday while I was in Tulsa and I wasnt too concerned. I called home about 7pm and checked on him. He hadnt eaten anything. Okay, now I would begin to fret. I called at 11pm on my way home from Tulsa. Stewart wasnt eating, he was sitting hunched over and had his front feet in the water bowl.

Now my brain went south for the winter. I know what GI stasis is. I have never dealt with it. I know what to do but I lost my mind and forgot. I called a friend and fellow bunny slave Andrea after midnight while I was still driving 100 mph to get home from Tulsa. She reminded me of what I needed to do.

Stopped at the all night drug store and picked up Simethicone (baby gas drops) and some baby food. When I got home Stew was cold. His ears were freezing and you could hear his belly gurgling from 10 feet away. I grabbed him and went into action. Got a dose of gas meds in his belly. Put him on a warm water bottle and started massaging that hard tummy. We did that for some time. I got some of the baby food into him along with some mushed up pellets. I had to get some food into that bun. After 3 hours of gas drops and belly rubs I could tell he was getting some relief. He let loose with a fart that would have killed a lesser person and his body started to relax.

I stayed up with my furry kid until 5am. I finally got some sleep and when I got up at 10am we did another belly check. Things were sounding okay in there. I went and got some alfalfa hay and some fragrant herbs for him to try and he started to nibble. He would run out from under the bed, grab a little in his mouth and then go hide. He was trying to avoid Mom messing anymore with him. LOL

We are waiting for poop. Normal bunny poop. He has had the runs all day and that's okay. It means stuff is moving through again. Everyone please pray for poop. Normal bunny Poop.

Nothing is scarier than having one of your furry sillies feeling poorly. I have now had my first education is GI stasis. If you have a bunny and dont know what that is please do your research. I really wish there was a vet available at night for these kind of things. Plenty of emergency vet clinics but no vets with bunny knowledge.

A Dark and Stormy Night

Okay it wasnt stormy, just a light drizzle. You couldnt see the moon because of the cloud cover but......

This has been the week from hell but today was good. I actually got 6 hours of sleep. Me and Nemo watched LSU SPANK GEORGIA. Spent some extra time with my buns. Made Dudley buns a sandbox (his most favorite thing) and laughed while he did the Cha Cha in it and got to sit outside tonight burning my chiminea and listening to the rain. I love to smell the pinion burning. I couldnt concentrate on my book though. My mind kept wandering to the plans I have this month.

Next weekend Jake and I are going to Tulsa for a ghost hunt. What fun that will be. I get to see U2 in concert on the 18th. I cant wait! The garage sale for the rescue is coming up on the 24th and another ghost hunt on the 30th. Going to see the Dracula ballet on the 31st I think, I love the ballet. My friends know not to bother me too much this month. I have plans for every weekend.

I am daydreaming about fitting in time for a "me only" retreat to Eureka Springs. I usually go in October by myself for a couple of days. I always get the same cottage. It has french doors that open onto a balcony that looks out over the beautiful Ozarks that are bursting with color. I buy a pumpkin right away and carve it, set it out on the balcony and sit in the jacuzzi tub watching it flicker and make faces. I leave them open while I sleep and wake up feeling wonderful. Wander thru the shops downtown, eat lots of decadent desserts, get a couple of yummy cocktails and wander the halls of the haunted Crescent Hotel. Please God let me get to go.

Before I go to bed I will thank the fates for this day. I have a job and health insurance. My small little family is healthy. My bunnies are safe, warm, and well fed on this night. Tomorrow is my volunteer day at the rescue and I get to spend time with my other favorite buns. One day I will have my land in Arizona or New Mexico. My car runs. My Halloween decorations look awesome. I ate 2 bags of M&M's and drank a pot of coffee. I am lucky lucky lucky and very grateful.