It's 8:46 in the morning...and a lovely 15 degrees outside. No snow. No ice. No wind. Just cold.
There's a lot of people at the Wal-mart Meet-and-Greet today. A couple were people from church; one of which was slightly humorous. We were both waiting in line to check out...about 3 or four registers over. So we're talking over the distance...and eventually over the magazine and gum stands...it was a sight, I imagine. People were really chatty, too. Also while in line, this filipino lady kept talking to me about how she was illegally parked in a handicap spot and how she hoped she wouldn't get towed. This was a consecutive conversation with the gap-o-lines one. The checker thought I was funny and chatted a bit, too. The kids wonder why it takes me so long to go shopping...
Tuesday, December 31, 2013
My back refused to let me stay in bed past 5:45 in the morning. I couldn't hit the shower straightaway, either, because Ken was due to be up at 6 and would need them. Usually he doesn't need to be in to work until 8, but his co-worker/employee broke her leg on Christmas Eve and so he has to go in early for her, and stay until closing, which is his normal time. He is a bit grumpy about this, especially since they really need a third person and the company hasn't managed to get them one. But - surprise - they are going to allow him to interview someone (anyone) for the position - now that they're desperate. He was supposed to have off a couple of holiday paid days this week, but now doesn't. Oh well, at least he won't have to work tomorrow.
Jonathan's friend, Howard was over this afternoon. Howard is part of a big family and I imagine he likes to have a little time away. They play lots of games - computer and otherwise - and do some pretty crack-me-up stuff with Legos. Howard is incredibly teasable, one of those funny, quirky personalities that just beg to be messed around with - how can I resist? He says his family doesn't tease him; they are made of stronger stuff than I am.
Jonathan went back to Howard's house with them because...they are going to BLOW UP their Christmas tree with fireworks. And all this apparently meets with parental approval. Their housing section backs up to a field, so maybe that's where the deed will be done. When they are done, Analiese & I will pick them up and head over to the Doshers' church (really, he's the pastor) and play games with their family and friends.
EXCEPT...Howard's family is very - shall we say - fluid about time. I was raised, and my family continues the tradition, with an almost Swiss-like stiff concept of time. On my mission, I would laugh thinking about the conniptions my family would be having if they had to deal with the Hispanic people like I did who also, incidentally, view time much more laxly. I've had church start half an hour late in a Spanish Branch. Anyway, by 8:30 we hadn't heard from the boys and Analiese was getting anxious, so we dropped by Howard's (on the way to the church anyway) to see if maybe they were ready and we'd all go. Nope, hadn't done the tree yet, but were supposedly just about to. We were invited to stay to witness the wooden destruction, but Analiese was in near panic-mode, so Howard's mom said she's drop them off at the church after the blow-up was over. (By the way, Operation Destruct Christmas was a total flop - the tree neither exploded nor caught on fire)
We were very glad to have gone to the party. Analiese had fun with Charesa Dosher and a friend, Dorrie, who's in her 4H Sewing Club. I never played any games, but sat back and talked with a lot of people, included a gent who works for the city's emergency services and is an amateur radio operator (ham). SIGH More invitations to do things (though this one is probably more important). I don't know how anyone could say there is nothing to do in town...I seem to find plenty!
The boys showed up around 9:30 and hooked up with David and Geordie Dosher. I knew it would be a good/fun combo and they had an awesome time. At first, since I (like Ebeneezer Scrooge) find a good night's rest more conducive to my health, was going to stay only until 10 and go home and sleep. But the boys had just got there and Analiese had felt gypped with our late arrival, so we actually stayed past midnight. Teasingly, the boys suggested starting a game of Risk about 9 minutes before midnight - you should have seen George Dosher's face at that one! Anyway, we got Howard home and ourselves to our beds just before 1 a.m., which is rare beyond belief for me. I cherish sleep.
Wednesday, January 1, 2014
NOTE: I wrote the year down right. At least, right now.
I don't do New Year's Resolutions as a whole. Mainly, because I think goal-setting is an on-going process. But, too, people tend to act like its a big deal, and then shallowly set it aside. I need to be serious about what I commit to do...to keep motivated.
Our New Years day was a slow starter...mainly because we were all zombies from the late night before. But we'd invited people over to come play games in the afternoon, so we couldn't be slugs all day.
In the end, only the Fletcher family came, but we had a good time. The weather was nice outside, so the kids could go out and run around. We had finger foods and just noshed most of the time between games. Ken & I introduced the Fletchers to Careers, a board game I played with my family when I was younger. We'd found the old 1965 copy of the game in a thrift store years ago. The box is practically shot, and the cards are getting beat up, but we've scanned the score sheets to the computer, so we can continue playing.
It was a fairly early night, however, and they left around 8 p.m. Which was good, because we were all ready to crash.
Thursday, January 2, 2014
Today was a totally unexpected day. But before I talk about the big event, which many of you are juicily waiting for, I better relate events before and between, to set the stage.
Late this morning and into the afternoon, the kids and I went around town for the Altus 4H Rockin' Rabbit Club (this will be ironic, as you will see) to drum up sponsors for the Rabbit show & competition at the Altus Expo Center in February. We dropped off some letters, got one sponsor and a raffle item, and then I took the kids to lunch. We had to stop at Walmart where I got a new artificial tree for next year for 75% off! Finally, still tired from yesterday, we went home. It was about 1-1:30.
We walked through the garage and into the storage room, pausing to say "hi" to the rabbits. Weirdly, Fluffernutter was sitting in the nesting box in her and Alice's cage (normally, they like to perch on top, squished between the box and the top of the cage. A closer look inside the cage and...babies! Fluffer had just given birth! No, we hadn't be expecting it. Ken had called her fat, but she's big girl (Daddy's a New Zealand) and eats a lot. But now that we think about it, she and Alice had been pulling out a lot of fur. It had been bugging me that I was finding Fluffer's fur in Alice's mouth.
We were in shell shock and, I'll admit it, we panicked. By the way, Jonathan is going to make a funny expectant father. He was all nervous and insistant we call the Dosher's (they've recently had baby bunnies and know what to do) and helped me bring Fluffer, box and babies into the house to be warmer. Then we had to (carefully) check the babies to see that all were alive and well. Seven! Whoa! The Dosher's only had four! What was I going to do with seven?
Fluffer is a very attentive, anxious mommy. I only touched the babies slightly and with food service gloves on my hands so as not to make them smell like me. We also had to make sure she had plenty of food and water, because she needs it for milk production. And no, she's not fat...not anymore!
Texting Ken, he asked if they were ugly. I replied, no more than his babies were at first. They have no fur, and their eyes are closed...and they will be for another week and a half. I am guessing that they are about 4 inches long. They are pink with black splotches at the moment, though one is all black but for a pink belly. It will be interesting to see what they look like. And their fur...Twilight (Dad) is a mini Rex with that velvety fur. If we get one with Fluffer's coloring and Twilight's fur, it will be gorgeous!
Okay, bunnies settled, Jonathan & I went off to an Amateur Radio Emergency Management Meeting, basically to get to know who and what's available in town. One gentleman is fixing my radio and getting a new antenna, plus programming local stations on it - bless him! We did learn some interesting things, too. The one that interested Jonathan the most was the storm watchers; they keep an eye on the radar and weather stations in the spring and post spotters on the outskirts of town to look for unusual weather patterns. Altus, in itself, is not tornado-prone, due to some weird weather areas here, but is a place where initial patterns can start and make their way north and east. So I guess it's really important to track weather here. Jonathan is interested in becoming a spotter. Mind you, he has plenty on his plate right now - Aviation Mechanics, studying for the ACT, trying to get his driving permit, so we'll see. Maybe not this year.
So we go home. We stopped by the cages, again, to see how the other two rabbits are and... HORRORS! Alice is in her cage...WITH THREE DEAD BABY BUNNIES. She had been pregnant too and had her babies on the EXACT SAME DAY. Sadly, we had removed the nesting box and, with nothing to shelter her babies, they died. Upon closer inspection, we found four more dead ones under the cages. I imagine they had crawled there looking for a warm place to nestle.
We felt REALLY bad (Jonathan & I did). After all, she'd been pulling fur, too. But she had before that and it was only a false pregancy. Still, I cried and Jonathan got really, really quiet. We had to have Ken take care of the dead babies. Analiese thought it was gross, but, luckily (since Alice is her rabbit) didn't get too upset. Still...Oh My Gosh! That would have been FOURTEEN babies...all at once!
Friday, January 3, 2014
I slept badly last night. I did cry a bit more; I felt really bad for Alice, like we'd let her down in not giving her a place for her babies. But by morning I realized I was grateful (really) not to have had to deal with all those babies.
Fluffernutter's pulled out a lot more fur to line her nest. She doesn't sit in there with her babies, but watches from far off. It's an instinct to draw predators away from babies. She gets very anxious if anyone gets near them. Jonathan saw her feed them this morning. Unlike a dog or cat, she doesn't lie down, she stands over them. They squeak a bit when they're hungry!
Another zombie day so soon after NYE isn't good. But we had to go and get more rabbit food and a pet gate to put in front of the bathroom door so that the room would stay warmer. Other than that and my laundry, I was pretty darn lazy.
Saturday, January 4, 2014
The babies are starting to look a little bigger. If anything, their tummies are fatter...and that's good. Fluffer is a good mommy. She does drink a lot of water, though, so I have to watch to keep her water bowl full. To be honest, she's eating a lot too. And spilling it everywhere. I go in there to clean it up at least three times a day.
I tried a new recipe out on the elders and my family tonight - Chicken Alfredo Lasagne Rolls. They turned out great! Even Analiese ate them, which is saying something, especially since they had spinach in them. The alfredo sauce was homemade, which we are beginning to prefer over the jar stuff (never tastes quite right). I wonder if I can make a bunch of it and freeze it? Ken would like it with more pepper; I would like to cut back a little on the garlic.
Sunday, January 5, 2014
I am calling the baby bunnies the Wiggle Worms. They are constantly wriggling all over the box. First they're in the front, then they move to the side, then they go to the back. It'll be about a week more before they open their eyes and start getting fur.
Flippin' cold today. Artic blast came in...with no precipitation. I wouldn't mind the cold so much if they skies would drop a little water with it. There is frost on the ground, in some shady pockets enough to look like a little snow. And water that was standing in the road last night froze over. Brr!
Today we were back to our regular church schedule and all of our meetings. This meant that I was back to business, too. The ward chorister was still out, so I led music in Sacrament meeting. Then I started up Sunday School class, quickly ran home to swap the car for the van (so we could take people home from church), and played piano and translated Relief Society into Spanish. Yep, back to normal.
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