Basement Renos, Ice Storms And Christmas!

Look at all of us up there!  Aren`t we just a good looking bunch of bunnies?  And a hamster?  It's our 2013 Christmas Card and Mom mailed it out to all of our friends and family :)

It's been a long time since my last post.  We've been very busy and a few things have been going on....

Last June, during an intense heatwave, the air conditioner broke down.  Well I don't have to tell you how absolutely gross it was!  It was so hot, poor Binky's whiskers were curling!  Mom and Dad called in a repairman who was less than honest, and after completely overcharging them, he forgot to reconnect the hose from the air conditioner to the output, and the basement ended up all wet :(  It warped the floors in our room and ruined the carpet so us bunnies had to move.  Due to massive flooding later that summer, our insurance company was overwhelmed with clients needing repairs, and only last weekend was the work finally finished in the basement - new floors, new under padding and a freshly cleaned carpet.

So Miss Binks and I are back in our room where we are happiest.  I will say that I am very impressed with
the new under padding.  It's much thicker and it makes my thumps sound a lot more menacing than they really are.  It's a great punctuation to my deep disapproval, which I usually need to express after Mom feels the need to pick me up and kiss me all over.

This morning we woke up to an ice storm.  It had been brewing all night and by morning all of the tree branches were hanging heavily, covered in a thick coat of ice.  They groaned and creaked and cracked all day, many of them ripping away from the trees and crashing to the ground like chandeliers.  Luckily, so far we've been safe and our power is still on, unlike many of the homes in nearby Toronto.  Here are some pictures Mom Instagrammed....

Hopefully it will warm up enough to melt all the ice and make the streets and roads safe again.  Otherwise, how is Santa Paws supposed to come on Christmas Eve and deliver my presents?!

Mom and Dad were really upset to have lost Bella Hamster in the summer.  They knew she was old when they adopted her and that their time with her would be short, but 6 weeks just didn't seem fair, and they miss her very, very much.  But as we all know, Mom and Dad have very big hearts and a few weeks later, Mom found a sweet little albino hamster who needed a home.  Because he was white and had red eyes, people thought he was scary and he kept getting passed over for adoption.  Mom thought he was just the most adorable little thing she'd ever seen (other than me of course) and she traveled an hour and a half to adopt him.  His name is Houdini and he has turned out to be quite the funny and energetic little guy!  He is especially attached to Dad and loves to snuggle with him.  Here is a picture of him and Dad watching hockey, and some funny shots of him crawling all over Mom...

Ana Banana continues to be a grouchy little bunny.  That's just the way she is and Mom and Dad love her that way.  Mom and Dad like to invite her up on their bed and give her cuddles, or at least try to give her cuddles.  It takes her a while to stop digging in the blankets and settle down for a rest.  That's when Mom moves in and gives her head scritches and massages.  But the other week, as Mom leaned in for a snorgle, Ana Banana got a little excited and Mom ended up with a bite on her head!  Ha!  Luckily Mom captured the funny moment....

I'm not sure, but I think Ana is smiling in this picture...

Us bunnies have been very good this year.  I told Santa Paws all I wanted was treats so hopefully by my keeping it simple and straight to the point, I will stick my head in my stocking Christmas morning and find lots of noms!!!  I'm a very lucky bunny.  I have my beautiful Binky who keeps me warm each and every day and I have a wonderful life in a home that is full of love and happiness.  I want to wish all of my peeps out there a very Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year!  I hope that you all get what you want for Christmas and you take an extra moment to love your human(s) and spread the joy <3 p="">

Smooches and Snorgles,

Fluffy McFluffersons

Time To Play Catch Up

Mom would just like everyone to know that BlogSpot hasn't been working properly on her desktop - that's why most of my Peeps think that I have gone missing and have posted my picture on the side of milk cartons!  Don't worry my friends, I am alive and well!

Summer is winding down and in all honesty, Miss Binks and I haven't been doing much other than napping in the sun rays that shine through the patio doors and enjoying the central air conditioning. 

Mom decided to go somewhere she hasn't been in a while - to her Photobucket Account.  She'd forgotten about all of the stuff she had in there, including all these great old pictures of us bunnies in our younger days.  She thinks my Peeps might enjoy a trip down memory lane to see what kind of shenanigans Miss Binks and I have gotten into over the years.....

 

Here is Miss Binks investigating a suitcase.  Mom and Dad were going away and we were off to the bunnysitter's.  You can see our blankets and our igloo inside and Miss Binks is all "Hey!  What are you doing with my stuff?!"

 

 

Here is our first Christmas card, circa 2005!  As I am sure you can tell by the look on my face, I am none too pleased with wearing bells around my neck!  Mom still pulls those stupid things out every year....THUMP!

 

 

Here's me after I lost my manhood.  I was chewing my stitches so I had to wear this hideous cone on my head.  I am about a year old here.....

 

 

This is a picture of me and Boo.  Boo was the first hamster Mom and Dad ever had.  He was awesome, mainly because when he would roll around in his ball, I would lower my head and he would park it right against my forehead and pluck at my fur through the air vents.  He would groom me for hours....

 

 

And here my Peeps, is the picture that started it all.  This is Miss Binks when she was at the Toronto Humane Society, just after her eye was removed.  When Mom and Dad decided to foster a bunny, Mom found this picture of Miss Binks on their website.  She took the picture and made this poster, adding the words, and sent it to Dad.  They went and picked her up that weekend.  This was also when Mom and Dad discovered that they sucked at fostering - Miss Binks never went back, but was adopted instead :)

 

Perhaps I will share more pictures from my past in another entry, but for now I would like to leave you with one last picture.  Back in June, we lost our sweet hammy friend Louise.  In July, Mom and Dad welcomed a new little girl hammy into our family.  Her name was Bella and she was surrendered to a shelter at the ripe old age of 2 years and 7 months.  She was looking for a retirement home and Dad surprised Mom one day by adopting her and bringing her home to live with us.  Despite her age, she was full of energy!  She would climb the sides of her cage, fly around in her ball and give her wheel a good work out.  She never sad still and was always scurrying about.  It took no time at all for her to burrow her way into all of our hearts.  Sadly, sweet Bella passed away last weekend.  We may have only had her for about 6 weeks, but we all loved her as if we'd had her since she was a baby.  She was funny, silly, happy and friendly, and we will never forget her.  Rest in peace little Bella, we will miss you very much.....

 

 

 

Fluffy McFluffersons

 

 

 

Saturating Social Media

Mom never jumped on the Facebook bandwagon.  Misguidedly, she was convinced it was merely a passing fad.  Wow, she missed that boat.  But despite the undeniable dominance of this little corner of social media, Mom has never made herself an account.  But Mom is no stranger to "connecting" with the world using other means - my blog being one of them.  She Tweets and Vines and was Instagramming before it was even cool.  Alas, she still hasn't figured out Tumblr....

Above we see one of many experiments she has being doing trying to find the perfect Instagram framing app.  Aren't Miss Binks and I adorable?  And speaking of adorable, here are Miss Binks and I canoodling in our tent....hopefully this link works...

https://vine.co/v/ha37BMmdTaE/embed

Ah yes, there we are, we just can't get enough of each other ;)  A bit of an explanation about that clip:  Miss Binks and I have been residing upstairs in the living room for the last few weeks.  We had air conditioner problems and unfortunately, a very shady repair company came in and charged a fortune for what really ended up being a blown fuse.  But the icing on the cake was when they left without reattaching the hose that connects the water drain to the output, resulting in water all over the basement, and in the family room where we live.  I tell ya, when Mom got home and saw that mess, she called those people and complained, but they just hung up on her.  Then Dad called back and he started speaking in what I can only describe as a completely different language - "colourful" language some people might call it - certainly words I'd never heard before.  And whoever he was talking to must have been hard of hearing because Dad sure was yelling awfully loud.  Anyway, our home insurance will be repairing the damage and us two have been relocated until said work has been completed.

Mom has finally gotten around to editing that other clip of me having a misadventure in the furnace room.  I LOVE the furnace room!  I'm not allowed in there because there is too much trouble I could get into, but every now and then, Mom or Dad might leave the door ajar and that's when I take full advantage.  So I leave you with this clip of me not listening to Mommy.....and make sure you watch to the end so you can see me giving the business to a blue pillow I found in there....

Fluffy McFluffersons

Sunshine, Scaring Mom and Sad News....

Summer may *technically* still be two days away, but the weather outside has jumped ahead to full-on hot and sunny.  Fresh air from the screened patio door keeps Miss Binks and myself on our toes - her, with her nose pointed in the air sniffing the freshness that wafts in, and me, wishing once, just once, that the door might be left open so that I can dash out for a full-on rabbit run!  Alas, history dictates that I don't know how to behave properly when I am let outside without security, so staring beyond the mesh is all I can do, while Nutters and Butters mock me from the squirrel feeder.

But the nice weather means that Mom takes us out side in the x-pen so that we can get our toes in the grass and the sweet scents in our nostrils.  Binky is especially fond of being outside - she thinks she is a wild bunny when she is out there, not a worry in the world, periscoping on her back feet, her nose a-twitching.  Me on the other hand, I took a nap....

The Bunny Misadventures continue.  One I will talk about in another post as Mom hasn't edited the little video yet, but I did get into some other trouble that Mom and Dad did certainly not find funny....

Mom came down to give us our evening salads and she noticed that I wasn't in the family room.  The gate was open, which means there is a very good chance that my vagabond bunny feet have taken me someplace I'm not supposed to be.  Mom immediately checked the furnace room, as that has been my recent go-to hiding place when I get the chance.  But I wasn't in there.  She then checked the storage area, long known to have hid me on many occasions, but not this time.  This was when Mom started to worry.

She called Dad and told him I was missing.  He came downstairs and that's when the all-out search began.  Flashlights in hand, the furnace room was inspected again, moving all the x-pens, foam squares, the central vac hose, the toy box.....but I was not found.  Next they emptied the storage area - luggage sets, pictures, boxes, Rubbermaid totes, all hauled out into the hall.  Dad even crawled right to the back and turned the corner to see right under the bottom of the stairs......but I was not found.

Mom's shaky voice called out for me as she opened every cabinet door and Dad stared in bewilderment of where on Earth I could possibly be.  "Did you do outside for any reason?  Into the garage?" Mom asked.  Dad thought to himself.  "Uh, well I did go into the garage to get my wallet out of the car but then I came right back in...."  Mom raced to the door that goes into the garage and ran around the car calling my name.....

She found me by the garbage cans.

"HE'S HERE!!!!!!"  she screamed to Dad as she swooped me off the ground and squeezed me extra tight.  She wasted no time flying back into the house and plopping on the couch, rocking back and forth, crying into my fur......"Fluffy!!!!!  Why do you have to scare us like this?!  Why must you always get into trouble!"  Well, I certainly didn't mean to.  All I did was see Dad go out the door, so I followed him.  Then he turned around and went back in the house and left me in there!  "Look at you!  Your feet are dirty, and your whiskers are covered in dust!"  Well, yours would be too if you just spent three hours exploring garbage cans, recycling bins, snow tires, shelves, lawn chairs......... 

Mom was just so happy that Dad didn't actually open the garage door, because we all know, I would have been gone like a flash, and with a three hour head start, it's doubtful I would ever have been found.  She plopped me down by Miss Binks who proceeded to immediately start grooming all the yuckiness off of my fur.  "Where were you Fluffy?  I didn't know where you went..." she said.  "Binky, did you know that right through that door lies a bunny adventure playground beyond anything you could imagine?  It was uncharted territory and I just had to explore it all!"

"Yes, but something could have happened to you.  You could have got hurt, or got lost outside....what would I do without you?"

"Oh, I guess that's true.  I'm sorry I worried you my Binky Girl.  I'll try to be a good bunny and always be by your side......."

I feel bad that I caused so much worry, that I made Mom's eyes leak and Dad's hair turn a little more grey.  Us animals that share this house and life with them mean the world to them, and losing any of us is not something either of them ever wants to think about.

Unfortunately, our hearts were broken last week when our little Louise Hamster crossed the Rainbow Bridge.  It happened so fast and unexpectedly, it was a complete shock to us all.  One evening, Weezie was running around exploring the couch cushions, and the next evening, Dad found her weak and cold by her food dish.  He called for Mom to come.  They tried to warm her up but it didn't help, she was just slowly fading away right in Mommy's hands.  Mommy kissed her, stroked her and cried in her fur.  It was clear to her and Dad that Louise was dying, and as hard as it was, Mom said "If you have to go Louise, please go.  Don't hang on for us.  We love you!  We love you so very, very much and we will miss you.  Please don't ever forget how much we love you, sweet baby......."  And within minutes, sweet Louise took her last breath and lay still in Mommy's shaking hands.....

Mom has always said that love knows no size, that even the smallest of creatures can love and be loved.  Weezie may have been hamster-sized, but the love we shared with her was giant-sized.  You will be missed sweet Louise - you were a very beloved friend and your absence is deeply felt in all of our hearts......

Fluffy McFluffersons

Back To Business

Well, after a torturous few months of eye drops and antibiotics, I am very happy to report that I am all better!  My tear production is back to normal and my eye ulcer is completely gone!  I do still have to have drops everyday, but they are just the saline ones to keep my eyes nice and hydrated, not the medical drops that would sting.  It's taken me a while to stop thumping every time I see Mom or Dad - I keep thinking they are just going to try to medicate me again.  So overall, I am a very happy Big Tough Lop!

And what would a Big Tough Lop be without a bunny misadventure?!  Hee hee!  I'm still at the top of my game as you will see from the video above.  Mom was sitting in the family room when I trotted on out into the hall to see what sort of mischief I could get into.  Mom heard me rustling around somewhere so she decided to go have a look.  Knowing that there is a very good chance of me being in trouble, she filmed me on her iPad.  Have a look!

So Peeps, the lesson today is you are never too old to get into trouble!  Eat your hay, eat your salads, take your meds ("like a good bunny!") and play safe :)

Fluffy McFluffersons

Thundering Thumps

Me at the vet, sulking in the very back of the carrier....

Yup, there's been a loooooooot of thumping going on around here.....

So it turns out that I have an ulcer in my left eye.  For the last month, I have been on two different types of eye drops twice a day (thump), along with sulfatrim to fight my infection (thump), on top of the metacam I take regularly.  Oh yeah, AND stupid Critical Care (thumpthump)!

I had a recheck two weeks ago and my ulcer is doing much better so the sulfatrim is gone, but the eye drops are still around.  And Mom is running out of new and different ways to get me to eat Critical Care.... 

I must have been a huge bunny in a previous life, one who could not be bossed around or made to do anything I didn't want to do.  And now, in this life, I am 2 1/2 pounds and pretty much defenceless when it comes to having to take medication and Critical Care.  Mom knows just how to hold me so that I can't use her body as a spring board to escape, and it doesn't seem to matter how tightly I keep my trap shut, she manages to get that syringe in there anyway.  All I can to is stare her down, spasming out every time that syringe comes close to my lips, my ears hanging like cold, wet socks behind my head....

"Fluffy, mommy mixed it with apple and banana baby food today!  It's yummy!  YUM!!!!"

"Stick it in your ear!  I don't want it!"

"I tasted it myself!  You're going to love it!"  And as always, after 3 or 4 false attempts of me spitting it out of my mouth, eventually I succumb to the fact that I'm not going anywhere until I eat.  So eat it I do.  And she's right, it tastes pretty good today, but I sure as heck am not going to let her know that!

Yesterday she made the mixture a little too wet and it made a big mess under my chin.  After I bolted from her arms and triple-thumped my disapproval, I ran to my sulking spot by the fireplace and proceeded to shake my head violently, splattering the mess all over the wall and on Binky's back.  "Fluffy!  You got Critical Care all over my white Dolce & Gabunny tracksuit!"  Mom waited until it dried, then Furminatored it off of her.....

I have a recheck next week.  I hope they tell Mom and Dad that they can stop with the eye drops and I have gained enough weight that they can stop the Critical Care too.  Until then, I shall continue my futile protests and thump thump thump every time either Mom or Dad come into the family room.....

Fluffy McFluffersons

My Goopy Eye

Look at me.  Aren't I a sorry little sot?  This was what I looked like after my vet visit yesterday....

So I've had a bit of a crusty eye for about 6 months now.  I've been on eye drops and for the most part, it never really developed into anything.  That is, until this past weekend.

Mom was heading out the door and was saying goodbye to Miss Binks and I when she noticed my face.  "For the love of bunnies!  Fluffy!  What happened to your eye?!!!!"  She was on me like stink and before I knew it I was scooped up in her arms.  "Oh my Little Man!  Your poor eye!"  My eye wasn't just watery, it had white goop all over it and was almost completely crusted shut.  Out came the warm washcloth and Mom gently wiped it all away and washed the fur all around my eye.  Wow, it felt nice to get rid of that gunk.  Then she cradled me in her arms and got all mushy with me.  "My sweet Fluffy Man, my poor, poor baby...."  She buried her face in my fur and rocked me back and forth.  Then she finally set me back on the floor and I promptly gave her about 4 thumps to let her know that, although I appreciated the warm washcloth, all that extra baby stuff was embarrassing.

So yesterday it was off to the vet.  Here is a picture of me all burritoed for my duct cleaning.  Dr. Erin had to give me a needle for some sedation and then my eye duct was flushed.  It got all of the gunk out and I felt much better.  But by the time it was all over, I had just about had it with all the poking and prodding and managed a few drowsy thumps when I got back into my carrier, hence my sourpuss face in the first picture.

And of course, once mom got home and heard all about my ordeal at the vet, I got scooped again.  "Oh Fluffs, my sweet little man!  What a horrible, horrible day you've had!  Mama's little bunny boy, are you okay?  Are you feeling better?"  She knew I was because in between all of her mushy kisses I was trying to wriggle out of her arms.  She put me back on the floor and of course, I thumped my disapproval.  "That's my bunny boy!"

So I am on eye drops 3 times a day, doubled doses of metacam and baytril.  The vet says I could stand to put on a few ounces so I am also getting alfalfa hay and Critical Care mixed with baby food.  I go back to the vet for a re-check in two weeks.  Until then, I will enjoy all of the extra treats I am getting and do my best to stay out of Mom's reach *sigh*.

Fluffy McFluffersons

Hockey Bunns

If you're a hockey fan, this season has been a looooooong time coming.  But the lockout is now over and NHL hockey is back on the ice!

Dad looooooves hockey.  It's been tough for Mom lately because while the lockout was going on, Dad had nothing to do Saturday nights, which meant Mom had to entertain him.  "Let's watch a movie.  Can we watch a movie?  Harry Potter is on!"  A Harry Potter movie is ALWAYS on somewhere in the television universe at any given time of the day, and Dad will ALWAYS find it.

So hockey is back and Mom has Dad out of her hair and back on the couch watching hockey every Saturday night, and us bunnies get to watch with him.  To show our support, we put on our hockey jerseys because that's how happy we are to have Dad back, hanging out with us in the family room.  Between Dad's yells of "SHOOT!" and "Oh come ON!  How can you MISS that, you MORON?!", we get snorgles, pets and treats.  And sometimes Dad gets distracted and gives us extra treats, not remembering that he gave us each a raisin 10 minutes ago.....

So here is a little video of Miss Binks and I in our jerseys as we watch the Toronto Maple Leafs. GO LEAFS, GO!!!!

Fluffy McFluffersons

New Year Check Ups

Yes, it's that time of year.  At the beginning of every year, all us bunnies get carted out to see Dr. Deb for our annual check ups.  Here I am on the table getting molested by Dr. Deb.  Don't get me wrong, she's nice and all, but I just don't understand why she has to poke at my belly and stick things in my ears and mouth.  I try to wiggle out of her grasp, but being such a light bunny, they can get a pretty good hold on me.  The verdict?  I'm a lean, mean, Big Tough Lop Machine!  And I showed everyone just how I felt when I was allowed back in my carrier - I gave them a Big Tough Lop thump!

Here is Binky in Daddy's arms.  She had her check up first and then Daddy snuggled her for the rest of the visit because that's what she likes.  She can be a Nervous Nellie so he likes to make sure she is all calmed down before she goes back into the carrier.  And she got a treat too.  We all get treats after our exams for being such good little bunnies - even when we are not such good little bunnies :)  Dr. Deb says that Binky has really good muscle tone for her age, and that for *almost* 10 years old, she is in very good shape.  Binky attributes this to all of the beauty sleep and snorgling she insists on getting.

Scooter was next.  Poor Scoots.  He has being showing his age as of late - he turned 9 in November.  Mom and Dad are pretty sure he's deaf and he has also developed cataracts in both his eyes, rendering him pretty much blind.  Because he can't hear or see means that he's slowed down a lot.  It's been hard for Mom and Dad to watch but they count their blessings every day.  Scooter still eats well and poops well and plays with his toys so he's still a happy boy.  But Mom and Dad sure wish old age wasn't catching up with him - or with any of us for that matter.  But otherwise, Scooter is a healthy boy, so Mom and Dad are very happy about that :)  Here is a picture of him in his new Christmas Sweater!

Ana Banana was last and of course, she was an absolute angel.  The angry, grunty, boxy, bitey girl we've all grown to love didn't show an ounce of her true self.  Dr. Deb didn't believe us when we told her what Ana is really like at home until we showed her the video of Ana ripping apart her Christmas stocking and attacking everyone.  *sigh*  But that's why we love her - she's a real firecracker!  Ana does have some sore hocks on her feet so Dr. Deb showed us how to use vet wrap to wrap her feet up.  Well, let's just say Ana Banana is none too crazy for her new footwear and has turned shredding vet wrap into an Olympic sport.  Poor Mom keeps trying to put them on, sometimes even using fingers from gloves as little legwarmers but Ana will have no part of it.  Mom is going to keep trying though in hopes that Ana will just get used to it and leave them alone. *snort* How silly is that idea? 

So we are all done for another year.  Oh yeah, and I'm back on that stinky panacur for 30 days that helps keep my EC at bay.  Can't wait until I finish that bottle! 

Hope all of my peeps are staying nice and warm during this cold winter!  McFluffersons, over and out!

Fluffy McFluffersons

Our Christmas Video!

I've been giving Mom the business because it's taken her so long to post about our Christmas haul.  Mom said she had an issue with the video and wanted to wait until she could fix it, so here we are!

Christmas was great!  Santa Paws once again looked the other way when I was bad this last year and brought us all kinds of cool stuff!  Binks and I got this new straw Carrot Patch toy which I initially wasn't too impressed with, but I really like tossing the carrots now.  Mom will put them all back in the patch and that is my cue to sprint over and rip them all out and fling them in the air with reckless abandon.

Binky got her highly coveted bag of persimmon slices from the Bunspace store.  She loves them very much and Santa brings them every year just for her.  Mom is in charge of making sure she shares because when it comes to treats, especially her persimmon slices, sharing is not on the top of her agenda.  Me, I'm not too fond of them so I usually let Binks get them all and I will happily take a raisin instead.

Scooter, one of the bunnies that lives upstairs, got a cardboard Christmas Tree that he has been shredding on a daily basis.  He is really into cardboard so Santa Paws really hit the nail on the head with that gift for him.  And Ana Banana, the other upstairs bunny, she got a willow boot, which she managed to completely decimate in about a day and a half.  She is a very angry girl and decimation is her specialty, as you will see in the video as she opens her stocking.

And wee Louise, she got lots of hammy treats and a wooden bridge to hang in her cage, although Mom isn't sure there will be enough room for it in there.  Louise already has so much stuff in her cage - two fiddle sticks, a corn husk tunnel, a swing, a ledge, tunnels, a wheel and her Sputnik, Mom will probably have to remove some things in order to get the new bridge in there.

So without further ado, here we are in our Christmas video!  I hope all of my peeps had a great holiday and a very happy new year!

Fluffy McFluffersons