animal house.........

A few weeks back my sister and brother in law went on vacation for a week.

Usually when they go away they board their dog (a 120 pound English Sheep Dog), Riley.

This time there was some confusion with the kennel (long, boring story). She gave me a call and asked if I would watch him for the week. Of course.

Would I also watch the bunny (who has one ear up and one ear down) Flopsie. Certainly.

Me, the dog, the bunny, and the cat.....for a week.

The bunny arrived first, on saturday afternoon. The poor guy was a nervous wreck- a half an hour in the car and then set up in a strange house, complete with a cat who spent the rest of the day, stalking the bunny. I will be clear, the bunny stayed in his cage, but the cat hovered around the entire day. At times standing on his hind legs with his nose pressed up against the cage , staring at the bunny.

On Sunday, the dog arrived. My sister dropped him off and then I drove her and my brother in law to the airport. Then I went home.

I was greeted by, the bunny on the verge of a nervous breakdown, and the cat who was a wreck because the dog had invaded his domain, and the dog who was in a full on depression because his "mommy" had left him.

I had become the care taker at the St. Francis home for neurotic animals.

After a day or two things began to settle down- The bunny was now right at home, the cat discovered that the dog doesn't climb stairs so he had the upstairs to himself, and the dog was slowly deciding that life goes on.

The highlight of my week was on weds morning when I woke up. I had taken to sleeping on the couch so that I could keep an ear open for any shenanigans. I'm on the couch, the cat is sleeping on the arm of the couch, the dog is sleeping on the floor in front of the couch, and the bunny is sprawled out in his cage.

There's all sorts of snoring and grunting going on. I feel like I'm part of the fraternity I never pledged in college.

The college experience was cemented when all the animals decided they weren't going to eat their regular healthy food, every body was going to live all week on snacks. I felt terrible that the dog wasn't eating his dry food- so  I went and got him a can of Alpo. He devoured it. That night he added farting to the snoring and grunting.

In solidarity the cat would only eat his snacks, no regular food. The bunny would also only eat his snacks, but since his snacks are  parsley and basil and assorted greens, he was the healthiest of the bunch.

Our week ended, everyone survived, it did take the cat a day or two to convince himself that the dog was really gone and that he could come downstairs. He was a bit perturbed with me for allowing those beasts into his house. To show his disapproval he kept to himself for a few days , barely giving me the time of day. Then the thunder and lightning came and he soon swallowed his pride and climbed in to my lap.

I am the leader of the pack.