Heineken...a Pearl I'll Always Treasure

I have recently realized that in my almost two years of blogging I have never written an entry about my little lager...Heineken the gerbil. 
Three years ago I brought home my first fury little pet. A tan and cream, 2 month old gerbil not much bigger than my index finger. I had researched gerbils for years with the hope of someday getting one, but I never imagined that Heineken would be anywhere near as much fun as he has been. 

The epitome of cuteness and the most snuggly rodent I've ever known, he has always loved being held and stroked until he falls asleep close to my chest, as well as cuddling with a sock like a baby with a blanket while I watch tv. Because of how tame he has always been, people have often called me "The Gerbil Whisperer" but I think the majority of credit should go to Heineken and his unique characteristics. 

As cute and calm as he is, he's also a bundle of energy! When he was little, I trained him to jump out of large containers and run through mazes set up with books, although till this day he has never quite figured out how to run in a ball. His bravery when it comes to heights however, makes up for his lack of running. Since he was little, he has had the courage to jump from heights that should typically be unfathomable for such a small rodent. Recently he tackled six feet by jumping out of my friend's hands...still without getting hurt. I'd say he's quite the daredevil.  

Alongside being a package of fun, he is also the second pickiest gerbil in existence-other than his brother Remie. Changing his favourite seeds almost every week and only eating almonds with the tops already bitten off, I used to joke that he would only eat
 vegetables that were crinkle cut 3/4" thick. Who knew a gerbil could be so picky? 

Heineken is definitely the tamest, cuddliest, cutest, most amazing gerbil to ever live. From falling asleep in my lap, to challenging the cat, wrestling with his brother and playing hide and seek with me, he is truly an incredible animal. I'm proud to say that for the past three years he has been my companion, friend and snuggle buddy and I look forward to many more days with him and praise the Lord for him every day. 
Time with him is something I'll always treasure.

Box Cat...an Uncomfortable Point

A short, simple story that I pray you finish reading with a smile.J 

     For the past few days, we've had a high, very narrow cardboard box filled with paper sitting by our printer so that we have material to print off of at whim. It's not a very large box, 8.5x11" and not good for anything except for holding the paper that barely fits inside of it. 

     Now, it may be known or unknown to you that I am the not-so-proud partial owner of a rather big boned cat that goes by the name of Simone...or if you're mean like me, Fatty and occasionally Cow Face. Simone's weight issues are no secret, in fact, they've been around for the past seven years of her life after she outgrew kitten-hood and they're one of the first things you'll notice after you step through our front door. Often, the first remark visitors make-whether returning or not-is "Is that a cat?"

     When she runs down the stairs to get fed in the morning, she's fast until she tries to stop and her back end catches up with everything and causes her to roll over herself until she hits the wall. When she runs around a corner she's like an elegant tiger until her gut catches on the sharp turn and weighs her down so that she tumbles down the hill. She's ear trained, to the sound of a tuna can opening and the scoop of  breakfast clinking into her metal dish. She doesn't sleep in her bed, or on the couch or blanket, in fact she normally will find the most unthinkable, uncomfortable spot to sleep for the afternoon like a piece of wood, a plastic lid, in the middle of a puzzle or on top of my pile of hundreds of pages I'm organizing from my binder.

     I came home from dance just the other night to the news of her finding a new sleeping spot and when I went to inspect it I found a surprise, although I should have expected as much. Out like a light, Simone was sleeping in the half full, tiny, cardboard, paper box by the printer. Her rolls bulging over the sides and her paws barely able to fit in with everything else. Now, that's officially her new favourite spot and if you're looking for her, she'll probably be. I don't know how she thought she could fit in there...maybe she jumped in and couldn't  force her body to cooperate in getting out so she decided to make the best of it! 

     Whatever was going through her mind, I have a high respect for her determination...and like I always say, "E for effort!" Here's to one crazy box cat!

The Sandwich

     This is something I've been meaning to get out for a long time. My apologies to the owner, I know I said I would blog about it when it was "New News" sadly procrastination has been poking at me.

     I'd like to present the cutest guinea pigs I've ever seen, Peanut Butter and Jelly. Also known as...The Sandwich. 

     I remember having a conversation with the owner once, saying that my gerbil was the epitome of cuteness. She had asked me what epitome meant and I responded saying, "It means when you look up the word in the dictionary, my gerbil's picture will be there." She countered, insisting that she was sure her guinea pigs were there, and not my gerbil. To resolve this serious issue I explained that her guinea pigs are the epitome of adorable. This is true. 

     Peanut Butter's name was picked perfectly because she reminds me of a Reese's Cup. Her black, silky fur has caramel coloured ribbons throughout. She's the cuddly one and while it's impossible to pick which I like better, her or her sister, I love that she's content to be stroked and sit in your hands. 

     Jelly, if there's one thing I love about Jelly it's her fur. Spiked tufts stick out in every direction and are all kinds of colours from black, to white to grey. She likes to snuggle too, but she's also more of the adventurous one. She likes to explore the room and find a nice cozy corner to sit in. 

Snuggling.

     The funniest thing is how much these two rodents love their owner. The second she walks into the room the rodents start to make noises. Clicks and squeaks and noises that remind me of Chewbacca. When they know they're going to get their vegetables the come out of their wooden house and wait patiently for celery and other yummy treats. Once they get fed, it takes seconds for the little mammals to devour the greens and after they're finished they're happy to be petted on the noses. Then they crawl back into their house and snuggle up to each other to sleep. 

     Although you can't eat it, this Sandwich is one sweet sensation. 

Proud Parents

Kiwi the Kitten

     They say dogs are man's best friend. But what about the rest of the animal kingdom? It's clear to see that since the beginning, man has had the company of other animals, just Google "Pet Bonds" and see for yourself. Rows among rows of pictures will be displayed of human and animal love. The best of this love is found in first time pet owners. They're the ones that take giant leaps to meet every need of their new friend, while the rest of us, who are familiar to animals, see them as spoiling. Yes, maybe a lot of the "extras" aren't necessities, but the love that is the motive is truly sweet.

     Two siblings, a brother and sister had asked me to come to visit them and their brand new pets. She had gotten a kitten, he a rabbit. It was with ecstasy that I went to visit them and what I found was this "new" love. When the kitten was placed in my arms I, being a previous owner of a few cats, tried to cuddle her. But it was clear that the cat wanted nothing to do with me...I was strange. I had a bit more success with the rabbit, but not much. "Ralph," the owner said to him. "Be nice." The dwarf lop's powerful legs scratched at my arms until eventually I was forced to put him back on the ground, where he was happy to eat grass from his harness.

     Oh well. I thought. But what was really nice to see was the owner's interaction with the animals. "We've trained her," The cat's owner said. "She licks your nose when she wants down." Among other things, I discovered the cat was also being potty trained when I went to use the bathroom and found a red ring filled with cat litter on the top of the toilet seat. We had fun watching the animals natural instincts as well. The owner would let the cat off her harness and, from a close distance, throw her towards the base of the tree. We'd watch the cat's claws grip the bark and climb to the highest branches. Of course, the fun part was having to climb up the tree and bring her down. "Firefighter." I called it. As for the rabbit's enthralling instincts, I enjoyed watching his nose twitch as he picked the clovers out from the grass.

     After the fun, the owners took turns snuggling their pets. When the girl picked up her kitten, the cat seemed to melt in her arms. Purring, licking the tip of her nose and meowing sweetly. The rabbit squirmed constantly in my eyes, but when cuddled by his owner he was happy to sit on his lap and be mauled. The cuteness of it all was unbearable. 


     Other than the fact that animals don't take care of themselves, I think we can all agree that they make great companions. I know that after that short visit, I left with a joy bubbling up inside of me both for the proud parents-who are in for the rides of their lives-and for the animals who are sure to have a happy life.   

Ralph enjoying a belly rub.

 

A Fascination For Furry Fashions

Nala Modeling The Precious Princess Cape

Meister Showing off the
Magic Mushroom Hat.

In the interest of fashion, I took off to Pittsburgh for an interview with the next up and coming designer Emmah Farrell. (Head of Mani Fashions) Luckily for me I was able to take a sneak peak at her current work and assist in a photo shoot for PA magazine. What's unique about Farrell's spring line is not what she's designing, but who she's designing for. Pampered, is a collection created exclusively for your furry friend. consisting of skirts, shawls, sweaters, scarves and capes and ranging from petites to plus sizes. Farrell explains that, although she's a baby by fashion world standards, she looks forward to the future as she plans to move into designing for smaller animals, taking an interest especially in ferret apparel. When questioned on her first experience working with pets she states that she prefers working with them as opposed to dolls, and stuffed animals. "Although your fitting to a completely different body, it's not nearly as difficult as what I've been doing!"  When it comes to picking a model, Farrell finds it just as easy. "I love her so much!" She says, when asked about her first fitted model, a kitten. "Nala's still young, so she's very easy to work with..." But it was clear that Nala's focus was not so much on the photo shoot as it was on the ball waiting in the corner! Later in my visit I witnessed some dog models as well, and surprisingly none of them seem to mind the constant adjusting as they sat still for picture after picture. They looked pretty cute too! 

Looking perfect in the Bad Girl Sweater

Jager perfecting the Regal Crown