The way things are now

They say that you should be careful about the things you wish for.

I was wishing for something to happen. Something to change things. Something great.

Well.

Something did happen. Something to change things. Something great. But not in a good sort of great way, more like a big sort of great way.

The 4 month old dalmation puppy, Princess Pepper, who has been in unfavourable repute with the mother of the house for ripping clean washing off the line and dragging it frivolously through the mud, caught, overpowered and dissected Holly, 14 month old Angora bunny.

T-Bird, my heart's greatest beat, discovered the carnage and how I wish she hadn't. She found the mutilated body of the friendly little bunny just before bath-time. Both girls were heart-broken, and wept for three hours flat.

We had a simple burial complete with kind words and offerings of fresh flowers and little trinkets - frugal donations from little people wishing the world were a different place.

***
When T-Bird was born, my mom said that from that day on, my heart would live outside of my body. And she was right. Seeing both of my children so desperately unhappy was indeed an emotionally taxing and physically painful experience for me. How I wished I could have saved them that loss, that pain, that violence. I wished I could keep them safe and ignorant of the hurts of the world, the reality of death, the truth of life. Oh for that elusive bubble-wrap to protect my dear, sweet, innocent progeny!
***

So something happened - my children were exposed to a reality of life in a very violent way. Things have changed - the dog is now the only pet on the premises, and my garden has a slightly better prospect at surviving. It was a great, and painful learning experience. For all of us.