The Kitchen Chairs

The kitchen chairs will be the death of me.  Piglet continues to win this battle.  He knows that if he tips them over they will make an excessively loud noise and I will come downstairs.  We have tried ribbon around the outside, bungee cords across the cross bars - nothing seems to work.  So - I called in the big guns - the hubs and his solution was simple yet elegant - zip ties.  I went to the hardware store and purchased them this morning and am getting ready to do the "install".  I am hopeful that this will work.

Once we win the chair battle - maybe the hubs can come up with a solution for winning the splashy water dish war....

The Right Time

I LOVE springing forward!  Falling back not so much but springing forward makes my world seem right.  For some reason Daylight Savings Time works for us - the piglet sleeps later - the ferrets are up a bit later and as a result they leave us alone at night.  It just works!!

Today we took piglet out to Grandma's for a long walk - he has been housebound for entirely too long because of weather.  Today was glorious and he had a fantastic time!  Because of all the rain and snow it was excessively mucky - which he loved - I am guessing you saw the picture on Facebook.  Once we got home little mister has been pretty low key.  In fact - I went downstairs to hot up some dinner and piglet didn't even get out of his bed - he is tuckered out!

We took Emma to grandmas as well but she heard some hunters way off in the distance and decided that she would wait for us in the car.  Kitties had a regular lazy day - ferrets too - lots of interaction time with them today.

All in all a good weekend - too fast for sure - not ready for another work week.....

All Tucked In...

We have a pretty good nightly routine around here - it goes something like this.

While I do the downstairs chores before bed I let Winston play with his treat ball.  He pushes it around and gobbles up the pig food as it comes out.  While he is busy I take care of the nightly stuff like giving Oliver, Zoey and Phoebe their ear meds for their hyperthyroid.  Then I check litter boxes and scoop up any messes, then straighten the blankets in Winston's bed.  Once everything is done downstairs then Emma goes up and Winston gets his 'nighty cookies'.  Emma goes upstairs and gets her Milk Bone and we start the search for the ferrets.

Some nights like tonight are a piece of cake - all of them came out right away when called and they have all had cuddles and wrestles and they are off doing their own things now.  Some nights are not so lucky and we spend lots of time looking for everyone.

Everyone is all tucked in now and we have the rest of the evening to hang out and watch TV.  Winston will be up bright and early - pigs do not like to sleep in....I am hopeful that with the time change I will get another hour before he is up and raring to go....we shall see!

A Good Friday

It's been a super critter day around here today.  Not sure why exactly but everyone just seems so happy and agreeable today - loving it!!

Emma has been a good girl - only getting in trouble for scratching on the carpet a couple of times today.  She and Winston have been playing and sharing some cookies.  They also shared the crushed ice from my lunch beverage - they do love ice cubes.

Winston's day has been great - he has been practicing speak and is getting better at doing it on the first ask.  He has been playing with the dog and Oliver the kitty this morning.  He had a long session of piggy treat ball which he seemed to enjoy.  There have been a few short naps and of course his new scarf.  Now that he has had his dinner and his belly is full he is snoozing in front of the fireplace.  Have I mentioned how ready we are for spring around here?

I did a few upstairs chores this morning and had all my weasel babies as assistants - I love that.  They are so sweet and fun.  All of them seem to be happy and healthy little ones as well.  They are snoozing now and we will spend the evening with them playing and cuddling.

Kitties are fantastic - they are thriving and have spent the day lounging.  I was lucky enough to get some cuddles from Zoey.  As I type this Aggie is on the back of my chair.  Phoebe and Ollie are snoozing in their new favorite chair.

A couple of weeks ago I tried to solve the chair tipping conundrum using ribbon.  Let's just say - Piglet - 1, Piglet Mom - 0.  So I tried to come up with another solution.  Off to the hardware store for bungee cords I went and so far so good.  I have them hooked to the cross bars of the chairs and he hasn't even ventured under there since they have been installed.  The cats are fascinated but piglet is uninterested.

So all in all - its been a fabulous Friday.  Hope yours was a great one too...

Stories of the Day

It was a crazy busy Wednesday around here.

Emma had a good day today.  Even though the morning started out raining the weather vastly improved and she enjoyed a 3 mile walk tonight.  She was sneaky this evening and stole some of Winston's dinner - he gets so mad when she does that.

Winston had a good day today as well.  He was much better behaved today - wow - yesterday was not good.  We have started learning a new trick to add to his repertoire - speak.  It took him all of about an hour to get it.  Now we are just working on trying to get him to do it on the first ask.  By Monday I bet he will have it down pat.  Still trying to get him to understand shake - that one is lost on him for some reason.  Roll over is not happening either - he let's me roll him over but doing it for himself doesn't seem to be happening.  I will be looking for other tricks to teach him because he loves to learn new thing.

The kitties seem to be doing really well.  Zoey and Oliver seem to be adjusting well to their new dosage of thyroid medication.  There has been only a scarce hairball since we went to the vet - very much improved!  Phoebe is doing well - Kai is obsessed with making friends with her and she is obsessed with whacking him on the head.  Aggie is fantastic - hanging out with me lots during the day while I work.

The ferrets are wild - happy and healthy little weasels.  Everyone was easy to find this evening and they have had their cuddle and play time with the humans.  Kai is my bath buddy - he comes in with me and splashes around.  The little girls were full of energy tonight and spent a good bit of time playing with me and with each other.  Theo is my giant love bug and was full of kisses and cuddles tonight.

All in all it was a pretty great critter day.  Tomorrow will kick off with several critter related chores - there is a good bit of maintenance required with 12....we will do toes, flea meds, litter boxes and ferret clean up....better head to bed soon and rest up so I can make it through my list before my work day starts....

Naughty Piglet

Wowie - little Mister is in all kinds of trouble this morning.  I think he has cabin fever because he has had limited outside time because of the weather.

First he tipped over the kitchen chairs, then he pushed on the gate on the stairs - both of which are my pet peeves and he knows he is not supposed to do.  He has chewed on carpet, chewed up an envelope and now he is chewing up cat toys.

Soon I will break out the pig bowling ball and let him play with that.  It's a pain because you basically have to play zone defense or he causes havoc tipping over furniture and getting the ball stuck in spots like between the toilet and the wall.

He has been scolded and redirected all morning and he is making me crazy.  Poor dude - I know its because he is bored.  Gonna go fill up his ball with pig chow and let him have some fun....

Weekend Overview

It was a fairly uneventful weekend at the zoo...the critters are all well - safe and sound out of the cold weather and seemingly healthy.  This weather is for the birds.  Cold, rain, freezing rain - really we are VERY ready for spring.

Emma had a bit of outside time with a 5 mile walk yesterday but today she opted to stay home under the bed rather than walk in the rain.  Winston has had no outside time because it has been way too cold and way too mucky outside.  We have been trying to give him some inside exercise by using his pig bowling ball - he will spend hours pushing that thing around - so long as there is pig food in there he will play with it.

The kitties are doing well - Oliver's squinty eye is fully healed and back to normal.  The girls are as lazy as ever.  The ferrets are also doing just great.  Today Harlow and Maddie were playing like crazy.  Kai is still nippy - working on it and he is getting better...oh little boy ferrets are especially bitey.  Tabitha nips at the hubs but never at me for some reason.  Theo is my lovey boy - so sweet and gentle.

All in all we left February and started March with little hooplah.  I can't believe it's time for the work week to start all over again.  Weekends are too short!