More Moose

The History of Moose

Right after Christmas Margaret Rose brought home a library book about guinea pigs. I found it in her bookbag and thought it was an odd choice. Margaret Rose likes the idea of animals but isn't usually to fond of the real things. They slobber you know and get your clothes dirty and some smell bad. We decided she must have selected the book because it had a pretty Asian girl on the front holding the guinea pig but we asked her and she said she liked that pet and wanted one. So we read that book and some more books about guinea pigs and talked about how you take care of one and what all they needed and finally said that we would seriously consider getting one a little closer to summer. Mary Clare, ever Miss Contrary, said she did not want a guinea pig but that she did want a hamster. We told her we were sorry but that we would not be getting a hamster. She sulked.

About 2 weeks ago one of the ladies that works in Margaret Rose's after school program approached Lee and asked if we would be interested in having her daughter's guinea pig as she had found out that her college housing for next year will only allow fish. Lee teaches her daugher, Megan, and thinks very highly of the girl and her family and told the mom that he would have to ask me first but that he knew what I would say. I think I was suppose to get the hint that I was not to show up with a puppy (which is what MC REALLY wants)without consulting him -point made, point taken. Well he and I talked for a second and decided that if the guinea pig wasn't too old (remember MC and her death obsession) that we would very much like to have him. Lee told Megan that whenever she decided to let him go we would take him. It would have been fine with us if she waited until the fall but Friday she asked Lee to come and get 6 month old Moose on Monday. We decided to tell the girls they were getting a surprise but not to mention the pig because, of course, MC would just fuss and say she didn't want one. I knew once she saw him she'd be smitten and she was.

Mary Clare and I had to stay in town today and do some book shopping for our school so she got to spend some time with Moose this morning. Margaret Rose was so concerned about him before going to school. She feed him his pellets and asked who would take care of him today while we were gone. She still does not want to hold him but will pet him gently. Mary Clare just wants to hold him and rock him. She croons to him and says "It's okay little guy. Nutting will hurt you." She told him she would rock him to sleep (I'm sure he was thrilled). Poor Moose doesn't know what to make of my little people but he is curious and very tame. Megan must have spent a lot of time with him. I was sure he would stay in his hidey-hole for days but he comes right out and wants to know what we're all doing and if we have any food.

Mary Clare typed his name and is trying to teach him how to read. She checked out books from the library to read to him- "He will like dese. They have guinea pig characters." We spent nearly 4 hours in the book warehouse today and MC was PERFECT. She sat on top of the roll-cart "criss-cross applesauce" and read the entire time. The ladies there were so impressed with her and kept giving her books to take home. She asked intelligent questions and would periodically spot a book we have read, identify the title and give the ladies a synopsis and review. Oh how I wish she were that well behaved all the time. At the end when she really began to get antsy (and who could blame her- I was ready to get out of there myself) I told her we could go for junk if she could hold it together for a few more minutes. As we were checking out the ladies were complimenting her and she said, "Thank you. I was good and now I am going to get junk." M&Ms are her junk of choice.

My sweeties!

Poor Margaret! Right after this picture was taken we went outside to play. The girls teeter-tottered for awhile. All of a sudden I heard MC yelling, "Margaret has hurt her butt!" Margaret was limping and said, "I need to check my butt." Well okay. You just never know with MR. She makes a big deal about little injuries fairly often but MC did come running back outside saying, "Mama! Help! Margaret's butt is bleeding." There was a little scratch and some blood and a great deal of drama. MC kept reassuring MR- "It's okay Margaret. I'll be the nurse. I'm a butt expert. You need a butt band-aid." And then I watched my little sweetie climb from the top of the toilet, on to the sink and stand on her tippy toes to reach her hand up to the top of the medicine cabinet (not the top shelf) where we keep the off limits stuff like fingernail polish and band-aids. So much for us thinking we had her fooled. I'm pleased to report that thanks to the attention of the hiney expert, Margaret Rose's butt has made a full recovery.

Mary Clare asked, "May I please take Moose's photograph?" MR is usually our picture taker and she showed MC how to use the real camera (scary). This is one of her nearly one hundred pics of Moose - he must have thought here was one heck of a lightening storm

Moose's Valentine