ANIMAL INVASION
I have to tell you that I’m kind of mortified 
because I seem to be fairly useless as a blogger. 
I am blank. :wallbash: Again. :cursing: So I late last night, I figured I’d at least mention why I love the upcoming month of July. I do. I love July and why not?
My 17th anniversary 
is July 1 and my birthday 
is July 7th. I think this year we’re going to go into NYC with my parents and my kids and do a joint celebration because my parents anniversary is June 29th. Fun, huh?
And once I typed this in, I had nothing more to say. I had no blog. Nada. 
And then somehow, as if someone was looking out for me, all hell broke loose. 
First, my dog Buddy :doggie: began barking at 2 AM from his crate. 
Buddy never barks unless it’s at the Fed Ex man. He sleeps 
through the night. He’s 8 years old and he knows what is good for him so he doesn’t wake us at midnight. Except that last night, he started to bark. Actually he woofed. And woofed again. And again. I thought my husband would get up and check him (hahahahahaha!) 
What was I thinking? So I dragged myself out of bed and went downstairs to the kitchen. Buddy was standing in his crate (unusual). He hadn’t pooped or thrown up (thank God!). So I let him out to pee, which I thought maybe he’d be anxious to do, but I really had to coax him off the patio. And then I locked him up again and all was well.
Fast forward to this morning (I saw CLICK this weekend, can’t you tell?). My husband called from work and said, “Your dog wasn’t barking to go to the bathroom, he was protecting you.” What? We accidentally left the garage door open last night and a raccoon got in, toppled our garbage pails and had a feast. 
“Is he still in there?” I asked. “I didn’t see him,” Hubby said. Men. 
But he cleaned up after the raccoon so I can’t be too mad.
Fast forward again. I went on the treadmill and while I was on, I heard a thump. I looked at the window – it’s a fire escape window and isn’t meant to be opened. If you have to go out, it leads to a well and you have to climb up three steep plastic like stairs to get to the yard. It’s purely for safety. Human safety. Because a baby bunny rabbit fell or jumped into the well. I looked out the window and screamed because staring at me, paws on the window, was a baby rabbit. 
We have rabbits who live in our yard and Buddy, the gentle soul, coexists with them. He never runs after them. So anyway for a solid fifteen minutes, my daughter and I stared at the rabbit, coaxing him (or her) to jump higher as the poor bunny tried to hop out of the well. It would make it to the first step and try to jump to the higher second step and fall back, shake for awhile and attempt to figure out how to get out of this apparent trap. It was awful.
We tossed around ideas and finally went to the back yard at 7:30 AM armed with a girls lacrosse stick. Geniuses that we are, we hoped we could scoop the bunny into the cup part of the stick and toss it back to it’s mommy. Or we thought we could give it a helping boost out of the hole. We got there and WE COULDN’T FIND THE RABBIT. Turns out it was burrowed in fear in a corner. We discovered this after I forced my daughter to poke it and make sure it was still alive although how it could have died in the five minutes it took to find the lacrosse stick is beyond me. Notice that I wasn’t the one who was poking at the rabbit.
What we found out is that even baby bunnies have really long legs. Each time my daughter tried to scoop it up, it hopped high, she screamed, :shock: and we ran backwards. Notice I wasn’t the brave one in this scenario. Finally we gave up. But we weren’t going to let the poor rabbit down, not to mention we didn’t want a bunny corpse on our hands.
Luckily for me, the painters who’d been painting our house had one last thing to do and while we were scratching our heads over what to do, the doorbell rang and they showed up. I handed them the lacrosse stick and showed them our little problem.
The big strong men saved the bunny while the cowering women screamed at the bunny flying through the sky. The bunny ran back to it’s mother and I had my blog topic. 
I still think someone helped me intentionally so I’d have something to write about. THANK YOU!!!!
**************
If you haven’t figured it out yet, I’m the one who wanted the new icons. I hope you like them. I do! If not, what can I say? It’s my blog and I can do what I want to. :biteme:
And if the other plotmonkeys don’t like it, I’ll hide. 
Just kidding. I asked them first!
Happy Tuesday, folks! 
Oh, Carly, I would have been right with you on that baby bunny! Wanting to help but so scared I’d hurt it!
My littlest one came in the house last fall, crying her eyes out, her hands and clothes covered with blood. Turns out the neighbor’s cat had discovered a whole nest of baby bunnies and just gone after them. My daughter and her friend chased the cat off and found these poor dying baby bunnies, picked them up and brought them to the friend’s father, begging him to do something. Of course, he couldn’t and they died right there. It was soooooo traumatic! Of course, having your 10 year old burst into your house, covered with blood and sobbing, is pretty traumatic too!
So good on you for actually being able to save a bunny!
Comment by Leslie Kelly — June 27, 2006 @ 8:48 am
Oh Carly, you had me scared for the little bunny! I’m glad he made it out okay, but oh, that poor little thing! :shock: I hope he remembrs that before he goes wandering away from his mama.
Smart Buddy :doggie: He deserves a treat
July sounds like a fabulous month for you - but why wait? Start celebrating now!
Gosh these icons are fun 
Comment by Stacy ~ — June 27, 2006 @ 8:50 am
I probably should save this for my own blog, but night before last while the Princess and I were shopping on the Internet rather late at night, Lady, our dachshund, started going nuts. Like Buddy, she doesn’t bark unless someone rings the doorbell. She’s barking and growling into the back yard. Like a maroon, I let her out. (BTW, my husband, who was asleep, shouted once for Lady to be quiet, as if her barking is something she does all the time…men.)
She darts out into the yard while I grab the flashlight. She has found the BIGGEST possum I’ve ever seen! At least twice her size. And the possum won’t move (it’s on the top of the fence) and Lady’s going nuts and I can’t find a single rock or stick to throw at the thing so it will go away. I’m terrified that the possum will attack the dog!
And while all this hissing and growling and barking is going on…my daughter is inside watching 2 Stupid Dogs and my husband has rolled over and gone back to sleep.
:wallbash:
Glad the bunny is okay!
Comment by Julie — June 27, 2006 @ 9:22 am
When Tropical Storm Alberto hit Florida, the winds knock a birds nest out of the tree in our yard into our truck bed. Hubby didn’t notice until later that day when of course he had both kids. One of the baby birds was still alive trying to hop, so hubby went to the vet. unfortunately the bird was to young, and there was nothing they could do. :cry: My 5 year old keeps asking if the baby bird is back with its mommy?
********************
I have a question for the Plot Monkeys….. I was at Waldenbooks yesterday and i was able to pick up a copy of Janelle’s “Surf’s Up” antho. I thought it wasn’t supposed to be released until July. My question is, does this mess up your sell number? and why is it that borders say’s it’s not released yet but Walden’s is already selling it? Sorry I’m just confused!
Thanks,
trish
Comment by TRICIA — June 27, 2006 @ 9:27 am
Hey, Tricia! Baby birds are the worst because there really is so little you can do for them.
I was at the Waldens in International Mall last week and they had copies of mine and Leslie’s BOYS OF SUMMER. For category books (those released by Harlequin) the advanced sales don’t hurt at all.
For single title books like Leslie’s upcoming HERE COMES TROUBLE or my DIRTY LITTLE LIES, yes, selling wellllll in advance of the street date hurts because velocity of sales in the first week is what helps books make bestseller lists, which is very important to publishers. Overall sales are important, too, and if the release of a book is too spread out, readers are confused about when to look for a book in the store and might miss it altogether.
For Janelle’s collection, I’m sure the early release doesn’t help, once again, because of lists. But because it’s a collection, the pressure isn’t on so much for it to make lists, although everyone would be thrilled to no end if it did! Of course, Janelle is lead on this collection, so lists would be very, very good!
Is that clear as mud? Great question!
Comment by Julie — June 27, 2006 @ 9:44 am
THANKS JULIE!
Comment by TRICIA — June 27, 2006 @ 9:49 am
Whew, you had me worried for bunny. Love the new emoticons!
Comment by Jill — June 27, 2006 @ 10:46 am
Let’s hope the little bunny has learned its lesson stays away from the well! And a big
to the painters.
Comment by Susan — June 27, 2006 @ 11:28 am
Poor little bunny. I grew up in Phoenix where my front yard was a desert. I had a cat
who liked to bring me gifts. Everything from snakes, :shock: to rats, 
to baby bunnies. They were alive, but not good in a house.
??:
:love2:LOVE THE NEW ICONS!
Comment by Erika — June 27, 2006 @ 12:12 pm
Tricia — Thank you SO much for picking up a copy of SURF’S UP!
I hope you enjoy the entire collection of stories. I think mine is the only contemporary story in the bunch — MaryJanice and Nina’s are paranormals, I believe.
Actually, the street date for the SURF’S UP anthology was/is today, June 27th, so it really wasn’t out all that early. I’m just thrilled to hear that it’s hitting stores already.
Poor, poor bunny! And Buddy deserves an extra treat for being so good. Unfortunately, as gentle as my dog Sandie is, she LOVES to chase anything that moves.
Since I live in Southern California, it’s mostly lizards that she catches!
Comment by Janelle — June 27, 2006 @ 12:23 pm
oh how cute.
Comment by kim H — June 27, 2006 @ 12:38 pm
I :love2: all the new icons! They’re great! I wish I could use them in my :email:
Comment by Melissa — June 27, 2006 @ 12:58 pm
lOve the new icons….glad the bunny was okay in the end…we have bunnies, too. My 3 1/2 year old is scared of them, but fascinated with them.
Happy early birthday, Carly :present: !!!
Happy Tuesday!
Comment by katie — June 27, 2006 @ 1:09 pm
Hi Carly
My
is May 17th
I agree :doggie: deserves a treat.
aww how cute a baby bunny glad the bunny is ok
Comment by Cherylann — June 27, 2006 @ 1:24 pm
So glad you saved the bunny Carly. Job well done even if it was through the painters you hired.
Happy Early birthday and congratulations on your wedding anniversary
Like everyones else’s pooch my Bridgette (just turned 7 years last Saturday) is pretty quiet unless something strange comes around. We live in the boonies and always have opossums and armadillos cutting through the yard.
Bobcats scare me I saw one out by the pond in the back just about 2 weeks ago. This cat was bigger than Bridgette and she is a 50 English Springer Spaniel. I guses the dogs have a better radar than we humans have.
Comment by Gigi — June 27, 2006 @ 1:26 pm
Talk about scary situations!! I’m glad the bunny is okay. I will never forget one hot summer night before I had my daughter. I have a Yellow Lab and she is the biggest wussy dog I have ever owned. My husbnad who worked the graveyard shift woke up, showered and left for work. I went into the bedroom and shut the window because I am too scared to sleep at night with the windows open when he isn’t home. Long story short, I finally fell asleep only to be woken up by what I thought was a mosquito. I kept swooshing it away but it would come back. When I opened up my eyes I was up close and personal with a huge :bat:
I jumped up and grabbed a blanket throwing it over my head and flipped on all the lights. Grabbed a phone and called my husband at the police station. All the while, my :doggie: is sitting there watching the bat chase me around the house like she was watching a tennis match. Back and forth her head went as I ran screaming down the halls trying to escape the bat who was diving at my head. The rest of the story is too long to go through but suffice it to say, I locked a cop in my bedroom with the bat and told him he wasn’t coming out until he shot the thing. LOL!!!
PS: Love the new emoticons Carly.
Comment by Kelly — June 27, 2006 @ 1:37 pm
Oh, my God, Kelly! :shock: I know you had to be horribly scared with that happened with the bat
, but hearing the “retelling” of your story had me laughing out loud. 
I’m betting your husband had a good laugh, too! 
Comment by Janelle — June 27, 2006 @ 2:05 pm
You, the painters you hired, doesn’t matter…the bunny is now safe. My Tigger loves to chase frogs….until he tastes them…then it’s like “why did ya make me taste that?!?!” And I can so understand hubby rolling over and sleeping thru it all…happens every morning when my pups need to go outside to use the facilities
Comment by Sheryl — June 27, 2006 @ 2:17 pm
Janelle, My husband was so horrified he sped home from the next town over (from where he works). LOL!! All he heard was me screaming on the top of my lungs. He thought that I was being attacked.
The story is VERY funny telling it, but I have to tell you the scariest part of the whole thing was when I thought I had finally gotten away from the :bat: by shutting myself in the bedroom while it was flying around in the hall. And I called my husband again, while I was on the corldless phone I walked towards the door and that sucker was actually coming under the door into the bedroom to get me!!!! I freaked out at that point and threw the blanket I had draped over my head like “Yoda” on it to trap it once it got inside the room with me.
Now I have to tell you, this did not make that bat like me anymore than it already did. It was making the damndest noises. And now I can tell when bats are outside at night. They sound a little like crickets but the noise is a little bit different. Especially when they are pissed off. LOL!!
Comment by Kelly — June 27, 2006 @ 2:44 pm
OMG you are SCARING ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :bat: ARGH! :!::!:
Comment by Carly — June 27, 2006 @ 2:47 pm
Kelly, you really are making my morning. I’m laughing so hard!
Comment by Janelle — June 27, 2006 @ 2:50 pm
Comment by Kelly — June 27, 2006 @ 3:23 pm
First of all, I’ve said it before but here goes–I love the new icons the variety & the choices it gives us! Such fun.:cool:
Carly, I’m glad to bunny was safely rescued, big thanks to your painters!
When I lived in the country lizards use to sometimes get in the house, ick!
My cat also liked to bring me dead or half dead mice, another ick!:shock:
:bat: Bats are actually amazing creatures that do a lot of good, but I really wouldn’t want one in my house! Funny story in the retelling Kelly!
Have a great day everyone.
Comment by Donna M — June 27, 2006 @ 3:25 pm
Kelly where do you live that they have :bat
???? Round about, anyway. I may have to move. :smile:
Comment by Carly — June 27, 2006 @ 3:32 pm
Yes, if you live anywhere near Carly, she WILL move. She’s such a wussy-girl
Comment by Janelle — June 27, 2006 @ 3:39 pm
Can sure tell you gals aren’t country. But I love you anyway. also the new emoticons:thumbsup2:
Comment by Estella Kissell — June 27, 2006 @ 4:19 pm
LMAO!! Carly I live in Gloucester, MA right at the end of the earth we call it. It’s actually the end of Route 128/95. But the back of my house is in the woods. And Janelle, I consider myself to be a bit of a wussy girl too. If you could have seen/heard me screaming and running at the same time you would have peed your pants laughing harder than you are now.
My whole family, including co-workers were laughing hysterically the next day.
Comment by Kelly — June 27, 2006 @ 4:19 pm
Janelle,
Thanks for the heads up on the Antho. I had just finished reading Shea’s story (which was awesome by the way
) and started reading MaryJanice’s story, to be honest with the cover i really didn’t expect a Paranormal story! oh well!
Bats - oh boy i think i would have died if that happened to me. :bat:
that story reminded me of the time a snake was in our front foyer and hubby screamed like a girl (yes you heard me hubby screamed). i had to run and catch the snake and take it out side will he was screaming in the bedroom
just imagine a 32 year 6foot 2 hispanic screaming!
Comment by TRICIA — June 27, 2006 @ 4:28 pm
Tricia, I bet that was just priceless — seeing and hearing your husband scream like a girl!
Comment by Janelle — June 27, 2006 @ 4:54 pm
Why is it we just happen to have a :bat: emoticon just for this occasion but no bunny?
Comment by Carly — June 27, 2006 @ 5:22 pm
I have laughed so much with this blog, just imaging all the things that you posted…………..it was the best thank you for the stress reliever………..
Comment by Cryna — June 27, 2006 @ 6:07 pm
I LOVE the new icons!. However, I have nothign to compare them to since this is the first time I’ve been on teh website. LOL
Great job on the bunny! We would have had one great big freak out with my kids screaming “help him! Don’t let him die!!” I’m glad you were able to save him!
Comment by Melissa — June 27, 2006 @ 7:32 pm
Know what you mean about rabbits mowing the lawn…usually have four or five here. They come down the hill and down a two foot retaining wall. The young ones sometimes have trouble getting back up the wall.
Louis
Comment by Louis Bailey — June 27, 2006 @ 8:52 pm
So. The key to writing good blogs is emoticons. I gotta get me some! Happy anniversary in advance. Oh, yeah. Last year, my husband left the garage door open, and the door from the garage to the kitchen. I woke up from a little “nap” on the couch at 2am to find a cat I’d never met prancing along the back of the sofa, meowing at me and my cat, Norman. I freaked because the mystery cat looked just like one of mine who’d died a couple years before. Turned out the cat had a data chip and belonged to someone, but the cat’s vet gave us a kitten. That’s how we got Sophia.
Comment by Michelle Buonfiglio — June 27, 2006 @ 10:06 pm
Kelly! Your :bat: story is priceless! And here I thought we’d never use this emoticon…:bat::bat:
The dog I have now is the biggest wuss dog I’ve ever had (or should I say smallest). I’ve never had a dog less than 100 lbs before her, but she can be tough when she needs to be, I guess!
Comment by Julie — June 27, 2006 @ 11:12 pm
Oh, gosh, Kelley, your bat story just cracked me up!!!
I have only had one interaction with a bat. When i was in high school, I was up all night one night reading my favorite author–Stephen King. His newest book…Pet Sematary! Anyway, it was about 3am, I’m in my room with my sliding glass door to my balcony open, just my screen door closed. As I’m reading this really horrifying book, I start hearing this banging right on the screen. I freaked out, of course, leapt out of bed, and realized a bat :bat: was banging on the screen, trying to get into my room.
Seemed appropriate, given my reading material.
Comment by Leslie Kelly — June 27, 2006 @ 11:15 pm
Julie, Lady is less than 10 lbs. Of course she’s a wussy-dog
However, she’s an absolute cuddle-bug, so that makes up for the fact that she’s wussy. I love how she snuggles with me when I’m visiting 
As for Carly’s buddy — I wouldn’t call him wussy. His bark sounds SO ferocious, but he’s such a doofus. And when I visit with Carly, he tries to be a lap dog. He wants right on top of me, and he’s so NOT a lap dog. Imagine a good 50+ pounds of fluffy, goofy dog trying to curl up in your lap!
Comment by Janelle — June 28, 2006 @ 12:11 am
Kelly, I’m laughing the way you told your bat story, but truly scary and would freak anyone out. My sister’s neighbor had them in his attic and they would come swarming low in circles in her yard every night at dusk during the summer, she was afraid to sit out in her own backyard, even though her husband they won’t bother you. I came to visit one night and when they come flying over, I ran right inside with her, lol. Finally, he had the house treated and they got rid of them, after she went through that for three summers.
Carly, Happy Anniversary and have a Happy Birthday, my poor sister who had the bats swirling round has the same birthday.
Comment by Pam P. — June 28, 2006 @ 5:17 am
July is a great month for us too. My nephew’s birthday is the 5th, my sister’s is the 8th and mine is the 13th. Plus there are cousins and friends who have birthdays this month too.
Comment by DonnaJo — June 29, 2006 @ 2:42 pm
I just :love2: your icons. Happy 17th Anniversary. My 37th Anniversary will be July 3
and my son has a birthday on the 11 and will be 34 years old. I have a daughter who was born on Mother’s Day on May 10, 1970 who is 36 years old. We have a yellow lab named Buster who weights about 95 lbs and a small German shepherd named Duke who weights about 50 lbs :doggie: who is the dominant dog. The lab makes 2 of him and he also thinks he is a lap dog somethimes. He climbs up in the chair with my husband and sit besides him. Have enjoyed reading all the comments here and had fun laughing about the bat story. 
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