Peeps and chickens better scurry. . .

Lunch: instant coffee w/ French vanilla creamer, topped with three of last summer's marshmallows, and a this-year's marshmallow Easter peep on the side.  Mmm...so pleasing that I may decide to have seconds.

I have just come from my daughter's where I am helping to oversee the animal menagerie while the family is away on vacation.  The thought of doing a little writing appealed to me as a good way to spend some "quality time" with the dogs so I brought along my netbook.  For some reason, though, an Internet connection was unavailable.  I'm not sure why.  There had been no problem a couple of days ago.  Although I was mildly disappointed, I didn't really care.  It only meant that I had to resort to Plan B, whatever that was.  I didn't have one in mind. 

I had already showered the dogs with the affection they are so greedy for, as much as they are their food and then they were off exploring their perimeter, dashing back every now and then to give me adoring, yet inquisitive looks and to make sure I was still there.  The cat is equally communicative but I suspect the motivation behind his affectionate gestures toward me is something more self-centered.  The chickens had also been tended to.  Chickens are not greedy for affection like dogs and neither are they manipulative like cats.  They just...well, they just are.  While they were busy plucking at their feed, I made my way to the hen house to gather the eggs I anticipated finding.  What I found instead were tell-tale signs that there had been a scuffle in the hen house the night before, which explained all the fluffy white feathers scattered on the grass and billowing in the breeze.  In the nests, all that was left of the eggs were a few shells.  The two "fake" eggs were still there but they had been rolled out of the nests.  "I don't think I'm cut out for this," I thought, knowing full well that I will be having a little heartache for the next few days as I imagine the tragic scenario that took place in the hen house.

I know...balance of nature...food chain...natural order of things...all that stuff.  Rationally, I really don't have a problem with the laws of nature.  However, I would prefer not to be a witnessing bystander. 

Although, now that I think of it, I had absolutely no qualms about tossing the cat in the bathtub to catch the mouse the time that one dropped into the water with me, while I stood on top of the toilet, peering over the shower door to watch!  So I guess I'm a willing bystander afterall.

 

And...I did eat a "peep" for lunch.....................