

### Ruled By Rabbits:

### The Adventures of Hopper, Dusty, Cola, Duster, Ruby, Zoomer & Belle

### By Tanya Vollans

Copyright © 2015 by Tanya Vollans

Smashwords Edition  
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews. Please do not participate in or encourage the piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author's rights. Purchase only authorized editions.

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favorite ebook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

These blogs can also by found online at www.bunspace.com under the profiles of each rabbit – Hopper, Dusty, Cola, Duster, Ruby, Zoomer and Belle. Please note that some of these blogs were originally written in the first person tense and when compiled for this book were changed to a third person tense. These blogs are all the original work of Tanya Vollans.

### TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

THE BUNNY BOSSES

HOPPER'S BLOGS

A Happy Hopper

Hopper's Hostage

Birdie Buddy

Belly Battles

Kiwi Loves Hopper

Hopper Meets Duster

Hopper's Habit

Unhappy Hopper

DUSTY'S BLOGS

Fly on the Wall

Dusty's Dilemma

Musical Chairs

COLA'S BLOGS

Cola VS the Curtains

Grandpa and Grandma's First Visit

Weekend Warriors

Cola's Fur

The Growler

Ooga Booga

Bunny in the Bathtub

Bunny Bodyguard

Maybe She Does It On Purpose

Cola Puts Her Foot Down

The Door

Pillow Fright

The Dog House?

Curtain Chaos

Cola's Confession

The Hiccup

Meep

Cola Wants A New Mommy

A Hole Lot of Trouble

Coach Cola

Lessons Learned

Curtains of Mass Destruction

The Drawer That Ate Duster

Secret Pets

So Close!

Hoppy Thanksgiving

Foods That Change the Colour of Fur Rule

The Return of Cola's Fur

Costume Chaos

Daddy's Days Off

Menu Madness

Nap Negotiations

"Fir"ious Cola

Just Desserts

Curtain Catcher

Bunny Boulevard

The Day the Curtains Took the Treat

Treat Imposters

Counting Colas

When Bunnies Dream ...

Cola-Copy

The Curtain Crop

The Curtain Farmer Intervention

Cola's Curiosity

Weather Woes

The Mayhem of Moving

The Curtain Caper

The Curtain Whisperer

Cola's Calamity

Daddy's Double Life

Mourning Mornings

Hopping to Conclusions

Litterbox Lurker

The Igloo Idea

The Morning Mix Up

The Fleeing Fabric

The Bear Facts

Two Weeks Notice

Reverse Psy"Cola"gy

Fur Follies

The Cola Complex

Treat Talk

Can Cola Forget the Vet?

Mixed Up Messages

Flying Fur

Cola Has the Answer

Scrapbooking Success

To Trick A Bear

The Commercial That Caused Chaos

A Cola Crisis?

Caught on Tape

Catalogue Conspiracy

Crafts With Cola

Spa Surprise

Dinner With A Diva

A Perplexing Problem

Fur Surplus

Explaining Erased

There Can Be Only One ...

Forlorn Fur

Parents – Ya Gotta Love Them

Fictional Fur

Halloween Hijinks

Gotta Get Groceries

White Noise

The DPA

Fur First Aid

Picture Proof

Bunnies Say "It's Gotta Be Mommy's Way"

The New Nemesis

Out In the Cold

The Water Whisperer

The Muffin Mystery

Alas An Alias

"Lettuce" Enjoy

Refund Requested

Cola and the Confetti

Grizzly Bunnies

Brain Freeze

Breakfast Battles

Shredding Success

Life Before Bunnies

Rainy Day Reasoning

Treat Revenge?

Tail Twin

Rabbit Radar

Allergy Allegations

Bun-E-mail

Bunny Bear

Cola's Cloud Concept

DUSTER'S BLOGS

Triple Threat of Cuteness

Happy Valentine's Day

Re: Bunny Bodyguard Blog By Cola - Duster's Side of the Story

Duster Had to Do It!

And So It Continues ...

Oh Mommy

Sock Shock

Happy Bunny Mommy Day

Much Ado About Shoes

Movie Madness

Determined Duster

Disappearing Duster

The Lurking Lop

Can't Stop A Lop

Duster's Dilemma

News To Mom

Flop Like A Lop

RUBY'S BLOGS

Uncertain About Curtains

Reflections of Ruby

Skirting Danger

Fridge Fascination

Cutely Continued ...

I Help!

Ruby's Inquest

Undercover Bunny

Cute Insurance

Medicine For Mommy

Getting Ready for Santa Paws!

Ruby Meets Santa Claus!

Cute Contest

Ruby's Rules

The Dreaded Shed

Litter Lessons

Saved By the Fridge

Camouflage Caper

Ruby's Reasoning

Reunion at the Rainbow Bridge

For All of US Who Have Lost A Beloved Bun

ZOOMER'S BLOGS

Silly Shadows

Feet Facts

Over-Zealous Zoomer

Know No

Blossoming Bunnies

Laundry Laughs

Baby Bunny Boycott

Bunny Bedtime Breakfast

Fur Frustrations

The Paws-abilities

Bunny See, Bunny Do

Christmas Curiosity

Treats for the Feets

Zoomer's New Year's Resolution Solution

Hay, Mom!

A Hare-y Experience

Cooking Calamity

The Tale of A Timeout

Remote Control Rabbit

The Lettuce Letdown

Toe Troubles

Stuck in the Middle

Casualty of Cuteness

The Bunny Collection Convention

Double Dutch

The Hole Truth

Baby Bunny Toy Taker

Identity Inquiry

The Bowl Boycott

The Treat Transporter

Shelving the Issue

Snow Stopper

BELLE'S BLOGS

On the Spot

Couch Capers

Spot Cleaning

Breakfast Belle

Vacuum Vindication

Lost in Translation

Better By Belle

The Non-Night Time Nap

Christmas Thoughts for The Spots

A-Door-A-Belle

Spot Party

Spotless

Birthday Belle

Belle's Beau

Sleepless Spots

Belle-icade

Shutter Bug

Shadow Surprise

Spooktacular Spots

A Puzzling Problem

Christmas Creativity

School for The Spots

The Dropped Spot

The Bunnies and the Blemish

Party Pooper

Hide and Go Spot

The Boogeybunny

### INTRODUCTION

Enter Hopper. Exit life as I knew it.

I write those words because I never could have guessed how that little brown and white Dutch rabbit would change my life.

How you ask?

I became a bunny Mom!

And anyone who has had the privilege of being a bunny parent knows how these wonderful animals enrich your daily life.

Please read on to see how the seven rabbits that have shared my life inspired me to write these stories.

### THE BUNNY BOSSES

Hopper

Breed: Dutch

Color: Brown and white

Sex: Female

Joined our Family: November 2004 (from a pet store)

Favorite Toy: Toss toy, toilet paper rolls

Favorite Foods: Anything she could eat

Nickname(s): Hops, Belly, Hopper-doos

Hobbies: Eating, chewing, flopping, begging for treats, noserubs

Pet peeves: Having to stop to breathe when she eats, other bunnies, nail trimmings

Became an Angel Bunny: January 3, 2009

Dusty

Breed: Holland Lop

Color: Light grey

Sex: Female

Joined our Family: August 2005 ( from a pet store)

Favorite Toy: Towel, toss toy

Favorite Foods: bananas, carrots, timothy hay

Nickname(s): Dust Bunny, Baby Bunny, Sweet Girl

Hobbies: Flopping

Pet peeves: Things that are where they shouldn't be (the fly on the wall, for example), other female bunnies, nail trimmings, being picked up

Became an Angel Bunny: March 3, 2009

Cola

Breed: Dwarf

Color: Black

Sex: Female

Joined our Family: February 2007 (adopted from the Humane Society)

Favorite Toy: Toss Toy, Crumpled Paper

Favorite Foods: Banana, timothy hay, raisins

Nickname(s): Bear, Care Bear

Hobbies: Reminding her parents that bunnies really are in charge

Pet peeves: The curtains, the vacuum cleaner, nail trimmings, other female bunnies, being picked up, the vet that stole her fur

Became An Angel Bunny: July 11, 2013

Duster

Breed: Holland Lop

Color: Grey

Sex: Male

Joined our Family: August 2007 (the pet of a lady who worked at a pet store, when she was leaving her job, she needed to re-home Duster)

Favorite Toy: Toss Toy

Favorite Foods: Bananas, timothy hay, carrots, apple

Nickname(s): Dude, Good Boy

Hobbies: Spending time with his ladies, flopping, noserubs

Pet peeves: Not having enough time for all his ladies, nail trimmings, being picked up

Became An Angel Bunny: November 26, 2014

Ruby

Breed: Unknown

Color: White

Sex: Female

Joined our Family: June 2010 (adopted from The Humane Society)

Favorite Toy: Toilet Paper Rolls

Favorite Foods: Bananas, timothy hay

Nickname(s): Wuby

Hobbies: Being cute

Pet peeves: Not having cute insurance, being picked up, nail trimmings

Became an Angel Bunny: December 22, 2010

Zoomer

Breed: Dutch/Dwarf

Color: Brown and white

Sex: Male

Joined our Family: May, 2011 (Adopted from The Humane Society)

Favorite Toy: cardboard condo

Favorite Foods: Anything he can eat

Nickname(s): Zoomerang, GumBall, BabyBunny

Hobbies: Eating, chewing, flopping, begging for treats, noserubs, hanging around Cola's cage

Pet peeves: Having to stop to breathe when he eats, nail trimmings

Belle

Breed: Dwarf

Color: White and grey

Sex: Female

Joined our Family: August 2012 (Adopted from the Humane Society)

Favorite Toy: toilet paper rolls

Favorite Foods: Anything she can eat

Nickname(s): Little Bunny

Hobbies: Eating, chewing, flopping, begging for treats, noserubs

Pet peeves: Not getting her breakfast on time

Became An Angel Bunny: September 5, 2014

### HOPPER

A HAPPY HOPPER

Mom and Dad looked at each other and then at Hopper.

She was sitting in her cage, facing the wall, with her back to them.

"Hopper!" Mom called her name.

Nothing, not even an ear twitch.

"Hopper, want to play with your toss toy?" Dad asked.

Again, no response.

"I don't know what's wrong," Mom said. "She's using her litter box, eating and drinking."

Dad was at a loss too.

Then it was like a light bulb went off over their heads!

"The Internet!" they exclaimed. As new bunny parents, the internet was a great place to find info about bunnies.

While Dad searched the world wide web, Mom paced back and forth.

"OH NO!" Dad hollered, making Mom jump.

"What? What's wrong with Hopper?" Mom asked.

"It's worse than we thought," Dad motioned for Mom to come close so he could whisper to her what he had discovered. Mom looked at Dad, not believing what he had revealed to her.

"Can you please repeat what you just said?" Mom asked.

"She is ignoring us," Dad said for the second time.

They turned to look at Hopper, who still had her back to them.

Mom and Dad left the room, they had to regroup, come back with a strategy.

A few minutes later, they walked back into the living room. Hopper had been grooming herself, but when she heard them return, she made sure her back was to them again.

"Time for Hopper to come out and play," Dad said and opened her cage door.

Hopper didn't acknowledge the open door.

The bunny parents sighed, not sure what to do next.

"We have to figure out why she is ignoring us," Dad said.

Mom looked at Hopper. "Did we do something to make you sad?"

Nothing.

"Did we do something to make you mad?" Dad asked.

Finally, an ear twitch.

"Hmm, OK so we ticked her off," Dad said.

Mom and Dad paced, wracking their brains to think of what they did.

"Wait a sec, maybe it's something we didn't do!" Dad exclaimed.

Hopper turned her head slightly.

"Hopper, we'll stand in front of your cage, you need to hop to which one of us made you mad," Mom said.

As Mom and Dad stood before her, Hopper still didn't turn around but moved ... towards Mom!

"AH-HA! I knew it wasn't me," Dad cheered.

Mom was at a loss ... what had she done ... or not done to anger the Dutch bunny.

Again, it was like a light bulb went off.

"I had veggies and didn't offer her any!" Mom exclaimed.

Hopper spun around, and to this day her parents will swear she was smiling.

Mom and dad high-fived and raced to the kitchen to get Hopper some veggies.

In a minute, Hopper was sighing happily as she munched on her carrots and lettuce. "Looks like I have a lot of work to do with these two ... but they're learning!"

### HOPPER'S HOSTAGE

Rip.

"What are you cutting?" Mom called to Dad from the kitchen.

"That wasn't me," he replied from the bedroom.

Rip.

There was only one other individual in the apartment ... and it was bad news if she was tearing something up.

Mom and Dad made a mad dash for where Hopper was sitting.

The brown and white Dutch rabbit paid no mind to them and yanked up another line of carpet fibres

"Hey Hopper, how about we stop doing that?" Dad asked.

Hopper looked at Dad, twitched her nose and sunk her teeth into another line of fibres.

"Hopper, stop!" Mom ordered.

Hopper turned to look at Mom, carpet still clutched between her teeth. "And if I don't?"

"Let go of the carpet or no treats," Mom said.

Hopper rolled her eyes. "You can't deny me treats forever."

Dad took a step towards Hopper, hoping to ease the carpet free.

Hopper saw him out of the corner of her eye and spun to face him. "And where might you be going?"

"Um, nowhere, just standing here," Dad tried to move a bit closer.

Hopper pulled on the carpet. "Stay where you are or I'll pull ..."

"OK, OK, you have us ... what do you want in return for releasing the carpet?" Mom asked.

Hopper's eyes grew wide - awesome!

"Two leaves of Romaine lettuce at 2 pm, three pieces of carrot at 3 pm and 4 minutes of noserubs at 4 pm ... everyday, " Hopper stated her demands.

Mom and Dad huddled, discussing the options.

"We don't have a choice ... it's what she wants or the carpet gets it ...," Mom sighed.

Dad agree. "She's a smart rabbit ..."

Mom and Dad faced the Dutch bunny.

"Alright, we agree to the terms of release for the carpet. Now please hop away from the carpet," Mom said.

Hopper bunny shrugged and released the line of fibres and hopped away, flopping in front of her cage, waiting for her two leafs of Romaine lettuce to arrive.

"I swear I heard her whisper 'suckers' on the way by ...," Mom sighed and Dad went to get the lettuce.

### BIRDIE BUDDY

Mom and Dad got home from shopping and finished putting the groceries away.

A few minutes later is when Mom noticed the budgie (named Bird) wasn't in his cage. He must have squeezed through the bars.

"Uh oh, Bird escaped," Mom said to Dad.

And they began to search the apartment.

No luck, Bird was AWOL.

Mom and Dad sat on the couch ... where could Bird be?

Dad looked around the living room and he noticed that Hopper was being awfully quiet. He got up and walked to her cage.

Hopper didn't move.

"What's wrong, Hops?" Dad asked.

Then he saw what the issue was - there was Bird - in Hopper's cage.

"I did not invite that winged thing in here," Hopper muttered.

Bird tweeted at Hopper, apparently trying to be friends.

"He tried to eat my food," Hopper said.

Mom rolled her eyes, Hopper was a belly on 4 legs. If there was a bunny buffet, Hopper would be banned for over-eating.

Dad held out his finger and Bird hopped on, tweeting good bye to the bunny.

Hopper finally moved, heading to check on her bowl of pellets.

Dad put Bird back in his cage and closed the door.

A few minutes later, Bird was squeezing through the bars and on his way back to Hopper's cage.

Hopper watched in disbelief as Bird made himself at home in her cage.

Hopper froze in place – she had no interest in being friends with Bird, she just wanted her cage to herself again.

Dad retrieved Bird a second time.

"There is no welcome mat at my cage! Stay out!" Hopper muttered and Bird tweeted happily.

The bird breaking out of his cage and breaking into Hopper's cage sequence would have gone on all day but Mom and Dad knew they had to resolve this. They put Bird in the bedroom and closed the door and went out to get a cage with bars that Bird couldn't squeeze through.

That evening, Bird settled in to the escape-proof cage and Hopper sighed with relief, no more uninvited guest.

But Hopper's adventures with our fine feathered friends weren't over yet ...

### BELLY BATTLES

Hopper was stretched out in her cage, the door was open and she was free to roam around.

She just didn't feel the need to use any unnecessary energy at that time.

She watched as Mom and Dad went in to the kitchen.

Her ears perked up.

Every bunny knows there are great treats in the kitchen.

Mom and Dad must be planning on giving treats to her, Dusty, Cola and Duster. As the "Alpha Bunny" Hopper knew she'd get her treat first.

Hopper sat up and readied herself to receive the wonderful food that Mom and Dad would present her with.

And she waited.

And she waited some more.

The humans were in the kitchen, but no food was appearing.

Hopper twitched her nose and looked at the other bunnies – they were anticipating treats too.

Finally the fridge opened.

Four bunnies were so excited. The fridge door stayed open and Mom and Dad remained in the kitchen.

Hopper's patience ran out.

BANG!

Hopper wasn't exactly graceful as she exited her cage and bee-lined for the kitchen.

Hearing the noise, Mom and Dad closed the fridge door.

"Hi, Hopper," Mom said.

Hopper was on her back legs, looking from Mom to Dad, seeing who had the treats in their hands but their hands were empty!

"Why would you come in the kitchen, open the fridge, leave the door open and then not give us anything?" Hopper demanded. "What kind of parents are you?"

Mom and Dad looked at each other, not sure what to say.

"No treats, no Hopper!"

And the Dutch rabbit went right back to her cage.

She sure showed them.

"Trust me, " Hopper whispered to the other bunnies. "Any second now ..."

Mom and Dad scurried out of the kitchen and into the living room, carrots in hand, apologizing to their rabbits.

The bunnies and their bellies were happy.

### KIWI LOVES HOPPER

Birds flock to Hopper. Not just the budgie named Bird, but a Lovebird named Kiwi took a shine to the Dutch bunny as well - much to Hopper's chagrin.

"Incoming!" Mom called out.

Hopper looked around. "Incoming what?"

And then it kind of bounced across the carpet in front of her.

"Are you kidding me?" Hopper sat up and looked at the bird.

"Hopper, this is Kiwi," Dad said.

"No, kiwi's are sweet fruits that people can eat," Hopper corrected. "That is going to try to be my new best friend - that I don't want by the way."

Too late, the green Lovebird was toddling over to Hopper.

"Tweet! Tweet!"

"Not interested," Hopper said and turned her back to Kiwi.

Kiwi hopped around to Hopper's front.

Hopper turned the opposite way.

Kiwi flew over Hopper and bumped to a landing.

Hopper's ears went back. "I only like people, specifically only those two people."

She nodded at Mom and Dad.

Kiwi happily sang that she liked Mom and Dad too.

"No, they are my people," Hopper said.

Hopper proceeded to go back to her cage.

Kiwi flew along behind and landed on the doorway.

"No soliciting," Hopper stated and flopped over.

Kiwi made her way to the top of Hopper's cage and sang to her new friend.

"Uh, can't take a hint," Hopper bounded out of her cage and towards Mom and Dad.

She found a nice spot to lie down and put her head on the floor so Daddy could give her noserubs.

And then along came Kiwi.

Hopper glared at the bird.

"Tweet, tweet."

And then Kiwi took a small leap and ended up on Hopper's back.

Mom and Dad weren't sure what was going to happen next.

Hopper sighed. "I give up. We can be friends, not like I have a choice."

Kiwi tweeted in triumph and Hopper adjusted to the idea of her new best friend.

### HOPPER MEETS DUSTER

Duster had introduced himself to Dusty and Cola, now it was Hopper's turn.

The brown and white Dutch was used to new bunnies coming into the family, but Duster was the first boy bunny.

"Hi, lady!" Duster exclaimed. "I am Duster and I love ladies. I love you, lady!"

Hopper looked at him, twitched her nose.

"Lady, you are so pretty!" Duster sat handsome in front of Hopper.

"Hopper, say hello to Duster," Mom said. "He's going to be your new friend. Isn't that exciting?"

Hopper rolled her eyes. "About as exciting as you or Dad without treats in hand."

"Hopper!" Duster said. "Pretty name for a pretty rabbit."

Hopper sniffed Duster through her cage bars. "Hmm, another bunny."

Duster smiled. "We can be bunny buddies."

"Probably not," Hopper said.

Duster was confused. "Why not? I love ladies."

"I love humans," Hopper replied. "I don't associate with other rabbits."

Hopper looked at Dusty and Cola. "I am sure they will be your buddy."

"But ...," Duster said.

"OK, we can be friends," Hopper said.

Duster binkied.

"Let's talk about what you can do for me as a friend," Hopper said.

"Alright!" Duster was so happy.

"Can you get me treats out of the fridge without help from Mom or Dad?" Hopper asked.

"Hmmm, probably not," Duster replied.

"Can you get me treats off the shelf without help from Mom or Dad?" Hopper questioned.

"No," Duster said.

"Can you clean my litter box?"

"No."

"Can you get me fresh water?"

Duster shook his head.

"Can you get me fresh pellets and hay?"

"Nope," Duster said.

"Well, then what does this friendship have to offer me that my humans can't do for me already?" Hopper asked.

Duster smiled. "I give you bunny kisses!"

Hopper rolled her eyes. "Not interested."

Duster was heartbroken and opted to sit outside Hopper's cage and stare at her.

And Hopper stared back.

Mom and Dad watched the two rabbits having the stare down of the century.

"OK, Hopper and Duster, that's creepy," Mom sat beside Duster and started to pet him so he stopped ogling Hopper.

"Hopper likes people and not bunnies," Dad said. "It's OK though, Dusty and Cola will be your friends."

Duster binkied, two lady friends were wonderful!

Hopper flopped, two humans were wonderful!

### HOPPER'S HABIT

"Oh, carrot!" Hopper thought as her eyes zoned in on the orange item.

Hopper made her way closer to what had caught her attention.

The Dutch rabbit was pretty sure she had just found the largest carrot that had ever existed.

Hopper nosed the "vegetable" and nibbled.

"Huh?" she wondered, continuing to chew.

Hopper stopped munching and dropped the item. "Yuck. Not a carrot."

And Hopper went on her way, trying to track down other treats.

The next morning, Mom decided to wear her orange t-shirt to work and pulled it out of the laundry basket.

As Mom was giving the bunnies their bunny breakfast, Hopper's eyes got big when she saw the shirt.

"Not a carrot," Hopper commented as Mom gave her the treat

Mom was confused as bunny breakfast was obviously lettuce and she dismissed what Hopper had said.

Later that day, one of Mom's co-workers approached her.

"What happened to your shirt?" she asked.

"What do you mean?" Mom questioned.

Trying not to smile, her co-worker pointed to the left shoulder of her t-shirt.

Mom looked and saw the hole. "What the heck..."

And then she remembered her t-shirt had been hanging out of the laundry basket and Hopper's comment.

"Oh, one of my bunnies thought my shirt was a carrot and then found out it wasn't," Mom explained.

"Sure, blame your bunny," her co-worker laughed, knowing that one of Mom's rabbits liked to chew on anything and everything.

Mom sighed. "Oh well, it's an old shirt anyways."

### UNHAPPY HOPPER

Hopper likes her personal space.

Hopper does not like other bunnies.

Hopper was not happy when another bunny got into her personal space!

Mom came around the corner, hearing all the noise coming from Hopper's cage.

And what did she see?

Hopper pacing back and forth, stopping to chew or scratch at the cage bars.

And what was the cause of Hopper's anger?

"Dusty, why are you laying right in front of Hopper's cage?" Mom asked.

The baby bunny tilted her head so her ears flopped. "Because I like this spot."

"It's a very nice spot, but you have the whole apartment you can flop in. Remember the talk we had?" Mom reminded Dusty.

"Oh, the talk that Hopper is grouchy and she doesn't like other bunnies?"

Mom cringed, Dusty was so young and so honest. "Yes, that's the one."

Hopper frowned, she wasn't grouchy! She just liked other bunnies to keep their distance from her.

Mom ushered Dusty up and pointed to the spot in front of Dusty's cage. "Let's try laying there."

Dusty shrugged. "OK."

And Dusty flopped in front of her cage. Hopper calmed down and Mom went back to the kitchen to finish what she was doing.

A moment later, she heard Hopper having another meltdown.

Mom returned to the living room and Dusty was back in front of Hopper's cage.

"I like this spot better," Dusty explained.

Mom sighed. "Well, I am going to move Hopper's cage over a bit and you can still lay in that spot."

Mom shifted Hopper's cage, the Dutch bunny settled down and Dusty seemed content to stretch out where she was.

"Perfect! Good bunnies," and Mom went back to the kitchen.

Then Hopper started to make noise.

Mom ran back in, Dusty was again in front of Hopper's cage.

Mom folder her arms across her chest.

"This spot is better," Dusty reasoned.

Hopper was mumbling something Mom couldn't understand.

"Dusty, why don't you come with me and we'll get treats for you and Hopper?"

"OK!" and Dusty followed Mom to the kitchen.

Mom and Dusty reappeared with carrots for the two bunnies. Mom made sure she put Dusty's carrot on the floor away from Hopper, hoping for some peace.

Mom watched the two bunnies happily munching away and then made her way back to the kitchen.

Bang! Bang!

"Now what?" Mom wondered and went back to the living room.

She couldn't help but chuckle.

There was Dusty, on top of Hopper's cage.

"You said I can't lay in front of her cage," Dusty said, stretching out.

Hopper was not impressed. "But you didn't say anything about on top of my cage."

Mom lifted Dusty off Hopper's cage.

"We have a no harassing Hopper zone starting now," Mom said. "You have to stay a cage length away from her cage, OK?"

Dusty nodded. "I can do that."

Mom smiled and left the room.

Then she heard the familiar noise ...

The lop had squeezed behind Hopper's cage this time.

"Dust bunny, really?" Mom asked.

"I said I could stay away from her cage, I didn't say I would stay away from her cage," Dusty replied, squeezing out from behind Hopper's cage.

Mom sighed and decided it was time for Dusty to go back to her cage.

Dusty hopped in and flopped beside her bowl.

As Mom was leaving the living room, she heard Dusty say to Hopper. "I love spending time with you, Hopper!"

Hopper muttered something in reply.

Mom couldn't help but smile even though she knew Hopper and Dusty would never be bunny buddies, Dusty sure was going to try for a little while.

### DUSTY

FLY ON THE WALL

Dusty knew something just wasn't right.

She looked around her cage, everything was properly bunny feng shui'd.

She looked into Hopper's cage and all was well there.

Dusty started to scan the room and that's when she saw it.

About half way up the wall that divided the kitchen and the living room – the intruder sat, looking awfully comfortable with being there.

"Hopper!" Dusty whispered.

Hopper looked up from her food. "Huh?"

"We have an unwelcome guest."

Hopper looked to where Dusty was pointing with her paw.

Hopper shrugged. "He's not near my food- as long as he stays away from my food, I don't care."

Dusty sighed.

She monitored the fly for a few more minutes and then he made his move.

The fly was above her cage.

That was just too close for comfort.

Dusty had to warn Mom.

*thump*

And you have to understand when Dusty thumped her foot, it was like a minor earth tremor and as loud as a sonic boom – it pretty much echoed in the apartment.

But Mom didn't show up.

Now Dusty was worried the fly had done something to Mom.

*thump, thump, thump*

Dusty heard the bedroom door open and Mom stumbled into view.

"Huh? Hi. I'm up? What's wrong?" Mom mumbled trying to find the light.

Hopper was busy munching but it was obvious that Dusty was agitated.

"Hi, baby bunny, what's wrong?"

*thump*

"Shhh, the neighbours don't need to know you're having a meltdown," Mom said. "What's wrong?"

"The fly!" Dusty said and looked at the fly, who surprisingly wasn't fazed by all the thumping.

Mom got her eyes to focus. She looked at the fly and then back at Dusty.

"That? The fly?"

Dusty nodded. "I had to warn you."

Mom rubbed her eyes and stretched. "It's a fly."

"But he isn't supposed to be here!" Dusty insisted.

Mom had to agree. "Can't argue that."

Mom and Dusty stared at each other for a minute.

"I did my part, "Dusty said. "You're the adult – make the fly go away."

Mom sighed and "shooed" the fly out the window.

Dusty flopped. "That was close."

"Good night, bunnies," Mom said and made her way back to bed.

Dusty smiled to herself, knowing she had protected her home from the intruder.

### DUSTY'S DILEMMA

"Why don't they take me seriously?" Dusty asked Hopper.

Hopper stopped chewing her hay. "Have you ever actually seen how you look when you do it?"

"Well, no ...," Dusty said.

Hopper sighed. "I hate to admit it, but it is pretty cute."

Dusty was mad. "It's not meant to be cute. It's meant to get their attention."

"Well, it does," Hopper said.

"Yes, but Mom and Dad stand there and smile and laugh and point," Dusty grumbled. "I want them to know I am mad when I chew on my cage."

"Then you have to look mad," Hopper said. "You've seen me do it. Heck, I tug so hard on the bars I let go and fall backwards!"

Dusty planted her feet and started to gnaw on the cage.

Her floppy ears toppled from side to side as she alternated chewing on the left and the right. Her furry cheeks puffed out, making her look like a stuffed toy. And the lack of actual noise didn't help her cause much.

"Well?" she asked Hopper.

Hopper sighed. "If they made a stuffed toy that looked like you chewing your cage, it would be a best seller with kids – adorable!"

"I failed!" Dusty cried and flopped over.

Mom walked into the living room. "Aw Dust Bunny, you're too sweet! I love when you flop!"

Dusty covered her eyes with her paws. "I'm cursed with cuddlability!"

### MUSICAL CHAIRS

"Dust Bunny," Mom said. "Time to watch our TV show."

Dusty loved to watch TV with Mom.

Dusty hopped along behind Mom. Dusty watched as Mom sat in her usual chair, the blue comforter underneath her. Dusty took her place under the chair, within petting range.

When the first commercial break came, Mom got up to get a glass of water.

The light grey lop hopped onto the chair, moving the blanket around till it was perfect.

Dusty was still sitting on the chair when Mom got back, so Mom sat on the chair in front of the computer.

As the show continued on, Dusty needed to use her litter box.

Mom moved back to her chair.

Dusty re-entered the living room, seeing Mom in the chair, she returned to her spot under the chair.

At the next commercial Mom went to get a banana for a snack and Dusty resumed her time on the chair.

On the way back to the living room, Mom gave Hopper and Cola a slice and then hand-delivered a slice to Dusty.

"You sure do love that chair," Mom said and gave Dusty a noserub.

"No, Mom," Dusty said. "I love you and since this is your chair, I love it too!"

Mom smiled. "I think you should stay there for the rest of our show."

"OK, Mom," Dusty agreed and snuggled into the blanket.

Dusty was always so easy to get along with.

### COLA

COLA VS THE CURTAINS

Cola is pretty sure they do it on purpose.

They don't reach the carpet so when she hides behind them ("them" being the curtains that hang on the patio door), Mom and Dad can still see her paws. Cola doesn't want Mom and Dad to see her and the curtains just refuse to co-operate! And when she wants to look out the patio door, there they are – in the way, blocking her view – and she has to push them out of the way but they just bounce right back!

The curtains don't bother Duster at all ... but they sure do irritate Cola!

Sometimes she sneaks up on them and will head butt them! That'll teach the curtains to get in her way.

Other times she just walks right up and bites them! Yes, Cola is fierce! She gets a good hold on them and pulls ... but no matter how hard she tries, no matter how scary she is the curtains won't leave!

Oh well ... Cola will just to learn to exist with them ... at least she has Duster to console her when the curtains get on her last furry (and adorable) nerve!

### GRANDPA AND GRANDMA'S FIRST VISIT

"Who are these people and why did they interrupt our nap?"

"Who is that lady sitting in Mom's chair?"

Duster and Cola were cautious coming out of their cages that morning and they bee-lined it for Mommy's chair. They like to cuddle under there and this new lady wasn't going to interfere with their cuddle time!

Mom and Dad seemed pretty happy to see them but Cola was still going to be cautious. She decided to investigate so she crept up beside the lady and stared at her. SHE IGNORED COLA! Hmmm ... Cola went back to Duster and snuggled up to him, pouting slightly - how could anyone ignore her?

Mom was sitting on the floor and Cola watched her get up and go to the kitchen (surely this meant treats for the bunnies!). When she came back in, she had something in her hands (cups of coffee as Cola heard the lady thank Mom for it) She gave one to the lady and one to the man and she had nothing for the bunnies!

OK, these two were soon going to be on the same level of irritation as the curtains!

Duster and Cola decided to move to the other chair the man was sitting in. Cola heard him say their names and then he tried to pet the bunnies! They moved out of his reach and cuddled close to each other.

"Cola, Duster, come out and say hi to Grandpa and Grandma," Mom said.

Grandpa and Grandma! So that's who they were. Mom and Dad talked to them all the time on the phone and they always said "Duster and Cola, Grandma and Grandpa say good bye."

Well, why don't they say goodbye now and let us get back to our naps? Cola wanted to ask.

And where were the presents they usually sent for the bunnies? Mom and Dad always brought home something for them when they went to visit Grandpa and Grandma – timothy hay, their favourite bunny treats, something! How dare they show up empty handed!

Cola would have nothing to do with them and retreated to the corner of the room, waiting for Duster to join her.

But Duster was getting brave! He walked right up to Grandpa and nudged his legs! He did it twice!

Grandpa laughed and told Duster he was a good boy!

"Wait a second ...," Cola thought. "I'm a good girl! Hello! Grandpa! I'm a good girl!"

She still wouldn't get too close though but she left her corner and sat behind Grandma's chair. Duster came to join her and she checked him over, making sure there were no grandparent germs on him!

Eventually they went back to their cages and Mom and Dad and the grandparents went out to do some shopping.

Better have something for us when they get back, Cola thought.

When they returned Mom and Dad let the bunnies out of their cages again and Grandma took some pictures of them.

And then Dad showed the bunnies the salt licks Grandpa and Grandma got for them!! Duster and Cola were so excited! They can come back and visit us anytime they want! Grandparents are great ... especially when they bring presents!

"We love you Grandpa and Grandma!" Cola and Duster exclaimed.

### WEEKEND WARRIORS

It's so cute how humans think bunnies adjust to their schedule – Cola is sure her bunny buddies will agree it is the opposite - the humans adjust to the bunnies' schedules!

Duster and Cola love the weekend. They spend most of their time out of their cages during the week but they get even more free range time on the weekends. Oh yeah and Mom and Dad are both home on the weekend. Sometimes they get this silly idea to sleep in ... really doesn't fit in with Cola and Duster's schedule and, well, they resort to any means necessary to make sure their parents are up and the bunnies are out of their cages asap!

For example, any given Saturday ...

Cola stretches and looks over at Duster. "No sign of Mom or Dad yet?"

Duster shakes his head, helicopter ears all over the place.

Hmmm ... does Cola be nice and let them get more sleep ... nah! They can have a nap this afternoon, which means bunny sleepover for her and Duster (when Mom and Dad let the bunnies sleep in their bedroom with them).

Cola starts to chew on her cage. She pauses.. No sounds from the parents room. She chews some more ... wait ... nothing. She chews again, really putting her heart in to it ... pause ... nothing! They must be ignoring her.

Next step ... picking up and dropping her bowl full of pellets.

Bang!

Nothing.

Bang! Bang!

Nothing.

Now Cola is getting mad. How dare they ignore her! That's it – game on!

Duster finds this whole process amusing ... he'll thank her when Mom and Dad are up and they are binkying around the living room!

Bring on the toss toy!

Cola slams it down on the floor of her cage ... and listen ... and oh, she thinks she hears movement!

She bangs it again ... definitely heard something ...

It's Daddy's voice (she love my Daddy) ... "Cola, stop it ... "

Stop it?

Oh now she is mad - Daddy is in cahoots with the curtains!!

Slam! Bang! Whack goes the toss toy!

Now Cola knows for sure she hears them getting up ... out comes Mom ... cage door is open ... and she takes the toss toy!!

And then she goes back to bed.

How dare they?

Duster is too busy eating his hay to notice Cola's fur getting bent out of shape.

"Psssst, Duster, I think you need more hay," she tell him.

"More hay? Cola, I have a whole pile of it!" he replies.

"Oh come on, wouldn't it be nice if Mom would bring you some more fresh hay?"

Now he's on board! When Duster wants more hay he digs at the floor of his cage where Mom always puts his hay.

Digging! Both of the bunnies digging at their cages!

Here come Mom AND Dad ....

Then Duster starts with his "triple threat of cuteness" as Mom calls it ... you can see his blog for a full description of this ... and she can never be mad at him, especially when he does his grand finale flop!

Gosh, they sure are taking their sweet time ... Dad comes and opens Cola's cage and then Duster's and ... yippee they won –the bunnies are free to binky!

Bunnies 1, parents 0

### COLA'S FUR

"Mom we have to talk."

"OK, Cola, just a minute, let Mommy send this e-mail ..."

"No, Mommy, NOW!" and Cola thumped her foot.

Mommy turned to look at the black dwarf bunny. Seeing she had her Mom's full attention Cola told her they have a very serious problem and she needed to go to the vet.

Mom was very concerned, seeing as Cola had just recently been spayed.

"Are you not feeling well?

"Mom, I am mad!"

"What are you mad about, Bear?"

Cola stood up on my back legs so Mom could see her belly.

Nothing registered on Mom's face. Didn't she get it?

"Mom, look at my belly!!"

Still nothing.

"Mom, the vet stole my fur!"

"What" she asked Cola.

Hello – was she blind? Right there before her eyes, the bald spot on the bunny's stomach where only a few days ago her spectacular black fur had been (yes, Cola admits she is a diva when it comes to her fur).

"Mom, the vet stole my fur." Cola persisted. "I want it back."

She could tell Mom was trying to find the right words to tell her something.

"Well, Cola they didn't steal your fur ... they had to shave your belly so they could do your spay."

"No one asked my permission to shave my belly! I didn't sign anything! Get the car! We are going to the vet to get my fur!" Cola hopped towards the door.

Mom wasn't moving.

Oh my gosh ...

"Mom, did you sign something saying they could steal my fur?"

Mom sighed. "Cola, yes paperwork was signed so they could do your spay, which meant they had to shave your belly ..."

Cola cut her off. "You knew they were going to shave my fur??"

"Yes."

Cola thumped her way back over to where Mom sat.

"Was the fee for shaving my fur included in the fee for the spay?"

"Of course."

Even worse Mom paid them to steal her fur!

"Cola Bear ..."

"Uh huh, you do not deserve the privilege of petting MY fur!"

Later on that week .... Mom and Dad went out to run some errands and when they got back Cola noticed Mom's fur on top of her head (she hears them call it hair sometimes) was shorter. Cola was vindicated! Daddy knew Mommy paid the vet to steal her fur so he took her somewhere to get her fur cut. He was pretty smart about it too ... he kept telling her it looked really nice cut short like that!

(Obviously Mom and Cola have since made up but sometimes Cola still misses that fur ...)

### THE GROWLER

"Good night every bunny."

And Mom was off to bed.

Duster and Cola were circling the living room ... Cola took a run towards the bedroom door and discovered Mom had left it open just a crack!

She stuck my nose in and looked around ... dark ... and there was Mommy curled up under the blankets.

Then Cola heard it!

"Grrrr .....honnnk .... chuuuu ...."

What was that?

Cola ran to tell Duster there was something in the room with Mommy. They both agreed – they had to find out what it was and warn Mommy. They need her in one piece for bunny breakfast after all!

Duster and Cola ran back to the bedroom door, Cola went first ...

Nothing.

"Duster, come on ... it's in here somewhere!"

Cola climbed up on the bed near the pillows and Duster climbed up near Mommy's feet.

They started to move the blankets around.

"Grrrr .....honnnk .... chuuuu ...."

Duster and Cola both jumped ... it was close by! How did they both miss seeing it???

"It's a Growler," Cola declared.

"What's a Growler?" Duster asked.

How did he not know what a Growler is??

"Oh, Duster ... it is a monster that attacks bunny parents when they are sleeping and tries to stop them from serving bunny breakfast in the morning!"

Duster's eyes got big. "It's attacking Mommy???"

Cola nodded, Mom must be unconscious not to hear the Growler!

"Grrrr .....honnnk .... chuuuu ...."

There is was again!

Cola jumped off the bed to check near the laundry baskets while Duster stood watch (OK he actually laid down beside Mom and worked on rearranging the blankets).

Nothing behind the laundry baskets or the dressers ... time for Cola to check the closet.

As she was hopping my way to the closet, Mom rolled over and we again heard the Growler.

"Grrrr .....honnnk .... chuuuu ...."

Duster put his paws on Mommy's chin and stared at her ...

"Grrrr .....honnnk .... chuuuu ...."

No way!

"COLA!!" Duster thumped. "The Growler is INSIDE Mommy!!!"

Cola forgot the closet and jumped back up on the bed – both of them staring at Mom ... "Grrrr .....honnnk .... chuuuu ...."

They were two bunnies that didn't know what to do ...

Then the bedroom door quietly opened and in came Daddy – he would know what to do!

Daddy laughed because they were both staring at Mommy, she sure does snore loudly!

(UPDATE: Mommy is OK after the Growler/snoring incident and she shared shared bunny breakfast the next morning as usual!!).

### OOGA BOOGA

"OOGA BOOGA"

Mom seems to think those should be the "scariest" words in the world to Cola and Duster. Mom started to say "ooga booga" to them a little while ago when she would round the bunnies up to get them back to their cages so she could go to bed. Mommy admits she isn't sure why she started to say "ooga booga" but it has stuck.

However, Cola and Duster translate those words to mean something different than what Mom does *insert cute bunny snicker here*

9:00 PM, any given week night, Mom wants to go to bed:

"Bunnies, time for bed," Mom will say and move the chair Duster and Cola like to cuddle under.

Duster and Cola stretch, looking so cute but they don't make a move towards their cages.

"Come on bunnies. Good bunnies go to bed when Mommy does!"

They're not convinced that it's really time for her to go to bed yet.

"Ready, Duster?" Cola asks.

Duster stretches again ...

"Come on, bunnies ... good bunnies ... let's head towards your cages."

Sure thing, Mom, right on that...

Duster and Cola slowly start to hop towards their respective cages ... oh hey, see that over there?

And they are off ... under the TV stand ... under the desk ... under the various chairs in the living room ...

"Ooga booga, bunnies!" Mom says.

"Duster, hear that?" Cola asks. "Mom says she feels like running a few laps before bed!"

Well she does sit at a desk all day ... it is their responsibility as good bunny children to ensure their parents get some form of exercise every day!

*thump*! Forget the living room ... the bedroom door is open! Wheeee ....

Oh here comes Mom!

Duster and Cola hop onto the bed, and off the bed and behind the laundry basket ... Mom sure is slow to catch up.

Wheeee ... back to the living room.

"Oooga booga!"

Duster is tired and hops in his cage. And Mom gives him a good night noserub for being a good boy and going in his cage.

Cola will get a raisin too when she eventually goes to her cage.

Cola sits under the desk and watches Mom ... will she try to crawl under the desk to catch her? Here she comes and there goes Cola!

"Cola Bear!" Mom says, sounding tired.

Cola knows she means business when she calls her Cola Bear. Poor Mommy ... okay, one more lap and then Cola go in her cage ...

Wheee ... under the TV stand, under the desk , under the chair ... wait where is the chair? Oh no ...

"Hi, Mom!" and she catches Cola.

When Mom picks Cola up, she gives her the "I am the sweetest bunny in the world and you know I was just heading back to my cage when you caught me" look.

Mom gently places Cola in her cage and gives her a good night noserub.

"Good night, bunnies."

"Good workout, Mom!"

### BUNNY IN THE BATHTUB

It's probably happened to all bunnies at one time or another ... the dreaded poop stuck to the fur and we all know how much Cola loves her fur.

It's not the fact that she ended up in the bath tub ... it's the fact it didn't happen till Mom came home from work! Cola is pretty sure it was a conspiracy of some sorts!

Poor Daddy had to be the one to give her the bath (and it was just enough water to make sure the poop came off her fur) ... all the while Mom stood in the doorway, smiling! She was smiling while Cola was clinging to her Daddy's hands ... hoping her fur wouldn't be washed away down the drain! She had enough of the water and tried to jump out of the tub, Daddy caught her and wrapped her in a towel.

He dried Cola off and she escaped back underneath the chair Duster and her cuddled under.

"Do you feel better, Cola?" Duster asked his favourite bunny.

Cola licked her fur. "Oh I feel great! If it weren't for Daddy I would have drowned and Mommy just stood in the doorway smiling the whole time. She wanted my fur to go down the drain. It would probably go from the drain right to the vet that stole my fur!"

"The bathtub drain goes to the vets office?" Duster asked, helicopter ears all over the place.

"Not all the time," Cola said. "Only when I have to take a bath."

Duster started to help Cola put her fur back in place. "Mommy was saying you're a good bunny and a good girl the whole time she was standing in the doorway – I heard her."

Cola shook my head. "Oh Duster, that's what she wanted you to think you heard!"

Duster laughed at her.

"Duster, she didn't pay the vet to take your fur!" Cola said and thumped her foot.

Duster wasn't paying any attention to Cola now – there was Mommy and she had raisins!!!

Duster hopped over to Mom and got his raisins, he gave her bunny kisses and told her he loves his Mommy. Cola loves her Mommy too ... especially when she has raisins!!

Cola hopped over and got her raisins, all is forgiven, Mom.

### BUNNY BODYGUARD

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in the following blog are that of Cola and Cola alone. No Daddy's were actually hurt in the writing of this blog).

A few weekends ago, on Saturday morning, Mom and Dad were up earlier than normal. Duster and Cola waited to be set free to explore the living room but Mom and Dad were apparently in no rush for that. Mom got a phone call and a few minutes later there was a knock at our door. Mom invited the visitor in.

The "visitor" was a nurse sent by Daddy's Life Insurance company to do a physical. Mom and Dad talked to the lady, they were laughing and the lady walked by the bunny cages, mentioned how cute they were and then sat down in the living room.

Duster was all happy and sat "handsome" as Mommy calls it. He wanted out of his cage to meet this new lady! So Mom opened the cages and out went Duster ... right to the lady. He sniffed around her, curious but still cautious enough to not let her get close enough to actually pet him ... he was more curious about the bags she brought with her!

Cola hopped out of her cage and bee-lined it for where Duster was ... underneath the chair the nurse was sitting in! Of all places he could have chosen to sit he picked there ... oh well, Cola guessed the sacrifice is worth it if she gets to cuddle with her bunny.

The nurse moved from the chair she was sitting in to the one in front of the computer. Duster and Cola moved to behind the chair where Mommy was sitting. Duster stretched out but Cola was on guard – keeping her eye on this visitor. She started doing some paperwork, all the while talking to Mom and Dad ... Cola was suspicious of her ... she talked too much!!

Then the nurse asked Daddy to sit in the chair she had been sitting in. Daddy sat down and the nurse went to her bag and brought out a weapon (Mommy said it was used to check Daddy's blood pressure but Cola was pretty sure it was a weapon) – the nurse put the device on Daddy's arm and started it started to squeeze Daddy's arm! Cola thumped her foot.

"Daddy, watch out! She is choking the arm you give us treats with!"

*thump*!

The nurse cackled.

Mom just kept talking to the nurse and didn't try to help Daddy at all!

Cola crept towards the bags she had brought with her. What other torture devices did she have in there?

Cola ran back to where Duster was and thumped again.

"Get away from my Daddy!"

Mom reached down from her chair and petted her. "It's OK, Cola."

"OK?" Cola shook her head. "It's not OK! Some stranger is choking my Daddy's arm and all you can do is sit here and laugh with her!"

Poor Daddy was so weak from his arm being choked all he could do was sit there and listen to Mom and the nurse.

Duster wasn't much help either! He was stretched out behind Mom's chair, napping!

The nurse finally took the choking device off Daddy's arm and Daddy seemed to be alright, he was probably in shock from the trauma. She said everything was good and thankfully she left shortly afterwards.

Daddy recovered enough to pick Cola up and pet her and let her know he was OK.

Cola's poor Daddy – good thing he has Cola as his bunny bodyguard!

### MAYBE SHE DOES IT ON PURPOSE

Cola is litter trained. She knows how to use a litter box.

She just prefers to NOT use the litter box in her cage when she poops!

Since she wasn't using the litter box in her cage (she would poop everywhere BUT the litter box) Mommy and Daddy took the litter box out and would just put her bedding on the bottom of the cage in the place where her litter box used to be. No issues at all for Cola – she'd use the bedding when she needed to.

Then she would venture next door to Duster's cage. She always like to sample his food and water and hay ... sometimes it just tastes better.

And then Cola would hop into his litter box and poop! There were times when she would poop on the floor of his cage too. Mommy always cleaned it up anyways. But for the most part, Cola loved using Duster's litter box! And Duster never complained ... he loves it when his lady comes to visit him!

However, this whole litter box use and non-use really confused Cola's Mommy and Daddy!

Anyways, they put a litter box back in her cage a few weeks ago and she poops in it when she feels like it. Last night, for example she did ... you'd think Cola had won the lottery! Mommy and Daddy were telling her how good she is and petting her and she even got a raisin!

But then this morning Mommy got up and saw the poop beside the litter box ... "oh well, you win some and you lose some," she said and Cola still got her bunny breakfast and her before-work noserubs.

### COLA PUTS HER FOOT DOWN

Sometimes Daddy makes Cola mad!

Duster and Cola were in for their bunny sleepover, Mom and Dad were drifting off, Duster was cuddled up near the dresser and Cola decided she didn't particularly like where a piece of carpet was so she decided to do some redecorating ...

She planted my little paws firmly on the carpet, secured a mouthful of carpet fibres and "pull!"

Mommy and Daddy both woke up.

"COLA BEAR!" Daddy said, she knew he was mad when he used both her names and he said it in capitals just like it's written.

Cola turned around to look at him, not sure what the issue was.

"No chewing on the carpet!" Daddy told her.

"Why not? It's in the wrong spot! I don't like it there!" she argued.

Daddy laid back down and turned his back to her.

Was he ignoring her? WHAT?

Cola can play that game.

She hopped out of the bedroom, and thumped when she got to the living room.

She showed Daddy.

Time to put some salt in the wound.

Cola waited about 10 minutes and hopped back in to the bedroom and then she cuddled up to Mommy's side of the bed!

"I love you now, Mommy," Cola told her.

Duster shook his head in disbelief ... he knows she a Daddy's girl.

"Daddy made me mad. I love Mommy," Cola declared.

Duster sighed and flopped over in between Mommy and Daddy's pillows.

*update* Cola forgave Daddy a little later on in the day ... when he gave her treats, of course.

### THE DOOR

Duster and Cola were in for their usual bunny sleepover.

Cola was on the bed with Mommy and Daddy, re-arranging their blankets because they never have them in the right place. Duster decided to explore behind the door since it wasn't held against the wall by the door stop as it usually is.

"Wonder what's back here?" Duster pushes the door a bit with his nose.

Cautiously he looks behind the door ....

"WOW! Cola, there is carpet back here too!"

She left the blankets and hopped off the bed. "The same carpet that is all over the room?"

"I think so. I'm pretty sure," Duster gives the door another push with his nose.

Duster and Cola are checking out the newly discovered carpet when she notices the door is still moving!

"Hey, what's going on?" Cola starts to "follow" the closing door.

Duster's ears rose on either side of his head \- uh oh, what had he done?

"Duster, the door isn't stopping! It's going to close and we'll be stuck in here forever!"

*thump* Cola had to alert Mom and Dad to the impending danger of being stuck in the bedroom.

No reaction.

Cola jumps back up on the bed and nudges Dad. "No time for sleeping! We have to plan an escape! The door is closing!!"

Duster is slowly hopping towards the door, he doesn't want to startle it and make it slam closed.

Dad starts to pet Cola. Aw, she loves Daddy ... but there is no time for noserubs right now ... the bunnies have to stop the door from closing!

She hops off the bed again and positions herself a few inches from it ... whew it has stopped moving and she can still see out into the hallway and kitchen. She stretches as far as her adorable little body will reach and sniffs the air.

"Duster, I can smell freedom ... no fast movements though ... don't want to scare the door and have it trap us in here," she whispers.

"Why aren't Mom and Dad worried?" Duster asks her.

Cola shakes her head. "I think they are unconscious with fear ... we have to act in their best interest ... come on ..."

Duster and Cola slowly move towards the door ... Cola makes it out, no problems. Duster on the other hand, kind of crashes into the door on the way through and it starts to move again but this time it is moving back towards the wall ... thank goodness Mom and Dad will be able to get out of the bedroom when they wake up!

What would they do without the bunnies?

### PILLOW FRIGHT

"Excuse me – bunny coming through!"

Cola hopped onto the bed and waited for the pillows to move out of the way – the way Mom and Dad usually do when they know she is on the prowl.

The pillows didn't move.

"Excuse me – bunny needs to get by," Cola announced.

No movement from the pillows ... now keep in mind, yes, she did have the whole rest of the bed she could have hopped around on, but she wanted to hop where the pillows were. And she was asking nicely!

*thump*!

"Pillows, I demand you move out of the way for me to get by!"

Duster was now on the bed too.

Cola turned to face him. "Humph ... the pillows are ignoring me! I asked nicely and they won't move."

"Excuse us, bunnies on the move ... please move aside," Duster said.

Nothing. Both pillows were ignoring them.

How rude.

Cola had enough. She went over the nudged the pillow with her nose.

No response so she started to chew on the pillow.

Duster jumped on the other pillow and started to scratch it.

Nothing! These pillows were impervious to pain!

Duster and Cola moved towards the middle of the bed, they had to regroup.

"I think we need to take them by surprise." Duster decided.

On the thump of three they charged the pillows ... Duster tackled one and Cola head-butted the other ... and then something happened ... the pillow that was leaning up against the wall ... it started to fall over ... aiming for Cola!!

She barely escaped being "crushed" by the pillow.

Duster and Cola fled the bedroom, those pillows didn't fight fair!

They curled up beside Daddy in the living room, thankful to have escaped from the pillow fright. That night they had bunny sleepover and Mommy and Daddy made the pillows move out of the way so Duster and Cola could play where they wanted too!

Bunnies – 1, Pillows - 0

### THE DOG HOUSE?

"HAPPY BUNNY MOMMY DAY!" Cola jumped up on the bed beside Daddy and Mommy.

Mommy and Daddy were getting ready to take a nap and were apparently discussing Mother's Day and Daddy came out with. "Mother's Day doesn't count for bunny moms."

Cola took that as her cue to leave.

Cola ran out to the living room where Duster was cuddled under the chair.

"DUSTER!!" she hollered. "Daddy is in trouble!!"

Duster stretched and propped himself up.

"Daddy is in trouble? What did he do? Oh no, did he try to take Mommy's blanket?"

"No ... no, this is worse. This is the worst thing in the world he could do today!" Cola ran around Duster.

"Cola, you're making me dizzy," Duster sighed.

Cola stopped running around.

"Duster, Daddy is going to be in the dog house!"

"But we don't own a dog."

"It doesn't matter. He told Mommy that Mother's Day doesn't count for Bunny Mom's!"

Duster's eyes got big. "He is in trouble for sure. What did Mommy say?"

"I didn't stick around to find out," Cola said. "I ran out of there as soon as he said those words. He could already be in the dog house."

"Where is this dog house you keep talking about?" Duster questioned.

Cola panicked. "I don't know. I have heard people talk about it on TV though so it must be real. What if the dog doesn't have room for Daddy? What if the dog is mad when Daddy shows up because the dog isn't expecting company and his house is dirty and he makes Daddy sleep on the floor or outside? Daddy doesn't have fur – he'll freeze!"

"Cola, let's go see where Daddy is before we go too crazy," Duster reasoned and we hopped to the bedroom.

"Duster, you have to go in first. I'll be devastated if Daddy is really in the dog house," Cola said.

Duster hopped in.

"Cola, come on in, everything is alright," Duster called.

I cautiously peeked around the door, still fearing the worse.

"DADDY!" Cola cheered and bounded on to the bed.

Duster was cuddled up to Mommy and Daddy was moving out of the way for her to run where his pillow had been.

"Yippee, Daddy's not in the dog house!" Cola was so happy, she binkied and then laid down beside Duster.

Duster started to groom her fur. "I guess Mommy knew Daddy was only kidding."

Cola sighed. "Thank goodness! I love my Daddy ... "

### CURTAIN CHAOS

"YAY! Daddy wants to play!" Cola happily hopped over to Daddy as he stretched out on the living room floor. "Daddy, Daddy, Daddy!!"

She put her cute little paws on his arm and he petted her ears.

Duster stretched lazily under the chair but Cola was really excited that Daddy was spending quality time with them.

Cola hopped around the room and was going to do her bunny super sprints laps when she noticed something strange ... where were Daddy's feet hiding?

She cautiously crept up to where his feet should be and came nose to material with the curtains!! Her dreaded enemies. Oh they had gone too far this time, they were holding Daddy's feet captive.

The dwarf bunny hopped over to Duster.

"The curtains have taken Daddy's feet hostage!"

Duster looked over to where the crisis was happening. Seeing that she wasn't exaggerating he stretched and headed over to survey the scene.

"Wow, this isn't good," Duster shook his head, the infamous helicopter ears all over the place. "Maybe we should get Mommy."

"We don't have time for Mommy! We have to save his feet NOW!!" Cola thumped.

Daddy looked over to see what was going on ... two bunnies beside the curtains ... nothing unusual with that as far as he was concerned ... oh if only he knew ...

"I will try to reason with them," Cola decided and glared at the curtains. "Excuse me. You have something that belongs to my Daddy and I need you to release his feet immediately."

No response from the curtains.

Duster could see Cola's fur start to rise on her back ... she was getting mad ..

"Hey! You, curtains! I asked nicely - let go of my Daddy's feet,"

Wow the curtains were pushing their luck with no reply again.

*thump*

Daddy looked up and saw Cola staring at the curtains and Duster watching from about a foot away.

"Good girl, Bear," Daddy said. "You show those curtains who's boss."

"Duster, you heard him," Cola said. "Daddy said I can attack the curtains. Daddy needs my help!"

And with that, Cola hopped full force at the curtains ...

Cola's little paws scratched at the curtains ... she bumped into Daddy's feet ... she placed herself under the curtains and pushed the material up with her nose ... Daddy moved his feet ... Cola had freed Daddy's feet!!

"Good work!" Duster cheered and rushed over to nosebonk Cola.

Daddy sat up and was chuckling as he watched Cola tackle the curtains.

"Good girl, Bear!" Daddy reached over and petted Cola and Duster too.

"Wow, he doesn't know how close he came to losing his feet to those curtains," Cola sighed.

Duster had a hunch this wouldn't be the last time Cola and the curtains had a misadventure ...

### COLA'S CONFESSION

Cola sighed. She can't believe she is actually thinking the thought ...

She has finally found a use for the curtains in the living room.

She isn't admitting defeat over the curtains but perhaps they have reached a short compromise of sorts.

When Mommy and Daddy went grocery shopping, they brought home a cardboard box. They decided to keep this box and it ended up in the living room and of course, it was in Cola's way!

She tried to go around the box. She tried to nudge the box out of the way. She tried hopping in other parts of the apartment. She even tried going around the box again - it just wasn't working for her.

Cola was waging war on the curtains last night, huddled in between the patio door and the evil curtains, when she stuck her nose out from underneath the curtains and there was the box! Still in her way.

Now think about this, the curtains AND the box, too much for one bunny to take.

She ducked back behind the curtains and that's when it hit her (not literally of course) - she could sneak attack the box, using the curtains for cover!!

Bunny brilliance at it's best!

Cola ran back and forth behind the curtains, making sure the box thought she was at the other end of the patio door and then she lunged!

She hit that box full force. She scratched it with her paws, she chewed on it, she head butted it ... she was fierce.

Cola dashed behind the curtains. She was about to head butt the curtains when she realized, this one time, maybe we were on the same team ... maybe the box was annoying the curtains as much as it was her. She thought of how the curtains bumped in to the box when the wind blew them, this box had to go!

Grrr ... she hopped at the box. She ran around it, had to make it dizzy. Then she chewed on the other side!

Whew, all this energy put towards making the living room the perfect environment for Duster and her to relax in ... she deserved some bunny love!

She hopped over to Duster and flopped over beside him.

"Good work, Cola," Duster congratulated her as he groomed her fur.

Cola sighed happily, they are still Queen and King of the living room.

(Daddy ended up making a play house out of that box!! He cut doors in all four sides and now the bunnies have a really cool bunny fort to play in and chew on!!!)

### THE HICCUP

*hiccup*

*hiccup*

"What is that noise?" Cola asked Duster, looking around the living room.

*hiccup*

Duster's ears went out to the side and he hopped up and looked around.

"I am not sure - never heard that noise before."

Duster stretched and they ventured out of the cardboard house that Daddy had built for them.

*hiccup*

"Oh that is annoying," Cola declared. "Let's split up and search the apartment. "

She headed for the bedroom and Duster went to check out their cages. A few minutes later they met back near the TV, neither of them had found anything.

*hiccup*

"There is it again!" Duster spun around.

Mommy looked up from the book she was reading.

"What's wrong, Bear?

Cola hopped over to Mommy and sat in front of her. She got up on her back legs and put her paws on Mom's leg.

"Cola Bear want a treat?"

Cola hopped along behind Mommy, Duster following close as they got to the shelf where the bunny treats are stored.

Mommy took four treats out and placed them on the floor for when they heard it again.

*hiccup*

Duster munched away while Cola surveyed the area, making noises during treat time? That does not sit well with a bunny.

Cola gulped her treats and down in the middle of the room. That noise wasn't getting past her.

Mommy bent over and patted Cola's head as she walked back to where her book was ... there it went again *hiccup*

"Yikes," Duster commented. "It seems to be following Mommy!"

Cola rolled her eye. "Of course it is following Mommy. It knows she had treats! It wants our treats."

Cola hopped back over to where Mommy was sitting.

*hiccup*

Mommy noticed Duster and Cola both hovering around and put her book down and sat on the floor to pet us.

Duster was off in noserub land while Cola was cautiously keeping an eye on Mommy.

Then Cola saw Mom's belly jump and heard the *hiccup*

She jumped back.

"Duster, the noise is in Mommy!!"

"Just like the Growler is sometimes!!" Duster thumped now.

"And this wants out!" Cola hopped away from Mommy as her belly jumped again.

Mommy laughed, realizing the noise was what the bunnies were thumping at.

"Sorry, bunnies, the hiccups annoy Mommy as much as they annoy you!"

Duster accepted her apology for the hiccup-inconvenience and snuggled back up beside Mommy ... noserubs can make anything tolerable in his world!

Thankfully Mommy was hiccup free a short time later and all was well in their world again!

### MEEP

Mom was doing something called "spring cleaning." She had a whole bunch of blue storage bins (Cola really think she breeds them there were so many) in the living room. Mom started to take stuff out of these bins and was in the process of doing so when Dad called out that he needed her help with something in another room. Mom put down item she had in her hand.

"Duster and Cola, watch Meep while Mommy goes to help Daddy," Mom instructed, placing the battery-operated stuffed bunny on the floor.

"Duster, come on, time to investigate!" Cola said excitedly. Anytime things are moved around in the living room the bunnies have to approve the move.

Duster stretched and hopped along behind her.

"The only thing Mom left on the floor is that thing," Cola pointed to the stuffed animal.

"I think that is Meep," Duster said.

"What is a Meep?" Cola asked.

Duster rolled his eyes. "That is a Meep."

"So I know where Meep is but what is Meep? Is Meep food? Is Meep an alien invading our living room?" Cola was a bit annoyed.

Duster shrugged. "Let's go ask Meep what he or she is."

Pretty straight forward so over we hopped.

"Hi, Meep! I am Duster and this is Cola!" Duster introduced them. "And what are you?"

No response.

"Well that's kind of rude," Cola said, and hopped closer to Meep.

"Hello? Anyone in there?" she nudged Meep with her nose.

And Meep hopped towards her and made a "beep,beep" sound.

Duster and Cola both scurried away from Meep.

"Meep is alive!" Duster said.

"And Meep tried to attack me!" Cola thumped. "Why would Mommy leave us alone with such an aggressive Meep?"

Duster shook his head. "I bet Mommy didn't know Meep was like that."

Duster decided to go and try to make contact again.

He hopped over to Meep and this time he stretched out to sniff Meep. Duster edged closer and closer and then he bumped into Meep ...

"Beep, beep" went Meep and moved towards Duster, this time Meep sat down and then wiggled its nose at Duster.

Duster had moved back a few steps but wasn't as afraid as last time.

"Cola, come here, I think Meep is a bunny!"

Cola ventured out from under the chair. "Mommy got a new bunny and didn't ask our permission?"

Duster and Cola started to question the new bunny as to where he came from, was Meep a he or she, where was Meep going to sleep, did Meep like treats but Meep would not give them any information!

"Humph, well we tried to be nice," Cola said to Duster.

Duster sighed. "I really had hoped we could be friends"

They had no choice but to give Meep the bunny silent treatment (yes the dreaded bunny turned it's back to you).

When Mom came back in to the room she burst out laughing and called for Dad to come and see what was going on.

There were Duster and Cola with their backs to Meep, glaring at Mom and Dad.

"Guess they don't like my toy bunny," Mom said and picked up Meep and put him safely back in his bin.

Mom and Dad apologized to the bunnies for subjecting them to that "other bunny" with lots of noserubs.

### COLA WANTS A NEW MOMMY

Duster and Cola were sitting at the line, waiting somewhat patiently for Mom to give them treats.

"I bet it's banana!" Duster said.

"No it HAS to be raisins. It's been a few days since we have had any raisins. Mom needs to stop being so cheap with the raisins," Cola stated.

"Here we go!" Mom proudly put the treats in front of them.

Duster started to happily munch on the carrot.

Cola sat back and waited for the real treats.

"Sorry, Cola – that's the treats for today." Mom said.

"But where are the raisins?" Cola looked at her.

Mom shook her head. "Sorry, Cola Bear ... carrots are the treats for today. I am cutting back on the raisins you get."

"But, Mom ... it's been eons since we had any raisins," Cola looked at her with her cutest and saddest face she could muster.

Mom shook her head "no" and went back in to the kitchen.

"Oh I do not think so!" Cola went hopping to where Daddy was sitting at the computer.

"Hi, Bear," Dad said.

"I want a new Mom," Cola said.

Dad looked at her, she could see him trying not to laugh. "Why do you want a new Mommy?"

Cola explained the raisin resistance Mom was all gung-ho about all of a sudden.

"Well, Cola, I think Mommy is just being ..." Dad said.

She cut him off. "Mean! She is being mean."

"No, Mommy is not being mean ... she wants you to eat other food for treats."

"I still want a new Mommy," Cola insisted. "There are other reasons too why I want a new Mommy."

Daddy was still trying not to laugh out loud. "Oh really. And what would those reasons be?"

Cola thought for a moment.

"She is in cahoots with the curtains. I saw her last night standing beside them, talking to them. I think they were plotting how to annoy me."

"Cola, your Mom was standing at the balcony door last night when she was talking to her friend on the phone ... she and the curtains are not plotting against you," Dad said.

"Fine ... she makes you watch that silly soap opera! You even know the characters names! That is not nice of her," Cola said, that should do it.

This time Dad chuckled. "I don't watch that show with your Mom. She watches it when I am on the computer which just happens to be right beside the TV."

Grrr, she wasn't getting anywhere.

"Um, she is a growler!" Cola said. "She wakes you up all the time with her snoring."

"Cola, you wake me up all the time too when you want out of your cage," Dad said.

Cola had to think of a good one.

"She makes you wear socks that match!"

Now Dad couldn't help himself anymore and he burst out laughing.

"Cola, you are too cute. I think it's a good thing to wear socks that match. We are keeping Mommy."

"Fine," Cola sighed and hopped over to where Duster had flopped.

Duster was grinning at her. "So who did you want to replace Mommy with?

Cola smiled, at least someone wanted to hear her out.

"The lady on the raisin boxes! She would always have raisins with her, can't get much more pro-raisin than her!"

Duster started to lick his paws. "Cola, Mommy loves you."

Cola sulked. "I know she does but she could love me and still give me some raisins!"

(Oh well, Cola wins some and she loses some . This time she settled for a carrot and noserubs.)

### A HOLE LOT OF TROUBLE

Cola was doing her bunny super sprints laps from the living room in to the bedroom. As she rounded the corner into the bedroom she skidded to a halt.

"Wow - look at the hole in the wall ..."

Cola crept towards the open closet door.

"I hope Mom and Dad don't think I did this. Although it would be cool to take credit for such a large hole in the wall! This even tops my destruction of our old couch!"

To Cola, it was like hitting the jackpot so she hopped on in.

Right away she found the two large blue storage bins.

"Mom must be breeding these things she has so many of them," Cola shook her head.

Cola wiggled in between one of the bins and the wall.

"Wow, the carpet has spread in to this hole ... wonder how long it has been here ..."

Cola took a few minutes and chewed on the carpet ... she had to make sure she left her mark!

Cola hopped around the two bins, doing a figure 8.

Then she came across one of Daddy's belts lying on the floor behind one of the bins.

"I bet Daddy has been looking for this," Cola started to pull the belt towards the opening of the hole.

She pulled the belt as far as she felt necessary and then sat down and washed her face with her paws, she was working pretty hard.

Cola got up on her back legs and periscoped around. Not much to see other than the blue bins and the walls and then she looked up.

*thump*!

Cola almost fell over backwards.

"Curtains ... yikes, curtains ..." Cola tore out of the closet and back into the living room, heading straight for Duster.

Duster looked up from his flop. "What's up, Bear?"

"What's up? There is a big hole in the wall in the bedroom – and I didn't do it – and I ran around and then I looked up and there were all these curtains ... all different colours ... curtains just hanging there ..."

Duster sat up. "So you are telling me there are curtains living in a big hole in the wall in Mom and Dad's bedroom?"

"YES!" Cola said.

"And Mom and Dad haven't noticed this big hole in the wall OR the curtains?"

"Obviously not," Cola said.

Duster smiled and flopped back over,. Bear, you have the best stories."

"Duster! This is not a story. Those curtains are taking over that hole in the wall and pretty soon the whole apartment!"

Cola was frustrated and ran back in to the bedroom . The closet and the pants and shirts on the hangers were still there.

"I gotta tell Mom and Dad," Cola decided.

Just as she was hopping out of the bedroom, Mom and Dad walked in.

"There's the Bear," Mom said.

"Uh-oh we left the closet open," Dad said and closed the closet door ... thus sealing the giant hole in the wall, trapping the curtains inside. "Good girl for not going in the closet."

All Cola could do was sit there and watch the hole and curtains disappear .... Whew, that was another close one!

### COACH COLA

"PSSST, Ruby!" Cola called from her cage.

Ruby's ear perked up. "Hi, Cola!!"

"Ruby, as the alpha bunny, I feel it is my duty to teach you certain things," Cola said.

Duster looked at Cola.

"OK!" Ruby said, all excited.

"One of the most important things you have to learn ... is how to make our parents appear upon command, even when they are trying to sleep," Cola stated. "When we want treats, they need to bring them to us right away and this will probably work more with Dad than with Mom, she can sleep through anything."

"What do I do?" Ruby asked, hopping back and forth in her cage.

Cola smiled. "Cool, first thing, make as much noise as you can. Start with chewing on the cage."

Ruby started to nibble on the bars.

"Put some feeling in to it! You want romaine lettuce don't you?" Cola asked.

Ruby nodded and launched a full scale assault on the bars. It sounded like she was pulling the door off the cage!

"Impressive for a little bunny," Cola said.

Duster rolled his eyes. "You're having her make the noise so you don't get in trouble."

"I would never do that," Cola said, trying to look offended.

The bunnies heard Daddy mumble something.

"Now try digging at the cage," Cola suggested.

"Alright!" Ruby threw her little paws into tunneling out of the cage.

"Bunnies! Shhhh ..." Daddy called out, half asleep.

"He still sounds pretty tired. We need to be noisier," Cola state. "Take your toss toy and bounce it off the bottom of your cage!"

"Here goes," Ruby threw her toy three or four times.

"Duster! Shhh, Mom and Dad need to sleep!" Daddy called out.

Duster looked at Cola.

Cola shrugged. "Oops, it's not my fault you are known for banging your toss toy."

Ruby kept throwing her toy. Cola was giving her two-ears up and Duster just flopped over.

"Ohhh, here comes Daddy!" Cola said.

Daddy came out of the bedroom and looked at the three bunnies.

Ruby had the toss toy in her mouth and dropped it. "Hi, Daddy! Lettuce please."

Daddy shook his head and started towards the bedroom.

Cola panicked. "Ruby, quick – chew the bars!"

"OK!" and away Ruby went.

"Ruby, you can't be out of your cage every time we are awake," Dad said.

Ruby kept on chewing and now Mom was up too!

"Good work!" Cola cheered.

Then Daddy opened Ruby's cage.

"YAY!" Ruby binkied out of her cage.

"Quick - do the bunny dance in front of the fridge!" Cola said.

Ruby bee-lined for the kitchen and periscoped in front of the fridge.

"Lettuce, please!"

Dad sighed and got Ruby and Duster lettuce and Cola her carrot (since she isn't a fan of lettuce right now).

Mom laughed. "Boy, they have you well trained."

Mom went back to bed and Dad stayed up till Ruby had finished her lettuce.

"Time to go back to your cage."

Cola shook her head. "Run, Ruby!! Dad loves to chase us!"

"Whee!" and off Ruby went ... poor Daddy.

Ruby ran laps for a few minutes, much to Daddy's dismay ... he gave up and sat down until she decided to go back in her cage.

"Bunnies," Dad said. "Now it's time for Mom and Dad to get some more sleep."

The bunnies heard Mom snoring from the bedroom.

"Maybe it's time for Daddy to get more sleep. Good night, bunnies," Dad said and went back to bed.

"How'd I do?" Ruby asked Cola.

"Very impressive! That was a good response time," Cola nodded.

And three bunnies with full bellies flopped and let their parents get some more sleep ... till the next treat attack ...

### LESSONS LEARNED

Ruby was hopping around the living room when Cola motioned for her to approach Cola's cage.

"Not too close, " Cola said. " We have to maintain the image that we do not like each other."

Ruby hopped back a few steps.

"I found out some more things I can teach you about!"

Ruby binkied excitedly. "That is super, Cola! Thanks!"

Duster shook his head and flopped – he was sitting this one out.

"Mom and Dad love to do housework! The messier it is, the better – more for them to clean up," Cola said.

"Really?"Ruby asked. "But they both make some weird grumbling sounds when they clean up."

"That's just some special language only Mom and Dad understand – it means they are very happy," Cola assured Ruby.

"Really?!" Ruby said happily. "Where do I start?"

"Shred the phonebook," Cola suggested, then paused. "Wait - pee beside my cage like you usually do ... one of Mom's favourites."

Ruby shrugged, up went the white puff ball tail as Mom came around the corner.

"Arrgghhhh," Mom muttered.

Ruby was pretty sure she had done a great job and hopped over to the phone book as Mom started to clean up in front of Cola's cage.

Ruby did a pretty thorough job of obliterating what was left of the phone book ... shredded paper everywhere.

This time Dad noticed the paper pile. "Ahhhhh ...."

Ruby hopped away as Daddy started to gather up the near-confetti.

"Wow, Cola ... you are right ... and all that grumbling must mean I am doing a really good job!"

Cola nodded. "You are doing amazing. Hmmm ... now you need to leave them little presents all over the place ... a trail of poop that can follow and find you at the end."

"Oh like the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow?"

"Exactly!" Cola agreed.

Ruby hopped ALL over the apartment ... right into the bedroom and up on the bed and there she discovered Mom's magazine.

"Like a phone book ...." Ruby thought ... and RRRRIIPPPP ....

Mom ran into the bedroom. "Ohhhhh ... ahhhhh ...."

"She followed my trail, Mommy sure is smart!"

Ruby hopped out of the bedroom as Mom gathered up the pages of her magazine.

Ruby surveyed the living room and kitchen area. Daddy had the vacuum cleaner out and was working on cleaning up the remaining paper and the trail Ruby had left for them.

"I don't like where that piece of carpet is," Ruby hopped over to the where the living room and kitchen connect and started to work on tearing up the carpet corner ... there comes Mom!

"I have to make sure she sees how much effort I am putting into this ... all for my parents because I love them," Ruby planted her little feet and up came some of the carpet fibres.

"Uggghhhh, Ruby!" Mom sighed.

"Hi, Mom," and Ruby hopped on to her next project.

"That was good, very well planned," Cola congratulated the white bunny.

Mom was then onto doing the dishes.

"Not sure how I can help her with that," Ruby said.

Cola whispered something and away Ruby hopped ... right over to where Mom was and sat on Mom's feet for a moment and then hopped all around Mom's feet. Mom was too distracted to do the dishes and ended up dropping soapy dishwater all over the place!

"Oh she is going to scrub the floor too," Ruby thought. "I need to get off the wet floors ... no traction for bunnies."

Then Ruby saw Daddy putting on his shoes, she had to help him tie the laces!

Ruby chomped down on one of the laces and started to pull ...

"Shoo, Ruby," Dad said, trying to get the lace away from her.

"Yes, I know we are trying to tie your shoe!" Ruby thumped. "I can't help you when you won't let me have the laces!"

Ruby gave up and went over and flopped in front of her cage ... doing all this housework sure was tiring.

### CURTAINS OF MASS DESTRUCTION

Cola and Duster were relaxing in the living room. Mom had the TV on and a commercial came on – it was a catchy jingle and Cola started to hop in tune to the music.

"Fabric Forever,

Let's sew something together,

Run out of fabric?

Never, never!

We have Fabric Forever!

We are certain,

We can help you with curtains!

We'll make you the perfect blinds,

Just in the nick of time!"

The music stopped and a life-sizes pair of scissors appeared on the screen ... so Cola stopped to listen to what the shears had to say – if their jingle was that good – this might be a very important commercial!

"Hi, everyone! I am Sid the Scissors."

"Hi, Sid!" Cola periscoped and then binkied around the room.

"Come on down to Fabric Forever's Grand Opening Sale! We can assist you with all your fabric needs. We can even mass produce curtains or blinds in our state of the art facility. Whether you need two blinds or 20,000 curtains, Fabric Forever has got you covered!" Sid said cheerfully.

Cola stopped mid-hop and stared at the TV.

Duster hopped up alongside of her. "What's wrong?

"That giant pair of scissors was talking about curtains of mass destruction!" Cola yelled.

Duster shook his head. "Pretty sure they said mass production of curtains ..."

"No! You heard what they wanted you to hear! Curtains are going to take over the world!" Cola started to hop in circles.

Mom came back in the room.

"MOM!" Cola thumped over to where Mom was.

"Hi, Cola," Mom said.

Cola started to hop back and forth between the living room curtains and the TV.

"What's wrong?" Mom asked.

Cola was hopping and trying to explain. "The TV ... curtains ... take over the world ... giant scissors!"

By now the Fabric Forever commercial was over and Mom was totally lost as to what Cola was trying to tell her. Mom looked at Duster.

Duster hopped over to Mom and out his head down – time for noserubs.

Cola quickly nudged Mom's hand away from Duster - didn't they know how important this was?

"Curtains are going to take over the world. They said so on TV and we know everything on TV is true."

Cola then hopped back over to the living room curtains and started to chew on them. "I will stop this before it happens!"

Duster attempted for noserubs again, explaining to Mom about the commercial.

Mom tried not to laugh. "Cola, it's OK ... I tell you what, we have a really good pair of scissors here .. and if the curtains try to take over the world, I'll cut big holes in them."

Cola hopped over to Mom. "Promise??"

"Cross my heart," Mom promised.

"And can I chew on them after you cut big holes in them?" Cola asked, hopefully.

"Sure," Mom agreed.

Cola cuddled up beside Duster, feeling much better now that she knew the curtains of mass destruction could be dealt with and even better that she had Mom's permission to chew on the curtains!

### THE DRAWER THAT ATE DUSTER

Cola cautiously peeked around the wall into the bedroom doorway. Coast was clear – no Mom in sight!

"Duster, come on - quick!" Cola called.

Duster rolled up from his flop, shook his ears and stretched as he got to his feet. He followed Cola to the bedroom.

"Mom's moving stuff around in here ... I wanna see what she is doing," Cola declared.

Duster bunny shrugged and hopped onto the bed and stretched out.

Cola was from one end of the room to the other.

Disappointed, she hopped up beside Duster. "Everything looks the same!"

Duster started to lick his paws and noticed something out of the corner of his eye – Mom's bottom dresser drawer was open!

"Cola – look!"

"Yay!" Cola hopped off the bed and sat in front of the opened dresser drawer.

She stretched, placing her front paws on the "dip" in the front of the drawer that was used to open it. She couldn't see anything, so she hopped closer, stretched again and ....

"Duster, it's empty!"

Duster hopped off the bed and towards the drawer. Then he hopped right on in.

"Yep, it's empty ..."

"It's not empty anymore, you're in it!" Cola said and nudged the drawer.

It rolled back a little bit.

"What was that?" Duster asked.

Cola nudged he drawer again and this time it rolled closed taking Duster with it!

"Oh no!" Cola thumped.

Duster was peering out of the "dip" opening.

"Cola ..." he sighed.

"Eeeeppp... the drawer ate Duster!"

Duster stuck his nose out the opening.

"Go get Mommy."

Cola did the bunny super sprints on the way out of the bedroom to find Mom in the living room. She ran circles around Mom's legs and then nosebonked her ankles.

"Hi, Bear," Mom said and bent down to pet Cola.

Cola ran away from Mom's hand and towards the bedroom. Knowing the adventures (or misadventures) Cola often got in to, Mom wisely followed.

Mom sighed. "What is different and what is missing?"

Cola hopped over to the drawer and thumped.

"It ate my bunny!" Cola accused the drawer and stared at Mom.

"Hmmm ... no sign of your partner in crime and I bet you had nothing to do with this?"

"Of course I had nothing to do with this!" Cola agreed.

Mom walked towards the drawer and slowly pulled it open.

Duster stuck his head out and licked Mom's hands. "I love you, Mommy."

And then he hopped out of the drawer.

He and Cola cuddled down beside the evil drawer after Mom made sure it was closed.

"I'm sorry, Duster," Cola said.

Duster flopped. "That's OK. I wasn't in there long and Mom needed something to do anyways."

### SECRET PETS

"Cola, I have some very upsetting news to tell you," Duster said.

Cola stared at the grey bunny ... nothing bothered Duster ... this must be something major.

"Mommy has ..." he started. "Mommy has secret pets!"

Cola shook her head, she had to be sure she heard that right.

"How is that possible?"

Duster nodded towards the bathroom.

"She keeps them in there ... I don't know much about them other than she referred to penguins and asked Daddy to vacuum them if he was vacuuming the apartment today."

Cola was stunned. "They like to be vacuumed?"

Cola hates the vacuum cleaner and puts it on the same level as the curtains.

Duster sighed and laid down ... he couldn't even bring himself to flop!

"Well, we aren't going to take this laying down!" Cola declared and looked at Duster.

Duster continued to mope.

"Uh, Duster, I need you to stand up if we aren't going to take this laying down."

Duster nodded and stood up.

"We are going to get in to that room and find out what Mom was talking about. And I can't believe Dad was in on these secret pets with her!" Cola stated.

"But the door is always closed," Duster argued.

"Yes, but they go in and out of it all day. We just have to be smart and get in there." Cola said confidently.

Daddy went from the kitchen to the living room and noticed the two rabbits staring at the bathroom door.

"No bunnies in the bathroom," Daddy said. "You have the whole rest of the apartment to play in."

"See, they like us better," Cola said. "These secret pets only get one room!"

And then they started their stake out, knowing Daddy would eventually have to open that door then they just had to sneak in!

The bunnies waited patiently till Daddy had to go in to the room where the secret pets live.

"When he opens the door, you cause a distraction!" Duster said to Cola and Ruby.

The door opened and the bunnies hopped in to action.

Cola was sitting in front of Ruby's cage. "I'm gonna jump on top of your cage. Make as much noise as you can."

"Will do," Ruby said and as Cola attempted to jump onto the top of Ruby's cage (without much luck, her little legs wouldn't quite get her up that high), Ruby started to chew on the cage.

"What are you two doing?" Daddy asked Cola and Ruby and Duster made the mad dash for the bathroom.

Daddy ended up leaving the door open as he went to see what Cola and Ruby were doing. Duster hopped in to the bathroom and looked around for the secret pets.

"Alright, penguins. I know you are in here!" And he thumped.

Cola stopped her attempts to get on Ruby's cage and hopped by Daddy quickly on her way to find the penguins.

"Did you find them, Duster?" Cola asked. "They can't have our parents – they are our Mommy and Daddy!"

Duster and Cola continued to look around the bathroom, so concerned with finding the secret pets they didn't notice Daddy in the doorway.

"What are you two doing? What are you looking for?"

Cola stared at Daddy. "We know about the secret pets! We're not leaving till we meet these penguins!"

"Yeah," Duster agreed. "No one asked us bunnies anything about penguins!"

Daddy started to laugh. "Penguins?"

"Mommy's secret pets! She has penguins and she is hiding them in this room!" Duster said.

"And they like to be vacuumed!" Cola shook her head in disbelief.

Daddy was laughing now.

"Do you two know what penguins are?"

"Of course we do," Duster rolled his eyes. "They're mommy's secret pets!"

"You two need to look at the bath mat you are standing on," Daddy instructed.

The bunnies looked at the bathmat covered with black and white animals of some sort.

"Those are the penguins your Mom was talking about, the ones on the bath mat that she wanted me to vacuum," Daddy chuckled.

Duster and Cola looked sheepishly at each other and hopped out of the bathroom.

"Huh ... go figure ..." Duster muttered.

Cola hopped over and told Ruby what was going on, making sure to poop on the carpet so Daddy would think they are still enemies.

"A mat ..." Ruby shook her head. "At least the penguins are cute but not as cute as me!"

### SO CLOSE!

"Drat!" Cola thumped and retreated to the corner of her cage. "There's that crazy vacuum cleaner!"

For Cola, the vacuum cleaner was pretty much on the same level as the curtains.

Duster peeked into her cage,. "I will protect you!"

"Uh, how?" Cola asked.

Duster sat up, assuming his "cute" pose as Mom calls it. "I will stare at the vacuum cleaner ... it'll know not to mess with you!"

"Yeah cause your cute pose sure is scary," Cola rolled her eyes and cuddled back in her corner.

"Hey! Mommy loves my cute pose!" Duster said and continued to glare at the vacuum cleaner.

Daddy was vacuuming the living room. Ruby was out of her cage and had settled onto the shelf she liked to nap on. She watched as Daddy cleaned up the poop she had worked so hard to strategically place on the carpet.

"Now I have to do all that again," she shook her head, and stretched.

Daddy was vacuuming near the curtains now. Ruby decided to leave her shelf and start re-decorating the floor with her poop. She hopped close to the vacuum cleaner.

"Hi, Ruby, need you to move so Daddy can clean there!" Daddy said.

Ruby hopped a little to the left.

When Daddy turned around, the vacuum cleaner attacked the curtains!

From that moment on, all bunny eyes were glued on the vacuum and curtain conflict.

"Wow!" Cola came out of her corner. "My two worst enemies are fighting!"

"Maybe they'll destroy each other!" Duster cheered.

Ruby hopped closer to get a better look. "I think Daddy is the referee!"

Daddy was trying to pull the curtains free from the vacuum cleaner.

"Be careful, Daddy!" Ruby yelled and hopped even closer. "Cola, it looks like the vacuum is eating the curtains!"

Cola binkied in her cage. "Maybe the vacuum will choke on the curtains and they'll both have to go in the garbage!"

Daddy was not impressed.

"Uh oh ... Daddy is getting mad!" Ruby called out to Duster and Cola.

"Maybe he'll help the vacuum pull the curtains off the wall!" Cola said hopefully.

The bunnies watched as the vacuum continued to try to devour the curtains, the curtains struggled to stay attached to the wall and Daddy's face got redder. A few seconds later, it was all over.

Daddy shut the vacuum off. It released its' grip on the curtains and the curtains returned to lurking against the balcony door.

You could almost hear the bunnies' sighs of disappointment when they saw the outcome.

"So close ..." Cola muttered and sulked in her cage.

Duster resumed his cute pose and Ruby went about redistributing her poop on the carpet.

Daddy put the vacuum cleaner away and the curtains, well, they're still taunting Cola ... for now ...

### HOPPY THANKSGIVING

Ruby hopped over to where Duster and Cola's cages were.

"Bunnies, I have a question!" Ruby declared.

Cola perked up. Ruby was still a baby bunny and came up with some interesting questions.

"What is Thanksgiving?" Ruby asked.

Duster scratched his head with his back foot. "Hmmm ... a day where Mom and Dad are paid to stay home and sleep in."

"Oh," Ruby said. "That sounds like a pretty nice thing for Mom and Dad,"

Cola laughed. "Um, it's the day where humans eat way too much food and then watch the TV, particularly something called football."

Ruby had then another question. "What's football?"

Duster and Cola both shrugged, they had no clue.

"I go ask Mom and Dad!" Ruby hopped off to find join her parents in the kitchen.

"Hi, Ruby!" Mom said.

"Mom and Dad, why do people eat a lot of food and throw balls with their feet at the TV on Tanksgiving?" Ruby asked.

Mom and Dad both stared at Ruby, confused by what she had asked.

So Ruby repeated her question.

"Do you mean Thanksgiving?" Dad asked.

Ruby hopped up and down and nodded yes.

Mom and Dad then briefly explained Thanksgiving to Ruby, making sure Duster and Cola heard too.

"I think I like this Thanksgiving!" Ruby said as she followed Mom and Dad into the living room.

Then she asked her fellow bunnies what they were thankful for.

Duster answered right away. "Noserubs!"

Then it was Cola's turn.

"I'm thankful for my bunny," Cola said, meaning Duster.

Ruby was so excited to spend her first Thanksgiving in her forever home. "I am thankful for Mommy and Daddy and Duster, and even Cola!" she paused. "And I am thankful for being so cute!"

(and their Mommy and Daddy are very thankful to have such wonderful bunnies in their lives)

### FOODS THAT CHANGE THE COLOUR OF FUR RULE

"STOP!"

Hearing the yell from Cola's cage, Ruby dropped the carrot she was about to start munching on and hopped over to check on the dwarf bunny.

"What's wrong?" Ruby asked.

"Whew! I stopped you just in time," Cola said.

"Huh?" Ruby was confused.

"You just about ate that carrot!"

Ruby was even more confused.

"That was THE carrot ... if you eat one more carrot, your pretty white fur will turn orange!" Cola exclaimed.

Ruby looked at her fur, it was so nice and white.

"But what if I eat lettuce?"

Cola sighed. "Fur'll be green."

"What about raisins" Ruby asked.

Cola's eyes got big. "Well ... raisins are the colour of poop ... so your fur will be the same colour as poop."

Ruby gasped. "What about bananas?"

Cola was kind of stuck with that since bananas weren't all that much of a different colour than Ruby's fur.

"No, bananas are fine," Cola muttered.

"Whew that was close! Thanks, Cola!" Ruby said and hopped back towards her cage.

Then Ruby paused, thinking.

"Cola! How come I can eat hay that is green and my fur doesn't turn green?"

Cola was almost speechless. "Ummm ... hay is really good for us so it has immunity from food that changes the colour of fur."

Rudy was getting suspicious. "How about my pellets? They don't change my fur colour!"

Cola was starting to sweat. "Ummm , well, the foods that change the colour of fur rule only applies to white bunnies."

"But that doesn't answer my question about why don't pellets change the colour of my fur?"

Cola was stuck and she needed a way out ... so she flopped and pretended to be asleep.

Ruby was pretty sure Cola was trying to trick her. Ruby hopped over to Mom and Dad and asked them about the food that changes the colour of her fur.

"Been talking to Cola again?" Mom asked.

Ruby nodded.

Mom and Dad assured Ruby her fur wasn't going to change colour and then they went over to Cola's cage to chat with the Bear.

Cola sighed. "Ruby told you about the food that changes the colour of her fur?"

Mom and Dad nodded.

"Um ... there was a memo ... " Cola said smiling.

"Good try, Cola," Dad said. "We know you just wanted her treats for yourself."

Cola tried to look shocked at the accusation. "Me? What? Please ... never... I'd never do that ...maybe ... speaking of treats, you two are being awfully stingy with them lately ..."

Mom and Dad couldn't do anything but laugh and gave the three bunnies each a carrot, safe to say, no one's fur turned orange!

### THE RETURN OF COLA'S FUR

Nosebonk! Nosebonk!

Mom looked down to see Duster nosebonking her ankle. He stopped and looked up.

"What's wrong, Duster dude? You look sad," Mom observed.

Duster nodded and his floppy ears drooped. "Cola doesn't want to cuddle with me."

"How come?"

"She found her fur," Duster replied.

Mom was confused. "She found her fur? What fur did she lose?"

Duster sighed. "The fur the vet stole."

"Uh huh ... why don't you show me where Cola is ..." Mom said.

Duster slowly hopped into the living room."See, she is curled up on the chair with her fur."

Mom looked over to where Cola was laying ... sure enough .... she was curled up with the furry black throw pillow and she was grooming it.

"Hi, Bear," Mom said and wandered over.

Cola looked up and gave Mom a cold look, after all it was Mom that had signed the paperwork giving the vet permission to steal Cola's fur during her spay.

"What have you got there?" Mom asked.

"As if you don't know!" Cola accused. "You had a pillow made out of my fur the vet stole! You've been hiding it for all these years and now you decide to bring it out? Did you really think I would forget MY FUR?"

Duster hopped up beside Mom. "She loves her fur more than me."

"Cola, that's not your fur. It's synthetic fabric made to look like fur," Mom explained.

"Oh no you don't! " Cola thumped. "This pillow is made from black fur ... just like my fur. This is my fur! You were in cahoots with the vet!"

Mom went to pick up the pillow so she could show Cola the difference and Cola growled at her.

"MY FUR!" and then she sat on the pillow.

Mom rolled her eyes. "Cola Bear..."

"Fur thief ..." Cola said back.

"Keep the pillow ... think whatever you want to think ... I'm telling you that is fabric NOT fur ... but look at Duster – he misses you. You still have to cuddle with him," Mom said.

Cola eyed Mom suspiciously. "I'll cuddle with Duster ... if you put my fur on the floor with us ..."

"Sure, no problem," Mom put the pillow on the floor so Cola could keep an eye on it while she cuddled with Duster.

"Every bunny happy?" Mom asked.

Cola and Duster nodded.

"I missed you, Cola," Duster said.

"I missed my fur," Cola replied.

### COSTUME CHAOS

"What are we going to be for Halloween?" Mom asked.

Cola grinned. "I'm a bear ... a big black bear and I weigh four hundred pounds. And I am really fierce!"

Mom tried not to laugh. Cola weighed more like 2, maybe 3 pounds.

"That will be easy. Duster, what do you want to be?"

Duster assumed his cute pose. "A ladies bunny ... because I love ladies!"

Dad petted Duster. "That's pretty easy too."

"And Ruby?" Mom asked.

"I'm cute," Ruby said.

"Uh huh ... but what do you want to be for Halloween? What kind of costume do you want to wear?"

Ruby wrinkled her nose. "I don't need a costume! I am already CUTE!"

Mom and Dad looked at each other.

"But the fun part of Halloween is dressing up and being something different," Daddy said.

Ruby actually pouted. "I don't want to be anything but cute."

Mom sighed. "What if you can pick a cute costume?"

Ruby thumped. "NO. No costume ... I am cute already."

"Ruby, you can't go trick-or-treating without a costume," Dad said.

Her ears perked u. "Did you say treat?"

Jackpot! That was the magic word.

"Yep, trick or treat," Mom said.

"I don't care about any tricks ... I want the treats! How do we do this?" Ruby hopped into negotiator mode.

Mom and Dad explained again, wear a costume and then the bunnies can hop around the different rooms in the apartment and get some treats.

Ruby furrowed her brow. "Hmmm ... costume is a must?"

Mom and Dad both nodded.

"FINE!" Ruby stated. "I think about it ... my people will get back to your people ... or back to you cause you are peoples."

Ruby turned her back to Mom and Dad ... thinking ... thinking ...

"Alright, I wear costume," Ruby said.

"What do you want to be?" Dad asked for the millionth time.

Ruby shrugged. "Whatever will get me the most treats!!"

Mom and Dad stared at Ruby ... and she stared right back.

"Fine, I will be the Nanner-nator."

"The who or what?" Mom asked.

"The Nanner-nator," Ruby repeated. "I stalk the unsuspecting bananas and eat them."

"Oh ... sort of like the Terminator," Dad said.

Ruby was confused. "The what?"

Dropping the topic, Mom and Dad set to work on gathering what they would need for the bunny's costumes for the room-to-room apartment trick-or treating.

On Halloween ~

Cola was wearing a teddy bear costume that included a t-shirt that said "FIERCE" ... Duster wore a little top hat, cape and bow tie ... and Ruby wore a black mask that went across her eyes ... that should be enough to keep the bananas from realizing she was a hungry bunny!

### HOPPY HALLOWEEN!!

### DADDY'S DAYS OFF

"Welcome home!" Mom gave Dad a big hug as he walked through the door.

Dad had been at Mom's parents visiting for a few days.

"Hi, bunnies!" Dad said cheerfully. "I missed Mommy and you bunnies SO much!"

"Daddy!" Duster and Ruby were up on their back legs in their cages.

Cola on the other hand, grumbled and turned her back to Dad.

Mom and Dad looked at each other.

"Hi, Cola!" Dad said.

Cola gave him a quick look. "Hello ... stranger."

"Stranger?" Dad was confused.

Cola gave him the fiercest "bear" glare she could manage.

"Cola, what's going on? Dad asked.

Cola turned to face Dad. "You abandoned us for three days!"

"Cola, I did not abandon you ..."

"Were you here in the apartment with us?"

"Well ... no .." Dad said.

"Then you abandoned us."

"Cola, Mommy was here with you the whole time I was gone," Dad argued.

"Good for her. She's a responsible bunny parent," Cola grr'd.

Dad sighed. "I called everyday to say hello and see how you bunnies and Mom were doing."

"So we get a call everyday from that pre-recorded message saying you and Mom won a cruise! Are they good bunny parents too?" Cola asked.

Dad tried a new approach. "Um I brought you back some treats from Grandma and Grandpa."

"YAY!" Ruby and Duster cheered.

Cola appeared to be trying to raise an eyebrow ... if bunnies have eyebrows. "Oh and who are the treats from? Did you say the treats are from Grandma and Grandpa?"

"Yes ..."

"Just checking ... " Cola stared at Dad.

Dad knew he wasn't winning this on. "Cola, how can I make it up to you? Ruby and Duster are fine. But how can I make Cola Bear happy?"

Cola thought for a moment, then it was like a light bulb went off.

"I want a nanner."

"That's it? That's all? Did Mom not give you any nanners while I was gone?" Dad looked at Mom.

Mom rolled her eyes, bunnies always got their nanners.

"Sure Mom gave me nanners ... but they aren't as good as nanner treats from Daddy ..." Cola was back in Daddy-diva mode.

A piece of banana from Daddy and all was right with Cola's world again.

(And of course, Duster and Ruby got their little pieces of nanner too.)

### MENU MADNESS

"I have to be suspicious of them," Cola said to Duster. "I have to supervise what they do! It's for their own good really. Someone in this family has to be responsible."

Duster sighed and flopped.

Mom had come home from work, clutching a paper in her hand and was excitedly showing it to Dad – who was apparently as excited as Mom was.

Cola hopped over to where Mom and Dad were standing and periscoped.

"Hi, Bear, what's up?" Dad asked.

"Oh ... nothing ..." Cola was straining to see the paper.

Mom noticed how Bear was teetering back and forth on her cute little legs, it was so obvious she was trying to see the paper. "Are you being nosy, Bear?"

Cola tried to act offended. "ME? Nosy? What are you reading anyways?"

"Nothing to worry about, Cola," Dad said. "Go back and cuddle with Duster."

Cola's little eyes got big ... they were dismissing her from the conversation.

"Better keep that paper off the floor or I'll chew it!" Cola muttered and went back to where Duster was snoozing.

Duster stretched. "They caught on, huh?"

Cola growled a "yes."

Then it was Ruby's turn to come out and run around the apartment so Duster and Cola hopped back in their cages. And then Mom and Dad were at the computer, still excitedly discussing whatever was on the paper.

"Wow this is a great website!" Dad said.

"Much more detailed than the flyer," Mom agreed.

Cola was staring at them ... she had to know what they were talking about.

"Pssst, Ruby, come here.!"

Ruby hopped over and Cola have Ruby her mission.

"Ohhh ... fun ... OK, I find out!" and off Ruby hopped.

She plopped herself down beside Mom and Dad's chairs at the computer desk.

"Hi, Ruby," Mom said.

"Did Cola send you over here to find out what we are looking at?" Dad asked.

Ruby's expression went blank – how did they know that?

"Um ... I'm cute!" Ruby exclaimed and hopped away.

Cola sighed and settled into the corner of her cage.

Mom and Dad were still checking out the website.

Ruby regrouped and hopped back to where Mom and Dad were, she quietly made her way under Mom's chair.

"They have dine-in!" Dad said.

"They have take-out!" Mom stated.

Then together they said. "And they have delivery!"

Ruby didn't know what any of those words meant but she'd report it to Cola. Ruby made her way from under the chair back to Cola's cage.

"Good work, Ruby," Cola said.

"Oh look, Mom is on the phone ..." Ruby said.

Cola shook her head. "Oh my ... what are they up to now?"

Even Duster was curious now.

"It'll be here in 15 minutes," Mom tells Dad.

"That doesn't give us much time to prepare," Cola says.

"And what are we preparing for exactly?" Duster asks.

Cola sighs. "I don't know ... but we'll figure something out."

Mom and Dad go about their normal lives, when the phone rings ... 15 minutes later.

"It's here!" Mom says.

Dad buzzes the door open ... the bunnies ready themselves ... there is a knock on the door ...

"Oh no! It's the out-dine, take-in delivery!" Ruby throws the words together and hops back to her cage.

Dad closes the door ... and comes back with the pizza.

Cola's eyes grow wide and then she rolls them. "All of that excitement over PIZZA?"

Duster shakes his head. "Not like it's Romaine lettuce or something like that!"

Ruby flops. "These humans are so silly! Wake me up when it's time for bunny breakfast!"

### NAP NEGOTIATIONS

Mom came out of the bedroom carrying her favourite blanket and a pillow. "Time for Mommy to take a Sunday afternoon nap."

"Oh yay, Mommy sleepover!" Ruby cheered.

"Hi, Mom!" Duster called from his cage.

"Hello, Duster dude," Mom said as she put her pillow on the couch.

"Hi, second favourite parent!" Cola greeted (she is still a total Daddy's diva).

Mom laughed. "Hello, Cola Bear."

Mom dropped onto the couch and pulled the blanket up around her.

"Good flop!" Duster said.

"I give it a 4.75," Cola rated the Mom-flop out of 10.

"I'll show you how it's done," and Ruby flopped.

"Thanks for the input, words of encouragement and mediocre rating ... time for sleepies, every bun needs to be as quiet as they can," Mom said.

"Are you going to be a growler?" Cola asked, referring to their nickname for Mom when she snores.

"I'll try not to," Mom grumbled.

"Good, cause it stresses out my fur," Cola said.

Mom sat up and looked at Cola. "My snoring stresses out your fur?"

"Yes," Cola said.

"How ..." Mom started to ask then decided to just drop the topic and get back to her nap.

Mom was just dozing off when she heard ... "mew, mew, mew ..."

Duster was "talking" to his water as he drank ... and drank .. and drank ... and drank ...

"Good water, Duster?" Mom asked.

He nodded happily.

Back to the nap.

"Mom ..." Ruby called her name quietly.

Mom put the pillow over her head, pretending not to hear.

"MOM!" and *thump* made the pillow quickly move.

Mom peeked over the arm of the couch at Ruby. "Yes?'

Ruby was smiling. "Am I cute?"

Mom sighed. "Yep, you're cute."

"Thanks! You're cute too ... but when your hair is all over the place like that, it subtracts from your cute content and you should work on that," Ruby stated.

"I'll get right on that after my nap," Mom promised.

Blanket and pillow in place, Mom tried again to doze off ...

Bang! Bang!

Mom sat straight up and looked around.

Cola was throwing her toss toy on the floor of her cage.

"Cola! Do you have to do that right now?" Mom asked.

"Um, yes, it's 1:55 pm ... that is my scheduled toss toy activity time," Cola replied and threw her toy down.

"It is," Duster and Ruby confirmed.

"I give up!" Mom exclaimed. "I give up on this nap!"

Ruby shook her head. "Don't give up ... you were so close!"

"What is it going to take for me be able to take a nap?" Mom asked the three bunnies.

"Say good night to us," Cola said.

Mom looked at Bear with a blank expression. "Excuse me?"

"You didn't say good night ... any bun knows naps or night time sleeps aren't official until you say good night," Cola explained.

"She's right," Duster and Ruby agreed.

Mom took a deep breath. "Good night, Cola, Duster and Ruby."

The three bunnies chorused a "good night" back to Mom and they settled in for a nap too.

"Yay, a happy ending," Ruby whispered.

"FIR"IOUS COLA

Cola was doing laps around the living room, making Duster kind of dizzy.

The grey bunny was happy when a commercial caught Cola's attention and she stood still.

"Come on down, folks, to Ned's Nursery! We have lots of sales on trees, special prices on selected fir trees..." and the commercial droned on.

"Fur trees?" Cola asked Duster. "Is that what they guy said?"

Duster was afraid to reply, seeing Cola's eyes almost glaze over at the mention of the fir trees, knowing Cola was thinking of her long-lost fur.

"Um, yeah," Duster mumbled.

"I KNEW IT!" Cola thumped.

"What do you know?" Mom asked coming in to the room.

"This is all your fault!" Cola accused.

Duster hopped back in to his cage.

"What did I do now?" Mom asked.

The little black bunny was up on her back legs. "You let the vet take my fur and the vet gave it to a tree breeder!"

"Huh?" Mom asked.

Cola was on a tear. "And now there are a whole bunch of trees that have my fur!"

"I am cutting back on your daily banana slice," Mom said, thinking maybe the nanner was making Cola hyper.

Cola was now hopping around Mom. "You are taking me to Ned's Nursery, they are selling fur trees and I want my fur back!"

"Fir trees?" Mom asked.

"Yes, fur trees!" Cola was nosebonking Mom to get her moving towards the door.

"No, Cola, they mean F-I-R not F-U-R," Mom said.

"It's not my fault you can't spell," Cola was now yanking on Mom's pants leg.

"Cola, the little Christmas tree is a fir tree..." Mom tried to explain.

"No, it is not!" Cola thumped. "It's a fake tree! It's plastic, not fur!"

Cola was hopping in place she was so mad.

Dad came into the room and saw Cola glaring at Mom and Mom shaking her head.

"Now what did you do?" Dad asked Mom.

"See! Even Daddy knows it's all your fault," Cola hopped to Daddy and explained her version of everything.

Daddy was trying not to laugh but he showed Cola pictures of fir trees on the internet and then found an online flyer for Ned's Nursery just to reassure Cola that no fur trees were being sold anywhere.

Cola relaxed. "Daddy, you are wonderful. I knew you'd understand."

Mom rolled her eyes.

"Oh yeah, Mom said she was going to cut back on my daily nanner slice ... for no reason at all!" Cola said.

"Here we go again ..." Mom muttered and walked out of the room.

Cola winked at Daddy, Duster and Ruby. "I love Mommy, but she can't interfere with bunny breakfast!"

### JUST DESSERTS

Cola and Duster were huddled under their usual chair in the living room. Cola decided it was time for a treat and headed for the designated treat dispensing area – AKA the line where the living room carpet meets the kitchen tile.

It never took Mom and Dad long to see the bunnies sitting at the line, so Cola was confident she'd have her treat momentarily.

But today, the parents were just not with the program.

"What is more interesting or important than our treats?" Cola wondered.

The black dwarf bunny could hear Mom and Dad talking so she listened in.

"I think the banana bread would be great," Mom said.

"Or raisin bread," Dad replied.

Cola's ears perked up.

Bananas and raisins were being discussed and she hadn't heard her or Duster's name being mentioned.

"Even better, some of those haystack cookies," Mom suggested.

Cola's ears twitched. Since when did Mom and Dad eat hay?

"Oh, carrot cake! I love carrot cake!" Mom exclaimed.

Cola was having a hard time sitting still – she and Duster loved carrots, without the cake!

"And there's Romaine lettuce, perfect for a salad," Dad added.

Cola made a choking noise and hopped full speed back to where Duster was snoozing.

"Wake up!" Cola thumped.

Duster lazily opened his eyes and looked at Cola.

"The parents have crossed the line!" Cola exclaimed.

Duster looked at the treat line, didn't see Mom or Dad. "Huh?"

Cola ran around the grey bunny. "Mom and Dad are plotting to eat all our treats!"

Duster sprang to his feet. "They'd never do that."

Cola rhymed off all the foods Mom and Dad had named.

Duster was devastated. "Why would they do this to us?"

"I don't know but we have to put a stop to it!" Cola stated.

The two bunnies tore to the line. Duster and Cola were thumping, making as much noise as they could to distract their parents from the food.

"Bunnies, what's wrong" Dad asked.

"As if you don't know!" Duster glared at them.

"Duster, what are you so mad about?" Mom asked.

"How would you feel if we ate all your food?" Duster asked.

"Not like we'd ever do that- your food isn't as good as ours," Cola said.

"Paws off our groceries!" Duster commanded.

The bunnies were now in the kitchen, hopping around their parent's feet.

Mom and Dad looked at each other, still no idea what the issue was.

"Bunnies, time to tell us what's going on," Dad said.

"I heard you plotting to eat all our treats!" Cola exclaimed.

"Buy yourself treats when you go shopping!" Duster said.

The bunny parents smiled at each other.

"We were looking through a magazine," Mom said and showed the bunnies the glossy pictures of the desserts and salads.

"You weren't actually going to eat our food?" Duster questioned.

"No," Dad assured the bunnies.

"Whew," Cola sighed. "Can we have treats now?"

Mom and Dad laughed and gave the bunnies their well-deserved treats.

### CURTAIN CATCHER

Cola was on patrol.

As soon as the cage door opened, she surveyed the living room. Everything was present and accounted for, including Mom and Dad.

She glared at the darned curtains hanging by the balcony window.

Duster hopped out of his cage and went to the usual flop and cuddle area.

Cola sat at the "treat line" and peered into the kitchen – all was good there too.

A quick glance at the entrance way to the apartment and the bathroom – no complaints.

One more room to go, the bedroom.

Cola hopped on in and did a quick tour around the bed. No furniture had been moved, everything was as it should be.

The black bunny started to make her way out of the bedroom when it caught her attention out of the corner of her eye.

Cola stopped, mid hop.

"What? No ... it can't be ..." she spun around and stared at the bed.

She shook her head, her eyes were in focus.

Cola stretched and started to creep towards the bed, eyeing the piece of fabric hanging off the edge of the bed.

"It's the same colour ..." Cola muttered to herself.

She needed to be certain. Cola quickly went to the living room ... it was the same colour!

"Duster! Come on!" Cola called for her bunny buddy.

Duster rolled up from his flop. "This must be good ..." and he followed Cola back to the bedroom.

"Shh, don't startle it," Cola almost scolded Duster.

Duster flipped his ears from side to side. "What are you talking about?"

Cola stared at him. "Uh, on the bed."

Duster looked in the direction Cola was motioning at.

Cola sighed. "Good help is hard to find. The fabric, look at it."

"It's a pretty beige colour," Duster said.

"And?"

"And it matches the décor of the room?"

"What does it remind you of?"

"A blankie!" Duster said, he loved blankies. "Let's cuddle with it!"

Cola hopped in front of him. "It's a curtain! It's beige like the curtains in the living room!"

Duster stopped. "How'd it get in here?"

"I don't know. The curtains are still in the living room. This is obviously a rogue curtain that somehow infiltrated out apartment. It must have sneaked in here and is waiting till Mom and Dad go to bed and then it will attack them!" Cola was being overly dramatic.

Duster was looking from Cola to the suspected-curtain. "Um, maybe we should tell Mom and Dad about the curtain."

"Are you kidding me? We'd be putting them in danger!" Cola exclaimed. "We have to handle this on our own."

Duster gulped. "But it's a big curtain..."

Cola was already putting her plan into action. "I'm going to the other side of the bed, you distract it."

Duster kept a safe distance from the curtain. "Uh, hi! So you're just hanging around, I mean, laying around .. oh boy ..."

Cola hopped onto the bed and quickly jumped on the curtain.

"Ah-ha, gotcha!" and she started to dig at the fabric and pull it from the left to the right and back again.

In the meantime, Mom and Dad had noticed the bunnies were absent from their cuddle area and went to find them.

"Duster, what is Cola doing?" Dad asked, watching Cola flip a corner of the fabric.

"Protecting you from the curtain that was going to ambush you and Mom when you went to bed," Duster made it sound so simple.

"Oh," Dad said.

"Cola," Mom called out. "You can stop now – that's a bed sheet, not a curtain."

"But it looks just like the curtains in the living room," Cola was ripping at the fabric with her teeth now.

"No, Bear, it's a bed sheet that matches the curtains - same as the ones hanging over the bedroom window," Mom said. "You can stop trying to destroy it now. Please."

Cola released the bed sheet and hopped to the floor. "Well when a rogue curtain does break into our apartment and tries to ambush you while you're sleeping, you know who to call."

And Cola hopped out of the bedroom, Duster close on her heels.

Mom and Dad had to laugh.

"Good to know she has our back," Dad said.

### BUNNY BOULEVARD

THUD.

The bowl bounced off Mom's head.

"Ow," Mom muttered, half asleep, rubbing her head.

Cola was nose to nose with Mom.

"Sorry, Duster has bad aim."

Mom looked to see what had landed beside her on the bed.

"Um, why did you hit me with your treat bowl?" Mom asked.

"It's your hard hat," Duster corrected. "It protects you from falling objects ... except when it is the falling object..."

Mom, still trying to focus her eyes. "What falling objects?"

"Rocks," Cola said and hopped on top of the pillow.

Mom was trying to figure out why rocks would be falling in her bedroom when a piece of scrunched up paper landed next to her head.

"Put your hard hat on!" Cola demanded and threw another piece of paper. "These rocks don't know if you are protected or not!"

Mom put the bowl on her head just in time to avoid being hit with the scrunched up paper "rock."

Mom propped herself up on her elbow. "Time out. What's going on?"

"No time out in the construction business – time is money," Cola declared, throwing another "rock".

"Huh?"

Duster hopped up beside Mom. "We are building Bunny Boulevard."

"At midnight? On my bed?" Mom asked.

"Mom, you're sleeping in the way of progress," Cola said. "You need to get up."

"No, I need to sleep. I have to work tomorrow," Mom said and flopped face down on the bed, making sure her "hard hat" was still in place.

Cola thumped.

Mom peeked one eye open.

"You're lucky - it's break time," Cola said.

Mom gave her a thumbs up and tried to get back to sleep.

Instead Cola nudged Mom. "Duster is in the break room."

Mom looked to see Duster sitting in the laundry basket and glanced at Cola. "The break room?"

"Yes and he gets noserubs on break. Come on, I need him back to work soon!"

Mom gave Duster noserubs and he hopped out of the bedroom.

Hoping for rest, Mom pulled the blankets over her head.

Cola scratched at the blankets, then Mom's hair.

"I need you to move. You're in the way."

"Cola, you're in my way of a good night's sleep," Mom whined. "Dad is awake, go see if he can help you with your construction project."

Cola thumped and hopped out of the bedroom.

"Finally ..." Mom sighed, hoping to get back to sleep.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Mom sat straight up.

"Shhhh," she heard Dad say to the bunnies.

"But it's lunch time, we have to ring the dinner bell," Cola said and dropped her salt wheel against the cage again.

Mom slowly made her way to the living room.

"It's about time! Come on, Duster!" Cola called. "We have work to do!"

The bunnies scampered back into the bedroom.

Dad motioned for Mom to follow him. She sighed and they stood in the doorway.

Cola and Duster were moving the blankets around and the pillows. Roughly five minutes later, they hopped off the bed.

"We want to present the grand opening of Bunny Boulevard!" Cola declared.

"Watch!" Duster exclaimed.

The bunnies ran straight across the middle of the bed, the blankets on one side of them and the pillows on the other. They stopped and then ran right back to where Mom and Dad were standing.

"That was fun!" Cola said.

Dad clapped.

"Can I go back to bed now?" Mom whined.

Cola nodded. "Sure, our work is done."

"Good night, Mom!" Duster called as the bunnies and Dad left the bedroom so Mom could finally get back to sleep.

"That could only happen in our apartment ... " Mom thought as she drifted off to sleep, unaware that Cola had more construction projects in mind ...

### THE DAY THE CURTAINS TOOK THE TREAT

Duster and Cola had sat at the treat line and tried to wait patiently while Mom and Dad dug through the cupboards for treats.

Cola sighed. "They need to go grocery shopping."

Duster agreed. "Actually having to wait for a treat is stressful."

Mom and Dad finally appeared with raisins in hand.

The bunnies gobbled up two raisins each and then Cola noticed a stray raisin.

"Duster, look! We share ..." Cola nodded towards the raisin that had fallen from Dad's hand.

The grey lop was so excited he binkied and his paw hit the raisin and it rolled across the carpet ... right to the window ... where the curtains were waiting for this opportunity.

Duster and Cola had scurried after the raisin but they weren't fast enough.

It came to a stop under the curtains.

"Oh come on ..." Cola muttered.

"What are the chances of that?" Duster wondered and sat down, assessing the situation.

Cola sighed. "Come on, let's go to the condo, we need to make plans to save the raisin."

"I don't want to save it, I want to eat it," Duster complained.

"Shhh," Cola scolded him. "We don't want the whole world to know what we are planning to do."

The bunnies hopped into their new red plastic condo, cuddled up and plotted how to free the raisin and then devour it.

"We have to make the curtains think the raisin is yucky," Cola said.

"How do we do that?"

Cola scratched her head. "We have to distract it with something more interesting – like a bunny."

Cola smiled at Duster.

He smiled back.

"You don't understand my plan, do you?" Cola asked.

"Yes I do. We are going to get the raisin and eat it."

Cola sighed. "And you are going to be the bunny distraction."

Duster's smiled disappeared. "Huh?"

"One of us has to distract them. I am smaller and can sneak under the curtains, grab the raisin and hop out of there."

"But I can do the same thing!" Duster protested.

"You aren't exactly graceful," Cola argued. "Who hit the raisin and made it roll to the curtains in the first place?"

"That was an accident ..." Duster muttered.

But since Cola was right, looked like he was going to be curtain-bait.

The bunnies nosebonked each other for good luck and exited the condo.

Duster positioned himself in front of the curtains while Cola approached from the side, keeping a low profile.

"Um, hi, evil ... I mean, curtains. I'm Duster and I want to welcome you to the neighbourhood ..." Duster rambled on.

Cola was within striking distance.

Cola hopped.

Duster saw the flash of black fur.

Cola was under the curtain.

Cola pushed the raisin.

The curtains billowed out towards Duster.

Duster jumped back.

The raisin rolled to freedom.

Cola made her safe getaway.

Duster ran to the raisin.

Cola joined Duster at the raisin.

The bunnies cuddled together, staring at the rescued raisin.

"Wow, that was dangerous!" Cola said.

"Did you see the way the curtains came after me?" Duster asked.

Cola gobbled her half of the treat. "But it was worth it for a raisin."

"Yes, it definitely was," Duster agreed, as he ate his share.

### TREAT IMPOSTERS

"Oh, Duster," Cola exclaimed hopping into the living room. "I am worried about Mommy."

Duster jumped up. "Mommy? What's wrong with Mommy? I love Mommy!"

"She told me she's doing Spring cleaning and it's still winter," Cola whispered.

Duster scrunched up his nose. "I think she is trying to fast-forward to Spring. She is not happy that there is so much snow."

"But I also heard her talking to Daddy and she said a cold front was moving in this week!" Cola said. "Who or what is a cold front? Where is this cold front going to stay? I am not sharing my cage."

The lop looked at Cola. "Poor Mommy, I think the cold is getting to her. Let's go see if we can help her."

Cola nodded.

The bunnies joined Mom in the bedroom where she was sorting through some of her storage bins.

"Hi, bunnies!"

Duster sat next to Mom's feet and nosebonked her ankle. "Hi, Mom. We are here to help you with your cleaning."

"It's kind of boring," Mom admitted.

"Then we'll just watch!" Cola said and flopped on the bed.

Mom continued going through bins while the bunnies supervised.

"Oh my gosh, I forgot all about these!" Mom said, pulling a plastic bag out of one of the bins. "Come on, Cola and Duster, these are for you."

Mom walked out to the living room and sat on the floor, her bunnies excitedly hopped around her.

"What is it?" Duster asked.

"Can we eat it?" Cola questioned.

Mom sat the plastic bag on the coffee table, out of bunny reach and laid the new-found treasures on the floor.

Duster and Cola sat down and stared, not sure what they were looking at.

Mom picked up the toy. "Look it's a banana! I know you bunnies love nanners."

Duster sniffed the stuffed toy.

Cola rolled her eyes. "It's not a real nanner."

"It's real, Cola, you just can't eat it," Mom said.

Cola was horrified.

A nanner they couldn't eat?

What was the point?

Mom gave the nanner to Cola, who proceeded to toss it out of the way.

"Perfect! That's what you're supposed to do with it!" Mom exclaimed.

Cola rolled her eyes. "What else did you find?"

Mom sighed and put a carrot toss toy in front of the rabbits.

Duster nosed it and then picked it up.

"It's a fake carrot!" and he thumped.

Cola stared at Mom. "Why did you buy fake treats?"

"They're toys! You play with them when you aren't eating treats!" Mom said.

The rabbits were not convinced the imposter treats were as wonderful as Mom made them out to be.

"What's next? People putting plastic fruit in bowls on their tables?" Cola asked Mom.

"Well, people do that ..." Mom started.

"I don't want any plastic treats in my bowl," Duster said.

"Argh, I give up," Mom stood up and went to the fridge.

"Yay! Real carrots!" Cola and Duster cheered, happily munching on their treats.

### COUNTING COLAS

Cola was fascinated by the TV show.

"What are you watching?" Duster asked.

Cola shushed him till the commercial break.

"According to this show, if people can't sleep, they should count sheep!" Cola exclaimed.

Duster was confused. "What does that have to do with us?"

"Well, if Mommy or Daddy can't sleep, they could count bunnies! All we have to do is jump over their heads," Cola explained.

"Um ..." Duster was afraid what Cola was going to suggest next.

"Mom's sleeping! Let's go give this a try!"

"But if she's sleeping, then she doesn't need to count anything to get to sleep," Duster argued.

"No, trust me, she needs our help," and Cola bounded into the bedroom where their unsuspecting Mom was snoozing.

Duster sighed and followed Cola. "I'll watch from the doorway."

Cola shrugged and hopped onto the bed. She nudged Mom. Mom replied with a snore and rolled over.

"See, she's awake," Cola said.

Cola hopped around Mom, trying to find the perfect location to launch herself from.

"I need the pillow out of the way," Cola said. "It's too high for me to clear her head."

"Well, maybe that's a sign this is a bad idea," Duster replied.

Cola scrunched up her nose and approached Mom. She got close enough so her whiskers tickled Mom's nose. When Mom raised her head to rub her nose, Cola yanked the pillow away.

Mom's head flopped against the mattress.

"Aww ... my pillow ..." Mom mumbled and rolled over again.

Cola circled again and then leapt.

She landed right on top of Mom's head.

"AH!" Mom exclaimed and sat straight up.

Cola had scurried to hide behind the pile of blankets, she didn't want Mom to see her and have the experiment ruined.

Mom looked around, saw nothing and assumed she was dreaming. And went back to sleep.

Cola peeked from behind the blankets. And then seized the moment and launched herself again. She did better this time and only her foot hit Mom's nose.

Mom's eyes popped open, Cola didn't have time to hide.

Cola smiled at her.

"Cola, did you jump on my head?"

"No," Cola replied. "I jumped over your head but your nose got in my way."

Mom let the words sink in and propped herself up on one elbow. "OK, why were you trying to jump over my head?"

Cola went on to explain the TV show she had seen.

"But I was already asleep. I didn't need any help," Mom sighed.

"That's what I told her!" Duster called out from the doorway.

Cola glared at Duster. "I was trying to help you."

Mom couldn't be mad at such a cute little bunny. "Well maybe next time ask me before you try to help me."

"But it would have ruined the surprise of how counting us bunnies can help you sleep," Cola said.

Mom sighed. "Good point, don't want to ruin any surprises. Now I am going to go back to sleep and please don't jump on or over my head. "

"Are you sure?" Cola asked.

"I am positive. No worries, I'll get back to sleep just as long as nothing targets my head," Mom assured the bunnies.

"Do we get bunny breakfast when you wake up?" Cola asked.

"Of course you do," Mom said.

"Yay!" the bunnies cheered, leaving Mom to get some more sleep.

### WHEN BUNNIES DREAM ...

Mom and Dad looked in on Cola and Duster before going to bed.

"They're so cute!" Mom said.

"I wonder what they dream about?" Dad wondered.

Mom laughed. "Probably treats, knowing these two."

Mom and Dad turned in for the night while Cola and Duster enjoyed sweet dreams ...

Cola was surrounded by other bunnies, tired from her battle.

"That crazy curtain put up quite a fight!"

Cola looked at the tattered piece of cloth trapped beneath her little paws.

Her bunny friends cheered.

"I slayed the last curtain in the world!" Cola sighed happily. "Cheers to a curtain free world!"

All of the bunnies cheered again and enjoyed a buffet of salads that would make any bunny binky.

In Duster's dream world there was also a celebration going on ...

"Thank you, bunny friends, for being here as we celebrate Bun-trepreneur of the Year," the host of the awards greeted all of the bunnies in attendance. "This year's honouree is Duster for his amazing creation Everything Nanners. Congratulations, Duster, come on up!"

Dressed in a little top hat and bow tie, Duster hopped to the stage.

Bunnies were cheering wildly for the grey lop and his banana inspired product line.

"Thank you so much. And thank you nanners for being so wonderful," Duster said.

"Duster, tell us a bit about your award winning Everything Nanners," the host invited.

Duster proceeded to explain how his obsession with bananas gave him the idea for banana flavoured and scented bunny friendly products – bedding, water, toys, clothes, you name it and it could be made to smell or taste like a nanner.

To celebrate, Duster made sure every bunny in attendance at the awards show that evening got a free sample of his Everything Nanners – there were a lot of happy bunnies!

### COLA-COPY

Cola hopped into the living room and saw Mom and Dad looking in a box.

"Just the bunny we were hoping to see!" Mom exclaimed.

"Do you have treats for me?" Cola asked.

"Not exactly," Dad said. "But we do have a surprise for you."

Cola binkied over to where Mom and Dad were sitting.

"Quick! Show me! Show me! What is it?" Cola was so excited.

Dad reached into the box and brought out a stuffed toy bunny. This toy bunny looked just like Cola.

Cola stopped hopping. "What is it? Where's my surprise?"

"This is your surprise," Mom said.

"I don't want that to be my surprise ..." Cola said.

She sniffed it.

"What it is anyways?"

Mom and Dad sighed.

"Cola, doesn't it look familiar?" Dad asked.

Cola took another look at the toy bunny and froze. Then she hopped back in horror.

"What's wrong?" Mom wondered.

"That toy has black fur!" Cola said.

"Yes ..." Dad agreed.

"Black fur like my black fur!" Cola thumped her foot. "The vet that stole my fur clowned me!"

Mom and Dad were confused.

"He clowned you?"

Cola thumped again. "He photocopied my fur and made that toy!"

Mom and Dad looked at each other.

"Oh you mean cloned ... you think the vet made a copy of you?" Mom said.

"Well, obviously!" Cola glared at the toy.

Duster heard all of the ruckus and came out of the cardboard condo. He hopped to where his parents and Cola were.

He looked at Cola, at toy Cola, then back to Cola.

"Two Cola ladies! Yay! Two Cola's to cuddle with," Duster was so excited.

Cola scrunched her nose. "We are not cuddling with the fake me."

Dad put the toy bunny on the coffee table. "We thought you'd be happy to see that we found a toy that looked like you and brought it home."

"Why would I be happy about that? Now I have to share my cage and my treats and my food and my Duster!"

"What if we promise to keep the toy Cola on a shelf and you don't have to share anything with her?" Mom asked.

Cola turned her back to her parents, thought for a few seconds and then hopped back to face them.

"This has caused me great stress. I need to be compensated for this stress if you want to keep the Cola-copy."

Mom and Dad grinned at each other.

"What are your demands?" Mom asked.

Cola rhymed off her usual breakfast on time, treats on command, stuff Mom and Dad could agree too.

"Fine, she can stay," Cola mumbled.

Cola-copy happily took her place on the shelf in the living room, where she could keep a watchful on the real bunnies and the adventures they have.

### THE CURTAIN CROP

Cola headed into the kitchen. She knew Mom was in there and even though she was on the phone with Grandma, Cola was pretty sure she could score some treats for her and Duster.

As she rounded the corner, she heard Mom say ...

"That's wonderful! You know they'll appreciate any curtains you are able to sew for them!"

Cola stopped.

Cola thumped.

"AHHHHH!" was all Mom heard and then she saw a flash of black fur fleeing the room.

"Oh no," Mom sighed. "Yes, that was Cola. I have to let you go before she does something we'll all possibly regret. Bye, Mom."

Mom hung up the phone and headed to the living room.

It was too late – Cola was breaking the news to Duster.

"I heard her say it! Grandma sows curtains and she supplies them to people - people that are happy to have curtains!" Cola was hopping around Duster.

The grey lop nodded, he was pretty sure Cola was over-exaggerating.

"Hi, bunnies. Cola, let's have a talk," Mom said.

"No! Your Mom is in cahoots with curtains! She sows them and sells the ones she harvests to people!" Cola hopped away from Mom.

"Cola, she doesn't harvest curtains," Mom tried to explain.

"Grandma is a curtain farmer!" Cola accused.

Mom rolled her eyes. "Cola, she sews them with a machine, not in the ground."

"Like that's any better!" Cola was in a frenzy now.

Duster hopped up to his black bunny and nosebonked her. "Give Mom a chance to explain."

"Oh great, take the curtain's side." Cola muttered.

Mom sat down on the floor and told Cola the whole curtain sewing process, but she knew she wasn't making any progress.

"Cola, it's OK to have curtains in houses where there aren't bunnies," Mom said.

"Um, no, it really isn't," Cola argued.

"Some people like curtains," Mom said.

Cola shook her head sadly. "Then we need to get those people help ..."

"How about a treat?" Mom offered.

"Does it have anything to do with curtains?" Cola mumbled.

"No, pretty sure these carrots are curtain-free," Mom said and went to get the bunnies carrots.

"Duster, I'm telling you, next time Grandma visits we have to do an intervention to help her with this curtain issue," Cola insisted.

Mom was coming back into the living room and heard Cola's suggestion.

"You know, that's a great idea – we'll do an intervention with Grandma, she'll love it."

"Really?" Cola was hopeful.

"Sure, I'll make all the arrangements," Mom promised.

"Great!" Cola binkied and happily accepted the carrot.

Mom and Duster smiled at each other, if Cola was happy, everything was right with the world.

### THE CURTAIN FARMER INTERVENTION

Cola and Duster paced back and forth in the living room, waiting for Grandma to arrive.

"Oh I hear them!" Cola said excitedly. "Quick – put your party hat on!"

Duster was confused. "But this isn't a party ..."

"Just do it! We need Grandma to think we are really happy to see her," Cola said.

"I am happy to see her," Duster mumbled, putting the brightly decorated pointed hat on his head.

Out in the hallway, Mom paused before opening the door.

"Just remember, Cola is really concerned about you and what she thinks is curtain farming," Mom said to Grandma, trying not to chuckle. "This is supposed to be a serious event but with Cola in charge, you never know ..."

"I'm prepared for anything," Grandma said.

Mom and Grandma walked in the door and Cola hopped in a box, sending confetti flying all over the place.

"Hi, Grandma!" Cola bounced up and down, spewing confetti all over the place.

Cola exited the box and motioned for Grandma to follow her to the living room. "Mom will clean that mess up! Come on, Grandma!"

Grandma laughed and followed the black bunny into the living room.

"Have a seat in the special chair we have for you."

Grandma looked at the banner draped across the chair. "Guest of Horror?"

Cola nodded. "Yes, the curtains cause us quite the horror ..." and then she realized she had almost revealed the true reason for Grandma's visit. "I mean, that should say Guest of Honour. Duster can't spell very well before his afternoon snack."

Duster scrunched up his nose, and hopped over to see his Grandma.

"I love you, Grandma, no matter what," Duster said as Grandma gave him noserubs.

"Well, that's good to know!" Grandma agreed.

Mom came into the living room then. Cola motioned for Mom to sit next to Grandma. The bunnies removed their party hats.

"Grandma, we didn't bring you here for a party," Cola confessed.

"Really?" Grandma tried to keep up the act that she didn't know what was going on.

"No, I am sorry we lied. But we are worried about you," Cola sighed. "I can't believe you are a curtain farmer. Don't you know what the curtains did to me?"

Before Grandma could reply, Cola announced they were going to do a play for Grandma. Duster was going to be Cola and a towel would be the curtains. Cola was going to direct.

"One day I was hopping along, minding my own business. Then the curtain got in my way. I asked it to move, nicely. It ignored me. I asked again. It ignored me so I nosebonked it. "

Duster was sitting in the same spot, and then Cola threw the towel on top of him.

"Don't move, Duster. Grandma, this is very stressful, so you can close your eyes if you need to," Cola said. "I was trapped by the curtains. They surrounded me on the left and the right – there was no way for me to escape and if Mom and Dad hadn't been there to save me, the curtains would have won!"

Cola pulled the towel off Duster to demonstrate how she had been rescued when Mom and Dad had pulled the curtain aside so she could hop by it.

"Wow, that would have been terrible and traumatic," Grandma agreed.

"So you have to stop sowing them," Cola insisted. "You can't be a curtain sympathizer anymore. You have grandbunnies to think about."

Grandma then tried to explain to Cola – just like their bunny Mom had done – that she didn't actually plant and harvest curtains that she sewed them with a machine. And it was only when people asked her to sew them.

Cola thumped. "Then we should have brought all the people you supplied curtains to with you. We could have helped a whole bunch of people."

Duster hopped up to Grandma and whispered. "Cola was hopping along and got in between the balcony window and the curtains. The curtains kind of draped around her and she thought she was trapped. She bit the curtains and scratched them when all she had to do was put her nose underneath and push the fabric up and she would have been free. She won't drop this till you agree to never make them again."

Grandma looked at her daughter and at the grandbunnies. "Alright, Cola, I promise I'll never make curtains again."

Cola happily hopped up and down. She had saved Grandma!

With the intervention over, Mom turned the TV on. A moment later a commercial came on announcing a warehouse sale on, you guessed it – curtains!

Cola turned to glare at the TV. "You have got to be kidding me!"

Grandma leaned over and petted Bear. "But just think, Cola, because of you and this intervention, there is one less curtain farmer in the world today."

Cola sighed. "Yes, I have done my part to make the world a better place."

### COLA'S CURIOSITY

"Where did Mommy go?" Cola asked Duster.

The grey lop stretched. "Not sure. Let's go find her!"

The two bunnies hopped from the living room and went right to the bedroom.

No Mommy.

Leaving the bedroom, they looked in the kitchen.

Still no Mommy.

That left the bathroom.

The bunnies were not fond of the bathroom at all.

That room was often the location for "bunny spa day" which meant nail trimmings.

But if they wanted to find Mommy, they knew they had to venture to that doorway.

"We can stand outside the door and see if she is in there!" Cola declared as they hopped towards the open bathroom door.

Cola and Duster stopped at the door and looked inside ... Mommy!

"What's she doing?" Cola whispered.

Duster shook his head, he wasn't sure.

The bunnies watched as Mom took the nail clippers and a pair of scissors and placed them on the vanity.

Then Mommy took the scissors in one hand and grabbed a handful of her bangs in the other hand and snip, hair fell to the floor.

Cola just about fainted. Why would Mom cut her own fur, er, hair?

The bunnies exchanged horrified looks then continued to watch as Mom finished cutting her bangs.

Mommy put the scissors down and picked up the nail clippers.

"Now what is she going to do?" Duster asked Cola.

Cola couldn't speak.

She watched in horror as Mom clipped her finger nails.

"She's trimming her own nails ..." the words squeaked out of Cola's mouth.

The bunnies stared as Mom cut all 10 nails and then filed them down.

Duster looked at Cola,. What's wrong with Mommy?"

"I don't know but this is bad ..." Cola said.

Mom put the scissors and nail clippers back.

She then started to brush her teeth.

Cola and Duster decided they had to make a quick dash to the living room so they could regroup and figure out what was happening with Mommy.

The rabbits both tried to hop in the same spot at the same time and made quite a noise.

Mom turned around to see what the commotion was.

"Ahhhh ..." Cola and Duster hopped back and fled to the living room.

"She's frothing at the mouth!" Cola gasped when she and Duster were safely under their favourite chair.

Duster's ears were all over the place. "We have to tell Dad so he can take her to the human vet!"

Then the bunnies heard Mom coming into the living room. They stayed perfectly still, hoping she wouldn't see them.

"Duster and Cola, what is going on?" she asked.

"I think you need to tell us that!" Cola piped up.

Mom leaned down to look at the bunnies.

"You're not foaming at the mouth anymore ..." Duster said.

"Why did you cut your own nails and fur, er, hair?" Cola demanded to know. "We would never do that to ourselves!"

"Well, you bunnies have bunny spa day and that was kind of a mini spa day for me," Mom explained.

"But we don't enjoy nail trimming bunny spa day!" Cola thumped.

Mommy sighed. "Would a carrot make this all better?"

Cola scrunched up her nose. "That was pretty traumatic. Make it two carrots and we'll be fine."

Mom tried not to laugh as she gave the bunnies their carrots, happy to see they were back to being the Cola and Duster she loved.

### WEATHER WOES

"Ah! That's it. I am done with this weather!" Mom grumbled, looking out the window.

Duster and Cola stirred from their cuddling and looked at Mom.

"Bunnies, I'm going to hibernate!" Mom declared, gave the bunnies a noserub and went to the bedroom.

"Poor Mommy, I think she has the winter blues, Bear," Duster sighed.

Cola hopped over to the balcony window, sure enough, snow was falling again.

"We need to find out how long this hibernation phase will last," Cola said.

The black bunny hopped to the kitchen where Dad was.

"Oh, Mom looked outside did she?" Dad asked Cola. " Well, if Mommy is determined to really hibernate, we won't see her till Spring."

Cola's eyes got big and she hopped back to Duster, telling him what Dad had explained.

"Um, that means no bunny breakfast tomorrow!" Duster panicked.

"Or noserubs!"Cola thumped. "We can't let that happen!"

Duster started to look up at the ceiling. "Mom has said Spring is in the air, but I don't see it."

Cola hopped around the apartment, checking any and all corners. "And I've heard her say Spring is right around the corner, but it's not there either!"

"We could call the police and have them put a missing season's report out on Spring ..." Duster was getting desperate.

Exhausting all other ideas, the bunnies put their adorable heads together and came up with a plan.

Cola nosed the bedroom door open, she could see Mom bundled under the blankets.

Cola dropped a mouth full of hay next to the bed and left the room.

A few minutes later, Cola returned, Duster was with her.

"Mommy, look! It's springtime!" Cola said.

Mom grumbled something and rolled away from the bunnies.

"Um, hello, I don't do well being ignored!" Cola jumped over Mom's head and was nose to nose with Mommy. "You need to look at Duster."

"Fine," Mom said and turned to face Duster.

She couldn't help herself and laughed. "Why are you wearing a yellow towel?"

"I'm the sun and I am going to melt all the snow!" Duster peeked out from underneath the towel.

Cola pointed out the hay next to the bed. "Green grass is here too thanks to the sun!"

"Please don't hibernate, we'll miss you and bunny breakfast," Duster said.

"Me and bunny breakfast?" Mom asked.

"And noserubs but we'll miss you the most," Cola added quickly.

Mom sighed. "I guess I can deal with the snow until Spring arrives as long as you bunnies don't mind listening to me grumble about the weather."

"Oh, we have to listen to you ..." Cola's voice trailed off when she saw the look Mom was giving her. "Yeah, sure, no problem ... just make sure you have our breakfast to us on time!"

The bunnies hopped out of the bedroom and Dad peeked in. "They chase away your winter blues?"

Mom smiled. "I think so and as long as they get their breakfast on time, we'll all be happy!"

### THE MAYHEM OF MOVING

Cola and Duster recently moved to a new apartment with their Mom and Dad. They spent the first few days roaming the bedroom while Mom and Dad unpacked and bunny-proofed the rest of the apartment. Then the bunnies were free to explore ...

"Wow!" Duster exclaimed. "Look at this place."

The bunnies were very excited, although the apartment was pretty much the same as the one they had moved from, just on the other side of the building.

Cola was already nosing around the few remaining boxes that had to be unpacked and checking to see if the furniture had to be rearranged to meet bunny-standards.

"I see we are going to have to move a few things," she said.

Duster was checking out the distance of their cages to the kitchen, where the best treats were kept.

"Bunny super sprints!" Cola said and started to run around the living room.

All was going well till she came to where the patio door should have been. Instead there were long strips of fabric hanging from the wall.

"Um ... Duster! Come here!" the black bunny yelled.

Duster quickly hopped over.

"Do you see what I see?" Cola asked.

"No because there are curtains blocking the window," Duster said.

Cola thumped. "Exactly! There are curtains in this apartment too!"

Duster shook his head and took a second look ... sure enough ... curtains.

"But, why would Mom and Dad put up curtains when they know how evil they are?" Duster asked.

"I'm going to find out right now!" Cola declared and hopped to the kitchen where Mom and Dad were.

"You have some explaining to do! There is no excuse for this," Cola thumped at her parents.

"Cola, what's wrong?" Dad asked.

"You put up curtains!" Cola accused, Duster had hopped up to join her now.

"No, those are blinds and they came with the apartment," Mom replied.

"Blinds? Any fabric or anything that covers a window is a curtain! Nice try, Mom!" Cola was not impressed.

Duster shook his head. "You moved in here knowing that there were already curtains here? What kind of bunny parents are you?"

"The irresponsible kind!" Cola stated.

Mom thought for a moment and then said. "We were hoping that maybe you and the curtains could have a fresh start. New apartment, new curtains ... maybe you could be friends."

Cola's jaw dropped. "Friends ... with ... curtains? This is so disappointing!"

"Come on, Bear, let's go get rid of these curtains," Duster said.

The two rabbits hopped to the patio door, each took a hold of a fabric panel and started to pull. The rabbits spent the next while moving in between the vertical blinds, tugging on them, hiding behind them, running around them.

"Wow, that was a lot of work," Cola said as she and Duster flopped in their cardboard condo.

Duster nodded. "I think they are afraid of us."

"They know we won't tolerate any funny curtain business," Cola said. "There won't be any world curtain domination coming from this apartment."

Mom and Dad just smiled at each other, happy to see the bunnies and curtains playing together, er ... the bunnies showing the curtains they wouldn't put up with any evil plots ...

### THE CURTAIN CAPER

"Cola, can you come here, please?" Mom asked.

Cola left her blanket rearranging in the bedroom and hopped out to the living room.

Mom was shaking her head. "I just, wow, I just don't know how you actually did it."

Cola wasn't sure what Mom was talking about but took the credit for whatever it was anyway. "Oh, you know, it's all in a day's work of being Cola Bear."

"No, really, how did you do it?" Mom questioned.

"Um, well, it was pretty easy," Cola said, playing along.

"It was easy to do that? All by yourself?" Mom pointed to the patio door.

Cola looked, she saw the blinds and the door. "Sure. I mean, really, what was involved ...?"

Mom sighed. "Well a fair bit of fabric and some pulling, maybe some tools and how you got in into the trash I'll never guess so you have to explain that too."

"Yes, tools. And determination. I was just doing my part to make the world a better place," that answer sounded good to the little black bunny.

"There's just something not right about this," Mom was still trying to figure out how Cola got the curtains down from behind the vertical blinds and into the trash can all by herself!

"I think you are over-thinking this," Cola said.

Mom sat down and motioned for Cola to join her.

Cola hopped over.

"OK, let's start from the beginning," Mom said.

Cola was thoughtful. "Alright, you and Dad came to the Humane Society and I adopted you. Since then I have been running your lives as best I can although you don't always co-operate ..."

Mom smiled. "How about we start with the beginning of today?"

"Sure," Cola sighed. "You got up and gave us bunny breakfast, you went to work and now we are talking."

"Anything happen in between?"

"Um, Duster flopped a lot, even more than usual!" Cola revealed.

Poor Mom, she finally just asked. "Cola, how did you get the curtains off the wall and into the trash all by yourself?"

"What are you talking about?" Cola was way past being confused now.

Mom pointed to the fabric that was hanging out of the trash can.

"Wow," Cola was in awe. "The curtains are really gone!"

Cola hopped over and periscoped, looking at the too good to be true trashed curtains.

Mom sighed with relief, knowing Cola hadn't somehow managed the impossible with the curtains.

Then Mom and Cola both heard Dad laughing. He had overheard the whole conversation between Mom and Bear.

"I'm the one that took the curtains down," Dad said.

Cola hopped victoriously. "Finally a parent that understands how evil those curtains were!"

"Um, no, turns out I'm allergic to that fabric, " Dad said. "I got itchy every time I opened them."

"Sheesh," Cola said. "Even Daddy's allergic to the evilness of those curtains!"

Cola hopped off to tell Duster the wonderful news about the curtains being taken down while Mom and Dad tried to figure out how to tell her they would be getting new curtains ... eventually.

### THE CURTAIN WHISPERER

Mom walked into the living room, looked around, something just didn't feel right.

All of the furniture was in the same place, nothing was missing. Duster was stretched out under Mom's chair and Cola was cuddled up beside the curtains, talking to them.

Mom shrugged and went back to the kitchen.

"Wait ..." she mumbled and quickly returned to the living room.

Duster under the chair and Cola cuddling with the curtains.

"OK, Bear, what are you doing?" Mom asked.

"What?" Cola was rather defensive.

"Cola, please, you, the curtains, way too close for comfort - what's up?" Mom questioned.

Cola yawned. "I am pursuing a career."

"Really?" Mom folded her arms across her chest. "A career? What sort of career?"

But Cola was talking to the curtains again.

Mom walked over to where the bunny was.

"Did you just tell the curtains they have worn out their welcome here?" Mom was staring at Cola.

Cola gave Mom a "mind your own business look" and nudged the curtains.

"That time I know I heard you tell the curtains they are out of style and need to get out of here," Mom sighed.

Cola shook her head and motioned for Mom to follow her to the other side of the room, which she did. Duster was curious and joined his two favourite ladies to see what was going on.

"Mom, I told you, I am pursuing a career. You should support me, not hinder my success," Cola said.

"You really need to explain that," Mom said.

"Isn't it obvious? I am a Curtain Whisperer," Cola periscoped, checking to see if the curtains had taken her advice yet and hit the road.

"That's why you were talking to the curtains?" Mom asked.

"I was whispering to them," Cola stated. "And I think I was making progress before you interrupted me!"

Mom smiled. "Cola, that's a great idea! I think you need to spend as much time with those curtains as you need to so you can convince them they need to go."

Cola was a bit surprised, Mom and Dad usually told her to leave the curtains alone. "Um, great, I'm going to get back to work now."

Cola hopped back to the other side of the room.

Mom sat on the floor with Duster.

"That was pretty smart, Mom," the grey lop said.

"Duster, I don't know what you mean," Mom gave the bunny a noserub.

"If you keep Cola busy with the curtain whispering, she can't get into any other trouble," Duster said.

"You catch on pretty quick," Mom smiled.

"I deserve a treat," Duster said.

Mom agreed and gave him a carrot and set one aside for Cola for when she took a break from her new career.

### COLA'S CALAMITY

Mom walked through the door after work and let Duster and Cola out of their cages.

Duster went straight to the cardboard condo and flopped. It was Cola who noticed that something just wasn't right.

Cola hopped to the condo and went from there to the treat line. Mom was in the kitchen. Cola looked at the door. And waited. Cola became impatient and hopped into the bedroom. She looked around. Not finding what she was looking for, she hopped back out to the living room. Mom was now sitting at the computer. Cola stopped in front of Mom's feet and periscoped.

"Did you forget something at work?" she asked.

Mom shook her head. "Nope."

"Are you sure?" Cola persisted.

Mom nodded.

Cola thumped. "How did you get home?"

"In a car," Mom smiled.

The fur on Cola's back was starting to rise. "Who brought you home?"

"My boss gave me a ride tonight," Mom replied.

Cola was now confused. "That's not possible."

"Sure it is. She doesn't live that far from here," Mom was busy typing.

"No, I can't drive ..." Cola said.

"Oh, right. Well, I meant my boss at work, not my bunny boss," Mom was trying to get Cola to the point of her line of questions.

"Do you not notice that there is something missing from the apartment?" Cola questioned.

Mom surveyed their home, everything seemed to be present and accounted for. Mom shook her head "no" and Cola became a whirlwind of black fur around her feet.

"Daddy! Daddy is missing! He left to pick you up from work and you came home without him! What did you do with my Daddy?" Cola panicked.

"Cola, Daddy didn't pick me up tonight ..." Mom started.

Cola cut her off. "Yes, he did! He left at the same time he always leaves to bring you home!"

"Cola, relax," Mom said.

Duster was observing all this from the condo, Cola was such a Daddy's girl.

"No, how can I relax when Daddy is lost outside? He is wandering and can't find his way home! That is Daddy abandonment!" Cola was in overdrive now.

The phone rang and Mom answered. "OK, see you then. Bye."

She hung up the phone and started to tell Cola it was Daddy but didn't get very far ...

"And you hung up on him? He called home for help and you hung up on him?" Cola's back fur was a Mohawk by now.

Cola hopped to where Mom's shoes were and started to try to drag them towards Mom.

"Go find him and bring him home!"

Mom sighed, stood up and was on her way to try to calm Cola down when the door opened and in walked Daddy.

Cola dropped the shoelace she was tugging on. "It's a miracle!"

"What miracle? Mom cooked supper?" Dad joked and picked Cola up.

"Daddy, thank goodness you found your way home. I can't believe she left you out there all by yourself!" Cola exclaimed.

Dad smiled and looked at Mom. Knowing Cola, there was a good story behind this.

"Cola thought I deserted you somewhere," Mom said.

Dad sat down and explained to Cola that he had an appointment and he really hadn't picked Mom up from work, nor had Mom abandoned him anywhere.

Cola calmed down and Duster appeared, time for treats!

### DADDY'S DOUBLE LIFE

"There he goes again!" Cola exclaimed, hopping to her feet.

Cola and Duster were curled up under their favourite chair. Duster opened one eye, saw Daddy push

the curtain out of the way, open the patio door and then heard it close.

"What's out there that is so much more interesting than us?" Cola wondered.

The grey lop stretched and looked at his partner in crime. "Cola, there is nothing more interesting than us! Daddy spends lots of time with us, maybe he has other things to do."

Cola scrunched up her nose. "Well, he really should clear that with me."

"Then go investigate," Duster suggested.

"Sure leave it all up to me," Cola frowned.

Duster bunny shrugged. "It's one o'clock, time for my nap. If it can wait till after my nap, I will be more than happy to assist."

Seeing as this involved her Daddy, Cola couldn't wait and hopped into action, while Duster resumed snoozing.

The little black bunny hopped towards the curtains. She shook her head, warning them not to get in her way (but of course, they were always in her way). Cola took a deep breath and made a mad dash for the curtains. She put her nose underneath the fabric, lifted and in a few seconds, she was between the curtains and the patio door.

"Whew, that was close. Daddy better appreciate what I am doing," Cola thought.

Cola squatted down and crept along the bottom of the door. Seizing the moment, she popped her head up and could not believe what she saw.

Daddy was sitting in a chair, surrounded by animals and birds AND he was feeding them treats!

Cola dropped back down behind the door. She shook her head and peeked up again. Sure enough, Daddy was still feeding the other animals and birds. Forgetting the curtains, Cola bounded back to where Duster was napping. She flew into the grey bunny, waking him up.

"Duster! Daddy is out there feeding other animals! Daddy has outdoor pets! Daddy has been leading a double life!" Cola exclaimed.

"Uh huh," Duster muttered and turned his back to Cola, ticked off that she had woke him up.

Cola hopped back in front of Duster. "Take a look! He has other pets!"

Knowing he couldn't get back to sleep until Cola had calmed down, he hopped over, braved the curtains and peeked outside. For once, Cola wasn't exaggerating. There was Daddy, with ducks and squirrels and chipmunks and they were eating treats.

Duster rushed back to Cola.

"See? Wasn't I right?" Cola asked.

Duster nodded. "Yes, yes, you were so right! I wonder if Mommy knows?"

Cola hadn't thought of the Mommy factor. "Oh no, how do we tell Mom that Daddy is leading a double life?"

"We can't let her find out!" Duster said.

"We just have to keep her away from the curtains! She can never look out that patio door again," Cola decided.

As if on cue, Mom entered the room, heading for the patio door. The bunnies sprang into action, hopping in front of Mom, dancing for treats.

"OK, OK, treats it is," Mom said, distracted for the moment.

The bunnies gobbled up the treats and then managed to nosebonk Mom into the kitchen when she tried to go to the patio door.

"We need fresh water," Cola insisted and Mom set about getting the two water.

Cola and Duster hopped along behind Mom as she went back to their cages with the water. They had to keep her inside.

"Can you see if we have any e-mail?" Duster asked Mom.

"Um, you don't have an e-mail account ..." Mom started to say and was interrupted by a thump from Cola.

Cola's eyes were the size of strawberries and she was started to try to nosebonk Mom back into the kitchen.

"You two are acting really strange," Mom said.

"It's something in the water!" Cola gasped, happy the idea came to her mind. "We need fresher water."

"But you haven't even drank the fresh water I just put in there," Mom argued.

"Do you want to have strange bunnies? If not, get us fresher water," Cola was insisting.

Mom sighed and took the bowls back to the kitchen.

"What was that about?" Duster asked. "I was distracting her with the e-mail we don't have."

Cola motioned to the computer where the screen was showing pictures of Dad with his outdoor pets.

Duster's jaw dropped. "He has pictures of them? And he put them on the computer! How will we keep this from Mom now?"

Cola didn't have time to respond. Mom was on her way back into the living room and Dad was coming through the patio door.

"You have got to see the ducks," Dad said to Mom.

"Oh did she bring her babies back?" Mom asked.

Before Dad could reply, Duster and Cola cut in.

"You know about the outdoor pets?" Cola demanded.

"And you didn't tell us?" Duster was stunned.

Then it was Mom and Dad's turn to explain to the bunnies about the outdoor pets.

"Well, as long as they aren't eating our treats, I guess it's OK," Cola said.

Mom and Dad assured the bunnies that none of their treats were going to the outdoor pets. Cola and Duster happily cuddled back under their chair.

When the bunnies are happy, the world is happy :)

### MOURNING MORNINGS

Bunny breakfast was interrupted by a muttere. "Mornings should be illegal!"

Cola and Duster slowed down on eating the nanner slices to look at each other.

The bunnies watched Dad robotically make his way to the kettle and plug it in.

"Good morning!" Mom said cheerfully.

"Yeah, for you – you're still in your jammies!" Dad grumbled and went to get ready for work while waiting for the kettle to boil.

"Mom, you need to get ready for work too!" Cola exclaimed.

"Not today, Bear, Mom is staying home," Mom said.

"No, you can't stay home. You need to leave so Daddy and us can go nap," Cola said.

"Nope, today Daddy gets to go out in the sunshine," Mom replied.

Cola was horrified. "But Daddy said he is allergic to mornings! He'll melt!"

Dad reappeared to unplug the kettle.

"Daddy, Mom told us you are working days today and she is staying home!" Cola was pacing back and forth in her cage.

Dad sighed. "Yes, it's true."

"Is it the end of the world?" Cola was in her over-the-top mode.

Both parents assured the bunnies the world was not ending just because Daddy was on day shift for one day.

Cola was determined though that Mom should have to go to work if Dad was. "You cannot stay home! You need to go and earn money to buy us treats!"

"It's a paid day off," Mom smiled.

"You are so bad at your job that they pay you to stay away from where you work?" Cola was shocked.

Mom had to explain the whole vacation idea to Cola, who thought it was a great idea, if it meant Daddy stayed at home! Duster sighed and flopped, he'd let Cola handle this.

Mom let the bunnies out of their cages. Duster headed for the usual chair to sleep under and Cola headed straight for Mom's ankle. She started to nosebonk Mom towards the bedroom.

"Get changed. You are going to make Daddy late for work," Cola insisted.

"Cola, we have been over this ..." Mom sighed.

Cola was adamant. "No, you're wrong. You work days and Daddy works nights. Daddy, get ready for your nap and, Mommy, get ready for work!"

By this time Daddy was ready to leave. He gave Mom a kiss and said goodbye to her and the bunnies and was out the door.

Cola hopped as fast as she could but the door had already closed. "Daddy! You forgot Mommy!"

Cola made a mad dash for the patio door as fast as her little legs would carry her. She pressed her little paws to the window just in time to see the car drive away.

Cola sighed and turned to see Duster getting noserubs from Mommy.

"Come here, Bear," Mom said.

Cola hopped over and cuddled beside Duster, getting noserubs too.

"If I give you a carrot, do you think it would be okay with you that I am home today?" Mom asked.

"If we can have a carrot and Romaine lettuce, then it's OK," Cola answered.

"Deal," Mom agreed and got the bunnies their negotiated treats.

### HOPPING TO CONCLUSIONS

Cola was doing bunny super sprints around the living room. She came to a sudden halt when the phone rang. Mom answered it.

"Perfect!" Cola thought. "Mom's distracted when she is on the phone. Time to score some treats for me and Duster."

And Cola binkied towards the kitchen. The dwarf bunny stopped at the infamous treat line, only to overhear Mom's conversation.

"Yes, you're right, Mom. It's the perfect time to make some changes. I'm going to get rid of the black and grey and add some colour. Oh, the ones you gave me are perfect! Yes, you can definitely take the black and grey home with you..."

Cola looked at her fur, her black fur. Then she hopped around to look at the grey lop eared rabbit sleeping in the cardboard condo.

"Hmm, nah ..." Cola thought, trying to overhear more of the phone call.

"Definitely lower maintenance than the two I have now!" Mom exclaimed.

Cola decided she didn't need that treat right away and hopped to Duster to tell her what she had overheard. Cola nosebonked Duster awake and gave him a quick report.

Duster's ears went out to the side, for once, maybe Cola wasn't exaggerating.

"We need to figure this out and come up with a plan," Duster said.

The bunnies left the living room and went to their second favourite place, behind the laundry baskets in the bedroom.

"What did Grandma recently give Mom that could replace us?" Cola wondered.

Duster gasped. "Grandma gave Mom those bunny lawn ornaments for her birthday! Their fur is light brown."

Cola's jaw dropped. "And they don't eat anything or poop or chew on the carpet ..."

"And she doesn't have to share her banana for breakfast with them every day!" Duster exclaimed.

"I guess we are high maintenance compared to them," Cola said.

The bunnies were trying to put together a strategy when they heard a noise from the other side of the bedroom wall.

"That sounds like our cages," Cola said.

"Yeah, but why is Mom making so much noise cleaning them?" Duster asked.

And off they hopped to investigate. Coming around the corner, both bunnies skidded to a halt. Mom had their cages disassembled on the living room floor.

"What? We don't even get a chance to work this out?" Cola questioned.

Duster hopped to Mom and sat on her feet. "I don't want to live with Grandma!"

Mom was confused but didn't have a chance to speak.

"You can't just evict us! What does Daddy think of all this? You're going to keep the curtains and make us move?" Cola was hopping in circles around the cages.

"Cola! Duster!" Mom was waving her arms to get their attention. "I am not evicting you to go live with Grandma! Where do you get these ideas?"

Duster looked at Cola.

Cola looked at Mom. "I heard you talking to Grandma!"

"What exactly did you hear?" Mom questioned. Cola gave her the rundown.

Mom tried not to laugh. "I'm giving Grandma my grey and black shirts. She bought me some new ones for my birthday that are different colours. And the new shirts are made of material that is easier to care for than the grey and black shirts."

"Oh, well that makes sense," Duster said.

"Then why are you taking our cages apart?" Cola thought there was still more to the story.

"So I can wash them out really well," Mom explained.

"Oh, um, good idea ..." Cola mumbled.

"Cola Bear, you need to make sure you ask questions before you assume the worst," Mom said.

"OK, I have a question then!" Cola exclaimed.

"Alright, what is it?" Mom asked.

"Can we have a treat?" Cola was hopeful.

"Sure, you can," Mom said and went to get the bunnies a carrot.

### LITTERBOX LURKER

It was that time of day again – the daily litter box cleaning.

Cola was in her condo and Duster was outside the condo, feet straight out behind him so it looked like he was flying.

Duster sat up when he saw Mom heading to the bedding pail.

"My second favourite time of day," he thought. It of course, came in second to bunny breakfast.

Mom picked up his litter box and swept the bottom of his cage. Then she had to scoop up Cola's litter area (the Bear refused to use a litter box so her bedding was spread along the back wall of her cage). The litter box was rinsed out and new bedding put in.

Duster stretched and moved closer to the cages, but not too close, not yet ...

"Hi, Dude," Mom greeted the grey lop as she topped up their pellets.

"Hi, Mom!" Duster hopped closer.

Mom went to the bucket where the hay was kept and then put two big handfuls in either cage.

"Just have to get you fresh water and cages are all done for today," Mom announced, walking away from the cages.

Cola peeked out the condo door, not really over-excited about litter box cleansing ritual.

Duster was now sitting in between the cages, trying to decide which cage to hop into.

Mom came around the corner and there was Duster - in Cola's cage, spreading out the bedding with his front paws.

"Duster, what are you doing?" Mom asked, putting the water bowls in the cages.

Duster's ears went out. "I'm being a good boy and using the litter box."

"Why don't you use your own litter box?" Mom asked, it was right next to Cola's.

Duster shook his hea. "It's so nice and clean."

"Maybe Cola wants hers to stay nice and clean," Mom pointed out.

"Don't really care!" Cola called from inside the condo.

"Cola, not helping," Mom replied.

Duster was busy rearranging the bedding.

From there, he hopped over and munched on Cola's hay and then drank her water.

"Just make yourself at home," Mom sighed.

"Okay," Duster said and flopped over, continuing to munch on Cola's hay.

Then Mom saw Cola leave the condo and beeline for Duster's cage. She hopped in and began to feast on his hay. From there she backed herself into the corner next to his litter box and relieved herself. Then she hopped on out of the cage.

"Seriously?" Mom asked as she took some of the bedding and put it in the corner to soak up Cola's efforts.

"Mom, I don't do litter boxes ... even in other bunnies' cages," Cola stated and cuddled down on the carpet.

She was joined a few minutes later by Duster.

And the game of musical cages was over for now.

### THE IGLOO IDEA

"Mom!" Cola exclaimed. "I have found the perfect place to live."

"You did? And where would that be?" Mom asked.

"I can show you! There is a documentary on TV about curtain free environments and how great it is to live without curtains and you just have to see it for yourself," Cola binkied.

"I'm starting to think you two watch too much TV," Mom said, knowing when the bunnies "watched" something it was usually a few seconds of a commercial or TV show and it often resulted in the fur on Cola's back growing into a mohawk. The fact that Cola was binkying was a good sign.

"It's not like regular TV, it's a documentary," Cola corrected.

Mom followed the black bunny into the living room. Duster was stretched out in the condo, snoozing.

"Are you comfy? Are you ready? It'll soon be back from commercial break!" Cola was so excited.

A minute later, the show appeared. Mom had to cover her mouth with her hand to stop Cola from seeing her smile. The "documentary" was a cartoon – Penelope and Percy Penguin. Mom watched the animated penguins waddle around the igloo they apparently lived in.

"See, they don't have any windows so they don't have curtains either!" Cola was ecstatic.

"Yes, you are right about that," Mom agreed.

"It's perfect, isn't it!" Cola said.

"Well, Bear, their house is made of snow. And that means it would be cold," Mom pointed out.

"Duster and I have fur. You and Dad can get some more blankies or coats! Can we change it to the Real Estate channel? I want to see if there are any places available in that neighbourhood," Cola was practically packing their belongings.

"I don't like to drive in the snow either, Cola, and look outside their house, it's all snow," Mom was trying to calm Cola down.

"So you can walk to work!" Cola exclaimed.

The TV show continued and the penguins had a visitor – it was a Polar bear.

"Look! Their neighbour is a Polar bear and I am Cola Bear! It's destiny!" Cola was dancing round the living room.

Dad was in the living room now, watching as Cola woke Duster up and started to tell him they were moving to a Winter wonderland where there were no curtains.

"Cola, it's cold there and nanners and lettuce and all the other good greens you like won't grow there," Dad was trying to help.

"Um, you don't grow those things anyways - pretty sure they have grocery stores there. Penguins have to shop too!" Cola argued.

Mom and Dad looked at each other. Dad motioned for Mom to join him in the kitchen for a minute.

"Take your time. I'll see if I can find a page in the phone book that we haven't shredded that has

moving trucks listed!" Cola hopped around.

Mom and Dad returned to the living room. Cola was still telling Duster what a great idea she had. Duster just wanted to go back and snooze.

"OK, Cola, Mom and I are going to go out for a few minutes. When we get back, well, you'll have a surprise," Dad promised.

"Alright! Have fun!" Cola was sure her surprise would be moving supplies.

A short time later ...

"Where are the boxes? We need to pack!" Cola said, when she saw all that Mom and Dad had brought home was a bag containing something.

"Cola, you liked the penguins house so much we went out and bought you one!" Mom revealed.

"Really? Wow, are Penelope and Percy my neighbours?" Cola asked.

"Not exactly," Dad placed the plastic pet igloo-shaped house on the floor next to the cardboard condo.

"What's this?' Cola questioned.

"Your very own replica penguin house," Mom said. "Minus the snow and cold and no windows so no curtains either."

"But ..." Cola started.

"Isn't a curtain free environment like the penguins what you wanted?" Dad asked.

Cola nodded.

"Ta-da!" her parents pointed to the plastic igloo.

"Oh ... OK ... thanks," Cola hopped inside the plastic house. "It's great. Maybe someday Percy and Penelope will come visit."

"Well until then, we got you these two," Dad said and put two plastic penguins outside the doorway of the new bunny house.

"Wow, you thought of everything!' Duster was impressed.

"Yeah we did pretty good," Mom agreed.

Cola couldn't argue, she did get (almost) everything she had wanted.

Mom and Dad even gave the bunnies a few treats to help them celebrate the new bunny abode.

### THE MORNING MIX UP

Mom made her way out of the bedroom, still half asleep and mumbled "good morning" to Dad.

Cola and Duster exchanged looks and then did an in-sync 180 degree hop, pointing their backs to Mom, who was approaching their cages with bunny breakfast. Seeing the two older bunnies point their backs at Mom, Zoomer did the same thing.

Mom stopped, looked at the rabbits and looked at Dad, who was trying not to laugh.

"Wow, triple ignore, you must have done something really bad!" Dad couldn't help but laugh now.

Mom paused, shaking the sleep from her brain. "OK, Duster and Cola, what's the meaning of this?"

"Wow, you are still asleep - bunny butt before breakfast is never a good thing!" Cola said.

"I thought it means we aren't talking to her?" Duster said.

"Well it does," Cola agreed.

"But you just talked to her," Zoomer pointed out.

Cola rolled her eyes. "Duster and Zoomer, shhh, just follow my lead."

"Where are we going?" Zoomer was looking forward to an adventure.

"Nowhere," Cola sighed. "Just keep doing what I'm doing."

"Oh OK," Zoomer and Duster chorused.

"So you don't want bunny breakfast?" Mom asked, holding the banana so Duster and Cola could smell it. Zoomer was unfazed as he did not like bananas but preferred carrots for breakfast.

"We didn't say anything about not wanting breakfast," Cola said.

"Shhh, you're talking to her again," Zoomer whispered.

Cola scrunched up her nos. "It's alright. I am into the negotiating phase now."

"Oh, sounds important!" Zoomer agreed.

"Well Daddy says good morning to us before he says it to you," Cola said. "And you mistakenly said good morning to him before you said good morning to us."

"That's because I am sleeping when he gets home!" Mom exclaimed.

"But it's the thought that counts," Cola said.

"Yeah you should count your thoughts," Zoomer agreed.

Mom rolled her eyes and sadly knew the only way resolve this was to ...

"Alright, alright, Dad I take back your good morning," Mom said.

"I completely understand," Dad winked at Mom.

"Good morning, Cola, Duster and Zoomer," Mom greeted.

All of a sudden three adorable bunny faces were smiling at Mom.

"Good morning!" the three rabbits chorused.

"And I guess you want breakfast now?" Mom asked.

"As if you have to ask that!" Cola sighed.

Mom and Dad gave Cola and Duster their nanner slice and Zoomer got the carrot.

What a perfect way to start the day!

### THE FLEEING FABRIC

Cola was doing her bunny super sprints around the living room when she came to the patio door. She hopped on by and then back tracked.

Her eyes got wide and her jaw dropped. "No, it's not possible."

Cola crept closer to the patio door.

Oh but it was possible – one of Cola's worse nightmares had come true – the curtains were escaping!

Cola stared at the piece of curtain caught in the patio door. She didn't know how it happened but the curtains got through one of the patio doors and was working its way towards the second patio door and beyond that –the outside world and curtain freedom!

THUMP!

Cola was off like a rocket, she had to tell her parents.

Zoomer sat up in his cage as Cola raced by. Duster half rolled up to see what the chaos was.

Cola ran into the kitchen, thumped and flew back out to the living room.

"What's taking Mom and Dad so long?" Cola wondered and started back towards the kitchen.

Zoomer noticed the fur on Cola's back was forming into a defined mohawk.

"What's wrong with your fur?" Zoomer asked.

Duster's eye got big and he tried to shush Zoomer, but it was too late.

Cola stopped, mid-panic and looked at the baby bunny. "My fur? What's wrong with my fur?"

Duster hopped in. "No, your fur is fine. Quick, keep panicking!"

Cola nodded, resumed panic mode and bee-lined it for the kitchen where her parents were.

Duster hopped over to Zoomer. "I gotta tell you a few things. One, Cola has a tendency to over-react, particularly to curtains. Two, her fur is basically her reason for living. "

Zoomer nooded. "OK, but why was her fur standing up on end like that?"

"It's kind of like a sharks fin," Duster said.

Zoomer looked at him blankly.

"Oh you don't know what a shark is," and Duster explained sharks to Zoomer. "Cola's fur mohawk is like a sharks fin – the fin scares people sometimes and when Cola panics and gets scared or mad, her fur forms a mohawk, so I guess when we see a fur mohawk we're supposed to be scared."

"But because she over-reacts, the fur mohawk is actually more funny than scary?" Zoomer asked.

"Yep, you got it!" Duster said, and they watched a streak of black fur flying by again.

Cola checked to make sure the curtains were still attached to the wall and made her third attempt to get her parents to handle the emergency.

"Yes, Cola, we can save the world from the curtains," Dad sighed, he was so used to the complaints about curtains.

Mom and Dad followed Cola into the living room. She stood back and pointed to the fabric stuck between the doors.

"See, I told you! Imagine if I hadn't caught them trying to escape!"

"Good work, Bear," Mom said as Dad took a hold of the curtains with one hand (so Cola knew he was making an effort to keep the curtains contained) and opened the patio door. Dad pulled the fabric free and closed the door, making sure Cola saw that all the curtains were inside the apartment.

"That was so close!" Cola shuddered.

"Yes, yes it was," Dad smiled, remembering the curtains getting stuck in the patio door last time he and Mom had BBQ'd. They'd have to remember to check to make sure it didn't happen again or Cola's fur could be in a permanent mohawk.

"I guess I'll have to increase my curtain patrols," Cola sighed.

"Well it'll keep you busy," Mom said.

Cola nodded and hopped over to cuddle with Duster. Zoomer was stretched out in his cage. All the bunnies were happy that the "curtain crisis" had been averted.

### THE BEAR FACTS

Cola and Duster were roaming around the living room when Cola stopped to watch what was on TV.

"I feel sorry for those wild bunnies," Cola sighed.

Zoomer was flopped in his cage but got up at the mention of wild bunnies. He craned his little neck to see what Cola was watching.

"Cola, those aren't bunnies," Zoomer whispered.

Cola stared at the baby bunny. "Yes, they are. They look just like you and Duster, just a much bigger version."

"So do you!" Zoomer was confused.

"No, no, I look like a black bear because, well, I am a bear. You know, my name is Cola BEAR," Cola stated.

Duster hopped over to Zoomer's cage. "This is one of those Cola moments I have to explain to you."

Zoomer nodded.

"Cola, pretty sure I saw a curtain heading for the front door!" Duster exclaimed.

"Not again!" Cola sighed and hopped off in pursuit of the "escaping curtain."

"Whew that was close," Duster said.

"Those are bears on the TV!" Zoomer said.

"Yes, yes they are. But to Cola, real bears are bunnies and she is a black bear and it's a long story," Duster said.

Zoomer sat down. "I have time."

"When Cola came to live with Mom and Dad she hated having her cage cleaned. She would grunt and growl at the little broom and try to destroy it. Mom and Dad thought her growling sounded like a bear, so they added Bear to her name. But Cola took it to a whole other level though," Duster started.

Zoomer listened intently.

"When I came to live with our family, my former owner gave Mom and Dad a whole bunch of toys and treats for me, including a log house that I could lay in, run through or climb on. Hopper, Dusty and I had no interest in it. But Cola loved it! It became her bear cave!"

"Oh, she had bear accessories!" Zoomer said.

"Exactly! Mom and Dad put the log house in her cage and Cola hardly ever left it! She was obsessed with it! They would bring it out when she was out of her cage and she still just hung out in her cave!" Duster continued.

Cola hopped back to the Lop and Dutch bunnies. "Are you sure it went to the front door? I didn't see it!"

"Try the bedroom, it could be trying to get out the window," Duster suggested.

Cola's eyes got big. "AH! Good point." and off she went.

"Anyways, Mom and Dad had to get rid of the log house because Cola had no interest in anything but being a bear in her bear cave, she really needed to have other interests," Duster finished.

"What did they say happened to the cave?" Zoomer wondered.

"Cave thief," Duster said.

Cola was coming around the corner when and caught the tail end of the story.

"Can you believe someone would steal a bear's cave?" Cola questioned. "Imagine if I had been hibernating in it?"

"That would have been terrible," Zoomer agreed.

"Still can't believe Mom and Dad didn't have cave insurance," Cola muttered. "What responsible adult doesn't have cave insurance?"

"Did you find the curtain?" Duster asked.

"No and I am a bit concerned," Cola admitted.

"I bet it was Mom walking by carrying a towel \- yeah that's what it was," Duster said.

"Whew thank goodness, too many close calls with those rogue curtains," Cola sighed with relief.

"Cola, who brings the wild bunnies their breakfast?" Zoomer asked, playing along with the bears are wild bunnies and Cola is a black bear theme.

"Forest rangers," Cola answered.

Duster winked at Zoomer. "You're catching on."

And then Duster and Zoomer listened while Cola told them all about the life of wild bears, er, bunnies.

### TWO WEEKS NOTICE

"Cola Bear, I am giving you my two week's notice," Mom said when she finished cleaning the bunny cages.

Cola had been cuddled up with Duster under the computer desk. She sat up and hopped to where Mom

was standing. "What does that mean?"

"When people quit their jobs, they give two week's notice ..." Mom started to say.

Duster hopped u. "Are you quitting being our Mommy?"

"No, no," Mom assured her good boy lop. "But I am quitting the litter area technicians job."

Cola scrunched up her nose. "What does that mean?"

"It means you are going to use a litter box," Mom said.

"HA! Been there, tried that, I didn't, you gave up and I won!" Cola thumped back to where Duster was.

"Sorry, Bear, this is non-negotiable," Dad was backing Mom up on this one.

Cola started to groom her fur. "You keep thinking that."

Zoomer was giggling, Cola could have such an attitude at times.

The next day, the litter box went in Cola's cage.

"Wow, they were serious," Duster marveled.

"So was I," Cola grumbled. "I don't do litter boxes."

Cola hopped into her cage and glared at the litter box – then she pooped next to it.

That went on for the next 13 days, with Mom or Dad putting the litter box in Cola's cage and she pooped all around it.

On the 14th day, the litter box went back in the Bear's cage after it was cleaned.

Mom and Dad stood back and watched as Cola hopped in her cage.

Cola looked around and hopped into the litter box!

"Good girl, Cola Bear!" Dad cheered and Mom clapped her hands.

Duster and Zoomer even congratulated the black dwarf bunny.

Cola smiled and hopped out of the litter box.

Mom and Dad looked - the box hadn't been used! What was the Bear up to?

Cola hopped around her cage. Then she nosebonked the litter box to the middle of her cage and hopped back in it. From there she started to dig and sent the wood shavings flying every which way.

Once finished, she hopped out and pushed the litter box to the front of the cage. She spent the next few minutes pushing the wood shavings around. When she was happy with the results, she pooped in the wood shavings and hopped out of her cage.

Mom and Dad were shocked.

"You weren't making my litter area anymore so I made it myself!" Cola said proudly.

And sure enough, when Mom and Dad looked at her cage, that was exactly what she had done.

"You can put the litter box back in there every day and I'll just make my litter area," Cola stated.

Duster and Zoomer couldn't help but laugh at the looks on Mom and Dad's faces.

Mom took the litter box out of Cola's cage and went to clean it out before retiring it for yet another time.

Cola binkied. "Yay, I win ... again!"

### REVERSE PSY "COLA"GY

It was like a light bulb went on over Cola's head.

She hopped over to Zoomer's cage and sat there, staring at him through the bars.

But he didn't notice her.

Cola decided to groom her feet, the way Zoomer did in front of her cage.

Again, the brown and white Dutch bunny was too preoccupied with his hay to notice Cola.

"Oh for goodness sakes ..." Cola muttered, and then she called out. "Hi, Zoomer!"

Zoomer looked up and saw Cola. "Hi, Cola Bear" and went back to his hay.

Zoomer paused and looked up from the hay. He shook his head. Yes, Cola was sitting outside his cage. Cola was staring at him!

Zoomer binkied over. "Hi, Cola!"

"Oh, hi," Cola said, nonchalantly.

Zoomer was beyond happy – Cola was visiting him!

"So, I just stopped by to tell you I can't hang around anymore," Cola said.

"But this is the first time you have hung around my cage," Zoomer replied.

"Oh, well, um, yes, but I can't ever do it again," Cola stated.

"Why not?" Zoomer asked.

"Well it's for the best if we keep our distance, you know how it is," Cola sighed. "I just wanted to hop by and let you know that."

And then Cola hopped to the other side of the room, starting her curtain patrol.

Poor Zoomer was so confused.

But then he remembered "absence makes the heart grow fonder."

He did a huge binky. "Cola, I understand!"

Cola turned her attention from the curtains to Zoomer. "You do?"

"Yes! I will miss you but because I miss you I will love you even more!" Zoomer said.

Duster had been listening in on the whole conversation and burst out laughing.

Cola glared at the grey bunny and then sighed. "That's great, Zoomer. Thanks."

"You're welcome, Cola," and he went back to munching on his hay.

Cola resumed curtain patrol, Zoomer still her #1 fan and Duster flopped.

It's nice when something's don't change ...

### FUR FOLLIES

Mom stopped in her tracks, spun around and stared at Cola.

Cola, in turn, stared back at Mom.

Mom had to get a closer look so she knelt down beside Cola's cage.

"Well I'll be," Mom said.

"Getting us a treat?" Cola asked.

"Maybe later," Mom said. "Cola, you have a little streak of white fur on your nose!"

"No, I don't," Cola replied.

"Trust me, you do," Mom said.

"Trust the person that took me to the vet so my fur could be stolen? Not happening," Cola said and turned to face the opposite way.

That didn't deter Mom any. Mom moved so she could see Cola's nose.

"Don't you have something else to do other than harass my fur?" Cola sighed.

"Not right now," Mom admitted, she reached through the bars and gently moved the little bit of white fur around. "So cute."

Cola scrunched up her nose. "It's not cute. I'm a bear so this alleged white fur would be fierce, like me."

Mom laughed. "OK, whatever works."

Cola looked at her reflection in her water bowl. "Mom, it's not white."

Mom waited for the next part.

"That fur in question is grey. My fur is black and grey is an off-shade of black. So it can't be white fur. I'm a black bear not a polar bear, they have white fur," Cola said matter-of-factly.

"Cola, it's your fur so you can believe whatever you want to," Mom assured the bunny.

Cola's ears twitched. "Duster is a grey bunny and Zoomer has white fur. Who does my rogue GREY fur most look like?"

Mom smiled. "In this case, Zoomer's white fur!"

Zoomer binkied. "Cola has fur like mine! We are so meant to be."

Cola shook her head. "Mom is wrong, my fur is grey. A black bear cannot have white fur."

"Why not?" Zoomer asked.

"Because I said so," Cola replied.

"Oh OK," Zoomer said, that made sense to him, even though he knew Cola was a bunny and not a bear. He didn't want to burst the bubble of the girl-bun he loves so much.

Dad was listening to Cola's rationalization of her fur and came into the living room. He winked at Mom.

"Hey, Cola, that's a really pretty streak of white fur on your nose," Dad said. "Very fierce looking."

Mom (as usual) was trying not to smirk as Cola is a total Daddy's diva.

"Thank you! Yes, I do have white fur on my nose, Daddy! I think it's almost my new favourite fur!" Cola periscoped to show off her newly found fur features.

"Mommy, I have grey fur and I know it!" Duster exclaimed.

Now Mom had to laugh. "Yes, you definitely do," and gave him noserubs.

Zoomer binkied. "I have fur that needs a treat!"

Mom and Dad noticed how somehow treats always get added into the conversation. But knowing they had such wonderful bunnies, they were OK with that.

Zoomer, Cola, Duster (and their fur) all got a treat.

### THE COLA COMPLEX

Cola stared at Zoomer. "He has to be doing this on purpose."

The baby Dutch bunny had been out of his cage and binkying around for nearly two hours and not hopped by her cage at all.

"He's doing it on purpose, right?" Cola asked Duster.

The grey lop flopped in his cage. "I thought you preferred when Zoomer didn't loiter outside your cage."

Cola scrunched up her nose. "Well he could at least say hello."

Duster couldn't help but laugh, Cola sometimes needed to be the centre of attention, even when she didn't want the attention.

Zoomer was doing bunny super sprints around the couch when Cola went "pssst" at him. The baby bunny stopped and looked at Cola, but didn't say anything.

"Well?" Cola broke the silence.

Zoomer continued to look at her.

"You can at least say hello!" Cola grumbled.

"Hi, Cola," Zoomer said.

"The usual spot where you sit outside my cage is cold," Cola said,

"Maybe Mom and Dad can turn up the heat," Zoomer suggested.

"No, I mean you haven't sat there today like you always do," Cola replied.

Zoomer looked confused.

"You know, you sit there, on the carpet and stare at me, for a long time, everyday," Cola said.

"I do?" Zoomer questioned.

Cola scrunched up her nose. "Yeah, I ignore you, remember?"

"Um, OK, I think I could find something more productive to do with my time than sit there and stare at you," Zoomer said. "Especially if you ignore me. That's pretty rude if I hop by to say hello and you ignore me."

"Zoomer, you wore out the carpet where you sit!" Cola exclaimed.

"OK, Cola," Zoomer sighed. "I have some more binkies to do."

And off hopped Zoomer.

Cola stared at Duster. "He doesn't believe me? I don't get it."

Cola thumped as Zoomer sped by. He stopped and looked at her.

"Do you have amnesia?" Cola asked.

"I don't know what that is," Zoomer confessed.

"Did you forget everything you know? How can you forget me – Cola Bear? You're basically my number one fan," Cola's fur was getting bent out of shape.

"Cola Bear?" Zoomer repeated.

"Yes!" Cola hopped closer to where Zoomer sat near her cage.

"But you're a bunny, not a bear," Zoomer said.

Cola's fur was pretty much standing on end now. "We've had that talk before. I'll let it slide this time. Come on, you have to remember me!"

"What's wrong with your fur? It's all spikey," Zoomer was backing away from Cola's cage, afraid to get jabbed by her fur.

"Yes, my fur! I love my fur, you sang a song about my fur, the vet stole my fur!" Cola hopped in circles in her cage.

Duster had sat up and was now staring at Cola too.

"Wow, never seen her fur do that before," Duster commented.

Zoomer was backing away from Cola's cage. "Um, I have to go talk to Mom and Dad. I'll be right back."

And Zoomer quickly went to find his parents.

"And she thinks I loiter outside her cage and stare at her and she thinks she's a bear and that a vet stole her fur - that poor bunny has a complex," Zoomer said to his parents.

Mom and Dad nodded. "Yeah we call it The Cola Complex."

"Oh ... " Zoomer said.

"Just go along with whatever she says," Mom said.

"Yeah, she eventually calms down and everyone is happy again. Sometimes she just needs to be the centre of attention," Dad said.

"I heard that!" Cola thumped.

. . .

Cola's thumping woke Zoomer up. "You're a growler just like Mom!"

Zoomer looked around. "A growler? What's that?"

"You were snoring!" Cola exclaimed. "Really, really loud."

"Whew, that was a dream!" Zoomer sighed with relief.

He hopped over to Cola's cage, sat on his favourite well-worn area of the carpet and proceeded to tell Cola all about his dream.

"Yeah and I forgot you! Can you imagine that? I'd never forget Cola Bear or not hop by to say hello and spend time with you." Zoomer assured Cola he was still her number one fan.

Cola sighed. "Yeah, that's quite a dream ..."

"More like a nightmare!" Zoomer exclaimed. "Good thing we never have to worry about that actually happening!!"

And Zoomer was off to binky around the apartment, stopping by Cola's cage every few minutes to make up for the time he lost in his dream.

### TREAT TALK

"Shameful," Cola's voice floated from her cage.

Mom looked around, she was the only one in the room with the buns.

"How do you live with yourself?" Cola asked.

"What?" Mom was baffled.

"Well, look at what you're doing!" Cola accused.

Mom was standing in the middle of the room. She had been walking towards the couch when Cola's voice stopped her in her tracks.

"Are you not conscious?" Cola shook her head.

"Uh, I think I'm awake ..." Mom said.

Dad entered the room.

"What's up?" Dad asked.

"Cola asked me if I am conscious?" Mom said.

Now Dad was confused too.

"Well look at what she's done!" Cola said. "Taking the food out of the mouth of a baby bunny."

"Oh I think you mean does she not have a conscience," Dad said.

"Hmph, she obviously doesn't," Cola replied.

Mom looked at the plate of carrots in her hand.

"I took them from the fridge not from Zoomer's mouth," she stated.

Zoomer opened his mouth,. See? All empty- no food for the baby bunny now."

"Aw, that's sad," Duster sniffled.

"OK three on one is not fair," Mom muttered.

Cola looked at Dad. "Has she ever taken your food?"

Mom looked at Dad.

"Well there was that time you ate the last piece of cake," Dad whispered.

"I asked you if you wanted some and you said no," Mom defended herself.

"Well, you know, you could have just left me a little bit. It was the last piece after all ..." Dad said.

A chorus of "tsk, tsk" came from where the rabbits were.

"I'm sure that breaks some law somewhere," Cola said.

Zoomer yawned, making sure everyone saw his empty mouth. "See, still no food for the baby bunny."

"You have hay and pellets," Mom said.

"Yeah, but we want other food," Zoomer said, now giving Mom a "I am the cutest baby bunny ever" look.

Mom looked at her carrots. "OK, so all of this drama was because you wanted some of my carrots?"

Three bunnies nodded.

"Then why not just ask?" Mom was exasperated.

Cola rolled her eyes. "It wouldn't have been much of a blog if we just asked for the treats! There had to be something leading up to the treats ... there always is!"

Mom sighed and shared her carrots. "And in the end you always do get your treats."

### CAN COLA FORGET THE VET?

Cola sniffed the air.

"I know that smell," the black bunny said.

Duster looked at Cola. "What smell? I don't smell anything."

Cola frowned. "How can you not smell that? It's the smell of pure evil."

Duster's eyes grew big.

Cola periscoped. She had to find out where the smell was coming from.

She looked over at Zoomer's cage. The baby bunny was stretched out, resting.

"Oh no! It's coming from Zoomer's cage ..." Cola sighed.

Duster was skeptical. "You're saying that a baby bunny is pure evil?"

Zoomer raised his head, looking at Cola, no idea what they were talking about.

"No, baby bunny isn't evil. But he has been where there is pure evil," Cola sounded ominous.

Duster sighed. "Let's get over this pure evil topic, what are you talking about, Cola?"

Cola was past frustrated with the grey lop. "He was at the VET! The VET! The taker of fur."

Duster looked at Zoomer.

Zoomer sat up. "Do you mean the bunny sitter?"

Cola rolled her eyes. "Is that what they told you?"

"Mom and Dad said I had to go to the bunny sitter for the day. You know, they did say he was a vet," Zoomer added. "Is that a bad thing?"

"Vets are always on the lookout for new bunny fur," Cola said.

"But they were so nice. I got to take nap and when I woke up, the lady that works there gave me some lettuce from her salad!" Zoomer exclaimed.

"Wow, that was nice," Duster agreed.

"And they said I am a really cute bunny!" Zoomer said enthusiastically.

"Of course they did! Anything to get your fur!" Cola was hopping back and forth in her cage now.

"But I still have fur ..." Zoomer was confused.

"When I went to the vet, I took a nap too and when I woke up, my belly fur was gone! They had to knock me out because they knew I wouldn't let them just take my fur," Cola stated.

Zoomer and Duster sighed. They knew there was no talking to Cola once she got on the vet taking her fur topic.

Mom came around the corner a few minutes later. "Hi, bunnies. Zoomer, guess who called to check on you?"

"Who? Who?" Zoomer was curious.

"The nice lady from the vet's office. I told her you're doing great after your neuter," Mom said.

Zoomer binkied but Cola's eyes almost popped out of her head. "The vet has our phone number?"

"Yes," Mom said.

"They probably have our address too," Duster added, not helping Cola's anxiety any.

"Yay, maybe they'll send us bunmail! Or lettuce!" Zoomer said happily.

Cola was not so enthusiastic. "Oh this is great, just great. A vet has our phone number and address. Might as well just tell me that curtain farming is making a comeback ... yeah, that would just be perfect ..."

Mom, Duster and Zoomer listened to Cola's rant and watched her pace. When she finally seemed to be rational again, Mom assured her the vet wouldn't be coming to visit anytime soon.

"Promise?" Cola interrogated Mom.

"I promise on your fur that no vet will be coming to visit or try to take your fur, or any bunnies fur that lives here," Mom said sincerely.

"Now my fur and I have to recover from this trauma," Cola over-exaggerated her sigh.

Mom's turn to roll her eyes. "Let me guess, a treat will make it all better?"

"Yes, a treat will make me forget the vet...for now," Cola said.

Poor Zoomer. "But I was the one that went to the vet!"

"I've been to the vet too," Duster added.

"Right, treats for all the bunnies!" and Mom headed off to get the treats.

### MIXED UP MESSAGES

"Mom, you lied!" Cola thumped.

"I did? About what?" Mom asked.

"You said the vet wouldn't call here," Cola grumbled. "And they did!"

Mom tried not to smile. "Oh the vet called. And did you talk to the vet?"

"Please! As if! They left a message on that machine you have," Cola rolled her eyes.

Mom listened to the message. "They were calling to see how Zoomer is doing after his neuter. That's pretty nice of them."

"Sure that's what they want you to hear and believe," Cola muttered.

Mom played the message again. "Hi, this is the vet's office, just calling to see how Zoomer is doing?"

"What do you hear, Cola?"

Cola sighed dramatically. "Um, we're on our way to get Cola's fur."

"Well, they left that message about half an hour ago so they should be here any minute," Mom said, playing along with Cola's interpretation.

Cola's eyes were the size of saucers. "You mean the vet is really coming here?"

"That's what you heard isn't it?" Mom asked, looking around the apartment.

"Uh, of course," Cola said. "What are you looking for?"

"Something for the vet to put your fur in. If they're coming this far, the least I can do is give them something to carry your fur in," Mom replied.

Cola scrunched up her nose, but said nothing.

Then the phone rang.

"OK, great, see you in a few minutes," Mom said and hung up.

Cola went on high alert. Someone was coming? Maybe the vet really was on the way!

Mom was keeping busy looking for the fur-carrier, when Cola heard footsteps approaching and then the front door opened.

"The vet has a key to our apartment!" Cola thumped and headed for the closest thing she could hide behind.

Zoomer and Duster turned to look at the door ... in walked ... DADDY!

He was home early today.

"Yay, Daddy's home!' Zoomer cheered.

"It's not the vet?" Cola peeked from behind the couch.

Dad looked at Mom. Mom explained how Cola had her own interpretation of the message the vet left checking on Zoomer.

Dad couldn't help but laugh.

Cola hopped out from behind the couch. "Then who were you talking to on the phone?"

"That was Dad, saying he was going to be home early," Mom replied.

"Why didn't you tell me it wasn't the vet?" Cola asked.

"After all the drama about the phone message, would you have believed me?" Mom questioned.

Cola did her now familiar nose-scrunch. "Probably not."

"That's OK, Cola, we still love you," Dad assured the Bear.

"Well, since you're home early, that means we get treats early," and Cola sat at the treat line.

Mom and Dad laughed, of course that's what it meant! And treats the three bunnies got.

### FLYING FUR

"Cola Bear! Hold still!" Mom exclaimed.

"No way!" and Cola scooted around Mom's feet.

"Cola, I'm trying to help you," Mom said.

"Oh yeah, yanking fur off my body really helps me," Cola scooted in the other direction.

"Cola, you're shedding. It's falling off anyways!" Mom sighed.

"Till the fur hits the floor it's mine," Cola declared.

"You aren't up to your Diva standards with your fur all scraggly like that," Mom said.

"Good try, lady. Insult the fur all you want, it's still mine!" Cola called out from the cardboard condo she had found refuge in.

"How about if I give you a treat if you let me brush you?" Mom tried to bargain.

"You want to trade a treat for my fur?" Cola scoffed.

"Guess that means no," Mom muttered and walked away from the condo.

Cola waited a few minutes and peeked out. No Mom in sight so out she hopped. In the process of doing so a loose piece of fur fell from her back.

Mom's eyes honed in on the fur at pretty much the same time Cola realized it had fallen off.

The free fur floated and finally fell, landing on a towel that now served as a bunny blanket.

"NO!" Cola thumped. "That's my fur."

Mom reached for it and Cola hopped in front of her.

"Uh huh, you said till the fur hits the floor it's yours, this fur is on the floor," Mom said.

Duster and Zoomer had been watching the antics.

"Actually it's in neutral territory," Duster said.

Mom and Cola turned to look at the lop.

"It's on a towel so it's not really on the floor," Duster shrugged.

"Good one," Zoomer whispered.

"Oh thanks," Duster said to the Dutch bunny.

"Ha! Not on the floor so it's still mine," Cola said.

"Not really," Mom argued. "It fell off you, it chose to leave you."

Cola was not impressed. "My fur would never leave me by choice! This silly shedding made it fall off. My fur loves me as much as I love it. My fur would leave me about as fast as I would leave it."

"That would be fur abandonment," Zoomer called out.

"That's a very good point as well," Duster said.

Mom and Cola continued the verbal volley about if the fur still belonged to Cola and what would be done with it when it was claimed. Dad had been out on the patio and opened the balcony door to come back inside. When the door opened, a nice breeze entered the room.

While Mom and Cola discussed the fur, the breeze made its' way to the towel and gathered up the fur.

The fur hitched a ride on the breeze and floated towards the patio door that Dad was slowly closing.

"Bye, bye," Zoomer called out.

Mom and Cola turned to look at the baby bunny.

"Who are you saying bye to? Dad just came in." Mom asked.

"Cola's fur," Zoomer replied.

Mom and Cola turned to see the fur gently fly out the door and off into the wild blue yonder.

"You have got to be kidding me," Cola muttered.

"The fur escaped," Mom mused.

"Oh, my poor fur," Cola sighed.

"No worries," Mom said and winked at Dad, Duster and Zoomer. "You still have lots of it to shed."

Cola scrunched up her nose. "Great here we go again."

"No, Cola. I give up on trying to brush you," Mom stated.

"Well it's about time," Cola said.

Dad appeared from the kitchen with a treat for each of the bunnies. "This should help you deal with your fur flying away."

"I have a lot of shedding to do," Cola sighed. "Better keep those treats handy."

As always, Mom and Dad had to laugh at Cola's candid comments.

### COLA HAS THE ANSWER

Zoomer hopped slowly up to Mom and Dad. "We have to talk."

"Alright, what do we need to discuss?" Dad asked.

Zoomer took a deep breath and blurted out. "I know you're not my biological bunny parents."

Mom and Dad looked at each other.

"Did you know that?" Zoomer asked.

Mom and Dad nodded.

"Are you okay with that?" Mom asked.

"Oh sure, you two are great parents!" Zoomer said. "I just wanted to make sure you knew too."

Mom and Dad smiled.

"So how did you figure it out?" Dad asked.

"Your feet," Zoomer replied.

"Our feet?" Mom and Dad chorused.

"Yeah, our feet look nothing alike. Mine are cute and furry and adorable. Uh, yours, not so much," Zoomer was a very honest baby bunny.

Mom laughed. "Do you have any other questions for us about how you joined our family?"

"No, we're good," Zoomer said and hopped back to the cardboard condo.

However a moment later he returned with a question all parents dread.

"I do have a question," Zoomer said. "Where do baby bunnies come from?"

Mom and Dad looked at each other, not sure how to reply and then Cola called out. "I got this one. I can explain it."

"Um, maybe you're not the best one for that..." Mom said.

Cola was known for her creative answers and Mom and Dad didn't want Zoomer to have to undergo therapy after listening to how Cola may explain it.

"No, really, I know the answer!" Cola exclaimed.

Zoomer was on his way to her cage. "Really? Where do baby bunnies come from?"

"Isn't it obvious? The same place you and I came from," Cola said.

Zoomer didn't know the answer and Mom and Dad cringed, preparing for the worse.

"Baby bunnies come from The Humane Society," Cola said.

Mom and Dad both breathed a sigh of relief when they heard her answer.

"Yeah, we are at the Humane Society and we get to interview the parents we want to adopt," Cola stated.

"Oh so that's how you met Mom and Dad?" Zoomer asked.

"Well, I chose Dad," Cola said.

"And Mom," Zoomer added.

"It was a package deal - if I wanted Dad, Mom came with him," Cola sighed.

Mom rolled her eyes. "Yep, she's still a Daddy's bunny."

Duster was napping and missed the whole conversation.

"Wow that's pretty neat," Zoomer said.

"So are treats," Cola stated. "And I think I deserve one for explaining that to you."

Dad agreed, "Yeah, you did good. Treats for everybun!"

"Treats?" Duster woke up at the mention of the word.

Mom and Dad laughed as the bunnies munched happily on their Romaine.

### SCRAPBOOKING SUCCESS

Mom had her scrapbooking supplies laid out on a table in the living room. Zoomer was out hopping around and had to see what she was doing.

Zoomer periscoped. "Can I help?"

Mom shook her head. "I think it is better if you watch Mommy do this."

Zoomer thumped. "But I want to help."

He jumped up on the couch beside Mom. "What are we doing?"

Mom then explained she was working on finishing her scrapbook of the bunnies and that she was putting Zoomer's pictures in now.

"Oh, pictures of me. Then I can help for sure cause they are my pictures!' Zoomer binkied.

Mom sighed, pretty much knowing she wouldn't get very far with trying to argue with the baby bunny.

Zoomer leaned over and started to chew on the edges of a page Mom hadn't put anything on yet, "There, all done."

"Not quite," Mom said and reached for an unchewed page.

"Not that page," Zoomer tried to push the unchewed page away. "Use the one I decorated."

"I don't want the page chewed right now, Zoomer," Mom replied.

"But I do. You're doing it wrong!" and a thump followed.

"How about if I give you that page and you can do your own scrapbook project?" Mom asked.

Zoomer binkied. "Really? I show you how it's done!"

Mom laughed and put the paper on the floor. "You let me know what you need."

Zoomer hopped around the page, chewing here and there.

"I need a picture, please."

Mom gave Zoomer a picture she had a double of. He pushed it around on the page. "That's perfect. OK make it stay."

Mom put some glue dots on the back of the picture, flipped it over and put it where Zoomer showed her. He then thumped on the picture a few times to make sure it didn't move.

Zoomer then hopped back up on the couch to see what Mom had done with her page. "What are those?"

"Stickers. They make the page look nice," Mom kept her explanation pretty basic.

"Then I need some of those, please!" Zoomer hopped back to his page.

"You show me where to put them," Mom said.

"No I want to do that myself," Zoomer said.

"Are you sure? They can be tricky with being so sticky," Mom asked.

Zoomer insisted he could do it. Mom took ten stickers off a page and put them on the floor beside Zoomer's page, sticky side u. "Let me know if you need help."

"I will," Zoomer assured Mom.

Zoomer looked at the stickers, deciding where to put them. When he had made his decision, he figured the best way to put them on the page was with his nose. A second later, one sticker was on his nose. When he went to put it on the page, well, it just wouldn't come off his nose. Zoomer rubbed his nose with his paw. The sticker transferred to his left paw. He still couldn't get it to go on the page so he picked up another with his nose. This one wouldn't go on the page either. He rubbed his right ear with his paws, transferring one sticker to his ear and then the second sticker to his paw. Within a matter of minutes, he had stickers on all four paws, his two ears his nose and on his tail.

"I think I needs help," he whispered.

Mom looked at the well decorated bunny, she could only guess how he had gotten the stickers everywhere but the page.

"No worries. I'm very proud of you for trying to do that on your own," Mom said, gently plucking the stickers from his fur. They were still useable so Zoomer told her where to put them on the page.

Zoomer looked at his page. "It still needs something. I know."

He hopped away and came back with some hay. "In case my picture gets hungry."

Mom tucked some of the hay behind the picture to hold it in place.

Zoomer hopped back to again check out his work, feeling it was still needing something more.

Meanwhile, Mom went back to working on her pages.

Zoomer finally decided what it needed and he hopped onto the paper.

Mom looked up just in time to see him poop on the page. "What are you doing?"

"Making it more real!" Zoomer said and hopped off the paper.

Mom laughed. "Well I guess you can't get more real than that..."

Zoomer binkied. "Scrapbooking is fun. I'm all done now but can we do this again?"

Mom smiled. "Of course we can."

"OK, I have to tell Cola and Duster all about this," and off Zoomer hopped, leaving Mom to clean up his masterpiece.

### TO TRICK A BEAR

Cola yawned and stretched. She wasn't exactly a morning bunny. She blinked a few times to make sure she was seeing correctly. Mom was measuring Duster's cage and then she moved onto Zoomer's.

"What's up?" Cola asked.

Zoomer was so excited. "Mom is measuring our cages for the customized curtains we are getting!"

"Huh?" Cola shook her head.

"Mom said you and I can have matching curtains!" Zoomer binkied.

"Um, no, no to matching curtains or any curtains on this cage," Cola said.

"Your cage gets measured next. This is so exciting," Duster had joined in.

"No, I don't think so," Cola insisted.

"No worries, Bear. We'll get you curtains worthy of well, a bear," Mom said and gave Dad the measurements to write down for Zoomer's cage.

"What's wrong with everyone? Curtains are evil!" Cola thumped.

"Curtains are our friends," Mom, Dad, Zoomer and Duster said in unison.

"What the heck is going on?" Cola was beyond baffled.

"Last night, the Curtain Commander came on the TV and told everyone that curtains are now in charge," Zoomer said.

"In charge of what?" Cola demanded to know.

"Everything," Duster said.

Cola was getting mad now. "Let me out of here and I'll talk to the Curtain Commander!"

Dad shook his head. "Cola, until you agree that curtains are in charge, you have to stay in your cage."

"They were worried you wouldn't agree," Mom sighed.

"Agree to what?" Cola snapped.

Again in unison, Mom, Dad, Zoomer and Duster. "Curtains are our friends."

"No they aren't!" Cola insisted.

"It's too late," Zoomer whispered. "Look around the apartment."

For the first time since she woke up, Cola saw that there were curtains hanging everywhere. "What the heck!"

Cola started to pull on her cage bars, determined to get out.

Mom started to measure Cola's cage and read off numbers to Dad.

"Stop that! You aren't putting curtains on my cage," Cola thumped.

"Cola, what day is it?" Dad asked.

"The last day of curtains on this planet!"Cola growled.

"No, what is that calendar date?" Duster asked.

"April 1st," Cola was still pulling on her cage.

"Gotcha!" everyone chorused.

"April Fool's Day," Mom said, and put her measuring tape down.

Cola stared at everyone. Then she shook her head. "Uh huh, joke's on you."

"What do you mean?" Dad asked.

"I get two treats now for bunny breakfast since you pulled that trick on me!" Cola declared.

Mom set about removing the extra curtains (aka towels and bedsheets) while Dad got the bunnies their breakfast!

### THE COMMERCIAL THAT CAUSED CHAOS

Mom was in the bedroom when she heard the familiar "AHHH!"

Mom prepared herself for the blur of black fur that would soon be circling her feet.

"Three, two ..." Mom counted and just as she reached "one" Cola flew into the bedroom.

"Mom!" she yelped.

"Bear, relax, what's up?" Mom asked.

"I was watching TV..." Cola began, Mom readied herself as she knew this was never a good thing with Cola. "And I saw a commercial for the vet."

"OK," Mom said, knowing Cola's distaste for anything to do with vets.

"And then a minute later a commercial came on for another vet!" Cola exclaimed.

Mom waited.

"Mom, there are two vets in the world!" Cola freaked. "There's not enough room for that much evil in the same world as Cola Bear!"

Mom stopped folding laundry and sat down on the bed. "Cola, I'm sorry to have to tell you this but there are more than two vets in the whole world."

"There's three vets?" Cola was devastated.

"More than that, I'm afraid," Mom sighed.

"What? Is there a vet factory or school?" Cola muttered.

"Actually yes, there are schools for vets and for vet assistants," Mom cringed.

"Do the police know this? That has to be illegal," Cola thumped.

Mom was trying not to smile. "Well the students pay to go to school to learn how to be vets and vet assistants."

"What is wrong with them?" Cola was getting mad now.

"I know, and everyone else knows, how much you dislike the vet, but they are needed in this world," Mom said.

"Ya, ya so are curtains, I've heard that before," Cola muttered.

Mom reached down and petted the Bear. "I'll go change the channel so you don't have to see those commercials again."

"And you owe me a treat," Cola said, hopping behind Mom as she went to the living room.

"I do?" Mom asked.

"You knew about the vet factories and didn't tell me!" Cola said.

"Schools, Cola, vet schools," Mom corrected, hiding her smile.

"Whatever. My fur is so stressed that my mohawk won't even appear. I think I need double treats at least," Cola stated.

Mom changed the channel and then went to get the Bear and Zoomer and Duster the usual treats.

### A COLA CRISIS?

"Oh no, this is terrible," Cola said, really loud so Mom and Dad could hear her from the kitchen.

Cola waited, Mom and Dad didn't come to the living room.

"OH NO, this is horrible!" Cola said, even louder.

Still no response.

The black bunny finally appeared at the line where the carpet and kitchen tiles meet. "Hi, Parents! I am having a Cola crisis and you may want to come and see what is going on."

Mom and Dad looked at each other and followed Cola into the living room. And then they waited for an explanation.

"Isn't this just devastating?" Cola sighed.

"What are we looking for?" Mom finally asked.

Cola rolled her eyes and nodded at Duster. "My bunny fell over."

Duster was flopped over is his napping position.

"Cola, he flopped, like he does every day at this time. It's one o'clock. It's his nap time," Dad said.

Cola thumped. "No, he fell over due to lack of treats."

Mom and Dad grinned at each other.

"So how are you going to fix this?" Cola asked.

"I think we'll just let him enjoy his nap," Mom replied.

Cola was getting annoyed. "I hope this doesn't become an epidemic. We don't want more bunnies just falling over due to lack of treats."

Almost as if on cue, Zoomer flopped.

Cola shook her head. "Oh no, now my other bunny fell over."

"He's so cute when he flops," Mom said, peeking into the baby bunny's cage.

"Thanks, Mom," Zoomer whispered.

Dad laughed. "Guess he just needs a nap too."

"No, we, I mean, they need treats. Right away!" Cola insisted.

"I think we should all take a nap!" Mom said.

"After we get treats, right?" Cola was periscoping.

"Please?" Zoomer whispered.

"You need to say please," Duster whispered, agreeing with Zoomer.

"Shhh!" Cola said to her two bunnies.

"Aw, it's OK, Cola, we know you were trying to trick us to get a treat," Mom said.

Cola tried to look offende. "Me? Play a trick to get a treat? I would never do that," Mom and Dad were staring at her,. "On my own. I have to give my bunnies some credit."

"You get points for originality," Mom said.

"And that earns every bunny a treat," Dad was already on his way back from the fridge with the Romaine lettuce.

Zoomer munched happily. "That was fun. What can we try next?"

Cola winked at Duster and Zoomer. "No worries. This Bear has lots of ideas!"

### CAUGHT ON TAPE

Cola hopped into the bedroom where Mom was relaxing reading a book.

"Mom, we need to talk. Bunny to bunny Mom," Cola declared, trying to nosebonk the door closed.

"Want me to get that?" Mom asked Bear.

"Yes, please. I don't want Duster and Zoomer or Daddy to hear this," Cola said and hopped onto the bed while Mom closed the door.

Mom sat back down beside Cola.

"I need your help with a situation," Cola said.

Mom listened.

"Let's say, for the sake of this talk, I saw a package on a shelf that maybe you had put there and I was curious and wanted to investigate," Cola started.

"OK," Mom said.

"And let's say I managed to get onto that shelf and did some very good bunstruction to said package," Cola said.

Mom smiled. She knew Cola was talking about the almost empty bag of bunny bedding she had taped closed. Of course, Bear had to know what it was!

"So you need me to help you clean up the mess you made when you did your bunstruction?" Mom asked.

"No, there's more to this story," Cola sighed.

Mom waited.

"In the process of my work, I ran into a little issue," Cola admitted. "I got some of the tape stuck to my fur."

But Mom couldn't see any tape, and it was green, she should have seen it.

Cola sighed and turned her back to Mom. "It's stuck on my tail and I can't reach it to get it myself."

Mom looked, there was the smallest piece just barely holding onto some fur. She reached to remove it.

Cola spun back around. "No! You can't just tear it off."

"So what are we going to do?" Mom asked.

"We'll discuss the procedure and then you can extract the tape. We need to minimize the loss of fur," Cola said.

Mom smiled. "Turn around and I'll very gently remove the tape."

"Don't you need some tools or equipment? This is a procedure," Cola asked.

"Sure," Mom said. "I'll be right back."

Mom went to the kitchen, saw the curious look Dad gave her so she mouthed "Cola, fur" and Dad understood it was a mini Cola crisis.

Mom reappeared with a dish towel wrapped around her face like a surgical mask, wearing winter mittens and with tweezers.

"Perfect!" Cola hopped so Mom could see her tail.

And Mom gently removed the tape.

"OK, ready, anytime," Cola cringed.

"Cola, I'm done," Mom said and removing her mittens and towel and showed Cola the piece of tape held in the tweezers.

Cola binkied. "Wow and no fur loss at all! That's a talent, Mom. Thanks."

"You're welcome, Bear," Mom said.

Cola looked at Mom. "Ya know, you're a pretty good bunny Mom."

"Well thank you, Bear," Mom smiled.

"But I didn't say that if anyone asks. I have a Diva image to uphold," Bear added quickly.

"It'll be our secret," Mom assured the Bear and opened the door so Cola could return to her bunstruction.

Mom followed Cola out of the room.

"All is good?" Dad whispered.

Mom looked at Cola who was recruiting Duster to stand at the treat line with her for the afternoon round of treats. "Yes, all is good."

"A treat would be really good right about now!" Cola called out.

All Mom and Dad could do was smile at each other and of course, get the bunnies their treats.

### CATALOGUE CONSPIRACY

Mom left the book she had been looking at unattended and went into the kitchen.

Cola had to investigate.

"I need to be in the know," she told Duster and hopped onto the couch.

Duster flopped, waiting to see what Cola would find, or more like interpret and twist all around and cause a Cola crisis.

Cola looked at the pages. They were pretty shiny. She managed to move a page with her nose. There were only pictures, no words. The photos were of some large animals Cola had never seen before. Cola flipped another page.

"What?" she blinked her eyes.

There was a picture of Mom, with a really big animal!

"Oh no," Cola quickly hopped off the couch and back to Duster. "Mom is shopping for some new pets! I found her catalogue and there's even a picture of her with a really big animal in there! Imagine all the treats it will eat!"

Duster yawned. "Maybe you should just ask Mom about it."

"Yeah, Duster is smart," Zoomer agreed from his cage.

Cola thumped. "Um, no, that's too easy. Then she'll know that I know what's going on!"

Mom came back into the living room and returned to her book.

Cola hopped up to join her,. Hi, Mom. Oh what do we have here?"

Mom had noticed the book was on a different page when she got back and just assumed Cola had been investigating.

"Just some pictures." Mom replied.

"Well I know that," Cola scoffed. "I mean, what are the pictures for? What are these huge animals?"

"Those are horses and cows," Mom said.

"Wow, they sure are big, really big," Cola observed.

"Yep," Mom said, waiting for the crisis to start.

"Bet they need a lot of room to live in," Cola said.

"Yes, they sure do," Mom agreed.

"Our apartment is definitely too small for those pets," Cola said, trying to keep her eyes on the pictures.

Mom smiled. "Oh definitely, they couldn't live here."

"Good to know. I bet they eat a lot too. What exactly do they eat?" Cola wondered.

"Hay, just like you bunnies do," Mom replied.

"I'm not sharing my hay! I mean, really - hay, you say?" Cola was trying to remain calm. "And I bet they need really big litter boxes. You wouldn't want to have to clean those huge litter boxes every day."

"Hmm, I did a few times in the past," she looked at Cola.

"I knew it! You are looking at this catalogue to get more pets!" Cola thumped, unable to contain herself anymore.

Mom smiled. "Cola, this is a photo album. The horses and cows are the ones that Mommy's grandparents had on their farm when Mommy was young. I'm pretty sure you saw the picture of me with the horses."

"So they aren't coming to live with us and we won't have to share our hay or treats?" Cola asked.

"Nope, no need to worry. I was just looking at some old pictures," Mom said as she flattened the mohawk that had started to appear on Cola's back.

"Well, Duster was so worried about it and I told him he was just hopping to conclusions again," Cola said.

Duster had sat up and stared at Cola, Mom winked at him and he flopped over again. Zoomer just shook his head and kept munching on his hay.

"Tell me more about these horses and cows," Cola settled in beside Mom.

Mom smiled and started to show Cola more pictures and tell her all about the other wonderful animals that had been a part of her life before the bunnies.

### CRAFTS WITH COLA

Mom watched as Cola managed to open the bottom dresser drawer. She hopped in and started to go through Mom's socks. Apparently finding the appropriate black sock among all of Mom's black socks, Cola hopped out of the drawer, taking the sock with her.

Cola hopped past Mom and disappeared behind the couch.

Mom walked back out to the living room and sat down to resume reading her book. A few minutes later she sat the book down to go to the kitchen. Cola peeked around the corner of the couch, made sure Mom was gone and quickly grabbed the bookmark.

Mom came back in the living room and noticed the bookmark missing. Before she could put much thought into it, she saw Cola heading back to the bedroom. Mom had to follow.

This time, Cola hopped into the basket of clean laundry that Mom hadn't put away yet. Cola rearranged the items until she found what she needed. Out she hopped, pulling Mom's towel with the penguins on it behind her.

"Excuse me, Mom," Cola said as she hopped on by and made her way back to behind the couch.

Now Mom was curious and started to walk towards the couch.

"No, not yet! You'll ruin the surprise," Cola hopped towards Mom. "This is still a work in progress."

"Do I need to be concerned?" Mom asked.

"No, no worries," Cola replied from behind the couch. "OK, perfect ... you can come back here now."

Mom slowly walked around the couch. The area between the wall and the couch where Cola and Duster usually snoozed there was an assortment of items.

"Surprise! Isn't it great?" Cola binkied.

"It's very ... thought provoking ..." Mom said, slowly, not sure what she was looking at.

"Now I tell you all about it," Cola said.

"That would be wonderful," Mom sighed with relief.

"I know you like to scrapbook. But I don't have a scrapbook so I took a whole bunch of things you like and made you a kind of non-scrapbook of things you like." Cola revealed.

"Great," Mom said. "Its a craft project."

"Exactly. Now I tell you about everything. I put that sock there cause I know it is your favourite sock of all time."

"That's why you were going through all my black socks," Mom said.

Cola nodded. "Not easy to find your favourite one. You have too many same socks. You need to diversify your sock drawer," Cola stated. "Now, there is your penguin towel cause for some reason, you think they are cute so I added it."

"Very thoughtful of you," Mom commented.

"Yes, I know," Cola hopped to where Duster was stretched out. "Duster is here cause you love bunnies. I couldn't push Zoomer's cage here or he would be here as well."

"Hi, Mom!" Zoomer called out. "Cola, I still love you."

Cola shook her head and Mom smiled. "Hi, Zoomer."

"Why is the toilet paper roll there?" Mom asked.

"That is your favourite room to clean," Cola replied.

"It is?" Mom asked.

"Yes, trust me I know this," Cola was already onto the next item. "There is your bookmark because you like to read."

Mom nodded.

Cola came to the last item, a pile of poop.

"The poop is here cause I know you enjoy cleaning our litter boxes everyday," Cola said.

"Yes, it's definitely one of the high-lights of my day," Mom grimaced.

"And you do it very well. We appreciate your hard work," Cola replied.

Mom petted Cola on her head. "Well that was very well done and a lot of hard work. Thank you, Cola and Duster and Zoomer for your participation."

"Mom, before you clean up this mess can we have a treat?" Cola asked.

"Before I clean up this mess?" Mom questioned.

"Well, they are your belongings and Duster and I really want to stretch out back here and everything is kind of in the way," Cola replied.

Mom had to laugh. "Yeah I'll take care of it."

"After the treats, right?" Cola asked.

"Of course," Mom said and went to get the bunnies their treats.

### SPA SURPRISE

"Cola Bear, you know I love you," Zoomer said.

Cola sighed. "So I have heard."

"And you know I would never do or say anything to upset you," Zoomer continued.

Cola stared at the Dutch bunny.

"I have to tell you..." Zoomer said, taking a deep breath.

Cola raised an eyebrow.

"Your fur is a disaster," Zoomer blurted.

Cola shook her head, blinked, stared at Zoomer. "Did you really just say my fur is a disaster?"

Zoomer nodded.

Cola hopped around her cage for a minute. "My fur is never anything less than perfect."

"Except when you shed," Duster said.

Cola whirled around to stare at the grey lop. "Excuse me?"

Zoomer sighed with relief, happy he wasn't the only bunny that had noticed Cola wasn't up to her diva standards.

"I hate to say it but you need a bunny spa day," Duster said.

"Is this a dream?" Cola asked, no one in particular. "You two think I should volunteer for a bunny spa day?"

Duster and Zoomer hopped to the opposite end of their cages, as far away from Cola as they could get.

"So you two don't get any more treats for a long time for saying something like that about MY fur," Cola decided.

"Can she do that?" Zoomer asked Duster.

"No, she's bluffing," Duster said. "I think she's bluffing ..."

"MOM! DAD!" Zoomer and Duster chorused.

Mom and Dad entered the living room and the boy bunnies explained the situation.

"No, Cola does not determine the treats you get," Mom assured the boys.

Two sighs of relief.

"But she definitely needs some spa time," Mom agreed.

"How about no," Cola replied.

"Would you agree to a brushing if there was no nail trimming?" Dad asked.

Cola hopped to the edge of her cage and motioned for Dad to come closer. Being a Daddy's bunny she knew he would tell her if she really needed a bunny spa day. "Is it that bad?"

Dad nodded and whispered. "I hate to agree but your fur is rather unruly right now."

Cola took a deep breath, scrunched up her nose and grumbled. "Fine let's get this over with."

Mom got the bunny brush while Dad lifted Cola out of her cage. Cola would only let Daddy brush her fur.

"Oh no ... my fur ..." Cola pretty much winced every time she saw a brushful of fur.

"All bunnies shed," Mom said.

"Yes but that's MY fur," Cola grumbled.

Daddy kept on brushing, Cola kept on griping.

Then Cola noticed the rather large pile of fur that had been removed by the brush. "Do I have any fur left?"

Dad laughed. "Of course you do, you're really shedding right now."

"Enough! No more fur-loss. Oh, my poor fur," Cola was not a happy bunny. "So much less fur ..."

She let Daddy put her back in her cage while Mom quickly scooped up the fur and put it in the trash, hoping Cola didn't see.

"But you look so beautiful now," Zoomer said.

"Back to your Diva standards," Duster agreed.

Cola bunny shrugged. "But I miss my fur."

"New fur will grow," Dad assured the Bear.

"And then I'll shed again," Cola sighed.

"It's a vicious cycle," Duster nodded.

"But we are here for you" Zoomer said.

"Thanks, I appreciate that," Cola replied. She paused, "And you know what else I would appreciate?"

Before she could finish her sentence, Mom, Dad, Zoomer and Duster all said. "A treat?"

"How'd you know that?" Cola was genuinely surprised, but happily accepted the treat Mom and Dad were giving to the bunnies.

### DINNER WITH A DIVA

"Pssst," Zoomer whispered to Mom and Dad.

"What's up?" Mom asked her baby bunny.

"I need your help. I want to take Cola out for dinner," Zoomer said quietly.

"Maybe we can figure something out," Dad said.

"Really?" Zoomer binkied he was so happy.

"Give us a few minutes," Mom said to the baby bunny.

Mom and Dad disappeared into the kitchen and a few minutes later they motioned for Zoomer to meet them in front of Cola's cage.

Mom put a dishtowel on the floor in front of Cola's cage. Cola hopped over to the bars, curious as to what was going on.

"You and Zoomer are having a picnic," Mom said.

Dad whispered to Duster. "And you get all the same food."

As soon as Duster heard the word "food" he was onboard.

Zoomer binkied. "This is so exciting."

Cola wasn't so sure.

Mom disappeared into the kitchen and came back with 3 salads. "Here we go."

"Oh thank you, Mom!" Zoomer said.

"Thanks," Cola said.

Duster nodded his thanks and kept munching on his lettuce.

When the bunnies had finished the salad, Dad appeared with three little paper cups. He put one in front of Zoomer, one in Cola's cage and handed one to Mom so she could put it in Duster's cage. Then he opened a bottle of cold water and poured a a cup for each bunny.

"This is great, isn't it, Cola?" Zoomer was so enthusiastic.

Cola nodded, this picnic wasn't such a bad thing so far.

Mom then came from the kitchen with some shredded carrots for each bunny.

The carrots were gobbled down and Mom and Dad gave the rabbits a few minutes before they would appear with dessert.

"So how have you been?" Zoomer asked Cola.

"Pretty much the same since the last time you loitered outside my cage," Cola replied.

"Good to know I haven't missed anything," Zoomer said. Then there was a lull in the conversation. Zoomer decided to show Cola his second favorite thing in the world (her being the first).

Zoomer quickly raised his back foot. "I have feet!"

Cola stared at him blankly.

"I have feet! Mom says I have really cute feet and she tries to pet them without my permission and I get mad and I glare at her but it doesn't work because she still says they are cute. And I have four feet, it's really quite convenient!" and he started to groom his foot.

Dad cleared his throat and Zoomer looked up. Dad shook his head no.

"Oh I guess grooming my feet is not proper picnic etiquette. I'm sorry," Zoomer apologized.

"That's OK," Cola said.

Duster was periscoping, looking for dessert.

Mom appeared from the kitchen with a small slice of banana for each bun. It was gobbled up very fast.

"Well thanks for having a picnic with me, Cola Bear," Zoomer said. "And you too, Duster."

"It was great idea, thank you!" Duster replied.

"Yeah it was nice," Cola agreed.

"OK well I'll be by later to loiter," Zoomer promised and hopped off to thank Mom and Dad for their help.

### A PERPLEXING PROBLEM

Mom looked at Cola. She was sitting in her cage, staring off into space. Duster was out exploring the new apartment and it was unlike Bear not to follow her bunny.

"You alright, Cola?" Mom asked.

"Mom, please, I'm having a huge Cola crisis right now!" Cola grumbled.

Mom was confused. A typical Cola crisis usual registered on the Richter scale. This time, Cola was absolutely silent.

Mom sat in front of Bear's cage. "Tell me about this crisis."

"Isn't it obvious? Look around you!" Cola said.

Mom did a quick scan of the new apartment. Everything looked good.

"I think you need to provide me with some details," Moms said.

Cola sighed. "I always have to provide details."

Cola nodded her head towards the window. "No curtains."

"And that's a bad thing?" Mom asked.

"Curtain patrol is part of who I am. How can I keep curtains in line if we have blinds instead?" Cola asked.

"Well we still have a shower curtain. I hear that they can be pretty evil. And I'll set up a curtain patrol training camp so you stay in shape. I can hang towels over chairs and boxes, simulated curtains," Mom offered.

"Hmm, but there's no carpet! My paws cannot touch that hardwood or ceramic tile flooring. I slide all over the place. And I need something to chew on!," Cola said.

"Bear, we have mats and towels down for you and Zoomer and Duster to hop on. We're going to leave them there. And look at Duster and Zoomer have already started to get used to the non-carpets. We have plenty of cardboard boxes for you to chew on."

"But I am a Diva. I have standards," Cola argued.

"Point taken. But the mats and towels are here whenever you are ready to hop out," Mom replied. "Anything else?"

"Yes, the vet doesn't know where we live now!" Cola exclaimed.

Mom was baffled. "I thought that would be the best thing about moving."

"Um, how are the vet's Fur Finders going to attempt to steal my fur if they don't know where I live?" Cola asked.

"Pretty sure we can do a change of address with the vet or even get a new vet," Mom said.

"A new vet?" Cola seemed to like that idea. "A new vet would be an adventure!"

All Mom could do was smile.

Cola hopped out of her cage and used the mats and towels to get to where Duster was flopped over – Cola Crisis averted.

### FUR SURPLUS

"Poor Duster dude," Mom said. "When you shed, you lose so much fur!"

Duster didn't mind, more shedding meant more time getting petted by Mom and Dad.

Cola looked over at the large pile of fur beside the grey lop.

"Wow he does have a lot of excess fur," Cola thought and started to hop towards the curtains.

She stopped in pretty much mid-hop. "Extra fur!"

Cola waited till Mom had added more fur to the pile and then quietly assessed the fur abundance.

Mom saw the black bunny staring at the grey fur. "Whatcha up to, Bear?"

"Oh, well, I thought I could help you get rid of all that extra fur you seem to have collected," Cola offered.

"You want to help me throw out Duster's old fur?" Mom was shocked.

Cola rolled her eyes. "Oh, Mom. No, I would like to give his old fur a place to stay, in case he misses it."

"I won't miss that fur," Duster assured Cola.

Cola glared at Duster. "But in case you do, I can store it for you."

"Where?" Dad asked.

"I'm sure we can find a place!" Cola exclaimed.

"Cola Bear, what are you up to?" Dad questioned.

"Nothing!" Cola insisted. "I just want to preserve his fur."

Mom, Dad, Duster and Zoomer all stared at her.

"Fine, fine, alright," Cola sighed. "I want to keep his fur so when the vet comes looking for my fur I can give it to him."

"But Duster's fur is grey, yours is black," Zoomer said.

"But I can tell the vet it's grey because it's old fur that I shed," Cola reasoned. "Everyone would be happy. The vet would get my fur, well he'd think he was getting my fur, Mom wouldn't have to dispose of the old Duster fur, Duster would get petted and I could keep my precious fur."

Mom and Dad looked at each other.

"I have a better idea," Mom said.

"I don't think that's possible," Cola sighed.

Dad laughed.

Mom looked at Dad. "Here's what I think we should do. The next time we know the vet is coming for your fur, we'll quickly pet Duster to get even a little bit of his fur and we can give that to the vet. And like you said, Duster gets petted, we don't have to get rid of old Duster fur and the vet thinks he is getting Cola fur."

Cola hopped back and forth, thinking, thinking, keeping everyone waiting.

She finally turned to look at her parents and the two waiting bunnies. "Mom, that's actually a pretty good idea. Let's do that."

"Great," Mom said.

"Wow, that was a really hard decision to make. I worked up an appetite," Cola stated.

Dad laughed again, and headed to the kitchen for treats for the three bunnies.

### EXPLAINING ERASED

"I'm running a bit behind and will be home a few minutes later than usual. See you when I get there," Dad's voice floated into the room.

Cola hopped around, she had heard Daddy's voice but couldn't find him anywhere.

Mom came into the living room and went to the answering machine. She listened to Dad's message and then erased it.

Cola hopped over to Mom. "Where's Daddy?"

"On his way home, Bear. He'll just be a bit late," Mom replied.

"But I heard his voice," Cola insisted.

"That was the answering machine," Mom said.

Cola periscoped and saw the machine. "Daddy is in that machine?"

"No, no, Daddy is in the car, driving home," Mom answered.

"But he said he was running," Cola shook her head. "You heard it wrong. Can you make Daddy talk again?"

"I'm sorry, Cola. It's already been erased," Mom said and headed back into the kitchen.

"Erased? What does that mean?" Cola wondered.

"I think it means it's gone," Zoomer said.

"Gone? Gone forever?" Cola asked.

Duster nodded. "Yep."

Cola's eyes were the size of saucers. "Mom erased Daddy?"

"No, she erased his message," Duster said.

But there was no use explaining that to Cola. She was sure that Mom had erased Dad and he was gone forever.

"Why would Mom do that?" Cola demanded to know. "I want my Daddy!"

Thump! Thump! Thump!

Mom ran back into the living room to see what was going on.

Cola continued to thump.

"Cola, what's wrong?" Mom asked.

"You erased my Daddy and now he's gone forever," Cola said.

Poor Mom tried to calm Cola down.

"Cola, I erased his message not Daddy," Mom said.

"Then where is he?" Cola demanded to know.

"Probably stuck in traffic," Mom tried to explain why Dad was late.

"You erased him and now he's stuck somewhere?" Cola's eyes got big. "Poor Daddy! He just wants to come home to us bunnies."

Mom kept trying to get Cola's attention to explain that erasing the message didn't mean Daddy was gone forever but Bear just wouldn't listen.

Finally the door opened ...

Cola raced to the front door ...

"DADDY!!" Cola persicoped. "I thought Mommy had erased you forever and then stuck you in traffic."

Dad picked up Cola. "It's OK, Bear. Mom would never erase me."

Cola looked at Dad.

"Or make me stuck in traffic," Dad assured the Bear.

"I was so worried," Cola said.

Mom, Duster and Zoomer were all shaking their heads. Daddy knew how Cola can sometimes over-exaggerate things.

"I know what Cola and our other bunnies need," Dad said.

Cola's ears perked up.

"A treat?" Dad asked.

"Yes, I definitely need a few treats after that scare," Cola agreed.

And off Daddy went to get the bunnies their treats.

"She's good ..." Duster said to Zoomer.

"Yep, the best at getting us treats," Zoomer agreed.

### THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE ...

Cola was hopping around the living room, investigating the storage bins Mom was sorting through. There were the usual blue bins that she had to persicope to try to see what was in them and then she came across two bins that were made of clear plastic, she could see right inside. And what she saw, made her mad!

"What the heck?"Cola hopped up the one clear bin, looked twice and then hopped off to find Mom.

Mom was sitting on the couch, going through some clothes, with Duster curled up near her feet.

The black dwarf bunny hopped on up to Mom and nosebonked her.

"Hi, Cola," Mom reached down to pet the rabbit.

Cola hopped away. Mom went back to sorting clothes. This time Cola hopped back and did her "you have to follow me" or "you're in the way" scratching at Mom's feet.

"Yes, Bear?" Mom asked.

"How could you?" Cola demanded to know.

"How could I...?" Mom was curious.

"I know all about it," Cola said.

"All about...?" Mom asked.

Cola rolled her eyes. "Mom, please, so obvious. You could have tried to hide it better."

"Hide what?" Mom was confused.

"You got another me! We're identical" Cola thumped.

"Um, no. Cola, Belle doesn't look at all like you," now Mom was really confused.

"Not Belle," Cola said. "The other Cola."

Duster sat up. "Two Colas? Seriously?"

"Yeah, no kidding," Mom said.

"Hello, right here!" Cola quipped.

"You'll have to show us this other Cola," Mom said.

"Definitely," Duster agreed.

"Oh I certainly will," Cola said and off she hopped with Mom and Duster behind her.

Cola hopped up to the plastic bin and turned her back to it, looking right at Mom and Duster. "See? Can't deny it now."

Mom and Duster both smiled.

"What are you so happy about?" Cola asked.

"Cola, that's you," Mom said.

"I know it's me! Well another me," Cola stated.

"Mom means it's your reflection," Duster chuckled.

"What?" Cola asked and turned to look at the other bunny.

The "other Cola" did everything that the "original Cola" did.

"Hmmm," Cola said. "Well let's be honest. There isn't enough room in this house for more than one me."

"Cola, there isn't enough room in this world for more than one you," Mom laughed.

"That's a good thing, right?" Cola asked.

Mom and Duster nodded.

"Just making sure we all agree," Cola said and hopped off towards the kitchen, it was treat time.

### FORLORN FUR

Mom had been watching Cola for nearly 10 minutes. The black dwarf bunny was sitting on the mat in the middle of the living room. Next to her, a clump of fur that she had just shed.

It was what Cola wasn't doing that had Mom confused.

Usually when Cola shed, it was a crisis. She mourned the lost fur for days. This time, she was all out ignoring the fur that she had shed.

"You want me to move that fur?" Mom finally asked.

"What fur?" Cola asked.

"The fur beside you that you're apparently trying to ignore," Mom sighed.

"Oh THAT fur," Cola pretty much growled.

Cola turned her head just enough to glare at the fur.

"Cola, come on, what is the issue?" Mom asked.

"The issue is that fur fell off me without telling me it was leaving me!" Cola thumped, still glaring at the fur.

Mom nodded. "Remember the talk we had about shedding? Your fur doesn't have a choice, it gets shed..."

"I still don't believe that my fur would leave me without telling me first. I need to prepare for this!" Cola grumbled.

Mom sat down on the mat beside Cola Bear. "But think of the beautiful new fur that will grow in its place. Shedding your fur is just a part of nature."

"Well then I'm mad at nature too!" Cola double thumped.

"I bet your fur will miss you a lot," Mom said.

"Really?" Cola stopped glaring.

"Well I'm not an expert in the area of fur that has been shed, but that fur looks pretty sad to me," Mom said and got up.

Cola hopped to the fur. "Are you sad?"

Cola gently nose bonked the fur.

"Oh I'll miss you too!" and she cuddled up to the fur.

Mom knew what to expect would happen next ...

"Oh no, my fur, I'll miss you!" Cola sighed. "I need treats to cope with this!"

"Now that's the Cola we all know and love. Treats coming right up," Mom said.

### PARENTS – YA GOTTA LOVE THEM

"I love them," Cola said to Duster, Zoomer and Belle. "But I don't understand a lot of the things they do."

The three other bunnies turned to look at their parents.

"I mean, what's with all the changes of fur?" Cola wondered.

"I guess it's just part of being human," Duster reasoned.

"I've seen them do laundry, that's what they call their changes of fur," Cola explained to Belle and Zoomer. "They have three baskets full and then they come home and they hide it, put it in the closets as if they are embarrassed by it. Even worse, I've heard Mom say that she has nothing to wear ... after doing all the laundry!"

"Wow," Zoomer and Belle said.

Cola nodded. "And that's only one example."

"What other weird things do they do?" Belle asked.

"Well Mom will actually trim her own nails," Cola sighed.

Belle was horrified. "That's terrible!"

"Anything else?" Zoomer asked.

"Sure, let's look at when they do groceries. They go to the store and buy food. They put that

food in bags, pretty much hiding it. Then they get home and they put it in cupboards or the fridge or freezer, behind doors. Why are they hiding what they bought?" Cola wondered.

"Maybe it's so they are surprised when they open the door and see what they have," Duster suggested.

The bunnies all nodded, that sort of made sense.

"But why hide food? We love our food and keep our hay and pellets on the shelf where we can see it anytime," Zoomer said.

"Maybe they don't love their food as much as we do," Belle wondered.

"And even stranger, I've seen them look through the cupboards and fridge and say there's nothing here to eat, when I know we have lettuce in there that we would share with them," Cola said.

"I guess we're really lucky we aren't humans," Belle said.

"Oh definitely," Duster agreed.

"Hmm, all this talk of food has made me hungry. Any bunny else need a treat?" Cola asked.

Three bunnies nodded.

"Mom! Dad! Treats please!" Cola called out.

"Coming," Mom replied.

"Be right there," Dad agreed.

Cola smiled. "It is good to be a bunny."

### FICTIONAL FUR

"Wow, that's really neat!" Zoomer exclaimed.

"My turn, please!" Belle said.

"And then me next?" Duster asked.

"Sure thing, bunnies. This is a lot of fun," Mom agreed.

Cola had been pretty much ignoring what Mom was doing on the computer. But now she was curious. Since it was her and Duster's turn out of their cages, she hopped over to see what all the fuss was.

"What are we doing?" Cola asked.

"Mom is showing us how she can use a computer program to change our pictures," Duster said.

"Change our pictures?" Cola questioned.

"Yes! She added a giant carrot to mine!" Belle said.

"And she added an igloo to mine," Zoomer binkied.

"That's neat!" Duster said. "Thanks, Mom!"

"What did she do?" Cola periscoped.

"She made my fur green! I look like lettuce!" Duster grinned.

Cola scrunched up her nose. "She changed the colour of your fur?"

Duster nodded.

"Oh she made mine blue and Belle's pink," Zoomer said to Cola.

Cola took a few hops back. "She can change the colour of fur?"

"Yes!" Belle said. "I look pretty with pink fur. Cola, you would look great with pink fur too."

"No, I wouldn't!" Cola thumped.

Mom looked at Bear. "What would you like me to add to your picture?"

Cola shook her head. "Nothing. Leave my fur alone!"

"Cola, it doesn't change the colour of your fur in real life," Mom explained.

"I'm not willing to risk that!" Cola said.

The black bunny hopped away and started to check her fur, making sure it was still it's wonderful self.

"Cola, I can add a treat to one of your pictures," Mom offered.

Cola considered the idea,. OK, you can add a treat to my picture IF we can have one in real life!"

"Aren't you the negotiator?" Mom laughed and went to get the bunnies some lettuce.

### HALLOWEEN HIJINKS

"Have you bunnies decided what you would like your costumes to be for Halloween?" Mom asked.

Cola quickly replied. "Yes, we have!"

Mom and Dad looked at Bear.

"Alright, Duster is going to be a grey lop that is shedding," Cola said,

Duster nodded and everyone watched as some of his fur floated away.

"Zoomer is going to be my number one fan," Cola said.

"I love you, Cola!" Zoomer called out.

"And Belle is going to be a baby bunny," Cola stated.

"With spots!" Belle added.

"With spots," Cola agreed.

"Well, those are pretty easy costumes, really no work required," Dad said.

"Well you haven't heard what I am going to be," Cola grinned.

Mom laughed. "What? A bunny?"

Cola's mouth dropped open, "How did you know?"

Mom and Dad looked at each other.

"That costume won't take too long to do either," Dad finally said.

Cola was confused. "It won't take long to make a bear look like a bunny."

"Oh right, we'll have to make you look like a bunny..." Mom's voice trailed off.

"But you are ... " Belle started to say.

"Shhh," Mom, Dad, Zoomer and Duster chorused.

"We'll explain later," Zoomer whispered.

Belle nodded and went back to munching on her hay.

"We'll see what we can do," Dad promised.

"Great! This is going to be a lot of fun," Cola binkied.

On the afternoon of Halloween ...

Mom and Dad made sure that Duster, Zoomer and Belle were all ready for their trick-or-treating around the apartment. Then they had to tackle Cola's costume.

"Good thing we are starting to work on my costume now," Cola said. "It's going to take a long time to make me look like a bunny."

Mom and Dad had come up with a plan on how to handle the Bear to Bunny transformation.

Cola hopped up onto the couch. Mom and Dad brought out an assortment of brushes.

"Impressive," Cola said. "I'm gonna look great!"

"You sure will," Mom agreed.

And for the next while, Mom and Dad took turns brushing Cola's fur with the different brushes, showing her that no fur was coming off in the brushes.

"And we are done!" Mom declared.

Dad held up a mirror for Cola to approve her "costume."

"Wow, I look awesome! I look like a bunny!" Cola checked out her reflection.

Mom and Dad high-fived.

"Mission accomplished!" Mom said.

"You look like a real bunny!" Belle said to Cola, and then winked at Duster and Zoomer since she was now in on the "Cola is a bunny but thinks she is a bear" story.

"Thanks! I owe it all to Mom and Dad," Cola told her bunny friends.

And that evening the bunnies were ready for their trick-or-treating. One by one they went in one of the kitchen doors where they got a slice of shredded carrot. They exited out the other kitchen door where they got to stretch out on a blankie and get petted. From there, they hopped over to the couch where there were phone books just waiting to be shredded! And when the returned to their cages, they each found a lettuce leaf and piece of cardboard to bunstruct!

"I like this trick-or-treating," Belle said. "Especially the treating part!"

### GOTTA GET GROCERIES

Cola stared at Mom and Dad, not even blinking. "That's not acceptable."

"Cola, it's not like you don't have anything to eat," Mom reasoned.

"Sure, we have pellets and hay but there are no treats in this whole apartment?" Cola said.

Mom and Dad shook their heads "no."

"There's nothing here we can have for bedtime bunny breakfast?" Cola questioned.

"No," Dad confirmed.

"Then that means there's nothing here for bunny breakfast in the morning either?" Cola squeaked.

"What?" Zoomer, Duster and Belle echoed.

"We promise we'll go grocery shopping tomorrow," Dad assured the bunnies.

"Go now," Cola thumped.

"The stores are closed," Mom said.

"Then use the computer and order something," Cola thumped again.

"Do you have treats to eat?" Duster asked.

"Well I guess we kind of do ..." Mom said.

"How does that work?" Zoomer asked.

"It was Halloween, you bunnies got more treats than usual," Dad said.

"But there are more of us bunnies than you humans. Shouldn't you buy more treats for us than for yourselves?" Belle asked.

"I guess we could do that in the future," Mom agreed.

"Guess what?" Cola said. "The future is now!"

"We promise we'll go shopping right after breakfast," Dad said.

"You're going to have breakfast tomorrow and we aren't?" Cola was stunned.

"No, of course not," Mom said. "We'll get up as soon as the stores are open and go get whatever you would like for bunny breakfast."

"One minute," Cola hopped off to confer with the other bunnies.

A minute later she shopped back.

"Alright. Get a piece of paper and a pen and have a seat. We have a list of demands, um, groceries and this may take awhile."

Mom and Dad wrote down the bunnies requests and then had to set the alarm clock with Cola's supervision to make sure they were up as soon as the grocery stores were open.

"And we expect double bunny breakfast tomorrow since we aren't having bedtime bunny breakfast tonight," Cola said.

"I guess that's reasonable," Mom sighed.

"I think it's time for bed. You and Dad have to get up early to go get groceries," Cola said.

Mom and Dad agreed, promising the bunnies – and themselves – they would never run out of treats again!

### WHITE NOISE

"Good night, Cola, Duster, Zoomer and Belle," Dad said.

"Good night, bunnies. Thump if you need us," Mom said and the bunny parents went to bed.

A few minutes passed ... Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!

Mom and Dad scurried into the living room.

"What's wrong?" Dad asked.

"Everybun OK?" Mom questioned.

"We just needed to test our thumps," Cola replied. "It worked so you can go back to bed now."

Mom and Dad nodded and headed back to the bedroom, some time passed.

"I can't get to sleep," Mom complained.

"Neither can I," Dad said.

"We need some white noise," Mom decided and got up to turn on the fan.

The bunnies of course had heard the conversation.

"You know what the means," Cola said to Belle.

Belle nodded and started to throw around her pellet bowl and bang her water bowl and chew on the cage and then dig at the cage.

Mom and Dad slowly emerged from the bedroom.

"Belle?" Mom asked.

"Yes," Belle replied, still digging.

"What are you doing? It's bedtime," Dad said.

"You said you needed white noise to help you sleep," Duster said.

Mom and Dad were a bit confused.

"She's a white bunny and she's making noise," Cola pointed out.

"With spots," Belle added.

"With spots," Cola said. "Do we always need to add the "with spots"? It's pretty obvious you have spots."

Belle stopped digging. "The Spots don't want to be forgot."

"I don't think we would ever forget them," Cola assured Belle.

"You like people to know you are a bear, my spots like to feel included," Belle said.

"Fair enough," Cola now understood. "Anyways, she was just doing what you asked."

"Oh," Mom replied.

"But that's what we turned the fan on for," Dad told the bunnies.

"Then why didn't you say you were going to turn the fan on for white noise?" Zoomer asked.

"And if Belle's noise isn't white noise what is white noise then?" Duster wondered.

Mom and Dad tried to explain white noise to the bunnies and four furry faces just stared back at them.

"You're starting to babble. You need some sleep," Cola said.

"Thank you, bunnies. Good night," Mom said and the parents were off to try to sleep.

"Don't be late for breakfast!" Cola was quick to mention.

### THE DPA

Mom followed the trail of poops to where Cola was sitting.

"Good work!" Cola congratulated her.

Mom used the small dust pan and broom to sweep up the poops. "Bear, I have other things to do rather than follow you around sweeping up after you. There is a litter pan two hops away from you."

Cola rolled her eyes and the familiar "I don't do litter boxes" was heard.

"Right, right," Mom said.

Mom decided she had to come up with a solution. She went about gathering the few extra litter boxes they had, some plastic mats and even a few cardboard boxes. Mom laid the litter pans and plastic mats around the area where Cola was sitting. She quickly cut down the cardboard boxes and placed them near Cola as well.

Cola was intrigued. "What's this?"

"This is your DPA," Mom replied.

Cola raised an eyebrow.

"Your Designated Potty Area," Mom explained. " You poop in this area only. As a matter of fact, I am banning Bear poop from the rest of the apartment, other litter boxes excluded, of course. Feel free to start to use any litter pan."

"What does that mean?" Cola asked.

"You have all this area to poop in, it's a huge area. There is no need to leave little piles anywhere else for me to sweep up," Mom said.

Cola sat down. "That sounds fair. Bear poop only in this area."

"Thank you," Mom said and went about other things she had to clean.

A short while later, Mom came back into the living room. Cola was sitting on one of the mats, a fresh pile of poop beside her.

"But, Bear, we had an agreement," Mom sighed.

"Yes, we agreed about Bear poop in the DPA only," Cola nodded. "This is bunny poop. No DPA for it."

And Cola hopped over to cuddle with Duster.

Belle and Zoomer were trying not to smile.

Mom had to grin. "She's smart, she's very smart."

"And she needs a treat," Cola called out. "We all need a treat."

Off Mom went to get the treats.

### FUR FIRST AID

It happened almost in slow motion.

Cola hopped into Duster's pen. Duster scurried across the floor to join her. Duster, not known for being particularly agile, bumped into his water bowl. The water flew through the air and some of it splashed Cola. Trying to not get soaked, Cola hopped into Duster's litter box. Realizing she was in litter box, she quickly hopped out and some of the bedding got stuck to her wet fur. From there Cola hopped to the black mat in front of the cages and sat.

"I am so sorry," Duster apologized and hopped over, trying to groom Cola.

He was met by an icy glare that clearly said "don't touch the fur."

"Yikes," Duster hightailed it back to his pen.

Cola resumed her sitting position.

Mom and Dad had witnessed the whole incident and got concerned when Cola hadn't moved from her spot in a few minutes.

"Are you alright?" Mom asked.

Cola remained quiet and stared straight ahead.

Mom and Dad looked at each other.

"Cola Bear?" Dad questioned. "Can you come here?"

"Isn't one of the rules that you don't move the injured party?" Cola whispered.

"The injured party? Did you get hurt?" Mom wondered.

"Shouldn't you be calling someone?" Cola questioned.

The bunny parents looked at each other.

Cola sighed, trying to remain still. "You know, the professionals?"

Again Mom and Dad weren't sure what she meant.

Cola was becoming agitated. "The people trained to deal with a situation like this."

"Can you tell us who you need us to call?" Dad asked.

"Dial the 3 numbers," Cola suggested.

Mom and Dad were trying to figure out whose three numbers they were supposed to call.

Cola moved slowly, covering her face with her paws and then sighed. "You know, 911. They send emergency professionals."

"We need to know what the emergency is before we call anyone," Mom said, still not sure what was going on as Cola appeared to be fine.

"My fur is wet and there is litter box residue sticking to it! My fur has been traumatized. You need to call a trauma team to get first aid for my fur!" Cola squeaked.

"Oh," Mom and Dad chorused. "Your fur."

"Yes, my fur. Now get me some help!" Cola thumped, trying not to move her fur that was wet.

"All we really need is a towel," Dad whispered to Mom.

"We need to make sure it's a white one, you know so it looks like a Dr.'s coat," Mom whispered back.

Mom went to retrieve a white towel while Dad approached Cola.

"Mom and I have actually been trained to handle this type of situation," Dad explained.

"Seriously?" Cola asked. "You know fur first aid? Well then fix it."

Mom appeared with the white towel, assuring Cola it was what a pro would use and Dad set about drying her fur and removing the said litter box residue.

"There, all done, fur looks good as new," Dad said.

"I don't want new fur, I want my fur," Cola muttered.

"It is your fur, it's just an expression," Mom sighed.

Cola turned to check out her fur. "Um, there's some litter box leftover."

Dad quickly removed the bit of bedding stuck to Bear.

Cola surveyed the results again. "Hmm, I guess that will do."

And off she hopped to find Duster to let him know she and her fur had survived the ordeal.

### PICTURE PROOF

Mom came out of the bedroom, stopped in her tracks and went right back into the bedroom.

She returned, camera in hand.

Quickly and quietly she made her way to Duster's pen and "click."

"Finally! I have picture proof!" Mom exclaimed.

Cola spun around. "Did you just take a picture?"

Mom nodded happily.

"A picture of me?" Cola questioned.

"Yes!" Mom answered.

"You just took a picture of me in the litter box didn't you?" Cola squeaked, hopping out of Duster's litter box.

Mom was pretty much hopping up and down she was so excited. "Yes, I finally have picture proof that you do use litter boxes."

Cola frowned. "You can't prove I used the litter box just that I was in it. "

"Cola, the fact that I have a picture of you even in a litter box is pretty amazing."

"Mom, you need a hobby," Cola sighed.

"I have lots of hobbies, including taking pictures of you bunnies," Mom replied. "And this picture is pretty much priceless."

"I am not happy about this," Cola thumped. "That picture is priceless, it's garbage – you should delete it."

"Would a treat make you happy?" Mom asked.

"It better be one heck of a treat," Cola scoffed.

Mom disappeared into the kitchen and returned with treats for all the bunnies.

Cola accepted the peace offering. "Fine. You can keep the picture. I guess it shows that even us bears do use litter boxes sometimes," and then whispered to herself. "I can always say the picture was edited. Everyone knows that bears don't use litter boxes. Silly Mommy."

### BUNNIES SAY "IT'S GOTTA BE MOMMY'S WAY"

Zoomer nosebonked Daddy's hand. "What are you doing?"

"Um, cleaning your cage," Daddy said, trying to scoop up the litter.

Zoomer grunted, pushing the litter scoop Daddy was using out of the way. "Where's Mommy?"

Daddy sighed. "Mommy isn't home right now."

Zoomer thumped. "That's not how Mommy cleans my cage."

"Zoomer, the door is open, hop out so I can scoop the poop," Dad sighed.

Zoomer hopped out and sat there, watching Daddy. "That's not how Mommy does it."

"You already told me that," Dad said.

"Maybe you should wait till Mom gets home. She can show you how she does it," Zoomer suggested.

"Zoomer, please, I just wanna clean your cages," Dad sighed.

"But you have to do it the way Mommy does it," Zoomer thumped.

"What am I doing wrong," Dad asked.

"I didn't say you were doing it wrong just that you aren't doing it the way Mommy does," Zoomer said.

Zoomer thumped as he hopped away from his cage.

Belle was watching. "Mommy puts his hay over there," she whispered.

Dad smiled. "Thank you for the hint."

"You're welcome, Daddy" and she flopped.

After a little while it was Belle's turn to come out so Zoomer hopped back in his cage. He quickly set about putting things where Mommy would have.

Daddy shook his head and went on to clean Belle's cage. Naturally she had to supervise from outside her cage.

Daddy went to put her hay in the same location he had put the hay in Zoomer's. Belle made a little noise and Dad turned to look.

She shook her head. "Not where Mommy puts it."

Daddy sighed and moved the hay to the Mommy-approved location. When he finished Belles' cage he sat down on the couch.

Belle hopped up beside him and stared at him.

Dad grimaced. "Did I forget something?"

Belle nodded.

Dad got up and checked – everything was there.

"I need a hint."

Belle periscoped. "Mommy pets my nose and tells all of us bunnies how we are the bestest bunnies in the world."

"I can do that," Dad said and so he did.

Dad sat back down, taking a well deserved break.

Awhile later, Belle hopped back in her cage. Cola and Duster had already been out and there weren't any issues with how Daddy had cleaned their cages.

"OK, now it's time for bunny bedtime breakfast," Dad announced and there were four happy bunnies.

Dad went to the fridge and got the shredded carrots. He gave each rabbit their bedtime breakfast and went to put the carrots back in the fridge. When he came back into the living room, he saw all the bunnies staring at the food.

"OK, what's wrong?" he asked.

"Well ..., " Cola started.

"Cola, really?" Dad was shocked that she had an issue, she loves her Daddy.

Cola nodded. "Mom always gives us bedtime breakfast with a pet on the head and tells us she loves us."

Dad was quick to correct the error of his ways just in time for Mommy to walk through the door.

"Mommy!" four bunnies chorused.

Mom laughed as Dad sighed.

"Rough night?" she asked.

"I need to take notes next time you do cages and bedtime bunny breakfast," Dad said. "Apparently you have a bunny approved routine."

Mom and Dad both laughed as the four bunnies nodded in agreement.

### THE NEW NEMESIS

Cola hopped over to see what Mom was doing.

"Hi, Cola," Mom said, trying to open a package.

"Whatcha got there?" Cola asked.

"Nothing too exciting," Mom replied.

"Whatcha going to do with it?" Cola inquired.

"Nothing too exciting," Mom was choosing her words very carefully.

"Sounds boring," Cola said.

"It will be, very very boring," Mom assured the Bear.

"OK, see you later," and Cola hopped away.

Mom breathed a sigh of relief and started to open the package. When she had fully opened the new shower curtain, she started towards the bathroom.

However, Cola's curiosity was piqued by what Mom had in her hands.

"Oh, that looks interesting," Cola hopped back over to Mom.

"It's really not," Mom stammered.

"What's on it?" Cola periscoped to see.

Mom held out the shower curtain. "Yellow duckies."

"Oh they're cute. Where are you going to do with that?" Cola asked.

"Well I have to hang it in the bathroom," Mom said.

"What is it for?" Cola questioned.

"It, well, it keeps water in the shower, you know, stops it from hitting the floor," Mom was trying to describe the functions of a shower curtain without using the word "curtain."

"Don't want to get the floor all wet," Cola agreed and hopped away to find Duster.

Mom sighed with relief and quickly went to the bathroom.

A few minutes later, Dad entered the living room and Cola hopped up to greet him.

"Hi, Daddy!" she said.

"Hi, Bear, have you seen Mommy?" he asked.

"She went to put the new water stopper in the shower," Cola replied.

"The what?" Dad wondered.

"The thing that keeps water off the floor," Cola said.

"Oh she's hanging the new shower curtain," Dad remembered.

"Excuse you?" Cola asked, her fur mohawk starting to stir.

"The new shower curt ... water stopper, the new water stopper," Dad said quickly, realizing he had used the "forbidden" word.

"No, I heard it. You said it's a shower curtain!" and Bear thumped. "We have blinds on the windows now instead of curtains and you go and get a shower curtain! What were you thinking?"

"Bear, it stays in the bathroom," Dad sighed.

"And it is water-proof!" Cola thumped as her fur-mohawk stood straight up. "It's a curtain on steroids!"

Mom heard the noise and came out of the bathroom. "She knows?"

Dad nodded still trying to assure Bear everything was going to be alright. "We have always had shower curtains. You just didn't know they were shower curtains."

"You and Mom have been lying to me all this time?" Cola was hopping around their feet now.

"No we were protecting you," Mom said.

"From what?" Cola stopped hopping and stared at her at her parents.

"From having to do curtain patrol on another room. We knew how busy you were with curtain patrol in the living room and bedroom," Dad said. "Even with the other bunnies help, it was a lot of work and took up a lot of your time."

"Oh," Cola started to think about it. "I did have a lot of time devoted to curtain patrol in our old apartment and since there are no curtains here, I have had some free time."

"And now you can keep an eye on the curtain in the bathroom," Mom said.

"I have to call a meeting with Duster, Zoomer and Belle and let them know we have to start curtain patrolling again," Cola hopped off to spread the news, her fur falling back into place.

Mom and Dad both sighed with relief.

"Good thinking with the we're doing her a favor angle," Mom said to Dad.

Dad grinned as they watched Cola hop to the bathroom door and stare down the shower curtain. "That's our Bear!"

### OUT IN THE COLD

"Good morning, bunnies," Daddy said.

Cola watched as Daddy opened the balcony door and stepped outside, he wanted to see how much snow was on the car.

Then Mom appeared with bunny breakfast.

Daddy came back in from the balcony and went into the bedroom. Cola however did not see her Daddy return as she was too busy with breakfast.

Mom let Cola and Duster out to hop around.

Time passed and Cola still hadn't seen her Daddy.

She hopped over to the balcony door. She placed her paws on the door and noticed how cold it was.

"Wow, it sure is chilly out there," Cola said loud enough for Mom to hear.

Mom walked across the floor, and locked the balcony door. "Old Man Winter sure is back with a vengeance, Bear."

"Maybe you should let him in," Cola suggested.

"Let in Old Man Winter? What a funny thought," Mom chucked. "Glad we're all inside that's for sure."

"But we're not," Bear said.

Mom had already returned to the kitchen and didn't hear Cola's comment.

Cola quickly hopped to Duster. "Mom just locked Daddy outside."

"She wouldn't do that, Cola," Duster shook his head.

"But he went outside and didn't come back in and she locked the door. He's stuck on the balcony and he wasn't wearing a coat!" Cola insisted.

"If that actually happened, Daddy would knock on the door," Duster said.

"But it's freezing out, he's probably too cold to knock," Cola argued.

Duster stretched knowing there was only one way to solve this. "Let's just ask Mommy to open the door and let him back in."

The two bunnies hopped to the kitchen and Cola explained the predicament to Mom. Before Mom could even say that Daddy was in the apartment, Cola insisted Mom unlock and open the door. And so Mom did.

"See, Cola, no Daddy on the balcony," Mom said.

Cola periscoped, not wanting to get too close to the cold air. "He has to be there! It's snowing, maybe he's covered in snow!"

"Close the door please, it's cold in here," Daddy's voice was heard.

"I knew it! He's stuck under the snow," Cola hopped around in a panic.

"Who's stuck under the snow?" Dad asked.

"Daddy is and Mommy ..." Cola's voice trailed off as she turned around to see her Daddy standing behind her.

Mom closed the door and Cola happily binkied around Daddy, explaining how she was sure Mom locked him outside in the cold.

"All this stress," Cola sighed. "I think we need a treat."

"You just had breakfast," Mom pointed out.

"That was before we thought Daddy was stuck outside," Cola said.

"And he's fine," Mom said.

"We still need a treat," Cola stated. "It's a reward for saving Daddy."

"Saving him from what?" Mom wondered.

"From almost being locked on the balcony and becoming a snowman!" Cola answered.

"I have your treats, Cola," and Daddy gave the bunnies their "rewards."

### THE WATER WHISPERER

"Do you hear that?" Dad asked Mom.

"I do! I thought I was hearing things!" Mom exclaimed.

They paused, both hearing the "mew, mew" noise. But it stopped before they could figure out where it was coming from.

Mom and Dad went back to doing what they were doing, when the noise started up again.

Dad stopped typing and Mom put down her book.

"Mew, mew, mew..."

They looked at each other and then around the living room, still not able to figure out where it was coming from.

"Whatcha doing?" Cola finally asked.

"Don't you hear it?' Mom questioned.

"Hear what?" Bear wondered.

"That mewing noise," Dad replied.

The noise had stopped by then.

Cola scrunched up her nose. "No. Maybe you are hearing things."

"Both of us?" Mom asked.

"I was just trying to make conversation," Cola said and hopped away.

And the elusive sound returned a few moments later.

Mom and Dad stood up, looking around to see what direction the noise was coming from. They were able to narrow down that it was coming from near the rabbit cages.

"Funny, it's not bothering them at all," Dad mused.

"And they usually react to new sounds," Mom said, knowing there would be bunny ears at full attention if it was an unknown noise.

"So they have heard it before," Dad reasoned.

Mom and Dad made their way to where the cages were located. Zoomer and Belle watched as their parents approached as quietly as they could.

"Do you have treats for us?" Zoomer asked.

"Treats!" Belle binkied, making lots of noise.

The mewing sound was lost.

Mom and Dad sighed, sure they would never solve the mystery.

"Duster, don't drink too much water or you won't have room for treats," Cola said.

Duster looked up from his water bowl. "I always have room for treats," and he went back to enjoying his water.

"Mew, mew, mew."

Mom and Dad looked at each other and then at Duster.

The lop looked up when he saw they were staring at him.

"You're making that noise!" Mom said.

"I always talk to my water," Duster replied matter-of-factly.

"I guess we just never heard it before," Dad said.

"And he still has room for treats!" Cola told the parents.

"We can take a hint," Mom replied and headed to the kitchen to get the bunnies some treats.

### THE MUFFIN MYSTERY

Mom came out of the kitchen with a treat for herself.

Cola stared at the item. "What is that?"

"It's a chocolate chip muffin," Mom replied.

Belle was curious. "What's a chocolate chip muffin?"

Mom wasn't sure how to explain it so she showed it to the baby bunny. "Um, this is."

"What are those black spots in it?" Duster asked.

"Those are the chocolate chips," Mom sighed as her snack turned into an interview.

"What are those spots made from?" Zoomer inquired.

"Chocolate ..." Mom whispered.

Belle was horrified. "You're eating Spots?"

"No, no, those black dots are chocolate chips," Mom assured Belle that no spots of any kind would ever be had for a snack.

"They look like our pellets," Cola observed.

"Did you bake our pellets into that muffin?" Duster asked.

Mom shook her head "no."

"Those dots look like poop," Belle said.

"You're right, they do!" Zoomer exclaimed.

That observation caused all four bunnies to scrunch up their noses.

Mom looked at the muffin. "It's not made with pellets or poop."

Mom stood there for a minute, staring at the muffin.

"What's wrong?" Cola asked.

"All of a sudden, this isn't such an appealing snack for right now," Mom sighed and went to put the kitchen.

"Since you're not eating, can you bring us some snacks?" Cola called out.

"Sure thing," Mom replied, and set about getting the bunnies some treats.

### ALAS AN ALIAS

"Mom, Dad, what are drapes?" Cola asked, hopping up to her parents as they stood in the kitchen.

The bunny parents looked at each other, not sure how to respond.

"Where did you hear that word?" Mom asked.

"Oh, you know, around," Cola replied.

"Drapes are not important" Dad said.

"Well what are they?" Cola persisted.

"A home accessory," Mom replied quickly.

"For where?" the black dwarf bunny wondered.

"Oh, you know, for a room," Dad said.

"What do they look like?" Cola continued to question.

Mom and Dad exchanged nervous glances.

"Well they're made of fabric," Mom said slowly.

"Yep, fabric, that sums up drapes," Dad said. "You want a treat, Cola?"

"Sure, but after I find out what drapes are!" Cola stated.

Mom sighed. "You want to tell her, Dad?"

"Not really," Dad admitted.

"Well one of us has to," Mom said.

Dad sighed. "Alright, Cola, drapes are large pieces of fabric that cover things."

"That's it?" Cola asked.

Both parents nodded.

Then Belle's voice floated into the kitchen. "Drapes sound a lot like these curtain things you keep telling me about."

Cola stared at her parents as they both paled.

"Curtains?" Cola started to hop back in forth in front of Mom and Dad. "Curtains? Are drapes curtains?"

"No, they're drapes," Mom pretty much whispered.

By now Cola's ears were flat against her head and the fur mohawk on her back was on the rise.

"How about that treat?" Dad asked.

"I don't have time for treats right now," Cola thumped. "I have to have an emergency Curtain Patrol meeting to let everyone know that curtains have an alias. And that our parents knew that and didn't tell us."

"Treats?" Mom offered.

"Please get the treats and follow me," Cola said. "You two can cater the Curtain Patrol Meeting."

Mom and Dad nodded, got the carrots and followed Cola to the living room so she could inform the other bunnies about the latest curtain chaos she had discovered.

"LETTUCE" ENJOY

Mom distributed the Romaine lettuce between the four bunnies.

Cola, Duster and Zoomer happily munched on the leafy green veggie but Belle was cautious.

She positioned herself on the far side of the cage, keeping lots of distance between the lettuce and The Spots.

Mom noticed Belle shying away from the lettuce. "What's wrong, my baby Belle?"

"What is that?" she asked.

"Lettuce," Mom replied.

"Let us what?" Belle questioned.

Mom paused. "Sorry?"

"Let us what? What do you want to do?" Belle was keeping a close eye on the lettuce leaf.

"I confused you. That green leaf is lettuce. I want you to eat it like the other bunnies are."

"Why?" Belle was in interrogation mode.

"It's good for you."

Belle's ears twitched. "Is it good for The Spots?"

"It's even better for The Spot," Mom said.

"It is good for you?"

Cola, Duster and Zoomer paused, waiting for Mom's reply.

"Yes, it is good for people to eat lettuce," Mom replied.

"Then why aren't you eating some with us now?" Belle wondered.

Cola snickered. "Cause our Mommy doesn't like lettuce."

"Why not?" Belle asked.

"I do like lettuce," Mom defended herself.

"With lots of extras on it," Cola said. "And us bunnies can't have those extras."

Belle scrunched her nose. "Not fair. Mommy can have but bunnies can't? What are they?"

Mom described how she liked lettuce in a Caesar salad.

Belle shook her head. "Those extras sound yucky."

"Well they aren't meant for bunnies anyways. Now you have to at least try the lettuce."

"I will if you will," Belle said.

Cola pretty much flopped over laughing at the look on Mom's face.

"Without any extras, no bacon bits or dressing," Belle said. "If it's good for the bunny, it's good for the Mommy."

Mom smiled. "OK."

And off she went to get a piece of lettuce. She returned and started to nibble on it.

"Yummy," Mom tried to sound like she was enjoying the lettuce without her croutons.

Belle watched as Mom finished the lettuce.

"OK, you're turn," Mom said.

Belle shook her head. "I all full from my hay. I try lettuce later ... maybe. It did not look like it tasted very good from the look on your face."

Mom sighed.

"The Spots want the lettuce out of our cage, please. They don't want the lettuce at our Spot Party," Belle said

Mom removed the lettuce as per The Spots request and Belle set about binkying around the cage.

"Good try, Mom," Cola grinned.

"Thanks, Bear," Mom said.

"Anytime!" Cola assured Mom. "Always happy to help, especially when treats are involved!"

### REFUND REQUESTED

Cola hopped up to Mon and dropped a crumpled, chewed piece of paper at her feet.

"What's that, bear?"

"A receipt," Cola replied, nosing the paper closer to Mom.

Mom picked it up and tried to figure out what it meant.

"I need you to translate."

Cola rolled her eyes. "Oh right, you don't speak or read chewed paper."

"I'll work on that," Mom promised.

"It's a receipt. I want a refund," Cola explained.

Mom was confused,. "A refund for what?"

"Well on January 24th and March 3rd you were late with breakfast," Cola said. "You might want to write these down."

Mom sighed and got a pen and piece of paper.

"OK, February 2nd and 23rd, March 2nd and 23rd and last year on numerous occasions, you took more than 5 minutes to compliment me on my fur first thing in the morning."

"Maybe I was too busy getting you bunny breakfast" Mom suggested.

Cola shook hear head. "No, I would have made a note of it."

"Of course you would have," Mom sighed again.

"That was a little rude. Can I continue now?" Cola asked.

"Sorry, Bear," Mom apologized and sat down.

Cola proceeded to list off instances of Mom not correctly petting her fur, not asking for permission to pet Cola's bunny (AKA Duster), improper treats and anything else she could come up with.

Mom had scribbled nearly two pages. "And all of that was chewed, er recorded on that little piece of paper?"

Cola nodded. "I had to be thorough."

"So what were we hoping to accomplish?" Mom asked.

"I would like a full refund," Cola replied.

"A refund?" Mom wondered.

"I am not a happy Bear customer so I want a refund," Cola said.

"But, Cola, you didn't pay for any of those things. Refunds usually have to do with things you pay for," Mom explained.

"Do I love you?" Cola asked.

Mom had to laugh. "Sometimes, usually when food is involved."

"Oh, Mom, I do love you. I just love Dad more," Cola assured Mom. "See, I pay you with love."

Mom smiled. "You want a treat, don't you?"

"Yes!" Cola binkied.

"Why didn't you just asked for a treat?" Mom questioned.

"That's too predictable and boring," Cola grinned. "Now about that treat..."

"Treat after truth, did you really keep that list?"

"No," Cola admitted. "But you do need to work on your treat response time. Like right now!"

And off Mom went to get the Bear and the other bunnies some treats.

### COLA AND THE CONFETTI

Mom was in the kitchen preparing to empty the back of the paper punch and free the hundreds of little paper circles. At the exact moment Mom undid the back of the paper punch, she sneezed. Cola had been on her way to see what Mom was doing – instead of getting the bunnies treats – when the sneeze spread the confetti-like circles all over the place.

"ACHOO!" Mom hollared.

"Ack!" Cola thumped, fleeing the kitchen.

Cola hopped quickly to the living room.

"What happened?" Duster asked.

"Mom wasn't getting us treats and when I went to point out the error of her ways, there was an achoo," Cola muttered.

"An achoo?" Duster, Zoomer and Belle echoed.

Cola nodded, wondering how they did not hear it.

"Is Mom OK?" Zoomer asked.

Cola rolled her eyes. "What about me? I was achooed too!"

"What exactly is an achoo?" Duster wondered.

The black dwarf bunny shrugged.

Belle periscoped and stared at Cola. "Spots."

"Pardon?" Cola asked.

"An achoo is a spot explosion," Belle binkied.

Duster and Zoomer stared at Cola.

"Cola got spots!" Belle was so happy.

Cola's face was blank. "No."

Zoomer and Duster looked where Belle was and sure enough, Cola had spots.

"White spots!" Belle exclaimed.

Cola shook her head. "You three are hallucinating spots."

Mom came out of the kitchen, broom and dust pan in hand. "I made quite the mess, bunnies. Treats after I sweep."

Cola thumped.

"It won't take me long to sweep and for you to get your treats," Mom assured her.

"I have spots on my fur," Cola whispered, finally seeing what the other bunnies had been staring at.

"Spots!" Belle binkied again.

Cola was trying to reach the paper circles that speckled her back.

"Want me to help you?" Mom offered.

"No way! You and your achoo gave me the spots! I don't want Mommy germs and spots!" Cola hopped to Duster. "Save my fur."

Duster began grooming Cola and her temporary spots fell to the floor.

"Aw, don't got spots," Belle shook her head sadly.

Cola sighed happily. "My beautiful fur is back. Spots look great with your fur, Belle, but not mine."

Belle binkied. "Love my spots."

Mom had gone to the kitchen and reappeared with treats. She gave them to Zoomer, Duster and Belle.

"Can you accept a treat or will you get Mommy germs?" Mom asked Bear.

Cola scrunched up her nose and sighed dramatically. "I guess I can accept a treat."

Mom was trying not to laugh. "I know it's asking a lot."

"It is," Cola agreed, munching on the carrot. "Maybe next time you can give us treats without an achoo traumatizing me and my fur."

Mom hid her smirk. "I'll work on that."

Another dramatic diva sigh. "I guess that's all we can ask for. Well maybe we could ask for another treat so you can work on not achooing."

"Good try, Bear," Mom had to laugh.

"Just trying to help," Bear assured Mom, hopping away to plan the next treat attempt.

### GRIZZLY BUNNIES

When Cola watches TV you never know what the outcome will be. So when Mom notices Cola totally absorbed in a show, she took a deep breath and sat down with her.

"Hi, Bear."

"Shhh," Cola exclaimed. "Can't you see I am busy?"

Mom nodded and then whispered. "What are we watching?"

"It's a show about Grizzly bunnies and how hard it is to get food in the wild," Cola sounded sad. "I guess the Park Ranger was late with bunny breakfast and the Grizzly bunnies got really mad."

"Grizzly bunnies," Mom repeated.

"They have got to be the biggest bunnies I ever saw! But the TV voice keeps calling them Grizzly bears. I think I need to write a letter and complain they are misinforming viewers," Cola said, never taking her eyes off the screen.

Mom finally focused her eyes on the TV. The footage showed bears going through a campsite looking for food.

"The campers shouldn't make the Grizzly bunnies play hide and seek with their breakfast. They should share with the Grizzly bunnies," Cola commented.

There were no sign of campers on the program. Mom figured out it was a show telling people how to safely store food to keep bears out of their campsites.

"Maybe they went to find the Park Ranger and see what is taking so long with breakfast," Mom said.

"That would be the smart thing to do," Cola replied.

The Grizzlies had pretty much destroyed the camp and found no food. One of the Grizzles sat down, looking frustrated.

"Maybe they could order something for delivery," Cola suggested.

Mom smile. "Might be hard to get something delivered to the forest, but a good idea."

Cola stretched and then periscoped. "I guess I'm lucky I am a Cola Bear and don't have to wait for someone to bring me breakfast. You're usually on time."

Mom looked at Cola.

"Except when you get distracted by a TV show and me and the three bunnies have to wait for breakfast," Cola said.

"Not very subtle are you?" Mom asked Cola.

"Not on time with breakfast are you?" Bear countered.

Mom took the hint and went to get breakfast, thankful she had a Cola Bear and not a Grizzly bunny waiting impatiently for breakfast.

### BRAIN FREEZE

"Ow, ow, ow," Mom jumped up from the couch, her hand pressed to her forehead.

"What's wrong?" Zoomer hopped to his feet. He was a Mommy's bunny and need to know she was OK.

"Brain freeze," Mom replied.

Cola, Duster and Belle were watching Mom.

"What does that mean?" Belle asked.

"Mom's brain is frozen?" Duster wondered.

"Frozen like ice?" Cola speculated.

"It's OK," Mom assured the bunnies. "Just need to warm up."

Mom disappeared into the kitchen.

Belle was still confused. "What's going on?"

"Mom's brain is frozen – like ice – maybe she can't think," Duster said.

"Or remember..." Cola said. "Like remember we already had breakfast! Maybe we can get a second breakfast!"

"What if she doesn't remember us?" Zoomer whispered.

"Mom could never forget us," Belle said. "Even baby bunny knows that."

Zoomer flopped, life was good as long as he knew Mom would remember him.

"Repeat breakfast?" Belle asked.

"We could try," Cola nodded.

Duster shook his head. "Don't corrupt the baby bunny."

"With spots," Belle added.

"With spots," Duster echoed.

"Belle and The Spots aren't corrupted – they are growing bunny and spots and need a second breakfast," Cola replied.

"And what's your reason for needed a second breakfast?" Duster asked.

Cola shrugged,. It's breakfast – I don't need a reason."

"Spots are hungry," Belle binkied.

"Bear hungry too – this is what we need to do," Cola replied.

When Mom returned to the living room -

"Mom alright?" Belle asked. "The Spots were worried."

"You can tell The Spots Mom is fine," Mom assured Belle.

Cola stretched. "Mom, I don't think you're alright."

"Huh?" Mom asked.

"You went into the kitchen to get us breakfast and yet here you are – no breakfast," Cola said.

Mom paused. "But we already ate."

"Yesterday morning we had breakfast," Cola cut in.

Mom looked at the four bunnies. She was positive she had given them breakfast. Duster and Zoomer were both flopped over. Cola was staring at her and baby bunny Belle looked ready to binky all over the place.

"No breakfast yet?' Mom asked.

Mom Cola and Belle looked at each other. "Not yet."

Mom went back into the kitchen and was getting ready to peel a banana when she noticed there was already a banana peel in the garbage.

Mom smiled. "Cola and her treats and now she has Belle on board."

Mom decided to play along.

"Just a minute bunnies, I'll be right out with food."

Belle and Cola binkied.

Just then, the phone rang. Mom answered it.

"Are you sure? Forever? Okay, I'll let them know," the bunnies heard Mom say.

Mom came back into the living room, looking very serious, no treats in hand.

"I have news, bad news," she said.

The bunnies all sat up.

"That was the Breakfast Police and they said that breakfast has been canceled – forever," Mom said, trying to sound devastated.

"The Breakfast Police? How'd they know what we were doing?" Cola grumbled.

"What was that, Cola?" Mom asked.

"Nothing, nothing at all," Bear replied.

Belle was not happy or discreet. "The Spots are hungry – need second breakfast."

"Second breakfast?" Mom asked.

"Oops," Belle whispered. "Um, The Spots have an appointment to get to."

Mom looked at Belle. "An appointment?"

Belle hopped to her litter area. "Potty time appointment – excuse us."

Cola covered her eyes with her paws. "There are no Breakfast Police, are there, Mom?"

"No," Mom replied, she had used her cell phone to call the house phone.

"And no second breakfast?" Cola was holding out hope.

Mom shook her head no. "But there will be breakfast tomorrow, that I can promise you. And maybe a treat later."

"So your brain wasn't frozen?" Cola asked. "That's how you remembered?"

"Of course my brain wasn't frozen. I drank something cold and it hurt my head – it's just called brain freeze, doesn't really happen though."

"But if it did ever really happen, that would be the perfect time to try this again?" Cola said.

"Uh I guess it would be," Mom had to agree.

"Good to know. Well I hope it doesn't happen when you go to bring us that treat later. Wouldn't want you to forget that," Cola said.

"I'm very confident you won't let me ever forget that," Mom said with a smile.

"You know me so well," Cola replied and settled in to await the arrival of the promised treat.

### BREAKFAST BATTLES

Bang! Bang! Thump! Thump!

Mom and Dad stumbled out of the bedroom.

"Bunnies ... here ..." Mom mumbled.

"What's wrong?" Dad asked.

"It's 6:30 am and we don't have breakfast," Cola said,

"And that is very wrong," Belle stated.

"We want to sleep in," Mom pretty much whined.

"And we want treats," Zoomer countered.

"We're the parents," Dad said.

"We are the bunnies – more of us than there are of you," Duster replied happily.

Mom sighed. "You can't just wake us up because you want treats."

"Yes, we can," Cola smiled.

"We just did," Belle added.

"Going back to bed," Dad sighed. "Breakfast later."

"Going to make noise," Cola replied. "Breakfast now, please."

"I think we need to set up some ground rules," Mom said.

"You're grounded till we get breakfast," Duster said.

"Not quite what I meant," Mom replied.

Belle periscoped. "The Spots need breakfast."

"The Spots can wait just like the bunnies can," Dad said. "Rule # 1 – no waking up parents because you want breakfast."

"We don't like that rule," Zoomer replied.

"Well we are the parents, we made the rule and it stays," Mom said.

Cola sighed. "And you are the parents that are already awake and would be back in bed if you had just given us breakfast."

Mom and Dad looked at each other.

"It's OK," Cola said. "I'm used to being right.

The bunny parents quietly went to the kitchen and got the requested breakfast. Once breakfast was distributed and the bunnies were happily munching away, the parents were allowed to return to their sleep.

"Good night, you two," Belle called out.

"See you at lunch time," Cola said. "Don't worry, we won't let you be late for lunch!"

### SHREDDING SUCCESS

"Mom, I need help!" Cola exclaimed, hopping to where Mom was standing.

"What's going on?" Mom asked.

"I need the phone book ASAP!" Cola said.

Mom got the phone book out of the cupboard and followed Cola to the living room.

"I need you to open the book to where vacuums are," Cola instructed. " And then put the book on the floor."

Mom did as requested.

Cola circled the phone book and then hopped onto it. She shredded the pages in record time. Bear hopped to the side.

"OK, now we need to find curtains."

Mom was hiding the smile as she turned to the curtains heading.

Cola pretended to walk away from the phone book. She then quickly leaped onto the drapery directory.

In a few minutes that section of the phone book was a shredded pile of black and white paper.

"Good work, Bear!" Mom said.

"One more I need to eliminate," Cola whispered. "Once I tear them out of the phone book, no one can look up their business address or phone number anymore."

"What category would that be?" Mom questioned.

"The V-E-T," Cola scrunched up her nose.

"Of course," Mom nodded.

Mom searched for the veterinarian pages as Cola did some stretches. She was ready for this.

Mom placed the book on the floor. Cola periscoped and then hopped with all her might, landing right in the middle of the directory and shredded with all she had.

"That's for me, and my fur!" she tore at a page. "That's for every bunny you ever stole fur from."

It only took a minute really. Cola obliterated the veterinarian pages. Cola hopped out of the heap of shredded paper.

"Sorry for the mess, Mom, but it had to be done," Cola sighed.

Mom smiled.

"It was for the best. I don't mind cleaning this up," Mom assured Bear.

"Wow, I worked up quite an appetite," Cola sighed.

"All that hard work deserves a treat," Mom agreed.

"Thanks, Mom. I'll be cuddling with Duster," Cola said and hopped off to see her lop and to share the good news with Zoomer and Belle.

### LIFE BEFORE BUNNIES

"Mom, we need to talk to you," Cola said.

"Sure thing, what's up?" Mom asked.

"You may want to sit down, this could take awhile," Cola advised.

Mom pulled a chair up in front of the cages.

"Mom, we need to know something," Duster said.

"It's really important," Zoomer told Mom.

"Even The Spots want to know," Belle added.

"This sounds serious," Mom said. "Go ahead, what is it you need to know?"

"What was your life like before you were adopted by bunnies?" the four rabbits chorused.

Mom smiled, relieved it was something positive.

"It wasn't as interesting as it is now," Mom admitted.

"Did you have to clean litter boxes?" Belle asked.

Mom nodded. "I have had pets before that used litter boxes."

"Did you have to clean as many litter boxes as you do now?" Cola wondered.

"No, I think you bunnies win the largest number of litter boxes I clean on a daily basis," Mom said.

"Yay, us!" Belle binkied.

"Did you have other pets that liked treats?" Duster asked.

Mom nodded yes. "But I think again you bunnies like, and get the most treats. And you can thank Cola for that."

Cola looked so proud of herself. "Finally some recognition."

"Were the other animals in your life as cute as us?" Zoomer asked.

"No, rabbits are the cutest animals I have had in my life," Mom assured Zoomer.

"Did any other animals wake you up?" Cola asked.

"Not as consistently as you, my dear Bear," Mom replied.

"We're awesome," Cola looked at the other rabbits.

"Did you have Spots in your life before?" Belle wondered.

"No, no Spots before bunnies," Mom answered.

"Did you have any idea how evil curtains are before we came along?" Cola asked.

"No, I really didn't know the truth about curtains, Cola," Mom acknowledged.

"So your life got a whole bunch better when bunnies adopted you!" Cola exclaimed.

"Yes, it certainly did," Mom nodded.

"And with that, I think we deserve treats, for making your life as great as it is today," Cola said modestly.

And Mom could not have agreed more, and went to get the bunnies their well deserved treats.

### RAINY DAY REASONING

Mom put the book back on the shelf.

Cola hopped up to her. "Don't you want to read that today? I could help, you know, chew a few pages for you."

Mom laughed. "Thanks for the offer but I'm going to save that book for a rainy day."

Cola was confused. "You can only read that book on a day it rains?"

"No, it means I am saving it for a rainy day, to have something to do," Mom explained.

"Why?" Cola questioned.

Mom looked at the black dwarf bunny. "So I won't be bored I guess."

"How can you be bored with me and Duster and Zoomer and Belle around?" Cola wondered.

Mom smiled. "Good point but there are times when you bunnies aren't having adventures and I have a few minutes to read."

"But only on rainy days," Cola added.

Mom sighed. "Reading that book on a rainy day will be la treat for me."

"Treat" was a word Cola certainly understood!

"A treat? But why would you want to wait for a treat? What if it doesn't rain for a long time and I can't have a treat till it rains?" Cola was hopping back and forth.

"Cola, I didn't say you and the other bunnies have to wait for a rainy day to have a treat," Mom assured Bear.

"Oh thank goodness, that was really stressing out me and my fur. That's double the stress, Mom," Cola persicoped.

Mom stared at Cola.

"You know what happens when me and my fur are stressed," Cola said.

Mom continued to stare at Bear.

"Do I really have to say it?" Cola sighed.

Mom nodded.

"I need a treat. My fur needs a treat and the other bunnies could probably use a treat too while you're at it," Cola was to the point.

Mom took the book back off the shelf.

Cola looked at her. "Is it going to rain?"

"I don't know, but you're right, why wait for a treat?" Mom said.

"Wow, we're starting to think alike!" Cola did a small binky and lead the way to the kitchen so she could help Mom pick out the appropriate treat.

### TREAT REVENGE?

"Oh this is not good!" the bunnies heard Dad exclaim from the kitchen.

Then they heard the cupboard doors being opened and closed and then being opened and closed again.

"This is a dark, dark day!" Dad called out, more cupboard doors being opened and closed.

"What's going on?" Cola asked Mom.

Mom was sitting on the couch. "Dad is out of his favorite snack, you know those cookies he likes."

"Oh," all four bunnies chorused.

Dad came out of the kitchen. "Are you sure, 100% positive we don't have any?"

Mom nodded.

"Would you maybe have put them in the closet?" Dad questioned.

Mom shook her head. "No, but you can always triple check it ..."

Dad sighed and headed off to the bedroom.

"Wow, this is really bad," Duster whispered.

"Kind of like when you don't have potato chips," Zoomer said to Mom.

"I think this is worse than that," Mom admitted.

Dad came out of the bedroom,. No, no cookies in there. Are you sure the store is closed?"

"Till 8:00 am tomorrow," Mom confirmed.

Dad flopped onto the chair in front of the computer.

Cola hopped up to him. "This reminds me of when we were out of bunny treats cause someone forgot to buy them and the store was closed."

Dad looked at Cola. "Did you hide my cookies?"

Cola rolled her eyes. "How would I reach the cupboard, Dad?"

"Maybe Zoomer or Duster or Belle helped you. Is this revenge for us running out of your treats once?" Dad wondered.

Belle laughed. "Daddy is funny."

Mom smiled. "Maybe Daddy should go to bed. And when he wakes up the store will be open and we can get him his cookies."

"Good idea," Dad agreed, he said good night to Mom and the bunnies.

"And maybe you can dream about the cookies till then!" Cola called out.

Dad nodded. "That's a happy thought. Thanks, Cola."

"Night, Dad!" the bunnies chorused.

"Whew, that was close, can we have a treat now?" Cola asked Mom.

Mom laughed.

"Well it wasn't fair that we get a treat and Dad doesn't have any," Cola reasoned.

"Very thoughtful of you," Mom replied.

"We try," Cola hopped beside Mom to the kitchen. "Maybe we could each have two treats, since we're so thoughtful and all?"

"Sure, why not. Just don't tell, Dad!" Mom said.

Cola promised and hopped off to share the good treat news with Duster, Zoomer and Belle.

### TAIL TWIN

"Cola, that loose piece of fur must be annoying," Mom said, looking at Cola's lower back area.

Cola looked over her shoulder. "What loose fur?"

"The one right beside your tail," Mom replied. "You sure are shedding."

Cola tensed at the word "shedding" and turned to look at Mom. "That is NOT loose fur, that is my tail twin."

"Pardon?" Mom asked.

"My tail twin," Cola replied, hopping over to where Mom was sitting.

Cola turned so Mom could get a closer look.

"I'm pretty sure that is loose fur just waiting to be shed," Mom countered.

Cola shook her head. "Trust me, I know my fur. My tail has a twin. It just recently decided to join us."

Mom pulled a Cola and scrunched up her nose. "Just suddenly joined you?"

"Kind of like a long lost relative," Cola commented.

"That just decided to join you, right around the time you start to shed, convenient," Mom observed.

"I do not shed," Cola mumbled.

"Hey how about I brush your fur? Make it look all nice," Mom asked.

"You just want to see if my tail twin will shed," Cola accused Mom.

Mom tried to look offended. "I'd never do that."

Cola glared at her.

"OK, fine, this whole tail twin thing is very suspicious though," Mom said.

"Me and my tail and its twin have things to do, far away from you and a brush," Cola replied and hopped over to cuddle with Duster.

"OK, Cola Bear, you and your tail and its twin have a good nap with Duster," Mom smiled.

"Oh we will," Cola assured Mom. "And don't be late with our after-nap treat."

Mom smiled as she watched Cola hop over to where Duster was laying, the tail twin bouncing as she hopped.

### RABBIT RADAR

Cola hopped to where Mom was standing. "What's that?"

"My new bunny statue," Mom placed it on the shelf.

Cola periscoped. "You sure have a lot of statues."

"I collect them," Mom said. "I am so glad your Dad saw this one."

"Dad saw it?" Cola asked.

Mom nodded. "He thought it would be the perfect addition to the collection"

"Huh," Cola replied. "It's cute. Gotta go find something to do..."

Mom smiled and Cola hopped off to fins Dad. He was in the kitchen.

Cola hopped up to him and nosebonked his ankle.

"Hi, Bear."

The she started to dig at his socks.

"OK, OK I'll get you a treat," Dad mumbled.

"I don't want a treat," Cola exclaimed.

"You don't want a treat?" Dad asked.

"We need to ration the ones we have," Cola replied.

Dad was confused.

"Mom keeps on adding statues to her collection. She's spending treat money on fake bunnies!" Cola said.

"That one was from the dollar store," Dad said. "It cost us a whole dollar."

"Plus tax! A dollar that could have gone to bunny treats and even worse Mom said you saw it!" Cola accused.

Dad laughed. "I sometimes have rabbit radar when it comes to finding rabbit related items."

"Well shut the radar off!" Cola thumped.

Dad sighed. "Cola, trust me, we'll always make sure you have treats before Mom buys a dollar store bunny statue."

Cola looked relieved. "Thanks, Dad. That was stressful. Now I do need a treat."

Dad obliged, making sure Cola, Duster, Zoomer and Belle got a treat.

### ALLERGY ALLEGATIONS

"Achoo!" Dad sneezed.

Cola hopped to her feet, little ears honing in on the noise.

"Achoo! Achoo!" Dad sneezed again.

Cola hopped towards her Daddy as Mom entered the living room.

"Are you alright?" Mom and Bear asked at the same time.

"I think I'm getting sick," Dad said.

"Sick of Mom?" Cola asked.

Mom looked at the black dwarf bunny.

"Just kidding," Cola said and then hopped up to Dad and whispered. "But seriously, between us – sick of Mom?"

"No, I am not sick of Mom," Dad whispered back to Cola.

"Just wanted to make sure," Cola said.

"Cola, don't you have some curtain surveillance to do?" Mom asked.

"Nope, it's all secure," Cola replied. "Maybe you have an allergy."

"That could be it," Dad agreed.

"I bet you're allergic to Mom," Cola said.

Mom stared at Bear.

"Maybe you could stay with Grandma and Grandpa while we rule out if Dad is allergic to you," Cola suggested. "You could call us on weekends."

"Don't you mean visit on weekends?" Mom was a bit sarcastic.

"No! You can't visit if he is allergic to you," Cola replied.

"Maybe he's allergic to bears," Mom said.

"I'm a bunny," Cola had an answer for everything.

"You're a bunny when it's convenient," Mom smiled.

"Achoo! Maybe I'm allergic to both of you," Dad mumbled.

"Pardon?" Mom and Cola asked.

"Nothing, nothing. I'm just going to go over here with my cold and leave you two to discuss whatever you need to," Dad said and flopped onto the couch.

Mom and Cola looked at each other.

"Feel like a treat?" Mom asked Bear.

"Of course," Cola followed Mom to the kitchen to get the bunnies some treats and a box of tissues for Dad.

### BUN-E-MAIL

Cola hopped up to the computer desk where Mom was sitting.

"I need your help," Cola said.

"Anything for a Bear," Mom replied as she stopped typing.

Cola periscoped,. "I need you to send a letter for me."

"A letter?" Mom asked.

"Yep, use that computer thing and send a letter," Cola confirmed.

"To whom?" Mom questioned.

"The maker of treats," Cola replied.

Mom smiled, to Cola "treats" was a food group.

"An e-mail would be faster."

"Then do that please. Let's send a bun-e-mail," Cola hopped up on the couch.

Mom opened a blank text document, waiting for Cola to dictate.

"Dear Treat Maker, This is Cola," she paused. "Do you think I need to say Cola Bear?"

Mom smiled. "I think you're OK with just Cola."

Cola returned to her dictation. "I am writing to say thank you for all the treats you make. Treats are my favorite food. I wish Mom and Dad weren't so stingy with them sometimes but I know that isn't your fault."

Mom paused.

Cola looked at her. "Not done yet."

Mom resumed her typing position.

"If you ever need to add a bear – or bunny – to your staff please feel free to contact me. I will always be happy to be a treat taste tester. Thanks for all your hard work, Yours truly, Cola."

Mom finished typing and read it back to the Bear.

"Perfect," Cola binkied.

Mom saved the document and pretended to send an e-mail. "Great, I am sure the Treat Maker will appreciate your e-mail."

Cola periscoped to see the computer screen. "Did they reply?"

Mom hadn't anticipated that question.

"Not yet."

"But isn't that what makes bun-e-mail so great is that it's so fast?" Cola questioned.

"It is but they have to have time to read it and then reply," Mom explained.

"Oh," Cola said and sat down on the couch.

"Maybe while you wait you could do a curtain patrol," Mom suggested. "I don't trust that shower curtain. I am pretty sure those ducks on it are planning something."

"I knew it!" Cola thumped hopping off the couch and bee-lining it to the bathroom.

Mom had to think and type quick. She knew when Cola got back she'd expect a reply from the Treat Maker.

About twenty minutes later, the black dwarf bunny returned.

"All is good?" Mom asked.

"It was close, think I got there just in time. A shower curtain with ducks, Mom, that's double the trouble," Cola sighed. "Did the Treat Maker reply?'

"Yes!" Mom exclaimed.

Cola hopped back onto the couch, hopping back and forth. "Read it, read it, read it please!"

"Dear Cola, thank you so much for your bun-e-mail! What a wonderful surprise to get a letter from Cola Bear! I work extra hard knowing how much you love treats. If I ever have an opening on staff for a bear – or bunny – the job is yours! I'll keep creating treats and you keep enjoying them! All the best, The Treat Maker," Mom read.

Cola was doing bunny laps on the couc. "Wow! The Treat Maker knows who I am! And you read that – I might someday have a job with the Treat Maker! I gotta go tell Duster and Zoomer and Belle!"

And off hopped a very happy Bear!

### BUNNY BEAR

"Mom!" Cola was hopping around her cage excitedly.

Mom poked her head out of the kitchen. "What's wrong, Bear?"

"I need to see Dad right away!" Cola persicoped.

"Daddy's taking a nap, can it wait for a bit?" Mom asked.

Cola thumped her little foot. "No, this cannot wait! I need Daddy!"

Zoomer, Belle and Duster were watching Cola have a mini meltdown. The only end result would be that she would get what she wanted.

Mom sighed and walked over and released the Bear from her cage.

Cola bee-lined it to the bedroom door.

"It's closed! I need Daddy!" Bear thumped again.

Mom quietly opened the door.

Cola rushed into the bedroom and hopped onto the bed. She dug at the blankets.

"Daddy!"

Dad sat up. "Huh?"

Cola binkied. "Daddy!"

"Cola? What's wrong? Mom not give you a treat again?" Dad asked sleepily.

"Nothing wrong, I could use a treat though," Cola sat down beside Dad. "I have news!"

Mom and Dad looked at each other.

"And what's that?" Mom asked.

"I know what type of bear I am," Cola announced.

Mom and Dad stared at her.

"I have decided ..." she paused. "I am a Bunny Bear."

"Bunny Bear?" Dad repeated.

"Yes, a very rare bear. The only one in the world!" Cola was very proud.

"You just decided this?" Mom asked.

Cola nodded. "I didn't know I was on a timeline. Anyways, I'm a Bunny Bear. I have the best features of both animals – the cuteness of a bunny and the fierceness of a bear."

Dad petted Cola. "And does the Bunny Bear need a treat?"

"You know it!" Cola hopped off the bed and waited for Dad to follow her to the kitchen.

### COLA'S CLOUD CONCEPT

"So pretty," Belle said, looking out the window.

Cola's ears twitched. "What do you see?"

"Fluffy white things in the sky," Belle whispered.

"Oh those are clouds," Cola said.

"Clouds," Belle repeated. "What are they made from?"

Now Duster and Zoomer took an interest in the conversation as Cola is known for being quite knowledgeable about, well, pretty much everything.

"Bunny fur," the black dwarf bunny replied.

"Bunny fur?" Duster, Zoomer and Belle repeated.

Cola stretched and nodded.

"Yep, when we shed our fur – or when a vet steals it and the fur is able to escape from the vet – it floats up to the sky. It reunites will all other bunny fur and they make clouds."

Belle looked at her fur. "My fur makes cloud?"

"Definitely. You and Zoomer have white fur so it makes the bright clouds."

"Wow, that's neat," Zoomer groomed his white paws.

Duster was curious. "What type of clouds does my fur make?"

"Well your fur is grey and mine is black, so our fur tends to create storm clouds, you know, the kind that bring snow and rain," Cola answered.

Duster's eye got big. "Wow, our fur is pretty impressive."

Cola smiled, always happy to talk about her fur. "It is. Humans underestimate the power of bunny fur."

### DUSTER

TRIPLE THREAT OF CUTENESS

*big bunny stretch*

Duster has to get ready ... Mom is getting up soon to go to work! She has her routine and so does Duster ... as her baby boy bunny he cannot disappoint his Mom in the morning. This level of adorability just doesn't happen, ya know ;)

Phase 1: Duster assumes his "bunny's eye view" of the kitchen pose (he sits on his haunches and places his front paws on his food bowl) ... Mom loves this pose ... from there he can see what Mom is getting him and Cola for bunny breakfast!!

After they have breakfast, Mom then gives the bunnies some fresh water ...

Phase 2: Nice cool water ... and when Duster sips the water he makes a squeaking noise .... Mom says it sounds like "mew, mew, mew" ...

As Mom finishes getting ready for work, Duster prepares for his grand finale.

Phase 3: The stretch and flop!

By now Mom is in front of the cages, saying good bye and telling the bunnies she loves them ... and of course, noticing how cute Duster is stretched out on his side, licking his paws, getting ready for his nap.

Mission accomplished! Mommy is happy!

Duster loves his ladies - his Cola and Mommy (and he loves Daddy too of course) ... what more could a bunny want?

### HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY

Duster wrote poems for Cola and Mommy:

For my Mommy:

Carrots are orange

Raisins are sweet

I love you Mommy

Please give me a treat

For Cola:

My Valentine's bunny is Cola

She has really nice fur

We like to cuddle all day

My heart belongs to her

### RE: BUNNY BODYGUARD BLOG BY COLA-Duster's side of the story

A few weekends ago, on Saturday morning, Mom and Dad were up earlier than normal. Cola and Duster waited to be set free to explore the living room. Mom got a phone call and a few minutes later there was a knock at our door. Mom invited the visitor in.

The "visitor" was a nurse sent by Daddy's Life Insurance company to do a physical. Mom and Dad talked to the lady, they were laughing and the lady walked by our cages, mentioned how cute the bunnies were and then sat down in the living room.

Duster was very happy to see this new lady visitor and sat "handsome" as Mommy calls it. Duster wanted out of his cage to meet this visitor! So Mom opened the cages and out Duster went ... right to the lady. He sniffed around her, curious but still cautious enough to not let her get close enough to actually pet him ... he was curious about the bags she brought with her – could there be treats in there??

Cola hopped out of her cage joined him underneath the chair the nurse was sitting in.

The nurse moved from the chair she was sitting in to the one in front of the computer. Cola and Duster moved to behind the chair where Mommy was sitting. Duster stretched out but Cola was on guard – keeping her eyes on this visitor. She started doing some paperwork, all the while talking to Mom and Dad ... Cola was suspicious of her ... Cola thought she talked too much – probably trying to distract Mom and Dad for some evil reason!!

Then the nurse asked Daddy to sit in the chair she had been sitting in. Daddy sat down and the nurse went to her bag and brought out a machine used to check Daddy's blood pressure. Cola thought it was a weapon used to choke Daddy's arm and she thumped her cute little foot.

The nurse laughed – such a nice lady with a nice laugh, making sure our Daddy is healthy!

Mom and the nice lady kept talking.

Cola crept towards the bags she had brought with her ... wondering what other torture devices did she have in there??

Cola ran back to where Duster was relaxing and thumped again.

"Get away from my Daddy!"

Mom reached down from her chair and petted her. "It's OK, Cola."

"OK?" Cola shook her head and thumped> "It's not OK! Some stranger is choking my Daddy's arm and all you can do is sit here and laugh with her!!"

"Tsk, tsk, Cola ... Mommy would not let anyone hurt Daddy! You are being silly," Duster said to her.

Cola was not impressed with Duster for not thinking the lady was an evil witch sent to destroy Daddy's arm so he couldn't give the bunnies treats anymore!

The nurse took the device off Daddy's arm and said everything was good and she left shortly afterwards.

Daddy picked Cola up and pet her and let her know he was alright. And then he gave both bunnies a raisin (Duster can't believe Cola forgot to mention that in her blog).

### DUSTER HAD TO DO IT!

Last night, Mommy and Daddy left Cola and Duster out free-range while they took a nap. They always leave the bedroom door open so they can wander in and out to check on them ... well, last night Cola and Duster hopped on in and wow, Mom had quite the case of bed-head! Duster knew he had to fix her hair. He hopped up onto her pillow (he kind of landed on her head) ... and was gently moving her hair around (maybe not so gently ... he did his best not to pull it but it just wasn't co-operating) and ta-da Mom's bed-head went bye bye! What would she do without Duster's help?

### AND SO IT CONTINUES ...

"Good morning, bunnies!" Mom said as she came out of the bedroom.

Cola and Duster were up ... waiting for bunny breakfast.

"Yikes!" Cola gasped. "Did Mom get hit by lightning?"

"Um, no storm last night."

"Did Mom stick her finger in a light socket?" Cola asked.

"Pretty sure we would have noticed that."

"Is it Halloween?" Cola asked hopefully.

"No ..." Duster sighed.

"Mom doesn't know does she?" Cola gasped.

Duster shook his head, helicopter ears all over the place.

"Wait ... that isn't Mommy ... " Cola whispered to Duster. "That's the bride of Frankenstein!!"

Duster thumped for Cola to be quiet. They watched Mommy approach with their raisins and didn't run to the front of the cage to greet her ...

"Hi, Mom," Duster said. "You can just drop the raisin there ... I'll get to it ... eventually ..."

Mom was confused. The bunnies always ran to the front of their cages to greet her.

Mom shrugged and went to turn on the computer.

Why wasn't she headed in for her usual morning shower and Duster was really hoping she didn't look in the mirror and scare herself to death.

Duster was sure there has never been such a bad case of bed-head.

Cola snickered,. Hey if we dyed Mom's hair yellow, she'd look like the sun with her hair sticking out all over the place!!"

Duster didn't find the comparison to Mom's all-over-the-place hair to the sun's rays funny ... Duster thought it would offend the sun.

Duster works so hard to keep her bed-head under control when he groom her hair ... and then she chopped her hair off short ... Duster sighed knowing there was nothing this little bun could do to help his hair-style challenged Mommy.

### OH MOMMY

Duster's favourite time ... bunny sleepover with Mommy and Daddy! How convenient – the bedroom door is open just enough for Cola and Duster to hop on in!

This time Duster headed on in ahead of Cola.

He hops over to Mommy's side of the bed.

"Hi, Mom," he gives her a bunny kiss on the nose and jumps up on her pillow to re-arrange her hair, as he now thinks of himself to be famous for doing.

Wait a second ... something is ... missing ... ???

*sniff, sniff*

YIKES!!!

*thump, thump, thump*

Duster scurried out of the bedroom and bee-lined for where Cola is rearranging her toss toys.

"What's wrong?" Cola asks, seeing the grey bunny's eyes are nearly popping out of his head.

"There is something wrong with Mommy."

Cola rolls her eyes. "Of course there is ... she doesn't come home from work smelling like raisins like Daddy does!"

(Cola is a little biased seeing as she is a total Daddy's Diva!!).

"No, no ... something really wrong ... come with me ..." Duster made his way cautiously back to the bedroom and let Cola go in first. "I'll wait out here – let me know what you find out."

Cola bunny shrugs and hops on in.

Duster waits.

Nothing.

Keep waiting.

Nothing.

"Cola?" he called out.

"Yes?" she sounded a bit grumpy.

"Everything OK in there?"

"Yes," still sounding grumpy.

Duster hops back in the bedroom and sees Cola stretched out between Mom and Dad, Dad is rubbing her cheeks and she is happily grinding her teeth ... Duster guesses he was interrupting her being petted.

"Mom is OK?" Duster asked.

"Yes ..." Cola said.

"But didn't you notice that her hair is missing?" Duster questioned.

"WHAT?" Cola asked and jumped up, looking at Mommy's head.

Then she flopped over laughing.

"What's so funny, bunny?" Duster demanded.

"Duster, Mommy's hair is still there."

"No, no it's not! I jumped on her pillow and she is bald." he insisted.

Now Cola was really laughing.

"Duster, Mommy and Daddy switched sides of the bed!! Heh heh heh ... you jumped on Daddy's pillow!"

"Huh?" Duster hopped back over to Mommy's usual side of the bed ... sure enough, there was Dad – he likes to shave his head bald from time to time ...

"Thank goodness!" Duster hopped over to where Mom was laying down and jumped up on her pillow. "Yay, Mommy still has hair."

And he proceeded to "fix" her bed head.

### SOCK SHOCK

"Mommy has such pretty blue feet," Cola sighed.

"Yes she does," Duster agreed and flopped over under Mom's chair.

Wait a sec ... Mom ... blue feet?

Duster jumped up and quickly positioned himself in front of Mom's feet.

They were blue ... and furry ...

"When did this happen?" he looked up at Mom.

*thump* to get her attention.

Mom leaned down and gave him a noserub.

"Hi, little Duster dude. Are you a good boy?" Mom asked her favourite boy bunny.

"Of course I am a good boy! And you are a Mommy that suddenly has blue AND furry feet!"

Why was she not alarmed?

He knew he had to take matters into his own paws.

The bunny circled Mom's feet ... and started to pull on the blue fur.

Mom chuckled and moved her foot.

"Hold still, Mom, this is for your own good," he said and bit down on the blue fur ... and apparently Mom's toe ...

"Ow!" Mom said. "Duster, no!" and she moved her foot again.

Whew – at least she still has feeling in her feet.

Duster was on a mission ... must save Mommy's feet.

He started to claw at the fur ... some of it came off ... in the form of a string ...

"Don't worry, Mommy, I will not give up till I get rid of these blue toe trappers!"

He clawed at her other foot ... Mom actually laughed.

She must be delirious.

By now Cola was curious and came over to inspect Mom's feet.

"Well at least the blue fur only goes as far as her ankles," Cola observed.

Duster was busy trying to extract Mommy's poor feet.

Suddenly Mommy raised her left foot ... and pulled off the blue fur ... and put it in the dirty laundry basket next to the chair.

Then she did the same to her right foot.

With both feet back on the floor in front of me, Duster carefully inspected Mom's feet ... all toes present and accounted for.

"You don't like my socks, Duster?" Mommy asked and leaned over and rubbed his ears.

"Socks?" Duster asked.

Cola flopped over laughing.

It doesn't matter if they were socks or toe trappers, he had saved Mommy's feet that day!

### HAPPY BUNNY MOMMY DAY

Duster wrote a poem for Mother's Day.

HAPPY BUNNY MOMMY DAY

Dear Mommy:

I love you so much

You are so sweet

I love when you give me nose rubs

And when you give me treats

I am so happy you are my Mommy

And I love being your bunny

I like to stretch out under your chair

Because I know that you are sitting there!

You give me banana for bunny breakfast

And I fix your bed-head hair

You clean my cage, give me fresh water

I know how much you care!

You and I play with my toss toy

It's OK for you to call me Mommy's Little Boy

So (Cola and) I want to say

"Happy Bunny Mommy Day!"

### MUCH ADO ABOUT SHOES

"Yippee! Mommy is on holidays!" Duster hopped into the bedroom.

Mom was getting ready for work. "No, Duster, that's next week. This week I still have to work."

"No," Duster stated.

"Yes," Mom countered.

"No, you must stay home!" the grey bunny insisted.

Mom was curious. "And why is that?"

"I need noserubs!" Duster exclaimed.

"Daddy can give you noserubs," Mom said.

"Daddy noserubs are not as good as Mommy noserubs!" Duster argued. "And I want Mommy noserubs!"

Mom leaned over and petted Duster's nose. "That will do till I get home from work."

Duster was so disappointed.

He watched as Mom put one sock on and then went to put the other sock on.

Duster hopped, grabbed the sock, hopped away from Mom, dropped the sock and sat on it.

"You can't go to work without your sock!" Duster said triumphantly.

Mom reached into her drawer and pulled out another sock ... it was identical to the one he was sitting on.

"I have back up socks for times like this," Mom smiled.

Not fair!" Duster thumped and left the bedroom.

When Mom came out to the kitchen, she saw Cola and Dad staring at the front closet.

There was Duster tugging on her running shoe laces.

"He's on a mission," Dad said.

Mom sighed. "Duster, what are you doing?"

"Ha! If I eat your shoe laces you can't wear your shoes to work!" and he munched on the laces.

Cola had now hopped over to help Duster destroy the laces.

"Duster dude, I don't wear running shoes to work ..." Mom explained.

The two bunnies looked up at Mom.

"Ack! I have seen her wear laceless shoes!" Cola said and hopped into the closet, pulling out sandals.

Cola sat on one and Duster sat on the other, confident Mom would not be going anywhere.

"Bunnies, Mommy needs her shoes and she has to go to work."

"How many pairs of shoes do you own? You only have two feet!!" Cola exclaimed and hopped back in the closet.

This time she pushed out Mom's winter boots.

Mom folded her arms across her chest.

Duster hopped into the closet and returned with another pair of sandals. "This is the last pair in there!"

"Oh, right, I keep my dress shoes in the bedroom closet," Mom said with a smile.

In a matter of seconds, two rabbits dashed into the bedroom and barricaded the closet, meaning they stretched out in front of the closet and pretended to be asleep.

"Bunnies sleeping – do not disturb," Duster said. "Yes, I am talking in my sleep."

Mom and Dad stared at the rabbits, trying not to smile.

"OK, put it like this ... if Mommy and Daddy don't go to work, there's no money for treats," Mom said.

Duster and Cola sat straight up. "Why didn't you say that before?"

The rabbits started to nosebonk and scratch at the door trying to get it open.

Eventually the bunnies hopped aside and allowed Mom to get the shoes she needed and out the door to work.

"Bye, Mom! Have a great day at work! And don't come home without treats!" Cola said.

### MOVIE MADNESS

"Dude!"

Duster sat up, hearing someone say his nickname. He looked around the living room but he was the only bun or person there. Thinking he had dreamed it, he laid back down.

"Dude!"

Duster hopped up, he knew he heard that for sure.

"Where are Mom and Dad and Cola?" the grey lop wondered.

He hopped around the apartment. Dad and Mom were in the kitchen, talking, and Cola was in the bedroom, rearranging the blankies.

Duster knew he had to discover who was calling out to him.

He hopped around the living room.

"Dude, we have the best plan!" the voice said.

The television was on. But how did the actors know his nickname?

Duster cautiously moved towards the TV. He could see three people, two men and a lady, on the screen.

"Hey, lady!" Duster said, he loves ladies!

The lady didn't reply but the one man kept talking.

"Dude, this is going to work perfectly! We are going to be rich!" the actor said.

"Rich?" Duster whispered to himself.

"All we have to do is rob the bank," the lady spoke.

Duster's jaw dropped. Rob a bank? They wanted him to help them rob a bank? These actors were bad guys (and lady)!

"No!" Duster thumped. "I'm a good boy!"

Mom and Dad entered the living room when they heard Duster thump.

"Everything OK, Duster Dude?" Dad asked.

The grey lop was slowly backing away from the TV.

"I'm a good boy!" the lop repeated. "Mom says so when she gives me noserubs!"

Mom and Dad looked at each other, not sure who Duster was talking to.

"Yep, you are the bestest good boy in the world," Mom agreed.

When Duster was sure he was far enough from the TV, he ran towards Mom and Dad, ears flopping all over the place.

"I'm a good boy – I can't rob a bank!" and he hopped to the bedroom to find Cola.

"Good to know," Dad said, as he and Mom exchanged confused looks.

Then Mom started to laugh and pointed at the TV, realizing what had happened.

"Poor Duster, he thought the TV was trying to talk him into helping with a bank robbery," Mom said.

Mom and Dad got the bunnies some treats and went to the bedroom to make sure Duster wasn't traumatized by his misinterpretation of the movie he had overheard.

Cola and Duster were cuddled in the blankies and happily accepted the treats.

All's well that ends well.

### DETERMINED DUSTER

Cola looked at Duster. He had his paws on his water bowl and was staring at the fridge.

"Duster, what are you doing?" she asked.

"I'm working on getting the fridge door to open and have treats come to us," Duster said.

Zoomer binkied excitedly. "Wow! You can do that just by staring at the fridge?"

"Yep," Duster confirmed, never breaking his stare on the big white appliance.

Cola was skeptical. "I don't think that's possible."

"Anything is possible," Duster replied. "You just have to try and believe!"

Zoomer stared at Cola. "I believe that you will someday love me as much as I love you!"

Cola looked at the baby bunny. "Maybe and maybe Duster will be able to get the fridge door opened and treats delivered to us - guess you never know what will happen."

Duster continued his unwavering stare at the fridge.

A few minutes later, Mom and Dad came around the corner.

"Uh oh, Duster's in a trance," Mom said.

"We know what this means," Dad nodded.

Both parents headed for the kitchen.

Mom opened the fridge and Dad retrieved the bunny treats.

"Hurry," Mom said. "I think he's falling asleep in that position."

"It's hard work staring at the fridge for a few minutes," Dad agreed.

Dad quickly distributed the bunny treats.

Duster munched away on his Romaine lettuce. "See – I stare at the fridge, Mom and Dad know I need treats, they open the door and deliver treats to us."

"You are my hero!" Zoomer said to the grey lop.

Even Cola had to admit Duster's plan had worked. "You have Mom and Dad well-trained."

### DISAPPEARING DUSTER

Cola was on curtain patrol. She checked the living room. Everything was secure. Mom was sitting on the floor petting Duster, keeping the Cola-approved safe distance from the curtains.

Cola hopped into the bedroom. All curtains present and counted for.

On her way back to the living room, Cola saw Mom was in the kitchen. Cola hopped into the living room, looking for Duster.

"Duster?" Cola called out.

No reply.

She circled around the room, looking in all his usually flopping spots. Still no Duster.

"Have you seen Duster?" Cola asked Zoomer.

The Dutch bunny replied. "He was with Mommy last time I saw him," and went back to munching on his hay.

Cola hopped to the kitchen.

No Duster.

"Where's my bunny?" Cola questioned.

"Which one?" Mom asked.

Cola sighed. "I know where Zoomer is. Where's the Duster Dude?"

"He was in the living room when I came back to the kitchen. He was laying in front of the curtains," Mom replied.

"I'll go look again," Cola said, positive there was no way she could have overlooked him on her first search.

Cola went back to look where she had last seen Duster.

"Oh no, how did I miss that?" Cola asked herself.

There was a pile of grey hair where Duster had been laying.

"And he was next to the curtains ..." Cola's voice trailed off.

She looked from the pile of fur to the curtains.

"No way ..." and Cola thumped.

Zoomer looked up. "What's wrong?"

"The curtains have Duster!" Cola exclaimed.

"Where?" Zoomer was curious.

"I don't know but they have gone too far! Taking a bunny and hiding him!" Cola was really mad.

"Wow, your fur is really angry! I wish my fur would go all spikey like that ..." Zoomer said.

"Curtains, prepare to meet your doom!" Cola thumped dramatically and hopped at the curtains.

She started to bite them and scratch them. All the while, the curtains drifted back and forth, just making Cola even more furious.

Hearing all the noise, Mom came into the living room. Seeing that Cola apparently had declared war on the curtains, Mom stood by Zoomer's cage.

"So, what happened this time?" Mom asked Zoomer.

"Oh the curtains stole Duster and Cola wants to get him back," Zoomer said, pretty nonchalantly.

By now Dad had heard the commotion and had joined Mom.

"Curtains do something pretty bad this time?" Dad questioned.

"Uh huh, they stole Duster," Mom replied.

No one had noticed the grey lop hopping up to see what was going on.

Seeing how angry Cola was and that no one else was helping her, Duster figured he should offer some assistance.

"Need some help?" he asked Cola as he hopped up beside her.

"Yes! They stole ... you ..." Cola stared at the bunny.

Duster had started to pull on the curtains.

"Stop!" Cola thumped.

"But we have to make the curtains stop being bad!" Duster insisted.

Cola thumped again and Duster stopped pulling on the curtains.

"Wait, you mean the curtains didn't steal you?" Cola asked the lop.

"Nope. I was in the bathroom. Mom's penguin bathmat is great to flop on!" Duster said.

"You were taking a nap?!" Cola exclaimed.

"Yes and it was a great nap till you made all that noise," Duster grumbled.

Mom and Dad and Zoomer were listening to the exchange.

"Maybe you need to apologize to the curtains. They didn't do anything wrong this time," Zoomer said.

Cola shook her head n. "There was a pile of fur where you had been – what else was I supposed to think happened?"

"Oh that was from me petting him," Mom realized. "Poor Dude is shedding right now."

Cola started to groom her fur back into place. "OK, shows over. Everyone and everybun can go back to doing whatever you were doing" and then she turned to glare at the curtains. "You haven't fooled me."

Mom and Dad (once again) managed not to laugh as Cola scrutinized the curtains.

"Wonder how long till the next curtain crisis?" Dad whispered.

"Knowing Cola, it won't be too long," Mom replied.

"I heard that!" Cola called out.

Now Mom laughed. "And I know, only treats will make it all better."

And off Dad went to get the three bunnies their treats.

### THE LURKING LOP

Duster was stretched out under his favorite chair in the living room and Cola was hanging out in the igloo. Mom was on the phone with Grandma.

"Right, yes," Mom opened the fridge door. "That's just the fridge running."

Duster's ears perked up, if it involved the fridge, he felt it involved him.

Mom closed the fridge door. "Far away. Wow, right now?"

Now what Duster heard was Mom's side of the conversation which in his mind was "the fridge is running far away right now."

Those are words a rabbit never wants to hear when he or she knows the fridge is where some of the best bunny treats are kept.

Duster went on high alert at the same time, Cola hopped out of the igloo to see her grey bunny.

"Duster, my fur..." she said.

"Cola! Not now! We are on the verge of a crisis!" Duster thumped.

Mom peeked out of the kitchen when she heard the thump but all she saw was Duster and Cola staring at each other.

"On the verge of a crisis?" Cola asked. "I am having a crisis! Look at my fur!"

Poor Cola, her fur was being rather unruly that morning and no matter how she groomed it, the fur would not stay in place. She was used to having Duster listen to her fur rants but this morning, he was on his own mission.

Cola stared in disbelief as the lop hopped away from her.

Duster quickly hopped down the hallway and sat beside one of the two doorways that lead into the kitchen. Mom was still on the phone and was busy with something on the counter. She didn't notice the grey lop, hop very quietly past her and out through the other doorway.

"Whew, the fridge is still there for now," Duster sighed.

Cola was watching him, no idea as to what he was doing.

Then Duster quickly hopped to the right side of the second doorway, which was the closest one to the fridge. He got as close to the wall as he could and stared at the fridge. Then he darted across the doorway to the other side and got as close to the wall as he could.

Mom had left the kitchen through the other doorway now. She had finished her phone call and was going to spend some time with the bunnies. She came into the living room and saw Cola staring at Duster, who was still lurking up against the wall.

"What's he doing?" Mom asked.

"Apparently stopping a crisis," Cola replied.

Mom and Cola watched, ready to help if needed.

Duster hopped into the kitchen and sat in front of the fridge. "We need to talk."

The fridge was quiet.

"There's no need to run away. I'm sure Mom and Dad will do whatever it takes to make sure you are happy and stay. We need you to keep our treats fresh!" Duster said.

And still the fridge remained silent.

Duster periscoped and put his paws on the fridge. "Please don't run away!"

Now Mom had to find out what was going on.

"Duster, everything OK?"

The grey lop sat down. "The fridge is running very far away right now!"

Mom looked at the appliance and then her bunny,. "You heard me talking to Grandma didn't you?"

Duster nodded.

"You're pulling a Cola. Remember we said no hopping to conclusions when you only hear one side of the conversation!" Mom said. "The fridge isn't going anywhere."

Duster binkied.

Now Cola periscoped. "Is the fridge OK?"

Mom and Lop nodded.

"So can I have my crisis now?" Cola asked.

Mom laughed as Duster hopped over to help Cola deal with her fur freakout. Mom made sure all the bunnies had treats, as that was necessary for Bear to recover from any Cola crisis.

### CAN'T STOP A LOP ...

"Oh no!" Duster exclaimed and hopped up.

Mom had been watching TV and saw her Lop hop up quickly from where he was laying near her feet.

"Everything alright, Dude?" Mom asked.

"I'm going to be late!" Duster said and hopped off.

Mom watched him head over to his cage and then move to Cola's. He looked around and then hopped down the hallway to the foyer of the apartment. From there he headed in one door of the kitchen. Mom could see him looking all over the place.

"The fridge is still there," Mom assured him.

Duster chinned the fridge and hopped out of the other kitchen door.

"Can I help you find something?" Mom asked the grey Lop, who was apparently on a mission.

"No, must find on my own," Duster sighed and hopped down the hallway towards the bathroom.

While this was going on, Mom saw Cola hop into Duster's cage. Then she watched Cola hop into Duster's litter box.

Mom wandered over to see what Bear was doing.

"Can I have some privacy?" Cola asked.

"Are you using Duster's litterbox?" Mom questioned.

"Uh no," Cola said and hopped out.

Mom looked in. "Cola, those are your little poops."

Cola periscoped. "I think you're seeing things."

Mom was about to reply when Duster hopped from the bathroom down the hallway towards the bedroom.

"Still haven't found it?' Mom asked.

"No ..." Duster sighed.

"Let me know if you need help," Mom said.

"Alright ..." and Duster hopped into the bedroom.

Mom turned back to Cola. "So, you used Duster's litterbox?"

"Can you prove that? Do you have witnesses?" Cola asked.

Belle and Zoomer looked up, they hadn't actually seen Cola in the litterbox.

"I don't need witnesses," Mom said. "That's your poop."

"Mom, we all know I don't use litterboxes," Cola said and hopped back into Duster's bedding.

She quickly dug in the bedding and sent it flying everywhere.

Mom's jaw dropped.

Cola started to clean her paws. "Pretty sure you won't find my poop in there now, not that it was ever in there because I don't use litter boxes."

Duster was now out of the bedroom and under the computer desk.

"Oh thank goodness, I got here just in time," Duster said.

"Found what you were looking for?" Mom asked as she sat back down on the couch, giving up on Cola and the litterbox.

Duster smiled and flopped over. "I'm not late."

"Not late for what?" Mom wondered.

Cola hopped over to join her bunny. "He's not late for his one o'clock nap. He was looking for the perfect place to nap."

"Now I understand – can't stop a lop when he finds the perfect place to flop," Mom said.

### DUSTER'S DILEMMA

Mom gave the bunnies their carrot slices and set about doing some housecleaning.

Duster was so happy to get his treat he binkied and bumped the carrot with his paw. The carrot took off, rolling towards the fridge.

"Yikes. Stop, runaway carrot!" Duster exclaimed and pursued the vegetable.

He caught up to it at the fridge, where he again bumped it with his paw and it slid under the fridge.

"Oh no," Duster sighed.

He laid down on his belly, flat as he could to look under the fridge. There it was – just out of paws reach.

"Please give me my carrot back," Duster said to the fridge.

The fridge did not reply.

Duster stayed flat on his belly, staring at the carrot.

Mom walked past and caught a glimpse in the kitchen out of the corner of her eye. She shook her head and took a few steps backwards.

"Duster, everything alright?"

The lop shook his head. "I am pretty sure it is the end of the world."

"No, that was supposed to be last month, last year," Mom said. "It's January now and the world didn't end so I am sure we can fix whatever is troubling you."

Duster sat up. "The fridge took the carrot back."

"I definitely need you to tell me how that happened," Mom said.

The grey lop explained how it all came about.

Mom sprang into action. She walked out of the kitchen, Duster on her heels.

"What are we going to do?"

"It's time for Operation Carrot Comeback," Mom said and got the flashlight.

"Sounds intense," Duster replied.

"It might be. We won't know till we see the conditions the carrot has ended up in," Mom admitted, heading back to the kitchen.

Duster followed and watched as Mom laid on the kitchen floor, turned the flashlight on and checked out the location.

"How does it look?' Duster asked.

"Not good," Mom admitted.

"Is it that bad?" Duster was anxious.

"I'm afraid so," Mom admitted. "I really need to clean under the fridge. It's really dusty under there."

"What does that mean?" Duster was almost frantic.

Mom sat up. "It means the carrot under the fridge is a goner. He has to go to the garbage."

Duster sat down, taking the news hard.

Mom smiled. "And that you are getting a brand new fresh carrot slice! And after that, I'm going to clean out from under the fridge."

Duster binkied. "Thanks, Mom!"

And while Mom started the carrot cleanup, Duster happily munched on his new carrot slice, far away from the fridge.

### NEWS TO MOM

"Hi, Cola, are you guarding the fridge?" Mom joked, she was used to seeing Duster hovering near the fridge.

"Yes," Cola replied and scanned the kitchen.

"And where would Duster be?" Mom asked.

"Securing the parameter," Cola answered, continuing to look around the kitchen.

"That sounds official," Mom commented. "What are we looking for?"

"I'll let Duster brief you when he relieves me of my post," Cola's reply was brisk.

"And when do we expect him back?"

Cola watched Duster hop from the front door of the apartment to the balcony door. "When he is satisfied there are so risks to the safety of the fridge."

"Right, that just makes sense. Well send him in to the living room when he has a minute," Mom requested.

"Yes, Ma'am," Cola thumped her little foot to show Mom she was dismissed.

A few minutes later and Duster hopped onto the couch beside Mom.

"Everything alright?'

Duster nodded. "For now. No one will get in here to get the fridge without us knowing about it."

"Good to know," Mom agreed. "So what makes you think someone is going to come and steal the fridge?"

"I saw it on the news," Duster's reply was matter-of-fact.

"On the news?" Mom asked, she hadn't seen that report.

"Yes. They are very organized thieves, trick people into letting them into their kitchen, and walk right out with the fridge. The poor people even get tricked into holding the door open for the thieves to leave with the appliance. These guys are good," Duster sighed.

"They have uniforms and clipboards!" Cola hopped into the living room, keeping a close eye on the fridge.

"They even have theme music!" Duster exclaimed.

"I need theme music," Cola mumbled.

"You really do," Zoomer and Belle agreed with her.

"If fridge thieves have theme music, Bear should," Cola said.

"They have theme music?" Mom asked.

"Yes! Would you open your door to anyone that had their own theme music playing in the background?" Duster muttered.

Mom didn't answer, still thinking about the thief theme music.

"Well would you?" Duster was concerned now.

"Of course not," Mom assured the bunnies. "Did the news play the theme music?"

"Yes and it was kind of catchy," Duster admitted. "How'd it go ... For pick up or delivery, Fridges or TV's, washers or dryers, give us a call, our numbers on our flyers..."

Mom couldn't help but smile. "That's a pretty memorable song."

"I know, they're very smart," Duster agreed.

"So did you happen to see this news story during the news or could it have been a commercial for an appliance pickup and delivery company?" Mom asked.

"A commercial ..." Duster whispered and looked over at Cola.

"Hey, maybe it was just a commercial," Cola nodded.

Duster grinned sheepishly at Mom. "Uh I think it was a commercial but a really good commercial."

"I can hardly wait to see it," Mom laughed.

Duster hopped off the couch to cuddle with Cola.

"I still think I need theme music," Cola said.

"How about a treat from the fridge?" Mom questioned.

"That'll work too!" Cola agreed as Mom headed to get the four bunnies a treat.

### FLOP LIKE A LOP

Duster hopped up to Mo. "What's that?"

Mom held out the newest addition to her rabbit-themed collection. "This is Snoozer."

"What's a Snoozer?" Duster asked.

"Snoozer is a bunny that likes to take naps," Mom showed Duster the plush toy rabbit. It was laying flat on its belly with its feet out behind it. "Remind you of anyone?"

Duster periscoped and shook his head no.

"The floppy ears?" Mom asked.

Duster was stumped.

Mom sighed. "I bought him because he reminds me of you. The floppy ears, stretched out to take a nap with feet out behind him."

"Oh, I get it," Duster nodded. "Am I late for my nap?"

"Which one?" Mom asked. "You take a lot of naps."

"Naps are wonderful, so relaxing," Duster sighed.

Mom put Snoozer on a chair.

"Can he flop?" Duster asked.

"I'm not sure," Mom replied.

"I'll show him how," and Duster flopped over.

Mom looked at Snoozer. "Think he might need some practice."

"He has to flop like a lop if he wants to be like me," Duster insisted.

For the next few minutes, Duster flopped repeatedly, demonstrating to Snoozer the proper way a lop flops.

"Very important for your ears to be in a cute position," Duster told the toy. "Makes the humans want to give you more treats for being adorable when you wake up."

Snoozer stared at Duster.

"But don't tell anyone that," Duster whispered.

Snoozer's silence made Duster confident that the secret was safe.

"OK, time for the official pre-nap flop," Duster announced.

And he flopped.

Duster was out like a light.

Mom smiled. "Sweet dreams, Duster and Snoozer."

### RUBY

UNCERTAIN ABOUT CURTAINS

"Hi, my name is Ruby and I am really cute," was how Ruby introduced herself to all the furniture in the living room.

She explored behind the chairs and under the desk and around the blue storage bins.

Binky!

Time to do the bunny super sprints ... lap one ...

Binky!

Mom and Dad laughed – she is one happy bunny.

Ruby ran across the living room and came to a stop in front of a long sheet of fabric hanging from the wall.

"Hi, my name is Ruby and I am really cute!"

No comment from the fabric.

Ruby was confused and nudged the fabric. "Ha – I just nosebonked you!"

No reaction so Ruby went back to hopping happily around. She decided to do another binky and went straight up and kind of to the left ... and the fabric bumped in to her ... interrupting her binky!

Ruby shook her head and stared at the fabric.

"That wasn't very nice."

*thump*

Ruby decided to do some more exploring. Her adventures soon brought her back to the fabric and the edge of it was out from the wall ...

"Wonder what is back here ..."

Ruby nosed the fabric ... it moved and suddenly she disappeared behind the curtains.

"Oh no!" Ruby gasped. "Where am I?"

Ruby found herself between the fabric and a large glass window ... she put her paws up on the window ... it wouldn't move. Through it she saw grass and a pool full of water ...

"I have been eaten by the fabric ... it has hay and water and Ruby!!"

Ruby started to run back and forth from one end of the fabric to the other.

"There has to be a way out!"

*thump*

Mom and Dad heard the *thump* and went looking for Ruby.

Ruby decided to try and push the fabric up with her little nose.

"Oh no!" she sighed. "I don't want to live in something's belly!"

Just as she was sure she was going to be stuck in the belly of the fabric, a hand reached under the fabric and raised it so Ruby could escape.

"Daddy!!" Ruby got up on her back legs. "You saved me!"

Daddy picked her up and petted Ruby's ears. "Did those bad curtains scare you?"

"Bad curtains!" Ruby gave the curtains her fiercest glare. "You can't eat me! I am not a treat!"

Cola and Duster shook their heads ... they knew all too well the evil that the curtains were capable of ...

### REFLECTIONS OF RUBY

Binky, binky, binky!

Ruby bounced around the bedroom. She was on her way out when she skidded to a stop.

"Oh hi ... are you a new bunny?

Ruby waited for the white bunny "looking" back at her to reply.

"Oh you are shy. That's OK! I am Ruby! I am new here too!"

The white bunny stayed silent.

Ruby flopped over and so did the other bunny.

"Flopping is wonderful! You are very good at it," Ruby said.

Ruby proceeded to clean her paw and so did the other bunny.

"I don't like when my paws are dirty," Ruby said. "It infringes on my cuteness!"

Ruby jumped up and looked at her new friend.

"Do you like carrots? I love carrots! Let's go see if Daddy will give us a carrot!" Ruby bounced out of the room.

When she returned, with her carrot in tow, she was so happy to see her new friend had a carrot too.

"Wow, you are fast! I didn't even see you out there when Daddy gave me my carrot! Let's eat them!"

And so they did.

Ruby flopped over again, eating carrots takes a lot out of a little bunny ... and her friend flopped over too.

"I must be a good teacher cause you do everything I do," Ruby said proudly.

Ruby hopped back up. "Have you seen the curtains yet?"

The new bunny didn't respond.

"Oh my gosh, I have to show you the curtains \- they can't be trusted!"

Ruby hopped out of the bedroom, but when she turned around, her new friend wasn't behind her. Ruby went back to the bedroom and saw her new friend was still standing where Ruby had left her.

"Oh, I understand. You are afraid of the curtains! That's OK. I can show them to you another time!"

Ruby decided she had to teach her new friend how to nosebonk.

"Ready ... I will nosebonk you ... this means we are really good friends."

Ruby put her nose up to the new bunnies' nose. "Good work. You are a very smart little bunny ... and cute ... but I think I am a little bit cuter."

Ruby then showed her new friend how to groom her ears and a few cute poses.

Daddy appeared in the doorway. "There you are! Mommy and I wondered where you had disappeared too!"

Ruby periscoped. "This is my new friend ... but I don't know her name yet!"

Daddy looked at the mirror. "Yes, that's your reflection."

"Oh, your name is Reflection!" Ruby hopped excitedly, happy to know her new friends name.

"Come on, Ruby, you can admire yourself more later on," Daddy said and waited for Ruby to hop along behind him.

"Bye, Reflection! We can play later ... oh and don't chew on the bedroom carpet – Mom and Dad don't like that," Ruby gave her new friend one more piece of advice before binkying onto a new adventure.

### SKIRTING DANGER

"Wheeeee ...." Ruby left the carpeted living room floor and slid across the kitchen tile into the hallway.

From there she hopped into the bedroom.

"Hi, Mom!" and a big binky.

"Good morning, Ruby," Mom said, she was getting ready for work.

Ruby hopped on the bed and then dashed under the dresser ... so much fun being able to hide in so many different places!

She scooted back out from underneath the dresser and stopped dead in my tracks ... what was Mom wearing??

*thump*

"Mom, oh no!! How did that happen so fast?"

The white bunny cautiously moved towards Mom.

"Come here, Ruby, time for noserubs."

"Nope, not happening ... not while you are wearing a curtain!"

Ruby hopped quickly out in to the living room where Daddy was.

"Hi, Ruby," Dad said.

"Dad, come quick ... Mom has been swallowed by a curtain!"

Dad kept on working on the computer.

"Dad, now!"

Dad looked at her ... he thought she wanted to play! Well, whatever it took to get him in the other room to help save Mom from the curtain.

Ruby did a binky and charged back into the bedroom. Mom looked OK ... now she had shoes on ... she must be trying to protect her feet from being devoured by the curtain ... how odd the curtain only attacked her from the waist down to her ankles ... not much farther and they'd be at her feet ...

Where was Daddy?

Ruby couldn't wait much longer ... she knew she had to intervene ...

The bunny hopped over to Mom and glared at the curtain. "You can't have my Mommy!"

And with that she sank her little teeth into the fabric.

"Ruby, NO!" Mom said.

"Mommy, YES!" Ruby argued through her mouthful of curtain ... she dug her little feet in to the carpet. She wasn't letting go till Daddy came in.

Mom was laughing ... must be delirious from the pain of being half swallowed by the curtain ... and here Ruby thought the only curtains were in the living room ... they sure are sneaky ...

Dad came around the corner and saw Ruby head-butting Mom's skirt.

"Guess she doesn't like what you are wearing ... is Ruby a fashionista?"

"No, I am a curtain slayer!" Ruby said and bit onto the fabric again.

Mom and Dad were both laughing now ... Dad bent over and gently picked her up... she had to let go of the curtain ... Ruby tried to hold on to the fabric but she wasn't strong enough .. oh no ...

"Well I guess I'll have to change now ..." Mom said, seeing as Ruby had managed to put a small hole in the hem of her skirt.

Dad took Ruby out to the living room and when Mom came out of the bedroom, she was wearing pants. She reached over and petted Ruby ... she was thankful her little white bunny had saved her from the curtain.

### FRIDGE FASCINATION

"Hi, Daddy! Where are we going?"

Ruby hopped along behind her Daddy as he walked in to the kitchen.

Daddy gave Ruby a pet on the head and opened the fridge to get some milk for his coffee.

Ruby sat back in awe ... the fridge door opened, a light came on ... and there were shelves of bunny treats ....

"Wow ..." Ruby exclaimed and did a quick binky.

"Ruby, want some lettuce?" Dad asked.

Ruby periscoped and happily took the Romaine lettuce. Daddy took some over to Duster and Cola too.

Daddy went back into the living room.

Ruby finished her lettuce and happily hopped around.

A little while later, Daddy was taking his empty coffee cup back in to the kitchen.

"Wait for me!!" Ruby did the bunny super sprints and skidded to a stop in front of the fridge.

Daddy looked over and saw her sitting there.

"One more treat ..." Daddy said.

The door opened and as the light came on, Ruby heard bunny angels singing.

"Let's have a piece of carrot." Daddy said. "But that is all for today."

"Sure!" Ruby said, taking the carrot ... and Daddy took pieces of carrot over to Duster and Cola.

Duster munched away on the carrot and Cola looked at him. "Ruby might be on to something with this fridge thing."

A few hours passed and Daddy went into the kitchen to get a bottle of water ... when he turned around, Ruby was in front of the fridge.

"Sorry, Ruby, you've had enough treats for today."

"But, Daddy, the fridge is full of treats. I be there's even treats in there for you!"

Daddy went back into the living room.

Ruby was not amused.

She stared at the fridge for a bit and then hopped to where the living room and kitchen met and peeked around the corner at Daddy.

Daddy saw her and shook his head no.

"This is terrible ..." Ruby sighed.

Ruby stared sadly at the fridge ... so many wonderful treats ...

Cola looked at Duster. "I wonder what she is plotting."

Duster shook his head and chuckled. "I bet it's something funny ... she is pretty determined to get into that fridge whenever someone is in the kitchen."

Ruby turned to look at Duster and Cola, "I'll get treats for all of us ... cause I'm really cute!"

** to be cutely continued **

### CUTELY CONTINUED ...

Ruby stretched out in front of the fridge ... she was sure there had to be a way to make sure they got treats when that door opened ...

Ruby hopped to her feet and did a binky ... Mommy ... Mommy will help me get treats! Us girls have to stick together ... and Duster too ... yeah, he can stick with us ... I hear he loves ladies!!

Ruby hopped in to the kitchen and smiled at Daddy.

"Yes, Ruby?"

"Daddy, you have to go to the fridge and get us treats or else ..."

Daddy chuckled. "Or else what, cute little Ruby?"

Ruby had hoped it wouldn't come to this but ...

"I'm going to tell Mommy you make fun of her soap opera," Ruby said.

Daddy laughed. "Ruby, Mommy makes fun of her soap opera."

"Oh ... one minute please ..." Ruby hopped away.

Ruby hopped back.

"I am going to tell Mommy you are going to work tonight."

"I am pretty sure Mom will be OK with me going to work tonight."

"Fine, one minute please ... " Ruby hopped away and then back.

Ruby stared at Daddy, all she wanted was the fridge to be opened so she could have a treat!

A few minutes later, Ruby heard the apartment door open – Mommy was home!

"Oh, Daddy, you are in trouble now!" Ruby hopped over to Mommy.

Duster and Cola listened intently.

"Hi, bunnies, " Mom greeted.

Ruby was on her back paws, scratching at Mom's leg. "I need to tell you what Daddy did!"

Mom looked at Ruby and then at Daddy, who was trying not to laugh.

"It was really bad ... you are going to be so mad," Ruby said.

"What did Daddy do?"

Ruby sat down. "Where to begin ... well, first, he did the dishes, and then he cleaned our cages, and then he vacuumed the carpet ... and he said he is going to cook supper!"

Mom looked at Ruby and then at Dad.

"Oh that's not the worse part, Mom!" Ruby thumped. "He wouldn't give us a treat every time he opened the fridge!"

Mommy burst out laughing.

"Oh no, you are so mad that now all those terrible things are funny!" Ruby glared at Dad. "Look what you did to Mommy!"

"Ruby, it's great that Daddy did the dishes and vacuumed and cleaned your cages and is cooking supper ..."

Ruby thumped. "No it's not! He is doing all of the things you like to do!"

"Well Mom doesn't necessarily enjoy all those things ... especially cooking," Mom said.

"But, he didn't give is treats when he opened the fridge!"

Mom and Dad looked at each other, trying not to laugh because Ruby was so intent that when the fridge door opened, bunnies got treats.

"I am sure we can come to some sort of agreement about the treats in the fridge." Mom said.

Ruby was hoping it was treats every time the door opened!!!

### I HELP!

Any given weekday morning ... 6:30 am, Mom is still sleeping - ten minutes till her alarm goes off, if Daddy didn't work the night before, he is probably up having a coffee and that means ... Ruby should be out of her cage!

Ruby chews on her cage till Daddy opens the door. Binky!

"Come on, Ruby, let's go get Mommy up for work."

"OK I help," Ruby bounces into the bedroom ... right onto the bed .... and another binky ...

"Whew good thing Mom's head was there to catch me!" Ruby says.

She looks around and decides she has to be on the other side of the bed.

"Wow ... Daddy, look ... this is the perfect spot for my foot."

And Ruby puts her foot on (and in) Mommy's ear ... and then on her nose ... and then she flops over ... covering Mommy's nose and mouth.

"GASP!" Mom chokes ... can't breathe bunny fur.

Ruby rolls over happil. "Hi, Mom!"

And binky, she is gone again ... Dad follows after her to make sure she is behaving.

Mom rolls out of bed and heads in for shower. When she emerges from the bathroom, 3 bunnies are awaiting bunny breakfast ... AKA nanners.

Duster is perched at his bowl, Cola is pacing and Ruby had hopped back in to her cage, mirroring Duster's bowl perch ... then she decides Mom isn't moving quite fast enough ...

Ruby is in the kitchen, on her back legs, staring at Mom and the nanner.

Mom looks down and sighs. "Good morning, Ruby ... here is your piece of nanner."

"Yay!" Ruby is so happy ... nom, nom, nom.

Duster and Cola get their pieces of nanners and Mom is off to check her e-mail ... but wait ... Ruby appears beside the chair, eyeing the remainder of the nanner.

"Ruby ... Mommy needs to have the nanner for breakfast."

"But I am a growing bunny ... and you gave me a small, really small piece." Ruby protests.

Mom gives in and Ruby gets another small piece of nanner.

Mom moves from the computer over to another chair.

Ruby follows.

"Mom, that's my chair," Ruby states (she has recently discovered she can hop onto the chairs).

"Mommy will be done in a minute."

Ruby paces. "But I really need to sit there NOW." Her little paws are on Mom's knees now.

"Fine, fine," Mom moves to the next chair over and Ruby hops into the vacated chair. She looks from Mom back to her chair.

"Mom, I need to sit there right now too," Ruby says.

Who can argue with a rabbit who's cuteness (and weight) don't register on the digital scale in the kitchen?

Up Mom gets, finishes her breakfast and goes to brush her teeth.

"Oh... I help!" says Ruby, seeing that Mom is on the move again.

By the time Ruby gets to the bathroom ... Mom is brushing her teeth. Mom turns to shoo her out of the bathroom ... and she has foam all over her mouth ... not knowing what toothpaste is, Ruby flees the scene.

"I wait for you in bedroom!"

Mom finished frothing at the mouth and went into the bedroom to pick out her clothes. She threw a shirt and pants on the bed. Ruby hopped on the bed .. and started to pull Mom's shirt away.

"I don't like this one." Ruby tried to bury it under the blanket. "Not Ruby approved."

Mom couldn't help but laugh and Dad came in to see what was going on.

"I help dress Mommy – I like this ..." Ruby pushed the blanket towards Mom.

"Don't think I can wear the blankie to work," Mom chuckled.

Daddy picked up Ruby and took her out to the living room so Mom could finished getting dressed.

Mom is almost ready to leave ... just has to pack her lunch ... Ruby has to supervise.

"Mom, what can me and Duster and Cola have for lunch?" Ruby asks, eyeing the fridge.

Mom pats Ruby's head. "Daddy will give you lunch."

"Can we peek in the fridge to see what our options are?"

Mom shakes her head ... Ruby's fridge fascination is well known.

Mom says bye to the bunnies and Daddy and is off to work.

Ruby flops and looks at Daddy. "Wow, it is hard work getting Mommy ready for work – good thing I help her!"

### RUBY'S INQUEST

Mom and Dad were sitting in the living room. They were watching TV when Ruby hopped up on the coffee table.

"Ruby, Mommy's trying to watch TV ... hop to the left," Mom said.

Ruby shook her head n. "You have some explaining to do."

Mom and Dad looked at each other.

"About what?" Dad asked.

Ruby sat down on the coffee table, sitting so she was directly in between Mom and Dad, the only light in the living room was a lamp ... and it appeared to make her look like she was in the spotlight.

"Where were you the morning of October 15th?"

"We were at your grandparents," Dad said.

"Uh-huh," Ruby sai. "And was that an authorized visit?"

"Excuse me?" Mom asked.

"Did you get permission from us bunnies to be at our grandparents that morning?" Ruby questioned.

"Um, no ..." Dad started to say and Ruby cut him off before he could answer any further.

"Did you have breakfast that morning?"

"Yes," Mom answered.

Ruby thumped loudly. "Well, good for you. We didn't get bunny breakfast that morning cause you weren't home!"

"Now, Ruby, we were only gone overnight. You had lots of hay and pellets and water. You got treats when we got home," Dad said.

"Really? Does that justify us not having nanners in the morning?" Ruby was actually glaring at her parents. "Duster was sitting at his bowl, little paws on either side, staring at the fridge. Cola had her usual morning before-breakfast potty break and she even used her litter area. And my cuteness continued while you were gone! I was chewing on my cage. And guess what happened?"

Mom and Dad shrugged ... almost afraid to answer.

"Nothing happened! Mom didn't get up! There were no nanners for breakfast! Our routine was all messed up!"

Cola and Duster thumped their disapproval.

"Whoa, every bun just calm down," Dad said.

"Calm down? What if we took away your morning coffee? Our little piece of nanner means as much to us as your coffee means to you!" Ruby stated.

Dad looked at Mom. "When they put it that way ..."

Mom rolled her eyes. "Next time we have to go away overnight we'll let you bunnies know we won't be here for breakfast."

Ruby titled her head. "And?"

"And?" Mom asked.

"The nanners!" Duster yelled.

"I even used my litter area!" Cola added. "That has to mean something!"

Mom threw her hands in the air. "Alright, alright ... we'll let you know when we won't be here for bunny breakfast and we'll make arrangements for nanners ... even if we give you the banana before we leave."

Duster was hopeful,. How about double the nanners?"

Mom looked at Duster. "Don't push your furry luck."

"Deal," Ruby agreed, hopping down off the coffee table and over to where Duster and Cola were in their cages, they exchanged victory nosebonks.

Mom and Dad looked at each other and sighed, the bunnies really were in charge!

### UNDERCOVER BUNNY

Ruby ran around the living room ... then she headed to the kitchen ... and the slick floor .. she scooted through into the hallway and then she saw it ... the bedroom door was open ... and there was no sign of the usual bunny-blocking-barricade!

"Yippee!" and Ruby binkied on into the bedroom.

BINKY! BINKY! BINKY!

Ruby started to run laps around the bedroom, binkying every few minutes. Then she binkied and landed on the bed.

"Yay ... fun!" Ruby hopped happily on the mattress. "Wheee!"

Ruby hopped up to the pillows and launched herself off the pillow and landed next to the blankets.

"Ohhhhh ... blankies ... I save Mommy from these every morning!" Ruby said.

Ruby decided to take a binky-break and sat down.

In the mornings, Daddy would abandon his coffee, open the bedroom door and tell Ruby to "Get the Mommy – ATTACK!"

Ruby would hop into the bedroom ... and onto Mommy's head. "Time to wake up! You have treat money to earn."

And then Ruby would set about "saving" Mommy from the blankies that always seemed to sneak up on Mommy while she slept!

"I dig and dig and save Mommy from these blankies every morning," Ruby said to herself. "And they always come back! When will they learn that they can't have our Mommy!"

Ruby made the decision to rid the bedroom of the blankies forever.

"Hmm ... blankies are pretty big ... I am pretty small ... this may take awhile ..." Ruby sighed and set about her task.

She pulled on the blankies and tugged on the blankies and dug at the blankies ... then she noticed an "opening."

"OH! Maybe I can get under there and lift the blankies ... and carry them out of here!" Ruby was making big plans for such a small bunny.

Ruby crawled under the blanket.

"Ohhhh ... cozy ..." Ruby said.

Instead of trying to carry the blankets out of the bedroom, Ruby set out to make herself a nice little place to curl up under the blankets.

"Have you seen Ruby?" Mom asked Dad.

"Not for a few minutes," Dad replied.

Mom and Dad set about checking the usual hiding spots Ruby had, then they noticed the bedroom wasn't bunny-barricaded.

"Uh-oh," Mom said.

Mom and Dad started to search the bedroom.

Ruby had been listening the whole time, trying to keep still so they wouldn't discover her new hiding place under the blankets ... however the obvious bunny outline gave her away pretty quick.

"Oh no ... where did Ruby go?" Mom winked at Dad.

"I have no idea ... have we lost her forever?" Dad asked.

Ruby sat straight up, taking the blanket with her.

"I is right here!"

"Oh no, a blanket ghost!" Mom exclaimed.

"No, Mommy, it's me!" Ruby was now periscoping.

Dad lifted the blanket off Ruby.

"Humph," Ruby muttered and laid back down.

"Ruby, bunny bounce out of the bedroom," Mom said.

"No," Ruby declared and turned her back to Mom and Dad and started rearranging the blankies to her preference.

"Ruby, time to go," Dad said and pulled the blanket away from Ruby.

The white bunny thumped and Dad dropped the blanket.

Ruby pulled the blanket back towards herself.

Ruby started to rearrange the blanket again. Dad pulled on another end of the blanket. Ruby pulled another section of the blanket. And so it continued till the blanket was divided almost evenly between how much Ruby had wrapped around her and how much Dad had piled in front of him.

"You're arguing with a baby bunny ..." Mom pointed out. "And it looks like she is winning."

"NO! Look we both have HALF the blanket ... we are tied," Dad said.

Mom rolled her eyes and left the room. She came back in with a towel.

"Ruby, look here, it's a Ruby-sized blanket. You can have it if you hop out of the bedroom now," Mom negotiated.

"OK!" Ruby hopped off the bed and sat outside the bedroom door.

Mom gave her the towel and Dad put up the bunny barricade.

Ruby happily arranged her blankie to how she liked, understanding now why Mom grumbled so much when it was time to get up and leave the blankies (they really weren't attacking Mommy after all!!) ... blankies are wonderful!

### CUTE INSURANCE

Mom watched Ruby hopping around the apartment. She seemed to be looking for something ... and then there was the question as to what she was carrying around.

"Ruby, do you need help with something?" Mom asked.

Ruby put down whatever it was she had in her mouth. "This is so important."

"Then let me help you."

Ruby picked up the item and then hopped over to Mom. Mom took the item, seeing it was a picture ... of Ruby.

"Why are you carrying around a picture of yourself?"

Ruby looked at Mom. "That is not a picture of me."

Mom double checked the picture – it was definitely the white bunny, but Mom played along.

"What it is a picture of?"

Ruby was shocked. "Isn't it obvious?"

Mom shook her head. "Apparently not ..."

"It is a picture of my cuteness."

Mom gave the picture back to the bunny. "And why were you carrying it around?"

"I need to find a place to hide my cuteness in case we are ever burglared."

Mom took a deep breath. "And where did you come up with that idea?"

"There was a commercial on TV last night and the man said burglars will break into our house and steal our valuables." Ruby said. "I think he knows something we don't."

Mom remembered seeing Ruby pay close attention to a commercial for security systems last night.

"He wasn't talking about our house in particular, he was trying to sell alarms."

Ruby looked at Mom. "Then maybe you should buy an alarm so no one can steal our valuables ... mainly my cuteness."

Hoping to set Ruby's mind at ease, Mom promised to look in to it.

"Oh, are we insured?" Ruby asked.

"Yes, we are," Mom said.

"What is the dollar value of my cuteness?"

Mom was at a loss with an answer.

"Maybe you should give this picture of my cuteness to the insurance people and they can appraise it," Ruby pushed the picture towards her Mom.

"Where are you learning these words?" Mom asked.

"I can't tell you that," Ruby said, trying to sound mysterious.

Mom nodded, maybe some things were better left unknown.

"Wait ... what if the insurance person burglars my cuteness?" Ruby wondered.

"Um, that would be illegal," Mom offered.

Ruby rolled her eyes. "Some bunnies would say being this cute is illegal ... and yet, here I am!"

"Hmm, well maybe you should just find safe place to keep that picture till you feel OK about letting the insurance people see it," Mom suggested. "And I'll see I can get a quote on your cuteness without a picture in the meantime."

"Good idea ... I will keep it in your sock drawer! No one would ever think to look there!" Ruby declared and hopped off to put her cuteness away for safe-keeping.

### MEDICINE FOR MOMMY

*cough, cough, cough*

Ruby's ears turned towards the bedroom.

"What's that noise?"

*achoo, achoo, achoo* and then what sounded like an elephant trumpeting

Ruby was on high alert now – what was going on?

Duster and Cola didn't pay any mind to those noises ... they were used to the dramatics.

The bedroom door opened and Mom shuffled out, wrapped in her bathrobe, bunny slippers on her feet.

"Ahhhh ... ohhhh ... this is the worst ever!" Mom whined.

Ruby hopped close to Mom – but not too close. She was still accessing the situation.

"Mom, what's wrong?"

"I have a cold," Mom mumbled.

Ruby was confused. "You're cold? But you have bunnies on your feet and bunnies on your bathrobe, that's a lot of fur ... you can't be cold."

Mom flopped into a chair. "No, I have a cold."

Ruby scrunched up her nose and picked up a face cloth she used for a blankie. She dropped it near Mom. "Cover up with my blankie!"

"Thanks, Ruby," Mom said and blew her nose.

Ruby cringed. "That's awful ... and really annoying!"

Mom coughed. "Well it's not like I'm having fun either."

Ruby hopped over to Daddy. "Mom is cranky!"

Dad tried not to smile, Ruby was sometimes too honest. "Let's get her some medicine."

Ruby hopped behind Dad to the bathroom and followed him back out to Mom where he presented her with a bottle of cough syrup.

"Oh ... is this all we have?" Mom asked.

Dad nodded.

"But it tastes really bad!"

Ruby thumped her little foot. "Take it and feel better. Don't make me thump again!"

Mom trudged into the kitchen and got a spoon. When she opened the cough syrup the dramatics were in high swing.

"Uh this stuff stinks!"

Ruby was sitting at the line where the carpet and tile met. "So does being sick – take the medicine."

Mom stared at the white bunny. "Fine."

Mom gagged as she put the cough syrup on a spoon. She made some other funny noises when she swallowed it and then drank some water.

"Blah, that was traumatic," Mom said as she flopped back in to her chair again.

"So is how you look right now ... red nose, hair all over the place ... you get better and you will be cute again ... but not as cute as me," Ruby said matter-of-factly.

Duster and Cola were snickering as Mom again stared at Ruby.

A little while passed and Mom was ready to go back to bed.

"I tuck you in!" Ruby grabbed her face cloth blankie and followed Mom.

"Thanks, Ruby," Mom said.

A few minutes later, Ruby re-emerged from the bedroom.

"How's Mommy?' Dad asked.

"She is great .. I stopped her coughing!" Ruby was so proud.

"Um, that's what the cough syrup was for, " Dad said. "How did you stop Mommy's cough?"

"I put my blankie in her mouth! I had to thump it but I got it in there ... and now Mommy is sleeping great!"

Dad jumped up. "You thumped your blankie into Mommy's mouth??" and he was on his way to the bedroom.

Mom was sitting up in the bed, the bunny blankie in her hand.

"Are you OK?" Dad asked.

"I think Ruby tried to smother me!" Mom whined.

Ruby was in the doorway now. "No, I made you stop coughing. I want my blankie back – you do not appreciate it!"

The white bunny took the blankie from Mom and with a foot flick headed back to the living room.

"I can't be mad at her," Mom sighed. "She thought she was helping me."

Dad chuckled. "Well try not to annoy her again ... who knows how she'll try to 'help' you next time."

### GETTING READY FOR SANTA PAWS!

Ruby hopped over and sat beside Mom.

"We have a problem," Ruby said.

"We do?" Mom asked, rooting through some boxes.

"Yes, that is a tree and it belongs outside!" Ruby nosebonked Mom to get her attention.

Mom leaned down and rubbed Ruby's ears. "This is a fake tree so it can be inside."

"You bought a pretend tree?"

"Yeah, sure that's a way to look at it," Mom said. "Ah-a, I found it!"

Ruby hopped up on the chair to see what Mom was holding.

"That is a baby fake tree," Ruby said. "And it smells bad."

Ruby tried to take the mini tree ornament from Mom. "I put it in my litter box so you can throw it out."

"Hold on, hold on – this tree doesn't stink. It smells like a real pine tree. It's an ornament and we hang it on the big tree so it smells nice."

Ruby was pretty sure Mom was losing her mind. "You bought a fake baby tree that smells like a real tree to hang on the big fake tree so the big fake tree smells like a real tree?"

Mom nodded, happily starting to decorate the tree.

"Why didn't you just buy a real tree?" Ruby demanded to know.

"Ruby, you're taking the fun out of this," Mom said.

Ruby sighed and laid down on the chair.

Mom had lights and ornaments all over the tree.

"Isn't it pretty?" Mom asked the bunnies.

Duster and Cola congratulated Mom on the tree but Ruby was still curious.

"Why did you make the tree pretty?"

"So it looks nice when Santa Paws puts your gifts under it," Mom replied.

"I want to be decorated!" Ruby said.

Duster and Cola gasped ... that meant Mom would get to use the dreaded bunny accessories! No bunny had ever volunteered before.

"OK!" Mom was too happy about that.

Out came the antlers and they went right on Ruby's head.

Ruby wrinkled her nose.

"Alright, let's try this," Mom said and took the antlers off and put a Santa hat on Ruby.

Ruby thumped her little foot.

Mom was running out of options but she found a collar with bells on it.

Ruby was devastated. "You insult my cuteness with these things – you cannot decorate me anymore."

Mom shrugged, her intentions had been good. But there was still more decorating to do!

In mere minutes, Mom had Santa Claus pictures and candles and other items all over the apartment.

Ruby hopped to Cola and Duster's cages. "Mom is obsessed with an old man with a white beard ... what should we do?"

"That's Santa Paws," Cola said, "He seems to appreciate it when people have his picture all over their house at Christmas time I think it encourages him to leave more gifts!"

Ruby bounced up and down. "More gifts? Then we need to get more pictures of him!"

"No, Ruby," Mom had overheard the conversation. "We have enough Santa Paws going on in here."

"But I want lots of gifts!"

"You have nothing to worry about," Mom said. "Look there's already a gift under the tree with your name on it."

Ruby made a mad dash for the tree. Sure enough, each bunny already had a present waiting for them for Christmas morning.

Ruby pounced on hers and started to tear into it.

"Whoa!" Mom intervened. "You have to wait till Christmas."

"But it has my name on it!"

"You have to wait till Christmas morning."

"But when things come for you in the mail with your name on it, you don't wait! You tear right in to them!" Ruby stated.

"That's different," Mom argued.

"How?" Ruby asked.

"I'm an adult."

"And I am a cute bunny – I win!" Ruby tried to get at the present as Mom moved it out of bunny reach.

Mom put the gift on a shelf for safe keeping. Ruby periscoped, realizing it was no use and followed Mom.

"What are those for?"

Mom held up two large and three bunny-sized Christmas stockings. "Santa puts present in these too."

Ruby smiled. "If I put Cola in a stocking would Santa think she is a present for him and take her to his home?"

Cola thumped.

"Aw, Cola, you know I am kidding," Ruby said and then whispered to Mom. "Well, would he take her home?"

Mom rolled her eyes. "No bunny is going anywhere."

Cola turned her back to Ruby – the baby bunny was getting smarter every day. Even Cola had to admit the stocking idea was brilliant!

With all the decorating done and all of Ruby's questions answered, Mom wished the bunnies good night and went to bed.

"I can hardly wait to meet this Santa Paws," Ruby thought to herself.

And oh what a story that turns out to be ....

### RUBY MEETS SANTA CLAUS!

It was the night before Christmas and bunnies had taken over Grandma and Grandpa's house!

Cola, Duster and Ruby were in their cages in the living room at their grandparents (mommy's parents) house on Christmas Eve.

All of the people had gone to bed and the bunnies were snuggling in for the night ... when suddenly there was a loud noise in the basement ... then there were footsteps coming up the stairs ... the door opened ... and through that door came a man dressed all in red!

Duster and Cola didn't pay much mind to the man in red, they'd seen him before, but Ruby sat up and stared at him.

The man in red came down the three stairs and into the living room where the bunnies and the Christmas tree were. He put a large sack on the floor and started to place brightly coloured boxes under the tree.

"Um, excuse me, Mr. Thief," Ruby said, assuming the man was a burglar, "You have it backwards ... you're supposed to put stuff in your bag, not leave things behind ... and if you are a thief ... I am waking everyone up!!"

*thump, thump, thump*

"HO HO HO .... Sssshhhhhhh, little bunny," the man laughed.

Ruby was mad at being told to shush and thumped again.

Still no one woke up to see what was going on.

The man reached over and opened Ruby's cage ... she lunged at him and caught the sleeve of his coat.

He gently picked Ruby up and petted her head.

"I'm not a thief, little friend," he said. "I'm Santa Claus."

Ruby twitched her nose. Is that supposed to impress me?"

Santa placed her on the floor. " HO HO HO – quite the character you are."

Duster and Cola were watching Santa Claus closely now too ... what did have for treats in that sack for the bunnies?

Santa explained to Ruby who he was and what he did. Then he helped himself to some cookies that were left on a plate on the table.

"Hey! Those are Grandma's cookies! You can't just take them – you are a thief!" Ruby thumped.

Santa picked up a piece of paper that was laying beside the cookies. "Ruby, this letter is from your family ... it says "Santa, enjoy the cookies, and here are some sugar cubes for your reindeer!'"

"I still haven't seen any ID to prove who you are!" Ruby said.

Santa sighed and laid his finger beside his nose and disappeared. A moment later he reappeared and

showed Ruby his ID. She periscoped and looked at the picture.

"OK, I believe you are Santa Claus."

Then Santa went to put the sugar cubes in his pocket.

"Hey! I don't know that you actually have reindeer that those sugar cubes are for!"

"Seriously?" Santa asked.

Ruby prepared to thump her little foot again, Santa disappeared again ... this time he returned with, yes, reindeer. The reindeer were packed into the living room and kitchen.

"Wow," Cola said. "And Santa thought human children were demanding."

Duster chuckled.

"Hey! You can't do that in here!" Ruby hopped over to one of the reindeer who appeared ready to relieve himself on the floor,. I'll get blamed for that!"

Santa laughed.

"OK I believe you have reindeer," Ruby sighed and the reindeer retreated back to the roof.

Ruby continued to watch Claus very closely.

"Have you been a good bunny?" Santa asked Ruby.

"What's it to you?" Ruby interrogated him.

Cola and Duster knew they had to intervene.

"Psssttt ..." Cola motioned for Ruby to come to her cage.

Ruby kept an eye on Santa and hopped over to Cola.

"Santa Claus brings treats to all the good bunnies all over the world too, not just gifts to kids! Be nice to him," Cola informed her.

Ruby perked up. "Treats? OK, I be nice."

She hopped back to Santa.

"I've been the best bunny in the world!" Ruby declared.

"Now let's not go over the top!" Cola mumbled.

Santa laughed. "Oh I think the three of you are wonderful bunnies."

"I'm a good boy! Mommy told me so," Duster agreed with Santa.

Ruby hopped over. "Anything for us bunnies in there?" She stuck her head in the bag of gifts.

"Of course there are presents for you!" Santa pulled out three wrapped packages and put them under

the tree.

"YAY!" Ruby bounced up and down and was about to rip into her gift when Duster caught her attention.

"No, Ruby. Grandpa has to get under the tree in the morning and hand out the gifts! He looks forward to this all year long!" Duster said.

"I have to wait?" Ruby asked. "But I waited all year for this too!"

Cola rolled her eyes. "You didn't even know you were getting that gift ... so how can you have waited all year for it?"

Ruby shook her head. "You're not helping my trying to get us those treats right now, Cola!"

Santa laughed. "What if I gave each of you a treat to tide you over till Grandpa wakes up?"

All three bunnies happily hopped. Santa reached into his bag of gifts and brought out a carrot for them.

Cola, Duster and Ruby happily munched on the carrots while Santa finished placing gifts under the tree.

"Well, my little friends, I will see you next year. Be good and have a Merry Christmas!" Santa said to the bunnies and then *poof* he was gone.

Ruby was back in her cage and with a belly full of carrot she was content to wait till all of the people woke up to see what Santa had left under the tree.

### CUTE CONTEST

Ruby sat on Mom's chair. She was fascinated by what she saw on TV.

"Whatcha watching, Ruby?" Mom asked.

"I don't know," Ruby admitted. "These people do things and then other people hold up papers with numbers on them."

Mom sat down in the other chair. It was some sort of talent contest. Mom explained the judges and scores to Ruby.

"Oh ... I be right back!" Ruby hopped off the chair.

A few moments later, Ruby reappeared before Mom, four pieces of paper in her mouth.

Ruby dropped them in front of Mom. "Please write 10 on them."

Mom did as Ruby asked.

Ruby put one in front of Cola's cage, one in front of Duster's cage, left one for Mom and went to get Daddy from the kitchen to join them in the living room.

The white bunny made sure her Dad sat in the chair beside Mom. "That paper is for you."

"What's it for?" Dad asked.

"Can't tell you yet!" Ruby declared and hopped out of the living room.

Mom and Dad and the other bunnies all looked at each other and shrugged.

Ruby hopped back into the living room.

"I need your attention!" Ruby insisted.

Everyone turned to look at her.

"Thank you for coming to my Cute Contest," Ruby began. "Today we will crown me Miss Cute."

"Aren't there any other contestants?" Mom asked.

Ruby's eyes got big. "No."

"Then why are you having a contest if you are the only one competing?" Dad questioned.

Ruby scrunched up her nose in disapproval. "Because I want to."

Duster and Cola applauded Ruby's honesty.

"OK, first I will flop," Ruby said and then she flopped.

Everyone waited for her to complete the flop.

"Now you may vote!" Ruby gave permission.

Dad was confused. "Why do we only have a paper with a 10 rating on it?"

Ruby was insulted. "Did my flop not deserve a 10?"

"Well sure ... " Dad said.

"Then why would you need another number?" Ruby demanded to know.

Mom cut-in. "No other numbers needed, Ruby. Let's move onto the next category."

For her next competition, Ruby stood completely still for a moment.

"I was showing I can be patient while waiting for a treat," Ruby said.

Everyone scored her a 10.

"Wow, I am doing really well!" Ruby marveled. "Now I need someone to get me a treat so I can show I how I eat and you can get Cola and Duster one too. Maybe they can learn from my example."

Cola was about to reply when she realized she was getting a treat out of the deal so she opted to stay quiet.

Mom gave each of the bunnies some lettuce.

Ruby munched happily.

Everyone scored a 10 when she was done snacking.

Ruby hopped over the Mom and Dad and sat there.

Mom and Dad looked at her and then at each other.

Ruby sighed. "You must pet me so I can show you how nice my fur is."

The bunny parents petted Ruby.

Another 10.

"OK, I am all done. That was a lot of hard work," Ruby said. "Now I am officially Miss Cute!"

She waited while Mom quickly folded some paper into a crown for her and Dad presented her with a bouquet of hay.

Duster and Cola again applauded Ruby – she had done a great job of getting them treats too!

### RUBY'S RULES

Ruby watched Mom and Dad move the living room furniture around. She had to get a closer look at what they were doing so out of her cage she hopped.

The white bunny looked at where the chair was now and the coffee table and a storage bin Mom had.

Ruby decided she did not like where the storage bin was so she hopped up to it and nosebonked it. It did not move. Then she placed her paws against it and it still would not budge.

"This will not work!" Ruby exclaimed.

Mom and Dad had gone into the kitchen and Ruby followed them, needing to discuss the changes.

"You have to fix it!" Ruby said.

"Fix what?" Dad asked.

"You moved all the things around and did not ask me!" Ruby thumped.

Mom smiled. "It's OK, we didn't ask Cola and Duster for their opinions either."

Ruby was confused. "My opinion? No, you did not ask my permission!"

Mom and Dad looked at each other.

"Who do you think you are?" Ruby asked Mom and Dad.

Mom looked at Ruby, not sure what to say and ended up repeating what Ruby had asked her. "Who do you think you are?"

"I am Ruby, I am cute and I asked you first!" Ruby replied. "You cannot rearrange my cage without my permission."

"But, Ruby, we moved the furniture in the living room around we didn't move anything in your cage," Dad said.

Ruby was now confused. "The living room is a part of my cage!"

Mom and Dad exchanged looks realizing now when Ruby said her cage she meant the apartment!

"Maybe we can work on a compromise?" Mom asked.

Ruby scrunched up her nose. "I don't know. My fur is out of place over this."

Dad knew the best way to resolve the situation ... appeal to Ruby's stomach ... bring out the treats!

"How about some carrots? Will that put your fur back in place?"

"Two will ..." Ruby replied.

As Ruby munched on her carrots, Dad gave some to Cola and Duster. When he came back to the kitchen, Ruby had relaxed a bit.

"OK, you can keep things where they are. But next time you need to consult me first!" Ruby said.

"We'll see what we can do," Mom promised.

"Aren't you lucky I adopted you?" Ruby asked and binkied.

Mom and Dad laughed and nodded.

### THE DREADED SHED

"Mom, are you awake?" Ruby asked as she hopped on the bed.

No response.

Ruby hopped onto Mom's forehead and put her nose right up against Mom's nose. "Mom!"

Mom raised her hand and felt around her head, petted Ruby for a second, mumbled something, and then tried to ignore the bunny.

But Ruby was not giving up, her whiskers tickled Mom's nose and feeling like all other efforts were exhausted, Ruby lightly thumped her foot on Mom's cheek. "This is really important! "

Trying to get the bunny foot our of her mouth, Mom sighed. "Can Daddy not help you with this?"

Ruby hopped onto Mom's stomach. "No! Only you understand this."

Mom looked at Ruby. "What's up?"

"I woke up this morning and found that my fur was trying to leave me," Ruby said.

The look on Mom's face made it obvious that Ruby needed to explain.

"I opened my cute eyes and looked around my cage. Right beside the door was a fluff of my fur. It had been trying to get out the door when I caught it!" Ruby exclaimed. "I tried to reattach it to myself and it kept falling off! I put it in my pellet bowl for safe keeping."

Mom reached out and removed a fluff of fur from Ruby's forehead. "Did it look like this?"

Ruby was horrified. "YES! Why did you just steal my fur?"

"Ruby, it was just hanging there. It was going to fall off the next time you hopped," Mom tried to explain.

Ruby would have none of it though. "You are helping my fur escape!"

Mom sighed. "Ruby, you are shedding."

And then Mom explained what shedding meant.

"I do not want to do that!" Ruby stated.

"Well, unfortunately, it's going to happen quite a bit. Now why couldn't you ask Dad about this?"

Ruby sighed. "Because he shaves off the fur on his head. He likes to be bald. I do not want to be bald!"

"You won't be bald," Mom tried to assure her.

"What if all my fur decides to leave me?"

"I'm pretty sure it won't," Mom replied.

"I do not want to be furless!! I cannot be cute if I have no fur!!" Ruby was getting quite excited now.

Mom sighed again. "Have you ever seen Cola and Duster without fur? They shed too."

Ruby was not convinced and started to pace on Mom's belly.

"All bunnies shed!" Mom exclaimed.

"Wait ... if I cannot be cute without my fur then my fur cannot be cute without me!" Ruby said.

"OK ..." Mom wasn't really following.

"It is in my fur's best interest to stay attached to me! I will go explain that to the fur fluff in my cage. Perhaps it will understand and can tell the rest of my fur not to leave!"

"Good idea," Mom said.

Ruby nosebonked Mom,. Thank you. You can go back to sleep till I need you again."

Mom smiled and watched Ruby hop out, heading to negotiations with her fur.

### LITTER LESSONS

Ruby was sprawled out near the patio door when she saw Mom approaching her cage. Always curious, Ruby hopped over to see what was going on.

Mom was kneeling, reaching into Ruby's cage when the white bunny nosebonked her. "What are you doing?"

"I'm cleaning your cage," Mom explained.

"Oh wow, I did not know we had a bunny maid service here!" Ruby hopped excitedly.

Mom smiled. "Bunny maid service ... sure ..."

Mom stood up and walked away from the cage and Ruby hopped in. She examined the fresh water, pellets, big pile of timothy hay and the Romaine lettuce.

But the bunny felt something was missing. She looked all over her cage and then it became so obvious ...

"I have been thiefed!" Ruby exclaimed.

Mom looked over her shoulder. "What's wrong?"

"Someone stole my litter box!" Ruby was sitting where her litter box had once been.

"I have it ..." Mom started to say.

"Why would you steal my litter box?" Ruby demanded. "You can get your own litter box!"

"Ruby, I have my own litter ... um, bath room and I did not steal it," Mom said.

"Did you ask if you could have it?"

"Well no, but I clean it every day ..."

Ruby cut her off. "If you have your own litter box why would you take mine? Shame on you taking a litter box from a baby bunny! Especially one as cute as me!" Ruby thumped her foot.

"Ruby, calm down, I am going to bring it back as soon as I clean it out," Mom said.

"What are you doing with it?" Ruby demanded to know, hopping out of her cage and joining Mom beside the garbage can. "It looks to me like you are throwing my litter box in the trash!"

Mom assured Ruby the only thing going in the trash were the contents of the box.

Ruby was horrified.

"I worked very hard to fill that litter box! Do you know how much hay I had to eat?"

"Ruby, believe me, I know how hard you work every day to fill it because I clean it every day," Mom repeated.

"Do Cola and Duster know that you take their litter boxes too?" Ruby was on a mission now.

The other two bunnies nodded, trying to assure Ruby it was OK that Mom did this.

Ruby paced back and forth in front of the trash can, not allowing Mom to get too close to finish cleaning the box.

"Ruby, look at all the yummy hay and lettuce in your cage. If you work really hard you can have another full litter box by tomorrow!" Mom was trying to reason with the baby rabbit.

Ruby stopped pacing, thinking that she got to munch on a lot of good food.

"Fine, you may clean my litter box everyday but I am not impressed with your maid service and I will not be leaving you a tip!" and with that she hopped back to her cage to sample the lettuce.

### SAVED BY THE FRIDGE

"Can you stop doing that?" Ruby asked, placing her white paws onto Mommy's nose.

Mom's eyes popped open once her air supply was cut off.

She moved Ruby's paws. "Why did you do that?"

Ruby laid back down on Mom's belly. "You are disturbing my cutie sleep every time you blow air on me."

"It's called breathing," Mom explained.

"Maybe you could do it somewhere else," Ruby suggested.

Mom looked at the white bunny, stretched out on top of her blankets. "There's the whole bed you can lie on. Why not try over there?"

Ruby shook her head. "No, I need to be here. You are nice and warm."

"And you are covered with fur," Mom smiled.

Ruby wasn't budging. "Speaking of fur - my fur is resting right now and can't be disturbed. If I move, my fur will be unhappy."

Mom sighed. "OK, well, maybe I'll get up and let you have this spot on the bed. It'll be warm for awhile."

"Did you not hear me?" Ruby asked.

Mom blinked.

"We can't move or my fur will be bothered," Ruby stated.

Mom wasn't really sure how to respond to that but asked. "When do you think your fur will not be bothered if I move?"

Ruby sighed. "I don't know and I can't ask it because that would involving bothering it."

Mom resigned herself to being stuck attempting to nap until Ruby's fur felt it was time to rise and shine.

Then Ruby's ears twitched. She heard something that caught her attention.

"What's up?" Mom asked.

Ruby scrunched up her nose. "Shh, my fur is listening."

"Oh, sorry," Mom mumbled, not believing she was apologizing to fur.

All of a sudden Ruby was hopping off the bed and towards the door. "I heard Daddy open the fridge!"

Mom sat up. "Uh, did your fur say it was OK to move?"

"No, my belly did and it overrules my fur!" Ruby was out the door and heading for a snack attack.

### CAMOUFLAGE CAPER

"Oh my gosh!" Cola exclaimed, staring at Ruby.

Ruby's ears perked up and she hopped over to Cola's cage.

"What's wrong, Cola Bear?" Ruby asked.

"Nothing! This is perfect!" Cola hopped excitedly in circles.

Ruby and Duster exchanged confused looks.

"What's perfect?" Duster asked, he was in his cage next to Cola.

"Ruby's fur!" Cola exclaimed.

Ruby hopped back from Cola's cage. "My – fur – is – perfect?"

Every bun knows how Cola feels about her own fur – it's as precious as treats to her.

"Your fur is white!" Cola cheered.

"You just figured that out now?" Ruby asked.

"Are you OK?" Duster questioned Cola.

Cola was still hopping around in circles. "You don't understand."

"No, but you are making us dizzy!" Duster said.

"Ruby's fur is white and so is the fridge!" Cola stated.

"Did you just figure that out too?" Ruby was getting concerned about Cola now.

"No, Ruby and Duster – think about it, Ruby is the same colour as the fridge!" Cola said.

Ruby and Duster still weren't seeing the big picture that Cola was.

Cola sighed, disappointed the other two bunnies weren't sharing in her stroke of sheer genius.

"Ruby's fur can blend in with the colour of the fridge. Ruby's fur is fridge camouflage," Cola said.

"I can sneak up on the fridge and it won't see me?" Ruby asked.

"Better than that, you could duck along the side of the fridge and when Mom and Dad open the fridge door, they wouldn't notice you! You could grab treats and run before they see you!" Cola declared.

"Wow!" Duster gasped. "Brilliant!"

"OK! We have to try this!" Ruby agreed and started to hop in circles too.

"Mom and Dad are in the kitchen," Cola said. "Go get us some treats!"

And off Ruby hopped. She approached the treat line and crouched down. She carefully made her way to the edge of the fridge and sat as still as she could.

Dad stopped talking and nodded towards the fridge, he saw Ruby trying to hide there and wanted Mom to see this too.

Mom carefully peeked in the direction Ruby was. Ruby had such a determined look on her face. And

her fridge fascination was so well-known. How could they not guess what she was waiting for.

"Guess I should check the fridge," Mom said, loudly.

Ruby's whiskers trembled with excitement.

Mom opened the fridge door, wide enough for Ruby to see the Romaine lettuce!

Mom winked at Dad. "Hmmm, I think I'll need a minute to decide what we should have for lunch."

"Definitely," Dad agreed.

Ruby couldn't believe her luck! They hadn't noticed her and the fridge door was being held open for her with Romaine lettuce in reach!

Ruby took a deep breath and hopped to the open door. She quickly sunk her teeth into the lettuce and

made a mad dash for the living room.

Mom and Dad were trying not to laugh out loud as they watched her retreat with the treats!

"Wow! Great work!" Duster congratulated Ruby as she pushed a leaf into his cage and one into Cola's cage.

"Thanks!" Cola binkied.

All three bunnies munched happily away while Mom and Dad watched them from the kitchen.

"Something's are best left unknown," Dad said.

Mom agreed, they were happy to let the bunnies think the camouflage caper was unknown to the parents.

### RUBY'S REASONING

Mom watched as the white rabbit followed her to the kitchen and sat in front of the fridge.

"Ruby, this is a rather unhealthy obsession you have with the fridge," Mom said.

Ruby shook her head. "No, it's not. All the good healthy treats like my Romaine lettuce are in the fridge."

"What are you going to do when you eat all the treats in the fridge?" Mom asked.

"Mom, please, you will buy new food to go in the fridge just like you do when we run low on hay and pellets," Ruby said.

Mom smiled, her bunnies were very smart.

"Now please, treats," Ruby said.

Mom gave in and Ruby, Duster and Cola enjoyed some lettuce. Awhile later, Mom went back into the kitchen and Ruby was right behind her.

"Ruby, no more treats," Mom said firmly. "Remember what I say - if there are no Mommies in the kitchen, there are no bunnies in the kitchen."

"But you are in the kitchen so it is OK for me to be here," Ruby replied.

"But now I am leaving the kitchen and you need to follow me," Mom said, otherwise she knew Ruby would loiter beside the fridge till Mom's next walk into the kitchen.

"But we need food," Ruby said. "Food from the fridge."

"You have lots of food in your cage," Mom said. "I'm sorry but I am putting my foot down on no treats right now."

"I have four feet and they are already down, I win," Ruby said.

Mom was trying not to smile.

"The fridge is white like my fur, that means I own the fridge," Ruby revealed and hopped over to chin the fridge.

Now Mom had to smile.

"Mom, can you please pet me?" Ruby asked.

Mom leaned down to pet Ruby and Ruby quickly chinned her hand. "Now I own your hand."

"Excuse me?" Mom asked.

"Everyone knows when a bunny chins something they own it. I chinned the fridge just to make sure you know I own it and now I chinned your hand so I own it too. Now please take your hand that I now own and open my fridge and give me and Duster and Cola some of our food," Ruby instructed.

"Ruby, you are being unreasonable," Mom sighed.

"No, I explained it to you. You are being unreasonable," Ruby said.

Mom sat on the floor with Ruby. "It would be a bad thing if Mom had a treat every time she came into the kitchen. So if I can't have a treat every time I come in here, neither can bunnies."

Ruby scrunched up her nose. "Fine, no treats this time. Now if there are no bunnies in the kitchen, there can be no Mommies in the kitchen."

Mom and Ruby left the kitchen together.

"Next time you we go to that room, you can have a treat," Ruby promised Mom.

Mom smiled. "I appreciate that, Ruby."

Ruby flopped where the living room carpet and the kitchen tile met, waiting for the next excursion to the kitchen.

### REUNION AT THE RAINBOW BRIDGE

Ruby opened her eyes and looked around. She appeared to be in a field – green grass as far as her eyes could see, the sun was shining, it was beautiful.

"Where am I?" Ruby asked no one in particular.

"You're at The Rainbow Bridge," a voice answered.

Ruby turned to see a brown and white Dutch bunny and a light grey lop coming towards her.

"Where are Mom and Dad and Duster and Cola?" Ruby wondered.

"Mom and Dad are still with Cola and Duster at home," the lop answered. "I am Dusty and this is Hopper."

"But you're angel bunnies," Ruby said.

"And now you are too," Hopper said. "It was your time to come to the Bridge, dear Ruby. We get to watch over our parents and Cola and Duster for awhile."

"Will I ever see them again?" Ruby was concerned.

"You can see them whenever you want to," Hopper said. "Just close your eyes and let all of the wonderful memories come to you. And they can do the same. And then someday, we will all be together again."

"Oh, so they are OK?" Ruby asked.

"They will be in time. They miss you, just like you miss them, but they know it was your time to make this journey," Dusty said. "Just like Hopper and I did."

"And now we are here to help you get used to your new home," Hopper said. "Follow us, there is much for you to see."

Ruby started to hop after Hopper and Dusty, then paused.

"What's wrong?" Dusty asked.

"Am I still cute?" Ruby wondered.

Hopper laughed. "You are eternally cute!"

"Whew, that was a close one," and Ruby followed her sisters.

Dusty stopped in front of a patch of the greenest grass Ruby had ever seen. "This is the Stop-To-Flop area. This is the softest grass anywhere. You can come here and flop as much as you want, we encourage it."

"Wow," Ruby was in awe.

They hopped along, coming to an endless garden.

"This is the Bunny Buffet," Hopper explained. "Any and all sorts of fresh veggies. Help yourself to whatever you feel like."

Ruby was already checking out the carrots.

The next stop was a field of timothy hay.

"Oh my gosh!" Ruby was so excited.

Dusty smiled. "I love timothy hay too. And just beyond the timothy hay is wild vegetation like our non-domesticated relatives eat. Eat as much as you would like."

Hopper and Dusty then showed Ruby the play area, bunny toys of all kinds were there for her to use.

"Are we the only bunnies here?" Ruby asked.

"No, there are lots of bunnies waiting to meet you. They are planning your Welcoming Party, Ruby. We wanted the chance to meet you and show you around," Hopper said.

"Now there is one more stop to make before we get to your party," Dusty said. "Hopper, would you like to do the honours?"

Hopper nodded. "This way, cute bunny."

"OK!" Ruby binkied.

Hopper, Dusty and Ruby came to what can only be described as a large white room. Ruby followed her sisters inside.

The walls were lined with bunny-sized refrigerators.

"I always admired your determination to get in to the fridge without Mom and Dad's help," Hopper said. "So much like me!"

"There's more veggies in the fridges," Dusty explained.

"But how do we get to them?" Ruby hopped up to one of the fridges.

Hopper smiled. "Say 'open, please' to any fridge you want."

"OK," Ruby said and turned to face a fridge. "Open, please!"

The door slowly swung open, revealing shelves of Romaine lettuce.

Ruby binkied about a thousand times.

Dusty and Hopper both laughed.

"See, this place isn't so bad," Hopper said.

Ruby smiled. "I miss our parents and Cola and Duster, but I guess this'll do till we are all back together again."

Dusty smiled. "Yes, it will. Now, come on, time to go to your Welcome Party."

Hopper, Dusty and Ruby made their way where all of the other bridge bunnies were assembled. Ruby felt the love of her fellow bridge bunnies and also that of her parents, Cola and Duster.

"I'll be OK, we'll all be OK," Ruby said. "Till we meet again."

### For all of us who have lost a beloved bun

It's okay, Mommy and Daddy,

Please don't cry

With the angel bunnies

I now fly

You did everything

You could for me

Even though I had to go

I'll always be your bunny

It'll take some time

Till you smile again I know

But remember

I am with you everywhere you go

### ZOOMER

SILLY SHADOWS

Zoomer zipped around the living room.

"Wow, you keep up with me!" Zoomer said.

Mom and Dad looked around, not really sure who the baby bunny was talking to as they certainly weren't able to keep up with Zoomer.

"Come on! Wheeee!" and off Zoomer went.

A few more minutes of making Mom and Dad dizzy and Zoomer stopped.

"We need a carrot," Zoomer said.

"Sure," Mom agreed. "But who are "we"?"

Zoomer looked to his right.

"Me and my friend," he said matter-of-factly.

"Oh your friend, that's right," Dad said, both parents assuming Zoomer had a make-believe best buddy.

Mom gave Zoomer the carrot and he munched happily away.

"Thanks! We needed to refuel!" and Zoomer raced around the living room again.

Zoomer paused and flopped.

"We do everything at the same time!" Zoomer exclaimed to his friend.

Mom and Dad were curious and wanted to know more about Zoomer's friend.

"So where did you meet your friend?" Mom asked.

The baby bunny thought for a moment. "He's always been with me."

"What does he look like?" Dad asked.

Zoomer looked to his right again. "Just like me! Well his fur is a bit darker."

"Does your friend have a name?" Mom questioned.

"I don't know," Zoomer whispered. "He doesn't talk to me."

Mom and Dad were still confused.

"Well we'd love to meet your friend," Dad said.

"He's right there," Zoomer motioned with his nose.

Mom and Dad stepped closer to where Zoomer was now sitting and bent down, pretending to pet the make-believe rabbit.

Zoomer's eyes got big. "What are you doing?"

"Petting your friend," Mom explained.

"No ... you're standing on him!" and Zoomer thumped.

Mom and Dad jumped back.

Zoomer hopped to the other side of the room and checked on his friend.

"Is everything OK?" Dad asked.

The baby bunny shook his head no. "I think you and Mom are tired. You were both seeing a bunny that wasn't there and even worse you tired to pet a bunny that wasn't there!"

Duster and Cola were watching the whole adventure unfold.

"Zoomer, we are confused ..." Mom started to say.

Zoomer cut her off. "No kidding! You and Daddy are both confused!"

Dad sighed. "Zoomer, can you right now show us your friend?"

Zoomer looked again to his right. "He's right there."

Mom and Dad looked to the floor where Zoomer was pointing with his nose.

"Your shadow?" Mom asked.

Zoomer smiled. "Is that what he is? I just call him my friend!"

Mom and Dad laughed, happy Zoomer had a friend that can keep up with a baby bunny!

### FEET FACTS

Zoomer raced around the living room, under the chair Mom was sitting on and oops ...

"What the heck is that?" Zoomer asked, shaking his head.

Mom leaned over to check on the baby bunny. "That was my foot you crashed in to. Are you OK?"

"Yes. That's your foot?" Zoomer was amazed.

Mom nodded.

"Wow, your feet are huge!" Zoomer exclaimed and he extended his back leg to compare his foot to Mom's.

"I am a bit bigger than you," Mom said in defense of her feet.

"My feet are so small and furry," Zoomer said.

"Uh huh, you do have wonderful feet," Mom agreed.

Zoomer quickly tucked his foot underneath him. "You can't have my feet!" and a little thump.

Mom sighed. "I don't want your feet."

"Why not? You just said they are wonderful feet! Why wouldn't you want my feet?" Zoomer was almost offended.

Cola snickered and said to Duster. "Mom forgot what it's like to have a baby bunny around."

Duster nodded and the lop and dwarf bunny continued to listen to Mom try to defend her feet and unoffend Zoomer.

Mom gave Zoomer a noserub. "Your feet are too small for me."

"Oh, OK. Are you really old?" Zoomer asked Mom.

"No! I am not that old!" Mom sighed.

"But you must be really old," Zoomer reasoned.

"Why do you think I must be old?" Mom was curious.

"I know when I grow up and get older I will get bigger and so will my feet. With feet that big, you must be old," Zoomer said.

Mom felt it was time to change the topic. "Zoomer, look – a carrot! "

Zoomer spun around. "Where?"

"I think it ran to the bedroom," Mom said.

Off Zoomer hopped, only to return a few seconds later.

"No carrot?" Mom asked.

"The bedroom door is closed, " Zoomer looked at Mom suspiciously. "And carrots don't have hands to open the door with."

"And they don't have feet to run across the floor with either," Mom smiled.

"How come?" Zoomer asked.

"I don't know," Mom replied.

"How come you don't know?" Zoomer questioned.

"Well sometimes parents just don't have the answers," Mom replied.

Zoomer sat down and looked at Mom. "Now I know you aren't that old."

Mom smiled. "Oh good."

"Yeah, because old people are supposed to be wise and a wise person could tell me why carrots don't have hands or feet and you couldn't answer that," Zoomer said.

Mom couldn't help it and burst out loud, baby bunny logic at its best!

"How about I get you a carrot? Will that make everything better?" Mom asked.

Zoomer hopped up and down happily, Mom took that as a yes and all three bunnies got their carrots.

### OVER-ZEALOUS ZOOMER

Zoomer hopped out of his cage and right to Cola's. He sat outside her cage, staring at her. Cola sighed and laid down, she was getting used to the baby bunny's daily visits.

"Cola, I love you," Zoomer said and binkied around the room.

Duster wasn't all that impressed but flopped and took a nap.

Mom and Dad were watching TV when Zoomer flew by them.

"Whatcha doing, Zoom Zoom?" Dad asked.

"Showing Cola how fast I can hop," Zoomer replied. "She is such a pretty bunny."

"Yes, she is," Mom agreed. "And she is so lucky to have you and Duster to love her."

Zoom binkied. "I love her so much. She has the prettiest fur, too!"

The baby bunny turned his attention to what Mom and Dad were watching on TV – music videos.

"Do you think Cola would like me to write her a song to sing to her?" Zoomer asked.

Knowing that would keep Zoomer from finding something to bunstruct, his parents encouraged him to write Cola a wonderful song.

"I bet she'd love that," Dad said.

Zoomer binkied. "And then she'll love me! OK, I write a song."

The Dutch bunny watched a few minutes of the music video and then hopped off to write his tribute to Cola.

Five minutes later ...

"That was really fast," Mom said.

Zoomer nodded. "It's not that hard to write a song."

He hopped to Cola's cage and announced. "Cola, I wrote a song to sing to you! Every bunny listen!"

Mom and Dad and Duster and Cola waited ...

"OK," Zoomer said and started to sing. "Cola Bear, Cola Bear, Cola Bear ..." repeating the same two words over and over and over.

Cola's eyes got big, Duster chuckled and flopped again and Mom and Dad understood why it didn't take Zoomer too long to write the song.

Zoomer finally paused and everyone clapped.

"I'm not done yet ..." Zoomer said.

"Oh, but that was so wonderful – how can there be more?" Mom asked.

"But there is more! And it's better than that!" Zoomer exclaimed.

Zoomer hopped away from Cola's cage and started to tap his little foot on the carpet. "I am finding my rhythm."

Mom and Dad nodded and waited ...

"Cola Bear, over there, has pretty fur, I love her," Zoomer crooned.

Zoomer jumped onto a storage bin and started to thump, loudly. From there he hopped onto the phone book and started to shred it. Then he grabbed the toss toy and rattled it around.

Mom and Dad's eyes got big, Duster's ears went straight out to the side and Cola's fur started to form the somewhat infamous mohawk on her back.

"Zoomer, Zoomer, what are you doing? Why are you making so much noise?" Dad asked.

Zoomer was confused. "That's not noise, that's my music."

"Ohhhh," Mom said.

"People bang things on the TV and make sounds like I did and they shake things like the toss toy. I was making music for Cola and you interrupted me," Zoomer said.

And the baby bunny started to pout.

"Pssst," Duster motioned for Zoomer to hop close to his cage.

Still pouting, Zoomer did.

"That was pretty good," Duster said. "I've never written Cola a song."

"Really?" Zoomer asked, the pout slowly disappearing.

Cola hopped to the side of her cage where Zoomer was. "No, he hasn't. I liked it. I like that you sang about my fur."

Zoomer binkied.

Mom and Dad clapped, happy to see Zoomer zipping around the living room again.

### KNOW NO

"Zoomer, no chewing on the carpet!" Mom said.

Zoomer hopped up onto the couch.

"No chewing on the pillow," Mom sighed.

Zoomer hopped into the bedroom, onto his igloo and into the laundry basket, Mom was close behind.

"And no chewing on the towels either. Play with your phone book."

Zoomer hopped out of the basket and scrunched up his nose. "I don't like that word."

"What word?" Mom asked.

"I won't say it. It ruins all my fun," Zoomer said.

Mom smiled. "You mean you won't say no."

"You say it enough for all of us," Zoomer pouted and hopped back out to the living room and flopped in front of Cola's cage.

Mom sat on the floor beside the baby Dutch bunny. "I say no when you are doing things you shouldn't be doing, things that could hurt you."

"Towels are soft – they can't hurt me," Zoomer pouted

"Well I still don't think they make a good choice for a snack. Let's stick to good old timothy hay," Mom said.

"The green towel looked like my hay," Zoomer said.

"Good try," Mom replied and got up and went to the kitchen. When she came back in to the living room, she sat on the couch to watch TV with a bowl of chips.

Zoomer stretched and hopped onto the couch with Mom.

"What are you eating?"

"Potato chips," Mom replied.

Zoomer was curious. "Are they good for you?"

Mom paused. "Potatoes are a veggie and veggies are good for you."

"That doesn't look like a veggie. So is it good for you?"

Mom sighed. "No, not really."

"If it's not good for you then it is bad for you and if it's bad it could hurt you and if it can hurt you, you can't eat it," Zoomer reminded Mom.

Without her chips to munch on, Mom decided to channel surf. She stopped at a commercial for the potato chips that she wasn't supposed to eat.

Zoomer looked at Mom, the TV, the chips and then back at Mom.

"Yeah, yeah, I know, keep surfing," Mom mumbled.

Zoomer flopped beside his Mom. "I take good care of you."

Mom petted Zoomer's head. "Yes, you do."

Zoomer smiled. "I bet carrots are good treats even for bunny parents ..."

Mom laughed. "HA! You had ulterior motives!"

"I don't know what that is but I hope it means carrots for me and Cola and Duster and you too!" Zoomer hopped up and binkied, heading to the kitchen for carrots.

Dad had overheard the conversation and met Mom and Zoomer with a plate of carrots, just enough for the bunnies and the bunny parents to share.

"At least they're crunchy like my chips," Mom said.

Dad laughed while he and Mom listened to the bunnies happily eating the carrots.

### BLOSSOMING BUNNIES

"Mom, what are you doing" Zoomer periscoped to see why Mom was pouring water in a container.

"I'm watering our flowers." Mom explained.

"Why?" baby bunny curiosity was on full alert.

"They need water to grow, just like you do. "

"They get thirsty?" Zoomer was fascinated.

"Yep."

"How does this happen?" Zoomer asked, wondering how the whole process of growing something worked.

"You plant a seed in the ground and water it and make sure it gets sunlight and pretty soon you'll have a beautiful flower," Mom said.

Zoomer binkied and hopped away, he had an idea! He hopped around the living room till he found what he had seen earlier. He was quick to pick it up and go to his cage.

The Dutch bunny dug a hole in his litter area, dropped the item in and quickly covered it up. Then he nosebonked his water bowl over to the recently dug area and poured a little bit of water. For good measure, he even added some hay to the pile.

And then he sat and waited.

However, being a baby bunny, Zoomer isn't very patient.

He hopped over to the pile and stared at it. Then he hopped back to the corner.

Zoomer repeated this every few minutes until Mom and Dad were curious.

"What's up?" Dad asked.

"Why is it taking so long?" Zoomer demanded.

"Why is what taking so long?" Mom questioned.

"I put the fur in the ground, well it's kind of the ground, and I added water and the sun is coming in the window. I even put hay there and she's not growing!" Zoomer was frustrated.

"Who isn't growing?" Dad was confused.

Zoomer sighed. "Cola two."

"Cola two?" Mom asked.

"Yes! You said if I put a seed in the ground and water it and give it sunshine, it will grow." Zoomer insisted.

"But fur isn't a seed," Mom said.

Zoomer periscoped. "I don't know what a seed is!"

"Where and how did you get Cola's fur?" now Dad was even more curious.

Cola was staring at Zoomer, waiting for the answer too.

"Oh! I'm not a vet!" Zoomer exclaimed. "It was fur that had escaped. I found it on the carpet so I figured it was OK to use it."

Cola was still looking a bit alarmed by the whole planting of the fur she had shed.

"So I can't grow my own Cola?" Zoomer asked.

Mom and Dad shook their heads no.

Zoomer flopped and sighed. "I just wanted a Cola to be my friend and love me as much as I love the first Cola."

"Aw," Mom said.

"I wonder if we could clone her, get some DNA from her fur ..." Dad joked.

Cola thumped. "Enough with my fur! There is only one Cola Bear and that is ME!"

Duster couldn't help himself and laughed out loud at all this.

"You know, I bet if you give it some time," Mom said.

"And you stop loitering outside her cage so much," Dad added.

"Cola would love to be your friend," Mom said.

Both parents, Zoomer and Duster all turned to look at Cola.

"No pressure," Cola muttered. "Reduce the time spent in front of my cage and share your treats with me ..."

"Cola," Mom scolded the black bunny.

"OK, OK, I had to try," Cola sighed. "Just give me some space and we can be friends."

Zoomer binkied and hopped to the other side of the room. "Cola, I love you!"

Everyone laughed, including Cola.

Dad summed it up perfectly. "Well he is giving you your space."

### LAUNDRY LAUGHS

Zoomer was "helping" Mom fold the laundry when the phone rang. Mom answered it.

"Zoomer, it's Grandma. You keep an eye on the laundry while Mommy talks to her, OK. Don't let the laundry go anywhere!" Mom said to the baby bunny.

"OK!" Zoomer hopped onto the pile of clothes and towels, taking his laundry security job very seriously.

Now baby bunnies get bored very easily. And although Mom had only been out of the room for about a minute, Zoomer was finding the laundry-sitting job boring. He started to move the laundry around, looking for the perfect towel or blankie to curl up on.

That's when his adorable eyes settled on it - the large piece of fabric curled up near the bottom of the pile.

"Uh oh," Zoomer whispered. "It's a curtain! It must have snuck in here with our laundry and no one knows but me!"

Then a little light bulb went off.

"I can tell Cola about the curtain and she will love me forever!" Zoomer binkied towards the door.

A baby bunny pause.

"Oh! Even better I can show it to her. Mom said not to let the laundry go anywhere but she didn't say I couldn't take it somewhere!" Zoomer headed back towards the suspected curtain.

Zoomer nosebonked the fabric till he discovered the elasticized corner. He crawled under it and started to hop towards the door, dragging the bed sheet behind him.

Meanwhile, Cola was rearranging her litter area and Duster was snacking on his hay.

A squeaky little voice called out. "Cola."

Cola looked at Duster, who looked right back at her.

"Wasn't me," the grey lop said.

Cola shrugged and went back to her organizing.

Zoomer tugged the sheet around the corner of the bedroom door, trying to make his way to Cola's cage.

"Cola," the same squeaky voice repeated.

"What?" the dwarf bunny asked Duster.

"It wasn't me," Duster insisted.

Cols scrunched up her nose. At least Duster had heard it too and she wasn't imaging things.

Then something caught Duster's attention out of the corner of his eye. It was a curtain moving across the floor. Duster's ears went straight out to the side.

"Cola," Duster whispered.

Cola was getting grouchy. "Now that was you!"

"Uh huh," Duster nodded, barely moving.

"What?" Cola demanded to know.

Her back was to the front of her cage so she didn't see the fabric approaching.

"Um ... you might ... um ... ahhh ..." Duster was muttering.

By now, Zoomer was in front of Cola's cage. The bed sheet was still over his head, but he periscoped and put his paws on the door to Cola's cage.

Then Cola turned around.

"Cola," Zoomer squeaked.

Cola jumped back.

"It's the ghost of curtain's past and it knows your name!" Duster managed to say.

"Eek, curtain ... " Cola stammered, watching the fabric wave back and forth in front of her cage.

Duster thumped.

Cola thumped.

Mom was still on the phone when she entered the living room to see what was going on.

"Um, Mom, I have a Cola and curtain situation going on, yep, gotta let you go. Bye," and Mom hung up the phone.

"Cola, look!" Zoomer was still under the bed sheet.

"No, I don't want to look!" Cola exclaimed.

Mom went over to the scene and gently pulled the bed sheet off Zoomer. "Whatcha up to?"

"Thanks," Zoomer sighed. "I found that curtain in with the laundry and I had to show it to Cola so she would love me forever for helping get rid of it."

Mom couldn't help it and burst out laughing. "This is a bed sheet. And I think Cola would love you even more if you didn't bring curtains to her cage."

"Really?" Zoomer asked.

"Yes! No more curtain deliveries," Cola agreed, still rather grouchy. "That really stressed out my fur!"

Duster lost the battle against not laughing out loud. "Everything stresses out your fur."

Cola glared at Duster for a minute and then started to groom her fur, making sure it was alright.

Zoomer felt really bad. "Is your fur OK?"

Cola sighed. "It seems to be fine."

Mom cleared her throat and looked at Cola, encouraging her to be extra nice to the baby bunny.

"Oh, thanks for asking," Cola said to Zoomer. "Good catch on the almost-curtain. I think you'll soon be ready for your own curtain patrol route."

"Wow!" Zoomer binkied.

"Zoomer, we have clothes to fold. You better come with me to make sure no curtains got in without us knowing it. This can be your first curtain patrol," Mom said.

Zoomer binkied all the way to pile of clothes.

"Wish I could get that excited about doing laundry," Mom chuckled.

### BABY BUNNY BOYCOTT

"Mom, I have a question," Zoomer said.

Mom listened.

"What does "absence makes the heart grow fonder" mean?" Zoomer asked.

"You've been watching commercials again," Mom said. "It means when you are away from something or someone they love you more."

Zoomer was still confused.

"When you don't have treats for awhile, it means more to you when you get them, right?" Mom asked.

Zoomer binkied, now he understood. He started his bunny super sprints around the room and came to a sudden stop.

"Mom, would that work with Cola?"

Mom tried not to smile. "You never know. Are you going to boycott Cola Bear?"

Zoomer looked at Mom, she had to explain what "boycott" meant.

Zoomer binkied. "YES! And then she will love me a whole bunch."

Zoomer hopped over to Cola's cage and announced his plans.

"Cola, I am doing this because I have no other choice. I won't flop beside your cage anymore. You won't get to see my cute feetsies every day. What are you going to do when you look outside your cage and I'm not there?" Zoomer didn't give her the chance to answer and hopped to the other side of the room.

Cola yawned and stretched and munched on her hay, not quite sure what Zoomer had been rambling on about.

Zoomer spent a few minutes grooming his fur and rearranging a blanket. Then he hopped over to Mom.

"Do you think it worked?"

Mom looked over at Cola, still munching on her hay.

"Um, she may need a bit more time," Mom replied.

"Oh, okay. This takes longer than I thought," and Zoomer stretched out beside Mom's chair.

Zoomer is not known for his patience and nosebonked Mom's ankle a few minutes after he laid down.

"How about now?"

"Zoomer, I think the absence is meant to be days or weeks, not minutes," Mom said.

Zoomer sat straight up. "That long?! But I miss her so much! I thought she is supposed to miss me, not me miss her. This is working backwards! "

Mom petted Zoomer. "It's alright."

"No, I must see Cola!" and off he hopped.

Cola sat up when she saw Zoomer making a mad dash for her cage.

"I'm sorry I was away for so long!"

Cola scrunched up her nose. "You were gone?"

"You missed me so much time stood still when I wasn't outside your cage!" Zoomer exclaimed.

"Okay ..." Cola was still confused.

Zoomer, convinced Cola had really missed him, flopped beside her cage.

Mom rewarded Zoomer, Cola and Duster with treats.

When the baby bunny is happy, everyone is happy.

### BUNNY BEDTIME BREAKFAST

"Good night, Bunnies," and Mom was off to sleep.

Her head no sooner hit the pillow when she heard a squeaky baby bunny voice.

"I can't believe she forgot," and a long sigh.

Mom sat up.

Then Cola. "Sometimes parents just don't have their priorities set."

"We'll ask Dad when he gets home from work," Duster said to Cola and Zoomer.

Mom was confused, what had she forgotten? The cages were cleaned, lots of pellets and hay and water. Now she had to investigate.

"Hi, Bunnies. What did I forget?" Mom asked.

"I have growing feet!" Zoomer declared and showed Mom his feet.

Mom was even more confused.

"You forgot breakfast!" Zoomer explained.

"No, I gave you breakfast this morning," Mom replied.

Zoomer shook his head. "You forgot bunny bedtime breakfast."

Mom repeated the last three words slowly.

Cola and Duster were nodding in agreement with Zoomer.

"Well breakfast is in the morning," Mom said.

"Why?" Zoomer asked.

"Um, it always has been," Mom answered.

"Why?" Zoomer was on a mission.

"I don't know," Mom sighed. "But I'll give you bunny breakfast when I get up."

Zoomer was relentless. "But you're up now and we need our bedtime breakfast."

Mom just wanted to get some sleep.

"Is there a law that you can't give bunnies a bedtime breakfast treat?" Zoomer asked.

"No," Mom said.

"Then I don't see the problem," Zoomer binkied.

"Trust me, just give in," Cola whispered to Mom. "We know how persistent this baby bunny is."

"And I am just too darn cute to say no to!" Zoomer added.

Poor Duster couldn't help but laugh at Mom and Cola now. "Ha, the baby bunny is winning."

"Do you want bunny bedtime breakfast?" Mom asked Duster.

"Um, yep, sure do," Duster was trying to stop laughing.

Zoomer binkied again. "Yay, I won!"

"Not yet," Mom said. "We are going to compromise."

"Can I eat that?" Zoomer asked.

Mom laughed, "No. It means I give you a treat for bunny bedtime breakfast and you let me sleep till it's time for my breakfast."

"Oh OK!" Zoomer agreed. "And we get breakfast then too!"

Mom gave each of the bunnies a carrot. "OK, nothing has been forgotten, good night, my bunnies."

"Thanks, Mom. Good night!" the three bunnies chorused.

Zoomer did a small binky and whispered to Cola and Duster. "Breakfast is only a few hours away!"

And then the bunnies drifted off to dream of their morning breakfast.

### FUR FRUSTRATIONS

Mom heard the noise coming from the kitchen and went to see what was going on. There sat Zoomer, his nose scrunched up, his eyes closed and he was kind of growling.

"Zoomer, you OK?" Mom asked.

Zoomer opened his eyes. "No."

"What's wrong?" Mom sat on the floor next to the baby bunny.

Zoomer sighed. "I need a moose."

Mom was confused. "It sounds more like you need a litter box from the noise you were making."

Zoomer pretty much rolled his eyes. "Mom, Cola and I don't do litter boxes."

"Right, my mistake, let's get you to your litter area."

"Why? I need a moose!" Zoomer insisted.

Mom, still confused. "What do you need a moose for?"

"To help me make a fur mohawk," Zoomer said.

"You mean hair mousse ..." Mom said.

"That's what I said," Zoomer stared at Mom.

Moving the conversation along, Mom discovered Zoomer wanted a fur mohawk like Cola had, but his fur wasn't co-operating, no matter how hard he concentrated.

"Well, Cola's mohawk shows up when she gets mad," Mom said.

"Then I need to get mad and you need to help me," Zoomer stated.

Mom smiled. "Alright, what would make you angry. What if I were late with bunny breakfast?"

Zoomer thought. "It's just late, right? I'd still get it?"

"Of course," Mom agreed.

"No, that won't make me mad as long as I get breakfast eventually," Zoomer said.

"What if I didn't tell you for a week that you have the cutest baby bunny feet?" Mom asked.

"But you'd still know that they are the cutest baby bunny feet?" Zoomer asked.

Again, Mom agreed.

"No, that wouldn't make me mad either as long as you still know it," Zoomer sighed.

"What if Cola went to stay with Grandma and Grandpa?" Mom was sure she had found the right scenario.

"I'd be OK till she came home," Zoomer said.

"No, she is going to live with them forever," Mom told the Dutch bunny.

"Well then I'd go too," Zoomer replied.

"Nope, Grandma and Grandpa only want Cola to live with them," Mom said.

"WHAT? Why? Why would they not want a baby bunny like me?" Zoomer was getting mad!

Mom waited. Zoomer was getting frustrated and hopping around her.

"That made me mad! Is it working? Do I have a fur mohawk?" he was hopeful.

Mom shook her head. "Sorry, Zoomer, no fur mohawk."

"And Cola isn't moving, right?" Zoomer asked.

"No, Cola and you and Duster are staying with us forever," Mom assured Zoomer.

"Cola is so lucky. She has me and Duster that love her and she is so pretty and she has a fur mohawk ..." Zoomer looked so sad that his fur just would not co-operate.

Mom couldn't bear to see Zoomer so devastated, she knew she had to think of something.

"Stay right here, I have an idea," and Mom disappeared.

She came back a few minutes later with a bunny brush. With a bit of brushing and Zoomer actually sitting still, Mom managed to make a very small fur mohawk on his back.

"But it's not real," Zoomer complained.

"It is your fur?" Mom asked.

Zoomer nodded.

"Does it look like Cola's fur when she has a mohawk?" Mom questioned.

Zoomer nodded again.

"Then it's not a fake mohawk," Mom replied. "And we can brush your fur like that anytime you want."

"Really?" Zoomer was so happy.

"Of course," Mom promised.

Zoomer binkied and was off to show Cola his very own fur mohawk.

### THE PAWS-ABILITIES

Mom looked over at Zoomer, he was being too quiet.

He had a devastated look on his face.

"Zooms, what's wrong? It looks like it's the end of the world from the look on your face," Mom said.

"It might as well be," Zoomer said sadly.

"Is this about Cola?" Mom asked.

"No, I don't think even Cola can make this all better," Zoomer sighed.

"Well I think you need to give me a hint so I can help," Mom told Zoomer.

"I don't want to cause you as much heartache as I am feeling," Zoomer said quietly.

"Can you maybe show me instead of telling me?" Mom questioned.

Zoomer nodded. The he slowly extended his right paw. He looked from his paw to Mom.

Mom had a blank look on her face.

"It's really bad isn't it?" Zoomer sighed.

"I think you need to tell me what's wrong ... exactly ... be very specific, lots of details," Mom said, having no idea what was wrong with the bunny paw.

Zoomer sighed again. "I don't know how it happened. I was hopping around the apartment and I looked at my feeties and all of a sudden, there is was," long pause. "There's dirt on my white paw and it won't come off."

"Your paw is dirty? That's the crisis?" Mom asked.

"I know, it's a sad day for all of us," Zoomer agreed.

"Have you tried grooming your paw?" Mom wondered.

"No, this is just too much for a baby bunny," Zoomer said.

Mom smiled. "This one we can fix."

Zoomer perked up. "Really?"

Mom left the room and came back with a damp face cloth. She gently wiped Zoomer's paw and when she was finished ...

"Ta Da! You have a white paw!" Mom revealed.

Zoomer binkied,. "That was such a close call. My paw could have been dirty forever and I think that's a really long time. Thanks, Mom."

"You're welcome. Me and Dad are always happy to help our bunnies," Mom replied.

"Can you help me get a treat?" Zoomer was hopeful.

Yep, asking for a treat, Zoomer was back to normal and off Mom headed to get her three bunnies some treats.

### BUNNY SEE, BUNNY DO

"Watch out! Feet coming through!" Zoomer said and slid on the tile floor, coming to a stop near Mom.

Mom looked down. "And they are the cutest baby bunny feet ever."

"I know!" Zoomer agreed excitedly, admiring his feet. "What are you doing, Mom?"

Mom was looking at the calendar. "I just realized you are soon going to be six months old."

Zoomer stopped, all he heard was "you're soon going to be old."

"I am?" he questioned.

"Yep, you sure are growing up fast," Mom sighed.

But all Zoomer heard was "growing up."

Mom gave the brown and white Dutch rabbit a noserub and set about her morning routine.

"I'm growing up and getting old," Zoomer thought. "I guess I need to learn how to act like an adult."

And at that moment, Mom was the only adult around.

Mom had breakfast and so did the bunnies.

Then Mom went into the bathroom and Zoomer peeked around the corner. He watched Mom wash her face.

"That's easy," Zoomer thought and hopped to his cage. He splashed water from his water bowl onto his paws and then onto his face.

Then he hopped back to the bathroom. Mom was brushing her teeth and then rinsed with mouthwash.

Zoomer went back to his cage, no toothbrush or mouthwash in site, so he drank some water. "Close enough."

Back to the bathroom.

Mom was brushing her hair.

"Now that's really easy," Zoomer sighed and started to groom his fur.

Mom had seen Zoomer in the mirror, copying what she had been doing, making a mental note to ask him what was going on later.

Mom left the bathroom and went to the front closet. She got her slippers.

Zoomer looked at the slippers and then at his feet. "Uh uh, no slippers covering up my feeties!"

Then Mom sat down on the couch and turned on the TV.

Zoomer hopped over. "Shouldn't you be going to work?"

"It's Saturday, Zooms. Mommy doesn't have to work today," Mom replied.

"OK," Zoomer bounced onto the couch to spend some time with Mom.

Zoomer settled in beside Mom, happy to have noserubs, when all of a sudden he jumped to his feet.

Mom stared at the rabbit. "Are you OK?"

"I need a job!" Zoomer declared.

Before Mom could ask why, he was sprinting around the living room.

"I'm all grown up now. I have bills. I have to buy groceries and pay for a cell phone, even though I

don't know how to use one. And I have to pay rent and when Cola realizes she loves me it's going to be expensive because she is pretty high maintenance."

Mom burst out laughing and then sat on the floor, Zoomer stopped in front of her. "Zoomer, you're still a baby bunny. "

"No, I am all grown up! You said I'm going to be six months old. I'm old and a grown up," Zoomer sighed.

Mom repeated exactly what she had said earlier and explained to Zoomer he was far from being old. "So that's why you were copying what I was doing earlier."

"Yes, you are the oldest adult I know that was here," Zoomer let out a huge sigh of relief. "Thank goodness. I am way too cute to be old."

"Yes, you certainly are," Mom agreed.

### CHRISTMAS CURIOSITY

Zoomer watched Mom set the colourful paper and bows and tape and various items on the table. Baby bunny curiosity kicked in and he was in full interrogation mode.

"I'm wrapping Christmas gifts," Mom said and then had to explain Christmas and gifts and Santa Claus and Santa Paws and any other question that Zoomer sent her way.

"So if I am a good baby bunny, this Santa Paws brings me gifts?" Zoomer asked.

Mom nodded.

"Anything?" Zoomer was liking this gift concept.

"Within reason," Mom said.

Zoomer hopped over to his igloo to consider what he thought to be reasonable gifts.

The baby bunny exited the igloo to run some ideas by Mom when he became sidetracked by the whole gift wrapping process.

"Why do you put paper on the present?" Zoomer asked.

"So it's a surprise for the person, or bunny, opening it," Mom replied.

Zoomer saw a few pieces of wrapping paper on the floor. "Can I have those?"

"Sure," Mom replied, assuming the paper would soon be bunstructed.

Zoomer gathered the paper up and hopped over to Cola's cage and arranged it around the cage as best as he could.

Then he hopped back to see what else Mom was doing.

Mom was writing a name on a piece of paper.

"What's that for?" Zoomer asked.

"That's the name tag. You put the name of the person the gift is going to and the name of the person the gift is from and then it goes under the tree," Mom replied.

"Tree? What tree?" Zoomer hopped around the apartment looking for a tree.

Then Mom had to explain Christmas trees.

"Do you have a tag with a picture of a tree on it?" Zoomer wanted to know.

Mom looked and found one.

"Can you write my name on it?" the Dutch bunny asked.

Mom quickly wrote Zoomer's name on the tag and gave it to him.

Zoomer hopped to Cola's cage and put the name tag on her cage.

By now Cola was getting concerned about why her cage was being decorated.

"It's OK, Cola," Zoomer said. "It's for Christmas and this is how Santa Claus does the presents thing!"

And Zoomer hopped back to where Mom was still working on the present.

This time he saw her put a bow on it.

Anticipating Zoomer asking for a bow, Mom sat one down on the floor for him.

"Thanks!" Zoomer binkied to Cola's cage and did his best to attach the bow.

Cola was pretty much frowning by now. She did not appreciate her cage being decorated let alone being classified as a gift.

Duster was admiring Zoomer's "wrapping" abilities and trying not to chuckle as the fur mohawk started to appear on Cola's back.

Zoomer hopped back over to Mom,. Why are you taking so long? I wrapped my gift so much quicker than you did!"

Mom looked at Zoomer. "Your gift? What did you wrap?"

"What I want Santa Paws to bring me for Christmas!" Zoomer said.

Zoomer then hopped back to Cola's cage.

Mom pretty much doubled over laughing, "But Zoomer, Santa wraps the gift for you, that way it's a surprise."

"But this way I get what I want – Cola!" Zoomer stated.

"Cola, tell your fur to calm down," Mom smiled.

Cola was glaring from Mom to Duster to Zoomer. "This has to put you on Santa's naughty list..."

"Zoomer, I don't think Santa can give you Cola for Christmas," Mom said. "I don't think she falls into the 'within reason' category."

Zoomer shrugged. "Oh well, I tried. I did good job of decorating her cage!"

"Yes, you did," Mom agreed, as Dad joined them in the living room.

"Even if I don't get Cola for Christmas, I got the bestest gift a baby bunny could ask for already," Zoomer said.

Mom was curious. "And what's that?"

"I got a wonderful forever home with you and Dad and Duster and Cola!" Zoomer binkied.

A chorus of "awww's" from everyone made Zoomer binky again.

Mom looked at Cola, noticing the black bunny wiping her eyes with her paws. "Cola, did Zoomer bring you to tears with what he just said?"

Cola regained her composure. "Uh, no ... I got fur in my eyes ... silly fur, has a mind of its own ..."

Mom and Dad smiled at each other. "OK, Bear, you get that fur under control."

"Yeah, I will. I'll have a talk with it," Cola assured her parents.

"I wish Santa Paws could bring every bunny a wonderful forever home," Zoomer said.

"So do we," Dad said.

"And can I ask for one more thing?" Zoomer wondered.

Mom and Dad looked at him.

"I want to wish all of our friends a Merry Christmas (or however they celebrate the holidays) from our family to theirs - is that within reason?" Zoomer asked.

"It definitely is!" Mom said.

So from our family to yours ~ Merry Christmas, happy holidays, season's greetings and all the best for the New Year.

### TREATS FOR THE FEETS

Mom looked at Zoomer. She wasn't hearing things, he was definitely talking to his feet.

"You just can't take off like that," Zoomer scolded his feet.

"Everything OK, Zoomerang?" Mom asked.

"My feet," Zoomer said. "They are giving me a headache."

"How's that?" Mom was extremely curious.

"They keep taking off on me. Zip, they're gone and I have no choice but to follow them!" Zoomer said.

Mom smiled. "Wow, that is quite the problem."

"Yeah, sometimes I just want to rest but noooo, my feetsies want to binky," Zoomer sighed. "What if they hop so fast I can't keep up with them?"

"Maybe you can ground them," Mom suggested.

"Do you think that would work?" Zoomer asked hopefully.

"It might," Mom said.

"OK, feet you are grounded! No going anywhere," Zoomer said firmly.

A few minutes passed and Mom looked at Zoomer. He wasn't looking too happy.

"Zoomer, what's wrong now?"

"I want to go see Cola," Zoomer said.

"And?" Mom asked.

"And my feet are grounded so I can't move! I have to admire Cola from way over here. It's not fair," baby bunny pouting.

"Zoomer, um, they're your feet so you can un-ground them if you want to," Mom was trying not to laugh.

"Oh! Good point. OK, feetsies – let's go see Cola!"

But Zoomer still didn't go anywhere.

"Problems?" Mom asked.

Zoomer looked at his feet and then at Mom. "They said they won't go anywhere till I get a treat that I have to share with them."

"Wow, that sure is demanding. I don't think that's very fair of your feet not letting you see Cola till they get a treat," Mom replied. "I don't think a treat is deserved. Do you?"

Zoomer was put on the spot. "Um, well, my feetsies are usually pretty good."

"I don't know ..." Mom said.

Zoomer looked at his feet. "They said please! I know you didn't hear them but they did!"

Poor Mom was trying so hard not to smile or laugh. "Alright, just this one time but if your feet ever misbehave again, no more treats for the feets."

Zoomer tipped his ear towards his toes. "They promise to be good forever."

Mom finally had to laugh and got Zoomer and Cola and Duster treats, the baby bunny never ceasing to amaze her with the things he came up with.

### ZOOMER'S NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTION SOLUTION

"Zoomer, your New Year's Resolution is to use your litter area more," Mom said as she finished vacuuming up the poop under the desk.

"Why?" Zoomer asked.

"Mom and Dad spend too much time vacuuming it up," Mom replied.

"But it gives you something to do," Zoomer said.

"I have lots of other things I can do," Mom assured the baby bunny. "And so does Dad."

"I don't want to use my litter area," Zoomer stated.

"Why not?" Dad questioned.

Zoomer smiled at Cola. "Because Cola doesn't. And if Cola doesn't then I don't think I should either."

"Well, Cola should be using her litter area," Mom said.

Zoomer scrunched up his nose. "I don't want to poop where I sleep. I sleep in that cage!"

"Your litter area is at the opposite end of where you sleep," Dad pointed out.

"You don't poop where you sleep," Zoomer argued. "You have a separate room to sleep in and a huge room for your litter area! That's the biggest litter area I have ever seen."

Mom and Dad were trying not to laugh as Zoomer described the bathroom as a litter area.

"Well, we're a bit bigger than you so we need a bigger, um, litter area," Mom explained.

Zoomer was not convinced, but he was willing to compromise.

A short time later ...

Zoomer bounced up to Mom and Dad, obviously very excited to share something with them.

"I did so much better!" Zoomer exclaimed.

"Better with what, Zoomerang?" Mom asked.

"Come on! I'll show you!" Zoomer said excitedly.

Mom and Dad followed Zoomer into the living room. The brown and white Dutch bunny proudly sat beside a rather impressive pile of poop under the desk.

"Look!" Zoomer said.

"Oh we can see it..." Mom said as Dad started to go get the vacuum cleaner.

"I pooped in a group instead of all over the place. Much easier for you to vacuum!"

"That was very ... considerate," Dad agreed, quickly cleaning up Zoomer's effort.

"I deserve a treat!" Zoomer stated. "And so do Cola and Duster too."

And treats they got ... who can argue with a baby bunny?

### HAY, MOM!

Mom felt baby bunny whiskers on her cheek.

"Mom, why are you sleeping? It's too early for you to snore," Zoomer said.

Mom opened her eyes. "I'm not sleeping, just resting. Mommy isn't feeling good right now."

Zoomer's eyes got wide. "You are feeling bad? I am telling Daddy that you are being bad!"

Mom laughed. "Not being bad, feeling bad – my tummy is feeling yucky."

Baby bunny curiosity kicked in. "Why?"

"I guess I ate something that doesn't agree with my tummy," Mom explained.

"Your tummy and your food are having an argument?" Zoomer was amazed. "My food never argues with my belly!"

Mom patted Zoomer's head and closed her eyes again.

A second later she felt Zoomer on her belly, and then he was thumping on her belly.

"Stop arguing with my Mommy!" Zoomer thumped.

"Ack!" Mom gasped.

Zoomer jumped off her belly. "Did that help?"

"Not quite," Mom admitted.

Zoomer launched himself back onto Mom's belly. "I'll do it again!"

Mom stopped him mid-thump. "No, it's OK. I took some medicine, I'll be all better really soon."

"Oh, OK," Zoomer flopped beside Mom and she closed her eyes again.

A few moment passed, baby bunny paws on her cheeks now. "Are you all better yet?"

Mom shook her head no.

Zoomer was losing patience. "That medicine is too slow, I gotta help Mommy feel better now."

Zoomer hopped off the bed, appearing to leave Mom in peace so she could recuperate.

Mom closed her eyes again and was drifting off and didn't feel Zoomer hop back up on the bed. The little Dutch bunny crept up close to his Mom.

And then he dropped a few pieces of timothy hay on Mom and started to use his paws to push it in her mouth.

Mom's eyes popped open and she started to spit out the hay.

"Don't waste my hay!" Zoomer said.

"Why are you feeding me hay?" Mom asked, between coughs of trying to clear the hay from her mouth.

"Timothy hay never upsets my belly. If you eat it, you'll be all better!" Zoomer binkied around Mom.

"You know what, I feel great, never been better, let's go find a phone book for you to destroy," Mom said to Zoomer, kind of afraid of what the baby bunny would try next if he thought his Mom still wasn't feeling better.

"See, timothy hay made you all better again," Zoomer said and hopped off the bed, honing in on an unsuspecting phone book just outside the bedroom door.

Mom smiled and followed Zoomer, baby bunny adventures can make anyone feel better.

### A HARE-Y EXPERIENCE

"Zoomer, you're gonna give Mommy grey hair if you keep doing things like that," Mom sighed.

Zoomer was hopping around the living room at full speed, binkying off the couch and anything else he could land on, leaving Mom holding her breath more than once that he wouldn't miss the next binky landing area he was aiming for.

The baby Dutch bunny stopped and looked at Mom. "You already have a grey hare."

"I do? Where?" Mom asked.

"Right over there," Zoomer pointed with his nose.

Mom started to separate sections of her hair, trying to narrow down the area. "Here?"

"No," Zoomer said.

"How about here?" Mom asked.

Zoomer shook his head.

"Can you give me a general direction?' Mom asked.

"Your right shoulder," Zoomer replied.

Mom started to try to move her hair forward so the baby bunny could help her isolate the grey hair.

"Mom, you've had him for a long time," Zoomer said.

Zoomer left Mom searching through her hair and went back to binkying around the living room.

Mom disappeared for a few minutes and came back with a mirror. She sat on the floor, mirror in front of her and called Zoomer over.

"I still can't see this grey hair and it's my first one! You have to help me find it," Mom insisted.

Zoomer was now getting worried. "Mom, maybe you need new glasses, he's pretty hard to miss."

"I just got new glasses, Zoomer. Now come on, help Mommy."

Zoomer looked in the mirror. "Mommy, he's right there! Remember I said your right shoulder?"

Mom scrunched up her nose and looked in the mirror, over her right shoulder and there was Duster, munching on his timothy hay.

"Hold on, you mean, my grey hair is Duster?"

Zoomer was a bit annoyed. "Yes, he is a grey hare. What did you think I meant?"

"I thought you meant the hair on my head was grey!" Mom exclaimed.

Now Zoomer scrunched up his nose. "No silly Mommy. But I think next time you colour your hair it should be green."

"Green?" Mom asked, it had been a long time since she had changed the colour of the brown hair she was born with.

"Yeah, like timothy hay, that's a more natural colour than your hair now," Zoomer said.

"Um, this is my natural hair coloru," Mom said.

"Oh," Zoomer was at a loss for words. "I think I'll work on giving you your first grey hair again!"

Mom couldn't help but laugh. "That sounds like a great idea and I'll give you and your high-lying binkies full credit for it."

Binky, binky binky ...

### COOKING CALAMITY

"What are you doing?" Zoomer asked as he hopped into the kitchen.

"Cooking supper for me and Dad," Mom replied.

"Did Daddy make you mad?" Zoomer questioned.

Mom was confused. "No ... why?"

"Well you're cooking for him and Cola says you said you can't cook and that eating your cooking is punishment," Zoomer said. "So I thought Daddy made you mad and you're punishing him with supper."

Mom glanced over at Cola, whom she was pretty sure smiled and waved from her cage. I'm eating it too. I did say that I can't cook but I can cook. Kind of. I just prefer not to and it's edible ... sort of ..."

Zoomer had a confused look on his face.

"Put it like this, nothing bad will happen because I am cooking," Mom assured the baby bunny.

"Can I watch?" Zoomer asked.

"Sure, just stand back," Mom said.

"Why?" Zoomer was curious.

"Just in case something happens," Mom replied, without thinking how she previously said nothing would happen.

"But ..." Zoomer started to say. "Never mind, Mom. I stay way over here, just in case."

"Perfect, good bunny," Mom smiled.

Zoomer watched from the sidelines.

She got out some lettuce (of course giving a piece to each of the bunnies), washed her hands and set about making a salad. Zoomer watched her closely and then gasped in horror as she put on the dressing.

"Why are you ruining the lettuce?" the baby bunny demanded to know.

"This makes it taste good," Mom replied.

"It already tastes good," Zoomer argued.

"OK it makes it taste better, in some people's opinions," Mom defended.

"Those people are silly," Zoomer said. "Us bunnies know lettuce doesn't need anything added to it."

Then Mom put some water in a pot and put it on the stove. From there she opened a can of veggies. One of the veggies fell to the floor and rolled towards Zoomer.

Zoomer stretched to see what it was. "Ewww, yucky! Why are you cooking bunny poop? And why is it green?"

Mom looked at the veggie. "Oh that's a pea, Zoomer."

"My pee doesn't look like that!" Zoomer shook his head, backing away from the pea. "That looks like green bunny poop!"

Mom sighed. "Trust me, it's a vegetable and it's OK for me and Daddy to eat."

Mom checked on the pot on the stove and then resumed working on adding to the salad. She was interrupted by Zoomer's thumping.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

Zoomer kept thumping. "The water is on fire! How do you burn water?"

Mom looked at the steam coming from the pot that was finally boiling. She then had to explain that to Zoomer.

"Cooking sure is a lot of work," Zoomer said and stretched out in the corner, still observing Mom.

Mom wasn't sure what to say to that so she kept working on supper and finally finished.

"It'll be ready just in time for Dad to get home from work," Mom said. She decided to make a tea and plugged in the kettle.

As the kettle boiled, it whistled and Zoomer thumped again.

"Now what?" Mom questioned.

"That machine is hurting the water! Listen to it yelling for help!" Zoomer was periscoping. "You have to save it!"

Mom unplugged the kettle and saved the day.

"Whew, that was close," Zoomer sighed.

Mom smiled and made her tea. Just then Dad came through the door.

"How was your day?" Dad asked Mom.

Zoomer hopped over to him before Mom could answer. "It was terrible. Mom cooked!"

Dad just smiled as Zoomer described Mom setting water on fire and the pea and the trauma of the water in the kettle.

"Well you certainly had a busy day," Dad said to Mom.

Mom nodded.

Zoomer had left the kitchen and was making his way back to Mom and Dad, pushing his pellet bowl.

"I don't think you should eat what Mom cooked. I'll share my hay and pellets with both of you. I don't want anything happening to you two. And believe me, anything can happen!" Zoomer insisted.

The baby bunny was adamant that they not eat Mom's cooking.

"How about if we order a pizza?" Dad asked, and whispered to Mom that they'd have the supper for lunch the next day. Mom had no problem with that at all!

"Good idea," Zoomer agreed.

So while Mom and Dad had pizza for supper (and a pretty good lunch the next day), the bunnies enjoyed a nice Romaine salad of their own.

"Whew, good thing Mom doesn't have to cook the lettuce," Zoomer whispered to Cola and Duster.

Mom and Dad exchanged grins, having heard what Zoomer whispered, and then listened to the three bunnies munch away on their lettuce.

### THE TALE OF A TIMEOUT

Rip, tear, rip ...

Mom heard the noises of carpet being pulled up and scurried into the living room. There was Zoomer, happily yanking on a corner of the carpet.

"Zoomer, you need to stop," Mom said.

Zoomer looked up for a minute. "No, it's OK for me to do this."

"How do you figure that?" Mom asked.

Zoomer stopped pulling on the carpet. "Cause I'm a baby bunny."

"Um, that's not a good reason," Mom said.

"Sure it is, I'm too young to know better!" Zoomer replied.

"But you just said you know you're not supposed to do that."

"Yes, but it's OK cause I am a baby bunny," Zoomer insisted.

"You'll be one year old in May," Mom said. "That's not really baby bunny status anymore."

"But you said cause I am so cute and small I'll always be your baby bunny," Zoomer repeated word for word what Mom had indeed said.

"Drat," Mom muttered, he was right- she did say that. "Maybe you need a time out."

"No thanks. I'm kind of busy," Zoomer replied.

"Let's find something else to do. How about you go do some bunstruction on your cardboard condo?"

Zoomer shook his head. "This is fine for now."

And he started to scratch at the carpet.

"Zoomer, that wasn't a suggestion," Mom said.

Zoomer pouted. "Fine, I go do bunstruction where it is appreciated."

And off he hopped to the cardboard condo.

Mom shook her head, noticed the carpet strands and headed to the kitchen to get the scissors to trim the strands. She knelt on the carpet and set about getting rid of the strands.

Zoomer was curious to see what she was doing so he joined her.

"MOM!" Zoomer exclaimed.

"What's wrong?" Mom was startled.

"You shouldn't be cutting the carpet!" Zoomer scolded her.

Poor Mom, she realized Zoomer was only scolding her for doing what he had done, even if she was fixing the carpet.

"Well, I guess we both deserve a time out," Mom sighed.

"Yes, yes we do," Zoomer agreed.

Mom put her scissors on the table and sat on the couch, Zoomer jumped up beside her.

And they sat there, quietly for about two minutes, till Zoomer couldn't take it anymore ...

"I love you, Cola!" Zoomer called out.

Cola nodded and went back to eating her hay.

"Shhh, you can't talk during a time out," Mom said.

"Why not?" Zoomer demanded to know.

"Because we are being punished for doing something we shouldn't do. We have to be quiet," Mom replied.

"I don't like time out," Zoomer sulked.

Two more minutes passed, Zoomer was bored and started to groom his feet. Mom shook her head no.

Zoomer sighed and stopped.

Another minute passed, Zoomer periscoped to see what Duster was munching on. Mom again shook her head no.

Zoomer sulked some more and sat back down.

As another minute went by slowly, Mom could see Zoomer was getting antsy. "Have we learned not to chew on the carpet or we have to have a time out and they are very boring."

"Yeah time out with you is REALLY boring," Zoomer agreed.

Mom tried not to laugh. "But did we learn anything?"

"Yes, not to chew the carpet when you are around so I don't get caught," Zoomer replied.

"Anything else?" Mom asked.

"The being a baby bunny doesn't let me get away with everything?" Zoomer questioned.

"Close enough," Mom said.

Zoomer hopped off the couch, happy that time out was over. "Mom, will being a baby bunny get me a treat? I was pretty good during the time out!"

Now Mom laughed out loud. "A treat? I should have known that was coming."

"Yeah, you really should have," Zoomer hopped along behind Mom to get treats for himself and Cola and Duster.

### REMOTE CONTROL RABBIT

Zoomer heard a sniffle. He looked up at Mom and then catapulted himself through the air and landed beside her on the couch. He put his little paws on her leg and stretched close to her face.

"Why are you raining?" he asked.

Mom wiped the tears away with a Kleenex. "Mommy is watching a sad movie."

"And it makes you rain?" Zoomer was curious.

Mom nodded.

Zoomer did not like to see Mommy sad. "Use that thing I am not allowed to chew to make the sad movie go away!"

Mom looked at the remote control. "You mean this?"

Zoomer put his paws on a few buttons. "Yes, make the sad stop!"

"But I want to see the ending," Mom sniffed.

"And I want the sad to end," Zoomer said. "I make you laugh if you stop the movie."

"I'll fast-forward to the end," Mom negotiated and so she did.

When the movie was over, Zoomer nosebonked Mom. "Now I make you laugh."

He hopped on the floor and did bunny super sprints around the couch. "See I fast forward like the remote control!"

Mom grinned.

Then Zoomer started to try to get at the curtains. He had to crawl his way in between two storage bins.

Mom cleared her throat. "Not supposed to be in there."

"I know that," Zoomer said. "But I had to go there so I can hop backwards and rewind like your remote!"

And he hopped backwards to demonstrate.

"Oh," Mom said.

"Yeah, I'm pretty smart," Zoomer said.

The now one year old but still referred to as baby bunny started to throw around a toss toy. Then he abruptly stopped and sat perfectly still.

Mom looked at him.

"I can do play and stop too, just like the remote!" Zoomer revealed.

Mom laughed out loud.

"See I make you laugh. Much better than raining because of a sad movie," Zoomer hopped back up beside Mom.

Mom petted the Dutch rabbit. "Yes, you did."

"Does that mean me and Duster and Cola get a treat now?" Zoomer was hopeful.

"Of course you do!" and Mom was on her way to get the well-deserved treats for her bunnies.

### THE LETTUCE LETDOWN

Zoomer was watching Mommy closely. She was watching a movie and kept pulling a blankie up over her eyes.

Bunny curiosity kicked in. "Why are you covering your eyes? Pretty hard to watch your movie that way."

Zoomer hopped up on the couch beside Mom.

"It's a scary movie. I cover my eyes when there are scary parts," Mom explained.

"If it scares you, why are you watching it?" Zoomer asked.

"Because Mommy likes scary movies," Mom replied.

"You like being scared?" Zoomer questioned.

"Well, no," Mom said.

"Then why you watch scary movies?" Zoomer was so confused.

Poor Mom was at a loss to explain so she tried another approach. "Why don't you watch the move with me?"

"OK," Zoomer agreed.

As the movie continued, Zoomer found it more interesting to watch Mom.

"Ahhh!" Mom exclaimed and covered her eyes.

"Are we supposed to be scared now?" Zoomer asked.

Mom nodded, not uncovering her eyes.

Zoomer covered his eyes with his paws, peeking to see when Mom started to watch TV again.

Mom lowered the blanke. "OK, safe to watch."

Zoomer moved his paws.

A few minutes later, Mom's eyes were covered again.

This time Zoomer kept his eyes on Mom. "How do you know what the movie is about? I think you have your eyes closed more than you are watching the movie."

"Alright, I'll try to be braver," Mom said sheepishly.

About ten minutes passed and no eyes were covered or blankets used as cover when all of a sudden, Zoomer started to thump.

Mom's hands flew to her eyes. "Let me know when it's over."

Zoomer continued to thump and Mom had to see what the fuss was about. When she uncovered her eyes, the scene was of someone making a sandwich in the kitchen.

"What's scary?" Mom asked.

"Scary! Scary is how he just wasted a whole bunch of lettuce! He didn't put it on his sandwich or make a salad – he threw it out!" Zoomer was mad, not frightened.

Mom watched as the baby bunny hopped back and forth on the couch,

"This is the worst movie ever! Shame on that man for wasting lettuce!" Zoomer turned his back to the TV. "You tell me when it is over."

Mom waited a few minutes and assured Zoomer the lettuce letdown was over.

Zoomer turned to face the TV. "Terrible movie. I think we should just shut it off and never watch it again."

"I agree," Mom said. "I think it's time for a treat."

"I think I need two after that," Zoomer confessed.

Mom smiled. "I think we can arrange that."

Zoomer hopped happily along beside Mom as she went to the kitchen to get treats for the bunnies.

### TOE TROUBLES

THUD.

Duster's ears went straight out to the side, Cola's fur stood up on end and Zoomer periscoped to see what the noise was.

What the three bunnies saw was Mommy's face turn red, her eyes get really big, she grabbed her right foot and hopped on her left foot into the living room where she collapsed onto the couch.

"Ouch," she squeaked.

Zoomer was out of his cage and quickly hopped over to check on Mommy. "What's wrong?"

Mom put her right foot on the floor, still in pain and not really wanting to talk.

Zoomer moved in closer, which basically meant he hopped onto Mom's right foot.

"Ouch," Mom squeaked again.

"Sorry," Zoomer hopped off her foot. "What did you do?"

"I...stubbed...my...big...toe..." Mom whined.

"Well that wasn't very nice of you," Zoomer said.

Mom looked at the baby bunny.

"Why would you hurt your toe?" Zoomer hopped close to Mom again, taking a look at her toe that was swelling a little bit.

Mom shook her head. "I didn't do it on purpose."

"Well thank goodness because that would just not be nice," Zoomer said.

"How about you go play," Mom suggested to Zoomer.

"No, I think I am OK here," Zoomer hopped up onto the couch beside his Mom. "Maybe your toe was trying to trip you."

Poor Mom, trying to wallow in her agony just wasn't happening. "Why would you think that?"

"Well maybe you need to pay more attention to your feet. I spend a lot of time with my feet," Zoomer said and stretched his back leg out and started to groom his foot.

Mom managed a smile.

"My toes or feet have never tried to trip me," Zoomer stated and started to groom his other foot.

"I'm pretty sure this was an accident," Mom said.

"I don't know," Zoomer shook his head. "I think your feet may be mad at you."

Mom sighed. "Maybe you're right, Zoomer."

"Of course I'm right. Bunnies are always right," Zoomer had moved on to grooming his front paws now. "See how much I love my feet!"

Mom couldn't argue with the baby bunny logic. "I think my toe is all better. I think I can even manage to walk to the kitchen and get you and Cola and Duster a treat."

Zoomer binkied. "That's wonderful!"

And off Mom limped to the kitchen to get the bunnies their treats, with Zoomer binkying beside her all the way.

### STUCK IN THE MIDDLE

Zoomer sat up.

"Oh my gosh!"

Mom and Dad looked at the brown and white Dutch bunny.

"Do you understand what this means?" Zoomer asked.

The famous "maybe you could tell us" line came from the bunny parents.

"I have Cola to my left and Belle to my right," Zoomer exclaimed.

"Belle has been here almost a month and you just realized that?" Dad asked.

Zoomer sighed. "Oh this is so difficult."

"What is?" Mom asked her baby bunny.

"I love Cola so much, she is so pretty. And now I love Belle too, she is so adorable." Zoomer sighed. "And now I am in the middle of them."

Mom and Dad still weren't sure what the cause for distress was.

"How can you not understand?" Zoomer thumped.

He looked at Cola and then at Belle, they didn't seem to be paying any attention to Zoomer's situation.

"How do I decide who I love more?" Zoomer asked.

"Well I don't think you have to decide," Dad said.

"But there is only one me and two of them," Zoomer insisted. "And I am pretty darn loveable!"

Belle was busy rearranging her cage and Cola was glaring at the shower curtain from her cage.

"Well, maybe you can love Cola for 12 hours of the day and Belle for the remaining 12 hours of the day," Mom suggested.

Zoomer motioned for Mom and Dad to come closer and whispered, hoping the girl bunnies wouldn't overhear. "Do you think that would bother them?"

Belle was now munching on hay and Cola was enjoying some water, still oblivious to Zoomer's dilemma.

"I think you'll be fine," Mom assured the Dutch bunny.

"Wow, thanks, that saved me a lot of stress," Zoomer said. He turned to Cola. "Cola, I love you!"

Cola briefly nodded at Zoomer, she was used to the professions of love.

Then Zoomer turned to Belle. "Belle, in 11 hours and 58 minutes, I will love you!"

Belle looked up from her hay. "OK!" and then returned to her hay.

Duster couldn't help but chuckle, he had to admire Zoomer's determination to be quite the ladies bunny.

Zoomer flopped, but made sure he asked Mom and Dad to let him know when it was time to tell Belle he loved her.

### CASUALTY OF CUTENESS

Mom heard a familiar sound coming from Zoomer's cage.

She quietly walked over and saw that he had flopped.

"Oh so cute! Baby bunny flop! So cute!" Mom gushed.

Zoomer had flopped over in a little ball and was now licking his paws. He stretched out when he heard Mom.

"Mom, I'm not a baby bunny anymore. I'll soon be two years old," Zoomer said.

"That is true," Mom agreed. "Alright, Zoomer, I won't call you baby bunny anymore."

"Thanks, Mom," Zoomer went back to grooming his paws.

A short time later, Mom was handing out bunny breakfast.

"And here's a carrot for Cola Bear, one for Duster Dude, one for Baby, um, sorry one for Zoomer, and one for our Little Bunny Belle," Mom said. "Sorry, Zoomer. I have to get used to not calling you your old nickname."

Zoomer munched on the carrot. "That's OK, Mom."

That afternoon, Mom was cleaning the living room, when Belle flopped.

"Oh so cute! Baby girl bunny flop with spots! Too cute!" Mom exclaimed.

Belle quickly looked up. "Thanks, Mom! The Spots love to flop."

"And they do it very well," Mom said.

That evening, Zoomer flopped.

And he waited.

And he waited some more.

And finally, Mom walked past on her way to the kitchen.

But there was no commenting on how cute his flop was.

"Hi, Mom!" Zoomer called out. "Look, I flopped!"

"Good boy, Zoomer," Mom said to the Dutch bunny.

"That's it?" Zoomer asked.

Mom stared at Zoomer.

"But I'm still cute! My flops are still cute!" Zoomer exclaimed.

"Of course they are. Oh so cute! Bunny flop! So cute!" Mom said.

Zoomer frowned. "That doesn't sound as good as when you say baby bunny flop."

Mom nodded in agreement.

"Alright, I am still a baby bunny! You can still call me baby bunny, Mom! Let's try this again," Zoomer flopped a second time.

Mom smiled. "Oh so cute! Baby bunny flop! So cute!"

Zoomer smiled, happy to still be known as the baby bunny.

### THE BUNNY COLLECTION CONVENTION

Zoomer was hopping around one afternoon when Mom decided to dust off her bunny statue / lawn ornament collection.

"Wow!" Zoomer exclaimed.

He came around the front of the couch and found himself surrounded by bunnies. Zoomer spent a few minutes nosebonking the statues, some of them were bigger than he was!

"Are you Mom's new recruits to her collection?" he asked.

No bun replied.

"It's OK, I'm shy too till I get to know every bunny," the Dutch bunny confessed.

He hopped up on the couch. "If I can have every bunny's attention."

All of the statues stared at him.

"Thanks, my name is Zoomer. Well Mom calls me Baby Bunny but only Mom can do that," Zoomer said matter-of-factly. "I guess I'll be your tour guide and let you know who is who around here."

The statues continued to stare at him.

"We all know Mommy. She's great. And Daddy, if you haven't met him yet, he's pretty neat too. They're both lucky we adopted them," Zoomer started.

The statues silence confirmed they agreed.

"First of all, I'd like to tell you about Cola," Zoomer dropped his voice to a whisper. "Cola is a Daddy's Diva. She loves Daddy and she tolerates Mom, sometimes, usually when there are treats involved. And she is obsessed with her fur. Even if it is the worst fur day ever tell her she looks great. And Duster is her bunny. Mom has to ask Cola permission before she pets Duster. The most important thing to remember – Cola is a bunny but she thinks she is a bear."

Zoomer took a deep breath, expecting there to be an onslaught of bunny/bear questions. To his relief, the revelation was met with the now familiar stares.

"Duster is a dude and he loves ladies. He likes to nap a lot, especially around 1:00 pm. And he loves Cola, the bear," Zoomer winked at the bunnies assembled around the couch.

"And last but not least, we have Belle. She is a baby bunny and she has spots," Zoomer lowered his voice again. "Actually they are known as 'The Spots.' It's sort of like Cola being a bear. The Spots need to be acknowledged."

"The Spots are great!" Belle's voice floated over from her cage.

"And she has great hearing apparently," Zoomer sighed.

The statues were quiet, obviously not wanting Belle or The Spots to over hear any comments.

"Okay, now for the tour of the apartment. This is the living room – this is the main room we allow our parents to share with us. They have their own litterbox, they call it a bathroom. They have their own cage they sleep in but they call it a bedroom. The room where they keep the treats is called the kitchen – that's the best room in the whole place."

The statues were again respectfully quiet, probably in awe of the kitchen.

"Any questions or comments?" Zoomer asked.

No bunny appeared to have any.

Mom came out of the bedroom just in time to catch the end of Zoomer's tour.

She clapped. "Good work, Zoomer."

"Just helping out the new recruits," Zoomer said,

"You did a great job. So great they are all speechless!" Mom exclaimed. "Is it okay if I put them back on the shelves now?"

Zoomer nodded.

"But before I do that, treats for every bunny!" Mom declared.

Zoomer binkied. "I'll give tours for treats anytime!"

### DOUBLE DUTCH

Zoomer hopped around the living room. Mom was sorting through some of her storage bins and the baby bunny was curious. He binkied onto the couch and looked into one bin.

"How is this possible?" Zoomer asked.

He took a second look in the bin and then hopped off the couch – he had to find Mom right away.

And he did. She was in the bedroom, going through another bin.

"Mom, I've been stolen!" Zoomer exclaimed.

"Pardon?" Mom was confused as Zoomer was obviously in front of her.

"Someone is holding me for ransom!" Zoomer was hopping around at Mom's feet.

"But you're right here ..." Mom said.

"Yes, but I am out there too! Come on, we have to save me!" Zoomer insisted.

Mom stopped what she was doing and followed Zoomer to the living room.

"I'm in there," the Dutch bunny pointed to the blue storage bin.

Mom walked over, looked inside and smiled. "Zoomie, come here, it's OK."

Zoomer slowly hopped over and back onto the couch.

"Take a peek and tell me what you see," Mom said.

Zoomer took a deep breath and looked. "I see me and I have baby bunny flopped and it's so cute."

Then he hopped off the couch.

Mom reached into the bin and carefully brought out the toy bunny.

"I bought this stuffed bunny because he looks like you," Mom smiled.

Zoomer sat down.

"That's really nice, Mom," he paused. "But I'm still your favorite Zoomer, right?"

Mom laughed. "You are definitely my favorite Zoomer."

"And my baby bunny flops are cuter than my doubles, right?"

Mom nodded.

"Okay, can I hang out with the second me? I'm going to teach him to flop almost as cute as I do."

Mom sat the toy Dutch bunny on the floor next to Zoomer. When she went back into the bedroom she could hear Zoomer trying to teach the toy how to flop.

Mom laughed. "Double Dutch bunnies, double the flops! Life is good."

### THE HOLE TRUTH

"Bunnies, we need to talk," Mom appeared before Duster, Zoomer and Belle, holding her blue comforter.

Belle stopped grooming The Spots, Zoomer stopped grooming his feet and Duster continued to nap.

"It seems as if my comforter has been chewed or something. Some bun created quite the hole," Mom held it up for the bunnies to see the opening in the fabric.

Belle periscoped. "You're not pinning that on The Spots! They're innocent."

Mom sighed. "I know The Spots didn't do this, they don't have teeth. And I'm not blaming anyone. The responsible bunny isn't even in trouble, this is an old blanket. I just need to know who did it so I put the comforter away when that bunny is out of their cage."

"Not me and The Spots," Belle repeated and then went back to grooming her spots.

"Zoomer? Duster?" Mom asked.

Duster was still napping and Mom was pretty sure hopping onto the uncovered storage bin she left her blanket on was too much work for Duster. That only left Zoomer. The baby Dutch bunny did like blankies and had been known to create holes in a few.

"Hi, Zoomer, anything you may want to tell me?" Mom asked.

"Um," Zoomer paused and then extended his right back leg. "I got feet!"

Mom smiled. "Yes, you do have feet. Anything about this blanket you want to tell me?"

"Um, it's blue," Zoomer replied.

"Anything else?" Mom asked.

"I love you, Mom," Zoomer gave her his "I am the cutest baby bunny ever look."

Mom was trying not to smile. "I love you too, Zoomer."

Zoomer looked at Mom and at the blanket and then back at Mom and let out a deep sigh. "I do have to tell you about the blanket."

Belle's ears twitched and Duster continued napping.

"A few days ago," he paused for dramatic effect. "I was sleep hopping."

"Sleep hopping?" Mom asked.

Zoomer nodded and continued. "And I was dreaming about digging a hole from here to Grandma and Grandpa's so they can visit more often."

"And?" Mom asked.

"I guess I sleep hopped onto your blankie and dug a hole in it," Zoomer confessed. "I thought I was dreaming but I guess I wasn't."

"Okay, well I guess that, um, explains it," Mom said. "Thank you for telling me what happened."

Mom took the blanket, put in the storage bin and made sure she put the lid on the storage bin, just in case Zoomer had any more sleep hopping incidents.

### BABY BUNNY TOY TAKER

"Mom, we need to talk about Dad!" Zoomer hopped onto the couch with Mom.

"We do? About what?' Mom asked.

"He took my toy," Zoomer said.

Mom listened.

"He just came over to my cage and took my toy and put it up on the shelf where I can't reach it," Zoomer was quite unimpressed.

"I see," Mom said. "Well, maybe we should go talk to Dad about this."

Zoomer hopped off the couch and followed Mom to the kitchen.

Dad was making lunch when Mom and the Dutch bunny appeared in the doorway.

"There he is – the baby bunny toy taker," Zoomer thumped.

"Oh, hi," Dad greeted them.

"Mom is mad, you took my toy!" Zoomer exclaimed.

"Now, Zoomer, we have to hear Daddy's side of the story too," Mom was trying not to smile. "Zoomer says you took his toy, anything you want to tell me?"

Dad nodded. "Yes, I took his toy. Cause that's what I do, I go around taking toys from baby bunnies."

Zoomer gasped. "See! I have to warn Belle to hide her toys, she's a baby bunny too!"

And off Zoomer hopped to warn Belle and The Spots to hide their toys.

"Is he gone?" Dad asked.

Mom nodded.

"I did take his toy. The one he decided to play with at three am and woke us up. He can have it back now and we'll take it out of his cage when we go to bed," Dad said. "I'm guessing he didn't tell you that part?"

Now Mom did laugh out loud. "No, he didn't mention that."

Mom and Dad went into the living room where they found Zoomer directing Belle on how to hide her toys.

"Quick, here he comes!" Zoomer exclaimed.

"Zoomer, Daddy told me what happened. You can have your toy back now. But we will put it away tonight so you don't wake us up again. Does that sound fair?"

"Oh I forgot to tell you it was that toy he took," Zoomer murmured. "That does sound fair."

"That's OK," Dad said. "But next time come talk to me first and you won't need to get all upset."

Zoomer nodded.

Dad gave Zoomer back the toss toy and Zoomer began throwing it around, making as much noise as possible.

"I have to make up for lost time and noise," Zoomer explained.

Mom and Dad just smiled and went into the kitchen to enjoy their lunch.

### IDENTITY INQUIRY

"Hi, Duster Dude. Hello, Zoomer and Belle, my baby bunnies!" Mom greeted the rabbits as she walked from the kitchen to the living room.

"Hi, Mom!" Duster binkied.

"Hi, Mommy, I'm your baby bunny!" Zoomer and Belle chorused and then looked at each other.

"I'm her baby bunny," they both said at the same time.

By now Mom was on her way into the bedroom and hadn't heard the last comment.

"I'm her baby bunny," Zoomer said. "I adopted her before you did."

Belle shook her head. "I adopted her last and I am younger than you. That makes me more of a baby bunny than you are."

Zoomer thumped. "I wanna be the baby bunny."

Belle thumped back. "Well you can't because I am."

Mom came into the living room.

"Mom! Who's your baby bunny?" Belle asked.

"Well, both of you are," Mom replied. "Actually, and Duster will remember this, Dusty, one of

our angel bunnies, was our first baby bunny."

Duster nodded. "Yes, she was. She chinned Mom's feet every time she hopped by."

'Does that mean we aren't your baby bunnies anymore?" Zoomer pouted.

"Of course you're still my baby bunnies. That's why I said both your names and used the word "bunnies" and not "bunny" - make sense?" Mom asked.

Zoomer and Belle nodded.

"Duster can be a baby bunny too!" Mom exclaimed.

Duster flopped, he always welcomed a new nickname.

"Every bunny happy now?" Mom asked.

Zoomer and Belle both nodded, happy the identity crisis was over.

### THE BOWL BOYCOTT

Mom was cleaning Zoomer's cage. He had to hop in to inspect her work.

Zoomer hopped in, looked around and then froze.

"What is that?" Zoomer demanded to know.

"It's a bowl," Mom answered.

"Why is it in my cage?" Zoomer asked.

"I put your pellets in it," Mom replied.

Zoomer's ears went flat against his head. "I do not use a bowl for my pellets. I have my pellet corner, thank you very much."

"Well I thought we'd try a bowl again," Mom said.

Zoomer pushed the bowl out of his pellet corner. "No."

"Zoomer, give it a try," Mom reasoned.

"No!" and then Zoomer flipped the bowl, pellets went rolling all over the cage floor.

Mom was not impressed. "Zoomer, that was not necessary."

"It is if I want to get my pellets into the corner," he replied, trying to nose the pellets into a pile.

"Zoomer, what do you have against a pellet bowl? You have a water bowl!" Mom said.

"I can't exactly keep my water in the corner now, can I?" Zoomer asked, still rounding up his pellets.

Mom sighed. "Since you started the pellet corner, Duster and Belle won't use pellet bowls either."

"They're pretty smart like me," Zoomer gathered up the last few free roaming pellets in his cage.

Zoomer then took the bowl and picked it up, dumping it outside his cage.

Mom sat down in front of the Dutch bunny's cage. "OK, you win, no more bowl, we won't try ever again."

"Thanks, Mom! Bowls are so irritating!" Zoomer said, not offering any other explanation.

Zoomer hopped out of his cage and continued on with his day of baby bunny flops and playing with his towel.

### THE TREAT TRANSPORTER

Zoomer hopped up to Mom and nosebonked her ankle. "Mom, you help a baby bunny?"

Mom nodded. "Of course, what do you need done?"

"Too heavy for baby bunny to carry, follow me," Zoomer hopped into the kitchen with Mom following along.

Zoomer had managed to get the junk drawer open. He put his paws on the drawer and motioned for Mom to look.

"I need those," Zoomer was nodding to a roll of tape.

Mom picked it up.

"OK, take it to the fridge, please," the Dutch bunny instructed.

Mom did as requested.

"You can put it on the floor," Zoomer said. "And follow me please."

Back to the junk drawer they went. Zoomer nodded to an assortment of items – a pair of pliers, a black marker, a map – all items were placed beside the fridge.

Zoomer then hopped into the living room. "Come on, Mom. I still need help."

Mom entered the living room.

Zoomer was motioning to a foot stool. "I need that, please. Take it to the fridge."

Mom again did as asked.

When she came back to the living room, Zoomer was nowhere to be found.

"Over here, Mom!"

Mom followed the voice to the front closet.

"I need that," Zoomer motioned to the Christmas wrapping paper.

"For?" Mom asked.

"No time for questions," Zoomer said.

When Mom moved the wrapping paper, Zoomer saw something that made him binky.

"I need that!" he insisted.

Mom looked at the fridge cart they used to move boxes with when needed. "You need the cart?"

A baby bunny binky. "Not a cart – a treat transporter."

Mom was confused.

"Trust me," Zoomer hopped onto the cart. "To the kitchen!"

Mom wheeled Zoomer and the wrapping paper on the cart into the kitchen. She stopped in front of the fridge and he hopped off.

Mom looked at the assortment of items. "Exactly what are you doing?"

Zoomer looked around. "Looking at the mess you made!"

Mom blinked.

"I need to get into the fridge," Zoomer stated.

"Is that what all these things were for?" she asked.

Zoomer nodded,. "But now I have the treat transporter!"

"And how does that help?"

Zoomer sat on the cart. "Can you open fridge and get me, Duster and Belle treats?"

Mom once again did as requested.

"OK, put treats on treat transporter in front of me," Zoomer said.

Mom obliged.

"Now please push me into the living room and stop in front of cages," Zoomer asked.

Mom gently moved the cart in front of the cages.

"Can you give Belle and Duster their treats?" Zoomer asked as he stretched out on the cart and munched on the carrot.

Mom was trying not to laugh. "All that work when all you had to do was ask me, Zoomie."

Zoomer nodded. "But we got to spend time together with you helping me."

"True, and now I have a mess to clean up," Mom sighed.

"Yes and you should give yourself a treat after you do that," Zoomer suggested.

Mom couldn't contain her laughter anymore, "I think I will."

### SHELVING THE ISSUE

"How could you do this to me?"

Mom and Dad were in the kitchen and turned to see Zoomer periscoping in the doorway.

"What's wrong, Zoomie my roomie?" Mom asked.

"You ruined everything!" Zoomer thumped.

Mom and Dad looked at each other. "What did we do?"

Zoomer grunted and hopped away.

"Not sure what that was about," Mom said.

Then they heard the little Dutch bunny thumping his way back to the kitchen.

"Why?" Zoomer grunted again and hopped away.

Mom and Dad followed him to the living room.

He had his back to them and his ears were back.

"Zoomer?" Dad questioned.

Zoomer could be contrary. "I'm not talking to you or Mom right now."

"How come?" Mom asked.

Zoomer looked at Belle. "Can you have The Spots tell them why I am mad please?"

Belle nodded. "The Spots say you shouldn't have moved things on Zoomer's shelf."

Mom and Dad looked at each other.

Then Belle's ears went back. "You really upset my boyfriend."

The shelf causing the turmoil was located in the far corner of the living room. Dad had kept a small tool box on the bottom shelf. Zoomer liked to lay on top of it. However, Dad had moved the tool box when he used it and hadn't put it back. Mom had then filled up the shelf with other items and Zoomer could no longer lounge there.

"I'm your roomie. I pay my rent in cuteness and I'm never late, you said so. I should have a say in what happens in this house," Zoomer moped.

"So if we put the toolbox back and you can lay down there again, you'll be happy?" Dad asked.

Zoomer's ears perked up. "Yes."

Belle motioned for him to hop close to her cage and they conferred for a moment.

"And you have to give us treats, right now, and then I'll be happy again," Zoomer said.

Dad set about making the shelf Zoomer-approved again while Mom got the bunnies their treats.

### SNOW STOPPER

Zoomer was laying on his shelf, watching Mom pace back and forth.

She'd been doing it for a bit. Zoomer figured it must mean something important so he hopped down from his shelf and joined her.

For each step Mom took, Zoomer hopped in perfect time.

"Hi, Zoomer," Mom said and then grumbled something.

Belle and Duster had been watching Mom curiously.

Mom waved her hands in the air, mumbling to herself.

Zoomer stopped hopping for a moment, looked at Duster and Belle, and whispered. "Poor Mommy, she's not happy about the snow."

"You understood that grumbling?" Duster asked.

Zoomer nodded. "I speak fluent Mommy."

Mom walked over to the couch, turned on the TV and flopped down.

Zoomer was one hop behind her.

Mom pointed at the TV. "It's spring, Zoomer, spring, and yet there is still snow forecasted."

Zoomer leaped up onto the couch, his little ears went back, showing Mom he was annoyed too.

"I want sunshine, without flurries," Mom muttered.

"Me too!" Zoomer thumped.

Mom sulked.

Zoomer did his best to pout (which is really hard to do when you are as cute as he is).

"I have been grouchy and miserable every time it snows," Mom admitted. "I can't wait for winter to be over."

Zoomer nosebonked her. "Mom, even if winter never ends and you are grouchy and miserable every day, me and Duster and Belle will love you forever."

Mom gave her Dutch bunny a pet. "Aw thanks, Zoomie."

"Now I'll use my adorableness to stop the snow, okay?" Zoomer asked.

Mom smiled. "Sounds good to me."

Zoomer stared at the snow-filled TV screen.

Suddenly a picture of a sunny beach appeared. "Wow, I'm good."

Mom laughed at the coincidence. "So good, you and Duster and Belle deserve a treat!"

Zoomer binkied as Mom went to get the bunnies a treat.

### BELLE

ON THE SPOT

"Time to clean your cage, Belle," Mom said to the little bunny.

"Later," Belle replied.

"But I did everybun else's, " Mom said. "Yours is the last one."

"It's time for cutie sleep," Belle stretched.

Mom looked at her, this was something new.

"Can you maybe do that in ten minutes?" Mom asked.

"No, cutie sleep time is now," Belle replied.

"Are you sure?" Mom questioned.

"Yes, tick tock and lop told me so," Belle went about finding the perfect place to flop.

Mom was confused. Tick tock and lop?

Mom looked over and saw that Duster had flopped too. Then she looked at the clock. It was 1 pm. Duster's daily nap time. Now Mom understood.

"Well, ten minutes won't cause you to lose any cuteness," Mom assured Belle.

"Cutie sleep not for me. It's for my spots," Belle told Mom.

Mom watched as Belle gently groomed her spots and then flopped.

"Belle?" Mom whispered.

"Cutely sleeping," Belle whispered back. "Please do not disturb."

Mom sighed and knew she would have to wait till cutie sleep was over to clean Belle's cage. You just can't argue with that much cuteness.

### COUCH CAPERS

Mom knew she heard some bunny chewing on the couch.

"Hi, Belle," Mom said.

Belle let go of the fabric and hopped to face Mommy. "Hi!"

"What were you doing?" Mom asked.

"Nothing," Belle replied.

"Are you sure you weren't chewing on the couch?"

Belle struck a cute pose. "Me?"

Mom smiled.

Belle binkied. "Maybe just a little bit."

"Remember we said no chewing on the furniture," Mom reminded the little bunny.

"But it's fun," Belle said enthusiastically.

"There are lots of other fun things to do," Mom said.

"But I want to do that," Belle said.

Mom sat down on the floor and Belle hopped up beside her. "What if I chewed on your cage?"

"OK! I do that all the time!" Belle exclaimed.

Mom tried not to laugh.

Belle thought for a moment. "If you chew on my cage, can I chew on the couch?"

Now Mom had to laugh. "No. I'm not going to chew on your cage so you can't chew on the couch."

"But you said you would chew on my cage," Belle was confused.

"How about you play in the igloo?" Mom suggested, hoping it would distract her from the couch.

"OK!" and off Belle binkied to play in the igloo, forgetting the couch ... for now.

### SPOT CLEANING

Mom reached for a pen and started to write. Then she noticed the blue spots all over her hands.

"Oh no," she sighed.

Belle hopped up to where Mom was. "What's wrong?"

"Mommy has ink spots all over her hands," Mom showed Belle.

"Oh pretty, they look like the spots on my fur," Belle perioscoped to look at Mom's hands.

Mom smiled and headed to the bathroom to scrub her hands.

When she came out of the bathroom, Belle was disappointed to see Mom no longer had her spots.

"Where did the go?" she asked.

"I used water to get them off my hands," Mom replied.

And then Mom set about cleaning the bunny cages.

When she came to Belle's to clean it, the little white rabbit had to supervise. In the process of taking Belle's water bowl out of her cage to fill it with fresh water, Mom spilled some on the cage floor and her hands.

"Oops, have to clean that up," Mom said.

When Mom turned to get a cloth, she noticed Belle had a piece of hay stuck to her back. Mom went to remove the hay but Belle quickly hopped away.

"What's wrong?" Mom asked.

"You have water on your hands, if you touch my spots the water will make them go away. I love my spots!" Belle said.

"Belle, the spots Mommy washed off weren't always there. The ink caused them. Water can't wash away your spots."

"Promise?" Belle peeked around the corner of the couch.

Mom nodded.

"OK,'" Belle hopped back to Mom so the hay could be freed from her fur.

Mom removed the hay and petted Belle. "See, spots are still there."

Belle looked inside her cage. "Mommy, I still see some water. You missed a spot."

Belle grinned at the joke she just made and Mom continued to clean the cage, making sure it was up to Belle's standards.

### BREAKFAST BELLE

6:30 am, sharp.

Bang, bang, bang.

Mom stumbles out of the bedroom.

"Huh, what, what's wrong?' Mom mumbles.

Cola, Duster and Zoomer all look at the little white bunny with the grey spots banging her pellet bowl against the wall of her cage.

"Hi!" Belle says cheerfully and binkies.

Mom makes her way to Belle's cage.

"Oh, scary hair," Belle says, noticing Mom's hair is all over the place.

Mom smiles sleepily. "Everything alright?"

"New please," Belle says and hops to where she expects bunny breakfast to be served.

Mom is confused. "New?"

"New food," Belle explains.

Mom was confused.

"New food you give us?" Belle asked.

"Bunny breakfast," Cola, Duster and Zoomer chorused.

"Yes, that!" Belle agreed.

"Belle, you get bunny breakfast when Mom and Dad decide to get up, not when you decide we get up," Mom yawned.

"But I need it to keep my spots at their necessary cuteness level," Belle said.

"Can't argue with that," Duster said.

"Yes, her spots need to be that cute," Zoomer agreed.

"Breakfast, please," Cola said.

"It's for my spots," Belle insisted.

Mom knew when she was defeated and the bunnies, and Belle's spots, got their breakfast.

### VACUUM VINDICATION

Vroom! Vroom!

"Yikes," Cola thumped and hopped to the far corner of her cage.

Zoomer quickly followed her lead, hopping to the back of his.

Belle was eating but noticed the other two rabbits behavior. "What's wrong?"

Duster rolled over from his flop. "Vacuum cleaner."

"Huh?" Belle asked.

"You'll see," Cola muttered.

Belle sat at the door of her cage and watched the machine pick up the random hay and bedding outside the cages.

She didn't see what was so scary.

Then she watched as it quickly gathered the poop she had worked so hard to leave outside her cage.

"Not nice!" Belle said.

Mom quickly walked by with the vacuum cleaner and finished the room. And then put the vacuum away.

Belle started to chew on her cage.

"Little bunny want out?" Mom asked.

"Yes!" Belle insisted.

Mom opened the cage door. Unlike Cola and Zoomer who would have headed in the opposite direction, Belle beelined it for the vacuum.

Mom and Dad watched as the little bunny hopped right on up to the machine.

"Bad! You steal my poop!" Belle said.

No response.

"I work hard to make that poop!" Belle thumped her little foot.

Duster had sat up now and was watching. Cola and Zoomer were emerging from the far corners of their respective cages to observe.

Again no reply from the vacuum.

"Rude!" Belle scrunched up her nose.

Now she hopped and placed her back to the vacuum.

"Everything alright?" Dad asked.

"Machine is noisy and greedy and rude and took all my poop!" Belle said.

"There's lots of poop still in your litter box. We haven't cleaned it yet," Mom said.

Belle frowned. "It took the poop I worked hardest to make."

"Well I'm sure you can eat lots more yummy food and make lots more poop to leave outside your cage," Dad said.

"Machine clean again?" Belle asked.

"Probably tomorrow," Mom admitted.

"I watch for it and warn my poop to hide," Belle promised.

"Sounds like a plan," Dad agreed.

"Bunnies always have plans," Belle said. "Smarter than rude machine."

"Yes, you definitely are," Mom and Dad both had to agree.

"See you tomorrow. I watch for you," Belle said to the vacuum and hopped away.

Mom and Dad smiled as Belle quickly started to eat her hay, preparing for the return of the vacuum the next day.

### LOST IN TRANSLATION

"Mom, come here, please!" Belle called.

Mom entered the living room.

"What's up?" she asked the little bunny.

"Come here, please," Belle persicoped.

Mom walked till she stood in front of Belle's cage.

"Perfect!" Belle exclaimed. "OK, please look at my eyes."

Mom did as requested. "Is something wrong?"

"Shhh!" Belle insisted. "You has to be quiet so I can do this."

"Do what?" Mom asked.

Belle sighed. "I'm trying to hippo-tie you."

"Pardon me?" Mom had never heard that before.

"Hippo-tie you," Belle repeated. "You know so you will do what I tell you to do. Like get us lots of treats."

Mom looked over at Cola. "Hippo-tie?"

Cola smiled. "I think she meant hypnotize. Not that I gave her any ideas."

Zoomer and Duster struggled not to laugh.

"Of course not," Mom shook her head.

"Can we please get back to what I am doing?" Belle asked.

Mom smiled. "How about you just ask me for treats instead of trying some sort of well, mind control?"

"It's that easy?" Belle asked.

Mom nodded.

"Can we have some treats please?" Belle questioned.

"Sure. Carrots for everybun," and off Mom went to get the bunnies their treats.

### BETTER BY BELLE

6:30 pm

Mom finished cleaning Belle's cage.

"Everything is where it should be?" Mom asked Belle, who had carefully supervised.

Belle nodded. "Perfect."

"You don't need anything moved?"

Belle shook her head. "No, perfect."

"Great, so everything will stay where it is till I clean your cage tomorrow evening," Mom said.

Belle binkied and then did bunny super sprints around the living room.

6:30 am

Bang! Thud!

Mom and Dad leaped out of bed as best they could and made their way to the living room.

"What's wrong?" Dad asked.

Cola, Duster and Zoomer were watching Belle rearrange her cage.

"Belle!" Mom exclaimed.

The little bunny stopped pushing her litter box. "HI!"

And then she resumed moving the litter box to where it apparently belonged.

"What are you doing?"Dad asked.

Belle hopped to the front of the cage. "Fixing."

"Fixing what?" Mom questioned.

"My cage," Belle replied.

Mom and Dad could see how she moved things – litter box from the back to the front, hay to the back corner, pellet bowl moved over and her toys in various spots.

"But last night you said it was perfect," Mom said.

"It was," Belle agreed.

"And that you didn't need anything moved last night," Mom said.

"I didn't," Belle agreed.

"And we were going to wait till this evening when I cleaned your cage to move anything," Mom said.

"I binkied," Belle nodded.

"So what happened? Mommy and Daddy were sleeping," Dad said.

"Spots," Belle whispered.

Mom and Dad looked at her.

"Spots weren't happy. Wouldn't let me sleep, so you can't sleep. No one sleep till spots are happy," Belle explained.

"Are they happy now?" Mom asked.

"Yes," Belle confirmed.

"Can they stay happy till Mom and Dad get up again?" Dad wondered.

Belle quickly checked with her spots. "Treats and then happy and then quiet."

Mom and Dad raced to the fridge. Bunnies got treats, spots were happy and bunny parents got more sleep!

### THE NON-NIGHT TIME NAP

Mom had decided to take a nap in the living room. It was right around one pm when Duster took his daily nap so it seemed like the perfect opportunity.

"Hi, Mom!" Belle binkied when she saw Mom curl up on the couch.

"Hi, Belle. Gotta be quiet, Mommy's gonna take a nap," Mom said and pulled the blanket around her.

"What is a nap?" Belle asked.

"It's like practicing for bedtime," Mom said.

"Ohhh ... do we get practice bunny bedtime breakfast?" Belle asked.

"Sure," Mom said and quickly got the bunnies some shredded carrots to snack on.

After she finished her carrots, Belle needed to know exactly why Mom needed to take a nap.

"Mommy's a bit tired," Mom said.

"Oh...why?" Belle questioned.

"Um, I guess I didn't get enough sleep," Mom replied.

"Why?" Belle wondered.

"I had to answer a lot of baby bunny questions" Mom smiled.

"OK," Belle accepted that answer.

"Good night, Cola, Duster, Zoomer and Belle," Mom said and closed her eyes.

"Pssst," Belle whispered.

Mom opened an eye and looked over at the little bunny.

"It's not night time," Belle said.

"You're right, how about "good nap" then?" Mom asked.

Belle binkied her approval and Mom wished the bunnies a "good nap."

She had just settled down when she heard a little thump. She peered over the side of the couch and saw Belle with her back to Mom.

"Belle?" Mom asked.

"Not happy with you," Belle said.

"What did I do?" Mom wondered.

"You forgot my spots!" Belle turned to face Mom. "Now they are sad."

Mom sighed. "Good nap, Cola, Duster, Zoome, Belle and Belle's spots. Happy now?"

A binky, "Yes!" and then all four bunnies settled in.

And finally at 1:30 pm Mom got to take her nap.

### CHRISTMAS THOUGHTS FOR THE SPOTS

Dad came into the living room and saw Mom putting gifts under the tree. He took a quick peek at the gifts.

"Why are there five gifts here? We only have four bunnies."

Mom nodded. "I know. There's a special gift under there too."

Dad read off the name tags and then came to what he guessed was the special gift.

"You need to redo this name tag. It's a blob of ink, not a name."

Mom took the gift and put it back under the tree. "No, it's fine."

"But who will I know to give it to if I can't read the name?" Dad handed Mom a new pen so she could re-write the name tag.

"It's fine the way it is," Mom insisted.

"But who is it for? It's an ink dot," Dad was confused.

"Look at it again," Mom said. "It's not a dot, it's a ..."

Dad had to fill in the blank.

"Um, an ink drip?"

Mom motioned for Dad to follow her out of the living room and he did.

"The name tag is fine. It's a spot. It's a special gift for The Spots," Mom revealed.

"The Spots?" Dad asked.

Mom's eyes got big,. Oh don't tell me you forgot The Spots?"

"Belle's spots?' Dad questioned.

"Shh," Mom said. "I want it to be a surprise for them and Belle!"

"You got The Spots a gift?" Dad asked.

"Yes, I think it will help make Belle's first Christmas even more fun," Mom replied. "And the other bunnies know about it and they can hardly wait to see her open it for The Spots."

"What did we get them?" Dad asked.

Mom told him.

"That's perfect!" Dad exclaimed. "Belle and The Spots will love that gift."

Mom smiled. "I hope so. I can hardly wait for Christmas morning."

Christmas morning ...

All of the bunnies had unwrapped their presents. Cola, Duster and Zoomer were anxiously waiting for Belle to notice the extra gift under the tree.

And she finally did -

"Who's that for?"

Mom and Dad pretended not to know.

"I can't quite read it," Dad said.

"Hm, maybe Belle can help us?" Mom asked.

Belle hopped over and looked at the name tag. "It looks like a spot." And she hopped away.

Then she paused. "Is that a gift for The Spots?"

Everyone nodded.

Belle binkied,. Spots are happy" and she tore into the gift.

Belle quickly pulled the gift out into the open.

"It's white, like me," Belle said. "And it has spots, like me! What is it?"

Dad laughed. "It's a brush."

"What does that do?" Belle nosed the white brush with black spots.

Mom picked it up and brushed her spots. "It helps keep The Spots looking fantastic."

Belle stretched out. "The Spots like this brush gift."

The Spots liked their brush so much they insisted that Cola, Duster and Zoomer all be brushed as well!

It was a truly wonderful Christmas for Cola, Duster, Zoomer, Belle and their Mom and Dad ... and The Spots!

Wishing everyone and everybun a Merry Christmas, Seasons Greetings, Happy Holidays, Wonderful Winter & all the best for 2013.

### A-DOOR-A-BELLE

"Oh, new room!" Belle exclaimed and hopped on into the bedroom.

It only took a minute for Mom and Dad to notice the baby bunny was missing. After looking in

all the usual hiding places they ventured into the bedroom.

There was Belle, rearranging the blankies.

"Hi, Belle," Mom said.

"Hi, busy, busy," Belle replied.

"We can see that. Remember you aren't supposed to go into other rooms without Mom and Dad," Dad reminded her.

Belle bunny shrugged. "The Spots idea."

Mom couldn't help but laugh. "Of course it was."

Belle nodded, still fixing the blankets. "Spots were bored. Needed more room."

"More room?" Dad asked.

"Yes! A whole new room," Belle binkied.

"How convenient that you just happened to hop into here," Mom said.

"Isn't it?" Belle agreed, stretching out on the bed.

"OK, adventure time is over. Time to hop out back to the living room," Dad said.

Belle looked at The Spots. "No."

Mom and Dad looked at each other. "Come on, Belle and Spots, time to hop."

Belle grumbled as her parents ushered her out of the room. She hopped under the computer chair and waited for the parents to be distracted and then she could make her return to the blankies.

Belle waited, waited – Mom and Dad started to clean the cages. Belle hopped towards the bedroom only to discover a wall where the entrance had been.

Belle thumped and her parents turned to see what the commotion was.

"What's wrong?" Dad asked.

"This!" Belle pointed to the door. "A new wall grew?"

"Belle, that's the bedroom door. It's always been there we just never closed it before," Mom answered.

"Then why close it now?" Belle thumped.

"Because a certain little bunny went into the room when she knew she wasn't supposed to without her parents," Dad replied.

"It was The Spots!" Belle insisted.

"And who helped The Spots get there?" Mom asked. "The Spots can't get there on their own."

Belle turned her back to her parents.

Mom and Dad resumed cleaning the bunny cages.

"I forgot something in there," Belle said.

"What did you forget?" Mom wondered.

"To finish my nap!" Belle exclaimed, hoping her adorableness would win.

Dad laughed. "That's a good one but it won't work."

Belle periscoped and put her paws on the door, trying to push it open. But it wouldn't budge.

"Do you hear that?" Belle asked.

Mom and Dad turned to look at her.

"The blankies are calling my name! They need me to finish rearranging them," Belle said with a smile.

Mom and Dad know when the bunny wins.

Dad walked over and opened the door so Belle could hop on in.

"Thank you! Blankies, Belle is back!" she hopped onto the bed to finish fixing the blankies and taking her nap!

### SPOT PARTY

Mom and Dad watched Belle binkying around her cage. But when she saw them watching her, she stopped.

"You sure are happy!" Mom exclaimed.

"What's all the binkies about?" Dad asked.

Belle bunny shrugged. "Just happy."

And then she nibbled on some hay.

Mom and Dad went back to doing what they were doing. A few moments later, they heard Belle binkying again.

And like before when she saw them observing her, Belle stopped.

"OK, you have to tell us what's going on," Mom said.

Belle sighed. "A party."

"You're having a party by yourself?" Dad questioned.

Belle rolled her eyes. "No. It's a Spot party."

"Spot party?" Mom and Dad repeated.

"Yes, the funnest party you can go to," Zoomer said.

"The Spots are happy so Belle binkies and then we binky too," Cola added.

Duster binkied just to demonstrate.

"How come we haven't been invited to a Spot party?" Dad wondered.

Mom laughed. "Maybe we aren't cool enough to get invited to one of their parties."

All four bunnies tried to look busy.

Mom and Dad looked at each other.

"What?" Mom said.

"The Spots don't think we're cool enough to go to their parties?" Dad repeated.

Belle looked at them. "You said that, The Spots did not."

"Well, now that we know about these parties, maybe we can be invited to the next one," Mom said, looking at Belle.

Belle scrunched up her nose. "OK. Spots give you a chance. Spot party now!"

All four bunnies started to binky in their cages.

And Mom and Dad stood in front of the cages.

"This is fun," Mom said.

"Definitely glad we were included," Dad agreed.

Belle stopped binkying. "You have to binky to be part of the spot party."

"Oh ..." Mom said.

She and Dad shrugged and started to hop up and down.

The party continued for a minute or so.

"So will we be invited to the next party?" Mom asked.

Belle conferred with The Spots. ""You need to work on your binkying but the spots think you are on the guest list."

Mom and Dad high-fived.

"The Spots like us!" Mom said.

"And The Spots like stories that end with us getting a treat!" Belle smiled.

Mom and Dad understood and headed to get the bunnies some treats.

### SPOTLESS

"Wow, one more thing to do and we are finished Spring cleaning!" Mom said to Dad.

"Great! What's left?" Dad asked.

"I just have to clean Belle's cage and this place will be spotless," Mom and Dad high-fived.

Belle's ears twitched, she had heard something mentioned about the Spots.

"What does "spotless" mean?" she asked the other bunnies.

Cola, Duster and Zoomer all exchanged worried glances.

Belle picked up on their hesitance to answer.

"Well?" she waited.

"Um, "spotless" means without spots," Cola whispered.

"Without spots?" Belle repeated. "As in The Spots will be gone?"

The other three bunnies nodded slowly.

"The Spots will have to leave?" Belle mumbled. "Where would they go?"

No bunny wanted to answer that.

Belle's ears went back. "My Spots aren't going anywhere."

And with those words, the baby bunny with spots thumped so loudly Mom and Dad scurried into the living room to see what the fuss was.

"Everything OK?" Mom asked.

Belle thumped again.

"What's wrong, Belle?" Dad questioned.

When the bunny parents went to open her cage door, Belle grunted at them.

"You can't make The Spots leave!" Belle grunted.

"Why would we want The Spots to leave?" Dad asked.

"I heard you say you're going to clean my cage and then this place will be spotless," Belle thumped again. "Stay away from my Spots!"

"Belle, we would never want The Spots to leave. We meant that this place would be perfectly clean, no messes anywhere," Mom assured her.

Belle was still wary. "The Spots are staying?"

"Of course The Spots are staying," Dad nodded.

"OK, you can clean my cage and get us some treats," Belle replied.

"No one mentioned treats," Mom said slowly.

"But you were going to," Belle assured her.

Mom and Dad smiled at each other. Dad went to get the treats while Mom cleaned Belle's cage.

### BIRTHDAY BELLE

Belle hopped up to Mom. "What is a birthday?"

"Your birthday is the day you were born," Mom said,

"What does that mean?" the baby bunny questioned.

"It's the day you took your first breath," Mom was trying to find the right words.

That explanation worked for Belle.

"Birthdays are special?" Belle asked.

"Very special. We'll celebrate your birthday – all of your birthdays – with an extra treat and presents," Mom assured Belle.

"Is my birthday today?" Belle asked excitedly.

"Not today, but pretty soon," Mom replied.

"Okay, I wait," Belle said and hopped off to do some bunstruction.

A few minutes passed and Belle tugged on Mom's jeans.

"Do The Spots have a birthday?" Belle needed to know.

"Um, I guess so," Mom said.

"Is The Spots birthday the same as mine?"

"Yes, that makes sense," Mom agreed.

Belle binkied. "That means extra treats and presents on my and The Spots birthday!"

Mom was momentarily not sure what to say.

"The Spots will get treats and present?" Belle asked.

"Definitely, of course, The Spots will get treats and presents just like you do," Mom assured Belle.

"But The Spots need their own treats and presents – their birthday is special too," the baby bunny pointed out.

"I promise The Spots will get to celebrate their own birthday - maybe we'll even throw them their own party."

Belle pouted. "The Spots would not be here without me! I need my own party too please."

Mom petted Belle. "We'll make sure you and The Spots all have a wonderful birthday, treats and presents."

Belle binkied again. "The Spots and I wait for our birthday but hope it comes soon!"

And off she hopped to start planning the party.

When the baby bunny (and The Spots) are happy, the world is happy!

### BELLE'S BEAU

Belle hopped up to Zoomer's cage. "Hi, Zoomer."

"Hi, Belle," the brown and white Dutch bunny replied.

"You're really cute!" Belle said.

Mom and Dad were listening and watching and pretty sure Zoomer would have turned red at the compliment if he could have.

"Thanks, Belle," Zoomer whispered.

"And The Spots, they think you're cute too!"

"Thanks, Spots," Zoomer added.

"Me and The Spots are really adorable," Belle stated. "And it's OK for you to agree with me on that."

Zoomer blinked, he was a bit caught off-guard by the baby bunny's bluntness.

"Now would be a good time to agree with her," Dad whispered.

"You're really adorable, you and The Spots," Zoomer agreed.

"Thanks! So what are you doing?"

"Just eating me hay," Zoomer replied.

"And then what?"

"Maybe I'll flop," Zoomer thought.

Belle binkied. "Mom says you are so cute when you flop! I'll hop by when you are ready so I can watch Mom watch you flop!"

"Okay ..." Zoomer looked a bit confused as Belle hopped away.

Mom and Dad smiled at Zoomer.

"She likes you," Mom said.

"But she's hanging around, loitering, is that normal?" Zoomer whispered.

Cola laughed and said. "I remember you wore out the carpet in front of my cage!"

"Oh yeah," Zoomer remembered. "Belle loves me like I loved you?"

Mom, Dad, Cola and Duster nodded.

Zoomer sighed.

"She is really cute," Mom pointed out.

Zoomer nodded. "But she and The Spots have so much energy!"

As if on cue, Belle binkied past the cage and parents.

"She kind of scares me," Zoomer admitted, as he is a rather timid rabbit.

"Is it time to flop?" Belle binkied back to Zoomer and her parents.

Zoomer shrugged and flopped. Then Belle flopped too.

Belle hopped back up at the same time Mom said. "Oh so cute, baby bunny flop, so cute!"

"I am so lucky to have such a cute boyfriend," Belle exclaimed and binked away.

Mom and Dad smiled at Zoomer, again.

"I'm her boyfriend? When was she going to tell me?" he wondered.

"I think she just did," Dad replied.

"That's kind of neat," Zoomer said. "I have a girlfriend."

"With Spots!" Belle exclaimed as she did the Bunny 500 around the living room.

"Maybe someday we'll try introducing you to each other," Mom said.

"Like both of us outside our cages at the same time?" Zoomer questioned.

Mom and Dad nodded.

Zoomer paused. "I think we need to take this slow. I'm cool with Belle and The Spots loitering outside my cage."

Mom couldn't help but laugh. "Slow is good, Zoomer."

The Dutch bunny sighed. "Especially since she has so much binky-power."

"Hi, Zoomer! Me and The Spots love you!' Belle was still running laps around the living room.

"I love you too," Zoomer replied.

Belle stopped in her track. "Do you love The Spots? Because if you love me you have to love The Spots!"

"I do, I do love The Spots!" Zoomer assured Belle.

Belle resumed her laps.

"Wow, having a girlfriend is a lot of work," Zoomer said.

"Especially when there are Spots involved," Mom smiled.

### SLEEPLESS SPOTS

The bunnies watched as Mom paced back and forth from the kitchen to the living room.

"What's wrong?" Duster asked.

"I am so tired and I can't sleep, this is beyond annoying!" Mom exclaimed.

"Are you hoping the walking back and forth will make you sleepy?" Zoomer questioned.

"Never thought of that," Mom admitted. "But, no, I just don't know what else to do."

"Maybe you should lay down and close your eyes," Belle suggested.

Mom smiled. "If I thought that would work, I would."

"I think you should," Belle said. "The Spots are sleepy and all this walking back and forth is keeping them up."

"Sorry," Mom apologized. "I'll see what else I can do."

The bunnies watched as Mom went to the computer and surfed from web page to web page. Then she watched TV and channel surfed for a bit. She was still wide awake. Then Mom tried to read a book, or two. Still no luck, she was sleepy but not able to sleep.

Mom resumed her pacing, much to Belle's obvious disapproval.

"The Spots still aren't asleep!" Belle exclaimed. "They are getting grouchy. Do you know what it's like to have Spots that are grouchy and sleepy?"

Mom sat down in front of Belle's cage. "No, I don't actually. Tell me all about it."

Belle's ears flattened against her head. "They are sleepy and grouchy! That's what it's like."

Mom nodded. "Tell me, exactly what do The Spots do?"

Now Belle was confused. "They are The Spots, they be The Spots! What else would they do?"

"I don't know, that's why I asked," Mom admitted.

"Now you're giving me and The Spots a headache," Bell sighed.

"They can get a headache? Fascinating," Mom said.

Duster and Zoomer were trying not to laugh.

"Oh wait, The Spots just fell asleep!" Belle exclaimed.

"Really?" Mom whispered.

"No," Belle sighed. "I was hoping you would stop asking questions if you thought they were asleep."

"OK, well, I'm going to go lay down and try to sleep," Mom said.

"I know what would help you sleep," Zoomer said.

Mom looked at him.

"I bet you can't sleep because you haven't given us bedtime bunny breakfast and your conscience is keeping you up," Zoomer stated.

"So if I give you treats I might get to sleep?" Mom asked.

All three bunnies nodded.

"It's worth a try," Mom shrugged and went to the kitchen to get treats.

After distributing the treats, Mom stretched and yawned.

"Zoomer, I think you're right. I'm going to go lay down! Good night, bunnies, and The Spots," Mom said and headed to bed.

"Good one," Duster whispered to Zoomer.

"If it helps Mommy sleep, it was worth the sacrifice of us having to have breakfast," Zoomer smiled.

"Shhh, now The Spots really are asleep," Belle whispered.

"I guess they needed bedtime bunny breakfast too to fall asleep," Duster whispered.

All three bunnies, The Spots and Mommy had a good nights sleep.

### BELLE-ICADE

"My dear Belle, what are you doing?" Mom asked.

Belle had crept into the kitchen and was exploring.

"Nothing! What are you doing?" Belle hopped over to where Mom was standing.

"I'm seeing a baby bunny with spots in the kitchen when she isn't supposed to be," Mom replied.

Belle innocently looked around. "Really? I see a baby bunny with spots talking with her Mom!"

Mom tried not to smile. "Remember the rule – no bunnies in the kitchen without me or Dad."

"I remember I think that is a silly rule," Belle replied.

Mom sighed and ushered Belle out.

Belle hopped over to flop under the computer desk.

A few minutes later she saw Mom putting a cardboard box she had cut down across the doorway to the kitchen.

"What are you doing?" Belle hopped over to investigate.

"I'm making a barricade, or I guess in this case a Belle-icade," Mom replied.

"What does that mean?" Belle asked.

"It means this cardboard is meant to keep you and The Spots out of where you should not be," Mom said.

Belle sat down and looked at the cardboard creation. "I don't like that."

"You're not supposed to," Mom said. "Now let's go find something to do."

Mom headed off to do some cleaning while Belle sat staring at her new nemesis.

A few minutes passed and Mom heard the sound of cardboard ripping. She went out to find Belle yanking on the cardboard and shredding what she could.

"Really?" Mom asked.

"You said to find something to do, so I did!" Belle exclaimed, continuing to pull on the cardboard.

"OK, you're right about that," Mom sighed.

"Move cardboard and I won't chew on it anymore," Belle promised.

"Will you stay out of the kitchen unless I am in there?" Mom asked.

"I did not promise that," Belle said.

Belle yanked on the box and then stopped.

"I have an idea. You move this Belle-icade, go into the kitchen, I can follow you, and you get us bunnies treats – every bunny will be happy!" Belle binkied.

"Then you'll stay out of the kitchen?" Mom asked.

Belle thought for a moment. "Yes ... for now ..."

"Alright, if it means I don't have to listen to the cardboard being shredded, you have a deal," Mom removed the cardboard and Belle happily hopped behind her into the kitchen.

### SHUTTER BUG

"Belle, hold still," Mom said.

Mom stretched out on the floor in front of Belle and tried to focus the camera.

"No!" Belle thumped.

"I just want to take one picture," Mom tried to reason with Belle.

"No!" Belle repeated, hopping away.

Mom sat up. "What if I give you a treat?"

Belle paused. "No, I don't want to treat right now. I want to relax with no camera bugging me."

Belle flopped near a wall.

Mom sighed and got up. She walked past Belle. And then quickly turned around and tried to focus the camera before Belle noticed.

Mom was too slow though. Belle shook her head and hopped off.

Mom followed.

Belle flopped again. Mom sat on the floor. Moving closer and closer to Belle.

"What if I am in the picture with you?" Mom asked.

Belle sat up and hopped away just as Mom hit the button and the flash went off.

"Ack, lightning!" Belle exclaimed.

Mom blinked, trying to clear the spots from her eyes. "Not lightning, it was the flash. I forgot to shut it off."

"Mom was struck by lightning!" Belle insisted.

"Are you alright?" Duster asked.

Mom sighed. "I'm fine. The flash didn't hurt me, it's just annoying."

Mom scrolled back to show Belle the picture.

Belle cautiously hopped over and scrunched up her nose. "You look like you're in pain."

Mom's eyes were half closed, her hair was all over the place from trying to move fast and have Belle in the picture with her. She also had a strained look on her face.

"That's not pain, it's frustration," Mom mumbled, making sure the flash was turned off.

"You can take my picture, Mom," Zoomer offered.

"Thanks, Zoomie," Mom sighed.

And she did.

Mom showed that picture to Belle.

"See how cute he looks?" Mom asked.

Belle smiled, almost proudly. "Of course he's cute, he's my boyfriend!"

Belle paused and then looked at Mom.

"The Spots say you can take their picture," Belle stated. "But only The Spots on my back."

"I can take a picture of The Spots. I guess that's progress," Mom said.

"And now I'd like a treat, and one for Zoomer and Duster too, please," Belle was now in negotiation mode.

"Picture first and then the treats," Mom replied.

Belle agreed to those terms.

Mom was able to take a lovely picture of The Spots on Belle's back and the three bunnies got their treats.

All in all, it was picture perfect.

### SHADOW SURPRISE

"Mom! Help! I'm being followed!" Belle hopped up onto the couch and squeezed in behind Mom.

Mom looked in the direction where Belle had came from.

Mom didn't see anything or anyone. Mom and the bunnies were the only ones home and Belle was the only bunny out of her cage.

"Did you see it?" Belle asked, peeking out from behind Mom.

"Belle, there's no one there," Mom said.

"There is! I saw it! It was following me everywhere I went!" Belle insisted.

"What exactly did you see?" Mom asked.

Belle took a deep breath. "It was dark and creepy and well, shaped like a bunny. And it did everything I did! It was following me and copying me."

Mom smiled and pointed to where Belle's shadow was. "Is that what was following you?"

Belle gasped and hopped behind Mom again. "Yes! Make it go away."

"I can't, that's your shadow," Mom said.

"What does that mean?" Belle stayed behind Mom.

Mom then tried to explain what a shadow was. "Belle, you're over a year old and you've never noticed your shadow before?"

"I've been busy," Belle defended herself.

"You'll get used to your shadow, now that you know it's there," Mom assured Belle.

"That's not mine," Belle replied.

Now Mom was confused.

"Why do you think that's not your shadow?" Mom had to ask.

"Well, obviously I have The Spots and there are no spots on that shadow. It cannot be my shadow if it does not have spots," Belle answered.

"No one's shadow has spots or anything like that," Mom said.

Belle thumped, not happy about this news. "But The Spots want to be on the shadow too."

Mom had to think quick. "They are there, they're just hiding. Yes, that's it. The Spots are hiding on the shadow."

"Why?" Belle was now confused.

"Well you know The Spots, they don't always explain the things they do," Mom stumbled her way through an explanation.

Belle hopped out from behind Mom. "You're right, they don't. Thanks, Mom. Me and The Spots and our shadow are going to go flop."

Mom smiled. "Sounds like a good idea, Belle. I'll make sure there is an after-flop treat for all my bunnies later on."

### SPOOKTACULAR SPOTS

Halloween wasn't far off and the bunnies were trying on their costumes.

Duster's was very straightforward – he was going to be gentlebun. He had has little black top hat and matching bowtie.

"Ladies love me?" Duster asked Mom.

"Definitely, you look quite dapper," Mom told the grey lop.

Zoomer wanted to be a race car driver. However, he does not have his drivers license or a race car so Mom and Dad were able to convince him that being a super hero was the next best thing.

Zoomer looked at the little red cape that went across his back. "Super Zoomer will get lots of treats?"

Dad nodded. "Super heroes always get lots of treats."

Belle had opted to be a ghost. Mom and Dad had taken some white fabric and cut holes in it for her eyes and for her ears. But the bunny parents could tell from the way Belle's ears were back that she was not happy.

"What's wrong, Baby Belle?" Mom asked.

"The Spots want to have a costume too," Belle said.

"Well that would be kind of hard to do," Dad replied. "But not impossible."

Mom looked at Dad. He motioned for her to take the fabric off Belle.

"Give us a few minutes, alright? We'll make sure The Spots are a part of your costume," Dad promised Belle.

Mom and Dad disappeared into the kitchen. They returned a few minutes later and Dad put the ghost costume back on Belle.

"Now look at the back," Dad instructed.

Belle did and what she saw made her binky. "The Spots!"

Dad had cut holes in the fabric right where The Spots were on Belle's back.

"Perfect!" Mom said.

And the bunnies were now ready for Halloween.

### A PUZZLING PROBLEM

Mom sat down on the living room floor, placing a small box in front of her.

Belle was out of hr cage and decided to investigate

"What are you doing?" she hopped over to Mom.

"I'm going to put together this puzzle," Mom said.

The picture on the box was a baby bunny relaxing in a field of green grass.

"Aw so cute!" Belle exclaimed. "Just like my boyfriend, Zoomer!"

Mom opened the box and the pieces fell to the floor.

Belle thumped. "The picture is broken!"

"No, it's in pieces and you have to put it together."

Belle was confused. "Why?"

"So you can see what the picture is," Mom started to sort through the pieces.

"Just look at the box," Belle said.

Mom paused. "Well yes, you can do that but that would take all the fun out of doing the puzzle. This one only has 24 pieces so it shouldn't take too long to do it."

"I can watch?" Belle asked.

Mom nodded and started to place pieces where she thought they fit.

Half an hour later...

"Mom, your face us really red!" Belle exclaimed.

"Yep," Mom replied, teeth clenched.

"I don't think that piece goes there..."Belle whispered, watching Mom try to force to pieces together.

Mom sighed. "It's only 24 pieces..."

"Me and The Spots can help!" Belle offered.

Mom gave the OK.

Belle hopped directly on top of the puzzle and started to dig, sending pieces all over the place.

"I make it go away!" Belle said.

Mom cringed,. "Now I have to start all over again."

Belle thumped. "No! You have the picture on the box! And you have me and Zoomer and Duster and The Spots – no puzzle bunny needed!"

Mom had to smile. "Good point, Belle. Want to help me clean up the pieces to put them back in the box?"

"No. I want to help you get us treats," Belle replied, very seriously.

"Treats, of course. I forgot the treat factor," Mom said.

"Silly Mommy. Come on, treats are waiting!" Belle hopped to the kitchen.

Mom happily followed her, glad the puzzle problem had been solved.

### CHRISTMAS CREATIVITY

Mom was watching a show about over the top Christmas decorating.

Belle hopped up beside her on the couch. "Wow, pretty colors."

"That's a heck of a lot of Christmas lights," Mom said.

"Why did they do that?" Belle questioned.

"They are decorating for Christmas," Mom replied. "This show is about people that like to decorate a whole bunch. You know, when Santa Paws brings you and all the good bunnies all over the world lots of treats."

This would be Belle's second Christmas.

The baby bunny with spots binkied. "Oh yes! Me and The Spots loved Christmas last year."

Belle paused and looked around the apartment. "Are we going to decorate?"

Mom nodded.

"When?" Belle asked.

"Soon," Mom promised.

"What will you use?" Belle wondered.

"We'll put up a little tree, some penguins, and any Christmas cards we get," Mom replied.

Belle periscoped and looked at the TV screen. "I wanna do that!"

Mom looked at the TV. There was a large house, covered from top to bottom with lights and life-sized Christmas characters. And the yard was hardly visible through the festive ornaments.

"We can't go quite that, um, thorough," Mom said.

Belle frowned. "Why not?"

"Well we don't live in a house that big, we're in an apartment," Mom said.

That made sense to Belle but she had an idea.

"We can decorate Grandma and Grandpa's house!" she exclaimed.

"I think they want to decorate their own house," Mom said.

Belle pouted. "But if we don't decorate the roof, Santa Paws won't find us and we won't get any gifts!"

Mom petted Belle. "I don't think you have to worry about that. Santa Paws will bring you presents."

Belle settled down beside Mom to finish watching the show.

"Oh I know what we can do!" Belle hopped up.

She whispered to Mom what her plan of action was.

Mom smiled. "Yes, that is definitely something I can help you with."

A short time later ...

"Wow! That's cool!" Zoomer said, staring at Belle's cage.

"Santa Paws will for sure see your cage," Duster nodded.

Mom and Belle stood back to admire their work.

Mom, with directions from Belle and The Spots, had decorated the wall around Belle's cage with Christmas themed pictures. They even manged to string some lights up that blinked off and on.

"Just like I am pretty sure Rudolph's nose does," Belle sad, explaining the blinking lights when they were done.

Belle binkied. "Santa Paws will be so happy to see what we did."

"Now you just have to wait for Christmas to arrive." Mom said.

The three bunnies nodded, looking forward to a Merry Christmas.

* * *

"From our family to yours, wishing you a wonderful holiday season and best wishes for the coming year."

Duster, Zoomer, Belle (and The Spots) and Mom & Dad

### SCHOOL FOR THE SPOTS

"Mom, me and The Spots want to go to school!" Belle exclaimed.

"Alright, well maybe we'll try homeschooling you and The Spots before you go to an actual school," Mom said, hoping that would appease Belle.

The baby bunny binkied,. "Great! Can we start now?"

"Let's begin with language – you would say The Spots and I, not me and The Spots," Mom said.

"OK, now what?" Belle asked.

Mom had to think fast. "How about we try some math?"

Belle sat down and nodded, ready to learn.

"One plus one is two," Mom said. "What is two plus two?"

"Boring," Belle yawned.

"Two plus two is four," Mom replied.

Mom asked a few more addition questions and Belle started to stare off into space.

"How about this – if you have two treats and you add two more treats, how many treats do you have?" Mom asked.

"A whole bunch!" Belle hopped around.

"Maybe it's time for a break," Mom suggested.

Belle nodded. "Can we have one of those treats you mentioned?"

"At lunch time," Mom said.

"When is that?" Belle asked. "The Spots are really hungry!"

Mom sighed. "OK, let's have lunch."

Mom got up and got a treat for Belle, Duster and Zoomer.

"Can we learn something fun?" Belle asked.

Poor Mom was running out of ideas,. Alright, what happens when you eat food or treats?"

Belle periscoped, "I poop and then you clean my litter area!"

Mom chuckled. "That's true, but I was going more for the whole you digest the food."

"And then I poop!" Belle added.

"I think I have run out of things to teach you in school today," Mom admitted.

Belle was quiet for a moment. "Mom, The Spots and I, see I learned how to properly say that today, aren't ready to go to school yet."

Mom petted Belle's head,. Very good, Baby Belle and Spots. You have lots of time to learn everything you need to know."

"Know what I know already?" Belle asked.

"What's that?" Mom questioned.

"I know I'd love another treat," Belle was hopeful.

"And I bet you already know the answer to that," Mom smiled.

Belle binkied. "We can have another treat .... later?"

"You are a very smart bunny," Mom said.

"With spots," Belle added and hopped off to tell Zoomer and Duster about the treats they would get later on.

### THE DROPPED SPOT

Belle hopped by Zoomer's cage. "Hi, my boyfriend!"

"Hi, Belle and The Spots," Zoomer almost whispered.

Belle was full of energy and that sometimes scared the somewhat timid Dutch bunny.

Belle continued to hop and binky around the living room. When she made a lap past Zoomer's cage, he gasped.

Belle stopped. "What's wrong?"

"I think you dropped a spot!" Zoomer said quietly.

"What do you mean?" Belle asked.

Zoomer nodded towards a clump of brown fur on the floor.

Belle cautiously approached the discarded fur. She nosed it and then hopped away from it.

The baby bunny thumped. Mom and Dad entered the living room to see what the fuss was.

"I lost a spot!" Belle exclaimed.

"It's not lost – it's right there," Duster said.

"But it left me and the rest of The Spots," Belle said.

Dad picked up the fur. "You're shedding, this is perfectly normal. Look how much fur Duster sheds."

"That's not fur, that's a spot!" Belle thumped.

"Spots are made of fur," Mom said.

"But I want my Spot back." Belle was sad.

Mom and Dad looked at each other and then explained the shedding process to Belle.

"So another Spot will replace that Spot?" Belle had to be sure.

Mom and Dad assured her she wouldn't be short a spot.

Belle decided to flop and await the arrival of her newest Spot.

### THE BUNNIES AND THE BLEMISH

"Oh no!" Belle thumped, staring at Mom. "What's on your chin?"

Mom sighed. "It's a pimple, Belle. Remember the last one?"

Belle persicoped. "Oh I do! This one looks bigger than the other one you had."

Zoomer and Duster sat up, looking to see what all the commotion was.

"Is Mommy alright?" Duster asked.

"I'm fine, I have a pimple," Mom assured the rabbits.

"Are you sure that's what it is?" Zoomer questioned.

Daddy came into the living room. "What's up?"

"Mommy has an owie," Belle said.

Dad looked at Mom, and Mom pointed at her blemish.

"As bad as last time?" Dad whispered.

"Not yet," Mom replied.

The last time Mom had a pimple, the bunnies spent almost two hours asking questions – what was it made from, how did it get there, how long would it stay, what else could it be?

"I hope it's not chicken spots," Belle said, looking at the red dot on Mom's chin.

"Or weasels," Duster said.

"That would be bad," Zoomer added. "Chicken spots and weasels do not get along."

Dad looked at Mom, hoping she could translate the bunny banter.

"I think they mean chicken pox and measles," Mom answered.

"That's what we said," Belle replied.

Mom smiled and nodded.

"Can you still clean our cages?" Zoomer asked.

"And get us treats?" Belle added.

"And get us bunny and bunny bedtime breakfast?" Duster wondered.

"Of course I can. It's just a pimple!" Mom was exasperated.

"Oh then we're good," Belle said.

Zoomer went back to grooming his feet and Duster flopped.

"Maybe you should get us a treat, just to make sure," Belle suggested.

Mom smiled,. Will do."

And Mom was off to get the bunnies their reassurance treat.

### PARTY POOPER

"Shhe," Belle whispered.

"Are you sure she can't see?" Duster asked.

"Mom? Can you see me?" Zoomer hopped around his cage.

"No, I can't see anything," Mom assured the bunnies.

Dad had made sure she put a blindfold on when she walked from the bedroom to the living room. The bunnies had a big surprise for her.

"Ready?" Dad asked Belle, Zoomer and Duster.

The three bunnies nodded and Mom was allowed to uncover her eyes.

"Oh, wow," Mom said.

There was a "Happy Birthday" banner across the wall behind the cages and a few balloons.

Dad put a party hat on her head.

"Thanks, but my birthday isn't for a few more months," Mom said.

"We know!" Belle binkied. "We wanted to have a surprise early birthday for you."

"I think they just want a way to get extra treats," Dad whispered.

"No, we really want to celebrate early," Duster said. "But extra treats are always welcomed."

Zoomer persicoped. "Show her the cake we made."

"A cake?" Mom asked.

Dad smiled and presented Mom with a small bowl.

Inside the bowl was a mixture of pellets and timothy hay and carrot slices were sprinkled on top.

"It's a carrot cake," Belle exclaimed proudly.

"It looks bunny treat yummy," Mom replied. "Thank you. I think I'll save it for later."

"Good idea," Dad said.

Mom was confused.

"Tell Mom what her early birthday present is," Dad suggested.

"Oh we can just show her," Duster replied.

Mom looked around.

"No, no, in their cage," Dad was trying not to laugh.

Mom looked, not exactly sure what she was looking for.

"Our poop!" Belle exclaimed. "We pooped extra for you today!"

"It took a lot of work," Zoomer said.

Then the three bunnies sang:

"Happy early birthday to you,

We pooped lots for you,

Happy early birthday, dear Mom,

We pooped lots for you."

Mom looked, the bunnies had definitely done a good job filling their respective litter areas and box.

"Well maybe since it is my early birthday, Dad could help me clean," Mom suggested.

The three bunnies frowned

"We worked really hard to make all this poop for you," Duster said.

"Ya it's our gift to you," Zoomer said. "We'll do something just as thoughtful for Dad on his early birthday."

"Really?" Dad asked.

The bunnies nodded.

"Maybe poop even more than we did for Mom," Belle binkied.

Mom and Dad had to laugh.

"Something to look forward to," Dad said.

### HIDE AND GO SPOT

Belle was binkying around the living room, hopping like baby bunnies do.

"Let's play! I want to play!" Belle hopped in front of Mom.

"Alright, let's play hide and go seek," Mom suggested.

"How?" Belle asked.

"You and The Spots find a place to hide and I have to find you," Mom explained.

Belle binkied. "Fun!"

Mom covered her eyes, starting to count and off Belle hopped.

Belle hopped into the bedroom and saw the blankets. "Perfect!"

She snuggled into the blankets. "Ready!"

Mom looked in the kitchen and then the bathroom and made her way into the bedroom. She stifled a laugh when she saw Belle's tail sticking out from underneath the blanket.

"I wonder if Belle is in here," Mom wondered.

Belle's tail moved up and down.

"Maybe she's in the closet," Mom said.

Mom looked in the closet and then turned around. "Oh my gosh, I think I see The Spots under the blanket!"

Belle hopped out. "Good work! Again?"

Mom smile. "Sure."

Belle bee-lined it for the living room, heading for the shelf where Mom kept her collection of rabbit lawn ornaments. Some of them were as big as Belle. She found a place between two and called out that she was ready.

Mom came out of the bedroom, she saw Belle right away, but pretended not to. Mom wandered around the apartment, with no luck in finding Belle.

"Wow, where did my Belle and The Spots go?" Mom wondered out loud.

Belle covered her mouth with her paws, trying to remain quiet.

"What will I do if I can't find my Belle?" Mom asked.

Zoomer and Duster sat up, Mom winked at them.

Belle hopped out from the shelf. "I'm right here and so are The Spots! We had the best hiding place ever."

"You were sitting with my statues!" Mom said.

"Yes! Me and The Spots like this Hide and Go Spots game," Belle binkied.

Mom smiled. "You're very good at it.

"I bet I can help hide some treats in my belly too," Belle suggested.

That made Mom laugh. "And I bet Duster and Zoomer could help."

"Definitely," Belle agreed, leading Mom to the kitchen for some treats.

### THE BOOGEYBUNNY

"Oh my gosh! How do you bunnies stand the noise?" Dad asked, coming out of the bedroom.

"What noise?" Duster asked.

Dad stared at the grey lop.

"Seriously?" Dad questioned.

Dad pointed to Mom napping on the couch, snoring. "She sounds like a lawnmower."

"What's a lawnmower?" Belle wondered.

"Shhh," Zoomer said. "You'll wake Mommy up."

"That's the plan," Dad said, moving towards the couch.

"NO!" the three bunnies insisted.

"That's not noise, that's the most wonderful sound we hear at night," Belle said.

Poor Dad was confused.

"That noise keeps the Boogeybunny away," Zoomer whispered.

Duster nodded. "We don't want to see the Boogeybunny."

Dad sat at the computer desk, while Mom continued to snore.

"The who?" Dad asked.

"The Boogeybunny," the rabbits chorused.

"OK, I'm sure Mom knows all about this but you'll have to fill me in," Dad said.

"The Boogeybunny lives in the front closet – with your coats and boots – if given the chance he'll sneak out and steal our treats," Duster explained.

"Have you ever seen this Boogeybunny?" Dad asked. "Or has he ever stolen your treats?"

"Um, no, but we don't want him to have the chance," Zoomer said.

"As long as Mom snores, our treats are safe," Belle said.

"And I don't sleep," Dad replied.

"But our treats will be safe," Duster added.

Mom stretched and rolled over. "That was a good nap."

"Thank goodness, a break from the noise," Dad sighed.

"Was I snoring?" Mom asked.

"No, you were protecting us from the Boogeybunny," Zoomer defended Mom.

Mom went to the kitchen to get the bunnies their bedtime breakfast before she turned in for the night.

Mom smiled, "Well I think if the Boogeybunny hasn't shown up yet tonight, he won't. Treats are safe for another night."

"And I can get some sleep!" Dad said happily as the three bunnies settled in for the night.

###

Thank you for taking time out of your busy lives to read my blogs and this book.

Tanya Vollans

Author
