TheGirls'n'me went out for our evening walk, me to check out my newly planted herb garden, TheGirls to check out newly laid Scents. As I bent over, peering at my lastest horticultural endeavor, I heard a
Commotion from the edge of the woods, where TheGirls had gone.

What happened next is one of those Moments frozen in time--impossible to reproduce adequately with words, but impossible not to *try* to share.

Imagine, if you will...

CasieTheInvincible, running toward me in Full Dachsie Flight, ears laid tightly against her head, eyes as big as dinner plates, tail tucked as tight to her belly as it could go, the epitome of Terror And Panic, being hotly pursued by...

a bunny, running toward me in Full Bunny Flight, ears laid tightly against its head, eyes as big as dinner plates...well, you get the idea...being hotly pursued by...

(in order of appearance)

EbonyTheIncrediblyShyOne, in full dachsie voice, ears flying, eyes alight with anticipation of BunnyStew...

Peeps, eyes shining and obviously amazed that this *dachshund* was trying to take away her BunnyPrize, warbling her famed "peeping" cry...

and Sandy, lumbering as quickly as her arthritic joints would let her, WOOFing her support and encouragement (with more than a touch of "Share TheBunnyWithMePlease! in her voice).

Well. Pandemonium and chaos reigned for a few short seconds, until The Bunny realized his first-choice escape route was blocked by a wide-eyed, open-mouthed, staring Hooman (and a small BrownButt, rapidly disappearing toward the Hooman). Making one of those instantaneous Bunny Decisions, he swerved toward the woods and disappeared...followed closed by a Full Voiced pack of ravenous bunny-eaters-to-be-if-he'd-just-cooperate-please.

By this time, I was sitting on the ground, laughing so hard I had to wipe my eyes. Casie dashed into my lap and told me how this MonsterBiggerThanShe Was tried to chase her down and EAT her, and tried to lick my sinuses clean.

Ebbie was deep in the woods, down by the creek, baying her best BigDogIs AfterYouBetterGiveUpNow! bark. Peeps was trying to follow Ebbie through the rabbit-and-dachsie warrens in the underbrush, crashing and barking. Sandy was at the edge of the woods, WOOFing and trying to figure out how to get her massive size through those tiny openings in the underbrush.

As I struggled to my feet, Casie found a rock for me to throw.

Gulping back sobbing laughter, I called TheGirls back to me in the sternest voice I could manage under the circumstances. Amazingly, they all came back right away, tails wagging, eyes shining, tongues lolling,
stepping with Pride at their Great Accomplishment.

Nothing for me to do other than the obvious--I collapsed on the ground again, overcome with hysterical laughter, and immediately became the centerpiece of another Menk Pupper Pile. Ear-scritchies, rolling in the grass, pupper-hugging--the typical scene.

Wiping the pupper slobber and teardrops off my glasses, I finally disentangled myself, and we all went back Inside. Jon (who had been peacefully napping after a hard day's work) said, "Oh, you're back!
Did you Girls have fun?"

To which I answered, "Ummhmmm.....just another typical quiet evening at the Menk household."

And Casie brought him a rock to throw. Ebbie stretched out on the living room floor and took a nap, Sandy plopped down on the cool patio and Surveyed Her Kingdom, laughing at the absurdity of it all, and Peeps laid on my foot and grinned.

Just another typical quiet evening at the Menk household.

:-)))

Donna and Jon, with Casie'n'Ebbie and Peeps and Sandy, in beautiful rural Iowa where our daily life is far funnier than anything anyone could make up

Copyright (C) 1997 Donna L. Menk  All Rights Reserved