Thank you.

Thank you everyone. It HAS been a bit of a rough ride, and I miss Sage terribly. I have a place to stay (my brother's), I have got some clothes (the advantage of staying in Greater Vancouver is the rediculously good quality of clothes in the 2nd hand stores), I have food. My basic needs are taken care of and I have insurance that will take care of other stuff down the road. I want to appreciate every single offer of help - especially considering how the economy is and so many people are just getting by themselves.

But - bunny people being bunny people.. They want to help. They want to do SOMETHING. So, if you would.. Please make a donation to your local shelter. Whether that donation is time or money, it'd be appreciated.

Sage came from the Chilliwack SPCA, and they have very limited resources for rabbits. Its my dream that every humane society, SPCA, etc, can get educated about rabbits and how they are house pets, not livestock. Maybe come up with a basic breed guide in poster form. Something, anything. But this dream requires people, time, and money. If you have money you can spare, please donate. If you have some time, that's even more needed - teach the people who are helping house and rehome abandoned buns what they're saving.

So, if you can help.. Please do, there's a certain silver and white Dutch who lived 5 years longer than she would have thanks to the SPCA.

Sage ATB.

I don't have a lot of words at the moment.

I can only cut/paste what I posted to Petbunny.

I'm halfway between numb and crying at the mo. I'm sure nervous breakdown is around the corner somewhere.

 

I generally go to my brother's place on Saturday's to watch "Hockey Night in Canada" (two Canadian teams (min) playing back to back) on his monsterous HD tv. It's an hour'ish drive. This afternoon it was an early start so instead of taking a nap after lunch like I normally do, I just made tea, planned a stop at Timmy's, packed up and left. I got gas at the gas station in the village and was halfway to Yarrow when my Dad called. I normally don't answer the phone when driving but Forrest had been texting me bunches so I figured it was him and pulled over. No, it was my Dad to say Edith from the Park called to say there's smoke coming from my trailer. She's worried about Sage. We won't discuss velocity in which I travelled back.

 

By the time I got back, it was beyond unsafe to enter. Smoke was wisping out of the strangest places, but we couldn't see flames.. but the windows were all black from soot and smoke. It was obvious nothing could have survived, but I wanted to check anyway. Lawrence (the male half of land management) said no way Jose. Which, of course, was the right decision. I think it was 20 minutes later when our volunteer fire fighters got on scene, followed by Chilliwack fire fighters a few minutes later. Once it was established no human life was inside, they started the tactics on how to handle it. They ended up breaking the front windows (at this point my gallow's humour thought 'My Mum's poor curtains, they survived rabbit teeth to go to haven by fire.') and smoke billowed out and then we could see flames.  As it wasn't risking any other structure, they were mostly happy to let it burn itself out - but apparently my trailer was just too well built to do that in any hurry.

 

So, then became the war to get in to said trailer. Let me tell you, I'd had more than one nightmare about living in a home with no "security door" ala apartment building. (And we all know how secure THOSE are!!) The firemen tried kicking. They tried axe. They tried *chainsaw* and in the end one came over and asked if I happened to have a key. Yeah, that's how they had to open the door.

 

They found Sage, miscommunication and for a moment I was told she was actually alive. No, she wasn't. The firefighters placed her in her carry cage and brought her out. She looked pretty darn peaceful, no whites in her eyes, not even pinned pupils.. so all things, considered I guess.. as peaceful as she could go in the given situation. And I know Scout is hopping around up there saying "Look Sage! I have a bacon tree!" (Okay, now I"m crying) My neighbours insisted on burying her for me so I wouldn't have to. Some of these people I'd never met, but they *ALL* offered me couch to sleep in.. spare bedroom.. one guy offered me the use of his motorhome. Insurance would have paid for a hotel room, Dad offered the same. (He happened to be working) But.. I stank of burnt stuff, my clothes and myself were covered in black crap.. I just wanted a shower and to wash clothes.. so I may as well abuse my brother's home.

 

My friends, my family, my brother's friends.. have all been incredible. Thank you.  

Hitting the High Points

Just a quick status update to say "Yup, we're still alive!"

We spent an extended Hallowe'en weekend at my parents' place on Vancouver Island and I have pictures to post. Unfortunately, the pictures are on the computer that is currently being debugged and devirused. (It's not connected to the net while I do so.)

Sage wants to pass on her thanks to Hef and his Mommy for letting him come to the Petbunny party. She's sorry if he had one too many carrotinis, but she isn't sorry she helped him dance the night away and sample five different types of hay. Not to mention the buffet, the dancing, the music, the food.. Hopfully he wasn't too tired the next day! Sage spent most of it stretched out napping.

I tried moving Sage's litterpan into the main bedroom since she spends most of her time there, but she would go into the ex-computer room and thump. "I want my litterpan HERE, thank you very much!"  The bunny is always right! Silly human, you'd think she'd learn this..

To wrap up - another "Conversations with Sage" moment :D

The master bedroom is at the end of the hall, just before you get to it, the master bathroom is on the right. I was walking down the hall to do what humans do in bathrooms, and Sage was meatloafed by the closet doors in the bedroom.

 I said "Good morning, Sunshine!" She didn't even twitch an ear in my general direction. "You're looking particularly radiant." I added, even though by this point, I was fairly convinced she was deeply asleep.  Nope, not an ear movement or a whisker twitch. "You know, you're getting better and better at ignoring humans." I tell her with admiration. She doesn't like us two foots approaching *her* .. she'll approach US when she wants, thankyouverymuch.

I'm pretty sure, if a) she was awake and b) she could speak, the reply would have been "Well, DUH." She's a very articulate rabbit, after all.