MOM'S NEWEST GOOD IDEA

WHEN GOOD IDEAS GO HORRIBLY WRONG

On Friday, mom only had 15 minutes to practice yoga before her physical therapy so she set an egg timer. She didn't want to be late. She never had an egg timer before because she doesn't eat eggs. But her doctor told her to get one and learn to do things for just a few minutes at a time to prevent overdoing things that triggered pain. And fatigue. Brilliant, utterly fantastic!

Knowing the timer was on, she was able to enjoy a deeply relaxing practice, albeit shorter than usual. While luxuriating in sivasana (corpse pose) just melting into
a soft, happy place, her mind finally began unwinding from the stress of the move and a rough week.
Ah, peace:  Pretty, pretty inner peace.

Mom told us how amazed she was that only 15 minutes of yoga could feel so good before lying down for the resting pose. "Wow, you guys, you should try this," said she.

We each nodded knowingly then waited...waited...waiting until, suddenly, the  firecracker-"RIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIING!!!!!!!!!!!" Right by her ear on the yoga mat.

"WHAT THE ?!@#$%&FHl7KR8*" mom screamed.

'Twas like watching a sunning snake in quiet repose suddenly shed her skin of bliss by jumping out of it in terror! Amusing humans, never a dull moment. Seriously, even a rodentBrain could have seen THAT coming, and yet,
we took no delight whatsoever in her startlement. We neither giggled, laughed, nor exchanged silly, knowing glances with one another between the bars of our cages. That would be rude. Like taking delight in a prank we ourselves might have pulled. And guinea pigs have better manners than that.

YumYum is hollering for me to, "Tell everybody how much we giggled, laughed, and exchanged silly, knowing glances with one another between the bars of our cages. And how you called it the biggest Laugh-Riot of the Year, Panda! What is a laugh-riot, anyway?" (not NOW, YumYum!)

The tragedy is how proud Mom was of her new egg timer.  But now... not so much.  We offered to eat it for her.  She sadly thanked us and said it was just another one of those really complicated gadgets with steep learning curves, yet she had hope of one day mastering the "egg timer" for the good of all mankind.

We doubt it. Perhaps a reader would kindly suggest gentle bells as a yoga timer, or the sound of tinkling harp.
Anything to keep us from laughing our guts out next time she uses the egg timer for yoga.  And, make no mistake, she will!

PANDA OUT!

ICE STORM ON THE OUTBACK

WHAT ON EARTH happened to singing robins, budding trees, flowering bulbs, and the warm, sunny weather that turned the Winter Olympics in Vancouver last
month into the Melting Olympics?!

NOW WE GET WINTER?

Yesterday, we were pelted by wind and something between hail and snow, maybe
ice rain. It was dark, we were shivering because no matter what mom did, the
wind kept screaming through the windows of this old place.

Maybe a new place would be warm. We'd like that.

Technically, we guess it is still winter, and we've just been spoiled by early spring-
like weather.

But it was really coming down and so mom let us out on Runabout to stay warm,
get some exercise, and forage for food hidden in and amongst our boxes and
Runabout toys. It was fun, even if YumYum is still chasing me, Bear is still chasing
YumYum, and all I want is a little time to be PandaGoesRunabout without a lot of
cavy commotion! I ask for so little...still, Runabouts are always fun, even in a storm!

PTARMIGAN!

WE are all ready for summer. And mom is ready for the high country.
All we think about is spring: our ceremonial opening of the windows, sunlight pouring in, the fragrance of mom's lattes mingling with the perfume of blossoming trees, and tales of adventures at Artist's Point.

Now that she'll be a hip, urban, bohemian artist, she belongs at Artist's Point, and anywhere in the mountains above 5,000 feet!

It's been years:
Time to go back and find another ptarmigan!

PANDA OUT!