Thursday, March 13, 2008  

My Friends:  

I would like to share with you a story about a very special baby, Mr. Cinder Doub. It has taken me 6 months to be able to sit down and write about this bunny who was a blessing to my family and who I loved so much. Even now the void is deep but he was so great it would be wrong to not share just a part of his life with others.

Not long after we lost our very first bunny, “Bugs”, and already having several new rescue bunnies in our home, my wife and I knew there was something missing. Yes, we were going to “buy” a bunny. It had to be a French Lop; the stories we had heard about this breed were all so amazing. French Lops could grow to be as large as 20 lbs but were always full of love, often in trouble and thought that they were human. Could it be true?  

Looking online in late 2003 I found a breeder, called, and found out that she had sold her stock to another lady. I connected with her and set up an appointment to meet in Richmond . My wife and I could not wait! I prepared housing while my wife went shopping for toys and a baby blanket. The breeder had told us that the current litter was 6 weeks old, but were ready to be placed. (With all of the knowledge of bunnies I have today, this was all wrong. Babies should never leave their mother before 8 weeks and, ideally, 10 weeks.) Finally the day arrived and we were off to get our new baby.  

We were soon in a part of Richmond where I was sure we would be mugged or worse but there was the house. What a mess! We almost left without going to the door but something told us to stay so I went up to the door. Looking in I was alarmed and did not even want to enter but was told “they are out back” by a lady. Thank the Lord I thought and headed for the car to get my wife. Walking around back we were soon faced with 6 massive hutches, each one a foot off the ground with 2 foot sides. The lady was talking about this and that as she headed to one on the end and as she opened the top out sprang 8 heads. All so beautiful, all saying pick me, ALL SO BIG! I turned and said “6 weeks old”? (I can close my eyes and see so much of Cinder's life: this moment is easy to go to) We were overwhelmed.  

As we looked one baby jumped so hard he was almost out each time. He looked at us with those big beautiful eyes with such long eye lashes and said please take me yet I was still stuck on the 6 week comment so my wife selected him as our new baby. I settled up with the lady, my truck had not been stolen while we were out back and so we were off, heading home with our new baby wrapped in his blanket. He was asleep for most of the ride.  

He quickly took over his new home, never being more than a few feet from me or my wife. He would go from room to room each morning as my wife cleaned up after our kids. From downstairs I could hear him as he would thunder down the hall. He never seemed to learn that as he would fall asleep in each room my wife would move to the next one and he would be alone. Each time he would put on this act about being “lost”! You knew you were in trouble when he thundered down the backstairs, stopping cold on the small rug in the kitchen that would then slide a foot and give you the “eye”! The only way to survive this was to run for the fridge and get him a grape for his forgiveness; that ploy worked every time.  

Our baby was a true grape hound. He would come in each morning and sit in front of the fridge, wishing the door to open. He knew his bowl of grapes was right there on the bottom shelf for his selection. He also knew that he could have two and had to wait for a napkin to be placed on the floor before he could eat these so there would be no mess. Better than that, he also knew that after I went to work, he could sit there again and using those eyes tell my wife that I forgot all about him again and it would get him more grapes. After his morning “work out” he would go off to see how many places in the house he could sleep, never staying in one place too long.  

The most amazing part of our Cinder was that every time you interacted with him, there was something new and amazing to see. The big strong feet, the long soft tail, those eyes that talked to you and the color/coat of a champion; he was just beautiful in everyway. With this beauty came a great personality. He always came when called unless he was in trouble and he was only in trouble when we asked him to do something he did not want to do. He was the king and we could not always bow down. That did cause a few moments. Christmas presents opened. Sand shoveled out from a fountain we had in our sun room. A bite or two from my wife's favorite house plant(s). His best trick though was jumping onto a shelf under a small antique wagon we had in our family room. Does not sound like a big deal, but it was under a glass top and seasonally decorated with sea shells, Christmas figures and all kind of things; that was until he came through and made room there for a nap.  

“Cinder, get out of there” and he was off running back into his house to act as if it was not him in trouble again, just could not have been as he had been asleep right here (now). He would spend most evenings in his house, so that our other 12 babies could have their time out too. There were times he would play with his girl friend “Miss Ella”, another French Lop. We gained her through our shelter, but she had been mistreated and was not always very social; the comment I would always hear her say to him as he ran around her and jumped about was “you're hyper, take a nap” and they would soon be asleep. That would only last for just 30 minutes or so and he would be at it again. You could always set your clock to Cinder's 30 minute naps.  

Cinder also loved his toys and babies, but they were tools or items that paid the price when he was not in charge. You could count on hearing his bells if his door was closed and you walked by (those bells are in my work area in Corolla today; the chime of an Angel). His tennis balls and rope toys were always played with; he would throw them about, both in the house and out. If they were in a nap spot, I was told they had to go to Goodwill; everything was a toy to Cinder.  

Our baby's favorite place was, of course, each nap spot but he loved our beach house in Corolla. He was always packed for the short ride down, always a good excuse for a 90 minute extended nap which was his perfect bunny world. Our family all to himself, a house where there was so much to explore. His favorite place was always the first floor where he had a bedroom, playroom and bathroom all to himself. He was able to be in the middle of all who came and went. There was a carpeted floor and his favorite area, the ceramic tiles in the entrance way, the coolest spot in the house. I could scoop him up and take him upstairs whenever I wanted but after we talked or he spent time talking to whoever was with us he would soon be off, down the stairs and back to his first floor “Bunny Apartment”. Yes, our magazines did not always have “square corners” but that never mattered to us as it was Cinder's room; he just loved to be there looking out the big rear bay doors as the “slow” days passed by. Then on the days we would travel back home, it was another time to get a treat and to listen to all that was happening around him.  

Christmas 2006 we were blessed with our third French Lop, Mr. Jay C, a prized black male gifted to us by Dr. Brown. Jay C came to us as a baby. Now it was now Cinder's turn to give the Ella comments: “leave me alone”, “you're hyper”, “didn't your mom teach you any manners”? I must say it all applied to this wild little man but Cinder as always was right and got the upper hand. One day while Jay C was doing his 100 mph lap around the garage, he spun out and hit the door, breaking his leg. With the help of Dr. Brown and Dr. Hulls, each working beyond the call of duty, we had his leg pieced back together with pins and wire. Jay C was placed on 3 months of cage restriction and you could now find Cinder right in front of Jay C's cage for naps. Over that 3 month period Cinder would never look at Jay C as he was the king. Here to a thought… a picture of our baby comes to mind. Most of our bunnies sleep with their eyes open but not Cinder. He would hold his head high, eyes closed, dreaming about the morning grapes always soon to come. As he grew large and strong he was too much for others to pick up but minded so well that he did not need to be picked up. I picked him up every day for a nap in my arms, eye to eye until his closed….this is probably the times I miss so much.  

Each and everyday since Cinder has gone over the Rainbow Bridge , we have seen him surface in Jay C. It goes beyond what you could ever expect, the tricks, the desires, and, of course, the love. Jay C has now figured out the grape trick and has found many of Cinder's nap locations. He, too, is always looking for another nap, but all who might want snuggle up to him must be warned… Jay C is a lover to all and you will get a bath if you stay a few minutes! Nobody seems to be clean enough for this little man and he takes care of that without hesitation.  

When my baby got sick last year I knew it was too soon and not fair to one who offered others so much love. Cinder tried so hard to fight this battle and stay with us. He knew his family at home, and his extended family at Jolly Pond and Pet Care Vet. Hospital were working day and night to save him. Dr Brown and I worked around the clock. We did all that could be done. My family prayed for him as he struggled at my office where he had to be moved due to his illness. As hard as those five days where, I cherish the time we shared, holding him for hours, just looking eye to eye with my boy. We talked about so much.  

I lost the battle and God gained a new angel; the sky a new star “our Cinder Doub”.  

There is so much good in all he did and left us to do. He is watching us here and taking care of all of the other babies we had go to Heaven. Bug's has surely joined with Cinder in chewing through every cord they have in God‘s garage. I'm sure God has got the “Don King” hair style as I got every time I tried to use my Shop Vac. Cinder has trained Bug's on how to look like you are asleep while others see or feel their “activities”. He was a good leader here and I am sure he is in charge in heaven too.  

There will be more thoughts each day I should have added, but these are just a few of the better stories I think of often. Our Cinder was a true “House Rabbit”, always going back to his house for his business, then pawing at the door if it was closed and he could not get in. For those who wonder about how special bunnies can be, he was an excellent example and, I must say, the exception as well. Cinder had a job here and that was to take what our baby Bug's started and hammer it home for our family, blessing us with a pet like no other. He was a little man who was smarter than most but tried not to show it all of the time. He made sure we knew that we had a job to do caring for the many bunnies to come and is now watching to make sure we get that job done and done right!  

To Cinder we say:  

You will always be our baby and in our thoughts each day. Your name is in conversations with so many in our life and so often, special people who you touched in all you did. Cinder you are My Boy and I don't know why I could not save you. I do have so many special babies in my world but nobody that offered me all you did. We all miss you and hope the fields you run in today are green and full of new nap spots for you.  

My Baby, My Big Boy, you will never be forgotten.

Love, your Dad