Spay/Neuter Incentive

He said he loved me

He sang to me and whispered in my ear

All the words I wanted to hear.

He was so handsome

So utter gorgeous if truth be told

We talked and kissed, danced and rolled

When we made love

I lost myself in his eyes and in his arms

Succumbing to his considerable charms

I thought I was safe

But all too soon I found to be

The result of that love growing inside of me

When the babies were born

Their daddy was long gone

And all alone I had to be strong

I was not the only one

Others like me had to find a way

To deal with the consequences of mating day

How many babies died?

How many will grow up to be

Fools in love, just like me

If only those who loved us

Had taken the time to take us to the vet

The fling I had would be easy to forget

As it is and pay attention now

This spring fling of mine

Can result in 420,000 babies over time

We are helpless, but you are not

The pet population needs your assistance

Because when spring comes around, it’s not in our nature to keep our distance.

Why not visit my website at: http://connymanero.weebly.com/

8 Ways to ensure backyard safety

When summer comes around and family and friends stop by for a visit, everyone wants to sit outside and enjoy the pleasant weather rather than being cooped up indoors.  Making your backyard safe will reward you with peace of mind over any potential scraped knees, cut hands or worse – having to call 911! 

Making your backyard safe may require a stroll around the area with eyes wide open:

Continue reading at:

http://connymanero.weebly.com/blog/8-ways-to-ensure-backyard-safety

A side order of pigeon?

I’m doing cat aerobics this morning. Have you ever tried cat aerobics, it’s quite demanding. Let me explain.

Yesterday afternoon a pigeon landed on our balcony. This might not seem like a momentous occasion to you, but have a look at the picture above … do you see that? The entire balcony is enclosed with mesh. First a fine nylon mesh, and for extra strength a thick green plastic mesh.

So how did a pigeon manage to penetrate this fortress of security … it sat on top of the nylon mesh, near the Christmas lights, and as the mesh sagged under its weight, it discovered a way to slip in.

Fortunately for the bird, the cats were not on the balcony at the time. Just imagine what would have happened if they were! They would have chased it, it would have panicked, and ultimately it might have been killed.

As it was, the bird flew to the top of the canopy of the swing and sat there for a while, then fancied a walk on the floor, followed by an inspection of the windows and various places of the mesh. He was clearly looking for a way out.

Just when I thought I would have to go outside and give the bird directions, it flew to the top of the mesh, and used the opening created under its weight to escape.

I heaved a sigh relief.

This morning though the bird was back, and this is where the cat aerobics came in. This time Holly and Mickey were outside, so every time the bird landed on the mesh, I had to get up to shoo the pigeon away.

As the bird kept coming back and back, I had to get up and down, and up and down, and up and down. It was exhausting.

How could this bird, who was smart enough to find a way in and out of a mesh enclosed balcony be stupid enough to keep coming back to a place where two cats were just waiting to catch and kill it?

It had seen the cats, I know that because I saw the bird looking down and cocking its head from left to right as if wondering what those big hairy things were. Had it never seen a cat before? Was it not familiar with the fact that cats chase and eat birds?

Was it hoping that the cats had been fed and wouldn’t be hungry enough for a side order of pigeon? In that case, I had news for the bird … they had been fed, but after the main course comes dessert.

If the bird though Holly and Mickey wouldn’t be fast enough to catch it, I had news for Mr. or Ms. pigeon. Just the other day I saw Holly in action after she had spotted a fly on the balcony.

She chased it from one end to the other, keeping her eye firmly on the insect. And then suddenly, out of nowhere, she whacked the fly with her paw and the fly flew no more.

I have no doubt that she would have pursued the pigeon just as diligently and in that case it would have been bye bye birdie.

As it is, the pigeon finally got the message and flew away. Holly and Mickey witnessed his departure with obvious disappointment and me, I could finally stay seated and have a little peace and quiet.

The 8 best beauty investments of all time

Even though everybody agrees that real beauty comes from the inside, looking good on the outside is important too.  If it wasn’t, the cosmetics companies wouldn’t be a multi-million dollar industry.  Some visit a spa every so often, others make regular visits to the beauty salon, while others still try every miracle product that comes on the market.  Just what are the 10 best beauty investments of all time?

Continue reading at:
http://connymanero.weebly.com/blog/the-8-best-beauty-investments-of-all-time

Great gifts for bookwurms

Bookworms are people who constantly have their nose in a book, whether reading or studying.  They either specialize in a particular subject or read anything they can get their hands on.  As such, selecting a gift for a bookworm is rather obvious ... a book.  Or is it?  You might want to give the bookworm in your life some thought before grabbing just anything off the shelf.

Continue reading at: 

http://connymanero.weebly.com/blog/great-gifts-for-bookwurms

Voice of an Angel - Prologue

PROLOGUE

 When Jack Garrett first heard the otherworldly voice, his head snapped up and he quickly surveyed the street around him.  The song, or rather ‘the voice,’ was hypnotizing, powerful, and crystal clear.  He listened, recognizing the song as Memories, made famous by Barbra Streisand.  He was pretty sure that it wasn’t a recording because he couldn’t hear any accompanying instruments.  His eyes swept over the multi floored apartment buildings, looking for a woman singing; but, he couldn’t see anyone. 

He stood there on the street, with his hands in the pockets of his black cashmere jacket, as he scanned the apartment buildings again, floor by floor, balcony by balcony, looking for any kind of female form. 

“Damn!” he swore, causing one or two pedestrians to look at him disapprovingly.   “Damn, damn, damn!”

How was he going to find this singer?  She could be in any of the numerous apartment buildings on this busy street in Greenwich Village.  If only she would show herself.

When the last notes of her song had faded away, he almost panicked.  His heart was thumping like a drum until the incredible voice started again, this time with Phantom of the Opera.  Her voiced calmed the beating of his heart and he began to relax again. He wondered if she had the skill to hit the high note that challenged so many singers.  He waited in anticipation; but, he wasn’t surprised when she nailed it, effortlessly, just like a professional.

“Where are you girl?” he whispered out loud. “Who are you?  Show yourself.”

He walked up and down the intersection, occasionally stopping to listen more closely, trying to determine where the voice was coming from. 

When his rumbling stomach reminded him he hadn’t eaten since lunchtime, he ordered a hamburger from street vendor and sat outside on a bench.  In the evening air the angelic voice floated down to him; warming his heart and sending cold chills up his spine. 

He closed his eyes and shook his head.  Such a voice! Such a talent!  And he didn’t have a clue where to look for it.

Available on Amazon: 
http://tinyurl.com/mgg8gbl

Tart cherries and sausages

Some time ago, the benefits of tart cherries were brought to my attention. I'd never even heard of tart cherries, but if they really held health benefits I was prepared to give them a try.

Since I couldn't find fresh tart cherries at the time, I decided to settle for tart cherry juice. The first sip was horribly disappointing. I had expected something nice, but this juice tasted terrible, worse than medicine.

Despite the taste I forced myself to continue drinking it, reminding myself that it was good for me, but eventually I gave up. Or shall I say, my taste buds couldn't take it anymore.

With summer around the corner, I did some research where I can find fresh tart cherries and guess what ... it turns out that I've been eating tart cherries all my life, I just didn't know it.

English not being my first language, the name tart "cherries" misled me. As it turns out, tart cherries aren't cherries at all, they are something else. 

Let me explain ...

Continue reading at:

http://connymanero.weebly.com/blog/tart-cherries-and-sausages

Thank you for your help

On May 2^nd the Toronto Cat Rescue (TCR) is hosting its tenth annual Bowl-a-thon.

To all of my friends who have already contributed, a big THANK YOU for your financial support. I can’t tell you what a wonderful feeling it is to ask for a donation and actually get one!

You probably have no idea how important your donation is in making a difference. Before I became involved in fund raising and bowling for the TCR, neither did I.

The Toronto Cat Rescue is no ordinary rescue organization. Like many other animal organizations, they have a no-kill policy. Unlike other, there is no building where cats are kept in cages. Instead, they operate from a series of foster homes run by volunteers.

If someone wants to adopt a cat or a kitten, they are thoroughly screened. Then they can pick and choose from the many cats and kittens on the TCR website. The last step is a visit to the foster home where the specific feline they want to see is kept. Hopefully, if there’s a match, a kitty gets a forever home and the person gets a loving cat.

Needless to say, caring for so many animals is costly. Not only is there food and kitty litter to consider, but also the important step of neutering/spaying to prevent more unwanted kittens. This important medical step is very costly.

TCR does even more though. To control the cat population in Toronto, they trap feral cats and spay/neuter them. After their visit to the vet, they are set free again because their feral life has made them unadoptable.

Your donated dollars makes all this possible. Because of you, cats and kittens are well fed, have clean litter boxes, and receive excellent medical care.

If you haven’t donated yet, please visit https://www.canadahelps.org/en/pages/toronto-cat-rescue-bowl-a-thon-5/ where you can make your contribution directly to the Toronto Cat Rescue.

Don’t let the suggested amount on the website deter you. Most people have donated cash or made their donation to my PayPal account at conny.manero@gmail.com . Any amount you can spare will make a difference.

Thank you for opening your heart and your wallet for Toronto kitties.

Waiting for Silverbird

Chapter 1 


The audience rose to their feet in a standing ovation as Danielle Hamilton gracefully dropped to the floor, ending a three-hour show. Panting with exhaustion she listened to the crowd, the sound of hands clapping and voices cheering. The show was a success, no doubt about that, and for a moment she enjoyed the satisfaction of it. As the lights went to black and the stage was covered in near darkness she got up, ready to take her bow when the spotlights were turned on again. Noticing the chorus in the wings of the stage, seeing they were applauding her too, she signaled for them to join her on stage for yet another bow, and another and another. Danielle looked at the audience, hundreds of faces, glowing with enthusiasm and admiration. In the heat of the spotlights she felt beads of perspiration rolling down her face and neck. She didn’t mind, this was what made it all worthwhile. The getting up early in the morning, the grueling practice sessions, the endless rehearsals, the pain and frustration, this heat they all had to endure. Yes, this made it more than worth it.

Looking up into her partner’s eyes she saw him smiling down on her, slowly nodding, his face beaming with pride.

In the side wings Steve Savage looked at Danielle equally proud and listened to the applause. The audience loved the show, they loved Danielle, but then … they always had. Ever since her first show Broadway had fallen in love with this little lady, and ever since her first performance, every performance resulted in something like this. A standing ovation, applause that went on and on, whistles, voices cheering, and masses of flowers for Danielle. His Danielle. He was the one who found her, who took her under his wing, gave her the chance to do what she so desperately wanted … to dance on Broadway. He had to wonder though if he had done the right thing by giving her this chance. If it wasn’t for him she probably would have left New York, gone back to her family in Los Angeles and gone to work in her father’s firm. Because of him she got the chance to make her dream come true, but looking back, Danielle’s life had been like a nightmare.

Ten years ago Steve Savage had been to the theater and did not feel like going home after the performance. Home was just a luxury house with a lot of expensive furniture, but where nobody waited for him. Once, when he was considered the top manager of everybody who was anybody on Broadway, he had a beautiful wife and lots of friends. But ever since the car accident his life had changed. His wife left him, so had his friends, and his agency lost one client after another. People were horrified by his facial scars, thinking that someone who looked like this was not capable of handling their careers. One day Steve Savage could not take it anymore and decided he would leave them before another one could leave him. He closed down his agency and lived quietly at his secluded home in Connecticut. He had enough money to secure him a life of luxury and although it took some getting used to he learned to enjoy life again. But every now and then he got lonely and restless, longing for the bright lights of Broadway. At such times he would put on a dark suit and hat, and hide his identity and scars behind the high collar of his black cloak. In the theater, in the privacy of his box he was safe, nobody could see him and he could enjoy the music and the dancing.

“I feel like a walk, Oscar,” he told the driver of his limousine. “You go on, when I’m ready to come home I’ll take a cab.”

The old Mexican was more than just a driver and gardener to his employer, he had proven himself a friend. In the months following the accident it was Oscar who kept away curious reporters and always kept an eye open for photographers eager to capture and expose the mutilated face of Broadway’s most famous manager.

Steve walked for a long time, his hands deep in his pockets, his hat pulled down against the cold October wind, his thoughts going back to the day of the accident. April 1st it had been, three years ago, somewhere in Los Angeles. The crash was his fault. He had skipped a red traffic light and smashed into a car. Both had slammed on brakes but it was too late. The last thing he remembered was hitting the windscreen. When he woke up he found himself in a hospital room, and the leaves on the tree outside the window told him it was autumn. There had been no police investigation and no insurance claim.

Over the years he had often wondered why. The accident had clearly been his fault. Suffering from guilt, he had never driven a car again.

Steve slowed his pace at a local dance studio, hearing music and the sound of feet on a wooden floor. He went inside and listened wondering whom those feet belonged to. As the dancing stopped he could hear a girl sobbing, crying with anger “Why? Why? Why?”

He was about to go inside when he heard footsteps and another voice, comforting. “Don’t cry, Danny. You will get your chance, I know you will.”

“How can you say that?” the dancer disagreed. “I’ve been from one audition to another, nobody notices me.”

For a while it was silent, then the voice he recognized as the dancers’ spoke again. “I’m good, I know I’m good. Why doesn’t anybody give me a chance to prove that? Why?”

“You have to give it time, Danny,” the other voice said. “Someone will notice you.”

“Someone just did,” Steve made his presence known. “You’re good all right.”

Both girls looked in his direction, seeing no more than a figure dressed in a black cloak and hat, standing outside the door in the dimly lit corridor.

“Who are you?” the girl who sat kneeled by the dancer asked. “What do you want?”

“To help,” Steve said before he could stop himself. “That is, if you want my help.”

The dancer slowly straightened up. “How can you help me? How do you know I’m good? Have you been watching me?”

“I have recognized talent whenever I saw it,” Steve explained. “In your case I recognized it as soon as I heard it. You were dancing with anger and that is something I’ve always looked for in a performer, emotion. Whether it’s a dancer, a singer or an actor, a performer has to be able to put feeling in his or her work. You didn’t just dance with your feet, you danced with your heart.

That’s how I know you’re good.”

“And how can you help me?”

Steve hesitated. If he were to help this girl it would mean giving up his privacy, coming out of anonymity. Right now it meant stepping out of the darkness into the light. How would they react to him? The way he looked, the scars on his face. Would they be afraid of him? Scream and back away. Would they be disgusted, distrust him, and want nothing to do with him? He watched them looking at him, waiting. Hesitantly he took two steps, moving from the corridor into the studio and removed his hat. Both of them were staring at him, holding their breath. They had frowns on their faces and questions in their eyes. He suddenly became painfully aware of his disfigurement, of the scars that lined his face. One ran across his forehead, a second formed half a circle around his left eye, a third cut him across the right cheek.

“My name is Savage, Steve Savage,” he said to break the silence. “And you are?”

“Danielle Hamilton,” the dancer stepped forward to shake his hand. “And this is my sister Laura.”

Steve noticed the firm grip of her hand, the broad white smile that lit up her face, and the sparkle in her eyes. She was hot and perspiring, her hair was pulled away in a bun and slightly damp at the edges, but he could see that she was beautiful.

“What do you want me to do?” she asked.

“Put your trust in me,” he said. “If I am to help you, the one thing I want is your absolute and unconditional trust. I will take your life in my hands and control it. You are not to make a move without consulting me about it first. You are to do as I say with no questions asked. Think you can do that?”

She looked away for a few seconds, then looked back at him again. She looked straight into his eyes, holding his gaze without blinking, then nodded.

“If you’re willing to give me a chance, I won’t let you down.”

“Come on,” Steve said, “it’s late, let’s go home.”

“Oh that’s all right,” Laura joined them. “We live nearby.”

“No you don’t,” Steve raised an eyebrow, “not anymore. I’m taking you two to my home and I hope you will make it your home too. You can return in the morning for your personal things, but you won’t be living there anymore.”

Laura looked from Steve to her sister and back again. “I would like a word with my sister, alone please.”

As the applause went on more and more flowers were brought on stage. Bunches of roses and carnations, and baskets of lilies and orchids. Standing next to Steve, Laura glanced up to him, he looked so proud. But then he always did where Danielle was concerned. With a vague smile she remembered the night Steve had come into their lives.

“Are you out of your mind?” She had flown off the handle just as soon as Steve had left the studio, after suggesting she and Danielle come and live with him. “You can’t go with this man, you don’t know anything about him.”

“He is Steve Savage,” Danielle had emphasized the name as if he was Santa Claus. “Haven’t you ever heard of Steve Savage?” She hadn’t, but Danielle obviously had.

“Until a few years ago he was the hottest manager on Broadway. He handled everybody who was anybody. Then he was involved in a car crash and disappeared off the scene. Laura, do you know what this man can do for me?”

Laura had to admit she had no idea what Steve Savage could do for her sister. But then she had never been as interested in the happenings on Broadway as Danielle had.

“Do you think we can trust him?”

“Absolutely,” Danielle bobbed her head. “I would trust him with my life.” “Good, because that’s exactly what you’re about to do,” Laura stated. “The question is, what’s in it for him?”

Steve had taken them to his house, a place he described as his little hideaway, but what actually was a huge double-story luxury cottage. Even in the dark Laura noticed the beauty and charm of the place, something straight out of a fairy tale book. Whitewashed walls, a brown thatch roof, light brown oak windows with shutters, hundreds of red geraniums on the sills, and an enormous oak front door. Inside everything was cottage style as well. Warm colored carpets and rugs scattered over terra cotta floor tiles, robust oak furniture, cream woven curtains, tasteful ornaments, lampshades, and plants.

“My housekeeper has a flair for interior decorating,” Steve explained, seeing Laura’s inquisitive gaze. “She likes the place … cozy.”

He had taken them upstairs where they each had their own bedroom with on suite bathroom.

For Laura it felt wonderful to be in a house again. She was used to the space of the Hamilton mansion and although she had never complained to Danielle, she had hated living in a tiny apartment. If Mom and Dad had known about their living conditions, they would have insisted they return home immediately. Which was exactly why she had told them lies in her letters. She could not let her parents know that money was tight and Danielle did not have any luck landing a part in a show. After watching her sister dance she knew it was only a matter of time before someone recognized that talent, and with Steve’s arrival someone had.

However, for Danielle the hard times were far from over, in a way they had just begun. On Steve’s orders she would rise at 6:00 a.m. for a grueling day of training. Running, aerobics, and of course, dancing. Making her remember combinations, commanding her to do dance routines over and over again, not allowing for a single mistake.

Where personal appearance was concerned Steve sent Danielle to a beautician to learn the art of on stage make-up.

“And my hair?” Danielle asked, when she noticed Steve looking at her long tresses.

“You can have it trimmed now and then, but no more than that,” Steve said, holding up a warning finger. “No drastic cutting, no coloring, no perming. You’re beautiful as you are.”

“Doesn’t it bother you to be told what to do and what not to do?” Laura asked her sister when they were alone.

Danielle merely shrugged her shoulders. “No. He knows best.”

In one thing however Steve did not get his way. When he suggested a name change Danielle categorically shook her head.

“I was born Danielle Hamilton and I will remain Danielle Hamilton,” she claimed, and for the first time Steve came to know there was a limit to what he could expect of his pupil. She had a mind of her own and when she said no she meant it.

“All right then,” Steve gave in, “Danielle Hamilton it is.”

Available on Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/p4jszqm

Who's the boss?

Anyone who has more than one pet will agree that every group has their leader. The alpha male so to speak.

In our house, Gabriel is the alpha and he rules the roost. When he was a kitten, he was the sweetest little boy, but as he grew up he started throwing his weight around.

His “I’m the boss” attitude had very little effect on Mickey. From the very beginning, Mickey took on the role of Gabriel’s big brother, and to this day they remain very close.

Where you see Gabriel, Mickey isn’t very far off, and if Gabriel meows – for one reason or another – Mickey goes running to find him.

Charlotte is an awe of Gabriel. She’ll eat when he’s finished, she’ll vacate a sleeping place for him, and if he approaches her she goes running. Then again, Charlotte is a very nervous cat. The slightest noise scares her, if a strangers enters she hides under the duvet, while a thunderstorm turns her into a basket case.

Chanel is equally afraid of Gabriel. On occasion, they’ve gotten into a cat fight and since Gabriel is bigger and stronger, Chanel is nervous around him. There are days that they are perfectly at ease around each other, and then there are days that they can’t stand the sight of each other. He clearly sends her the message that he is the alpha male and Chanel is all too willing to accept his authority.

As for Holly … she couldn’t give damn about Gabriel’s authority. She’s only a year and a half old, but this girl can take care of herself. The words “alpha male” are not in her dictionary and while Gabriel is about twice her size, she’s not in the least intimidated.

On the contrary, if we come home with a new toy, Holly claims it as her own. Whether it’s a ball, a feather or something with catnip, only when Holly is finished with it do the others get a chance to enjoy it too.

In general, Holly has a rather high opinion of herself. For instance, when I open the balcony door for her, she sits, without moving a muscle. The others will file out, one by one, but Holly will wait.

She will look at me with eyes that say … “Ahem, a little wider please”. Only when I open the door so wide that a fully grown dog would have no trouble passing through, will she venture out.

Expressing herself with her eyes is something Holly specializes in. Tonight, when it was time for dinner, I rounded them all up. Finding Mickey, Charlotte, Chanel and Gabriel was no problem, but Holly was nowhere to be seen.

I stepped on the balcony, called her name, but got no reaction. So I went back inside, closed the balcony door, and went to check elsewhere. When I got back to the living room, I spotted Holly sitting outside the balcony door and her eyes were positively shooting daggers.

She sat there with a look that left no doubt as to what she was thinking … “How dare you? How dare you close the door and leave me out here!”

I quickly opened the door, but if you think that Holly quickly jumped inside, you would be mistaken. Once again I had to open the sliding door wide before she made her entrance.

If Gabriel is the alpha, then perhaps Holly is the omega.

Kitten Diaries

"Kitten Diaries" holds two stories: 
"Chanel's Story" 
and 
"Queeny's Diary".

The following is an extract from "Chanel's Story" ...

For a while I lived in a shelter.  It was a place filled with dogs and cats and I was there all by myself, even though I was just a baby kitten. 

Then one day my friends and I were put in cages, loaded into a car, and transported to a pet store.

On the way, I saw a sign that read “National Pet Adoption Week”.  

It’s not unusual for pets to be taken to pet stores, but that is just for a day or for a weekend.  This week, however, cats, dogs and other small pets will be taken to pet stores all week and can be adopted at a reduced fee.  They do this whenever the shelter gets too full you see, in an attempt to have as many pets adopted as possible.

Being adopted by a family would be nice.  While I was in the cat shelter, I saw plenty of people come and go, but I was never chosen.  I did not have much hope that today would be any different.

People walked past the cages, saying how cute and adorable the other cats and kittens were, but they never said that about me.  If anything, they frowned at the sight of me.

I saw them leaving, cradling their new furry bundle of joy in their arms, while I stayed behind.

Nobody wanted me.  Nobody even wanted to rub my little head, let alone pick me up and hold me.

I am not cute or adorable, you see.  I am ugly.

My fur is not short and smooth like Mona’s; it is long and sticks out at angles.  My color is not black like Suzy’s, white like Ceasar’s, cream like Mike’s, or even striped like Angela’s.  It is a mixture of grey and cream, patched all over my face, body, legs and tail.  I’m the kind of cat that people look at once, then turn away quickly.  

I was not sure why they brought me along to the pet store.  Nobody was going to take me anyway.

To make matters worse, I was sharing my cage with Lisa and Lynette, pure white twins.  They were the most beautiful kittens I had ever seen and believe me, I have seen a lot of kittens during my time here in the shelter.  

The twins were so adorable when they played.  Come to think of it, they were even adorable when they were asleep. So, how can an unglamorous little girl like me compete?   There’s another problem; they tell me that when I sleep, I sometimes snore.  Do you know anyone who wants an ugly kitten who snores?

Available on Amazon at http://tinyurl.com/q45qc7u

Debbie’s new look

As some of you might remember, a few weeks ago I parted ways with my publisher after a trust issue. Since then, my designer and I have been working on a new cover and new illustrations.

Now here it is … Debbie’s new look.

http://tinyurl.com/m6yrhs9

Debbie is about a ferret who gets adopted from a shelter and goes to live in a condo, where she meets Charlie, the resident cat. While Charlie teaches Debbie the ways of the world, Debbie enlightens Charlie about the life of a ferret. Together they have adventures and get into all sorts of mischief.

The following is a little taste of the story …

Hi there!

My name is Debbie, and I’m a ferret.

You know what a ferret is, right? Have you ever seen a picture of a ferret? Please don’t say that ferrets look like rats. I’m nothing like a rat, and I’ll take it as insult if you compare me to one!

For starters, rats are rodents, while ferrets are more highly evolved in the animal world.

Rats are very active creatures, always scurrying after something.

Ferrets have a much more relaxed lifestyle. We like to take things easy. Did you know that we sleep, on average, 17 to 20 hours a day?

Other than that, rats are not exactly the prettiest animals in the world, are they? But ferrets definitely are. I mean, look at my picture, am I cute or what?

Whenever humans looked at me and my friends, they stopped in their tracks, peered into our cage, and said, “Oh look at these adorable ferrets!” They would comment on our pretty little pink ears, tiny black beady eyes, pert little pink nose and short little legs.

 My fur is a mixture of the same sand color as that of my friends, but with touches of black. I even have a black stripe over my eyes. People would say that I look like a bandit. Hmm … perhaps that would be an appropriate name for me, as ferrets are thieves by nature. Well, not actually thieves, let’s just say that ferrets like to collect things and then hide them!

But that was not the case. As it turned out, when I was adopted, my new owner had a proper name ready for me  He picked me up, held me at eye level and said “Hello cutie, I’m Andrew. What shall I call you?” His eyes squinted a bit and he cocked his head to the side before he suggested, “How about Debbie?”

Fine by me, I liked the name Debbie. Aren’t there movie stars or celebrities named Debbie?

Andrew, a tall human with red hair and green eyes, bought me a handsome metal cage, wood curls to line the bottom, a flowery velvet hammock to sleep in, a bag of dry food pellets especially for ferrets, some toys, and a litter box for ... hmmm, well, you-know-what.

Home was a condo on the 15^th floor. Through the holes in my box, I saw a large sunny room. Keep in mind that, small as I am, everything seemed a bit overwhelming to me.

My cage was placed in one of the rooms, and I saw Andrew taking my food into another room.

And then, gasp! I was taken out of the box.

Whoa, but the place was spacious! Being inside the box didn’t give me a true perspective on the size of the room. Once I was out of it, the room seemed enormous. Scared and intimidated, I cowered low to the ground.

“Welcome to your new home Debbie,” Andrew said, picking me up. “Shall I show you around? This is my bedroom. This is where I sleep at night.”

As Andrew started walking, I got the feeling that I was gliding through the air. He took me from room to room, complete with explanations. Let me see if I remember them all: there was a guest bedroom where visitors slept; a bathroom where Andrew washed himself; a kitchen where meals were prepared and the dishes were washed; and a living room which was, as Andrew said, for hanging out. “And that,” Andrew said, still holding me as we were back in the living room, “is the balcony. Want to see?”

Did I have a choice?

He opened a floor-to-ceiling sliding door and stepped outside.

Good grief! We must have been high up, because I could see for miles and miles!

“We’re on the 15^th floor,” Andrew said, moving closer to the edge of the balcony. “Here, have a look.”

Now that I could look down, the true height of 15 floors up made me turn rigid with fright. I had never been outside before, let alone being on top of the world. My whole life I had been in a cage, and if I thought Andrew’s apartment was spacious, that was nothing compared to what he called “outside.” There seemed no end to this breezy room. I guessed it was a room, except that I saw no walls, no ceiling and most frightening of all, the floor was so far away.

“Don’t worry,” Andrew said, feeling my panic. “I won’t drop you.”

Good, I thought, because falling was not an option! It was time to go back inside, because I felt sleepy and needed a nap.

Andrew must have understood, because he carried me back to his bedroom and put me in my comfy new cage. I crawled right into my velvet hammock and rolled myself into a ball. Ah, that was better. I knew I would go to sleep the moment I closed my eyes.

I awoke to a frantic tapping against the bars of my cage, and Andrew calling my name. Drowsy with sleep, I opened one eye.

“Hi Debbie,” Andrew said. “Wanna play?”

Was he serious? I couldn’t have had more than four or five hours of sleep. I yawned wide, as a hint that it was way too early for me to get up.

Instead of taking my hint, he persisted in rattling my cage, but I ignored him. Surely he would give up eventually, but not until he had poked and prodded me a bit through the material of the hammock. When I played dead to the world, he went away.

He must have started cooking something, because a short time later delicious smells wafted my way. Human food no doubt, so no need for me to get up.

Later still, Andrew made a second appearance. Again he tapped my cage, but I still felt too tired to move, let alone get up.

“Come on Debbie wake up,” I heard him say. “I want to introduce you to someone.”

Sheesh, but I really had to do something about this man rattling my cage. Didn’t he know anything about ferrets? Didn’t he know that we sleep most of the time?

I yawned, hoping he would get the message a second time, but clearly he didn’t. He kept on making that dreadful rattling noise.

“Wake up sleepyhead,” he sang. “Someone wants to meet you.”

Oh alright then, let him make the introduction. The sooner we got this over with, the better! After yet another yawn, I slowly uncurled and got to my feet, ready to meet … GOOD HEAVENS WHAT WAS THAT?!

Available on Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/m6yrhs9

Would you survive it?

Do you play the lottery? Have you ever considered what you would do should you win and win big? I’ve thought about it many times and my first concern would be … surviving the shock.

Continue reading at:

http://connymanero.weebly.com/blog/would-you-survive-it

Can money buy happiness?

Before going to bed last night, I checked Facebook and noticed a post of Eva (not her real name), posing the question … Can money buy happiness?

Turned out, reading that post was not a good idea, it kept me awake for hours. Can money buy happiness?

Let’s see …

Continue reading at: 

http://connymanero.weebly.com/blog/can-money-buy-happiness