You've Done This, I know You Have

Your child breaks a rule, destroys something your husband treasures, or does something that you know he will have to face the husband's wrath  and who is more of a strict disciplinarian so the punishment might be more severe then you are comfortable with.

So, what do you do? You don't mention it. You apply the discipline and stick with it but you just neglect to tell the husband unless of course it was some major infraction. The little things are left unsaid. We've all done it. Think back.

We are in the process of "touching up" stuff around here. The husband has been doing minor house repairs and his latest project is painting the patio. The columns and the doors were in dire need of some attention. He paints until he gets tired of it at which point he washes out his brush and puts his supplies away until the urge hits him again.

I have been doing some of the same but on the inside of the house. Mine is more organizing and cleaning. This is where I have discovered something I don't want to share with the husband.

It's about Bugsy. She would be in so much trouble if she were here but since she isn't, I will be the one to take the brunt of the assault. I can just hear it now.

"That damn rabbit caused more damage then she is worth!"

"Why did you let her hang out in the dining room? She had a hutch and a run."

We have all the door facings in this house replaced from the cheap builder's trim to the nice fluted facings with the decorative blocks in each corner. There are 15 doors in this house with the decorative trim on each side. It took a lot of time and money to remove all the ugly trim and replace with the fancy door moldings.

In my cleaning spree, I looked down to about a foot up from floor level and noted the fluted door trim had been gnawed. About 5 inches of the trim is missing paint and it's sharp edge. It took only a few seconds for my brain to realize the work of Bugsy.

I plan on getting out the white paint and touching up the raw wood. I won't mention Bugsy's indiscretions. She might need to come back and live here some day. I would like to think she is welcome. I also won't mention the drapes in the dining room with all the holes chewed along the hem.

Bugsy wasn't being destructive. She has to gnaw on wood to keep her teeth from growing too long. I had no idea they would chew on everything. I've learned more about rabbits in this year then I ever thought I needed to know.

Bugsy now lives at the daughter's house in her own condo and private run. Everything plastic has been removed from her house and she has been supplied with chew sticks to keep her teeth at the right length.

Excuse me why I find a paint brush and a bit of white paint. I'll return later.