# The Grey Eyed Gentleman



## Cirlin-rah (Mar 21, 2013)

Tomorrow will be a new morning & we'll have the same ritual:

Richard Harrow will rattle his cage bars asking to be let out. 6:30 AM? 6:30 AM. He's a trustworthy alarm clock. He comes with snooze alarm too, but it's an alarm to be used with caution.

The 7 & a half pound alarm clock will take about an hour to get hyper, then he'll run in circles around my room. I sleep on a mattress on the floor & this he goes over too. But he always jumps directly on my face. I've been shocked awake with a bleeding lip or scratched eyelid on more than one occasion.

When I tell people this they laugh. "Oh, it's a cute fuzzy bunny! Awww~" But you, dear enthusiasts, understand exactly the problem. Those powerful back legs against two not so powerful eyeballs.

I need to find the discipline to wake up when my alarm clock first goes off. I am getting increasingly concerned about this.

After that it's feeding time-- oh boy!, time for my alarm clock to attempt to trip me. After pellets comes a single square of that orange treasure-- the coveted PAPAYA. Oh boy oh boy oh boy is it in his mouth yet?! This is his favorite time of day.

Then cuddles & tooth grinding. Getting some nose-kisses & base-of-ear kisses in. Stocking up on warm feelings in these chilly days of not-yet-spring. This is my favorite time of the day. Strokings & a chance to get some excess fur off him & watch it float harmlessly away like dust, knowing he won't ingest it. Knowing that this activity is making him physically as well as mentally healthier.

If the litterbox needs cleaning now's the time, as he watches from the mattress. It's not an unpleasant task. Put it all in a neat little newspaper sleeve & add some fresh stuff in, get a nice clean feeling all around. Until he hops over 5 minutes later to inspect & use it, that is.

...Harrow is making me a bit more into a morning person.

...How do the day's first greetings with your rabbits go?

(also, how do I update this? do I just make a new thread each time I have something overly-gushing & not too profound to say?)


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## agnesthelion (Mar 21, 2013)

Cute and funny entry  yes I can imagine rabbit hind legs can do some damage to eyeballs, hahaha.

Yes just do a quick reply or a thread reply to add to your blog. 

My two do not sleep in the same room with me...I couldn't do that they are too noisy


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## Cirlin-rah (Mar 21, 2013)

Jerking the comforter over my face helps but I'm considering goggles or something for when the weather gets warmer because I'll be using a thin sheet. Or, y'know, just _not being so lazy that snooze alarm must wake me._

Thanks for your help!

My others were very noisy but this fellow is very calm for one so young. When he rattles the cage bars it's usually because really needs to go use the litterbox, not because he wants to go romp. I've noticed something strange, too. Whenever he's rattling, if I place a blanket over the cage he stops almost instantly & will resume only when I remove the blanket. I've heard that birds commonly do that, not rabbits.


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## whitelop (Mar 21, 2013)

To update, you just post in this one thread when ever you want to talk about Harrow or life or what have you. 

The first day's greeting with Ellie goes something like this. Different scenario each morning depending on she's in the cabinet or out of the cabinet. 
If she's out, it goes a little something like this. I step over the baby gate at 8am and my foot is assaulted by a 2 lb bunny. She loves my slippers and likes to be on my feet all the time. I usually then scoot her out of the way with my foot and make my way to the coffee maker. I make the coffee with her standing against my leg then shuffle my way over to her feed container and her cabinet. I say 'shuffle' because if I don't shuffle, I'll kick her across the floor. I put her daily pellets in her bowl and clean her water cup out and refresh it. After I've had my first cup of coffee, I clean her litter boxes, I sweep up the hay mess she's left behind, I sweep up the broom bristles that she's snipped off(its like the broom is sweeping up its family). Then I give her some pets and let her be. 

If she's in her cabinet in the morning. As my coffee is brewing, I refill her pellets and clean her water cup. I give her some love as she's eating her pellets and leave the door open for her for the day. Its the not closing her in at night that starts the first scenario. 

Usually our mornings are pretty funny, because I always ask her how a 2 lb rabbit can make such a huge mess when left to her own devices. And I always ask her why she snips my broom bristles off, I'm working at like 50% capacity now. 

It sounds like your mornings are pretty nice, except the facial injuries! 
Now in blogs, we like to hear a little bit about the owner too! Its the stories of our lives with our buns and we love to read about the places people are from, the things they like to do, the things that your town has to offer. We love those things! 

Look forward to more updates!


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## Troller (Mar 21, 2013)

Nice start to your blog, also interesting name for your bun. I'm glad I keep my rabbits in another room or they'd drive me crazy with their antics. Conan the Bunbarian got into a bad habit of lifting his heavy ceramic bowl and repeatedly letting it drop while I'm trying to sleep. That is until we have him a plastic bowl that he can fling all he wants, the noise doesn't bother us. Xena bunnier Princess decides to do bunny 500's, much like yours only with a Flemish that at a tender age of 6 months is 11lbs and growing still. 

My routine is a bit different since I get back from work at 9am, sleep and wake up around 5pm. Since they're in another room I'm not to badly disturbed unless one of them decides to scale the book shelf and bring things down.


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## Chrisdoc (Mar 21, 2013)

Good start to the blog. I too never get much sleep when I´m in the same room as them, they do get active during the night and move about so it just wakes me up. 

When I go in the room in the morning, they immediately start running about as they know food is about to hit their bowls and they´re ready. They usually let me give them a pet before they start to eat. 

Would love to see some pics of Richard Harrow...how did you come by the name ??? quite unusual.


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## Cirlin-rah (Mar 21, 2013)

Thank you. I'm someone who can function well on little sleep, more of an evening person really, so having him in the room hasn't been a problem yet. That being said I did find out how loud they can be with their toys!

Aww, it must be nice to be greeted by more than one! So yours get a whole room to themselves at night? Lovely! Do you have carpet? I'd love to let Harrow do that but I'm afraid he'll chew/get a blockage.

Certainly! Here are the only 2 good pictures that currently exist: http://cirlin.deviantart.com/art/Hi-Harrow-357672290 & http://cirlin.deviantart.com/art/Mister-Poofles-napping-357668590 (& his toys: http://cirlin.deviantart.com/art/Willow-ball-and-puffy-fluff-357670668)

He was named after my favorite character in the show Boardwalk Empire. http://images5.fanpop.com/image/photos/26300000/Richard-Harrow-boardwalk-empire-26335547-550-366.jpg _That_ Richard Harrow is a sharpshooter who got half his face destroyed in WW1. He is wears a mask to cover the damage & is relatively soft-spoken. My Harrow was named after him because my Harrow also has a mask, the black fur over the right side of his face. Mine is also soft-spoken, coincidentally. (had a mini lop some years ago that was nothing but vocalizations! so this is a change.)

My Harrow's nickname, Mister Poofles, also comes from that show. But, heh, it has a raunchy explanation & I'm not sure that this innocent forum is the place for such things.

Other names on the short list were Flula (after DJ Flula) & Dinner.


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## Cirlin-rah (Mar 21, 2013)

Conan the Bunbarian!! What an awesome name. He's a Flemish too, right? I know your pain-- had a Himalayan mix who did the same thing until I installed a hopper feeder like this one: http://uniqueagro.co.in/images/Product/Feeder1.jpg Those things are darned convenient. Have you looked into them? The bowls waste so much food.

Goodness, hope Xena doesn't jump on your face. We spoke on another thread sometime back; how is Xena doing these days? & Conan, for that matter? Hope all of you are well! Can't imagine the shock of seeing a bun climbing a bookshelf. I think I'd panic!


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## whitelop (Mar 21, 2013)

I've heard that show is really good. But I don't really like Steve Buscemi, he's super creepy, LOL. 
Harrow is REALLY cute!


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## Cirlin-rah (Mar 21, 2013)

Oh, sweet! Didn't know this could be used as a general blog as well. Thought it had to be only about the buns.

When you say 'cabinet' I'm thinking like a chest of drawers for clothing-- what exactly do you mean by it? But I know _exactly _what you mean by the shuffle! It's the noble gait that all we rabbit guardians must learn! We must also learn how to check our butts before we sit because someone's bound to be under there wanting to know what's going on.

Ha! Poor broom! But at least she keeps herself occupied doing something that isn't noisy. It sounds like a good setup. What kind of flooring do you have, that she could go free-range? I want to do that with Harrow eventually but I fret about him getting a blockage from carpet.

Oh! A bit about me? .///. Well, I'm hoping to move soon. Hoping to get into a school that's 5 hours away. (it's annoying when others think I'm being unreasonable when I'm firm about taking Harrow with me. but they're not pet people, they don't understand, so I try to control that ire.) I should know by next week if I got in or not. I'm also hoping to get a group of people from work together to slackline soon. Slacklining is kind of like tightrope walking only it's only a few feet in the air & it's a 1 inch piece of tubular webbing you're walking/tricking on. http://cirlin.deviantart.com/art/DA-ID-5-Slackline-o-Mine-118705079 I'm going to try to bring Harrow outside for that so he can get some fresh air. If he doesn't like it I'll just leave my lines up for the others to enjoy & take Harrow home. Someone else can bring me my lines later. Aside from those hopes, not much is happening lately.

Thank you for the kind welcome, Whitelop, & for that cute morning story about Ellie! May you both be safe & happy!


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## Cirlin-rah (Mar 21, 2013)

Perhaps he is, but he does play his part amazingly! Also, he's not in every episode.

Thank you! He's even cuter when I sit for any length of time because 9 outta 10 he lays against me. He'll shove his head under my hand like a dog when he wants to be petted. Never met a rabbit that did that! <3


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## Chrisdoc (Mar 21, 2013)

We talk about all sorts on our blogs not just our bunnies. It´s always good to know where people get ideas for names. Never really got into Boardwalk Empire but I´m sure I´ll eventually watch it, that sometimes happens. I´ve seen people slacklining on the telly, it looks easyish but I bet it´s really difficult, well it must be trying to balance and walk across a rope. 

He sounds adorable. Mine will come over when I´m sitting on the floor and walk all over me and let me pet them especially if I´ve got food lol.


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## Kzbun (Mar 21, 2013)

He does sound adorable!! :33

And it seems that us bloggers invade other blogs A LOT! xD In fact, I'm finding it hard to switch from one to the other an remember what conversation was going on in which.


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## Cirlin-rah (Mar 21, 2013)

What shows are you watching where people slackline? I only saw it once on TV & they made hash of the camera work, botching all the tricks in favor of stupid 'edgy' angles. Eh, some tricks on the line are easy, some are hard.

That's so cute! I love it when they climb on you like 'look at meeeee, are you paying attention to me yet?!'!


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## Cirlin-rah (Mar 21, 2013)

Ha ha! If I get a random comment from you on something completely different I'll be sure to ask what blog it is so I can check it too!


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## Chrisdoc (Mar 21, 2013)

On one of the daily magazine programmes in the UK, they had one of the presenters trying it out. It is really hard although you´re so close to the ground. She did really well though considering.


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## Cirlin-rah (Mar 21, 2013)

Oh. What is a magazine program? Like... a TV show with the same snippets of information that a magazine has?


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## Chrisdoc (Mar 21, 2013)

No, it´s like a daily programme with lots of different content such as health, beauty, TV, social issues, almost anything and people can comment and participate by email, twitter, facebook and other social network sites.


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## qtipthebun (Mar 21, 2013)

Oh goodness, that's a cute bunny. No better way to learn to wake up on time than to be stepped on over and over again. Burrowing doesn't help with this one...she'll get under the blankets with you to wake you up. Bunny tongue on your forehead at 7 am...good way to get out of bed.
Once, she even nibbled my eyelashes because I wasn't getting up fast enough.


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## Cirlin-rah (Mar 21, 2013)

Aw, thank you. Yup, he's just doing it to improve my discipline. What a nice guy.

Ahahahaha, I just squealed out loud when I read your story! That is downright adorable! & if that's her on your icon she is very cute as well. I have a soft spot in my heart for that coloration.


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## PaGal (Mar 21, 2013)

I have enjoyed the beginning of your blog. Your bun is adoarable!

I know Boardwalk Empire well. We are fans but have been trying to catch back up recently. When we bought our home we were too busy with renovations and building a garage to bother with tv for over a year and a half. I do like his character. My only problem with the show is that for some reason I have a lot of trouble remembering the characters name.

My mornings with Thump are not too spectacular. I usually get up early and hear him rattle his cage as I walk by. I have things keeping me busy until approximately 8:30 when I let him out of his cage and into his room. Quite often I will spend some time playing chase with him before I get back to work. He will usually then go to his town and do whatever until he eats and then settles down for his lazy time.

The worst I had from him was last year. I received a nice dose of sun burn and made the mistake of lying on his floor. At one point he decided to jump onto my back and run across it scratching my already inflamed skin with his very sharp young bun nails. I thought for sure I would see blood but it turned out it only felt that bad.


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## whitelop (Mar 21, 2013)

Cirlin-rah said:


> Oh, sweet! Didn't know this could be used as a general blog as well. Thought it had to be only about the buns.
> 
> When you say 'cabinet' I'm thinking like a chest of drawers for clothing-- what exactly do you mean by it? But I know _exactly _what you mean by the shuffle! It's the noble gait that all we rabbit guardians must learn! We must also learn how to check our butts before we sit because someone's bound to be under there wanting to know what's going on.
> 
> ...



Ellie's cabinet is in my kitchen. Its a bar thats in there and it has a cabinet at one end, a cubby in the middle and a larger cabinet in the other end that I made into her cage. 





She spends most of the time out in the kitchen. We have hardwoods in there, so there isn't a problem with her chewing carpet or anything.


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## Troller (Mar 21, 2013)

Cirlin-rah said:


> Conan the Bunbarian!! What an awesome name. He's a Flemish too, right? I know your pain-- had a Himalayan mix who did the same thing until I installed a hopper feeder like this one: http://uniqueagro.co.in/images/Product/Feeder1.jpg Those things are darned convenient. Have you looked into them? The bowls waste so much food.
> 
> Goodness, hope Xena doesn't jump on your face. We spoke on another thread sometime back; how is Xena doing these days? & Conan, for that matter? Hope all of you are well! Can't imagine the shock of seeing a bun climbing a bookshelf. I think I'd panic!



I got a NIC cage so I'm not sure how that feeder would work. I'm planning on getting an http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0002EWOA8/ref=mp_s_a_1?qid=1363922026&sr=8-1&pi=SL75 EZ Crock cause I see how I can get that in. As for climbing a shelf, I've seen them just sit on a higher shelf the little stinkers. That's why I got to keep the shelves stocked with something or they'll just use the spot.

Thanks for asking about the buns. Yeah they're Flemish and doing great the little trouble makers. Now as for Boardwalk Empire, I mean to watch it seeing as how I got two seasons saved but still have not gotten around to it. I think Steve Bescemi (however its spelled) is a brilliant actor, and I think his creepiness is such a welcome breath of fresh air since his looks are at best average which makes characters he plays far more believable.


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## Cirlin-rah (Mar 23, 2013)

Thank you!

Yay! You're the first to 'get' his name then. Good on you for leaving the TV for a while-- I did as well-- it's really nice once you realize how many hours were wasted.

Aw, playing chase. That sounds fun! Sounds like some pretty relaxed mornings.

...& then your last paragraph just made me cringe. I cannot imagine how badly that must have hurt, ooh. Used to live in Florida, know what a bad sunburn feels like. No laughing matter.


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## Cirlin-rah (Mar 23, 2013)

Ellie is a very beautiful rabbit & that's a pretty sweet setup! I like the idea of having her in a space like that, a space that would usually house mundane items. I like the classy little teapot-watercrock thing you've got going there, too. Is she a Lady? Does she drink delicately & never knock it over?


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## whitelop (Mar 23, 2013)

Ellie is pretty delicate with her water bowl, but that's about all for delicacy. She's a brute, a 2 lb wrecking ball if you will.


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## Cirlin-rah (Mar 23, 2013)

Glad to hear you're all doing well. The EZ Crock looks very attractive. I've been considering getting rid of his water bottle anyway because it looks uncomfortable for him to arch his neck & drink from it. Also it leaks. So thanks for the link; I might pick up one of those too.

The only irritation I have with Boardwalk is that there is too much sex. I'm not a sexual person to begin with & for a few episodes it seems like all they do is that. I understand other people are fond of it but if you focus on the sex _there's no time to advance the plot. _But.They chose one of the most interesting parts of our history & they do it tremendous justice when they focus on it.

Hm... we blow our irritations out of proportion so I'm probably overreacting. I'd be interested to know what you think of the series once you start it.


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## Cirlin-rah (Mar 23, 2013)

Oh, I _will_.


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## PaGal (Mar 23, 2013)

I love the Ellie picture, too funny!

We have never spent too much time watching tv as there are only a handful of shows we enjoy and look forward to. Even now most of the time we have to watch later in the week on dvr as we are too busy when a show first runs. 

The character I disliked the most (remember I cannot seem to remember the names) was the crazy Italian mobster. I was very glad to see them kill him off as he just really deserved it. I have very little tolerance for those that cause harm just because.

We do have fun with our game of chase. We take turns. I still find it hard to believe that any bunny would be comfortable being chased but he loves it. 

I spent most of my life up north and it would take a lot for me to get sunburned but here in the south it happens in no time at all. It once took me two days to realize my ears were throbbing because they were so badly burnt and swollen. That just never happened up north.

Buns do tend to drink more from a bowl then a bottle. Thump was used to a bottle when I brought him home but I shortly purchased him a bowl. He took to it immediately although his bottle still hangs in his cage just in the off chance he would spill all of his water. I purchased a heavy medium sized bowl. He hasn't yet taken to pushing it around his cage or otherwise playing with it. His veggie bowl is a different story however.


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## Cirlin-rah (Mar 23, 2013)

I think you're thinking of Gyp Rosetti. The guy who took the fancy hat? Bone for tuna guy? Masochist guy? Yeah... I understand your reasoning on that one. He was too unstable to be a character I could get into, but was kind of distantly interested the entire time. Who was your favorite?

Yes, that is strange. Did he grow up with other bunnies & so develop a taste for it there?

So they drink more easily from it too. Well, guess I'm getting a bowl then like you guys did. Was afraid of one when I had does, had heard about 'wet dewlap', but Harrow's dewlap is a only a little dorky looking goatee thing.

Veggie bowl-- my mini lop used to make a consistent practice of tipping her salad bowl & wearing it as a hat!


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## agnesthelion (Mar 24, 2013)

I don't watch Boardwalk Empire but wanted to chime in about Steve Buschemi. I LOVE him. I love his creepiness and oddness and everything. I think his acting is spectacular.

I loved him in the movie Fargo.


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## PaGal (Mar 24, 2013)

Yes, it was Gyp Rosetti I was thinking of. I just could not wait for him to be gone. His character was just the type of person I can stand the least. I do like Steve Buschemi as an actor as well as his character on Boardwalk but I would have to say that Richard Harrow is my favorite. He has a heart and yet will do what must be done with no qualms. I could not imagine his character ever hurting someone that was not doing wrong. Part of it also is that I feel for him of course due to his injury. That is not an easy thing to live with. I have always had a soft spot for similar characters, anyone that is different and suffers because of it.

I remember as a very young child being at a haunted house at our area high school. I was very scared until I saw a person dressed as Frankenstein. Then I just smiled and was no longer scared because Frankenstein never scared me. I felt for him because he was just misunderstood. He was different and because of that people turned against him.

I brought Thumper home when he was ten weeks old. Until then he was with his siblings but hasn't been with a bun since. He is very laid back most of the time and surprised me a lot in the beginning because he does not spook at things I would have expected a bun to.

They definitely do seem to get more water with a bowl. I did not realize it could be a problem with females and their dewlaps. I have heard some prefer a bottle just due to less mess. 

Going back to an earlier post, I do not need sex to be a part of a show for me to enjoy it. Sometimes I do just get fed up with so much of television, commercials and movies being about sex or at least involving it. I know it can be an important part of some plots but it is too much in use for my taste, although I am by no means a prude.


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## whitelop (Mar 24, 2013)

That picture of Ellie is great! How funny! Thats how I see her a lot of the time too.


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## Cirlin-rah (Mar 25, 2013)

Oh goodness. Today I told my coworker that I'd 'bring Harrow in' to get his nails clipped. The coworker now thinks I named the rabbit Heroin.
:biggrin2: "What's that?" "Oh, Cirlin-rah brought heroin." "Dude, there are kids next to you. Don't say that so loud..."


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## Ilovemyrabbit (Mar 25, 2013)

LOL! Too funny!


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## Cirlin-rah (Apr 6, 2013)

Richard Harrow is&#8230; not easy for me to emphasize with physically. I just can&#8217;t comprehend living with an injury that severe. I can&#8217;t imagine it, tho&#8217; I&#8217;ve tried. But on that subject, I love how the injury limit&#8217;s the character. They actually show it being difficult to eat/drink. You hear the toll it took on his larynx. So many characters I&#8217;ve run into casually/in TV have &#8216;injuries&#8217;-- drawbacks-- that never actually impair them. So, good character writing here.

Also, I saw this & I thought of you! http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ppGXF8_OvCc

Younger-you&#8217;s reaction to Frankenstein was adorable! I don&#8217;t think many children are able to cut straight through to the empathy & to a smile. Brought a smile to my face I tell ya!

I did buy a water bowl-- it&#8217;s my new favorite purchase for him. (I actually found the perfect one at a store I hate but left it on the shelf & bought at a store that isn&#8216;t dumb) It looks more comfortable for him, he does seem to drink more&#8230; & it surprisingly doesn&#8217;t accrue many strands of fur. Everything else in my room is covered with fur, but not the water bowl that&#8217;s always near his fuzzy body? What gives!

It didn&#8217;t sound prudish at all. I agree with you, sex is way overused.


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## Cirlin-rah (Apr 6, 2013)

I got into Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science. The semester starts May 28th. Aah, there's so much to doooo~ my biggest priority for the move is finding a bigger cage for Harrow since I will be away at classes & he will need to have access to a litter box.

I will have to quit my job at the rock gym because Pittsburgh is 5 hours away... but there is another rock gym 2 miles from PIMS & they are hiring so hopefully I can get a job there!

I'm looking forward to the change of pace & the variety of the workload at PIMS. I feel confident about that but I won't feel completely at-ease until I have a pet-friendly apartment locked in. My family seems to think that Harrow coming with me is negotiable & that concerns me greatly. My family is being ever-supportive & ever-helpful so I feel bad complaining about it... Mom said she would watch him while I'm away but I take care of Harrow the best & he needs me. I'm not leaving him behind.


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## agnesthelion (Apr 6, 2013)

Wow. Congrats on your new venture learning about Mortuary science. Not a traditionally common field to go into but a noble one at that and definitely job security as it will always be needed!

I think it's grat to take Harrow with you. Many people work full time but can still provide enoug time and attention to a bunny. Harrow will be a good study buddy


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