In Which We Meet With Connor's School District, And The Cannibal Rodent Strikes Again

We had a meeting this morning with Connor's school district in preparation for the upcoming year, and once again I walked out of it convinced our move to Puyallup was the best decision ever.  The meeting was fantastic; basically everyone there was concerned with making Connor's school year as safe and productive as possible.  There were some personnel changes this year, so it gave people a chance to meet Connor, ask us questions about his health and development, and talk about appropriate training and precautions for managing his medical care in the upcoming year.  Everyone was extremely nice, and we walked out feeling comfortable and confident that Connor will be in the best of hands. 

Seriously, the only way this town could get more perfect for us is if it contained a 24 hour chocolate store.  They could open it up next to that used bookstore downtown.  Chocolate makes everything better.

Um, anyway, so the meeting went really well and hopefully (provided I can get a doctor signature on one more medication form) he'll start up next Thursday with the same awesome team he had last year.  I can't wait!

On a completely unrelated note, remember our cannibalistic gerbil, Lili and the horrific events of last March?  And remember how we decided to get another victim friend for Lili because he was sinking into gerbil depression?  Well, Lili and his new pal, who we named Cranston (for Lamont Cranston-- yet another obscure and weird reference no one is likely to get) have been getting along like a house on fire, once they stopped that whole trying-to-fight-to-the-death business.  I've still kept an eye on them, though, because Teke and Lili got along pretty well too before Teke became the Special Of The Day. 

So last week when I walked in fairly late in the afternoon to get Connor up from his nap I did my customary once over of the gerbil cage, which I can see as soon as I walk into the room.  To my horror I saw Lili stretched out on his back in a corner of the cage, eyes closed and paws extended, with Cranston perched on top of his chest, his muzzle buried in the fur on Lili's belly.

"Nooooooo" I said, (it's best if you picture this in slow motion), lunging towards the tank with my arms outstretched.  Convinced I was seeing Lili meeting a gruesome (but rather fitting, considering) end, I jerked off the top of the tank with the idea that I might possibly be able to save him if I got him to a vet right away and it wasn't Too Late.  Cringing in anticipation of what I would find, I stared down into the cage to see how bad the damage was.

Both gerbils gazed up at me in puzzlement for a minute, and then went back to grooming each other.

Whoops.

~Jess