The perfect pet

Yesterday was the first warm, spring-like day we've had, after a very long winter. Both the kids and the cats were eager to get outside. Temperatures in the mid 60's felt like summer and the 3+ feet of snow has mostly melted. I was out doing some errands when the following event happened, and let me say, that is a good thing. If I had been home, my scream would still be echoing across the land. Here's what hubby reported when I got home.

Harry and Nathan had been playing outside while Daddy was puttering about on the porch and in and out of the house. At one point, he was doing something in another room when he heard (but did not see) Harry run in to the house. Nothing unusual about that. Harry went down to his room and was playing. Daddy said he heard Harry saying "You are my best friend! I'm going to take care of you!" Still, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Harry kept playing, talking, apparently acting out some sort of pretend scenario. He was heard offering breadcrumbs and saying "He's sleeping!" Daddy decided to investigate.

Harry was in his room, playing by the bedside table. He got a little metal mailbox with a flag for Valentine's Day and he likes to put special things in it: matchbox cars, tools, basically anything I won't let him sleep with. He was playing with that and talking to something. Daddy asked, "What's in the box, Harry?"

"My new best friend! He's sleeping. I'm going to take care of him and play with him all the time. I gave him breadcrumbs, but he's sleeping."

"What's in the box, Harry?"

This time, Daddy looked for himself. It was a dead vole. (Remember, the cats were glad to be outside too.)

Needless to say, Harry's new best friend was quickly confiscated and the mailbox was put out of reach so it could be washed. Daddy explained that the vole was not sleeping, but had died when Mu-Mu played with it to hard. Harry was not too upset. If hubby hadn't told me the story, I never would have known it had happened. I do know this, though. No vole could have asked for a better friend.