Sad News

I have some very sad news this week. My pet bunny rabbit, Heathcliff, has passed away. Heathcliff was admired by many of the guests who enjoyed visiting him when they visited Shady Gables. He was a nine year old "Rex" Rabbit. Ashley and I adopted him almost nine years ago, when we visited the Missouri State Fair. We had such a wonderful time touring the rabbit display that we stayed for four hours!!! Then we decided that we just could not leave without one of the beautiful rabbits and we found a breeder who agreed to let us take Heathcliff home with us. He was a gentleman right from the very start. At that time, Ashley had another rabbit named Emily. She was much older and wiser and he seemed to admire her so. After Emily passed away, we had a carpenter build a very special hutch for Heathcliff. Ashley calls it his rabbit mansion. It is so sad to walk into the backyard now and see it standing there, empty. Heathcliff had a little harness and leash and I used to enjoy taking him for walks around the garden. He was good company for me when I was planting the flowers in the spring. It just won't be the same around here without him...
More sad news... My friend and co-worker, Mark Sharp, has announced that his last day of employment at Shady Gables will be May 23rd. Mark is graduating from High School in a couple of weeks, then he plans to attend college in Springfield MO. For the summer, he plans to move to Jefferson City, where his mom and step dad have a new home, and work for the Parks and Recreation Department. I am very sad to see him go because he is such a dependable and caring employee, but I am grateful for the years that he was employed at Shady Gables and I am proud to know him and to call him my friend. And so it goes and I close another week at Shady Gables.