Nothing really interesting in that fact. It had been a cloudy day, quite chilly for August - mind you, not for this August which was pretty darned rubbish really, wasn't it? Anyway, I'd done a load of washing, No.1 had gone to her friend H's house for the afternoon, so No.2 and I headed over to the library. As predicted by yours truly, his sister dropped out of Team Read, but No.2 stuck at it and ....:
Yay! Well done No.2! I'm proud of him - he was determined to do it, and he did.
After No.1 got back, I made the kids a quick tea then we headed out to the pool for them to have a swim with their friends.
I was pretty tired by evening - unpacking and trying to get the house straight had really taken it out of me, so instead of staying up to watch Big Brother, I went to bed early. Besides, I was almost at the end of the book I was reading and really wanted to finish it. It was The Time Traveller's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger. I know I'm late reading this book - I have friends who read it a couple of years ago. Some loved it, some hated it, one reported she just couldn't get into it and abandoned it in favour of something 'lighter'. I have to say I thought it was a stunning novel - a totally original story built around a really interesting concept. I read the final chapters the next day whilst again sat at the pool, desperately trying not to cry in front of other mothers and children.
Anyway, I switched off the light at around 11pm that Tuesday and immediately fell asleep. Twenty minutes later No.1 appeared; she wasn't sure if she'd dozed and had a dream, or hadn't yet been asleep, but she needed a cuddle. One cuddle and 20 minutes later, she snuggled back down in her bed and dozed off. So did I. An hour later I was woken again. This time by No.2, who was stood at the side of my bed saying '..umm ... umm ... eye oof ell ou''. Sure enough, he had a tooth in one hand and blood oozing from the offending gum. I wearily got out of bed, found him some tissues with which to mop himself up, put the tooth safely aside, gave him a cuddle until the bleeding had stopped and he went back to bed. I dozed on his bed for a little while then staggered back to my own room.
I didn't fall back to sleep straight away, but gradually relaxed and felt myself slip into blissful snoozing. Not for long! I awoke with a start at around 3.15am: I thought I'd heard rustling. I listened ... yep, there it was again - some bags and boxes remained on all the floors at this stage of the move, and I could definitely hear a scrabbling sound with associated rustling. Oh. My. Goodness. I slowly reached over and flicked the switch on the bedside lamp, and what do you think I saw on the bedroom floor? Go on - guess.
It was ...
a
...
big
...
fat
...
brown
...
...
...
...
Herbie Hamster!!
(Complete with bald spot)
Jeez, I swear that rodent should be renamed Houdini. Herbie Houdini. 'Herbini' has a nice ring to it, doesn't it? Let me tell you folks, he lives in the hallway - this means not only did he get out of his cage, onto the floor from on top of the shoe rack (on which his cage sits), but then climbed THIRTEEN stairs, crossed the top of the landing, got in through my barely open door, and then proceeded to ramble round the room. In a way I was glad it was him, and not some other rodent unknown to me and mine, but still ... he nearly gave me a heart attack. I tried to corner him, but that proved easier said than done. He was terrified, so very ... scrabbly. I found some trousers and picked him up in those, so he couldn't scratch or bite me. I slowly went downstairs, trying to contain this wriggling little critter, but as I got to the bottom of the stairs, he leapt from my arms and landed on the wooden floor with a ... well, I'm afraid it was definitely a 'splat' of sorts.
I thought he was dead, I really did, but no, he then ran under the shoe rack. Hmmmmm, it's too low for me to fit an arm under it, so how to entice him out? Peanuts! They are his favourite snack, and he is quite used to me hand-feeding him with them after our daily cuddle. Yes, he IS the children's hamster, but, well ... I like him. There I was, stark naked at 3.30am in my hallway, kneeling down to proffer a nut to a rodent. I don't mind telling you dear reader, it's not what I had in mind for myself at this time of life. Anyway, his whiskers twitched at my tempting treat - ha! I know how to charm a chap. I moved it slowly away from him and closer to the open hallway. I got his exercise ball ready, removed the 'lid' and as he was nibbling his nut, carefully put it over him. Trapped, like a spider under a yoghurt pot. Phew!
A quick recce of his cage revealed that one of the 'junctions' where his cage meets his sticky-out-tube (technical term :-p ) had come adrift. It was through his drink bottle 'junction' that he got out last time, so I've come to the conclusion that he needs a new cage. To escape once is a fluke, twice looks like he's making a career out of it. After having refitted the tube to the cage, I scooped Herbini up and put him back in his cage. He was trembling with fright, but do you know what he did? He went over to his 'toilet corner' and had a wee, then he wandered into his little green igloo house, and presumably retired to bed. Was it horribly sexist of me to think 'typical male!'? I slowly ambled back upstairs, but I didn't get back to sleep for ages afterwards, and had to be up fairly early the next day. I'm not sure who was more knackered - me or the hamster.
By late afternoon the next day, we'd seen no sign of him. I thought he might have have died a quiet post-traumatic sort of death. So I gingerly lifted the roof on his igloo only to be met with the familiar twitching whiskers of his nose, and a sleepy eyed expression which clearly read 'bugger off! I'm trying to sleep!' We were so relieved. No.2 asked me whether hamsters, like cats, have nine lives. I'd never thought so before, but it's looking like Herbie has more than the obligatory one.
Anyway, I recently took another film of the little chap. As you can see, he has a big bald patch on his back - apparently this happens to hamsters in the summer months. Instead of moulting all over like dogs and cats, they lose fur in patches. It's not a good look, is it? Still, at least he seems ok. Touch wood:
The award for Best Supporting Actress in this fillum goes to Georgie Cat - who is, as you can see, always interested in Herbie's wellbeing ;-)
© Author
55 commenty bits:
we had a hamster called houdini cos he always got out! one day the boys were cleaning him out and just gave him to my husband to hold - well houdini bit him and my husbands reaction was to shout ooww and he couldn't help it but his hand shot up and houdini sailed inthe air and landed on the kitchen floor - deathly hush - we all thought he'd be dead, we picked him up and he was still breathing and a few seconds later was scrabbling trying to get free!!!
however one day there was an escape too many and we never did find him although we turned the house upside down!
xx
ps i must admit i did not get on with the time traveller's wife and gave up!
Chasing a hamster is not the best way to find yourself at stark naked at 3:30 am. Should I send you a book? ;-)
Tried to stop yourelf crying? Oh no, I gave in totally and sobbed. I loved that book so much I'm almost scared to read it again. Almost.
I had to watch just to make sure he could actually fit into that little doorway!
Awe, Georgie cat looks somewhat like our baby girl, Star. She also loves to sit atop our bearded dragons cage (lizard) and watch him, or the crickets that are in his cage for snacks. Not sure which she likes best. I am thinking the crickets, they move around more and she loves to chase, hunt down and kill any flies that dare to enter her home!
I remember a while ago when I was under 4 feet tall my sister being told off nightly for creeping downstairs, getting her hamster Cocoa out of the cage, taking it upstairs and playing with her til she was caught. Sister swore on her life she wasnt getting up, that Cocoa just 'appeared' until one night my mum overheated at what she thought was blatantly lying and said 'I'll show you this bloody hamster doesnt climb stairs' and plopped her at the bottom. Where of course she climbed up every single one while we stood around mouths open. Sister got an apology and hamster got a new, more secure cage.
As for dropping them, my cousin dropped my gerbil Oscar one day, sent him loopy it did, had to feed him with gloves on and take the bowls out using kitchen tongs he went that vicious. Little shit. Can I say that on a comment? xx
My sis has an escaping hamster. It knocked one of the bungs out of it's cage, chewed it's way through shoe rack shelf thing(does everyone keep their hamster on their shoe rack?), chewed into cardboard box, ate load of food, chewed through plastic bag and was found next morning asleep in his bag of bedding.
Hers is v noisy. he sleeps next to the guest room and all night you can hear his squeaky wheel. Aaaarrggh!
You have such adventures Kitty!
They always raise a smile these vids of Herbie the naughty Hammie :) Yes, and Goergie always trying to get in and steal the limelight! She is indeed VERY interested in his welfare.
I remember I had a hammie that was missing for a few days! He was found when we heard a rustle in the kitchen - at the back of a draw chomping on some crisps... hard buggers to catch too!
Oh and herbie looks like me last week when I had a tooth removed - big chewy cheeks!
xxx
ps I read about a few chapters of that book...I am sure I will return to it but couldn't make friends with it at the time. I felt a sense of sadness impending that I didn't want to face!
I loved the book too. And I also had an escapee hamster when I was little - like Wonderwoman he escaped one time too many and we never found him - although we did find a sort of fossilised lump in the cupboard under the stairs when we moved house about 10 years later...........!
Cat TV how lovely!!!
He is a very cute hamster :)I hate those sorts of disturbed nights though.
Ooops! I knew I meant to say something else.....Absolutly love the Time Travelers Wife. Cried buckets at the end! I love the way the written word can make you cry .
The hamster story made me laugh so much - perhaps it was the thought of you starkers in the middle of the night coaxing him back into his cage.
Time Travellers Wife is on my list to read!
ahhhh the memories!
You took me back to the days of missing teeth, cuddles in the night and hamsters that try to commit suicide :)
And like you I think I played more with the hamsters than Justine did!
Take care Kitty!
xo
Hi WW - Perhaps hamsters have an escapology 'gene'? I cringe every time I think of the noise when Herbie fell on the floor. If he escaped and we never found him, the kids would be heartbroken! x
Hi Trash - God, I loved that book. I'll definitely read it again one day. x
Hi Jodie - He had stuffed so much in his pouches too. He must have self-collapsing pouches?! Did you see the cat making sure he was ok? ;-) x
Hi MI - That hamster is Georgie's personal TV station - she would happily watch for hours if I didn't shoo her away. x
Hi Suzy - I did once read that they're pretty good climbers. You most certainly can say that Oscar the gerbil was a little shit - I wonder why he had the personality change after his freefall? How strange. x
Hi E&E and welcome to my Bloggy Bits. I'm really chuffed you came over - I love your blog. Maybe shoe racks are just the very place for hamsters - I don't know where we'd put him if he wasn't there. I even bought a shoe rack wide enough for his cage! And yes, he is noisy at night. If I could just wire his wheel up to a generator, he could keep us in electricity. Cheap animal labour! Thanks for dropping by. Take care :-)
Hi Rachel - Are they adventures? Or just 'life'?! x
Hi Lily - Yes, Georgie is VERY watchful isn't she? He was a nightmare to catch - so wriggly and fast! Not sure he'd eat crisps though - that's a great story. Lovely to see you. x
PS. Oh, and yes, you must return to the book. I loved it.
Hi Lucy - A fossilised 'lump'? :-O Oh my word ... that's awful. Did it have big hamster teeth?! Wasn't the book fab? x
Hi Suburbia - Those nights are killers aren't they? When they're tiny you get used to no sleep, but when it happens when they're bigger, you just can't 'do it' ... at least I can't. Glad to hear you loved the book - wasn't it brilliant? x
Hi Gina - I didn't have a second of self-consciousness until the drama was all over. And then I realised that the whole thing had happened whilst I was starkers :-O You MUST read that book. x
Hi Dawn - and Happy Birthday! Herbie is so cute - when he's not being naughty. If he'd just stop the escaping thing, he'd be perfect! x
You just hoped he was dead
SPLAT
;)
Hi Kitty,
As I'm sure YOU will understand this was a most terrifying post for me to read owing to little furry unwelcome g*ts that invaded my house and mind not long ago.
So RELIEVED to hear it was only one of your family.
Only this week I heard a very similar rustling on my window sill which was actually coming from the RAT POISON box wrapped in a bag. SO RELIEVED it was only the beetle I'd been chasing around earlier.
I ask you, what does it come to when the only things that want to see us nakee in the night are this low down in the food chain?
That cat sounds like it is up to no good.
Such mental pictures . . . . bald hamster, nekkid you, crying kids . .
Hey can you make a Cthulhu style sock monkey?
Hi Trish ... You made me laugh out loud. I'm pleading the Fifth, ok? :-D x
Hi Twinkles - Yes, I well remember your recent interloper. I was scared until I saw it was Herbie.
Had to laugh at your comment that only little beasties want to see us naked in the middle of the night. Sad, but oh so true. x
Hi Mr A - She's certainly VERY interested in Herbie's wellbeing. The thing is - she's never caught anything bigger than a baby frog in her whole life, so I'm not totally convinced she wants to do him harm - last time he got out, she just watched him. x
Hi Malach - I had to google 'Cthulhu' as I didn't know what one was. I think I can pretty confidently say 'no' ... I can't make a monkey look like a giant squid. :-( x
How amazing is Herbie!! He must be far more resilient than Clover was. I can't imagine how you felt when you heard him scrabbling around. I hated it when clover escaped as she was very bitey! Luckily she used to just climb back into her ball ;)
I shall have to look out for that book.
(And don't you just hate it when you are so tired you could sleep and sleep and sleep and then things juts keep happening so you just cant get any sleep. I thought it was just me it happened too!)
Ohhhhh no! Not one of those things in your room! ohhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!
We had one called Winston who went completely bald. I took it to the vet in an old plastic christmas pudding basin with holes in the lid. Embarassing when its your turn and vet calls 'Winston Surname' as if its a human. Anyway one day it was dead or so I thought but on closer inspection I realised it was in that torpor state they go into if they are cold (No fur you see)so I put it on the radiator till its got frisky and then went off late to my G&G class, by which time, tutor was demonstarting and all were gathered round. I barged in, said 'Sorry I'm late I've been reviving the hamster', then noticed a stranger with a clipboard sitting across the room. He was a assessor assessing out tutors performance. I believe they now have a cartoon of the event labelled 'what teachers have to deal with' in the college staff room!
I did laugh at this great escape and liked your video very much too, especially the cat! My daughter had both a cat and a hamster once. Unfortunately, they met one day, and hamster breathed its last whilst cat had an unusual dinner. Why do they do that?
Haven't read the time-traveller's wife but it's on the list of things to do one day!
He looks to be very happy there in his little cage. No doubt he is plotting his next escape.
LoL!! reminds me of my own hampster escapades when I was little ... I don't think anyone must have ever owned a hampster who didn't escape .. mum and dad replaced one once - managed to get an identical one before we got home from school. Our suspicions of foul play were confirmed when the real "hammy" scurried across the floor at the exact moment the iterloper bit my sister!
Still .. being indoors naked with a hampster is marginally better than being outdoors at a similar hour naked with three chickens and a hedgehog, which is where Mr Marmalade found himself last summer when Mr tiggywinkle found his way into the coop!
x
My word, Kitty! What on earth are you feeding the little fellow? (The hamster, I mean!)
we had a hamster once. it escaped on a train journey and we had to crawl the entire carriage length looking for the little sod. in those days i could be embarrassed easily.
Can I ask is this as exciting as your nights get these days?!
Tried the Time Traveller's Wife. No thank you. I'm in the 'hated it' camp. Sorry.
Definately an escapist hamster lol, can't say I've ever wanted one hmmm. Milo did his team read too - I felt so proud when he got his medal I welled up - such a softie I am lol
Lisa x
I know what I want when I get out.
A kitty & a hamster!!
I'm checking to see if our library has that book. It sounds interesting.
Hi Jennie. I really didn't think hamsters were that hardy - but it looks like some of them just are! Yes, I do hate those nights when the world and his wife require you to be awake and all you want to do is sleep. x
Hi Kellie - Yes indeedy. A rodent in the room: not my idea of fun! x
Hi Jackie - Winston is a great name, isn't it? That teacher will, I'm sure, have dined out on your hamster interruption for years: you did her/him a big favour! ;-) I bet that bald hamster looked horribly weird?! x
Hi Nan. That has already happened here - I came down one morning to find the hamster missing. The pair of them were in the kitchen - the cat hadn't hurt him at all :-O x
Hi Mike - It has to be said, he does seem a happy hamster. x
Hi Julia - It seems they all have an adventure or two. The stories other people have told have made me feel a bit better about it.
Did you get to keep both hamsters?!
I must admit I'd rather do the naked think indoors than outdoors - Mr MK is a braver person than I! x
Hi CB ... He just has ordinary hamster food, plus some treats. Nothing too exciting. I don't know why he has such an adventurous spirit, but I feel it should, on some level, be applauded?! x
Hi Grit - Hmmm, I can see that a hamster on a train might not be the best idea. Did you find it? Surely worth the embarrassment if you did? And just think - you provided 'funny story' fodder for all the other passengers too! x
Hi TMOTL - In answer to your question: Yes, I'm afraid so. But there's not need to rub it in :-p
See - it's interesting how many people didn't like that book. It seems to divide opinion. x
Hi Peri - I didn't want one either, but having got him, I must say I'm a convert. He's such a cutie - when he's not escaping. Congratulations to Milo - it's a great achievement! x
Hi AG - You go for it! Your parents will be SO pleased! x
Hi C - The book is one that polarises its readers - you'll either love it or hate it. x
LOL at herbies escaping!!
Are you sure Herbie's baldness isn't due to the caustic effects of cat drool landing on his fur?
I love how Georgie Cat's ears are pointing at Herbie. Moog's do just that when we get the gerbils out to play :)
I've got a library trip planned today so I'll have to get that book. I picked it up and put it down again last time I was there!
xxx
LMAO I love that film. After coping with the cat's stare, Herbie must feel invincible!
I have been meaning to get that book for a very long time now.
I have a little housie warming thing for you, but need your address!
KAz xxx
Did you ever think that Herbie had a bad dream and just dropped by for a cuddle too???
This post made me laugh so much. We used to have a hamster called Stanley. He was a vicious so-snd-so - I was really scared of him. He was incredibly good at escaping from his cage and would chew at the carpet and the edges of our books. In the end I had to put padlocks on the doors of his cage.
Good grief, Herbie really does have a death wish doesn't he?! Our most creative hamster Houdini ended up poisoning himself by sampling every chocolate in a box left over from Christmas after he escaped one night. Daft creatures!
Wasn't there a similar story about a certain Hollywood actor and a hamster - tee hee :) We used to have a hammy called Zippy who was also somewhat of an escape artiste!
He once escaped from his cage and chewed a chunk out of the corner of the carpet to make himself a nice fluffy nest to sleep in :)the rascal.
Twiggy x
Hi Kitty
Glad to see you have found a place of your own & seem to have nice neighbours..very important...we used to have 10 Guinea pigs so I can relate to your Herbie experience...but they are cute arent they? your monkeys sre sooo cute amazing what can be achieved with a simple sock!!
My two B who is 8 and H who is 6 have both brought hamsters with their own money !! £8 each one is called Hammy and one called Sammy AND they are threatening tyo bring them over this weekend !!
Hi Lin - You wouldn't have LOL'd at 3.15am! :-p x
Hi Lesley - Well, now you come to mention it, perhaps you have something there. How very *geeky* of you to consider something as 'chemical' as that :-p You'll either love or hate the book - it seems to polarise opinion! x
Hi Kaz - Herbie couldn't give a toss about Georgie watching him. In fact I think he rather likes it. Pervert hamster. Sorry haven't sent my address yet - will do it soon - promise. x
Hi Ron ... Hmmmm. I hadn't considered that. Maybe you have something there?! x
Hi Tilly - I'm pleased you laughed. At least me having to cope with the trauma achieved something positive! :-p Gosh - a padlocked hamster - bet that made him feel like a dangerous criminal! :-O x
Hi DC - Yes, I think he really does. Either that or he's incredibly stupid, with the brain a size of ... well, a hamster's brain?! Gosh, I didn't know they couldn't eat chocolate - not that Herbie has, but well ... it's good to know these things. Surely some *Geek Points* from Lesley for that little snippet? ;-) x
Hi Twiggy - Zippy's a great name for a Hamster. A carpet-eating hamster? Oh my word :-O x
Hi Quilty - Yes, it's so good to have a place of our own again. And the neighbours ARE lovely, thanks. 10 guinea pigs? Gosh, that's one hell of a squeak! x
Hi Nicey - Oooh, good luck with those then: make sure the cages are secure! x
Sooo funny...that video cracks me up! Never a dull momet at your place ;o) You're not the last one with "The Time Travellers Wife"...it's on my reading list. Have been waiting for the library to get it in in English :o) Happy Days, my friend ((HUGS))
Just had to comment to note that I too thought The Time Traveller's Wife was an excellent read Kitty. :)
Mind you your tales of the houdini hmaster are also an excellent read ;)
I have never seen a hamster in reality. If they are so bitey why would anyone want to keep them as a pet?
I liked Gerogie keeping watch!
Love the new monkeys.... they are fabulous!!!! Congrats to No. 2 on his reading. You must be proud. Will hold thumbs the hamster stays put!
Glad to see I'm not the only one suffering at the paws of so called tame domestic critters. Luckily I had all my clothes on for my incident.
You can't get hamsters in NZ which is a bit stink as I adore them and always had them in the UK. One time one had babies. Very maggot like at first ( but pink). I loved TTTW. Thought it a great book. Only read it this year as well.
Cats are very protective creatures. Peri alwasys checks out the puppy pen before we put Mouse in at bedtime. Is he making sure she can't escape or is comfy we are undecided.
Hi Tracy. Nope, never a dull moment is right. I hope you manage to get the book - it's the best book I've read in a long time. x
Hi Sas! It's a lovely book isn't it? And bless you for your comment on Herbini's antics. x
Hi Meggie. Herbie has never bitten any of us, except for once, when he was all wound up about us moving. He's a sweetie - honest, he is! x
Hi Colleen - Thank you! So far so good on the hamster-staying-indoors front ;-) x
Hi Alison - Well, I know your Peri is a character - maybe he's checking out the bed to see if he's missing anything? Cats don't like to miss out do they?! Gosh, why can't you get hamsters there? Is there a law preventing their import? Such a shame - Herbie has been an unexpected delight. Ish. x
AHHHHHH PANIC....one of our hamster broke his bake this way when a friend picked his cage up, all by accident no one to blame...I cried for ages and still remember hearing his little scream....so pleased to see see hi is OK...maybe not if that cheeky puss has anything to do with it!!!!
ps...I so did not get on with the book T T T W....I gave up, too old in the tooth now to feel the need to read a book because people tell me too...however I am in the middle of a trashy light 'women does good' novel that is sending me to sleep most nights....
"There I was, stark naked at 3.30am in my hallway, kneeling down to proffer a nut to a rodent."
Without a doubt, that's the funniest sentence I've ever read in the blogosphere, kitty.
Hi Suzie - Well yes, that's exactly the sort of thing I was worried about. I can't help but think 3rd time won't be so lucky :-(
It's amazing how TTTW polarises opinion isn't it? You either love it or hate it - there seems to be no middle ground. x
Hi HTGT - Well I'm glad you thought it was funny. I'm sure I shall too one day :-p x
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