WHISKERS ... R.I.P.

As many of you know, nothing means more to Emma than her pet mouse. Anyone who has known us for a while probably has heard the story of the freezing-rain, night-time funeral we had for her previous mouse, White Socks.

Well, we've now had the unfortunate opportunity to attend our second mouse funeral. Whiskers the mouse died this week. Consider the following to be his obituary ...

Whiskers Van Goh Murray, 2, of North Mankato, died Thursday, Aug. 24, 2006 at his home. Services were held immediately, with burial in the backyard Murray Garden.

Whiskers was born at Pet Expo, a pet store in Mankato. He had dozens — heck, maybe hundreds — of brothers and sisters, almost all of whom probably died within months after their birth (the vast majority of mice born in captivity exist to provide food for their fellow pet store residents, the reptiles.) Whiskers was one of the few mice who escaped and went on to lead a long life that saw him become a rather rotund rodent. He feasted heartily on the peanuts, pellets and other traditional mouse food, but his favorite food was Cheerios, and he consumed them with mucho gusto.

His life, while well fed, was not without peril. Whiskers came close to death from fur mites, an affliction that caused him to scratch himself nearly to death and his ear right ear completely off, resulting in the official changing of his name to Whiskers VAN GOH Murray. He survived that trial only by a last-ditch family effort to save him that involved a trip to the vet — who confessed having never treated a mouse before — and several weeks of bovine itch medication for which no known dilution formula existed to bring the dosage down to mouse size, but they made a good guess and it worked. Within a few weeks he was feeling better, while perhaps not hearing quite as well.

Whiskers' participation in the Pet Expo Halloween costume contest may have been his shining moment. With his owner Emma and her brother Samuel dressed as hockey players, Whiskers was tucked inside a box labeled "Penalty Box: Two minutes for squeaking." The trio took the top prize in the contest.

Whiskers is survived by his owner and best friend, Emma, and friends Samuel, Amy and Robert Murray. He will truly be missed.

Good-bye, Whiskers ...

Duluth Rocks! ... Of Mice and Madness ... T-ball, Sam Style

Forgive me father, for I have sinned. It's been ... a long time since my last post, and holy Hay Soos do we have stuff to share. So lets get right to it, shall we?

We've got a veritable buttload of shots from our most recent trip to Duluth, and lemme tell ya, it was a blast. We illegally fed sea gulls at the scenic overlook, swam in the pools, hot tubs and the little body of water they got up there that gets all the attention. You know the one, the big lake they call Gitche Gumee. The lake, it is said, never gives up her dead, when the skies of November turn gloomy.

What does that have to do with our June trip to the land of lift bridges and skippin' rocks? Not a damn thing. But hey, when the chance arises, I don't know of a man alive who wouldn't jump to quote a great Gordon Lightfoot song.

OK .... Moving on, then ....

You'll find a handful of picture from our wonderful trip. You'll also find a few shots of Whiskers the one-eared mouse. In fact, the rodent's full name is Whiskers Van Goh, because of a horrible fur mite incident that nearly took his life, and left him with one ear. Also, Sam's T-ball season. Dad helped out coaching again, but the true entertainment came from Sam. He was ... Well, he was Sam. He's a piece of work, and as another parent said recently, "he just loves to make people smile." And it's true. There are other random images thrown into the mix as well.

So here they are. Enjoy the updated photos, and feel free to give the kids a call once in a while.