Admission (now, with graphic!)

There’s something I haven’t mentioned here, although I’ve known about it for a while, and it became irreversible a few weeks ago.

It’s been hard to admit that my youthful idealism can so easily be swayed by personal investment in a living being. If you had asked me 16 years ago, when the Consort and I first started talking about these sorts of things, or 13 years ago, when the Consort and I were taking the first steps to increasing our realm, I would have responded in absolute terms. We knew our limits, we knew what was the right choice for us, and we were cocky enough to think that if more people used us as their guide … well, let’s let that one be, since I can no longer consider our situation to be one I think everyone ought to follow.

I know the astonishment some people will feel when they find out about our new addition (“Another!” They’ll say to each other, rolling their eyes with implied meaning), because I myself have felt it when I’ve met others who (although I admit our realm won’t be as prolific as many) have chosen this. But there are extenuating circumstances! (Aren’t there always? I really can’t use that as an excuse. We have made this choice and we shouldn’t try to pussyfoot our way around it. [As you can see, I’m still conflicted about this; but like I said, at this point it’s irreversible (and now that it’s irreversible, it’s hard not to get that happy excited feeling, you know?).])



Yes. The realm is getting used to having another citizen. A boy.

His name is Tamarind (but you can call him Tam). And technically, he is Impera’s (although she doesn’t want him to dislike her, so guess who has to do most of the collecting of the rabbit when it’s time to go back in his cage? That’s right: Imperatrix. [What?—Don’t look so shocked; don’t you keep your rabbits in a cage?])

I’d like to think that, although this brings us now to 5 animals in the house, we only have one of each, and most (those in whom this matters) have been spayed. But the innuendoes have already started; mostly by family members who are fecund in their own way (and I know for a fact they won’t be spaying their boys, let me tell you!)

(Not least of my worries is that now I’ll have to redo the blog’s masthead.)
KW requested a picture. Here it is. Although part of the conflict I'm feeling is that after 3 weeks of being a well-behaved addition to the family, yesterday Tam chewed through an $80 laptop cord and halfway through the cord to the digital camera (I've put that one aside until the Consort can fix it for me). Lucky for him we had already taken this shot.