Dedicated to my big big nose

Just as usual, whenever I pass by their area, I would call out to Cheeko and say hi.

Yesterday, was no different, only that he did not look at me back in the eye nor raise his ears to acknowledge my presence. He was just lying down there, as still as can be.

I took a closer look and shouted out to Hubby that I think Cheeko has passed away. True enough, the little fella of mine had moved on to a better place -rabbit heaven.

He was so busy eating his long beans, as happy as can be ... and was waiting for me as usual for his carrots. He always looked at me in the eye, with his head cocked slightly. He is always that cute, despite his age.

Death. Family pet. His birthday is just around the corner, an August 2006 rabbit. One month to being 6 years old.. he left behind us and his beloved Cheekie.

It is already hard on us to accept his death and having to let go of him, it must have been harder on Cheekie who was his room-mate since they were in the petshop.

Cheeko, was the smaller, younger one compared to Cheekie. It was because of Cheekie, who stayed beside him while we have already made our choice to only get one, we just had to get that little fella that Cheekie so dearly loved.

He, would hop on to the dustpan while we were trying to sweep up his little shit when he was just about a month half old. He would squeeze on top of Cheekie behind the door to hide, and play scoot with cloths that are lying on the floor. He even know how to play with ball, well, trying to hump a rolling ball isn't exactly a bright idea but that is Cheeko. He is like the family clown, that brings laughter to the family.

He, who would run after our feet, or circling our feet when he was younger, trailing after us.. the fat one left behind when Cheekie jumped out of the enclosed area to nose around the new place. He, who would jump into the food bowl if he could and quite a good mini 'lion dancer'.

He was also the 'guard dog' that guards the house from those irritating cats. He would thump his legs so loud, I could hear him from the next room.

Don't remember Cheeko? You can read back here to refresh your memory.

As I cried, Hubby stayed tough and quickly prepared everything for Cheeko's burial. We wrapped him in two clean white cloth, put his water and food bowl in as well, a note to him and his carrots and pellets.

We let Cheekie say good bye to him while we put him into the box. We drove around our housing area and came to a green field where it shows no signs of inhabitants and dug a hole deep enough to bury Cheeko and his belongings in.

I said the last goodbye to him. Its hard. It is still hard today. I have to come home and clean up his cage, scrub it clean while Cheekie looked on. She had this look on her face as if she was asking, "Where is Cheeko? Why is he not back in his cage? What are you doing to his cage? Why are you taking it out from the house? Is he not coming back?"

Maybe I think a little too much but I believe that animals do grieve but I hope it wont be too hard on Cheekie as she is also an old girl by now.

I put his cage outside the house, and while I was doing that, is that all to it? Is that all to Cheeko's life on earth? So what happens now? Moving on as if I was just cleaning up after a dead fish. Is that it, death? People clean up after you, bury you and then move on so they won't think and dwell on you anymore?

Its scary but I hope that Cheeko knows that we all love him very very much and that he will always live in our hearts.

I miss him so so much.