Christian the Lion brings out Christian Spirit

Meet the ‘hugging’ lion’s owners --(Click on the headline to view video)


Yesterday I found out that my beau, Patrick, is the last person on earth who has NOT heard of nor watched the utube video phenom of 'Christian the Lion' that has swept across the globe, prompting tears of joy and happiness in millions.

I first came across the video 6 months ago, myself, but for whatever reason the past 2 weeks it has really blown up in popularity and views.

Watching the video shot on grainy film in 1969 and showing the love and devotion of the former lion cub to his original owners I almost threatened Patrick stating, "If this video does not make you cry...you have NO HEART!!!" Sadly, there is a slight chance my P be one of the few who does NOT cry - although he earns bonus points for having cried and boozed up when he had to put his sick cat down a few years back...

Watching the footage of utter happiness and expectation on the smiling faces of the young men when they first glimpse their previous housepet approaching them down the cliff is truly one of the most beautiful and perfect demonstrations of love that I have ever seen in my life!

My only critique on this gorgeous-themed video between man and beast is the pretty but cheesy background music of Whitney Houston's version of "I will always love you" (especially its cued-for-dramatic-impact drum beat that accompanies the lion's ultimate recognition and rush into the arms of his previous owners).

This particular MSN video gives greater insight to where the owners are now and what they are doing since this video. I also think and wonder that instead of the cheesy end-subtitles of 'looking up an old friend - and being glad you did' - - sounding entirely too much like a Hallmark card - - they should have posted the website for their animal preservation organization that they talk about in the interview. I believe many would donate to it since it all started with the magnificent baby lion cub for sale in a tiny cage in the London department store of Harrods....

For those of us who are pet owners or animal lovers, the video is truly a treat - - watch it again and be reminded of God's greatness in nature and love - - sniff sniff - and keep those tissues handy, Patrick!!!

Our Newest Pet

Cheengow - this baby opossum appeared a couple weeks ago chomping Fred and Jordy's food - INSIDE the house, ya'll!!!!

He easily entered through the open doggy/kitty door that Patrick made by taking out a glass pane in the backdoor that leads out to the tiny patio where Fred does his business.
Well, shoot - after the initial "ohh and aww" about how cute he is as a baby and the quick online reference check to see if they carry rabies or who knows what else - we learned that opossums are NOT rodents, but marsupials (think kangaroo). Nifty, huh? We also found out that they are non-confrontational and very wimpy so they even play dead and collapse for up to hours playing dead and emitting a foul smell from their booty that makes bigger animals leave them alone and not eat them. WOW - how smart is that?

So, tonite while alone with Jordy-the-cat and Fred-the-Basset-Hound (Patrick took Ciara to Magic Mountain while I have to stay and work all weekend as usual), I kept hearing that little sucker enter in and crack away at the food. But every time I got up he'd run out the door. I finally after the 3rd time getting up, lifted the 20 pound CostCo bag of dog food that was on the floor, rolled the open top portion of paper down very tightly to keep it fresh and hoisted the whole heavy thing onto the table top where the little beggar couldn't reach it.

3 minutes later Jordy came downstairs to snack on his food and suddenly came bolting out of the kitchen. I then heard what scared him: I had unbeknowest trapped the fella INSIDE the dog food bag!!

"Crap!" I shouted and scolded Fred and Jordy, "You both are worthless!" I carefully took the bag back down to the floor, every time I'd touch it the little guy would freeze and stop moving inside. But I knew he was in there - somewhere suffocating in 20 pounds of dog food!! I then kicked the bag over on it's side with the opening of the bag facing the doggy door so he could make an escape.

Needless to say the little guy was scared to death probably, and was still trapped since I had so tightly rolled down the excess paper at the bag opening. SHOOT! I got the end of the broom to try and stick it in that rolled up part - I didn't want to bend down in front of it and 1) risk blocking his escape route out the door and 2) if I knelt in front of it and used my hands to open the bag he'd probably jump right into my face with claws extended!!!

So I used the end of the broom stick and kept trying to pry it open and finally got it open so he could run out. Which of course he did ...not. I finally had to keep whacking the bag to scare him out of there - and he FINALLY after about 5 minutes ran out and straight out the door.

I phoned Patrick to tell him of my stressful ordeal. I also informed him that he ain't a baby and cute anymore, but bigger and blacker and more rodent-looking. Shoot - maybe it was the daddy....