Tiptoe the Chinese hamster

[Karen W]

I haven't had a chance to read all the posts yet, but I think Tiptoe is kind of like Flat Stanley. Am I right? You send Tiptoe around and (he/she?) lives and travels with you for a while and then Tiptoe is off to visit someone else.

Is that how it works?

Very cute.

Karen

[DonnaD]

Karen,
Please, please, please go back and read all the post about TipToe the Chinese hampster. You will laugh till you cry. She will soon be a celebrity. Do hope the press gets her name right, lets see its Tip Toe, Tip, Tipsy and Tippy? Wonder what one she likes best. Lets hope she does not take after Brittney. Andi if she wants to be a bartender tell her NO!

Can't wait to meet her in San Antonio.
Donna

[PinkGirl]

Yes Wendy, Tiptoe is just like Flat Stanley only she's not flat. She will be visiting everyone on this Board who wants her (and her journal.)

Andi.......... GATORS ??? You didn't mention that when you invited Tip to your house. I thought those things were only in the swamps somewhere in the deep south. Oh, I guess Florida is south.... I watched a CSI program one night where a gator ended up in someone's swimming pool.......flotation device or little rubber raft won't help Tip get through that.....

Your city sounds beautiful. There's so much for you to show Tiptoe. Did she tell you about the one grocery store here, and the stop signs? She kept asking me where the traffic lights were. I hope this adventure isn't too much for her.....culture shock.....Her dark eyes got huge when I told her to watch out for the black bears that come into town on "garbage day". Hopefully she can handle all of this.

[Andrea Barnett Budin]

Okay, Pinkie... BLACK BEARS?????? On garbage day? Oh, dear.

My friend's mother actually wound up w/a gator in her pool. Cut through her screening and came up from the lake (which is connected to the canals).

Some hang out on the golf courses, minding their own business. They have signs posted -- BEWARE OF ALLIGATORS. Once was Chase was a pup he ran away. My dghtr came w/her kids to help in the search. As darkness fell, and we were frantic, Paul went out in a golf cart w/my then 6 yr old granddghtr, calling for Chase to come. She could read. When she saw the sign, she said, OH MY GOD... And called even louder. CHASE!!! My then 3 yr old grandson stayed w/me at the house, hoping for a call. Mima, what will we do? I said, Have you ever prayed? Yes, he said. LET'S PRAY NOW.

We went out the next morning, Paul and I in 1 car w/Scamper and Ali in her car w/kids and Dibs and Dash. I had a Costco BarBQ chicken cut open in foil hanging out the car window, hoping to entice him w/the scent. Figured, if he survived, he'd be hungry. I PRAYED ALL NIGHT. And we got him! I think he was lost. He was frozen (from the coldest night of the yr, 50's, and/or from fear) in the bushes. Ali saw his big black eyes, pulled off the road (at the entrance to our *village*), put the car in gear and instructed the kids to hold their dogs leashes tight and NOT TO MOVE! She ran across the main road of the community I live in (Broken Sound) and snatched him up. He was shivering. Once in the car Dash (her Maltese cousin) jumped from the back seat and threw his body across Chase, to warm him up. We all cried w/joy!

All night I prayed that no alligator would eat him for dinner...
Andi

[Andrea Barnett Budin]

TIPTOE AMONG THE FLORA IN BOCA...
[IMG]aoladp://MA17536173-0012/boysandtiptoe%20041.JPG[/IMG]
Andi

This is miraculous...

[Andrea Barnett Budin]

A miraculous failure. Sorry. I'm working on it...

[Andrea Barnett Budin]

[IMG]file://paul-hp-pc/pictures/2007-10-11%20boysandtiptoe/boysandtiptoe%20041.JPG[/IMG]

[Andrea Barnett Budin]

Okay. PINKIE -- HOW'D YOU DO IT???????

[StillHere]

How is Tip Toe on keeping secrets? Remember I am taking my daughter (caregiver extrodanair) to Miraval with me for her supprise Christmas Present. I do hope Tippy won't spoil the supprise. I have known some hamsters to get quite chattie after a couple of belts. Maybe it would be better if she came just after Christmas, but before Jan 2nd. Andi-Could you test her ability to keep tight lipped somehow? Maybe tell her something you don't want Paul to know and see if she can keep your secret in confidence.
I was already planning on taking part in Miraval's group activities about Mindfulness and Meditation, but I will pick out a few that I think Tip would benefit from. Does she prefer a window seat or the ailse? Hope she can run fast. We only have a 26 min layover in Denver on our way to Tucson. Sherri, Chrisy, StephN and I will take loads of pictures of Tip Toe relaxing at the SPA.
FYI-Miraval still has openings for 1/2 to 1/5-2008 with the $200.00 daily discount if anyone has decided they really need some R & R after the holidays.
Wonder who will have Tip for Halloween? Will she ware a costume, or is she anti-pagen rituals?

[Andrea Barnett Budin]

JUST COPYING THIS FROM ANOTHER THREAD -- FOR ALL TIPTOE FOLLOWERS TO KEEP UP TO DATE...

Marie and Brenda -- you girls are very efficient! Which is a good thing. We need to be organized. A calendar of itinerary is a super idea.

Wait till you lay eyes on Pinkie's Journal! (BTW, P -- what kind of glue do you suggest??) This book is a work of art!! No kidding. Most impressive. And intimidating to live up to its high standards.

Paul has copied the pic of Tipsy and -- is that the Dalai Lama(?) that Pinkie forgot to include in her package. Forgive my ignorance. I know that face. Just can't remember his name...

Just to let you know... Tiptoe is darling. She likes when you stroke her hunched back with your index finger. She gives you this look, like she's blissed out. Just took a pic (WHICH I HAVE NOT YET FIGURED OUT HOW TO GET FROM THE COMPUTER TO THIS SITE!!! **#!??* -- but The Pink One is helping from Canada -- all for the cause -- sharing). She was on the comfy chair in my bedroom w/Chase and Scamp looking out the double sliding glass doors overlooking the pool and greenery. I actually saw Chase, who was closest, lick her! Several times. He is generally very stingy in that area, whereas the Scamp is a lover, giving kisses to any one. They have both quickly grown quite fond of the tiny one... Chase put a paw on her back, trying to get her to play w/him. She didn't move. Guess she's content just to hang. And I don't mean by her prehensile tail.

Can't wait till my grandkids meet her on Sunday! Did I tell you the pink plastic bc bracelet I had for her is way too big, so I have put it around her neck as a lovely necklace. I have a HOPE charm dangling from it. That, with Pinkie's teeny blue stud earrings that seem to bring out the sparkle in Tippy's eyes make her look especally beautiful. Not to mention the pink hair extensions Pinkie has woven behind Tip's right ear! She enjoys all the pampering. I can tell. She's a real girly girl.

Oh, and I learned that Tip loves all veggies. (Tomato leaves are poisonous though, so be careful...) And as for fruits -- they contain too much sugar and cause hamsters to develop diabetes -- so even though T sniffs them, I take them away. Seeds and grains and nuts are good however (and the insides of Birds Of Paradise are a real treat!).

We are having the best time! Oh, and Karen, I told Tiptoe not to tell Paul about our meditation sessions -- just to test her ability to keep a secret... Turns out, he can't understand her little pipsqeaky voice anyway. Must be a sound only *women* can hear... Sometimes I say to Paul, What's that sound? And he says, What sound. And we're extra quiet. And he says, I don't hear any thing. And I clearly do hear this high-pitched shrillish sound (maybe coming from the radio that has the volume turned wayyy down). Women are especially sensitive, as y'all know, in many ways.

With loving energy and hugs,

Andi

[PinkGirl]

are being worked on. Please do not adjust your television set.......

Here goes, straight from Florida to Canada and back to where ever this is... Attachment 132

[Andrea Barnett Budin]

Does that not look like a happy hamster or what?? By my front door on Day 1 (see above posts w/o pics describing pic)...

I too am sooo happy! I bow to the genius of The Pink One and her computer skills. I'M ELATED WITH YOUR GENEROSITY OF SPIRIT! THANK YOU, THANK YOU...

I'm waiting for Paul to get home tonight to help me get more pics on this site without bothering Canada for help. Lots more pix to come. Maybe. Definitely in the Journal anyway. That's easy. Working w/pixels however is a dead end zone for me. Paul, w/Pink's instructions in his hand (again thanks for the detailed email for the technically challenged) is my only hope right now. Not that I've given up trying myself. But, let's just say my time would be better spent printing out Journal entries...

We ALL thank you, Pinkie, from adopting Tiptoe in the first place -- to caring for her -- to outfitting her and sharing with us all! Your fun energy is glowing from all the way up there, down to southern Florida, w/prospects all over the place... You're spreading sunshine everywhere! Look what you created? With the seed of an idea and a sense of humor that is dearly cherished by us all! Thanks for being you, Pinkie!!

LOVE YOU, AND ALL MY SISTERS AND BROS...

Andi

[PinkGirl]

I forgot to mention about her whiskers that easily flatten and stick to her cheek. I think a bit of hair gel or maybe hair spray may help. It's an ongoing thing - I wasn't able to fix it for her.

[PinkGirl]

Andi will have to supply the narration...

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[Andrea Barnett Budin]

How do you spell AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH (scream). So excited...

Okay. Tip favorite activity is foraging. Take her to the Morikami Orchid Gardens for special Tea Ceremony and she's off burrowing happily. She has a bit of a time running in my house, slipping on the marble floors with those tiny feet and nails. But she's a good climber and gets into my house plants, even the ones up on the tea cart.

As you know -- she's a great BELIEVER. So I showed her my BELIEVE rock and my BELIEVE sign (which Paul keeps promising to put above my office door).

Isn't she precious? I feel like a proud grandma. She's very precocious. Good-natured. Curious. Open minded. Amenable. Adaptable. And smart!

I'm 3/4 of the way to posting my own pictures. But will never give up, I promise you. (I'm really counting on Paul's help later tonight.) But Pinkie's been wonderful taking my emails to her and doing her magic thing (which involves a scanner, which we own, but is in its original 2 yr old box). We don't know how to hook it up. And then, we'd have to figure out how to actually use it. So we're a bit hamstrung. I can reduce pix and I can email them but I can't get the reduced pix to go to the web. YET. NEVER GIVE UP. NEVER GIVE IN. That's my motto...

LOVE AND HUGS TO ALL (and kisses for our Pinkie! on both cheeks),
Andi

[PinkGirl]

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These aren't very clear - they are traveling a lot of miles before you get to see them. The sign Tip is reading is about "not feeding the gators". She is wearing her pink "hope" necklace. Very sweet puppies Andi........

[Andrea Barnett Budin]

Pinkie has a heart of gold! I am incapable of posting my own pics, but Pink is doing the job -- for all of us to share and enjoy. A round of applause please. I cannot say THANK YOU enough...

[PinkGirl]

Andi will have to explain these later.............

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[Andrea Barnett Budin]

Tip loves palm fronds. Leaves of any kind. She went near my little red pepper plant and I told her not to nibble. Hot red peppers can't be good for her. She sweetly just sniffed and admired its fabulous color!

This half moon table represents my MEDITATION SPACE. Pictures of my children and my children's children abound, along w/a healing candle (purple = healing) from a friend that I refuse to burn and need to SAVE -- and Tiptoe, who joins me for my meditations. I soak up the energy of each person I hold closest to my heart. I sit on the little bench (it faces East, where the sun rises each day) and I go deep within and connect w/my Spirit, at my core. I emerge full of bliss and serenity and Empowerment!!! It's just a tiny space in a hallway outside my bedroom, but it's mine. Of course, I shared it with Tiptoe. Can you see her? She's really teeny...

**********************
Also, there's the pic of a miniature bottle of scotch that Tip found in my liquor stash. See Pinkie's little round green container with nuts for Tip that were included in her package? I gave Tipsy a small bowl to drink from. She finished the scotch and fell in! Then, we went to sleep...

The Pink One has sacrificed at least one costly ink jet to print out not only her pictures but mine, as I am incapable of scanning. (Our scanner is in its original box on the floor in Paul's office for several yrs now.) We all owe Pinkie eternal gratitude. Her generosity of Spirit is extraordinary. It can only be matched by her tenacity, cutting and scanning and whatever she does to magically make the pics appear on the web! We're both so proud of our TIPTOE. I know Marie and Ed will watch over her next. I have slated Monday as Journal day and will get it all together for mailing...and passing on...
Andi

[PinkGirl]

Andi told me I didn't have to post these, so I took that to mean that she wanted me to post them.

Here goes...the pictures are of Tiptoe in her Barbie accessories, in a Barbie house, in a race car, with Andi's three beautiful grand babies, and with Andi and one of the grand babies. Hope you enjoy........

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