Fleacember

 
Holy hairballs! December is already here! Where’d the time go?
 
’Tis the time of year when temperatures drop and rats spend more time in their burrows, avoiding frigid ears and frozen whiskers. But I think someone forgot to squeak Old Man Winter to visit the southern United States: today’s high in Ratlanta, where I live, is a balmy 67°F!
 
Unfortunately that’s pretty paw for the course for this region of the country, which is why indigenous rodents refer to this month as Fleacember. Not all the fleas have died off since the weather hasn’t turned cold enough, and believe me, rats everywhere are itching to get those little buggers gone!
 
One rat-tastic thing about the month, though, is that with the coming of Christmouse I get to don (or is that Donner?) my Santa Paws duds! They’re this month’s fashion, no matter what the temp is outside.
 
Fleacember – and November, October, September, March, and February, for that matter – are months that invariably experience a roller-coaster ride in temperature fluctuations. So though it feels pawsome now, these moments will sadly be fleating. Soon enough Mr. Winter will get his message, and I’ll be freezing my little tail off. And as for Christmouse Day: with a hit-or-miss temperature bounce-back, it’s anybody’s guess as to weather we’ll be scampering about in shirt sleeves or fur coats!
 
In the meantime, I’ll keep my own seasonal suit right next to my fur, because with the magic that only Santa Paws can bring, he made sure the fabric will always be itch-inhibiting and flea-free!
 
Keepin’ it squeak,
Bob