TAJ MAHAL DEEP IN THOUGHT

"I am thinking, I just know I am."

TAJ HAS AN ANNOUNCEMENT!

can you hear me now? can you hear me now?
(EDITOR: TAJ, honey, just type!)

ok, ok, so, so GET THIS, MODS! Not only can I imitate Molly's calls for McGee but I can even turn my head all the way around like a barn owl: WATCH! WHEEEEEEEEeeeeeeeeeeeek....SPLAT!

mom, dizzy, mom? how de owlies do it, i so dizzy...is dat my brother or a spaceman? whaaaa? SPLAT! oh my, oh my, oh my.

WHAT ARE THEY EVEN THINKING?!

Dear Readers,

Sometimes i just don't get the Mahal brothers, and judging from this photograph, neither do they!

AN AMAZING DISCOVERY!

Dear Readers,

It isn't that you don't think I am credible as a journalist, but I chose to bring my editor in tonight to back me up because of how extraordinary this particular story is:
We're MODS, too, which means we join mom waiting to hear Molly call for McGee every night and, if you have heard it yourself, you know she has a highly distinguished, LOUD, REPETITIVE clicking call.
All Molly, Only Molly! And you can hear it a mile away!

When Raj and Taj were adopted back in April, you will recall my reporting that Taj displayed a highly unusual, rare behaviour for a guinea pig, which is that he "chirped" like a bird. And, as rare as that is, we
have never read any descriptions of males chirping in the annals of Guinea Pig Natural History.
Thus, we knew right off the bat that Taj was an extraordinary vocalist and we had a very special herdmate.

Well!  Tonight we all heard him imitating Molly's loud, clicking call for McGee just as mom was offering Taj
a late night snack! We were stunned as he clicked and chirped JUST LIKE MOLLY! Incredible. He's like a mynah bird or a parrot, that Taj: he imitates sounds of other species never before heard out of the mouth of a guinea pig.

Because we waited nervously for hours tonight for McGee to finally show up, (so late we all worried perhaps something had happened to him)  we were still awake when Taj did his Molly imitation! SENSATIONAL! That's why i brought mom on board, so's you would know I wasn't making up a story about a guinea pig imitating a barn owl! And not just any guinea pig, either: our own Taj Mahal. We so amazing, we are!

Love,
YumYum

OUR MOMENTS OF ZEN

TAJ MAHAL ASKS FOR HIS OWN AVATAR

Dear Taj Mahal,

It has recently come to our attention that you are interested in Twittering on Molly's Owl Box and, to that end, have sent in a requisition form for an avatar of your own.

We regret to inform you that, while we support your noble efforts to use Internet Social Media, you are out of luck.

To enable you to understand why we are denying your request, please refer to the following Blog post.

Yours Sincerely,
CyberGalactica, Inc.

1SKATER

Dear Readers, for months mom has been trying to figure out a way to put a photo on her TWITTER avatar,
always unsuccessfully. We are proud to report that mom has not changed, and she still has not figured out a way to put her photo on TWITTER (and likely never will.)
So, here is the only place you are ever likely to see the TWITTER avatar for 1skatr.

p.s. Even a guinea pig could figure THAT OUT!
we giggle all day long!
love, YumYum

WE LOVE THIS BLOG: IT'S ALL ABOUT GUINEA PIGS! WWWhhhheeeeeek!

CT Guinea Pig Rescue: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"

Dear wonderful readers,

The above link is to an excellent blog posted by the folks at a guinea pig rescue from a place that is hard for me to spell. Just click the above CT Guinea Pig Rescue. Well done!

If you are enslaved by or are considering becoming enslaved by your very own guinea pig, please learn as much as you can about us first, so that your piggy (hopefully, piggies, they need company, we are HERD animals) will be as happy and healthy and loving as a guinea pig can be: and that's A LOT OF LOVE!

YumYum out!

P.S. We saw Boris the Spider last night in the middle of the night when mom couldn't sleep and decided that we like Boris very much, especially when he climbs onto the front of the camera lens and dances!

MY NAME IS YUM-YUM AND I AM A MOD

Now that Molly's first egg-hatch due date is August 8th, we're all up and into it! We can't help getting swept away in the sweet anticipation of fuzzy, bobble-headed, wobbly owlets face-planting as they struggle comically to stand in gag-shag many inches deep already! We watch and giggle as if they are our own.
And, since Mom is hopelessly back into MollyWatching,  if you can't beat 'em, join 'em!  So, we're stocking up for Aug. 8, knowing that once "Egg-Hatch Watch" commences we'll be glued to the screen with mom and the rest of our MOD family...We even feel affection for Boris, the spider who crawls across the lens of the camera, fogging up our view with his web-making dance.  Boris, our new friend! We love all.

Transformer Owl: MODS, YA GOTTA SEE THIS!

DEAR READERS,
THIS IS NOT MOLLY! THIS IS THE "TRANSFORMER OWL" AND IT'S REAL!
HANG ON TO YOUR WITS!
LOVE,
THE GUINEA PIG TRAVELING CIRCUS

GONNA BLEND IN, GONNA HIDE BY BLENDING IN: CAN'T TOUCH THIS!

Precious Readers,

By now you all know that both Raj and Taj Mahal are already neutered, only Raj is on REwind and doesn't seem to realize the dastardly deed hath already been done, and he's a much tamer, calmer, healthier, AND happier guinea pig as a result! Let's take a vote: who gets to tell him? Me, Taj, or mom?

Personally, I think Raj's tailfeathers are all up in a ruffle because he thought the vet was going to snip his gorgeous coiff!

NO WAY! We love your "tailfeathers" Raj, it's just that you and Taj were "playing" too rough and mom and the vet both

feared you might accidentally hurt one another...not to mention how unpleasant it has been for me to have the two of

you behaving that way adjacent to my chaste, pure cage!

Been done, dude! ChilLax, already! You're neutered, Taj is neutered, I am neutered, and we are a peaceful guinea pig
nation now that our hormones are in the vault!

love,
YumYumYummy!

GONNA HIDE, NOT GETTING NEUTERED, NOT GETTING NEUTERED!

HOUSTON, WE HAVE MOLLY ON-SCREEN AND LIVE FOR TAKE-OFF

BLOG « Molly's Box: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"

lots of ways to watch Molly, McGee, and her four eggs, one of which mom swears she saw move
Thursday nigh, or wobble...or hiccup. who are we to deny that owlets hiccup in their shells?!

IN LOVING MEMORY OF PANDA PIG AND BEAR, THE BEAVER PIG

Dear Readers,

We just received the ashes of our beloved friends and herdmates yesterday, and want to share with you that we miss them
every day, in every way. Our only consolation is that now Raj and Taj Mahal have a forever home with us, and those two
NEEDED ONE! When they came here, neither had ever been held, petted, or touched and they were already nine months
old, not neutered and - quite frankly - wild little fellows! They would not have made good pets for children, they would have
died of grief had they been adopted out separately to two different households, and yet HERE they fit in perfectly!
Wonder of wonders! The "Herd that Hears" can listen to profound grief, joy, and gratitude ALL AT THE SAME TIME.
We guinea pigs amaze ourselves, honestly we do!

love,
YumYum

Molly the owl returns with second clutch - SignOnSanDiego.com

Molly the owl returns with second clutch - SignOnSanDiego.com: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"

PRETTY BIRD AND A DIRECT LINK TO THE OWLCAM
LIVE from this link...ENJOY!

THE VET DID WHAT TO US, EXACTLY?!

WE BEEN SNIPPED! WE BEEN SNIPPED: OUR MAN-PARTS GONE FOREVER!
GONNA GET DAT VET, GONNA GET DAT MOM!
although, I FEEL SO MUCH LIGHTER, somehow...wonder why? GOT ICE CREAM?

"THE TAMING"

Dear Fine Friends, feathered and otherwise,

Don't look now, but Raj Mahal, oh he of Royal Wild Demeanor, is starting to like mom!

Could it be the celery?

Could it be the carrots? The home-grown, organic wheatgrass perhaps?

Or mom just climbing into the Runabout and hanging out while Mahals tug at her
overalls or denim jumper because hidden in the crevices are slices of something
juicy-fruity and yummy?

All I know is this: once on her lap, they stay to be petted, even groomed, and when
mom stops petting them they look up at her until she says "Oh, you want more?"
and pets them more.

Don't know what them Mahals call it, but mom and me, we calls it "The Taming"
and figures what they don't know won't hurt them!

Big Shout Out to am and Oboe, who invited mom over today and made her happy!
Thanks, spiritual/art friends! We sure miss you. Loves, usn's

WHEN I WAS A WEE LITTLE LADDIE

TONIGHT since we both have insomnia, mom and I looked through old photographs and found this gem of me when I was still just a wee piglet, a runt, but loved by mom and PandaPig, who raised me. I miss PandaPig. He was the best part of my youth.
Now I am the alpha male of the Herd That Hears and although I remain nearly half the size of the rest of the herd, I learned
how to be a good Herd Patriarch and am guiding the Mahals as they slowly become tame. My name is YumYum and this is
the blog I inherited from PandaPig. We changed the format, and hope you like it! YumYum and mom had better go to bed now!

SUSAN AND BOWLS OF LATTES! DOES IT GET ANY BETTER THAN THIS?

Mom's friend Susan from Seattle is hoping to come up this week with daughter Shaina and new grandson, Seamus, who will not be sharing our lattes. Since mom has been acutely ill for quite some time, we can hardly wait because when Susan comes
and they all get caffeinated, it's like the circus has come to town! Cheers up mom, cheers up us, cheers up everyone!

We hope our veterinary visits do not interfere with the CaffeineConvergence...maybe they'll even make plans for a hike up
to Artist Point again this summer. This coffee shop is on the way to Mt. Baker, so if they don't make it all the way to the
mountain, who cares? Two bowls of caffeine, they'll be on Mars!

TIGER GARDEN

THE generous landscape artists from MIchelle Chateau Creations practically gifted mom an indoor bonsai garden worth quite a lot.

She inhabited it with two tiger cubs and they enjoy exploring the different plantings, terrain, rocks, and magical touches

bestowed upon this celestial garden by its creators. You can find MIchelle Chateau Creations at the Public Market flea market

on weekends and a percentage of proceeds go to benefit the American Cancer Society. Thank you for blessing our home

with this beautiful garden. We are sure meeting some generous, kind souls since moving downtown, that's for sure!

WE ARE GETTING WHAT?!

Dear Readers, it hath been decreed that the time has come for Raj and Taj Mahal to get neutered.

Ha, ha!

They have grown nearly to the size of rabbits and behave like hormonally deranged, humping maniacs!
Mom is concerned they are going to accidentally injure themselves or one another with their HumpJumping antics which include a complete disregard for which end is being assaulted. Eeeew! Nasty Mahals.

HumpJumping gonna get them
Mahals in trouble, I knew it would, and now it has! Ha-Ha on them Mahals!

Unfortunately, mom noticed some blood in my pee tonight, so we ALL have to go to the vet Monday, darn it!
Shucks, I looked forward to having mom all to myself.
Well, all you have a nice weekend and the entire herd and mom send a special "WE LOVE YOU
SHOUT OUT" to Sir Dom's mom, Ann, in Seattle, who is experiencing severe pain and discomfort all over the place.

So, Ann, get well or I'll send the HumpJumpers your way and Sir Dom will be one surprised Iggie!

We love you, blessings to the sick (and sick in the head!) amongst us. Be well, be safe, be peaceful.

love, YumYum, the sicko Mahals, and mom, too!

And Then There Were Four « Molly's Box

And Then There Were Four « Molly's Box: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"

re: yes, we have posted this already but it makes us all so happy we don't care. HAPPY US.

MOLLY HAS LAID 4 EGGS AND WE KNOW THERE WILL BE MORE!

YOWLZA!

IN THIS BEAUTIFUL PHOTO, HER UNUSUAL POSTURE IS HER "COOLING POSE" TO ALLOW
AIR TO CIRCULATE AROUND HER, AS IT HAS BEEN HOT AND A BIT STORMY IN SAN MARCOS.

CARLOS MADE NEW ADDITIONS TO THE OWL BOX TO KEEP IT COOLER FOR HER AND IF
YOU READ HIS ENTIRE BLOG POST (LINKED HERE) YOU WILL ALSO SEE AN EXAMPLE
OF GRANDPARENTING AT ITS FINEST!

GO MOLLY, GO!

CARLOS IS ASKING MODS TO GUESS THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF HER NEW CLUTCH,
AND MOM GUESSED 6 EGGS, 6 WILL HATCH, 6 WILL FLEDGE!

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

PAUL SOUGHT BY PROUD WORLD CUP FANS IN SPAIN!

THEY WANT ME IN SPAIN?

THEY EAT OCTOPUSSES IN SPAIN!

YUM-YUM, RAJ, AND TAJ, WHAT UP?! PAUL HAVING OCTOPUS PANIC ATTACK! EIGHT TIMES WORSE
THAN YOURS!

Dear Paul,

We apologize and are so contrite that you accidentally saw the news posted below...it's just that when we wrote
"we've got your back" a spritely conversation ensued amongst us as to how to know exactly where your back is/was
so we could "have it" and we didn't want to ask...oopsie!

NO WORRIES, PAUL! WE'VE GOT YOUR BACK(S) AND NO ESPANOL NECESSARY! WE ARE A VEGAN
SANCTUARY!

Madrid zoo bids to buy Octopus Oracle from Germany - Yahoo! News

Madrid zoo bids to buy Octopus Oracle from Germany - Yahoo! News: "- Sent using Google Toolbar

HE'S ALREADY OURS, DO YOUR RESEARCH, PEOPLE, DON'T YOU READ OUR BLOG?

Good Morning, Paul, don't worry, we got your back(s) ????...however many there may be!

PAUL PREDICTS NAME CHANGES FOR US?

YumYum whispered through the hay that Paul senses mom considering a name change for us Mahals!

Eeeek! Why? Paul said that mom won't admit it, but most of the time she can't remember who is Raj
and who is Taj and now that we are becoming tame it is time to call us by names we also recognize and
that Raj and Taj sound too much alike. Paul said she recently found our original adoption papers and
one of us was named "Cooper" and, although she's not sure which one that is, she likes the name for
Raj...

Dear Readers,
Please ask mom to accept her cognitive brain-fog with grace and LEAVE US OUT OF IT! We are Raj
and Taj Mahal and what - is she gonna start calling me "Jack" or something? (Paul sensed she was
thinking of just calling me "Brown" since it's a name she would not forget.)  I've always been brown!
But I am also Taj Mahal, and will not respond to "Brown" as it is not dignified enough for a swirly, silky
Abyssianian as gorgeous, special, and humble as me!

Love,
Taj Mahal and please tell mom you love us the way we are. Many gracious thanks. MAHALS 4EVER!

PAUL PREDICTS...

Dear Readers,

Paul IS PSYCHIC! We were teasing him last night after mom went to bed.   After living in Germany, he was nonplussed by
anything we could throw at him. Tough-skinned little 'pus!

So, Taj taunted him to make a prediction about mom!

He grew quiet and thoughtful, turned those big eyes inwards, and remained unmoving for a nonosecond.

"Mom will wake up tomorrow morning with a half-eaten pop tart in her bed," he calmly informed us.

WHAT THE?!@@#$%#!

WE LAUGHED SO HARD THAT WE ALL ROLLED ON OUR BACKS AND HAD TO HOLD IN OUR LITTLE (EDITOR: NOT SO LITTLE) TUMMIES WITH OUR WEE LITTLE FEET, CONVULSING WITH HYSTERICAL GIGGLES!

It was fun. We decided to name Paul the "Psycho Psychic" Octopus!

UNTIL...

This morning mom came out of the bedroom, bleary-eyed, with a puzzled expression on her already permanently puzzled
face, and informed us that she did not understand life. "Would you guys believe I woke up with a half-eaten pop tart in my
bed this morning? Was I sleepwalking last night, fellas?"

We froze. Looked at one another. Said not a word.

"Well, I don't get it," she mumbled, tumbling into the kitchen for some coffee. "Don't get it, that's something Edwin
would do, not me, don't get it, don't get it..."

Paul IS PSYCHIC! If his flawless World Cup predictions didn't prove it, this absolutely DID.

EEEEEEEEEEEWWWWWWWWWWWWW......are we gonna have some fun with Paul, the Psychic Octopus!

love,
YumYum

PAUL THE OCTOPUS, "OUR OCTOPUS"

Farewell psychic mollusk: Octopus retires telepathic tentacles | KOMO News - Breaking News, Sports, Traffic and Weather - Seattle, Washington | Video: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"

If you watch long enough you will hear his very own song.

But you will also see what grisly fate awaited him had he not taken refuge here with us.

The octopus store gave us World Cup mollusks for him.

What's a mollusk, mom?

PAUL THE OCTOPUS!

JUST LOOK INTO THOSE BIG BEAUTIFUL EYES and you will
understand why we invited Paul the Octopus into our refuge after
German soccer fans threatened to throw him into a frying pan with
some olive oil and beer: hey, HE wasn't PLAYING ON YOUR TEAM,
people, so don't shoot the messenger. He can't help being psychic any more than you couldn't help losing the World Cup!

People, people!

So, now Paul is here with us, a 'Pus in the City and he is adjusting,
although not certain how he feels about guinea pigs and eating
wheatgrass...perhaps we will find him some Octopus food tomorrow
at the Octopus store downtown. Paul, we welcome you home!

PEACE MANDALA BY CHILDREN

On Saturday, July 10, the Birch Bay Meditation Center, where mom goes to meditate when she can, held their
second annual "Nature Art Fest" for kids and the theme was "Colour Me Peaceful." This is a free, all day, outdoor camp experience
offered for low-income & special needs children in the community ages 5 - 12,  run completely through volunteers and donations. Over 50 kids attended this year!

Beneath each of their "mandala stones" contains a word, a wish, for the world.

We thank all who participated because, clearly, peace is Colourful!

The Birch Bay Meditation Center is a beautiful, quiet retreat nestled amidst deep woods, open fields, an organic garden,
bee-hives, ponds, spectacular views of the San Juan Islands and is dedicated to serving the community through
the Science of Spirituality
as taught by Sant Rajinder Singh.

Mom made it out of bed yesterday and spent the whole day there, enjoying the company of other meditating friends
spending the afternoon together in the orchard with healthy, organic, home-made popsicles. Hip, hip, hooray
for days of wellness and peace enjoyed amongst like-minded, spiritual friends!