THANK YOU, FRIENDS

We're still hanging in there, with you, in our little boat.
This drawing's title is "Best Friends in the Boat of Life."
That's Us. 
Love You.
chana, YumYum, VinnyGuinea, & BhindiGuinea

FAIRY CONVENES FIRST INTERNATIONAL PIG-A-THON OF PEACE PIGS TO HONOR LOVED ONES

IT TAKES A FAIRY'S MAGIC to find a way
to bring us all together for healing and happiness
after so much loss that has touched each of our 
households, some more than others, but we are 
so close that miles and oceans no longer separate
broken hearts. And 2012 has been a Heartbreaker.


While mom can only post in short fits and starts, she and
Fairy's mum and the meeri's mum, and Almond Joy and
Millie Bea's mom will all be helping us create the first
EVER INTERNATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF 
PEACE PIGS!


We look forward to posting photographs of our
growing membership and Fairy will include Magic
with each membership herbal melange bestowed 
upon each new member. Once someone tells me
what a melange is: a hybrid watermelon/orange?


Who knows? Mom has already noticed my
vexation at YumYum for having me forcibly
removed from the Big Pen which I get to
express - unlike him - because guess
which one of us ISN'T NEUTERED?
ME!
MOM CALLS ME BHINDI-BOY BECAUSE
SHE THINKS I AM TOO "PRETTY" TO
BE A BOY AND WHILE COMBING ME
LAST NIGHT KEPT REFERRING TO ME
AS A SHE, WHICH VEXED ME, AS WELL!


Still, my runabouts with VinnyGuinea remain
way too much fun, and watching him race up
and down our carrot which mom propped up
at a 45 degree angle is so funny I just roll
over on my back grabbing my furry, swirly
tummy to keep it from exploding in GLEE!
THAT VINNY IS A CLOWN! WE ALL
HOPE HE DOESN'T GET MUCH BIGGER
BECAUSE HE STILL SCOOTS AND MAKES
UP TRICKS NONE OF THE REST OF US
CAN DO. WELL, EDWIN CAME TO HELP
MOM TODAY.
HE CAME.
HE ENTERED.
HE LEFT.
SOMETHING ABOUT NEEDING A HAIRCUT?
NOW HE COMES AND GOES.
MORTIFICATION, WHO DOESN'T 
HAVE IT LOOKING AT THIS MESS?
THEN MOM FORGOT TODAY IS
MONDAY AND THOUGHT IT WAS
SUNDAY AND THEN REALIZED SHE
HAD ONE LESS DAY TO CLEAN BEFORE
INSPECTOR CLOUSEAU VISIT...
NOT TO MENTION, IN THE MIDST OF
ALL THE PILES OF TRASH SHE HAD
SHREDDED SHE NOTICED SOMETHING
QUITE NOT-GOOD: AN UNCASHED
CHECK FROM THE ART GALLERY!
YUPPERS!
SO SHE GOT TO CALL RICK AND SAY...


WHICH IS WHY WE WILL NOT BE RETURNING
YOUR LOVING EMAILS UNTIL TOWARDS THE
END OF THE WEEK. BECAUSE OUR SIX WORD
CLASSIFIED AD STILL HAS NOT BEEN ANSWERED:


"DESPERATELY NEEDED:
FUNCTIONAL BRAIN,
URGENT PLEA!"


love,
Bhindi "I AM A BOY AND WILL SKUNK YOU IF YOU DOUBT IT!"
Then pet me and love me and feed me, thank you.
And, Fairy, well done, little lassie... well done.

MOM IN BIG TROUBLE NOW!

Bhindi Here. Mom is in BIG, BIG, GINORMOUSE TRUBBLE!
The Housing Inspection is Wednesday...

And the only thing she's cleaned around here in two weeks
is her hair! And she didn't even do THAT until LAST NIGHT.
So she was supposed to go to bed early because Edwin is coming up from Seattle early and staying late before taking the bus back
then going to work on Tues, all to help her.
They'll kick back a few shots of espresso:
 BADDA-BING! BADDA-BOOM! RIGHT?
DOUBT IT. EDWIN? NO DOUBT! GOOD MAN!
WITH MOM AROUND?
FUGGETABOUTIT!
(i like talking all "New Jersey" it's fun!)


Did I mention annual inspection and the only thing she 
done is her hair and she ain't even given us our 
antibiotics yet? whew.


Six Words:


"Lost Mind.
Please Return.
Desperately Needed."


SHE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO RETURN EMAILS UNTIL
AFTER THE INSPECTION BUT PLEASE DO KEEP
WRITING AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO PUBLISHING
MORE OF YOUR BEAUTIFUL MEERIS AND 
ENLARGING OUR FAMILY OF FURRY FRIENDS!


LOVE ALL,
BHINDI
(don't tell no one, but i'm gettin' a friend once
the vet clears us for take-off! YumYum still 
blaming me for the vet! At least I get runabouts
with Vinny and we have lots o'fun, but once
back in my cage I feel so all alone...so
getting me a new friend, just don't tell
NOBODY!)

BAVARIAN MEERIS! WOWEE!

OH MY GOSH, LOOK WHO INGRID
AND HELMUT SENT TO CHEER US UP!
IT'S SUNNY, MEERI-BOY (NOT SUNNY, BUT IT'S 5 a.m. so...) SPITZMAUS,
AND A VIEW OF SOME MIGHTY COZY
LIVING QUARTERS.


IS IT WRONG TO FALL IN LOVE WITH A FAVORITE OR TWO OR THREE AND WANT TO PET AND BRUSH AND GROOM AND FEED THEM TREATS, AND HEAR THEM PURR ON MY LAP AND WATCH THEM POPCORN TOGETHER AND SEE HOW
DIFFERENT THEIR PERSONALITIES ARE
AND REMEMBER, THESE ARE ONLY THREE OUT OF A TOTAL OF EIGHT!


DON'T  YOU LOVE THEIR NAMES?
SPITZMAUS? IT'S NOT OUR FAULT 
IF WE FALL IN LOVE, THEY
ARE SO BEAUTIFUL,
WHO WOULDN'T?


THANK YOU INGRID AND HELMUT
FOR SHARING YOUR BAVARIAN
BUNDLES OF JOY! FAIRY SAID YOU
WERE SPECIAL AND FAIRY KNOWS 
THESE THINGS AND SHE IS ALWAYS
RIGHT AND THIS TIMES SHE OUTDID
HERSELF WITH RIGHT-NESS AND
WE ARE SO HAPPY GETTING TO KNOW 
OUR NEW COUSINS IN BAVARIA
JUST IN CASE OUR VOLCANO GETS...
WELL, YOU KNOW, THE STEAM AND THE
LAVA, THE MUDSLIDES, AND THE EXPLOSIONS AND WHAT-NOTS...
YOUR MOUNTAINS DON'T DO THAT,
DO THEY? WE SHALL BEGIN TEACHING
VINNY-GUINEA, YUM-YUM, AND BHINDI
BAVARIAN-GUINEA-WHEEK...YOU KNOW, JUST IN CASE...


THANK YOU FOR GIVING US A SERVING
OF YOUR JOY! NOW WE CAN IMAGINE
LOVING THEM AS OUR VERY OWN...


WITH FAIRY AND MARIGOLD BRINGING
BALLOONS AND MAGIC CARROTS
AND SPECIAL TOADSTOOLS.
OOOOH, THIS JUST GETS BETTER AND BETTER! THANK YOU!

FRIENDSHIP DRAWN

FRIENDSHIP IN MY IMAGINATION.
DRAWN FOR ARTISAN'S GALLERY.
TIGHTLY WOVEN TAPESTRY OF LOVE.
YOU ARE ALL IN EVERY BREATH
I TAKE NOW, INSEPARABLE.
AND IT IS GOOD.
IT IS HOLY.
I HAVE BEEN BLESSED BY
A TRAGEDY WITH LOVE INFINITE.
THIS IS ONE OF MY DRAWINGS
ILLUSTRATING HOW I PERCEIVE LOVE.
YOU ARE IN IT.
WHEREVER YOU WANT TO BE.
THIS IS FOR YOU.

GRIEF: SIX WORDS

Hair Washed:
Inhale.
Exhale.
Repeat.
Smile?

Found...

A few summers ago, when I could still walk,
Edwin and I spent a long, long day hiking the lakes 
and high trails around Mount Baker. 
We picked wild blueberries, prayed by ponds
of glacial melt, and languished in the altitude where
 I always seem to forget I have ever been ill...


We came across a number of free-standing rock sculptures
to which Edwin added his own touches.


This one really spoke to me.
If we had our way, it is where we would like to have
spread the guinea pigs' ashes but under the circumstances
I am still trying to find strength to wash the bird's nest
out of my hair! They know this is where we will go
to remember them. They also know everywhere we
go we will remember them. They also know we cannot
ever stop remembering them, nor would we
ever want to, for we are all better for their
having been in our lives, our Little Buddhas!


As each one died, I wrapped him or her in my favorite
pillowcase to take to the vet for cremation and have
come up with another 6 word short story:


"For Sale:
Pillowcases.
Broken heart included."


love,
Chana

LOVE FROM AROUND THE WORLD

WE FEEL QUITE SURE
THAT INGRID, HELMUT, AND
THEIR 8 MEERIS WOULD
BE HUMBLED IF WE ACCEPTED
THEIR PRECIOUS GIFT OF LOVE
AS COMING FROM EACH AND 
EVERY ONE OF YOU WHO HAVE
BEEN THERE AND CONTINUE
TO SUPPORT US THROUGH THIS
DIFFICULT TIME...


YOUR CONDOLENCES...WE MUST
NOW TURN INTO PRAYERS FOR
YUM-YUM, VINNY-GUINEA,
AND BHINDI'S LIVES, PLEASE.


PLEASE...

YumYum, Move Your Butt! We're Squooshed!

The other day mom took all three of us to the vet to have
her head examined. We all got checked out, cleared, and showed
no symptoms of the killer pneumonia, so were given a round
of "pre-emptive" antibiotics that we are not enjoying.
Once mom actually FINDS OUR MOUTHS then finds
the place between our front chompers and our molars
and gives it a good squirt, it's actually quite tasty,
but make no mistake, we put her through it!
How dare she?


And what have we gotten for all this? Killer YumYum
has returned to his old self. While he (and everyone) continues
to adore that wee scamp VinnyGuinea, I am now being
attacked by YumYum and being blamed for everything,
LIKE, HELLO?! I JUST GOT HERE!
So now I have to live ALONE in a separate cage,
although it is adjacent to theirs and Vinny goes
back and forth to play with me, to play with YumYum,
but he lives with YumYum and - check THIS OUT -
YumYum keeps coming to the bars of his cage,
acting like he misses me so, shoving his bossy snout
out to touch mine in a show of loneliness, the cad!
THANKS A LOT, MOM.
(except for yeah, if the antibiotics save our lives, then I'll really mean it.)


Now for the bad news.
Mom didn't do well without Raj next to her bed or in her bed
last night.


Now for the worst news:
When she took him to the vet to be cremated with his brother and
friends yesterday she found out what she feared most.
Whatever type of pneumonia the herd caught presents symptoms
which can remain dormant for weeks, but once they become
active they are antibiotic resistant and the disease is fatal
in one to three days. There is no cure. Period. For no stone
has been left unturned and all who began showing symptoms
have died. 


Now for the worst of the worst news (about me):
When mom got me to befriend Raj after Coconut died, he was
not presenting any symptoms at all. She did not yet understand
the nature of this killer pneumonia and naively placed me
with him to give him comfort and a reason to live through
the grief, and not give up. Therefore, I was exposed to the disease.


Now for worse news:
When he began displaying symptoms, she was not thinking
clearly and immediately place me with YumYum and VinnyGuinea, thus exposing whatever killed Raj and Coconut
and everybody else to all three of us. Now, we have all
been exposed. We are all taking "pre-emptive"
antibiotics and have one thing going for us, which is
none of us were housed in the same areas at Parkers
where our brothers and Coconut originally caught
the fatal viral or bacterial infection leading to
this killer pneumonia...so, while we have the best
survival chances, mom CANNOT get any more
guinea pigs and she now lives knowing that
once one of US gets sick...


You know the rest.
What we all went through, AGAIN.


What's more disgusting to us is that she has
not even washed her hair in two weeks.


love,
Bhindi


P.S. Please feel free to leave comments. We simply need
to moderate them now due to the presence of some num-nut.
Thank you.

Love From Bavaria...

Our Little Fairy, who was secretly engaged to Raj Mahal, introduced us to her dear friends, Ingrid and Helmut and their 8 meeris (guinea pigs) in Bavaria a few months ago. We think we would really, really like Bavaria because it sounds like Bellingham with more mountains,
just without the islands and the whales. 


That little Fairy is so well-connected can you imagine the wedding?!
It would have made Kate Middleton's look so...so humble, we are sure of it, for Fairy is nothing if not a social butterfly! 


ALAS.

HOLINESS

~February 17, 2012~


Last night the cab never showed 
up so I took it as a sign of hope.
Raj endured his hydrated food mixture and super-charged antibiotics like a real trooper. And he was in pain. A lot of pain. The vet at the 24 Hour Emergency Clinic remembered me from Calvin and suggested I have pain meds on hand for times like these.
For when the cab doesn't show up.


Then I "got" to give those other three scoundrels their antibiotics.
Bhindi's mouth was nearly impossible to even find beneath
his swirly-fur face and he kept wiggling and shaking his head
back and forth. VinnyGuinea simply slithered effortlessly out
from between my hands and made his escape, running around
looking for Bhindi to play with him. YumYum was grumpy
from his trip to the vet with those two earlier in the day.


By 4:30 a.m. Raj was doing so poorly I still wanted to take 
him to the vet but clearly he was not going to last the night.
So, once the little Pirates had all been caught, given their
antibiotics in different doses according to their weight,
all syringes washed thoroughly and laid out to dry,
I tucked Raj beneath the covers next to me for the night.
By this time he was having frequent, painful seizures
but I felt that the two of us all cozy and warm together
in my bed was the best place and way for him to
spend his last night and this morning when I awoke
only a few hours later, he had mercifully gone to
join his brother, Taj, and the rest of the herd.


Nothing remains now but to keep the Pirates from
even getting sick in the first place.


And figuring out how to post your comments here since 
a few of my close friends and I have attracted the
undesired attention of a rogue person when we
least need it.


If your comment does not appear here, please re-send it
until I figure it out because even the space between the
letters of every word you write brings us comfort.
And our gratitude dwells in an inexpressible place.


Love,
Chana

The Cab That Never Came...

The same time I called for a cab, a shuttle flight from Seattle had arrived at the airport so no one ever came for us. And now it is so
late I am too sleepy.


Tried force-feeding Raj the wet food mixture version of his pellets
and dry treats but he threw up. His breathing is worse, he seems to

be in pain, and he is moaning. He keeps coming to the edge of my bed to be picked up and I have stopped life-saving interventions other than going down to the car where I left their antibiotics, which I will give him. Other than that, he is being combed, petted, and we are just hanging out. Then he gets up once he is worn out so I place  him back on the floor and he finds a place to lie down, his breathing rapid and shallow. It appears doubtful he will survive the night but at least he will be home.

And YumYum has decided that after being packed into a tunnel with Bhindi today, that it was all Bhindi's fault and the "old" YumYum began his familiar saber-rattling, teeth chattering, and lunging, so dear, innocent Bhindi is now in a separate cage adjacent to Vinny and YumYum, with Vinny being shared between them. Vinny misses Bhindi so much I had to pile up a bunch of Tunnel Floors so he could get high enough to at least see Bhindi and touch noses! Those two! Would really have been nice for the three of them to have been able to live peacefully together but Bhindi and Vinny are certain to have many happy adventures in the future.

Must go down to give and administer their antibiotics now; keep looking at Raj to see if he is still breathing. Can this get any harder? I don't want to know...