Wednesday 8 October 2008

Guinea Pigs and Rocking Chairs.


What a morning.......the sun is shining so I'm in a fairly good mood! I love being able to sit here and type with the patio doors open and the sun shining in. It makes such a difference!


It was a sad start to the day though as one of our two remaining guinea pigs died in the night. We used to have 14 after we had two litters of babies. They were all adorable but one by one we have lost them. They've all had good long lives though, the youngest died aged 5 and these last two were born 7 years ago! It's always sad though. Bert was a real character.....he looked a bit ill a few months ago and so, as it was Summer, we took the decision to let them out of the cage permanently and free range on the lawn. They've had a wail of a time and have just loved mooching around, sun bathing, eating, sleeping.......just doing the things that guinea pigs love to do! On Saturday, Bert didn't seem himself. He looked a bit dosey and not very steady. His eyesight has been failing for a while but if you shook the food container he still came bounding up the grass.


On Monday he seemed worse again and when I went out to him he cried for me. Now don't laugh, I know the thought of a pig crying is an odd one but he just squealed as soon as he heard me. I picked him up and, without going into too much info, could see that he was having trouble with his number twos so I helped him and we cleared the backlog. After that he seemed more content and didn't cry anymore. He did eat but he just didn't seem himself. As the nights are getting colder we got out the cage for them and bedded them down with lots of woodchip. Yesterday he pottered around and seemed to eat and drink a bit but spent most of the day inside his house. This morning I found him gone. It is sad but I'm relieved it's over without too much suffering for him and I'm glad he had a lovely last few months on the lawn. Bert is the pig at the front of the photo.


I've also been moving furniture around this morning. Do you ever do one thing that leads to you doing loads more that you really didn't want to have to do? It all started with me bringing my trampetter in from the garage (yes, see I am trying to be healthier!) I had a go on it for all of a minute maybe and then climbed off again! I will try to do some on a daily basis though, just with more....supportive clothing on!! Then I had to try to figure out where to keep it! It doesn't look too huge outside but once I got it in......ginormous! It wouldn't fit anywhere inconspicuous so, long story cut short, I ended up having to move a cupboard, an ironing board, the telescope, a whole pile of toys and games and the rocking chair! Phewwww! I'm shattered now :)


Actually I had a bit of a moment moving the rocking chair. It's the one that my mum rocked me on when I was a baby, it's very special to me and it has cushions on that my mum made for me when I was pregnant with the Bean. I was rearranging the cushions when one of the covers came off and just for a second, on the inside of the cushion, I could smell my mum as if she was there with me. It was very emotional for me and I'm tearing up again a little just thinking of it. I miss her so SO much.........


Today I am accompanying SLA to the dentist. He has been having problems for about 6 weeks now and has so far had 3 courses of antibiotics but today I HOPE the dentist will actually DO something! Like take the darn things out! I have a feeling it may be soup for dinner :)

7 comments:

Dee said...

Aww, poor Bert. I did not laugh at the crying thing,I had a guinea pig, Julio, and understand that cry. Glad he had an enjoyable time near the end too.

Sorry about your mum, funny how smells can bring back such strong memories.

Sunshine said...

I am sooooo sad for Bert. Poor baby. But it does sound like he was loved, loved, loved...little sweetie.

Oh, your rocking chair comments just choked me up. I so get that. Once in a blue moon I'll catch a whiff of my grandma's colonge...like in the strangest places, with no one else around (i love that) and I get ALL sentimental.

The other day, I was at my parents house and they told me they just send a bunch of stuff to Goodwill (thrift store)and they told me they sent some of my grandma's stuff. A pewter pitcher. Well, they had gone there to look around (shop for treasures) and they actually see the pitcher there.

I didn't even really know what it looked like, but they said it had a dent in it. So of course I go there to see if I can find it (cuz I'm a little upset they didn't just give it to me first). I find it. Oh, just seeing something like that--of my grandma's-- in a big ol' STRANGE place like Goodwill was a little much for me. Had to get it. I'll have to take a pic and put it up. It's actually very pretty. AND it was my grandma's.

And good job bringing the exercise equip. in...So true how much bigger that stuff is INSIDE your house than in the garage.

Jayne said...

Dee - Julio is a fabulous name for a pig...I love it. They are such special little creatures.

Sunshine - He was certainly a loved piggy :) I'm glad you got your Grandma's vase, it's funny how the oddest things can suddenly seem the most important things in the world isn't it? x

Tamsyn Murray said...

Thanks for stopping by my blog. So sorry to hear about Bert, it's not much consolation but it sound like he had a long and happy life.

I have two indoor female rabbits, one of whom has just started thumping (All night. Very loudly. Grrrr). I'm going to have to phone the vet to get them booked in to be neutered...

Jayne said...

Tam - thanks for stopping by :) Your indoor rabbits sound adorable and I can't help giggling at them thumping all night, although I'm guessing it's not much fun when you're trying to get some sleep!

Deborah Carr (Debs) said...

Oh poor Bert, that's so sad. Crying out for you, bless.

I know what you mean when you mention your rocking chair moment too, it's hard not having someone around who was so important to you.

Jayne said...

Debs - thank you. It is hard not having her around...and yet in some ways I'm sure she still is :)