Goodbye Guineas

We acquired guinea pigs many months ago and the return was not what I expected. In my decision making to get them, I blathered on in a blog about having more creatures to love. (Roll eyes) We (and that means me, and if George got home in time) had to feed them fresh vegetables and fruit EVERY day and let them run around in a larger space and clean their cage, yada yada yada. (In hindsight, I think we treated them very well, probably better than most) It became a necessary evil. So before Thanksgiving, I told the girls and George that if we did not interact with "the pigs" more and if they, the girls, did not help, we would look for a new home for them at the start of the new year. Mallory was sad (but was already pushing for a dog (NO!)), Riley was ready for them to go immediately and George thought that we should stick with our commitment...to the pigs.

George then tried to ingratiate them on (to?) us, and on Thanksgiving Day he let them run all over the house, which was fun momentarily and then we had to catch them. But they STILL needed veggies EVERY day, along with dry food, and hay. I kinda got tired of the fact that they ate better than the rest of the house. They nipped at me when I took them out and they didn't seem to want to be picked up or caught. I know George thought we should follow through on our 5-7 year sentence, but the kids interest fell by the wayside as did my enthusiasm. I would rather battle the kids about other issues than taking care of those pets that weren't "doing it" for anybody. I do think if we had put more time into them they might have been more playful... but it was time to cut our losses. So yesterday, we packed them up after school and delivered them to Petco so they could be adopted. I was sad at leaving them but my decluttering self knew it had to be!!

A new family will adopt Lilly and Brownie and I will no longer want to scream at night when I have ONE more thing I have to do.
One very positive aside, is that our two cats, Morgan and even Princess the persnickety have become much more desirable. They are loving and cuddly. They follow us around and want to be petted. Easier to feed. I've got one curled in a ball next to my as I type.
And my new living room floor is hay free. (Big smile)

Brownie and Lilly

A red letter day in the Golightly household, we added three new things to the mix. First I am typing on a brand new Ipad and to wax poetic, this is really so freaking cool. It is a very cool toy. It works out splendidly for me to be able to write on something more compact while sitting in my homeland, Barnes and Noble when I have a sitter during the summer. And a multitude of other uses. I'm rationalizing now...

Secondly, there are 2 more girls in the house...Lilly and Brownie. They are guineas pigs and I am thinking that this "will be the beginning of a very beautiful friendship." They are very interesting little rodent creatures which are higher maintenance than our cats (and whom I hope everyone can just get along). They require guinea food, water, veggies and fruits, AND a little human interaction outside of the cage daily. Could they BE anymore like people? (except the Star Wars noises that they make.) I am hoping that their necessity for fruits and vegetables will increase our consumption as well. That is my goal.

As I considered the extra work, money involved in cage cleaning, food acquiring, etc. I also thought of the rewards. How could it be bad to have more little creatures around to love and be friends with? That is my new way to look at it. Our new friend Cara did a good job of selling them when we visited her and her son's 2 guineas. My girls are funny. They wanted them desperately yet are scared to hold them. This will be a good learning experience and responsibility building. AND the cats are looking a lot more mellow in comparison. Riley and Mallory still jump when Princess the more persnickety cat startles them. I even looked at the cats in a more appreciative way, after the overly excited GP's were running around skittishly in their new surroundings. It's going to be an adventure.

Princess and I, the Needy

Our family adopted 2 adult cats late last year. My first and only cat, Pookie had grown old and very ill and I had to put him down. I waited a few months before wanting to add a new addition to the family, not knowing whether I wanted to get another cat. Riley was ready to go look the day that I was taking Pookie to have him put to sleep. I hadn't even started crying to grieve my little furry friend who had been with me before marriage and children.

Anyway, I liked the idea of being able to leave the doors flung open, no more cat box to smell or clean, etc. but the calling came and we ended up adopting 2 cats. They are sister cats, that needed to be adopted together and it was meant to be. As we were getting out of the car at the pet store to look at the cats up for adoption, Mallory said, "I want to name it Princess." Guess what the names of the sister cats already were: Princess and Morgan. We kept the names and had to wait until we came back from a vacation to bring them home.

Pookie was not a lap cat, he would rub up against my leg to show his affection and when we lived in Buffalo, he would come get closer at times for warmth. But that was enough for me, I was fine with a non lap cat and a little dark blip of a warm body in the same proximity with me. And then came Princess and Morgan. The first day we brought them home, they stayed hidden away from the loud and exciteable children but when the girls were put to bed and George and I retreated to our bedroom, out they came. George and I were in the bed, and they swarmed all over us, in our laps wanting affection, licking our faces. It was hysterical to us after our previous introverted feline. What had I gotten myself into? Every time I sit down at the computer, on a chair, in my bed, etc., one of them, especially Princess is right there fighting to get her attention and her spot.

I feel a kinship to Princess (and Morgan). I was one of those needy chicks with father issues that I have heard made fun of in movies and tv shows. I have learned a little more about myself in the last year or so and why I was a "needy chick" and I've come to terms with it and have learned over the years to not be so needy. Now I'M needed ALL the time by my children. Karma has come around, and here comes Princess, when I'm trying to type on my laptop, she's walking across it trying to find her spot. When I'm eating my cheese enchilada, she puts her foot in it. At the bathroom counter while I try to get dressed, she is trying to come between me and my mascara. She is the persistent Princess and I just laugh thinking how similiar I was to them both and most days I stop and give them some stroking and love.