[Gpdd] Announcement: Blizzard

[David Blair]

For a while, it always started out this way. Walk into the pet store for food, walk out with a new piggie. After a while, my wife banned me from going to see the baby ones in our favorite store. She knew how hard it was on me to not bring one, or two, or three, or... well, the whole bunch, home with me. 

On this day, we walked in and somehow, this beautiful little longhaired white piggie came home. She was a real doll- all white, with pink/red eyes. The tips of her ears were dark but that was all. My wife asked "What do we name her?" and I knew instantly.

Blizzard. She looked like a Blizzard.

It was perfect for her.

At the time, we didn't know better, so we bought this very nice 3 level cage, did a little safety proofing (note: guinea pigs do NOT like safety proofing) and she lived in it for over 5 years before we put her in a smaller single level that didn't have wired floors. After a brief period on one side of the room, we moved Blizz next to my computer desk. She was my faithful companion for at least 5 years like that- the very first face I saw every morning. Often, the last face I saw at night. 

Blizzard had tried a roommate- our dear, departed Cinder, my Therapist Piggie. Alas, these two wonderful piggie didn't like sharing an apartment, and we got Cinder her own. 

Blizz loved to run up the ramps to get to her food. She especially loved baby spinach. She would go through the baby spinach so fast it was amazing. We would joke that she was vacuuming it up. When spinach was on the night agenda, I would always stop what I was doing to watch and see how fast she would devour it that night. 

I must have been very entertaining to Blizz, because every time I came to sit at my desk, no matter what she was doing (unless it involved spinach) she would stop, come over to the corner closest to me, and sit down to watch. We had a real bond, Blizzard and me. She would watch, and never laugh when I did something silly or if the computer was ornery. As long as her "dad" was there, she was happy. It was this way for years on years, me using the PC, Blizzard there as my pal. 

We moved, and she stayed next to me. And the bond always grew. Blizzard loved being petted. AlLl I had to do was touch her, and she would purr and rumble and vibrate. I'd finish up, and she's lift her head up to look at me, with that "I could take more if you need to!" look. She knew my secrets, and I knew hers. 

Evetually, she aged, and I noticed recently that she hadn't been eating as much, and there was a growth under her chin. Her fur wasn't as pretty as it had been, and she slowed and thinned out. She had always been a chubby one, and this was the first sign of concern I had. When I had to move a few weeks ago, I knew I had to bring Blizzard along with me, and I packed her up along with Cleo and Nefer, and we took off from St. Louis, Mo. to Knoxville, Tn. She was quiet on the way, but seemed pretty much as she had been of late.

On my third day here, I noticed she wasn't moving much. I gave her fresh veggies (an extra serving in fact) and she dove right on in. I thought (and hoped) it was my imagination. It wasn't. In the morning, on Wednesday, I walked in and she was barely moving. I reached in to touch her to tell her I was there and loved her, and (as always) she rumbled and purred. She was leaving me, but she still loved my touching her. That was the last sound I ever heard from her. I told her over and over how much I loved her, but I had to leave for work on a new job. 

I came home and found her exactly where I left her, and she had peacefully left us. My heart was broken, because I knew I was never going to see that little face look back, never see spinach disappear that quickly, and never hear that little rumble she gave when I touched her.

Before Blizz, I wondered if they ever could form real attachments to us. Blizz taught me that piggies do just that. Now, instead of three furry pals, I only have 2 with me. I'm glad I brought the others because they helped me handle this, but as we all know, no one piggie can replace another.

I miss Blizz terribly. It's hard to imagine I'll ever find one I have as close a relationship with again. We were a team, and now there's a huge hole in my world.

What is it about these little ones that they can get to us so much, so easily?

David, with Nefer and Cleo in Knoxville, and Gizmo, Treasure, Droopy, Minuit, and Da Boyzzz (Pickles and Gabriel) in St. Louis along with Camille the Cockatiel and Pibb the Jenday Conure

Missing Blizzard, Michael (one of Da Boyzzz), Cinder, Evander, Angel, Dr. Pepper, Teddy, Elizabeth, Piggie, Tony, Arnold, Petey, Little Pepper, Mirage, Mom Pig, Dad Pig, and Sienna, plus the two mystery piggies, along with Herbie the Half Moon Conure.



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