[Gpdd] RAINBOW BRIDGE: Pining 4 Aquinnah & Fed up w/Imbeciles

[Willowstorm25 at aol.com]

Hi Rodent Lovers,
 
Thanks to those of you who sent an outpouring of condolences and  support 
over the last few days.  I still miss my Aquinnah, though.   She had a short, 
rough life.  Her first year spent with owners who really  didn't love her, 3 
weeks spent in a rescue, 4 months spent living happily with  me and her last week 
spent in agony.  
 
She was only 19 months old, and out of all the guinea pigs I've had, she is  
the only one that was bonded with me the day I brought her home.  All of  the 
other guinea pigs I've had, (understandably) took great time and effort to  
learn to trust me.  Not Aquinnah.  For her, there was no "adjustment  period."  
The moment I brought her into my home, she yearned for my love  and attention, 
even more so than Ryvvir did.  Maybe that is why I am having  such a hard 
time accepting that she's gone.  I am not certain I am going to  adopt a cagemate 
for Ryvvir.  I have a date with my rescue friend down in  Florence to 
introduce Ryvvir to another guinea pig.  If it works out, I  will adopt one.  If not, 
I think I will probably just leave Ryvvir a  single.  I hate to, because come 
September, I am not going to be home all  day, Craig neither, and she's going 
to be alone here all morning and day.
 
There's something that is really ticking me off, though, since the day she  
died, more than her death itself, I think.  My husband's family hates  guinea 
pigs, especially my mom-in-law and brother in law, who have to  throw in their 
enlightened two sense as soon as they find out Aquinnah is  gone.  No, *I'm 
sorry to hear that* or *That is a  shame*  No.......  As soon as I mention that 
I might not be  adopting again, they enthusiastically start cooking up this 
elaborate  architechtural plan for making Ryvvir's 44" x 30" C&C cage smaller 
because  *according to them*, I "don't have the room to keep that big cage," and 
 "it's an eyesore anyway," and then they *kindly* go on to tell me that  
someone they know is getting rid of a 10-gallon fish tank with a lid and  that 
this would be a "perfect" habitat for Ryvvir....    
 
They hate guinea pigs, so anything to do with the guinea pigs is "an  
eyesore," or something Craig and I "don't have room to keep." Never mind that  we've 
had the same cage for the last 4  years in places a lot  smaller than this (As 
if it is any of their business in the first place).   So I had to listen to 
this idiotic ludicrosity at my 30th birthday  party, 4 hours after Aquinnah 
died.  I was a little annoyed about it, but  it wasn't worth me getting riled 
over.   I just find such icy  indifference disturbing....Especially from people 
who leave every door in their  house open and won't run their bedroom air 
conditioners in the summer because  their miserable, useless cat Graycie "doesn't 
like closed doors," and who have  rearranged every stick of furniture in their 
house because "that is the way  Graycie likes it."  
 
But anyway, I was wondering if any of you have had similar  experiences.  As 
much as I hate to say it, it would make me feel better to  know I was not the 
only one.   Most of the time, I pity people's  ignorance, but lately, I have 
lost all my patience for it. Maybe I can find it  again if I can know that 
there are others who have been there.  *A few tips  from those of you who have 
would be much appreciated*  Thanks.
 
Nicholle & Ryvvir



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