[Gpdd] (Announcement)delayed announcement of Alge's last journey, plans for her GP's

[warmbreath at comcast.net]

Hello friends. I am still in shock myself and I am sorry many of you have 
not gotten the word of our dearest Alge's passing  in a timely fashion. I 
found out at 6:19 am pacific daylight time Fri Morning and I started sending 
email immediately, the first was to the GPDD. I have heard that there was a 
glitch at Yahoo that messed up, maybe allot more than just the GPDD, and the 
digest form of the GPDD did not go out on time, and nothing is able to be 
done. I have sent many emails privately and I missed some of you for which I 
am deeply grieved.  I spent 12 straight hours on the keyboards as we are 
moving ahead with the rehoming of Alge's guinea pigs and it is very complex 
and I am a very slow typist which even 30 years of practice hasn't improved

There is a new home with Jenni in Daytona Beach, we will need donations of 
money and drivers for either one of 2 possible plans. 1. Drive Capt. Jack 
and Barnacle Bill 1500 miles to Daytona Beach; either 1, 3 or a dozen or 
more persons, like many persons setting up a piggy train.  Plan #2 Get 
volunteer drivers for the shorter drive to Baltimore to catch a real life 
version of PigAir, in reality a business that rehomes rescued animals to 
their new forever homes or in other situations for medical help  In both 
cases we need money donations, and donations of time and drivers to make a 
piggy rescue train from Columbus or Logan Ohio straight east to Baltimore to 
catch the rescue plane to Florida or to drive the longer route to Daytona 
Beach.  We will need money but NOT YET, we dont want to ask for money until 
we have a waterproof plan and know how much is needed and where it is 
needed. We do want to ask for people who may be able to be drivers to step 
forward and add your names to a list we will start now. If you know someone 
who knows how to care for guinea pigs on the road, which requires some 
knowledge, please let us know, contact that person, start lining up people 
and funding sources, plan a hot cocoa sale or something creative. It occurs 
to me that if you know already how much you can donate you may wish to pick 
up a money order or bank check, so we wont have to wait for out of state 
checks to clear. when we do announce the collections, the responsible person 
will be names and some simple way of accountability.

 I am very sorry to sound so business like at a time like this, but this is 
my service to Alge, the one things that will allow her to rest in peace, 
that her piggies have a wonderful forever homes, near world class doctors, 
and living with Jenni a long time member of GPDD and Alge's true friend, 
although she hasn't been active recently she has belonged to the Yahoo group 
that arranges animal rescues. This is the one thing I can do, I live 2500 
miles in the opposite direction.  Jenni is the person Alge picked to be her 
piggies new parent. This is the best possible outcome for the 2 wonderful 
guinea pigs that cheered Alge in year last years and it is our dearest 
Alge's final wishes for her pigs. Jenni and I will co-ordinate, she will be 
in charge as she is on site, and the pigs are coming to her. I will do 
everything I can to bring these people and piggies together.

Nancy has written a beautiful piece about what Alge means to her and about 
the loss. For me it is the loss of my best friend, but as I written many 
people, Alge had best friends, she had that wide open pervasive intellect 
and charm that dives into you heart and makes a home there all the while 
making your life better. She did that for me and Nancy, and Alyssa esp. when 
Alyssa was so hurt in the  accident, for many of us I know, and for many 
more I dont know. Again I marvel what a family we are.

For those of us who would like to send cards email me off-line, be sure the 
Address is not published on line, we must protect the families privacy and 
from criminals. Many of you know other people on GPDD who do have her 
address, and you may contact them.  Many of you might like to write a story 
about Alge, I'm sure there is someone who would volunteer to make a 
scrapbook for Alge's family, esp Beth and her daughter Katherine (named 
after Katherine Hepburn) who lived with Alge and took care of her all this 
time, and worked herself so hard as families do when a loved one is slipping 
away. I would love to have a Beth in my life, and since I dont, I can only 
say I admire her with all my heart. Our  memories can be collected in our 
archives in that special place we reserve for the people who lead and 
inspired us, like Peter Gurney, and Joseph Petrillo, George the Guinea Pig's 
father and Alge's special friend who died last year, who's name has slipped 
my addled brain, but whom we just promised to remember with candles on Peter 
Gurney's day next month. But you will remind me and I will claim a senior 
moment.

In closing We each in out own way will say goodbye to our dear friend, and 
many of us will come together and express ourselves with cards, letters, 
stories about the good times, and some will help relocate Capt Jack and 
Barnacle Bill. All of us have a hole in our hearts and will take a private 
moment to remember the special ones in our lives. It's all I can write just 
now. Please excuse the long to and cc list, it's to make sure as many people 
as I personally have addresses for the this as soon as possible in case 
Yahoo has problems today. There is no difference between the to and cc 
lists, I just filled the spaces as full as I could. If you know of anyone is 
missed let me know right ways, and sent them a copy with my apologies. Most 
of you have Alge's address if not ask again if needed.
For me  I would just like to say thanks to Alge, for being my friend, for 
encouraging me to write, and being the kind of friend i hoped for all my 
life, you will live in my heart and mind as long as I draw breath.