[Gpdd] RAINBOW BRIDGE Halloween Piggyfriend

[Penny Charlesworth]

When Sandy suggested Halloween stories, I was not expecting to write this
one. I have not announced Piggyfriend departures for the Rainbow Bridge for
some time. Having a large herd of rescued piggies, some of whom arrive here
in poor health, which, despite the best help available, cannot be
rectified, the number of sad announcements was becoming untenable so I
decided to only announce new arrivals. Be assured that every lost
Piggyfriend is mourned by myself and by their bereft companions, candles
are lit and every lost little one is buried in my garden in a box of hay
and flowers with a plaque to commemorate their life.

I collected Halloween and his friend, Hope, in response to a phone call
about two piggies in need, on October 31st. 2005, hence the name that I
gave to this lovely Harlequin boar. They were both adults at the time so I
have no idea how old Halloween truly was but he could have been the oldest
ever Piggyfriend, so I thought that, just this time, I would announce his
passing, especially as I was going to announce his seventh adoption day
soon.

I lost Hope last year. Some of you may remember her being our piggy nurse
on our virtual adventures, retiring to let Pandora and Florence take over.
I nearly lost Halloween then too as, not long after, he suffered a stroke.
He was very lopsided for a while but prompt medication with Osteocare
enabled him to recover his equilibrium and he made an amazing recovery.
Then his teeth started to grow strangely. His incisors started to split and
branch out in peculiar directions but our wonderful Rodentologist was able
to clip them into a more manageable state and Halloween continued to be
able to eat normally. Every time he started to have trouble with his
favourite carrot, it was time to go back to have another trim. He had to
have one incisor removed when it started to grow sideways and probably
would have had to have another taken out too but he never stopped eating
and I started to grate his carrot to make it easier for him. He was always
very good during his dental treatment, lying back on the pillow under the
inspection lamp as though he hadn't a care in the world. Sometimes, he
dozed off in the warmth and eagerly ate up his veggies straight afterwards.

When I went on holiday, I gave him extra hugs before leaving as, at his
very advanced age, I took every day at a time and I was so pleased to see
him again when we returned home. Son-of-Slave, the pigsitter, watched him
very carefully, with instructions to be on the hotline to our
Rodentologists if anything was untoward with him and any other Piggyfriend.

I gave out the carrot slices first thing on Saturday morning, then went to
prepare the rest of the veggies and was surprised that Halloween had not
eaten his as he usually wolfed down the whole plateful. At first, I thought
that it was dental treatment time again, although he had eaten all of his
supper the night before. I offered him his Tabritis, which he took for his
arthritis. He always came toddling over as fast as he could on his stiff
little legs as he loved the taste but he did not respond when I held out
the syringe. Fearing the worst, I lifted him gently out of his pen and
hugged him. He sat there for a moment or two and then went limp. I knew
that he had gone. If they have to leave, that has to be the best way.

Thank you, Halloween, for waiting for me to come home and say goodbye. You
were the best of pigs and I miss you very much. The time will come when I
do not go straight to the grater in the morning to prepare your carrot.
Garnet is clearing up your plate for you. You now how he loves his carrot.

So you will understand if the Piggyfriends will not be coming to the party.
It is not the time for fun and fancy dress but we hope you all have a good
time and we look forward to the stories. ( thanks Carol and Tundra ), We
will light a candle in our ceramic pumpkin and remember our dearest friend,
Halloween.

There are some pigtures of him celebrating a previous adoption day on our
Photobucket page here.....

http://s720.photobucket.com/albums/ww201/Piggyfriends/#!cpZZ2QQtppZZ24

Tearfully, Penny and the Piggyfriends.