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| A picture of Abi and Mia... We haven't got one of Bean and Boris yet |
Today was Mother's Day and while I got a lovely card from Kerrie, saying that she couldn't wish for a better Step-Mum (which literally made me well up - we have come so far and I'm so proud of her), I got a hand drawn card from Izzy "which we were made to do in school" and nothing from Abi "because it's all just commercial nonsense and Drinkwater's don't do that rubbish". Oh well, I shouldn't be surprised but a hug and an acknowledgement wouldn't go astray - maybe when they are mothers themselves they'll understand.
This weekend has mainly been about the fact that we have become the proud (ish) owners of 2 little guinea pigs.... This is the ongoing saga of "can we have a pet that is truly ours, the dogs don't count becuase we can't take them anywhere and anyway they are yours". The tortoise idea was struck out on the basis that it would likely out live me, so we came back round to guinea pigs on the basis they have asked before and of course I had them as a child so it's only fair they should be allowed them. In the end I relented, mainly because I do think it's good for them to have the responsibility, it's Izzy's birthday present and (assuming the dogs don't manage to eat them), they are only supposed to live 4-6 years. I did wonder at the pet shop person who kept saying brightly "if they are well looked after they can live to 8!", not realising that the kids may well have left home by then and I don't want to be left with a couple of ancient guinea pigs!
We went into the shop on Thursday after school and asked to speak to someone about guinea pigs. The first assistant arrived who made it quite clear that she only does fish and hamsters, not guinea pigs, so if we actually wanted to buy one, we'd have to speak to Karen. After a couple of questions I decided we should just ask to speak to Karen anyway - the first girl was no help at all! Karen duly arrived and we seemed to quickly find ourselves walking around the shop picking out hutches, bedding and feed-stuff. Doomed from the moment we stepped through the door! Glenn was dispatched on Friday to collect the hutch and assemble it in time for the kids to get home from school and for us to select the lucky piglets. I then packed 2 very excited kids into the car and off we went to make the biggest decision - which ones to have. Abi very nobly said "It's your birthday, you choose first" and then held her breathe praying she didnt pick the one she already had her eye on. Luckily it all worked out fine and they both got ones they wanted. So we have 2 little boys (I hope) - Bean and Boris.
We brought them home and put them into their hutch with strict instructions to then leave them for 24 hours - some hope! The following morning both girls were chomping to see them and by mid-morning Izzy was in tears, desperate to be able to see them. WE managed to hold out until early afternoon and then got them out for a cuddle, after a bit of a chase around the hutch of course. These poor things - we are told to handle them regularly but every time we do so must be terrifying for them.
The next dilemma is trying to get the dogs to accept that they are in the garden. Freya is actually pretty good - as long as she doesn't see movement she's not actually that interested. Bertie on the other had is obsessed with the hutch, what might be in it and if allowed to spends his entire time with his nose pressed up against the side, hoping to see something. If it wasn't terrifying enough to have us getting them out to show them how much we love them, they have the dogs showing their love as well. Oh well, I'm sure we will all get used to them.
Final postcript - Glenn, dead set against them, seems actually to be quite accepting all things considered. he's customised the hutch with minimum fuss, has helped the girls catch them and keeps asking whether we have checked on the 'rats'. Maybe he secretly wanted guinea pigs and we just never knew!!
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