Okay, so for English class, we are finally going to be able to really write-stuff that isn't essays. Naturally, I was thrilled when I found out. However, the genre is adventure, something I generally stay away from writing because although I enjoy it, I've discovered that almost every plot has already been written about. Anyways, thats the requirement. We also have a rubric to follow, but I plan on simply writing the story then editing it to fit the guidelines-since I actually want to use the story for something more productive than an English grade.
So, I was brainstorming ideas, quotes, anything to get me started. I had been fooling around with a "future-seeing" type person, then I came across Rihanna's new song...Russian Roulette. I'm not usually the type of person to listen to Rihanna, but the song got me thinking. I started writing, and I like where the story is going, but I want some outside opinions. So, the story opens with the protagonist (a guy, college aged, although he's not in college), having one of his "vision" type things, in which he's being forced to play the game Russian Roulette. But (of course) it ended before he knew whether he dies or not. However he knows all his visions end up coming true, so the story is about his "adventure" (which I'm not sure of what it is yet :P) and ends the same way it starts, but this time he's playing the game for real. All I know is that in the end, pulls the trigger and has another vision, of heaven, then he dies. Anyways, sort of "pushing the envelope" for my class, but I think its going to be okay.

Yeah, because the week has sucked. My firm does not make enough yet and I am stressed because I cannot find a part time job to fill in the financial holes. I am "overqualified" as I have been told many, many times now in phone calls and emails rejecting my resume. Go figure. Should have just stayed in school and gotten an LLM. Twenty-five of our class of 130 did that. Usually one or two per class do.

What does this mean? I will have to take back Intrepid, which I really do not want to do, but what choice do I have? It will be temporary, but it still stinks. See my last entry for information on that.

To make matters even better, the townhouses where we live were sold. To complete jerks. They have a maintenance guy who drives around the complex about every three hours or so and knocks on people's doors for perceived violations of their rules. Since these new owners took over 3 weeks ago, he has been at my door over 10 times complaining of things like my garage door staying open too long, not getting my trash can off the curb fast enough (I am home a lot during the day. If I do not need to be in the office, I work at home to save on daycare and apparently I should just jump right up and wheel my garbage can in the garage as soon as the trash is picked up.), debris on the lawn during windy days (Hey, they mow the lawns, they can pick up the debris on them. Only thing in the rules is to keep our porch and driveway clean), asking questions about the black car that has been parked down the street for two days (what am I, the neighborhood watch?). I finally called the office to complain and got the rudest response ever. Apparently they are of the mind that since they have a recorded deed, they have the right to annoy the hell out of people. They even told me to go to the recorder and look at it. *blinks* Umm, are you so stupid that you think merely owning a place means you can bug the people who live there? Oh yeah, and the Code of [State] says they have the right of access and can enforce the rules whenever they want. Rude Lady told me she had the Code right there on her desk, but when I asked her for the chapter and section that statute was in, she could not answer me. I mention that right of access cannot be used to harass and since she has the Code right in front of her, she should know that. Plus, I tell her, there are some laws that are not written down, like the covenant of quiet enjoyment, part of which says tenants have the right to peace and quiet. Then I got "Well, we can release you from your lease." To which I reply. "No you can't. Not without paying damages. I'd say since you are kicking me out of my house and leaving me with no place to live, it would not be unreasonable to ask for moving expenses, money for a couple month's worth of storage, my security deposit back, and first month's rent on the new place I find." She hung up on me. Creepy Guy has not been back, though.

Some background checks on these people, after learning some unsavory stuff about them from upset neighbors found that Rude Lady, the daughter of the owners, has been convicted of stealing several times and the owners themselves have had no less than 5 properties go into forclosure. Which leaves me wondering -- where did they get the financing to buy up this development?

Seriously I am pretty sure if you go to hell they lock you in a room and force you to call hundreds of people and irritate them, and have most of them yell at you or slam the phone down. All the while a supervisor is breathing down your neck saying 'How many surveys have you gotten filled out so far?!' So, I was supposed to aim for at least a total of 12 or more, since it was my first shift as they usually expect 24 or more, well, guess what, I got 6. And one of them, the guy hung up halfway through cuz he had enough of me so you know what I did? I just filled the rest out for him. Naughty naughty. I really. Hate. This. Job.

I had a dream about Buffy last night that she was a very sad piggy. I got up in the morning and went straight to see her because I felt like something was wrong with her. She was making an odd wheezy noise and then coughed and breathed normally again. I'm so scared for her now though. She will have to be off to the vet tomorrow morning. I wish I could take her today but there are no appointments left. But I don't think it's normal for a guinea pig to make that kind of noise. I've been watching her and she hasn't made it again for a while.

Oh yeah I'm not claiming I'm psychic or something, lol, I think I've had a feeling something was not right with her for a while but I didn't really pay attention because she has really seemed fine, it was only this morning that I heard her wheeze. I really don't want to go to work in an hour I'm scared to leave her by herself. And I have two shifts tonight first telemarketing then dancing till midnight. My poor little girl.

Well I have her on my lap right now and just listened to her breathing both in her chest and her mouth but there are no strange noises now. Maybe she just had something caught in her throat that she coughed up?

I love her so much I don't know what I would do if something happened to her. For a while it was just she and I and she has been like a baby to me. I adopted her when she was about 2 months old when she was just this little ball of fluff and now she is this gorgeous girl with long gold and chocolate curls. I hadn't planned to get a pet as I lived in such a small apartment but she just had such a lovely calm nature and I had recently lost a child that I was carrying (I was nearly 4 months along when it happened). So it was nice to have someone to look after I guess and have company as I was by myself all the time. I just want to make it clear how important she is to me.

Anyways I better get something to eat before I head off to work I really really do not want to go but if I'm looking at a vet bill tomorrow I guess I have no choice at all ha ha. Last time I took Wesley it cost me 100 dollars. I'm pretty sure I'll get fired from the telemarketing place today if I don't do better than I did yesterday but oh well. At least I am dancing again and getting some money coming in.

Quick Update,
Moo's Babies went to too wonderfull homes. Moo was also adopted out with her daughter, which i think is for the best :) The Little girl who adopted the little white baby boy calls me regularly with updates.

My 2 rescue girls are now liveing happyly wiith Lucy in their new and improved 3x6 C&C with a additional kitchen and lovely pink and black velvet theme:p Everyone is in complete BLISS and they only go to the bathroom in their kitchen, which is Bliss for me! lol

So after some minor worries between my parents and I regarding the student loan bills that will be kicking in within a month. (The good news is coming.)
Well the loan place called me and the monthly bill is going to be about $150 less than expected. (yay!)
I am still waiting to hear from the Fafsa loans but I am pretty sure that they will be reasonable.
My father has given me the okay, and my mother said it sounds like everything will be fine. On top of those two loan bills the only other bill I have is my car insurance... until health insurance kicks in but even then I should be fine. I'm so happy. I pretty much have full permission now. I still feel like I should wait the full three months I promised (which would mean waiting till the last week in January)... but It's just so tempting.

So Saturday evening I was working at my regular full time fine jewelry job and accident prone me goes and get's myself injured. :(

Our case doors are mirrored ones that flip upwards when you open them. I had one propped open in one of our watch cases where I was knelt down reaching in to change a sale sign when the bloody door fell down and conked me right in the forehead!

Needless to say to the emergency room I was taken to find out I have a concussion and a neck strain. So I've been off of work both Sunday and today and go back to the docs tomorrow for a checkup.

Only me can get injured working in fine jewelry! I played basketball for two years just fine, but no, gotta get the concussion working in retail!


On the flip side....


Apparently Cocoa had noticed that "Mommy" isn't feeling the best and my reflexes aren't quite up to par because she now runs around and around and around when I'm trying to pick her up for lap time. Then once I get her she's a sweet innocent piggy who purrs like crazy.

Animals really are the best at helping us recover from injuries. Smiles are the best medicine! :)

I've had some bad luck of late. My credit card details got stolen somehow and someone charged a bunch of transactions to my card before I had the chance to cancel the card. I don't know if I'm going to get the money back but it was like 400 or 500 dollars.

I started working a second job to get some extra money today and somehow lost my house key on the way there or something. It's an electronic card key and will cost me 120 dollars to replace....negating most of the money I earnt at my new job today. Really all I could do is laugh at that. And hope that someone turns it in. You never know!

I'm so glad I have my guinea pigs. Their little faces make me happy. And I'm hopefully starting another job next week which will be even more money and I can hopefully pay off all the money I owe on my credit card. I also need to put money aside for Wesley to get desexed. I really do worry about Wes being on his own though but I can't get him desexed for a while yet until I am sure his respiratory problem has cleared up. I am a little worried about getting him desexed though. I'm worried that something will go wrong and he won't make it through the operation. I need to find out just how risky it is. It might be better for me to keep him unaltered and either get him a friend or find him a new home. I love him so much though I think I'd rather find him a friend even though having a second cage in my unit is severely limiting my floorspace. But I'd rather be inconvenienced than give him up. Unless I knew he would be doted on and adored, I guess.

Well Buffy is being a bit of a snob of late. She's quite a moody girl sometimes. her coat had a trim a few weeks back and it is growing back SO CURLY! It's gorgeous but I'll probably trim it again soon as I worry she will get too hot under all that fur. I so love her long curly fur but I will just have to wait for winter to let it all grow long.

Avril is a little diva. She really is. She can be so loud when she wants her dinner. She is quite easily irritated, and will squeal at us if we do anything she doesn't like - like moving her hidey or not giving her food! She sleeps in her basket and will come investigate what I am doing when I'm cleaning the cage out every morning and night. It's funny, she's the only one of my piggies that does that. Wesley may do when he is more accustomed to me I guess. But Buffy has always been a real hider.

Avril's irritability kind of worries me sometimes though. I took her to the vet when we first got her as we got her from a girl whose piggie had babies unexpectedly, who clearly didn't know much about guinea pigs (Avril was the last one left). I'm worried that Avril may have fallen pregnant before we got her. I guess it is too early to tell but she eats a LOT and drinks a lot too, and is so sensitive about her tummy being touched now. I guess I will take her back to the vet; it was too soon to tell the first time I guess.

Ah I love my piggies I really do. All I think about at work is coming home to see them.

http://www.guineapigcages.com/forum/...a-pigbear.html

:love::love:

We went to Wales and got to Abakhan's gorgeous fabric and textiley shop - Cheap Fabric, Curtains, DressMaking, Wedding,Upholstery Fabrics, Discount Fabrics Shop-Abakhan Fabrics UK, and spent an hour in there, buying fleece by the kilo and lots of sock wool (impulse buy!!). The only problem was trying to narrow it down, but now we are home I am already looking for more fleece to give the cage the bling factor!

This week things have finally started to come together after weeks of pondering on whether the cage was big enough, and on Thursday I decided that the cage was too small (first version being two floors of 2 by 4, an external ramp, and a 2 by 1 hay loft referred to as the conservatory, as it is lined with perspex and has two mirrored walls.) I felt that I couldn't deny the pigs a roomier house - we would all love somewhere bigger wouldn't we? And us giving up a little bit more space we would hardly notice meant a big increase for the piggies.

Having an external ramp added half a grid to the depth anyway. I have spent weeks checking out other people's cages, and in particular had watched the videos that Pigjes has up on YouTube YouTube - Pigjes's Channel

The great space her pigs have got me thinking, and I knew I would feel that our piggies had not got enough space - with tunnels in and cozies I felt their ability to do laps would be too restricted - I also noticed how active her pigs were, running up and down and in and out of tunnels and houses.

I came to the conclusion that an extra half grid on the original design, and an internal ramp instead would give them almost another fifty percent onto their cage.

My partner didn't take much convincing as he is keen for the piggies to have as good a life as we can give them, and so I changed the cage to a 3 by 4. The difference is amazing - it is so much bigger!. It also takes up a big chunk of the dining room, but there is still room for the table and chairs, and the computer table. Even better I can just swivel my chair round and see into the cage!

It is still the same basic design - but two floors of 3 by 4 and now a cupboard next the the conservatory to store things in and keep down the clutter.

I noticed however that the second floor was sagging a lot - so off to B and Q to get some wood to make supports.

Once there,however I found a bracket used to slot shelving onto walls Flexi Upright Matt Silver Effect (H)160cm, 807721 that could work with less messing about and a neater look.

I struggled to remember Pythagoras's theorem for the long side of a right angled triangle as I could remember the length and width of the cage, but not the measurement from cormer to corner across the middle. After a couple of false starts and some sums on my mobile I got the right measurement (177cm) and saw a bracket that was 160cm long that would fit the cage slightly offset from one of the corners.

Cable-tied in with the help of daughter number two crawling into the bottom floor of the cage it is holding the second floor up magnificently! There is no sag at all, and best of all it crosses right under where the perspex ramp up to the conservatory rests.

Whilst browsing the drainage pipe section - something I never did before Operation Guinea Pig, I saw these bottle gully raising pipes Marley Bottle Gully Raising Piece UG52X Terracotta (Dia) 110mm, UG52X which are actually 150mm not 110mm - so possibly barcoded wrongly. I bought three at £3.48 each - two joined together with gaffer tape will form a tunnel style ramp, and the other will be a tunnel for the pigs to run through.

I plan to cover and line the pipes with fleece for grip and comfort - they are also a pretty hideous colour!

So tonight the metal bracket is fitted, and the hole for the ramp cut - the cage is shaping up further. Once I have redone the coroplast and sorted out the bedspreads I will get some photos of the various layers of the cage structure up on here to show how it is put together.

I have also found some lovely cozies Piggy Crash Pads for the cage - I have the cow crash pad, and Jenny the lady who makes all these lovely things made me a bed to match - she was a delight to deal with and so helpful. I have ordered daughter number one's bed, crash pad and tent hammock in custom colours as agreed with Jenny, so that should turn up in a few days.

Hopefully the next post will be one with pictures on!!

Friday morning (the 13th), we noticed that Sebby was unusually lethargic, some wheezing, had nose and eye crusties, and would not respond to normal or hand feeding. We thought he had an upper respiratory infection, so we called and were able to get him in to see the vet at 3pm.
Long story short, the vet told us that Sebby was gassy and that they wanted to keep him overnight. He told us that usually pigs with this either get better or they don't make it.

I was already worried enough but this broke my heart. I've had Sebby since he was WAY too young to be sold at the Petland I bought him from. He's 4 years old and he's my baby. I am willing to do ANYTHING it takes to help him get better- money is no option I have 4 guitars, an amp, and a saxophone I can sell along with other things if I need the money.

Anyways, Sebby stayed at the vet overnight.
He was given: (I'm just reading off the bill)

3 Reglan injections
2 Banamine Injections
1 dose of Subcutaneous Fluid

They let me pick him up and take him home Saturday (the 14th) at 1pm.
They sent us home with:

Simethicone Drops
Metronidazole Suspension

The vet told us they had tried giving him Critical Care but he spit out all of it. They said he reacted slightly to seeing some veggies but lost interest when he went to eat them. I'm assuming they got him to eat SOMETHING because the vet described his poops as mucus-y, stringy, and very smelly.

He told us to try syringe feeding him baby food or applesauce. We're also trying to get him to drink water from a syringe, but I guess he's not taking in as much as it seems. He spits some out but we think he's taken in quite a bit. We fed him applesauce (even tried some warmed up) but he hasn't pooped AT ALL since he came home. I'm not sure if he has urinated because it would have dried up before I checked for it, but he would have probably laid in it and he smells of neither urine nor poo- aside from the usual piggie smell.

Sebby did nibble on a piece of printer paper that I jokingly held in front of him [Sebby is known for eating things you usually don't want him to eat] and then he nibbled on a few pieces of hay but I'm not sure what he actually swallowed of that because 2 little pieces of the hay came out of his mouth when he spit out applesauce while we syringe fed him.

I just don't know what to do. All the vets are closed today, so I can't call to ask any questions. I'd take him to the Emergency Clinic but when we took him there for a bite on his ear a while back they charged me $166 to literally put super glue on his ear. I am willing to pay whatever it takes, but the ER Clinic is also not as educated about guinea pigs as I think is necessary in order to exam and treat Sebby.

Please, if you have ANY advice let me know.
I can't lose my Sebby. :'[

-Lauren.

because I would love to subscribe and see all the videos :heart:

-Lauren

Peachy and Clover got thier first bath yesterday. They did pretty well! After being wetted with a jug, they were soaped up and then rinsed under the tap. In total- 5 poops, one nip, countless scratches, but 2 very clean and happy pigs (very relieved to be put back in the cage!). The smell wonderful, not like animal shelter any more! I'd say it's a success!

just thought i'd put these links on here
feel free to add me if you want :D

Lauren's Facebook

Ben's Facebook

:heart:Lauren.

Okay so, some of you may know that a while ago I was planning on adopting a female guinea pig from a girl who was moving and couldn't take care of all of her pets (she had 5 hamsters, a guinea pig, a bunny and a bunch of geckos) anyways I didn't take the female because she decided she wasn't going to "sell her" anymore. I have this girl on facebook by the way. So she ended up giving away both her guinea pig and bunny (rude I know, because I could have given the guinea pig a great home) about a week later I notice she has ANOTHER bunny and claims that she missed her other one so she got a new one from someone who didn't want him anymore. Then a few days after that I was going through her photos and noticed a new GUINEA PIG :ohmy: in a cage WITH the bunny!!! I explained to her that bunnys and piggies should not be housed together and she reply with: "I know but the girl I got them from raises and breeds them together so they are friends". Honestly if I could I would go to her house and save all of her poor animals. She obviously just has them soley for her pleasure and she doesn't care for them properly. She did at one point have a guinea pig cage but she sold it :eye-poppi funny how she'd rather have $40 bucks than give her guinea pig proper care. Gr. :grumpy:

http://www.youtube.com/user/LawrynandBensPigs

:heart:

Okay, sooooo I wanna get one (or more-- in the future though) of these pics blown up to an 8x10 and framed. BUT I can't choose! Which do you guys think I should pick??

#1


#2


#3


#4


#5



Help Please :D I cannot choose! I love the all. I'll probably eventually get them all framed, but but with the added cost of the picture being blown up and the frame, I'm guessing it'll be $10-$15, so for now, just one...that's the hard part ;)


Oh....and by the way, the pup is my Bellie and the kitty is Ang

Today is such a gorgeous day. All the leaves are colored and it is 70 degrees here. My dad and brother are raking the leaves and I was tossing my dogs ball into the pile and she was diving into it and making a huge mes. Then I got in trouble and had to rake all the leaves Annie had jumped into. It was hard because she knows she can jump in now so every time I make a pile she jumps in. My room also smells so nice because I just changed the boys fleece. Today has been awesome and it is only 12:30. But I do have to do my homework later...

Aloha! I really need to figure out how to work my camera so I can take pictures of my piggies. I was forced to move my piggies to the basement yesterday:weepy: Luckily its furnished and it has a heater down there but I don't want my babies to get lonely. I've been visiting them almost every 30 minutes. Also my dogs haven't discovered them down in the basement:optimist:

I finally found another guinea pig to rehome!!:D I'm going to name her Tilly. Now Milly,Molly and Tilly names match! The women I'm buying Tilly off, her sow had a mistake pregant guinea pig. She is not a breeder and she said that the babies only g to good homes and no breeders. :cheerful: There is no fee and I am going to meet her tomorrow to choose between two females.:) They are two weeks now,so I can get her in two weeks. I wish I could get the two of them because I have the space for them. Maybe.(I wish! :D)Thats a great christmas pressie for Milly and Molly.:shhh:
I can't wait!!!!

:weepy: I have been so excited over the last month because my fiancee and I have been getting everything ready to get 2 little girls. We went through a whole revamp of the cage because we deiced to get 2 girls instead of 2 boys. We have the plans to build a huge 42"x70"cage with a 14"x42" loft with a garden theme for them and they're going to have our whole dining room for a play area. It sounded so great.Till today! I found out that were not going to be able to get them till late December if not January because of our landlord who didn't fill out the paperwork we need to have them in our apartment. So now I have to wait even longer before getting my babies.Guess it's not that long it just seems like forever.